Quasar Capital Names Veteran Business Leader Sam Tork as Partner

“This group genuinely wants to change this industry for the better”

Sam Tork has been in the business finance world for over 25 years—accumulating decades of expertise in the commercial banking and asset-based lending industry. His emphasis on people is what sets him apart as a leader.

“A leader in our space is more than just numbers,” says Tork. “Those things matter, but equally important is, what are we leaving here? What kind of footprint? How are we improving the lives of our employees, our customers, and our referral sources?”

This spring, Tork transitions from board member to partner at Quasar Capital, a provider of invoice factoring, asset-based lending and cash flow solutions based in Austin, TX which aims to support the growth of small businesses across the U.S and Canada.

“I'm super excited. I've gotten an opportunity to run companies, groups, divisions in the past - both in the private space and in the banking industry. Now, I'm super stoked to be able to contribute more and to do it with people that I genuinely care about,” says Tork.

After earning a Masters of Finance degree from Texas Christian University, Tork got his start at Marquette Commercial Finance (formerly KBK Financial), an asset-based lending group in Dallas, where he became well-versed in all the stages of the business including underwriting, portfolio management, and sales.

His foundational business experience eventually led to other opportunities in banking, eventually joining companies including Frost Bank, Farwest Capital, and most recently, as Managing Director of Originations at Garrington Capital, a lending group based in Toronto, Canada.

Quasar Capital is a leading provider of small business invoice factoring, asset-based lending, and cash flow lending solutions that are customized to suit the specific needs of small businesses with facility sizes ranging up to $20M. They take a client-first approach and strive to support businesses aligned with their core values, such as authenticity and accountability.

Making an impact in the Central Texas community is top of mind for Tork, who says that while the city of Austin isn't necessarily known for its finance community, the team is seeking to make it into one.

“Financing and lending opportunities have been primarily centered through banks at the community or regional level or private equity, however, over the past few years more alternative lenders are making an impact in Central Texas and nationally,” he says.

In the future, Tork hopes to see more finance related associations and networks in the alternative lending space specifically in Central Texas. He plans to be a part of this growth by initiating and supporting with customers, employees, and referral sources.

“Our industry has always been about relationships, however, through scale many have moved beyond true relationships as things have gotten commoditized,” he says, adding that Quasar Capital looks to be an outlier when it comes to alternative lenders and working capital providers.

The focus on positive relationships starts within the business, and the family culture at Quasar Capitals is integral to their success, according to Tork.

“We've already fought a lot of battles together, we’re like minded in that approach,” he says. “This group genuinely wants to change this industry for the better. I can't wait to see what we do—it's going to be awesome.”

The team’s customer-oriented mindset may be the secret to their growth. From 2021 to 2022, they grew their client base by approximately 1400% - an expedited growth rate which shows the loyalty of their client base, according to Tork.

At one point, approximately 85 percent of the company clients were people they had worked with in the past. “It’s just a testament to our past clients wanting to come be a part of this because they know the level of service they’ll receive,” he says. 

As Tork settles into his partner position, he looks forward to regularly contributing through a knowledge-based perspective, and a people-first approach—something he’s learned from other great leaders along the way.

“The good leaders always know when to be firm and when to show empathy, when to be a teacher and when to be a listener,” he says. “I always loved a quote I heard from Dick Evans, the former CEO of Frost Bank, about relationships and lending. He said, ‘It has to be a square deal,’ and made a square with his fingers. No one wins 100%, but we both get what we need.  We all win.”