Mortgage Women Magazine Sept 2018: Empowering Women Through Wellness by Cultural Outreach

S E P T E MB E R /O C T OB E R 2018

T W E LV E 1 1 ME DI A

EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH WELLNESS MP O W E R F O U NDE R

with

MARCIA DAV IE S and L ISA SUN GR AV I TA S F O U NDE R

INSIDE

A S K T HE E X P E R T S W E L L NE S S E DI T ION

+ S URP RI S ING WAYS T O IN S P IRE P RODU C T I V I T Y

Published monthly by Twelve 11 Media, LLC 9720 Royal Lamb Drive Las Vegas, NV 89145 Phone: 512.879.4363 Email: INFO@MortgageWOMENMagazine.com www.MortgageWOMENMagazine.com

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OUR MISSION The mission of this publication is to empower women professionals working in the mortgage industry. The publication seeks to provide education and knowledge to give each professional woman key tools to achieve their highest potential possible and to enable them to take advantage of the opportunities before them. Through the magazine's networking and connection from readership, each woman has the opportunity to be inspired and extend that through mentorship-furthering achievements to the highest level positions possible in the mortgage industry.

SUBSCRIPTIONS This publication is for the benefit of professional women in the mortgage industry, including those professional mortgage women who own and/ or who are employed by the vendors who support the mortgage industry, and all professional mortgage women in the mortgage divisions of the State- and Federally-chartered banks and credit unions. If you do not currently receive Mortgage WOMEN Magazine, please go to www. MORTGAGEWOMENMagazine.com and subscribe. Mortgage WOMEN Magazine is a digital, bi-monthly magazine that is emailed to the subscribers. The subscription is FREE. For additional copies for your colleagues and co-workers, please visit our website at www.MORTGAGEWOMENMagazine.com and complete the online subscription form. To opt-out of receiving Mortgage WOMEN Magazine, please send your request along with your name, company name, and email address to: SUBSCRIPTIONS@MortgageWOMENMagazine.com.

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EDITORIALS / ARTICLES To submit an article for consideration in Mortgage WOMEN Magazine, please send an email to ARTICLES@MortgageWOMENMagazine.com. We are interested in original writings relevant to the mortgage industry as it relates to Legal, Regulatory Compliance, Risk Management, and Quality Assurance issues. If you have a comment or question about an article or editorial published in Mortgage WOMEN Magazine, or if you have a suggestion for a topic you would like to see featured in a future issue, please send an email to ARTICLES@MortgageWOMENMagazine.com.

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…in breaking down barriers. Although women make up 52 percent of all professional level jobs, they are only 14.6 of executive officers, 8.1 percent of top earners, and 4.6 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs.* It’s time for change. MBA believes in the power and influence of women, their ability to innovate and solve problems for our industry, increase profitability and shape the future of real estate finance. Let’s shatter the glass ceiling and achieve our greatest potential, together. Join our women’s network, mPower, today. * www.americanprogress.org

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F ROM T HE E DI T OR As I was sitting at the NAWREB women’s awards gala a few weeks ago, I was looking around at the sea of women in red dresses. Thirty women received awards that night, and most of them shared a short message about overcoming major challenges in their lives to arrive at the place of strength and success where they stood that day. It was a powerful evening.

PUBLISHER | Ben Slayton BSlayton@Twelve11Media.com MANAGING EDITOR | Kristin Messerli KMesserli@Twelve11Media.com SENIOR EDITOR | Jill Emerson JEmerson@Twelve11Media.com OPERATIONS DIRECTOR | Dawn Slayton Dawn@Twelve11Media.com NATIONWIDE ADVERTISING David Hoierman Hoierman@Twelve11Media.com PRODUCTION | Henry Suchman HSuchman@Twelve11Media.com DIGITAL MEDIA | Eric Souza Eric@Twelve11Media.com ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Stephanie Shipley SShipley@Twelve11Media.com COLUMNISTS & CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS Christine Beckwith Kelly Scovanner Jennifer DuPlessis Cindy Smith Bronwyn Morrissey Dana Wasson Jessica Rocho Nagatani Sue Woodard Ashley Richards MWM ADVISORY BOARD KRISTIN MESSERLI MANAGING EDITOR MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE LISA KILKA CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER, SVP GUILD MORTGAGE MELISSA KOUPAL VICE PRESIDENT LOAN INTEGRITY LOAN DEPOT REGINA LOWRIE PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER RML ADVISORS SARAH BOWERS, CRCM, CMB AVP/COMPLIANCE OPERATIONS MANAGER CORPORATE RISK MANAGEMENT UMB BANK DEBRA STILL PRESIDENT & CEO PLUTE MORTGAGE BECKY WALZAK PRESIDENT & CEO RJB WALZAK CONSULTING SUE WOODARD PRESIDENT & CEO VANTAGE PRODUCTION, LLC JILL EMERSON SENIOR EDITOR MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE

