In this episode of Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity, host Andrew Pace welcomes Kip Amstutz, President of 360 Equipment Finance. From launching his first business with a promissory note from his father to building a nationwide finance company with a disciplined approach to subprime lending, Kip shares the real-world strategies that have shaped his success. They explore portfolio diversification, AI-driven automation, strategic use of third-party originators, and what it means to scale responsibly in a volatile market.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Kip’s entrepreneurial start and the founding story of 360 Equipment Finance
• Transitioning from originator to full-service finance company
• Portfolio diversification across 47 states and multiple verticals
• Strategic use of third-party originators for scale and geographic diversity
• Subprime risk management and credit-conscious underwriting
• How AI and automation are reshaping fraud detection, data entry, and credit decisioning
• Why company culture, EOS, and hiring for complementary skillsets drive growth
• Capital access, lender trust, and transparent communication
• What’s ahead for 2026: AI, BI dashboards, and marketing-driven growth

Notable Takeaways:

“You can’t hold anything if you can’t fund it. We’ve learned to hold the subprime—and sell off the prime—because that’s where we can use our capital to its fullest.”

“Hiring people who think differently than you do? That’s where the magic happens. It’s how we’ve scaled while staying lean.”

“AI isn’t just about speed—it’s about precision. And it only works if it complements the human experience.”

Subscribe to Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity for more industry insights and field-tested strategies.

For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions.

In this episode of Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity, Andrew Pace sits down with Rob Ceribelli of Channel to unpack what it takes to scale a financial services company—from leading through a private equity exit to building out infrastructure that supports sustainable growth. Rob shares candid insights into strategic leadership, risk modeling, portfolio expansion, and how his team is preparing for the future of alternative finance.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Lessons from Channel’s acquisition by Onset Financial
• Maintaining employee trust and culture during major transitions
• How to structure teams and invest in middle management to scale
• The role of operational excellence and technology in high-growth environments
• Expanding into working capital: benefits and risks
• Building proprietary credit models vs relying on industry data
• Balancing risk tiers through precision-based pricing
• Digital innovation, AI, and future growth priorities

Notable Takeaways:

“We’re small-ticket and Onset is large-ticket—so the fit was natural. But what made it work was the cultural alignment and open communication.”

“Sometimes your systems or team structures are fine…until they’re not. We watch for what’s humming, what’s smoking, and what’s on fire.”

“We don’t outsource our credit models—we built them from the ground up using 16 years of data. That’s how you take smarter risk and grow with confidence.”

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For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions.

In this episode of Portfolio Perspective, Andrew Pace welcomes Jim Ryan, Sales Manager at Sandhills Global, to unpack the current realities of equipment valuation, auction trends, and retail-first remarketing strategies. With oversight of all auction products and financial customer relationships at Sandhills, Jim brings an unmatched view into market cycles, recovery tactics, and the role of AI and data in driving smarter decisions.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Equipment valuation trends post-COVID and sector-specific volatility
• Inventory gluts in agriculture vs. normalization in transportation and construction
• How auction values signal real-time market conditions
• Strategic retail-first recovery paths that deliver 20%+ lift over auction
• Lender timelines: Why delay is costing you money
• Transportation finance: Opportunities for cautious re-entry
• The role of AI in matching buyers and accelerating time-to-sale
• Print vs. digital: Surprising data on buyer engagement

Notable Takeaways:

“If you have 10 assets and you retail 5 before auction, it boosts your bottom line. Why wouldn’t you?”

“We’re seeing a sweet spot—about 15–20% over auction value—for fast retail transactions right now.”

“Print is not dead for us. The more we print, the more web activity we get. It's our digital search engine.”

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For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions.

John Gougeon didn’t just step into leadership at Unifi—he opened the gates for a high-performance team to run. In this episode, John joins Andrew Pace for a candid conversation about leading through transition, building a growth engine without sacrificing credit quality, and navigating today’s market with clarity, caution, and consistency.

From transitioning away from tranche business to tightening portfolio performance, John shares how Unifi has scaled volume, maintained top-tier credit metrics, and invested in service and culture—all while keeping one eye on macro indicators and market pressure.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The “break the machine” leadership mindset
• Why Unifi moved from tranche to direct origination
• Aligning organizational design with expertise and empowerment
• Building a culture of trust, communication, and shared goals
• Early indicators Unifi watches for asset and portfolio risk
• How Unifi achieved <0.3% delinquency without adding headcount
• Tariffs, trade tensions, and how they reshape CapEx planning
• Pricing discipline, service benchmarks, and sticking to strategy
• Asset classes to watch in 2025, including CNC and construction

Notable Takeaways:

“I told the team, my goal is to break the machine—and see how fast we can run without losing control.”

“Credit quality comes first. Volume never trumps portfolio strength.”

“We haven’t thrown bodies at growth. We’ve just executed against the plan.”

“Service is more than fast funding. It’s being accessible, accountable, and easy to work with.”

Subscribe to Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity for more industry insights and field-tested strategies.

For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions.

In this episode of Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity, Andrew welcomes Justin Pavek, Chief Credit Officer at Wallwork Financial. From his time in the Army to leading credit strategy at a fourth-generation finance company, Justin shares how long-term thinking, technology integration, and relationship-driven lending are helping Wallwork thrive—even in one of the most volatile transportation markets in recent years..

