Inside Commercial Banking

Robert Bezede
  • 5.0 (3)
  • CAREERS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

A podcast made for commercial bankers, corporate bankers and middle market professionals interested in the business of lending money. We interview successful rainmakers and dealmakers in the commercial banking sector to uncover best practices to help you achieve career success.

  1. 1D AGO

    Ep. 13 - Building A Debt Advisory Practice With Pete Smith and Kumail Hasan

    In today’s episode, I’m joined by Pete Smith and Kumail Hasan, founders and partners at Drive Business Lending Solutions, a debt advisory firm based in Ontario, Canada. Pete and Kumail have over 20 years of commercial lending experience. We talk about their career journey from business banking at TD Bank to starting their own debt advisory business and the lessons learned along the way. 👉 Connect with Pete and Kumail on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-smith-dbls/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kumail-hasan/ https://drivelending.ca/ Inside Commercial Banking is the #1 training resource for commercial bankers and aspiring students looking to break into the sector and rise to the top. Join us as we interview commercial banking professionals and unlock the secrets of their success and best practices to help you succeed in the business of lending money. The Inside Commercial Banking podcast is hosted by Robert Bezede, a Canadian middle market M&A investment banker focused on selling Canadian companies valued between $3MM to $30MM. He is a partner at Harmony Succession Partners (HSP), a boutique M&A advisory firm based in Toronto, Canada. Robert started his career in commercial banking working with Roynat Capital, a division of Scotiabank. If you have a client that is looking to buy or sell a business in Canada, contact Robert and the Harmony Succession Partners (HSP) team today at: rbezede@harmonysuccession.com https://www.harmonysuccession.com/ 👉 Subscribe for more episodes on finance, private credit, dealmaking, and entrepreneurship

    50 min

  2. MAR 24

    Ep. 12 - How Million-Dollar Rainmakers Think, Sell, and Grow With Norm Trainor

    In this episode, I sit down with Norm Trainor, President of The Covenant Group, one of Canada’s leading sales and leadership training firms for the financial services sector. Norm has coached some of the highest-performing financial advisors and bankers in the country, and in this conversation, he shares proven strategies to build relationships faster, unlock opportunities, and differentiate yourself in a competitive marketplace. This episode is a masterclass in business development — packed with actionable insights that commercial bankers and financial advisors can start using immediately. What we cover: 1) The three conversations in every sales meeting — me to me, me to you, and you to you — and how to connect authentically 2) Why slowing down can actually accelerate your sales success, including Norm’s 15-month planning cycle 3) Key questions to uncover a business owner’s goals and aspirations 4) Real stories from Norm’s multi-million-dollar clients and lessons you can apply to your own business development 👉 Connect with Norm on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/normtrainor/ Inside Commercial Banking is the #1 training resource for commercial bankers and aspiring students looking to break into the sector and rise to the top. Join us as we interview commercial banking professionals and unlock the secrets of their success and best practices to help you succeed in the business of lending money. The Inside Commercial Banking podcast is hosted by Robert Bezede, a Canadian middle market M&A investment banker focused on selling Canadian companies valued between $3MM to $30MM. He is a partner at Harmony Succession Partners (HSP), a boutique M&A advisory firm based in Toronto, Canada. Robert started his career in commercial banking working with Roynat Capital, a division of Scotiabank. If you have a client that is looking to buy or sell a business in Canada, contact Robert and the Harmony Succession Partners (HSP) team today at: rbezede@harmonysuccession.com https://www.harmonysuccession.com/

    49 min

  3. JAN 26

    Ep 11. - Lessons from 30 Years in Commercial Banking and Leadership With Bill Huk

    In today’s episode, I sit down with Bill Huk, a 30-year veteran in the commercial banking sector. Bill started his career with RBC before joining Roynat Capital, a division of Scotiabank Commercial Banking where he focused on lending to high growth Canadian middle market companies for over 24 years rising to head up the Ontario region for the bank. Bill is a natural leader and expert lender having been involved in billions of dollars of transactions throughout his career. 👉 Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-huk-448bb39a/?originalSubdomain=ca We cover several key topics in this episode: 1) What are the early mistakes commercial bankers make when trying to build a book of business 2) Why commercial banking is a "human" business and how to collaborate with risk effectively 3) How do you actually assess the quality of management = effective customer calls! 4) Dealing with the early warning signs of an underperforming company and what to do 5) How to lead a team and be an effective leader in commercial banking Inside Commercial Banking is the #1 training resource for commercial bankers and aspiring students looking to break into the sector and rise to the top. Join us as we interview commercial banking professionals and unlock the secrets of their success and best practices to help you succeed in the business of lending money. The Inside Commercial Banking podcast is hosted by Robert Bezede, a Canadian middle market M&A investment banker focused on selling Canadian companies valued between $3MM to $30MM. He is a partner at Harmony Succession Partners (HSP), a boutique M&A advisory firm based in Toronto, Canada. Robert started his career in commercial banking working with Roynat Capital, a division of Scotiabank. If you have a client that is looking to buy or sell a business in Canada, contact Robert and the Harmony Succession Partners (HSP) team today at: rbezede@harmonysuccession.com https://www.harmonysuccession.com/ 👉 Subscribe for more episodes on finance, private credit, dealmaking, and entrepreneurship

