Invested in You: How 22nd State Bank Supports Small Business Growth
- 22nd State Bank
- Aug 18
- 2 min read
Joy Bishop
Executive Vice President / Chief Operations Officer
Starting a business is never easy. For many small business owners, grasping the intricacies of commercial finances is one of the steepest learning curves and can even prevent them from embarking on their entrepreneurial journey.
At 22nd State Bank, we take steps to empower small business growth from the very beginning.
Joy Bishop, Chief Operations Officer, recalls one customer who came in with a dream but not much financial know-how. "He was a new small business owner and didn’t necessarily understand how deposits and writing checks and the timing worked," she explains. Rather than handing him a brochure or pointing him to a website, Joy and her team took a different approach. "The branch manager and I talked with him daily," she says.
We worked together to help him truly understand the importance of making sure money was in the account and cleared before paying his vendors.
Day by day, the customer grew more confident. Eventually, Joy remembers him saying, "I haven’t been calling y'all as much. I’m figuring it out." That simple statement marked a huge moment, not just for the customer but for the banking team that had guided him every step of the way.
"It was neat to watch that growth," Joy says. "It was his first business, and small businesses are hard. To be part of his journey, to see his pride as he started to succeed—that’s why we do what we do."
At 22nd State Bank, empowering small businesses isn’t only about opening accounts and loan applications. It’s about taking the time to listen, teach, and encourage the people trying to make their mark on the world.
"When someone is just getting started, they need more than financial tools," Joy explains. "They need someone who believes in them and can explain things in a way that makes sense. We’re small enough to do that." Whether it’s daily phone calls to clarify deposits or referrals to trusted sources, that investment in our customers sets 22nd State Bank apart, and it’s why so many local businesses choose to bank with us.
"Where would you go when you're first starting your business?" Joy reflects. "I'd start with a bank. A community bank. Because that's where real advice and real help begin." Are you starting or growing a small business? Visit your local 22nd State Bank branch and talk with a banker who’s ready to support you, step by step.
