Welcome to the Top 5 Percenter™ Blog

A dear friend asked me a question one time, “Oh really, can you afford not to?”

And I thought that was one of the most brilliant questions I’ve ever heard.

Let me pose it to you this way.

Can you afford not to figure out how to increase your net interest margin by 100 basis points while bringing down your cost of funds and bringing up the quality of the loans you’re making?

Can you afford not to invest deeply in the people who you have on your team to move them from being transactional bankers to transformational bankers?

Can you afford not to build a system such that your marketing and your sales ties together so that you can close those top 100 next best prospects at premium pricing with an 85% close rate or above?

Seriously, can you afford not to, when 50-140% of your profits come from that top 100 list of your most profitable customers?

The true question that we need to ask ourselves as executives is, “Can we afford not to?” And can we break loose of the old belief system that we’ve had for a long time that certain things can’t be done?

During challenging times, the things that “couldn’t be done” in the past must be done now. So, step up and ask yourself this question: “Can I afford not to?”

To your success,

Roxanne Emmerich

More From The Blog

How Elite CEOs Run Game-Changing Board Meetings

Most board meetings are packed with data—but starved of strategic clarity. Discover how the top 5% of banks engineer boardrooms that drive performance, challenge respectfully, and align with breakthrough plans. This week’s episode reveals what high-performing CEOs do differently—and how you can bring that same power to your board.

Halfway Is No Excuse

Midyear banking strategy not working? Elite banks accelerate, not apologize. Here’s how to finish strong—with accountability, margin, and momentum.

Top Bank Doubled Revenue with 1/3 Fewer Staff—Here’s How

Toxic conflict is quietly draining your profits.
Most banks reach for generic culture fixes and miss the root cause—low emotional intelligence and zero accountability. Discover how the best banks use healthy dissension to crush drama, boost performance, and lead the industry in profitability.

Bank Drama is Draining Your Profits—Here’s the Proven Fix

Toxic conflict is quietly draining your profits.
Most banks reach for generic culture fixes and miss the root cause—low emotional intelligence and zero accountability. Discover how the best banks use healthy dissension to crush drama, boost performance, and lead the industry in profitability.