Omar Jordan of Coviance

May 23, 2025 thetechtribune

**An exclusive Tech Tribune Q&A with Omar Jordan (founder and CEO) of Coviance, which was honored in our:**

Tell us the origin story of Coviance – what problem were you trying to solve and why?

Originally founded as LenderClose (see that interview here) in 2015, the idea emerged from a vision to revolutionize the home equity lending process for community banks and credit unions. Drawing from my experience as a loan officer during the mid-2000s subprime lending boom, I recognized the inefficiencies and complexities in traditional lending workflows. This insight led me to establish a fintech solution aimed at streamlining and automating the lending experience for both lenders and borrowers.

What was the biggest hurdle you encountered in your journey?

As founders, we face challenges at every growth stage of a company. The biggest hurdles I or we face today aren’t the same as when the company had one customer or was pre-revenue.

That’s why I’m passionate about what I do as a startup founder. I don’t know that I can continue to call Coviance a startup as we’ve matured greatly since 2015, but the journey we’re on is certainly a startup story.

Founders looking to scale businesses face challenges such as working capital, raising capital and even managing investors and investor expectations. On the other side of that equation, we still have a business to run and scale, and so elements of human capital come into play. Hiring, recruiting, retaining great talent, and building trust within the organization takes years. But yet again, that’s the fun part of the cultivation process of creating a company.

The secret sauce to all this is that there is no such thing as a secret sauce. It just takes hard work, dedication, and transparency through and through.

What does the future hold for Coviance?

Our number one focus as an organization is to give our customers the ultimate user experience and continue delivering the business outcomes our customers and the industry need.

Reducing friction in the Home Equity and Mortgage process is something we’re very passionate about. Empowering our customers with the financial intelligence they need to originate loans more efficiently and effectively by leveraging advanced data and technology is no longer a nice-to-have – it’s a necessity for banks and credit unions to remain relevant.

What are your thoughts on the local tech startup scene in Iowa?

Iowa’s tech startup scene has been experiencing significant growth and development in recent years. Some parts of the state and in particular Des Moines has transformed into a vibrant hub for innovation, often referred to as part of the “Silicon Prairie”. I like to call it “SiliCORN Valley”.

There’s a very strong and interesting tech and FinTech scene happening in the Midwest that continues to surprise outsiders, even though it’s been happening for quite some time now.

None of this would be possible with only founders and entrepreneurs. We have to give credit to the community around us that supports us and cheers us on. It truly takes a village!

What’s your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Assemble the right team based on your weaknesses and strengths, and be honest with yourself. The right people make or break a startup. Align on values, not just skills. A great team with average ideas will outperform a weak team with brilliant ideas.

Fall in love with the problem, not the solution. Stop obsessing about the “perfect product”. It’s a journey not a destination.