Lender Spotlight: Ean Southerland
Ean Southerland first joined Citizens State Bank as a teller back in 2016. Guided by his passion for helping small businesses and his deep knowledge of the local economy, Ean is one of the few commercial loan officers who has worked in every office. Ean even ranked as the top Consumer Loan Officer in 2019.
As a New Castle native, Ean is dedicated to helping his community flourish by empowering local businesses to realize their full potential. In his free time, you can find him offering his expertise within the Henry County BNI chapter, looking for opportunities to coach youth sports, and spending time with his fiancée, daughters Brynlee and Quinn, and dogs Piper and Gus.
Vouching for Small Business Success
One of Ean’s greatest strengths is his connection to his local community and ability to empathize with the challenges that small businesses face when it comes to advocating for their own success.
For Ean, building trust and relationships are the bread and butter of his success and impact as an Associate Commercial Loan Officer. Take his relationship with MTB Home Furnishings, for example, (a specialty Amish and antique retailer), which began with a simple conversation. What started with a car loan then led to a line of credit. Now, nearly two years later, the business has grown enough to purchase its first official store with warehouse space in the middle of downtown New Castle.
“I didn’t try to solicit. I walked in, introduced myself face-to-face, and just began a conversation. That’s when I learned about their struggle with larger banks not wanting to deal with smaller businesses or give them the time of day,” Ean explains.
And Ean knows that’s what the job is all about—seeing and treating local business owners as more than just a number. Knowing their story is his first step to finding the right loan that fits their needs.
“It’s a fantastic feeling when you get to the closing table, and the customer is completely satisfied with the service you’ve provided,” says Ean.
Why CSB is Different
We asked Ean what he believes sets CSB apart from larger, national banks, and the answer was simple: Citizens State Bank is there for local businesses in a way that national banks can’t always be.
Due to being part of a smaller market, Central Indiana businesses like MTB Home Furnishings are often overlooked by bigger banks and aren’t given the time and attention that they need to make every dollar count. One of Ean’s favorite parts of his role is getting to study a business’s debt, look for ways to consolidate it all under one loan, and free up their cash flow.
On Building Trust in New Castle and Central Indiana
Ean believes that the greatest financial empowerment for small businesses almost always involves taking a leap of faith and trying something new. However, he knows that introducing change can be an uphill battle.
“Small business owners don’t always know what role the bank should play in their company and that we can actually be there to help them grow with confidence,” Ean explains.
Ean knows that even if he knows how to scale their business or help them prepare for a recession, it can be scary for small businesses to take the leap. That’s why he always circles back to the importance of establishing trust and relationships with business owners and continually working to understand their unique needs and goals.
“Help is Always Available” - Financial Wisdom from Ean
We asked Ean about financial wisdom and tips that he wanted to share with his clients, and he wanted them to know, “Help is always available,” and that there are bankers that are genuinely rooting for small businesses to grow and succeed.
Where to Find Ean
As an easygoing guy, you can find Ean around New Castle coaching youth sports and dedicating his time to daughters Brynlee and Quinn. He can also be found listening to his favorite podcasts The Dave Ramsey Show, The Clark Howard Podcast, Millennial Investing, Ditch the Suits, and Side Hustle Nation.
Meet with A Commercial Loan Officer Like Ean Today
At Citizens State Bank, we pride ourselves on our team of passionate banking experts just like Ean who come to work every day excited to support small businesses in Indiana. Whether you’re looking to manage your cash flow, learn about how a loan can grow your business, or anything else related to small business banking, Ean and our entire team of CSB experts are here for you.
Questions for Ean regarding business loans? Find his contact information here.