Banking on Integrity

Hazem Ahmed
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Explore the heart of Houston's business community with Banking on Integrity, brought to you by Integrity Bank. Join founders Hazem Ahmad and Mack Neff as they interview local entrepreneurs, sharing their journeys of success, overcoming challenges, and driving Houston forward.

  1. 5h ago

    Starting a Running Shoe Company in College: Veloci’s Origin Story

    Dreams can stay on the track. Or they can turn into something you stand on every day.Hazem and Mack speak with Tyler Strothman, collegiate distance runner and founder of Veloci, a performance running shoe company he started while at Rice University. Tyler shares how small town miles, sport management classes, and a simple desire to keep people comfortable and pain free led him to launch a brand focused on helping runners and everyday athletes stay active longer. Learn more about Veloci (https://velocirunning.com/) To learn more about Integrity Bank, go to itx.bank. Subscribe to Banking on Integrity on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Key Takeaways 1. Tyler built Veloci out of his own life in running, treating the brand as a way to give back to the sport and community that shaped him, not just a way to sell product. 2. He chose Rice during COVID without visiting campus, moved to Houston sight unseen, and used the university’s sport management and entrepreneurship ecosystem as a launchpad for the company. 3. Veloci started in January 2025 with one model and two colors, then expanded into a stability version for overpronators and is now adding a faster “super trainer” so runners can match shoes to different training days. 4. The core of the brand is comfort and longevity: Tyler talks about reducing pain, extending the life of healthy miles, and designing for both serious runners and everyday wear. 5. Instead of waiting for a perfect path, Tyler treated Veloci as his real world business education, learning through customers, product iterations, and the discipline of shipping something new. Timestamped Overview 00:01 Hazem introduces Tyler Strothman and Veloci, setting up a conversation about a college runner who started his own performance footwear company. 01:00 Tyler explains what Veloci does and who he designs for, from serious runners to people who just want all day comfort in a running shoe. 03:20 He shares how growing up on farms and country roads in Wisconsin and Indiana led to a love of running, team culture, and pushing himself. 06:10 Tyler talks about deciding to attend Rice during COVID, choosing the school based on calls with coaches and teammates and moving to Houston without a prior visit. 08:20 He describes majoring in sport management, loading up on business and entrepreneurship classes, and seeing Rice as a launchpad for doing real work in the world. 11:15 Veloci’s launch story in January 2025: starting with one shoe and two colorways, chosen in part by counting what colors students wore into the campus gym. 13:10 Expansion into a “sister” stability shoe for overpronators and the decision to build a faster “super trainer” so runners can match shoes to different training days. 15:15 A practical look at shoe lifespan, why most people should think about replacing running shoes around 300 to 400 miles, and how wear patterns differ by stride. 18:00 Tyler reflects on seeing Veloci shoes on more feet and how customer feedback shapes decisions about new models and colorways. 20:00 Hazem and Mack talk about Tyler’s passion, why this is not just about making money, and how his focus is on solving a real problem for active people. 22:00 Tyler shares what he has learned so far about product design, manufacturing, and balancing performance with comfort and durability. 24:00 Conversation turns to the realities of being a young founder, including juggling training, classes, and startup demands, and what sacrifices that requires. 26:00 Tyler talks about what keeps him motivated on hard days and how he measures success beyond sales numbers. 28:00 Hazem and Mack offer closing encouragement, tying Tyler’s story back to Houston’s entrepreneurial spirit and the kind of founders Integrity Bank wants to support. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    31 min