Key Topics Discussed:

• Post-COVID market correction and why many lenders were caught off guard
• Balancing growth with risk during a prolonged transportation downturn
• Wallwork's commitment to customer relationships and direct lending
• Strategic use of Salesforce and Power BI to improve underwriting
• Managing broker relationships and setting expectations upfront
• Early indicators of borrower distress and proactive collection strategies
• Secondary market pressure and valuation challenges in used equipment
• How third-party partnerships, like ACS, support lean internal teams

Notable Takeaways:

“We're in it for the long haul—through the good times and the bad.”

“If a customer misses their grace period, they're getting a phone call. We don’t wait until 30 days past due.”

“There’s value in being an advisor, not just a lender. We help our customers think beyond the deal.”

“With Power BI and Salesforce, we’re looking to make smarter credit decisions based on real data, not guesswork.”

Subscribe to Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity for more industry insights and field-tested strategies.

For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions.

In this episode of Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity, host Andrew Pace welcomes Donna Yanuzzi, Executive Vice President at 1st Equipment Finance and recipient of the ELFA’s 2024 Michael J. Fleming Distinguished Service Award. With nearly 30 years of industry experience, Donna unpacks the leadership principles, market foresight, and people-first mindset that have shaped her legacy—and continue to fuel her passion for mentoring the next generation of equipment finance professionals.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Attracting and retaining talent in a competitive hiring landscape
• Building culture in entrepreneurial vs. institutional environments
• Donna’s 5-day outreach strategy to manage delinquency and risk
• Transportation and construction sector insights, including tariffs and rentals
• Why vocational vehicles and used construction assets are outperforming
• Shifts in small business leasing and the decline of the TRAC lease model
• Succession planning, college outreach, and industry mentorship programs
• The integration of AI tools in finance without losing the human touch

Notable Takeaways:

“Culture is everything. You have to build a place where younger people feel ownership and impact—like they’re running their own business.”

“We don’t wait for a 30-day delinquency to act. We start outreach at day five. It’s about relationships, early insight, and helping the customer avoid escalation.”

“Vocational vehicles and used equipment with wheels are outperforming. That mobility gives us flexibility—and better risk management.”

“AI isn’t about replacing people. It’s about scaling smarter so our people can do more meaningful, high-impact work.”

“I came out of retirement because I wasn’t done helping others grow. If I can make a difference in someone’s life or career, that’s the success of my career.”

Subscribe to Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity for more industry insights and field-tested strategies.

For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions.

In this episode of Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity, host Andrew Pace sits down with Nick Coscia, ASA Equipment Manager at DLL, to explore how the role of asset managers is expanding amid evolving economic, technological, and sustainability trends. From using AI to streamline operations to navigating volatility in the secondary market, Nick offers practical insights and a global perspective on the tools, strategies, and partnerships that shape success in today’s equipment finance environment.

Key Topics Discussed:

• How AI is transforming asset management operations
• Time-saving tools and practical uses of Microsoft Copilot
• Market volatility: pricing pressures, dealer inventories & COVID’s lingering effects
• Tariffs, trade deals, and their influence on asset values
• Percentage vs. dollar-based residual calculations
• DLL’s sustainability strategy and energy transition initiatives
• Regulatory uncertainty and its impact on customer behavior
• How third-party partnerships like ACS support efficiency and scale

Notable Takeaways:

“AI is like a superpower for pulling together and analyzing data faster and smarter than ever, which is enormous for delivering real value to our customers.”

“The transportation market has definitely softened over the past 6, 12, even 18 months. That’s put a lot of pressure on portfolios.”

“At DLL, our sustainability strategy is fully integrated into our business model — we’re committed to being the transition partner for our customers and vendors.”

“Third-party vendors like ACS bring us a ton of value. They free us up to focus on higher-impact work while helping us execute with speed and scale.”

Subscribe to Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity for more industry insights and field-tested strategies.

For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions.

In this episode of Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity, host Andrew Pace welcomes Kit West, a Wyoming-based business development leader with a deep entrepreneurial background and a national view of broker success. Together they explore how CH Brown grew originations during industry slowdowns, why relationships trump rates, and how proactive support can drive loyalty—even in a transactional world.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why CH Brown leaned in while competitors pulled back
• Market outlook for transportation and equipment finance
• Scaling a national broker network from a small-town HQ
• Day-one contact strategies and early intervention
• Balancing automation with real human connection
• Supporting brokers with coaching, marketing, and AI-powered tools
• How associations build trust and community in the industry
• The mindset of a problem solver in asset-based lending

Notable Takeaways:

“When everyone else is running away from the fire, you lean into it—that’s how we’ve always operated.”

“Client service isn’t just answering the phone. It’s calling the borrower the day after a missed payment and asking how they’re doing.”

“Our brokers know they can text me directly. We’re not just another funding source—we’re a partner who shows up.”

“You don’t need a degree to do this. You need to listen, sell, and solve problems. That’s the opportunity.”

Subscribe to Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity for more industry insights and field-tested strategies.

For more information, visit Asset Compliant Solutions.