MORTGAGE MOMS
MORTGAGE MOMS
BY A S H LE Y G R AVA N O
MENTORS men·tor /'men,tôr, 'men,tər/ noun 1. an experienced and trusted adviser. Everyone should consider having a mentor! There is no better way to grow in your personal and business life. We often get in our own way and are very critical of ourselves. The saying “You’re your own worst enemy” supports the idea that a mentor can help open your eyes and give you a perspective from another lens. I am lucky to have had several mentors (too many too list) since my start in the “Biz” in 1998, and if I'm being honest, most of them have been male co-workers, bosses, or friends in the industry. I wasn’t always open to confiding in or leaning on other women in the industry as it often felt like a competition…ya know that “mean girl” vibe. I hope I am not alone in that feeling. In a predominately male industry, it was hard to find other women willing to listen and help guide you. Now there are so many great women in the industry that go unrecognized for their willingness to help other women in the space. There are also so many organizations and outlets like Mortgage Women Magazine! For this edition, I asked these questions: 1. What advice would you give other Women/Moms in the industry on how to find a female mentor and why is it important to have a mentor? 2. What Mom hacks/tips would you give other Moms in finding the time for their career and their personal growth, while being a full-time Mom of course?
SUZY LINDBLOM Chief Operating Officer Planet Home Lending 1. As women, we feel naturally guilty if we want a career while raising our children and then if we listen to other people, women and men, we get more guilt thrown at us. I have three children and felt guilty all the time, that I was not spending time with them like my sisters were with their children, which is the very reason to find a strong woman mentor early in your career. Strong women mentors that are Moms also, will show you and talk you through the tough times of that guilt. One of the best things that I did was to look up to women that built a career while raising strong children. What I didn’t do was find this mentor early enough in my career. My younger boys were in their
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early teens before I sought the counsel of strong women mentors and talked to them about my guilt. As I talked to them, and they talked about their own guilt, it helped me to see that it was natural to feel guilty, but that having a career was good for them as well. I saw their children grow into very successful, independent adults and it did put my own mine to ease that I too was raising independent children. As my children got older, I realized they did not see me as a distant mother, but someone that was strong and independent. My recommendation is to find these strong mentors early in your career and motherhood and know that you can balance both. Look at women in your company, organizations that you are involved in, volunteer agencies, and friends; there are so many places to find these strong women. As they say, it takes a tribe, and we are a strong tribe and love to help each other. Be honest with your