  2. Jun 30

    Beyond the Rate: What Integrity Bank Looks for in a Deal

    Risk can sink a bank. Or it can push you to get radically clear about what you say yes to, and why. Hazem and Mack unpack how they actually look at loan requests at Integrity Bank, sharing stories that span decades of community banking, from a borrower whose partner emptied the account to a wealthy client who hadn’t paid down principal in three years. They talk through the tension between grace and discipline, why character still matters as much as collateral, and how a fast no can be one of the most respectful answers a banker can give. To learn more about Integrity Bank, go to itx.bank. Subscribe to Banking on Integrity on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Key Takeaways 1. Behind every “yes” or “no” is a full picture of cash flow, collateral, and character. Hazem and Mack explain how they look beyond a single ratio to understand a borrower’s business, personal situation, and track record before making a decision. 2. Relationship banking means walking with people through hard seasons, not just funding their wins. The stories they share, of borrowers who were wronged by partners, or who struggled for years, show how repayment, honesty, and effort shape what a banker is willing to do next. 3. A fast “no” is often kinder than a slow “maybe.” Instead of dragging owners through weeks of paperwork only to decline, they emphasize the importance of being direct, so entrepreneurs can pivot, seek other options, or rethink a deal before it’s too late. 4. Even wealthy borrowers are not immune to tough conversations. Mack recounts stepping into a bank in the mid‑1980s and confronting a blue‑blood client with an unsecured six‑figure loan that had not been reduced in three years, underscoring that discipline applies across the board. 5. Integrity, in practice, is about protecting depositors while still trying to fuel dreams. The episode closes with reflections on what “relationship banking” really means at Integrity today and how clear communication, realistic structures, and mutual trust can make or break a long‑term relationship. Timestamped Overview 00:00 Hazem and Mack open the episode reflecting on what “relationship banking” means in 202605:10 A borrower loses everything when a partner wipes out the account and still pays the bank back over time07:35 How long memories, second chances, and consistent effort shape a banker’s willingness to help again10:30 The line between compassion and enabling: when to restructure, extend, or finally say no14:55 Mack discovers a wealthy River Oaks client with a large unsecured loan and no principal payments in three years17:15 What that conversation taught him about trust, accountability, and cleaning up a credit culture20:00 Why a fast no can be a sign of respect and how they try to avoid “slow maybes” that waste an owner’s time22:30 How Hazem and Mack think about protecting depositors while still supporting entrepreneurs’ dreams25:00 Final reflections on character, candor, and why the best banking relationships feel more like partnerships than transactions See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    33 min

  3. Jun 23

    Still a Mom: Meet the Woman Who Turned Grief Into a Gift for Houston

    Grief can break you. Or it can show you exactly what you were always meant to do. Hazem and Mack sit down with Jackie Pham, founder of the CEO Foundation, a Houston nonprofit named after her three children, Colette, Edison, and Olivia, who were lost along with her mother in a tragic accident five and a half years ago. Jackie shares how a career in corporate finance and an MBA from Rice gave her the tools to rebuild with purpose, how the CEO Foundation partners with Houston nonprofits to empower the next generation of leaders, and why she believes showing up for others is one of the most powerful things any of us can offer. Learn more about the CEO Foundation at ceofoundation.org. To learn more about Integrity Bank, go to itx.bank. Subscribe to Banking on Integrity on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Key Takeaways 1. The CEO Foundation is named for Jackie's three children: Colette, Edison, and Olivia. After losing all three and her mother in a single accident, Jackie chose to keep parenting through the foundation, channeling her grief into a mission to empower the next generation of leaders, change makers, and community members. 2. Rather than choosing one cause, Jackie built the CEO Foundation on a partnership model, supporting over 30 Houston nonprofits whose work aligns with the spirit of each of her children. The foundation also helps these organizations with marketing and awareness, filling a gap that many smaller nonprofits cannot fill on their own. 3. The CEO Foundation's annual gala flips the traditional charity auction model: instead of bidding on experiences to keep for yourself, attendees bid on items that are donated directly to nonprofit partners and shared with underserved children, giving kids a first Rockets game, a birthday trip to a museum, or simply a guaranteed school lunch. 4. Jackie spent nearly her entire career in corporate finance, eventually serving as a CFO, but found herself wanting work whose purpose she could explain to her own children. That desire led her to startups, an MBA at Rice, and ultimately to founding the CEO Foundation after her loss. 5. Her advice to anyone who has suffered significant loss, or to any organization that wants to make a deeper community impact, is rooted in connection: show up, listen, engage with everyone you meet, and recognize that bridging the right people together can be just as powerful as writing a check. Timestamped Overview 00:31 Hazem welcomes Jackie Pham, founder of the CEO Foundation00:58 The meaning behind CEO: Colette, Edison, and Olivia01:30 Losing her three children and her mother in a tragic accident02:20 Deciding she was still a mom and founding the foundation to keep working for them03:18 The partnership model: supporting 30-plus nonprofits rather than choosing one cause04:30 How Jackie chooses partners whose work speaks to each child individually05:00 The CEO Foundation's role in marketing and awareness for smaller nonprofits05:41 How the annual gala works: bidding for others instead of keeping what you win06:50 Giving underserved kids their first NBA game or museum visit and what that means to families07:44 Spotlight on East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry and sponsoring kids' sack lunches09:50 Giving 100 tickets to the Children's Discovery Center to be shared as birthday gifts10:33 How community programs keep kids safe, supervised, and away from harmful influences11:50 The Nehemiah Center: after-school care for children of healthcare workers near the Med Center13:49 How programs like these keep kids out of trouble and build self-confidence14:06 Jackie's academic and professional background: UH undergraduate, Rice MBA, career in fintech and corporate finance14:41 Why she started questioning corporate finance and sought more purpose through grad school15:39 Learning to tell the story through the numbers for organizations she truly believed in16:30 How becoming a parent changed what she needed her career to mean17:46 Working in carbon project development and how she explains meaningful work to children19:00 A moment of laughter about explaining banking and community impact to your own kids19:31 Hazem on how hardship becomes a passion and why giving is an act of gratitude20:05 Jackie's answer: one day at a time, making them proud, doing right by them21:40 Mack's reflection on the quiet inspiration Jackie gives to people going through their own grief22:26 Bowes Place: working with grieving families and children who have lost someone23:15 A little boy at a dinner event, a photo of his brother, and a conversation about missing someone every day24:36 What Hazem and Mack can do beyond banking: connections, engagement, and knowing people's full stories25:22 Jackie's advice: the people who bridge connections are as important as those directly in the work26:50 Why the word "relationship" in banking has to mean more than an account number28:27 How to find and follow the CEO Foundation: website, Instagram, and Facebook at CEO for good29:40 How many local nonprofit foundations exist in greater Houston and how CEO Foundation fits in30:48 Closing gratitude and invitation for listeners to support the foundation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    32 min

