2026 KeynoteEMILY HARRINGTON

Uncertainty in today’s economy is reshaping how businesses operate. From tariffs and slowing growth to employment trends, trucking recessions, and increasing fraud risk, leaders face complex challenges that demand practical solutions. This session brings together industry experts to share actionable strategies across critical functions including sales, credit, funding, and collections. Attendees will learn how to mitigate risk, maintain resilience, and position their organizations for success in a volatile market. Gain the insights you need to navigate disruption and turn uncertainty into opportunity.

Artificial Intelligence is transforming the way organizations operate, but identifying where and how to apply it effectively remains a challenge. This session provides a structured approach to recognizing opportunities for AI that deliver measurable business value. We will examine the characteristics of high-impact use cases, discuss how to assess organizational readiness, and outline practical steps for implementation. Participants will learn how to evaluate emerging AI technologies, align them with strategic objectives, and avoid common pitfalls. By the end of the session, attendees will have a clear framework for leveraging AI to drive innovation and operational efficiency.

What a difference a year makes. Last year’s change in administration brought forecasts of broad tariffs, trade shocks, and a hard landing. The reality was more uneven: real impacts in specific sectors, alongside more resilience than many expected. In this general session, we will look back at what truly moved the market in 2025, outline what small business lenders should prepare to navigate in 2026, and how small businesses are adapting. Topics include the expanding role of private credit in small business finance, a cooling labor picture, AI-driven productivity shifts, persistent geopolitical tension, evolving trade realignment, and the ongoing tug-of-war among rates, deficits, and inflation. Expect practical takeaways for portfolio, origination, credit, pricing, and servicing.

As specialty finance lenders grow beyond warehouse lines and other private facilities, the transition into the ABS market introduces a very different level of structure, discipline, and ongoing operational requirements. That shift often requires lenders to rethink their operational infrastructure, upgrade reporting workflows, and adopt controls that satisfy institutional expectations. The process can feel demanding, but it also creates a foundation that supports scale and long-term capital markets access. What can we take from the discipline of securitization and apply as we grow our business, to improve liquidity, reduce risk, and increase investor confidence, and when should we start? Our panel will break down what that journey looks like in practice and share lessons from both the issuer and investor perspective.

Discover the power of positive intelligence (PQ) and how it shapes communication, collaboration, and leadership. In this workshop-style session, participants will take a PQ assessment and explore practical strategies to enhance self-awareness, empathy, and relationship-building. You’ll gain insights to strengthen your emotional agility and apply these skills in both personal and professional settings. Feel free to take the assessment now by clicking here! https://assessment.positiveintelligence.com/saboteur?eid=SBLF