A Coleman Conversation: David Parrish

January 14, 2026

Bob Coleman
Founder & Publisher

A Coleman Conversation: David Parrish

In this week’s episode of A Coleman Conversation, Bob Coleman sits down with David Parrish, former SBA leader and longtime federal regulator, to discuss his nearly two-decade career at SBA and his transition into private-sector consulting. David reflects on the weight of accepting the federal government’s deferred resignation offer, explains why the SBA secondary market is essential to the strength of the 7(a) program, and shares what he learned from working across major SBA lending programs including SBIC and 7(a). He also details the career path that led him from international loan workout work at the Export-Import Bank to SBA oversight roles, including his leadership of the Secondary Markets Oversight Group. Now, as founder of Deerwood Advisors, David is using his experience to help lenders, broker-dealers, and small business owners navigate capital sourcing and compliance while emphasizing the unique strength of the U.S. small business ecosystem.

Watch Episode Here

Topics Covered:

✓ David’s deferred resignation decision and why it was the most difficult professional choice of his career, especially with the addition of voluntary early retirement
✓ David’s career progression inside SBA from nearly 20 years in the SBIC program to oversight roles in the 7(a) program, culminating in his leadership of the Secondary Markets Oversight Group
✓ What David misses most about SBA life and how he is now gaining perspective on the differences between operating in a large institution versus building something smaller and more agile
✓ What SBLCs are and why they dominate SBA rankings, including how their specialized focus on SBA lending and deep partnerships across brokers and third parties allow them to consistently lead 7(a) production volume
✓ Why the secondary market is essential to the success of 7(a) and how the guaranteed portion of loans is sold, pooled, and converted into bond-like instruments that drive liquidity and account for roughly half of the program’s funding
✓ Why David believes the U.S. small business ecosystem is uniquely resilient, largely because business formation is relatively accessible and exit is comparatively manageable, a structural advantage many other economies still lack