Steve’s journey into lead generation and marketing automation began in 2004, during his time at Central Michigan University. Even as a student, he was passionate about developing systems for inbound lead generation and marketing technology. His early entrepreneurial efforts involved aggregating leads for various client organizations, a skillset that would shape the future of his career.
Before founding FinServe USA, Steve spent several years working with a North American franchise company that had over 1,000 franchisees across the U.S. and Canada. There, he developed operational technologies, marketing technology, sales operation automation, and training platforms, which played a key role in helping franchisees scale their operations.
Steve’s transition into the business finance industry came about over a decade ago when he became involved in a venture capital acceleration deal. His passion for data and research led him to reference a Harvard Business Review/MIT study that analyzed over 10,000 businesses, highlighting opportunities and pitfalls in marketing and sales operations, namely lead response management. Steve replicated this research within the business finance sector, revealing expansive opportunities for growth and optimization. This discovery ultimately led to the creation of FinServe MarketPlace, a dominant player in the business finance industry.
FinServe MarketPlace, under Steve’s leadership, has grown to become the largest and most influential marketplace of business finance professionals in North America. The company partners with over 10 lenders, 5 Tech ISOs, and more than 18,000 referral partners and ISOs. Since 2020, FinServe has been involved in originating over $6 billion annually. Steve’s innovative approach, grounded in his research and data-driven mindset, has empowered thousands of business finance professionals to streamline their operations and improve their market positions.
Through a commitment to the concept of Societal Marketing, Steve focuses on building long-term, trust-based relationships between businesses and clients, driving sustained growth and success for his partners and clients. His dedication to operational excellence and continuous improvement has helped FinServe MarketPlace maintain its position as the industry’s dominant force.
Steve Conner, the President of FinServe USA Inc., is an expert in business acceleration, particularly within the business finance industry. With a career that spans over two decades, Steve has become a trusted figure in the venture capital space, helping businesses scale through marketing technology, sales enablement, and operational consultancy, often in preparation for exit strategies.