    1h 10m

  4. 2025-12-09

    Ep. 10 - Cold Calling, Door Knocking & Winning Deals in Commercial Banking with Dylan Kostka

    In today’s episode, I sit down with Dylan Kostka, Wealth Advisor at RBC Dominion Securities in Ottawa, to break down the fundamentals of business development, prospecting, cold calling, and door knocking in commercial banking. Dylan works closely with commercial bankers and shares practical strategies on how a strong wealth partner can help uncover lending opportunities, deepen client relationships, and drive real value in the middle-market space. 👉 Connect with Dylan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkostka4/ We cover several key topics in this episode: 1) What a day in the life of a wealth advisor actually looks like 2) How commercial bankers and wealth advisors can uncover new business together 3) Managing imposter syndrome as a young banker 4) Cold calling & in-person door knocking — what really works and how to do it 5) How to add value to business owners beyond the financing you offer 6) The most common mistakes young bankers make Inside Commercial Banking is the #1 training resource for commercial bankers and aspiring students looking to break into the sector and rise to the top. Join us as we interview commercial banking professionals and unlock the secrets of their success and best practices to help you succeed in the business of lending money. The Inside Commercial Banking podcast is hosted by Robert Bezede, a Canadian middle market M&A investment banker focused on selling Canadian companies valued between $3MM to $30MM. He is a partner at Harmony Succession Partners (HSP), a boutique M&A advisory firm based in Toronto, Canada. Robert started his career in commercial banking working with Roynat Capital, a division of Scotiabank. If you have a client that is looking to buy or sell a business in Canada, contact Robert and the Harmony Succession Partners (HSP) team today at: rbezede@harmonysuccession.com https://www.harmonysuccession.com/ 👉 Subscribe for more episodes on finance, private credit, dealmaking, and entrepreneurship

    58 min

  5. 2025-11-18

    Ep. 9 - The Art of the Deal: How to Be a Rainmaker in the Middle Market with Guy Jarvis

    In this episode, I chat with Guy Jarvis, CEO of Cre8ive Capital Corp and a 25+ year commercial banking veteran. We discuss what it takes to build a career in banking — from originating deals and underwriting credit to lessons learned along the way. 🎧 Inside Commercial Banking helps professionals and students break into the industry and rise to the top. Connect with Guy on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-jarvis-5326905/ The Inside Commercial Banking podcast is hosted by Robert Bezede, a Canadian middle market M&A investment banker focused on selling Canadian companies valued between $3MM to $30MM. He is a partner at Harmony Succession Partners (HSP), a boutique M&A advisory firm based in Toronto, Canada. Robert started his career in commercial banking working with Roynat Capital, a division of Scotiabank.

    1h 11m

  6. 2025-11-05

    Ep. 8 - Inside the Wild West of Asset-Based Lending (ABL) with Industry Veteran Mark Wilk

    In this episode, I sit down with Mark Wilk, CEO of Wilk Capital Group, to explore the Wild West of Asset-Based Lending (ABL) and the alternative credit market in Canada. Mark is an ABL industry veteran and dealmaker who has spent over 30 years in commercial finance, helping Canadian middle-market companies access non-traditional lending solutions. After a successful career with several major Canadian banks, Mark transitioned into the private credit and asset-based lending sector, where for the past 15 years he’s structured billions of dollars in ABL loans and alternative debt deals. This episode is a masterclass in ABL and alternative lending — covering everything from how asset-based loans are structured, to risk assessment, underperforming credit scenarios, and why the ABL space remains one of the most dynamic areas in private credit. If you’re interested in private credit, alternative finance, middle-market lending, or how deals really get done in Canada’s lending ecosystem, this one’s for you. https://www.linkedin.com/in/markjwilk/ We cover several key topics in this episode: 1) What is asset-based lending (ABL) and how do you underwrite ABL deals? 2) What do you do when a loan starts to underperform? 3) Where does alternative ABL financing fit in the marketplace? 4) How does Mark analyze underperforming credit opportunities and determine if the business can be saved or not. What questions does he ask prospective borrowers? 5) What are the biggest lessons he learned when it comes to developing business. Inside Commercial Banking is the #1 resource for commercial bankers and aspiring students looking to break into the sector and rise to the top. Join us as we interview commercial banking professionals and unlock the secrets of their success and best practices to help you succeed in the business of lending money. The Inside Commercial Banking podcast is hosted by Robert Bezede, a Canadian middle market M&A investment banker focused on selling Canadian companies valued between $3MM to $30MM. He is a partner at Harmony Succession Partners (HSP), a boutique M&A advisory firm based in Toronto, Canada. Robert started his career in commercial banking working with Roynat Capital, a division of Scotiabank. If you have a client that is looking to buy or sell a business in Canada, contact Robert and the Harmony Succession Partners (HSP) team today at: rbezede@harmonysuccession.com https://www.harmonysuccession.com/ 👉 Subscribe for more episodes on finance, private credit, dealmaking, and entrepreneurship.

