Kyle DeCicco, 33

Starting out his banking career as a credit analyst has helped Kyle DeCicco better serve his customers today. That’s because he understands what goes into underwriting a loan — and the bad situations that can arise from poor financial decisions.

“Knowing how these things can go south has made me a better salesperson,” he says. “And it makes me extremely conservative; I turn down way more loans than I approve.”

In working with clients, DeCicco is old-school. He would rather pick up the phone than type out an email or text. “To me, it’s the personal touch,” he says. “Taking the time to take somebody to lunch and ask them how their day is — that’s what gets you a repeat client. It’s not just taking care of somebody one time. Every one of my clients has my cellphone number.”

Grabbing lunch with a current or potential borrower also gets DeCicco out into the community, another important factor in building his business. So he may take a new customer to a restaurant owned by an existing client. “And then you run into an attorney in town, and that’s how business gets done,” he says. “It would be easy to just sit and order lunch in. But people will recognize you when you’re out in the community.”

During his years in banking, DeCicco has also learned the importance of slowing down. “I’ve made mistakes when I’ve gone too fast,” he says. “If someone is pushing you a little too hard, normally something’s not right.”