Choosing the right banking partner is one of the most important decisions you will make as a successful business owner. You don’t just need a lender, you need someone who knows your market, understands your balance sheet, and cares enough to sit at the table with you. That’s where Cogent Bank shines. As a locally run, Florida‑based bank, Cogent believes in relationship‑first banking that helps entrepreneurs not just survive – but thrive.

Brandon Box, Executive Vice President, and Market President at Cogent Bank, says it best: great bankers don’t just look at numbers – they look at what’s behind them. And that’s exactly what Cogent bankers are prepared to do.

Why Local Matters: Banking as a True Partnership

Smaller companies need more than a transactional relationship with their bank. They need someone who understands their business model, helps them manage cash flow, reduces risk, and identifies opportunities hiding in their financials.

“We’re like financial advisors for businesses,” Box says. “The best bankers help their clients build a financial plan that makes their business stronger – not just approve a loan and walk away.”

Sometimes clients come in asking for financing, and Cogent helps them achieve the same objective simply by restructuring cash flow or leveraging existing assets. That type of hands‑on problem‑solving is something big banks rarely have the time or flexibility to offer.

Publix vs. Walmart

Box describes the difference between Cogent and large banks with an analogy familiar to Floridians: working with Cogent is like shopping at Publix, while working with a megabank is more like shopping at Walmart.

Large banks focus on being efficient and generating volume. Like Walmart, you get what’s on the shelf – quickly, predictably, and with little customization. It either fits the box, or it doesn’t.

Like Publix, Cogent Bank is known for boutique service, local presence, and the feeling that people know you. It’s not as big – but it’s personal. It’s flexible. And it exists to serve its community.

“As a smaller, privately held bank, every client matters to us,” Box explains. “Large banks must streamline everything. At Cogent we understand the economies of the local markets. Our underwriting is local, our decisions are local, and our relationships are local.”

That difference mattered during the pandemic. Suddenly, folks were working from home and commercial vacancy rates skyrocketed. While some national lenders backed away from commercial real estate altogether, Cogent evaluated deals based on what was happening in Florida, not in New York or Chicago. And often, they could still get deals done. This difference resulted in a wave of business referrals to Cogent.

A Team of Banking Experts

One of Cogent’s biggest strengths is its team‑based banking model. Cogent clients gain access to a full banking team: a primary relationship manager, a treasury officer, a branch manager, a loan closer, and an underwriter.

This means clients have a team of experts who know their business – no waiting for one person to return from vacation or worrying about having to explain your business to a new person repeatedly.

Adapting to an Ever-Changing Landscape

Banking is evolving fast, especially with new software and digital platforms changing how businesses manage money. Cogent invests heavily in technology to stay ahead while keeping the human touch that clients rely on.

“We’re never going to stop doing traditional relationship banking,” Box says. “But we also want to be one of the first movers as technology reshapes the industry.”

Just as banks are navigating ongoing changes, business owners must adapt to the ebbs and flows of an economic landscape with multiple moving parts – interest rate fluctuations, inflation, rising costs, and overall uncertainty.

The rise in rental rates and ease in interest rates is causing many of the bank’s clients to consider buying commercial real estate. Box says finding vacant land to build a new facility in Florida can be difficult and the cost of construction remains high since the pandemic. “To build something now is substantially more expensive than it was even just five years ago because of inflation. Unfortunately, there’s just a new normal of the baseline costs which is not likely to reverse,” Box points out.

Recent changes in tax laws allowing for accelerated depreciation are spurring an increase in equipment purchases. Ongoing uncertainties amid this economic growth have businesses applying for lines of credit as a back-up to support cash flow.

Protecting Cash Flow and Creating a Safety Net

Inflation, tariffs, increased costs, and shifting demand have all created unpredictability for small businesses. Cogent helps owners understand how these factors impact their bids, pricing, and margins—so they don’t unintentionally hurt their cash flow. Should cash flow issues arise, a line of credit can function as a safety net, helping business owners protect their bottom line.

Many businesses look strong on paper because their revenue is tied up in accounts receivable rather than actual cash. Cogent can help businesses analyze cash flow to better understand their balance sheet and where they stack up within their industry and local economy.

Cogent helps entrepreneurs who are focused solely on revenue growth to shift to maximizing profitability—not just sales volume. Owners often don’t realize that they could have less revenue and be more profitable.

“There are a lot of things that go into it, but we do enjoy it when the clients are open to having those in-depth discussions,” Box says.

View Your Bank as an Investor

Many business owners focus on interest rates when it comes to their bank. Box says Cogent’s rates are always competitive and much lower than a private or institutional lender will provide.

He encourages business owners to see their bank just like any other investor. If a business buys real estate with 20% down and the bank provides the other 80%, the bank is the largest investor in that business.

That’s why Cogent encourages owners to build strong banking relationships when times are good – because those relationships will be essential when challenges arise.

Embracing a Major Opportunity in Florida Banking

Bank consolidation has reshaped Florida’s banking landscape. According to the FDIC, in 2000, the state had 265 banks. By 2024, that number dropped to just 84. For Cogent, that shrinking competitive field is a major opportunity to serve businesses that big banks have left behind.

“There’s never been a better time to be a high‑performing, modern bank in Florida,” Box says. “We’re positioned exactly where small and mid-size businesses need us most and are ready to help.”

Ready for a Banking Partner Who Knows Your Business?

If you’re looking for a bank that will truly get to know you and your business, understand your market, and invest in your success, Cogent Bank is ready to help.

Reach out to Cogent Bank today and experience what relationship banking is really like.

Disclaimer: The information contained herein is for informational/educational purposes only. The views and opinions expressed in this document may be those of the individuals and may not necessarily reflect those of Cogent Bancorp and its subsidiaries and affiliates, or the entities they may represent. Content contained herein may be used in connection with the advertising and/or marketing of products offered by Cogent Bank or Cogent Private Wealth. The material is not intended to provide or substitute for legal, tax, or financial advice or to indicate the availability or suitability of any Cogent Bank product or service. You should consult with a legal, financial, tax, or other appropriate professional(s) for your specific needs and/or objectives before making any decisions.