  4. Jun 16

    How Integrity Bank Protects Borrowers and Depositors at the Same Time

    Hazem and Mack sit down with Integrity Bank Chief Credit Officer Chris Favre, who once left a consulting career at Ernst and Young for an industry he barely understood at the time. What followed was a front-row seat to the 2008 recession, years of overseeing foreclosures, and a pivot from lender to the person who stress-tests every deal before it goes to committee. This episode covers what a chief credit officer actually does, how Integrity Bank evaluates investment real estate, and why personal guarantees and credit history still matter more than most borrowers expect. To learn more about Integrity Bank, go to itx.bank. Subscribe to Banking on Integrity on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Key Takeaways 1. Chris came to banking through a back door, starting at Ernst and Young in management consulting, realizing quickly that a 22-year-old had no business advising Fortune 500 companies, and finally taking a mentor's advice to call about banking after years of ignoring it. The transition clicked almost immediately because he could finally explain what he did to his grandmother. 2. His timing in banking has twice been painfully instructive: he joined a lending desk in early 2007 just as the marching orders went from "make loans" to "don't make loans," and spent years overseeing foreclosures and selling repossessed properties before landing at the first Integrity Bank in 2012 as a welcome reset. 3. The chief credit officer role is not about saying no. It is about identifying strengths, naming weaknesses honestly, and then finding applicable mitigants so that every deal that goes to loan committee has been stress-tested and every risk has a documented reason for being accepted. 4. On investment real estate, Integrity Bank looks for 25% equity contribution, a 1.25x debt service coverage ratio, post-closing liquidity, personal guarantees, and a global cash flow analysis of the guarantor's full financial picture, not just the subject property. 5. Working capital lines operate on a different logic than real estate: the bank lends against eligible receivables at up to 80%, strips out anything over 90 days old, applies concentration limits of 25% per customer, and watches the days sales outstanding as a real-time signal of whether a business is generating profit on paper but running out of cash in practice. Timestamped Overview 00:31 Mack introduces Chris Favre, Chief Credit Officer and longtime colleague00:55 From Ernst and Young consulting to banking: how Chris found his career03:07 Why banking finally felt like a home industry and why he could explain it to his grandmother03:26 Joining a lending desk in 2007 and living through the shift from "make loans" to "don't make loans"04:04 Foreclosures, courthouse steps, and why joining Integrity Bank in 2012 was a welcome change04:45 What the original Integrity Bank was and how many of the same teammates carried over05:12 What a chief credit officer does: the six C's, underwriting, and loan committee presentations06:36 Why every borrower thinks their deal is incredible and why that requires a devil's advocate07:08 The "Dr. No" trap and why identifying weaknesses without mitigants is the real failure08:06 The three-part framework: strengths, weaknesses, and applicable mitigants09:27 Why having been a lender first makes Chris more effective as a credit officer10:08 How community banking's flat structure creates better credit decisions than siloed institutions11:46 Chris's seat on loan committee and why his voice matters in every approval decision12:41 Breaking down a million-dollar investment real estate deal from a credit perspective13:00 The 75% advance rate, 25% equity requirement, and post-closing liquidity standard14:55 Why cash equity matters for the borrower as much as the bank15:30 Global cash flow analysis: looking at the guarantor's full picture, not just the property16:31 Why personal guarantees are a standard expectation at Integrity Bank17:42 Credit scores, credit history, and why one big hickey is better than a lot of small ones19:47 How the 2008 recession changed the banking industry's view of bankruptcy and character22:01 The bank's responsibility to depositors and why that shapes every credit decision23:32 Why a borrower's projected upside does not change the bank's fixed rate of return24:58 How appraisals and lease maturity analysis factor into a real estate credit review25:51 Working capital lines: how receivables aging, inventory turns, and days payable work together28:14 The borrowing base formula: 80% of eligible receivables and the concentration and taint rules29:31 The taint rule explained: why one delinquent account contaminates all new receivables from that customer29:58 A third loan category: spec construction financing and how draw structures work for builders31:56 Why Chris's transparency about the bank's credit appetite is unusual and valuable32:08 How Integrity Bank manages portfolio concentration without turning off longtime customers33:38 Mack's closing reflection on asking Chris to make the leap from production to credit See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    35 min

