When Endurance Lending Network (ELN) reached out to us in 2011, they had an ambitious vision: democratize small business lending through social financing. The challenge was significant - create a platform where businesses could access quick financing while offering investors safe, diversified investment opportunities.
Our partnership began with a focused mission - build an investor portal that would allow lenders to track and manage investments across multiple borrowers. Starting with just two developers, we created a dashboard that gave investors clear visibility into their lending portfolio. As the platform grew, so did the complexity of investor needs.
The rapid growth of ELN's customer base demanded quick product development decisions and constantly shifting priorities. We established trust through radical transparency in our communication, turning early friction points into opportunities to demonstrate our commitment to accountability and results.
Our initial success with the investor portal led to broader involvement across ELN's ecosystem. The team expanded to tackle challenges like improving loan application success rates and streamlining user communications. When ELN merged with UK-based Funding Circle, our team grew to seven people working across multiple workstreams.
The merger presented unique challenges - unifying branding across two established companies, integrating sales and CRM systems, and refactoring key architecture components. Our flexible team structure allowed us to quickly adapt to Funding Circle's changing needs, bringing in specialized expertise as required.
Our technical approach focused on sustainable growth and scalability. Key achievements included:
In the final phase of our partnership, we focused on systematically transitioning system components to Funding Circle's internal teams. Our deep knowledge of the platform proved valuable during this period, particularly in implementing complex requirements like fraud risk management integration.
1. Start Focused, Then Expand: We began with just two developers building the investor portal, proving our value before expanding to larger challenges. This focused approach led to Funding Circle trusting us with their entire platform evolution, growing our team to seven people working across multiple areas.
2. Embrace Transparency: Early friction points became opportunities to demonstrate our commitment through open communication and full accountability. As Rohit Sharma noted, this transparency made us "pragmatic partners focused on finding optimal solutions" rather than just another vendor.
3. Plan for Evolution: We built flexible, scalable systems that supported Funding Circle's growth from startup through merger and acquisition. Our technical foundations adapted smoothly to major changes like Salesforce integration and microservices architecture, protecting their investment in the platform's development.
Today, Funding Circle continues to revolutionize small business lending, having helped thousands of businesses access financing. Our four-and-a-half-year partnership contributed to their journey from an ambitious startup to an industry leader, demonstrating how thoughtful technical partnerships can support long-term business success.
In June 2024 Finding Circle US was acquired by iBusiness Funding.
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