Work Local, Bank Local: What Community Banks Mean for Small Businesses

If you’re a small business owner, access to financial resources, ease of money management, and having a trusted advisor are all essential parts of your business. At Origin Bank, our business banking team is dedicated to serving our community and their business leaders — no matter how large or small a local business may be.

Origin Bank is invested in the small business market and willing to spend time with our business banking customers to make sure we can provide exactly what they need. Local banks are a crucial resource for small businesses. Here are three reasons why.

Local banks provide crucial loans to small businesses. Bank loans are critical for small businesses because they allow business owners to maintain cash flow, hire new employees, purchase new inventory and equipment, and grow their business. Simply put, community banks are invested in local businesses.

Local banks support entrepreneurship. Community banks play a big role in supporting small businesses, serving as relationship lenders who fund the majority of small business lending. These banks also often provide more hands-on service, helping small businesses evaluate loans carefully. By prioritizing local lending and economic growth, these banks directly support local entrepreneurs.

Local banks support communities. Small businesses rely on lively communities to thrive, and community banks help support the customers and clients that local businesses need. Community bank staff are often involved in civic groups and local chambers of commerce. They are also likely to support local schools, assist with local relief efforts, and offer special help to low-income segments of the community, studies show. Here at Origin, we give full-time team employees up to 20 hours of paid time off during which they can volunteer for community organizations and make a difference in our communities. You can learn more about Project Enrich here.

Wondering what we can do for your small business? Contact our team to learn more about how Origin supports local organizations.