Daryl Turko is a principal with the Interface Financial Group

Daryl Turko didn’t realize it at the time, but a networking lunch 15 years ago was about to result in a steady flow of business.

Turko is in the business of “invoice discounting.” That means he buys unpaid invoices from a company at a discount price and in return gives them cash – usually within a few days – to help them meet their short-term financing needs. This move is extremely popular with businesses that run short on cash because of slow collections on money owed to them, which limits their ability to move ahead and grow.

Over the years, Turko’s clients have included everyone from oil and gas services companies and computer consulting firms to clothing manufacturers and telecommunication companies. To find potential customers Turko often turns to networking events.

In 1997, Turko attended a networking lunch at the Calgary Chamber and sat next to an employee from Personal Best Seminars Inc. That meeting resulted in him attending one of the group’s self-improvement seminars where he met the owners of Personal Best. Turko and the owners eventually got talking about each other’s business and two years later Turko got a call from them asking if he could help out with their business. “They called me up and offered to sell some receivables to me,” Turko says.

Since then, that single meeting has resulted in more business with the group, and even some referrals that have expanded Turko’s client base. “We’ve been doing ongoing business to this day,” Turko says. “Over the years they’ve come to me with their short-term financing needs.”

“It’s been a very good relationship and it all started with that one luncheon,” he adds.

Learn more at InterfaceFinancial.com/turko/ or hub.oilfieldhub.com/p/Interface