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The most successful women I know, including all of the women I have interviewed for Mortgage Women Magazine, often attribute their success to a holistic approach to building strength through wellness in every area of their lives. I get excited about every issue of Mortgage Women Magazine, but this one may be my favorite thus far due to the authentic nature of the topics shared by women leaders in our industry on wellness and empowerment. As women, we have complicated bodies and minds, that when cared for appropriately, make us powerful leaders. We can also hold ourselves back from greater opportunities and experiences when we are not taking a holistic approach to self-care. As one of our feature interviewees, Lisa Sun, founder of the women’s clothing line Gravitas, shared, “Every morning, when you look in the mirror, you’re the first person you have to like.” In order to achieve bigger things in life, we must believe in ourselves first. It is so easy to sacrifice our health or overlook the value of our networks or friendships because we prioritize one aspect of our wellness, often our careers or families. However, in order for us to truly be at our best, we need to have a holistic strategy. For example, the first time I looked out into that sea of red dresses at the women’s event, I was one of only a couple of women who had missed the memo. The “red gala” was a “red dress” event—go figure! I certainly could have rocked the black dress and laughed it off, but when Marcia Davies offered an extra red dress she had from Gravitas, I walked back into that room feeling confident. That confidence translated to easier networking and an ability to let go of a self-doubt in order to appreciate and participate more openly with the women around me. This experience was the inspiration for the two-part feature interview of this issue. In our feature book this month, Vibe, the author explains that we should look for activities that give us high energy and try to limit our “low vibration activities.” For example, eating healthy foods or getting quality professional development are high vibe activities, while binge watching New Girl with a tub of ice cream probably has a lower vibration. Sometimes I think the latter is necessary, but we want to be considerate of the balance of our high vs. low vibrations in our lives. Every woman’s story and contribution in this issue is valuable to achieving this goal of holistic wellbeing. I would love to hear your stories of what wellness means to you and how you are implementing these or other strategies to become your best self. Share them on our Facebook page, send me an email, or let’s connect at the next mPower or other women’s event! Cheers,

Kristin Messerli Managing Editor

Mortgage WOMEN Magazine welcomes your feedback. If you have comments, questions, criticisms, praise, or information to share with us and our readers, please write us at info@Twelve11Media.Com.

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SEP TEMBER /OCTOBER 2018

20 COV E R S TO RY

F E ATU R E S 8 Be Your Own Advocate K E L LY S C OVA N N E R

IN EVERY ISSUE 4 EDITOR'S FOREWARD

12 WO M E N E M P OWE R I N G WO M E N Interviews with Marcia Davies & Lisa Sun

20 If You're Happy and You Know It ... DA N A WA S S O N

32 SALES FOCUS 36 ASK THE EXPERTS 40 CAUSE OF THE MONTH 41 BOOK OF THE MONTH 42 HOLISTIC WELLNESS

24 Five Steps to Financial Wellness JENNIFER DuPLESSES

44 MORTGAGE MOMS 46 WOMEN OWNED

28 Surprising Ways to Inspire Productivity BRONW YN MORRISSEY

BUSINESS 50 HER WORDS

e t a c o v d A

BE YOUR OWN

BY K E LLY S COVA N N E R

Research shows that 25 percent

of women say they prioritize work over making an appointment with

their doctor! That is an astounding number. Even more say that making sure the needs of their family are met comes before anything else, including their own health. Today, more than ever, many women are “doing it all”. More often than not, we are the primary caregivers of our families, including partners, children, and often times, parents. We run our households and make sure everyone is taken care of. All while juggling challenging careers, which may include travel, demanding deadlines, and taxing hours.

