Breaking the Machine: Culture, Credit, & Growth at Scale

Portfolio Perspective: Managing Risk & Seizing Opportunity

John Gougeon didn’t just step into leadership at Unifi—he opened the gates for a high-performance team to run. In this episode, John joins Andrew Pace for a candid conversation about leading through transition, building a growth engine without sacrificing credit quality, and navigating today’s market with clarity, caution, and consistency.

From transitioning away from tranche business to tightening portfolio performance, John shares how Unifi has scaled volume, maintained top-tier credit metrics, and invested in service and culture—all while keeping one eye on macro indicators and market pressure.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The “break the machine” leadership mindset
• Why Unifi moved from tranche to direct origination
• Aligning organizational design with expertise and empowerment
• Building a culture of trust, communication, and shared goals
• Early indicators Unifi watches for asset and portfolio risk
• How Unifi achieved <0.3% delinquency without adding headcount
• Tariffs, trade tensions, and how they reshape CapEx planning
• Pricing discipline, service benchmarks, and sticking to strategy
• Asset classes to watch in 2025, including CNC and construction

Notable Takeaways:

“I told the team, my goal is to break the machine—and see how fast we can run without losing control.”

“Credit quality comes first. Volume never trumps portfolio strength.”

“We haven’t thrown bodies at growth. We’ve just executed against the plan.”

“Service is more than fast funding. It’s being accessible, accountable, and easy to work with.”

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