Below is an excerpt adapted from the Inspired By podcast conversation with 40 Under 40 honoree Adam Cohen of Asset Based Lending (ABL). It has been edited for brevity and clarity.

“Born in Brooklyn, raised in New Jersey,” Adam Cohen’s roots are firmly planted in the Tri-State area. Now CFO and COO of Asset Based Lending (ABL), Cohen is approaching a milestone: his 10-year anniversary with the company.

“This is the longest job I've ever had in my career,” Cohen shared. “I’m really proud of what we’ve built here.”

Cohen’s journey is marked by an affinity for small environments where he could have a real impact. “I’ve always liked small things,” he said, citing his choice of a small high school, a smaller college, and his first post-college job at a 19-person firm. “I wasn’t just a number. I was an important part of the team.”

Falling Into Mortgage Lending

As is common in the industry, Cohen didn’t plan to land in mortgage lending. A chance referral from his first boss steered him into the mortgage world. “You never know when your first boss says, ‘Hey, I’ve got a friend who’s got a mortgage shop. Any interest?’ And you say yes,” Cohen laughed. “And that's how you end up being the CFO of a firm.”

Balancing Automation With Humanity

In today's tech-driven world, Cohen champions a balanced approach. “You need automation and AI to scale your business,” he acknowledged. “But where I find it most useful is creating guardrails. It’s about eliminating human mistakes and taking away monotonous tasks.”

However, Cohen stressed what AI can't replace: human relationships and critical thinking. "You hear someone's tone, you read between the lines — a machine can’t do that."

At ABL, every new employee meets with senior leadership, including Cohen himself. "It's not another interview. It's, 'Hey, how was your trip? Where are you from?' It's about really getting to know them."

He’s even initiated "Coffee with Cohen," a walk-and-talk style meeting to foster more personal connections. "Let's have a conversation looking out at the Manhattan skyline. That's a human moment that no amount of automation can replicate."

Keeping Customers Connected

ABL's philosophy of human-first interaction extends to customers too. Cohen emphasized the frustration many feel with AI chatbots. “You get an answer that’s not relevant, and you end up begging to talk to a real person.”

Instead, ABL strives to have a human being answer every call.

“When someone calls us, they’re directed to the right person to get the right information every time,” he said. “That’s part of knowing your customer.”

A Lesson In Risk-Taking

Though Cohen admits he's “pretty risk-averse,” life taught him early on that sometimes taking a leap matters. A formative moment came during his freshman year of college. After pulling an all-nighter for a challenging “Subversive Thinking” course, he failed to turn in even a placeholder for another class’s assignment.

His professor told him, “If you’d given me a blank page with your name on it, I could have given you an F. But you gave me nothing, so I have to give you a zero.”

That stark lesson changed his approach. “Sometimes you have to adapt. In business, you’ve got to hit deadlines. Even if it’s not perfect, something is better than nothing.”

Evolving Mantras

Cohen’s college motto — “If you're going to do it, do it right or don't do it at all” — has evolved. While he still values doing things properly, he’s learned pragmatism: "Sometimes you have to say, ‘That's good enough.’ ”

This mindset shift has been critical in his career growth and leadership development, balancing the desire for excellence with the realities of business operations.

Innovation Through Curiosity

Early in his career, Cohen questioned routine processes. Assigned to manually reconcile financial trades, he asked, “Why does it have to be this way?”

Finding the answer unsatisfactory, he taught himself VBA programming from a book he bought at Barnes & Noble. Within a month, he transformed an eight-hour daily task into a one-hour process, automating much of the busywork. “I wanted to take on more, see new product classes, get involved in new things.”

This initiative not only set him apart but also became the foundation of his leadership philosophy: empower others to think critically and innovate.

Challenging The Status Quo

“I hate when somebody says, ‘That's the way we've always done it,’ ” Cohen said. Instead, he encourages employees to “think like owners” and bring new ideas forward.

He believes critical thinking and open debate are vital. “It's not about arguing for the sake of it,” he clarified. “It’s about finding unique perspectives to make the firm better.”

Preparing For An Evolving Industry

Looking ahead, Cohen sees massive changes on the horizon, driven by regulatory shifts, technological advances, and a volatile market.

“The pace at which information impacts things is mind-blowing,” he said. As a result, ABL is focusing on revamping its technology infrastructure while maintaining the human touch that sets them apart.

Cohen notes that the mortgage industry’s obsession with margins often pushes firms toward full automation. Yet, he remains firm that critical decisions require a human element. “We're a credit-driven shop. And credit comes from human analysis, not just algorithms.”

Human Connections Are The Future

As automation grows, Cohen believes human relationships will become even more valuable. “It’s refreshing when you can actually talk to someone,” he said. “It creates a draw to our company because we still maintain that personal connection.”

He foresees a bifurcation where companies either fully automate or double down on empathy and service. ABL is proudly choosing the latter.