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Web MD examined five medical conditions that are of greatest concern to women and their health: heart disease, breast cancer, osteoporosis, depression, and autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases are vast and complex. They occur when the immune system, in response to an unknown trigger, begins to produce antibodies that, instead of fighting infection, attack the body’s own tissues. These diseases include Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, MS, Diabetes Mellitus, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and the list goes on and on. Treatment for autoimmune disease focuses on reducing the activity level on the immune system. I was recently diagnosed with Autoimmune Thyroiditis and it has been a very eye-opening experience. For five years, my symptoms were dismissed by various medical professionals and, in the beginning, even by me! Many autoimmune diseases share similar symptoms: joint and muscle pain, insomnia, heat or cold intolerance, rapid weight loss or gain, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating or focusing. Sound familiar? I am confident that if I interviewed 25 women in varying life stages, the majority would say they experience at least one of these symptoms. If you’re like me, you rationalize the way you feel by thinking these are “just things that women have to deal with” and if you are postmenopausal, most of these symptoms are related. Even more common, we think to ourselves that we are working hard, stressed out and multi-tasking, so of course we should be tired! When I was getting very

frequent infections (bronchitis, pneumonia, and shingles...twice!) and when the fatigue became unbearable, when my body was experiencing chills multiple times through the day, I could no longer chalk it up to, well, anything. I had had my thyroid tested three times over a five-year period; normal results every time. All of my baseline blood work and vitals

were completely normal. Physical examinations of my thyroid were also completely normal. I looked VERY healthy on paper. I had also been prescribed nearly every antidepressant known to man. I always ended up stopping them on my own as they did absolutely nothing for me. I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t depressed, I was exhausted and sick.

This is the core of my message: be your own health advocate! My doctor has always told me how healthy I appeared to be. My vitals and baseline blood work were all completely normal. While I appreciated his vote of confidence, conventional medicine was focusing on one problem and one treatment and many of their decisions are heavily influ-

MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE â&#x20AC;˘ SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

B E Y O U R O W N A D V O C AT E

enced by insurance coverage. Our bodies are complex and the answer is not always that straight forward. Trust your instincts; do your own research. Ask questions and demand more. When I was at my wits end and “tired of being tired”, I demanded further, in depth testing of my thyroid. I had educated myself enough to have a very strong suspicion thyroid was at the root of my problems. When the results of these more extensive tests were in, the answer was there. My thyroglobulin levels were elevated. These levels are not measured as part of baseline thyroid testing! I was referred to an endocrinologist and prescribed a low dose of levothyroxine sodium which helped immensely! My treatment path, however, was not yet complete. Being postmenopausal, I had numerous conversations with women my age who were struggling with many of the same symptoms. Hormonal pellet injections were the topic du jour and friends, including a physician, were touting their benefits. I was already on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) but decided to explore the pellets further. I was referred to a non-conventional, female practitioner who specializes in the wellness of the whole patient. Through her I learned the importance of testosterone levels in women (low levels contribute to fatigue, brain fog, depression and of course, low libido) as well as the importance of estrogen (low levels have been linked to dementia). She also guided me to begin a regimen of taking a prescription strength vitamin and educated me regarding the importance of quality vitamins. The molecular

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myself permission to just let that makeup of over-the-counter vitamins do not allow our bodies to go. My future is exciting and I absorb them to levels necessary am about to embark on a new for them to be effective. She career path within the mortgage also recommended I start taking industry and I could not be more low dose naltrexone which was prescribed to boost "ONCE I TOOK THE STEPS TO GET MY PHYSmy immune ICALITY UNDER CONTROL , IT ALLOWED ME system. Four months later, TO SEE WHAT I WAS DOING AND THAT I my energy levels are WAS THE ONLY ONE STANDING IN MY WAY." vastly improved, my stress levels are lower, and I haven’t been sick in months. I relaxed, while at the same time feel motivated to exercise more challenged and invigorated. It all started with the realization regularly and have taken steps that I should be feeling better. to remove certain stressors from From one sister to another, take my life. charge of your health care and In the fast pace world of mortadvocate for more. Not only do gage lending, it’s very easy to you deserve it, it may lead you get caught up in the day-to-day down a path of new insight and cycle that consists of devoting discovery! the majority of our time, energy, and attention to the demands of the work. I found myself letting it consume me and the notion of work/life balance was a fairytale. Once I took the steps to Kelly began her mortgage banking caget my physicality under control, reer in 1987. She has worked in a wide it allowed me to see what I was range of mortgage lending environdoing and that I was the only one ments including managing wholesale standing in my way. I needed operations and sales. She has been a to take control of the amount member and held board positions in of time, energy, and attention several professional mortgage organizations such as the Greater Cincinnati of which my career was bleedMortgage Bankers Association, Ohio ing me dry. Once I realized that, Association of Mortgage Professionnot only did I no longer have to als, and the Cincinnati chapter of the feel guilty about wanting more Association of Professional Mortgage balance in my life, but that I was Women. Kelly resides with her husband, Adam, in Cincinnati, and is the proud actually entitled to it, and my parent of 19-year-old daughter, Zoe. eyes opened. Choice...it was mine to make and for me, I had to muster up the courage to allow myself to make it and when I finally did... wow. My perspective on everything was altered. I had allowed myself to be defined by my career and at 55, I granted

