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Lendistry
Everett Sands founded Lendistry in 2015; the firm has deployed $10.5 billion to 640,000 small businesses as a minority-led CDFI.
Lendistry
Lendistry was launched in 2015 by a team of founders who, according to the firm, watched the lending industry systematically exclude viable small-business owners. It is structured as a minority-led CDFI, a designation that anchors its access to public-private capital lines and government guarantees. The firm's non-profit affiliate, The Center by Lendistry, layers technical assistance, business courses and advisor access onto the lending relationship. The platform offers Business Term Loans up to $350,000 and SBA 7(a) loans that reach $5 million for commercial real estate, equipment, acquisition and expansion. It runs a fixed-rate proprietary product alongside variable-rate SBA loans, and the underwriting engine draws on tax-return analysis, FICO floors and debt-service-coverage calculations. Geographic reach spans the US, with physical offices in Los Angeles, Santa Clara, Tustin, New York and Dallas. Lendistry has secured partnerships with national banks and Visa & Main to extend distribution. The executive bench combines fintech operating experience with institutional-credit backgrounds. CFO Clark Wen previously led a specialty-finance strategy at Crestline Investors that deployed over $800 million. CTO Rob Green held roles at Salesforce, Citrix and Rackspace before guiding Lendistry's platform architecture. In 2026 the firm announced it would close on all national holidays plus July 3, November 27 and December 24, a minor operational signal of a maturing mid-market enterprise. Lendistry's structural distinction lies in blending a CDFI mandate with a technology-led origination funnel — most lenders pick one model or the other. It runs the same SBA 7(a) programs as a bank but distributes them through a fully online interface, which lets it serve borrowers who do not walk into a branch. The Center by Lendistry acts as a grant-eligible education arm, creating a regulatory and reputational moat that pure-play fintechs lack.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
2015
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Los Angeles
Corporate office
Los Angeles, California, United States
Additional offices
Santa Clara, California, United States · Tustin, California, United States · New York, New York, United States · Dallas, Texas, United States
Principals
Kyle Funn
Executive Team Member
Rob Green
Enterprise Chief Technology Officer
Clark Huang
Executive Team Member
Joe Kerwin
Chief Marketing Officer
Yajaira Rose-Smith
Executive Team Member
Laura
Executive Team Member
Clark Wen
Chief Financial Officer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Is Lendistry a bank or a non-bank lender?
Lendistry is a non-bank, minority-led Community Development Financial Institution that originates small-business loans through its own platform and distributes SBA 7(a) products. It does not take deposits; capital comes from social-impact investors and national bank partnerships.
How does Lendistry source its borrowers?
The firm runs an online application that accepts submissions anytime, and it has built distribution partnerships with organizations such as Visa & Main. Its CDFI status also connects it to municipal and federal small-business programs that refer underserved entrepreneurs.
Does Lendistry hold loans on its balance sheet or sell them?
The firm has not publicly disclosed its full balance-sheet treatment for all loan types. SBA 7(a) loans carry a federal guarantee, which typically enables secondary-market sales, but Lendistry's proprietary term loans may be structured for portfolio retention or participation sales depending on the capital partner.
Who runs investment decisions at Lendistry?
Lendistry does not operate a fund or discretionary investment vehicle in the traditional sense; credit decisions are driven by its underwriting engine and risk team. Clark Huang, a senior executive with risk-analytics experience at Citi and DFC Global, leads the credit-analytics function.
What is The Center by Lendistry?
The Center is a nonprofit strategic partner that provides technical assistance, business courses and advisor access. It is legally separate from Lendistry but operates as an adjunct to the lending business, allowing the firm to wrap education and grant-funded support around its credit products.
Which industries or loan purposes does Lendistry avoid?
The firm's public eligibility criteria exclude applicants with recent bankruptcies, charge-offs or active collections and require a minimum FICO of 620. Beyond credit thresholds, Lendistry does not publish a sector-exclusion list, though SBA 7(a) rules prohibit certain speculative and passive-investment uses.
How is Lendistry funded?
Lendistry says it combines 'the investment capital of social impactors and national banks' with its own fintech infrastructure. The firm has not disclosed a specific capital raise or permanent equity vehicle, but its CDFI designation gives it access to Treasury-certified funding streams.
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