    1h 12m

  7. 2025-10-20

    Ep. 7 - Building A Canadian Private Credit Fund With Trevor Simpson

    In today's episode, Trevor Simpson, Head of Private Debt at FirePower Capital, a leading Canadian Middle Market advisory firm, talks about his 10 year journey in the business and lessons learned. Trevor joined FirePower as an early employee and has helped build the fund over the last 8 years financing companies across North America that do not fit the traditional banking mold through alternative cash flow lending solutions. See below his LinkedIn if you would like to connect with Trevor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorsimpson/ We cover several key topics in this episode: 1) What is private credit and how does it differ to traditional bank financing? 2) How do private lenders underwrite deals? What key areas do they focus on? 3) What are the key skills required to succeed long-term in commercial banking? 4) How do you deal with imposter syndrome as a young banker? 5) What lessons did you learn building a private credit fund? 6) How do you become a successful people leader in commercial banking? What leadership lessons do you follow? Inside Commercial Banking is the #1 resource for commercial bankers and aspiring students looking to break into the sector and rise to the top. Join us as we interview commercial banking professionals and unlock the secrets of their success and best practices to help you succeed in the business of lending money. The Inside Commercial Banking podcast is hosted by Robert Bezede, a Canadian middle market M&A investment banker focused on selling Canadian companies valued between $3MM to $30MM. He is a partner at Harmony Succession Partners (HSP), a boutique M&A advisory firm based in Toronto, Canada. Robert started his career in commercial banking working with Roynat Capital, a division of Scotiabank. If you have a client that is looking to buy or sell a business in Canada, contact Robert and the Harmony Succession Partners (HSP) team today at: rbezede@harmonysuccession.com https://www.harmonysuccession.com/

    45 min

  8. 2025-10-01

    Ep. 6 - Building A Successful Career In Asset-Based Lending (ABL) with Dave D'Cruz

    In today's episode, Dave D'Cruz, Senior Director in TD's asset-based lending (ABL) group talks about his journey building a successful career in the niche world of ABL and the lessons he learned working for both a Canadian and US bank. Dave is passionate about his business and shares his views on where ABL can fit in the marketplace and complement other lending groups within the banking ecosystem. See below his LinkedIn if you would like to connect with Dave: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-d-cruz-5053076a/ We cover several key topics in this episode: 1) What is asset-based lending (ABL) and how do you underwrite ABL deals? 2) What was it like working for a US-owned bank in Canada? 3) Where does ABL financing fit in the banking marketplace? 4) How does Dave source ABL deals and what advice does he have for junior bankers. 5) How can ABL complement other lending groups to enhance the total leverage and liquidity available to a client that may be struggling with working capital. Inside Commercial Banking is the #1 resource for commercial bankers and aspiring students looking to break into the sector and rise to the top. Join us as we interview commercial banking professionals and unlock the secrets of their success and best practices to help you succeed in the business of lending money. The Inside Commercial Banking podcast is hosted by Robert Bezede, a Canadian middle market M&A investment banker focused on selling Canadian companies valued between $3MM to $30MM. He is a partner at Harmony Succession Partners (HSP), a boutique M&A advisory firm based in Toronto, Canada. Robert started his career in commercial banking working with Roynat Capital, a division of Scotiabank. If you have a client that is looking to buy or sell a business in Canada, contact Robert and the Harmony Succession Partners (HSP) team today at: rbezede@harmonysuccession.com https://www.harmonysuccession.com/

    51 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

A podcast made for commercial bankers, corporate bankers and middle market professionals interested in the business of lending money. We interview successful rainmakers and dealmakers in the commercial banking sector to uncover best practices to help you achieve career success.

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