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WOMEN

Empowering WOMEN

BY K R I S TI N M E S S E R LI

W E IN T E R V IE W E D T WO F E M A L E C H A NGE M A K E R S, B O T H IN V E RY D IF F E RE N T F IE L D S, B U T W I T H T HE S A ME M I S S IONâ&#x20AC;Ś T O E MP OW E R WOME N T O L I V E A ND OW N T HE IR MOME N T.

PA R T 1:

T he mPower ne t wor k Marcia Davies, COO of the Mortgage Bankers Association, started mPower in 2014 to give women the opportunity to build community and leverage the power and influence of other women. Aimed at connecting women in the mortgage finance industry, mPower provides a platform to exchange ideas and industry information, strengthen networks, and achieve professional growth. In this interview, Marcia shares how women can be empowered through their network.

WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN

AN IN T E RV IE W

with

Mar cia Davies

MWM: What is mPower and why did you start it? MD: mPower is a network of women in the mortgage/finance industry. It’s MBA’s effort to “promote opportunities for women to extend their reach”, which is what mPower stands for. It started out really informally, where I wanted to see if women would take the time during a busy conference to get to know one another. So, I randomly selected women three years ago during our annual convention in San Diego to have lunch with me. I went through the registration list and just picked 75 women and 150 showed up. That was the first indication that there was a need and a desire for women to take some time, network, get to know other women in our industry. We started to do that throughout the next year at MBA events, Then, in New York

at secondary, we decided to add a professional development component to it, and had a speaker. It was really great, because women really gravitated toward not only having networking, but getting some really useful information to help them at whatever stage they’re in in their career, whatever issue they may be battling with. So, the format is really networking as well as professional development and an opportunity to ask questions about what’s going on in your world, how can we help you, how can the other women in the room help you. And so, it has really taken off. MWM: The professional development component is really impressive. You always bring up critical topics for women to be thinking about and good discussion. Can you talk about some of the re-

ally important ones that you think women should be talking about and thinking about? MD: On professional development, right now we’re in a unique set of times. Women’s voices are being heard and our issues are being considered, I think more seriously than they have in previous years. So what we’ve been trying to do on our programming is really, not only raise the issues, but try to find solutions for those. We have been tackling sexual harassment and the gender pay gap, as well as just overall office politics like how to make sure you’re not always interrupted and how to ensure your voice is always heard. And really trying to figure out as men and women work together, how do we make the workplace more effective and efficient for women to not only to be part of the conversation

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WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN

and be a part of the dialogue at the table, but to move up within organizations. MWM: You’re very intentional about bringing men into the conversation as well. Can you speak to why that’s important and how you are being inclusive of men in those conversations? MD: Absolutely. mPower is open to men and women. While our mission is to focus on women and helping them extend their reach and broaden their networks, we need really good male leaders to be part of the discussion and to support the network and understand our issues and understand how our journey may have been different than theirs’. And so, we’ve always included men. When we host an mPower event at a conference, men are always welcome. And this year, I thought it was time that we make men part of the discussion on the solutions that may work in a workplace and some 14

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things that may have been tried that haven’t been as effective. And so, what we’re doing is bringing men leaders and female leaders onto the stage to talk about the issues together. And it’s really started a dialogue of solutioning, which I think is so important. MWM: What would you say are some of the big solutions or goals you have for women in our industry? MD: Some of the big solutions or goals, let me think about that for a sec. MWM: Or maybe a better question is, what would you say are some of the big goals for mPower over the next couple of years?

