About Us

Mark Ahern

Founder / CEO

I started Amp in late 2020 with a genuine passion for rolling up my sleeves and helping small businesses any way I could. My background in financial services began in 2011 at First American Bank in the suburbs of Chicago upon graduating from the University of St Francis in Joliet, IL. Between my time at First American Bank and later First Midwest Bank, I was formally trained in commercial real estate and C&I credit and held posts in the retail banking, retail mortgage, and loan operations.

In 2014 I began with GE Capital’s Commercial Distribution Finance division “CDF” as an underwriter. CDF provides floor plan financing for boats, RVs, ATVs, lawn & garden equipment, and much more. Upon our acquisition by Wells Fargo in 2016, I was selected to join a small team to assist with our integration into the broader Wells Fargo Bank. Through my interactions with customers, I knew I wanted to one day interface with our clients full-time. While living and working in downtown Chicago, I received my MBA from DePaul University in 2017.

In 2018 I was hired as a commercial banker in Denver, CO, a city that my wife and I both loved. I forged great relationships with both my clients and peers. Amidst the pandemic in early 2020, however, I recognized that I needed to do more. I felt there was a gap in service and financial resources offered to small businesses. Soon thereafter, I left the banking world and started Amp Business Consulting. I also began teaching Business Finance at Regis University in 2021.

My hobbies include hiking, mountain biking, studying Spanish, and traveling. My dog is an Aussiedoodle named “Tembo” – which actually means “elephant” in Swahili. My wife and I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania for our honeymoon and loved the name.