  5. Jun 9

    Closed in 37 Days: What a Well-Run SBA Loan Actually Looks Like

    Hazem and Mack sit down with Mark Danford, Managing Director of Waterstone and a 14-year veteran of SBA lending. Waterstone is a full-service outsourced SBA division serving 34 community banks across the country, and Mark is the person who knows how it all works. In this episode they cover how the SBA loan guarantee program actually functions, why Houston did $1.1 billion in guaranteed loans in 2025, the 504 versus 7A distinction, policy changes under the current administration, what disqualifies a business from the program, and what it takes to close a deal in 37 days. Learn more about Waterstone (https://www.b1bank.com/waterstone). To learn more about Integrity Bank, go to itx.bank. Subscribe to Banking on Integrity on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Key Takeaways 1. Waterstone functions as a fully outsourced SBA lending division for community banks, handling everything from initial borrower meetings through underwriting and closing, while the bank retains all credit and funding decisions. It currently serves 34 banking partners ranging from $34 million to $9 billion in assets, with two thirds of those banks outside of Texas. 2. SBA loans are not a rubber stamp or a bailout program. They are commercial loans with a government guarantee designed to extend reasonable terms to creditworthy businesses that fall just outside a bank's conventional risk parameters, whether due to startup age, ownership transitions, or limited collateral. 3. Houston is one of the most active SBA markets in the country, generating $1.1 billion in guaranteed loans in 2025 alone, driven by the city's density of startups, diverse industries, and a culture that rewards entrepreneurship across every sector. 4. The 7A and 504 programs serve different purposes: 7A is flexible and can cover working capital, acquisitions, and equipment alongside real estate, while 504 is designed for long-term fixed assets with a lower blended rate. Beginning July 5, the two programs are being decoupled so a business can access up to $10 million by combining them. 5. Waterstone has maintained a 100% SBA approval rating across 14 years and 34 banking partners by prioritizing complete documentation, proper eligibility screening, and prudent underwriting before any application is submitted, proving that good lender behavior is what preserves the program's integrity and keeps guarantee honor rates above 97%. Timestamped Overview 00:00 Banking on Integrity intro00:31 Hazem introduces Mark Danford, Managing Director of Waterstone00:39 What Waterstone does and how it functions as an outsourced SBA division01:36 Waterstone's relationship with Integrity Bank and its acquisition by b1BANK in 202402:24 How many banks Waterstone serves and where they are located02:49 The size range of Waterstone's banking partners, from $34 million to $9 billion in assets03:09 Why SBA lending capability matters for any bank serving a city like Houston03:26 Houston's $1.1 billion in SBA guaranteed loans in 202504:51 How often deals get declined and what disqualifies a loan from the start05:28 Why about half of what Waterstone reviews moves through the approval process06:01 The origins of the SBA in 1953 and why small businesses drive 97% of employment06:48 What happens to small business growth without reasonable SBA terms07:33 Maximum and minimum SBA loan amounts under the 7A program08:09 The emerging $10 million SBA headline and what it actually means08:34 Explaining the 504 program: fixed assets, real estate, debentures, and blended rates10:54 How decoupling 7A and 504 limits opens a path to $10 million in combined financing11:20 How SBA policy changes happen and how frequently the rules shift under new administrations13:00 The current administration's push to support US manufacturing through higher guarantees14:17 How often the SBA honors its guarantees and what lenders must do to earn it15:08 Why prudent lending behavior is as important with SBA loans as without16:18 How multiple SBA loans to the same entity work and how collateral stacks across transactions19:35 What better terms actually means for a small business borrower: down payments, amortization, cash flow20:00 A concrete example: financing dump trucks at 100% over 10 years versus 20% down over 522:32 How Waterstone engages from the first customer conversation through closing25:39 Waterstone's 100% SBA approval rating across 14 years26:28 Turnaround times: 37 days on one end, 339 days on the other27:23 Why every business owner should maintain an organized financial file before they ever need a loan27:53 How timely tax filings and organized records signal management quality to lenders29:05 How many lender service providers exist nationally and how Waterstone differs29:38 Industries that are and are not eligible for SBA loans30:49 Disqualified business types: nonprofits, marijuana-adjacent businesses, restrictive membership clubs See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    33 min