MD: I think mPower has really been great for networking with our online community, but I’m also well aware that not every woman gets the chance to travel to an in-person event, so we launched a video series and a webinar series to try to make sure women can connect and get information on topics that we’re talking about when we’re doing in-person meetings, but that they can have access to the same information. I think it’s important to broaden the reach of the mPower network. We’re also very fortunate, there have been a lot of state and local MBA’s and some of the lender cooperative groups that have brought mPower into their conferences. And so, we go to a lot of different state MBA’s. Our next conference is the WOW confer-

"THE WORK I’VE BEEN ence being hosted by Social Survey and that’s a brand new place for us to be, so I really want to continue to grow our footprint and our presence so that the network we develop is as broad as it can be and as supportive for women as we can make it. MWM: How can women, or anyone, be involved in the mPower community? MD: The mPower network is free. You can be in the network by simply going on the website, the MBA website, click mPower, and it will say “Do you want to join the community?”, yes, you enter your information, and you’re in. The information will go right into your email, so if women are having a dialogue that’s open to the community, you can opt in by just responding in email. All of our information when we have new articles, when we see important data and research, we’ll post it in the community, when our video series and our webinars are available, which are all free, you’ll learn about them in the community first, and it’s a great way to learn about our events and what we’re doing and where some of the mPower leadership panels are taking place, so all of that happens in the community. Literally, it’s just signing in and signing on.

DOING WITH MPOWER AND THE WOMEN I’VE MET AND THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH THAT’S HAPPENED BECAUSE WOMEN ARE HELPING IT GROW, IT REALLY ENERGIZES ME AND IT REALLY MAKES ME FEEL PURPOSEFUL IN MY DAY. THAT’S WHAT EMPOWERS ME."

able to take charge and make my own decisions, but the work I’ve been doing with mPower and the women I’ve met and the amount of growth that’s happened because women are helping it grow, it really energizes me and it really makes me feel purposeful in my day. So, that’s what empowers me. MWM: Thank you so much, Marcia, for doing this interview.

MWM: So, my last question for you is, what empowers you? MD: What empowers me. I will say, it’s going to sound like a canned answer, but it really isn’t. It really is the work with these women and this network. Before, I would say what empowers me is being

MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

PA R T 2:

Gr av i t as New Yor k Gravitas is more than just a clothing line. In 2013 after a long career in management consulting, Lisa Sun started Gravitas to create professional clothing for women that promotes body confidence and body positivity. Covering a wide range of sizes, Gravitas has become a movement to empower women through fashion and community. In this interview, Lisa describes the inspiring journey that led her to Gravitas and how the company has grown to become a voice for women who overcome.

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WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN

AN IN T E RV IE W

with Lisa Sun

MWM: Tell us why you started the company and little bit more about the mission.

LS: My first boss at McKinsey Consulting in my first professional review told me I didn’t have any gravitas. I didn’t know what the word meant. I looked it up, and it means dignity, importance and gust of substance. I said yeah, at 22 making less than $50,000 a year, I was a size 20 and not a small girl. When I went back to her and asked how I get gravitas, she said “Buy a new dress, wear big jewelry and great shoes. And every morning, when you look in the mirror, you’re the first person you have to like. And you have to have something in your life that makes you feel like you are your best.” She said, “For me, it’s clothes.” She talked about how Dumbo had a flying feather. He could always fly, but he needed the feather to remind him that he could. So, when I decided to leave McKenzie after 11 years, I really had this idea. Our mission statement of the company is: We catalyze confidence. How do clothes catalyze confidence in women? And it’s not about having a lot of them. By the way, I argue that we actually only wear about 20% of our clothes. There’s really only a few MVPs that combine intelligent function with versatility, meaning you can wear

it lots of ways, and are body positive for as many people that wear 0 – 24. But the genesis of the idea was about taking a piece of feedback around having gravitas and turning that into what we think is a positive movement for women believing in themselves and feeling good about their bodies and having something in your life that makes you feel like you can accomplish anything. We talk a lot about our clothes fitting in and standing out at the same, because I think it’s the hardest thing to accomplish in life. You want to be special and stand out, but you also want to be sure you fit in. MWM: How do you feel like you are making an impact? I know you have described some of that, but can you expand a little bit?

