# Everett K. Sands

> Everett K. Sands is the founder and CEO of Lendistry, a technology-enabled small business lender and grant administrator founded in 2015. Raised around his grandfather’s Washington, D.C., tailoring business, he built a career at community banks and Wells Fargo before starting a company focused on underserved entrepreneurs. His public work includes lending policy testimony, business education, and the Small Business Unscripted podcast.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Lendistry
- **Organizations:** Lendistry, The Penn Institute for Urban Research, Goodwill of Orange County, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, The Center by Lendistry, Wells Fargo, MCB Real Estate
- **Education:** University of Pennsylvania
- **Known for:** EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 Greater Los Angeles award winner and national finalist., Included in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s LA500 2026., Led Lendistry, which reported $11 billion in cumulative small business loans and grants and 640,000 businesses supported on its website when checked October 21, 2026.

## Career timeline

- **Before 2015** — Held executive and board roles at minority depository institutions and led teams at Wells Fargo in Washington, D.C., and Orange County.
- **2015** — Founded Lendistry.
- **2019** — Lendistry launched its Airport Concessions Program.
- **2022** — Lendistry received an SBA Small Business Lending Company license and formed Lendistry SBLC.
- **2023** — Lendistry SBLC received SBA Preferred Lender status.
- **2024** — Won EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Greater Los Angeles recognition; was also a national finalist.
- **2025** — Began hosting Small Business Unscripted.
- **2026** — Lendistry announced new sports partnerships and an airport-concessions credit facility from East West Bank.

## Achievements

- EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 Greater Los Angeles award winner and national finalist.
- Included in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s LA500 2026.
- Led Lendistry, which reported $11 billion in cumulative small business loans and grants and 640,000 businesses supported on its website when checked October 21, 2026.
- Penn IUR biography reports his Wells Fargo Washington team grew market share from 6% to 26% in one year and his Orange County team increased annual originations from $150 million to $490 million in one year.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Discussed entrepreneurship, reading, communication, and learning from family businesses in a September 14 Bold Journey interview.
- **2026-08** — American Banker profiled his route into airport concession lending on August 31.
- **2026-07** — Lendistry announced a $100 million East West Bank facility supporting its Airport Concessions Program, which reported $98 million deployed in 16 states.
- **2026-05** — Included in LA500 2026; Lendistry also announced its Atlanta Dream small business lending partnership.
- **2026-04** — Chicago Sky announced Lendistry as its official small business lending partner and presenting partner of the Women’s Small Business Cohort.
- **2026-02** — Visa launched Visa & Main with a $100 million working capital facility with Lendistry.

## Links

- Website: https://everettksands.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/everettksands/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everettksands/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everettksands/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/everett-sands
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-22