  6. Jun 2

    The Bank That Calls You at 11 PM When Something Looks Wrong

    The best defense against fraud is the person who already knows your name. Hazem and Mack sit down with Integrity Bank Chief Risk Officer Christy Bussey, just steps from her office, to unpack what it really means to manage risk inside a community bank, covering the evolution of fraud from card skimming to AI voice cloning, why seniors and lonely individuals are the most targeted, how social media oversharing fuels scams, and what small business owners and everyday consumers can do right now to protect themselves, their families, and their finances. To learn more about Integrity Bank, go to itx.bank. Subscribe to Banking on Integrity on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Key Takeaways 1. The Chief Risk Officer role has evolved well beyond compliance checklists and dual controls. Today it means sitting at the table when strategic decisions are made, actively managing regulator relationships, and serving as the bank's early warning system for anything that looks outside the norm. 2. The fastest growing fraud threat in 2026 is AI voice cloning and deepfake scams, where criminals clone a voice from just a few seconds of audio and use it to manipulate family members. The best defenses are a family safe word, calling back independently, and slowing down whenever a request feels urgent or emotional. 3. Seniors are disproportionately targeted not because they are less intelligent but because they trust people, answer their phones, and often have savings. The same loneliness that makes someone answer a stranger's call also makes them vulnerable to long-running romance and social media scams that can drain savings over months before the victim realizes what happened. 4. Social media oversharing is one of the primary ways scammers gather the personal information they need, including birthdays, pet names, school names, vacation schedules, and voice samples, to make their approaches feel legitimate and personal. 5. For small business owners, internal fraud prevention starts with dual controls so that no single person can initiate and approve a financial transaction alone, paired with a regular review of bank statements or online banking as a simple but effective form of audit. Timestamped Overview 00:31 Hazem introduces Christy Bussey, Chief Risk Officer at Integrity Bank01:05 What a Chief Risk Officer actually does inside a bank01:36 How Christy manages relationships 02:42 What regulators are and are not there to do for banks03:53 What keeps regulators up at night: cyber risk, fraud, and liquidity04:28 How fraud has shifted from card theft to emotional manipulation05:30 AI voice cloning and deepfake scams: how they work and how to stop them06:49 Why vulnerable and elderly individuals are the most targeted07:24 Common elder fraud scams: Medicare, fake tech support, fake investments08:32 How loneliness and isolation increase susceptibility to romance and social media scams09:58 Why community banks catch fraud that big banks miss10:59 The familiarity advantage: knowing customers before they walk in the door11:48 An Uber driver's story and the difference between big banks and community banks12:27 Protective transfer scams and smishing: fake links from fake institutions14:51 Why your email inbox should work like your front door15:40 Social media oversharing: what you are unknowingly giving scammers17:43 Why trusting people is both a virtue and a vulnerability18:39 The importance of talking about fraud inside families and communities19:39 Real-time banking access as a fraud prevention tool and why checking daily matters21:16 Mack on checking his accounts two to three times a day and being available 24/722:45 When banks call customers outside business hours and why it matters23:13 Personal versus business devices and why mixing them creates risk25:17 Why financial tasks should live on a dedicated, protected device25:59 Internal fraud: dual controls and the importance of separating access27:34 Closing thoughts on speed, risk, and protecting everyone who listens28:19 What regulators and technologists are watching over the next 24 to 36 months29:33 Christy's closing message: awareness is still the best prevention tool available See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    30 min

