About Us

Join our team!

We’re in the business of empowering entrepreneurs.

With $10,000 and a laptop, David Nilssen and Jeremy Ames started Guidant Financial in the fall of 2003. Their initial desire to help friends use retirement funds to invest in real estate soon evolved into a full-fledged mission to help entrepreneurs realize their dreams of small business ownership.

Since then, we’ve made a name for ourselves as the industry leader of innovative small business funding. Our staff is made up of experts who help people finance small businesses and franchises through a full suite of funding solutions, which include SBA loans; unsecured loans; portfolio loans; and equipment leasing, plus 401(k) business financing (also known as Rollovers for Business Start-ups or ROBS). In fact, we structure more ROBS arrangements each year than any other provider in the space and boast a spotless IRS track record.

Create the life you want. Work with us to make your dreams of small business ownership a reality.

We feel the same way about our employees.

Each member of our team should feel as empowered as the entrepreneurs they’re helping. We encourage our employees to think outside the box and design their own career path, complete with educational and coaching opportunities. In doing so, we’ve built a culture that embraces excellence and encourages a community where we lift each other up.

Through dedication to our clients, partners and employees, we make our vision to “increase the number of people who succeed in small business” a reality.

Guidant’s Story

2003

Founded to provide funding options to small business owners looking to create the life they want.

2005

Launched a client platform with over 300 small businesses on board.

2008

Surpassed $1 billion in small business funding.

2010

Made INC. 5000’s Fastest Growing Private Companies in America.

2013

Attained our goal of helping over 8,500 entrepreneurs in all 50 states.

2015

Deployed $3 billion in small business funding.

2017

Achieved five-time honoree status of INC. 5000.

2019

Over 140 employees in three locations dedicated to serving small businesses and franchises.

Our Values

Our team of experts loves supporting entrepreneurs and each other. With our PACE core values (Passion, Adaptability, Community and Excellence), we take pride in helping clients while also cultivating a fun work atmosphere that fosters growth and strong relationships.

Passion one of the four guiding principles of Guidant

Support the dreamers.

Embrace and drive change.

Community one of the four guiding principles of Guidant

Lift each other up.

Excellence one of the four guiding principles of Guidant

Get better every day.

Diversity is a Guidant Value.

Empower equity and inclusion.

Leadership Team

Jeremy Ames Co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Guidant

Jeremy Ames

CEO

Katie Burkhardt Guidant's Service Growth Officer

Katie Burckhardt

Business Growth Officer

Ralph Nilssen Guidant's Director of Sales

Ralph Nilssen

Director of Sales

Giving Back

Guidant employees have always enjoyed giving back to the community, whether it be volunteering their time or contributing to causes they care about through donation drives. Last year, we decided to focus our volunteer efforts on Treehouse, an organization that supports local foster youth.

Guidant Financial volunteering at Treehouse carousel
Guidant Financial volunteering at Treehouse
Guidant Financial volunteering at Treehouse

Treehouse supports foster kids, striving to close the achievement gap between youth in foster care and their peers by providing the academic and other essential support kids need to succeed. They fulfill key material needs, as well as provide important childhood experiences that every child deserves. With the work the Treehouse team has done, they’ve seen youth foster care graduation rates on the rise.

Our team supports Treehouse with clothing drives, volunteer days and fundraising. This is one more way we focus on helping others achieve their goal for a better life.

Contact Us

Contact

[email protected]
Fax: 888-418-0374
Phone: 425-289-3200

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