Desert Financial Credit Union's Andrea Mosher discusses access to capital, building trust and why business owners need more than a place to borrow money.
Hear the full conversation: Listen to Local First Arizona's interview with Andrea Mosher of Desert Financial Credit Union to learn more about business lending, community partnerships and the role of credit unions in Arizona's economy.
For many Arizona entrepreneurs, the financial challenges of running a business don't end when they close up shop for the day.
They follow them home.
Business owners often invest their personal savings, rely on credit cards or take out personal loans to keep their operations running. And when a business is also a family's livelihood — sometimes across generations — financial decisions carry consequences that extend far beyond the balance sheet.
That reality is one reason Desert Financial Credit Union has expanded its focus on serving Arizona's local businesses.
In a conversation with Local First Arizona, Andrea Mosher, senior vice president and chief lending officer at Desert Financial Credit Union, discussed why access to capital remains a challenge for entrepreneurs and what financial institutions can do to help businesses build lasting financial stability.
Her message: A good financial partner should offer more than a loan.
The Gap Between Starting a Business and Growing One
Desert Financial's roots in Arizona go back to 1939, when a small group of teachers founded what was then Desert Schools Credit Union with approximately $78. Their goal was to provide fellow educators with access to financial resources.
Today, the credit union serves a much broader community, including Arizona businesses navigating an increasingly complex financial landscape.
Although Desert Financial has offered commercial lending for years, its recent efforts have placed greater emphasis on lending and services for smaller, independently operated businesses.
The need is substantial.
Local First Arizona regularly hears from entrepreneurs who struggle to find financing that fits their circumstances, even when they have established businesses and clear opportunities to grow.
For many, the challenge isn't a lack of ambition or effort. It's finding the right resources and relationships to move forward.
Andrea noted that business owners frequently finance their operations through personal credit cards, savings or loans, blurring the line between household finances and business finances.
And once a business begins to grow, its owner may face an entirely new set of challenges.
Entrepreneurs who have successfully launched a business often find themselves managing everything from daily operations and customer relationships to bookkeeping, staffing and long-term planning. Growth can create opportunities, but it can also stretch the people responsible for keeping everything running.
That's where Andrea sees an important role for financial institutions: helping entrepreneurs understand their options, connect with resources and prepare for the next stage of their business.
More Than Access to Capital
A business loan can provide funds for equipment, operations or expansion. But access to money alone doesn't necessarily address the other challenges an entrepreneur faces.
Business owners also need reliable information, opportunities to learn and connections to people who understand their circumstances.
Desert Financial has been expanding its business banking services with those needs in mind, including launching Small Business Administration lending and developing additional resources for business members.
SBA-backed loans can help financial institutions provide financing in situations where conventional lending may not be an option.
But Andrea emphasized that financial institutions also have a responsibility to help entrepreneurs navigate the broader landscape of available assistance.
That might mean connecting someone with an educational program, consulting services or another organization better equipped to address a particular challenge.
The goal isn't simply to complete a transaction. It's to help business owners make informed decisions and build a foundation for sustainable growth.
That approach is especially important for entrepreneurs who have historically faced barriers to traditional financial services.
Andrea identified outreach to Hispanic-owned businesses as an area of focus for Desert Financial, noting the importance of understanding family-owned enterprises, multigenerational wealth and the role of trust in establishing banking relationships.
For entrepreneurs who haven't had access to a financial partner they trust, building that relationship takes more than offering a new product. It requires listening, demonstrating value and being available when questions arise.
When Competitors Become Collaborators
That emphasis on relationships extends beyond individual credit unions.
Desert Financial is a member of Arizona's Credit Union Coalition, a collaboration of financial institutions working with Local First Arizona to strengthen awareness of locally rooted banking and its role in Arizona's economy.
Although credit unions compete for members, Andrea described a culture of cooperation that often puts community needs ahead of institutional boundaries.
She recalled attending events where representatives from different credit unions worked together to help someone find an answer, even when the person might ultimately become a member of another institution.
For Andrea, that willingness to collaborate reflects a shared commitment to serving communities.
It's also a useful model for addressing the financial challenges facing local businesses.
No single institution or organization can meet every entrepreneur's needs. But when financial institutions, business development organizations and community partners share knowledge and make connections, entrepreneurs have more pathways to the resources they need.
That kind of cooperation became particularly visible during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many business owners struggled to access Paycheck Protection Program loans through their existing financial institutions.
The experience brought renewed attention to the importance of having a responsive financial partner — especially when a business is navigating uncertainty.
Local Banking Across a Growing State
As Arizona communities grow and change, access to financial services remains an important consideration, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
Desert Financial expanded its eligibility statewide through a charter change discussed in the podcast, allowing it to serve individuals and businesses throughout Arizona.
But geographic reach doesn't automatically mean access.
For entrepreneurs in communities far from a physical branch, the availability and usability of digital banking services can make a meaningful difference.
Andrea described Desert Financial's efforts to improve its digital business banking experience, expand communication tools and make assistance more accessible to members who may live hundreds of miles from a branch.
The goal is to combine the convenience of modern banking with the personal relationships that help business owners feel comfortable seeking guidance.
That local commitment also extends into Desert Financial's community activities. Andrea described employee volunteer opportunities, partnerships with local businesses and events that introduce staff to Arizona food trucks and other independent enterprises.
For a financial institution with roots in Arizona's classrooms, the connection between community well-being and financial opportunity remains central to its work.
Choosing a Financial Partner Who Knows Your Business
For entrepreneurs evaluating a loan or considering a new financial institution, Andrea's advice begins with research.
Look beyond rates and promotional offers. Ask what educational resources are available, whether someone will take the time to understand your business and how the institution responds when you need guidance.
Most importantly, don't be afraid to ask questions.
Financial products can be complicated, and business owners shouldn't be expected to understand every lending term or financial option on their own.
As Andrea put it, “Nobody knows everything.”
Finding a financial partner should mean finding people who welcome questions, explain options clearly and take an interest in where a business is headed.
For Arizona's local businesses, that relationship can be just as valuable as the financing itself.
Hear the full conversation: Listen to Local First Arizona's interview with Andrea of Desert Financial Credit Union to learn more about business lending, community partnerships and the role of credit unions in Arizona's economy.
Explore Arizona's locally owned credit unions at azcreditunions.com.
In this episode
Andrea Mosher
Senior Vice President, Chief Lending Officer– Desert Financial CU
Andrea joined Desert Financial Credit Union in 2023 as Senior Vice President, Chief Lending Officer. Andrea spearheads consumer, mortgage, commercial and small business, and private student lending programs. Before joining Desert Financial Credit Union, Andrea spent 8 years as Senior Vice President of Lending at Lake Trust Credit Union in Brighton. MI and 7 years at the University of Michigan Credit Union, in Ann Arbor, MI, in a similar role.
Andrea joined the credit union industry in 1997 and has held executive level positions in both Branch Operations and Lending.
Andrea is a current board member for Credit Union Student Choice, a student lending CUSO serving credit unions across the country, is a member of the Experian Advisory Board, a former Vice-Chair of the NAFCU Lending Council, is a former i3 member of the Filene Research Institute, and volunteers with various non-profit organizations in her local community.
Thomas Barr
Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Local First Arizona
Barr leads strategic initiatives focused on strengthening Arizona's locally owned businesses and locally driven economy.
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