This tension between scaling and safeguarding is a common thread throughout the issue. Eric McGriff and Andrea Zara explore how rising delinquencies — especially in transportation — have reshaped risk tolerance across the industry. The article captures the real-time recalibration happening inside credit teams and the renewed emphasis on portfolio performance as a strategic imperative.
Scott Kiley builds on this theme with an article that challenges us to grow our relationships smarter, not faster. He outlines the “Upside Down Pyramid” to visualize the chronological steps to follow at an initial meeting with a prospect that will help salespeople build trust.
Valerie Gerard’s feature adds yet another layer, focused on the future. She outlines opportunities and potential challenges for equipment finance companies financing AI infrastructure, the backbone of AI technology.
You’ll also find clear perspectives in our CEO Roundtable, where executives weigh in on pricing pressure, impacts of tariffs and the Trump administration, the rise of private equity in equipment finance, and the trends that will have the biggest impact over the next five years. Our executive interviews bring the Monitor 100 rankings to life, celebrating the strategies and mindsets behind the metrics.
Rounding out the issue is the final installment of Ken Greene’s Who’s Monitoring the Monitor? series. Over the past few months, he has shed light on the evolving regulatory landscape and its implications for lenders of all sizes. His work reminds us that legal strategy is no longer a sidebar — it’s a boardroom conversation.
These voices — analytical, strategic, legal and operational — point to one reality: this is a period of recalibration, not retreat. Leaders are investing in efficiency, advancing their systems, training their teams and preparing for long-term relevance, even as short-term challenges persist.
To the 100 companies that make this issue possible each year, thank you. Your participation doesn’t just benchmark the industry — it shapes its future.
If your team is seeking a way to improve your forward momentum with customers, we encourage you to register for Converge. In this radical, affordable, workshop-style virtual event, the industry will come together to reimagine the customer journey and build the tactical playbook to win the customers of tomorrow. Learn more at convergebymonitor.com.
In the meantime, we’ll be working on our July/Aug issue, which will focus on brokers and technology, and reveal the 2025 Monitor 101. Don’t miss it!
