For Michael Borne, founder of Baton Rouge-based real estate brokerage Borne2Sell, the journey from visionary to industry leader has been one marked by hard work, determination and a commitment to exceeding clients’ expectations. Michael found a similar culture in the Bank of St. Francisville, a 47-year-old institution delivering tailored financial solutions and high-touch personal service.

"Our goal is to be a true partner to our clients," Douglas says. "We want to help them achieve their dreams and grow their businesses."

Borne2Sell began operations as a real estate business six years ago and transitioned to become a full-fledged brokerage firm last fall. Today, Michael and his team of 12 experienced agents—boasting more than 70 years of combined expertise—serve a range of residential and commercial clients in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, the North Shore and beyond. Licensed in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, Borne2Sell has built a reputation for handling property transactions of everything from luxury real estate to commercial apartment complexes, with efficiency and excellent service.

With his business growing fast, Michael knew the time had come to invest in a permanent office space that would not only support future expansion but also solidify the company’s brand identity.

Enter Bank of St. Francisville, a financial institution renowned for delivering concierge-style approach and relationship-driven services to business and retail customers throughout the Capital Region. With a proven track record of supporting homegrown businesses, BSF is committed to delivering personalized service to entrepreneurs like Michael, says Bank of St. Francisville Baton Rouge Market President Douglas Dupont.

“Our goal is to be a true partner to our clients,” Douglas says. “We want to help them achieve their dreams and grow their businesses.”

Michael says the transition to a local relationship bank has been a gamechanger.

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"This is a tough business," Michael says. "But it's really nice to have a partner you know is always going to pick up the phone."

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“I was with a big, national bank since high school, but I knew I needed something more personal,” he says. “Bank of St. Francisville stood out because of its accessibility and the way they genuinely care about clients. The access to real people is second-to-none. You can pick up the phone or send a text anytime.”

With a loan from Bank of St. Francisville, Borne2Sell was able to purchase and renovate a brick-and-mortar location off Perkins Road last fall. The new space, which Michael describes as “feeling more like a home than just an office,” has become a hub for his team and a powerful recruiting tool.

“Given our relationship with Michael, we structured the financing timeline to make sure he had plenty of time to finish the build-out and get back to business before needing to worry about payments” Douglas says. 

Just as Borne2Sell has invested in a physical location, Bank of St. Francisville is also investing to expand its physical footprint.

“A lot of banks are getting away from the personal one-on-one relationship, which is seen in the reduction of physical locations and the push toward automated services,” Douglas says. “We’re going in the opposite direction. We're embracing technology, but we're encouraging our customers to feel comfortable calling or texting us anytime they need something. We want each and every customer to feel like an individual.”

For Michael Borne and his team, the partnership with Bank of St. Francisville has been transformational. Today, the brokerage is well-positioned to continue serving clients across the Gulf South with the same passion and professionalism that has defined their success.

“This is a tough business,” Michael says. “But it’s really nice to have a partner you know is always going to pick up the phone.”

To learn more about how Bank of St. Francisville is helping Capital Area businesses to grow and prosper, click HERE