  7. May 26

    If You Know Her, You Know Integrity Bank

    The best bankers don't just lend money. They help build lives. Hazem and Mack sit down with Integrity Bank Chief Lending Officer and founding team member Judy Budnik to trace a 40-year banking career that began next door to a small-town Louisiana bank president, wound through Frost Bank, a wedding-day job offer, and Houston National Bank, and ultimately came full circle at Integrity Bank, exploring real estate lending, community banking philosophy, what it takes to go from renter to owner, and why the relationships you build outlast any transaction. To learn more about Integrity Bank, go to itx.bank. Subscribe to Banking on Integrity on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Key Takeaways 1. Judy's path into banking started in Lafayette, Louisiana, where her next-door neighbor, a local bank president, modeled what it looked like to help businesses get off the ground and advised her to pursue a finance degree, get her master's, and move to Houston for greater opportunity. 2. She arrived in Houston in the late 1980s planning to stay a few months, started at Frost Bank under mentor Mike Moser in the special assets department, and received her first offer from Mack Neff at the steps of her own wedding ceremony in 1993. 3. Early experience with problem loans and special assets shaped her preference for real estate lending, where collateral is more stable and the long-term value of property often becomes a borrower's most important financial asset, even when their core business is something else entirely. 4. Community banking, in Judy's view, is fundamentally about education: helping clients understand their cash flow, structure their financials, and find paths to ownership through tools like SBA loans, equity partners, and lease add-backs when they do not yet have 15 to 20 percent down. 5. Joining Integrity Bank was a full-circle moment, filling a real market void left by consolidation and giving her a chance to close out her career the way it began: spending real time with customers, mentoring younger bankers, and watching families and businesses grow across generations. Timestamped Overview 00:00 Banking on Integrity intro00:31 Mack introduces Judy Budnik as a founding team member of Integrity Bank01:01 Growing up next door to a bank president in Lafayette, Louisiana02:20 Moving to Houston, joining Frost Bank, and meeting mentor Mike Moser03:41 Receiving a job offer from Mack Neff at the steps of her wedding04:34 How Mack recruited Judy to Houston National Bank in 199305:43 Moving from credit analyst to lender and building a real estate focus07:33 Judy's role as Chief Lending Officer and her skill at making deals bankable08:10 How Integrity Bank evaluates cash flow, collateral, and multiple repayment sources09:12 The education component of community banking and smart use of leverage10:17 Why real estate often becomes an entrepreneur's most valuable long-term asset11:25 The advantages of owning your business location rather than renting it12:22 What borrowers need to qualify: financials, tax returns, and equity injection13:42 SBA loans, family equity partners, and other paths when 15 percent is out of reach14:21 How Integrity Bank stretches the box while staying disciplined as a lender15:27 Watching clients' families grow and why generational relationships define the career16:31 How new clients find Judy and what the first conversation looks like17:13 Houston's industry diversity and why it makes community banking endlessly exciting19:08 Judy as a teacher inside the bank and why mentorship matters20:06 Why she chose to join a brand new institution rather than stay at an established one21:20 Full circle careers, mentorship, and the meaning of two-generation client relationships23:02 Banking consolidation, displaced bankers, and Integrity Bank's opposite trajectory24:22 The story of housing Integrity Bank's Chief Risk Officer for six months25:18 What that act of generosity says about Integrity Bank's culture and family spirit26:09 Recognizing the 175 shareholders who took the risk to fund the vision27:07 Closing thoughts, how to reach Judy, and why if you know her, you know Integrity Bank See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    29 min

