5 steps to banking bliss: How entrepreneurs can get more out of their bankers

Ask the hard questions How well do prospective bankers know your marketplace or industry? Have they been around the block, perhaps through a recession? Fess up if trouble is brewing Bring your banker into the loop early, and together you may be able to avert a funding crisis. Bring your accountant to bank meetings This provides objective, third-party input. They're obliged to be honest, and they tend to be conservative in their views. Don't ignore your banker Keep in touch regularly or you risk becoming a number. Shop around: If you can't find the right partner at your current bank, then court another lender. — From "I Love My Banker!" by Camilla Cornell (March 2006)