  8. May 19

    Where Families Come First: Serving Houston's Immigrant Community With Integrity

    Justice is built one relationship at a time. Hazem and Mack sit down with Houston immigration attorney and Mendez Law Office founder Matthew Mendez. They trace how a middle-class upbringing, a mentor-driven pivot into immigration law, and an entrepreneurial spark ignited by his father-in-law led to building a 41-person firm in one of the country's most competitive legal markets, exploring faith in clients, the complexity of immigration, marketing in a billboard city, and what it means to serve Houston's most vulnerable families. Learn more about Mendez Law Office at mendezlawoffice.com or in Spanish at abogadomendez.com. To learn more about Integrity Bank, go to itx.bank. Subscribe to Banking on Integrity on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Key Takeaways 1. Matthew's entrepreneurial drive didn't come from his upbringing. Both parents held traditional jobs, but he was awakened by watching his father-in-law run multiple businesses and by his wife Ginny's steady encouragement to bet on himself. 2. He launched Mendez Law in January 2017 after consistently outperforming the firms he worked for, starting with just him and Ginny handling everything from client intake to assembling furniture, and growing quickly by prioritizing marketing in a saturated field. 3. Houston is arguably the epicenter of immigration law in the nation as the largest city in the largest border state. It has the density of courts, judges, and diverse immigrant communities that make it uniquely demanding and important for the practice. 4. Mendez Law distinguishes itself by offering free consultations, operating with radical transparency about what the law can and cannot do, and serving clients who have all come through government-vetted processes. Not individuals who have evaded legal scrutiny. 5. With 11 attorneys and 41 staff, Matthew is now expanding into personal injury law, with an eye toward blending the high-volume, billboard-style visibility of Houston's most recognizable legal brands with the deep client respect of elite, results-driven firms. Timestamped Overview 00:31 Hazem introduces Matthew Mendez and Mendez Law Office00:52 How Matthew launched the firm in 2017 and Ginny's foundational role03:20 The entrepreneurial spark: his father-in-law's example and a shift in mindset04:54 Deciding to become an attorney, writing skills, and finding a passion for immigration07:51 Mentor Juan Reyes and the mentor-shaped path into immigration law08:14 Is Houston the epicenter of immigration law in the U.S.?09:13 Estimating Houston's immigration attorney population (1,500–3,000)10:23 What most people misunderstand about immigration law's complexity12:30 How most Mendez Law clients are government-vetted and legally present13:56 What draws immigrants to Houston: economy, opportunity, and no barriers to entry18:06 Growing to 41 employees and 11 attorneys, and overcoming the fear of hiring20:11 Expanding into personal injury law and the competitive marketing landscape22:23 Houston's "billboard attorney" culture — Mattress Mack, Jim Adler, and brand-building25:05 Plans for marketing, persona-building, and standing out in a short-attention-span world27:07 The business side of running a law firm — cash flow, accountants, and banking relationships28:58 How to contact Mendez Law: free consultations, social media, phone, and bilingual website30:44 Closing thanks, reflections on serving Houston's communities, and final remarks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    32 min
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5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Explore the heart of Houston's business community with Banking on Integrity, brought to you by Integrity Bank. Join founders Hazem Ahmad and Mack Neff as they interview local entrepreneurs, sharing their journeys of success, overcoming challenges, and driving Houston forward.

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