LS: I always say the greatest impact we have is helping women at key moments in their lives. And I’ll give you two very clear examples. One, in which a woman calls our call center and said she was going through a divorce. Her son was graduating from high school and she needed to look good at graduation and she also might need a dress to interview in to go back to work. I ended up going down to DC (she was based in

Virginia) and dressing her, and she just felt so good about these important things she had to do. Now we get an update from her every 6 months. And she’s not alone. We get love letters from women who just had a baby, and they have to go back to work and nothing fits in their closet. Or a woman who’s trying to get a promotion at work and we get to give her the clothes that help her to do that. So I would say that the impact we’re having, woman-to-woman, is enough for me actually. I had another woman in DC who had an event and she said, “I haven’t bought new clothes in ten years because I haven’t lost the weight I wanted to lose. And I buy clothes for my daughter because she’s perfect.” So we helped her buy a whole new wardrobe. She said, “Oh my god, I have things to wear again. I feel so good about life.” So I would say, that’s the type of impact we’re having. I believe we are promoters of body confidence and body positivity. We’re definitely promoters of inclusion given that we cover as many body types as we can physically handle with a four-year-old company, and as many sizes as we can handle, from 0-24. And I also think we’re becoming

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a voice for women who overcome. Gravitas is not just about going out there and talking about confidence, it’s also about being extremely vulnerable and overcoming those vulnerabilities to accomplish something beyond what you thought you could. Think about the story of the company. My boss told me I wasn’t good at my job and that I needed to go get some gravitas. And although most women crumble under that feedback, I actually made it my mission. I always ask for feedback, by the

MWM: That is beautiful! I saw something on your website where you were saying that to have gravitas is to be beyond doubt and to instead own your own moment. I love that quote. What would you say has been your gravitas personally? Of course, clothing has made a huge difference clearly and something you’re giving to others, but are there others areas that have made you successful and own your own moment? LS: If you become what that really means is that women are very,

analogy for life. I think women are walking around with a huge list of insecurities that they could rattle off to you before they could rattle off their super powers, before they could rattle off their strengths. And the old stereotype that women have a hard time accepting compliments is because we don’t pay ourselves enough compliments. So, when we talk about being beyond doubt, it’s not that you don’t have doubt, it’s not that you don’t have a ton of insecurities about life, it’s that you’re able to embrace the things you like about yourself. And I think that’s the hardest thing to do sometimes, is to like something about yourself. Like we could play a game right now. Kristin, what’s the one thing that you’re better at than anyone else in the world? That’s what I describe as a superpower. MWM: Gosh, I don’t know, I would have to think about that.

way, because no one will tell you how you’re doing. I always say, “What’s one thing I could do better?” I write them down and then I try to do those things better. That’s a long way to say, I think we are having an impact on a woman-by-woman level. I think on a macro level, we’re at the forefront of positivity, inclusion, and the blend between being vulnerable and being bold. 18

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very hard on themselves. When women go into a dressing room, they’re setting themselves up to fail because after the age of 12, you walk into a dressing room to see everything you hate about yourself. I always tell women, let’s go back to when you were six years old and you don’t even know what body conscious means. I think the dressing room is a great

LS: But it makes you uncomfortable, right? And so, what I always talk about is that you want to own your moment, but it actually has to start inside first. We can give you your dress where you can see your body looks good, you feel good, but that’s like the first step. It’s about getting really comfortable in your own skin. I have a lot of great superpowers. For instance, I’m a great plus one. You take me to a party with you, I will fetch you drinks, I won’t hover, I’ll go meet other interesting people, I’m a great plus one. People should invite me. My other super power is I’m really good at seeing great things in other

people and telling them that. I think that’s a superpower, right? When you meet someone, and you see something really beautiful in who they are, you should tell them because they’re probably not telling themselves enough. That’s like one of my things in life. Pay each other a compliment, pay yourself a compliment. So, when we talk about owning your moment, it sounds like a nice phrase, but I always talk about owning your moment. Athletes talk about it as peak performance. Everything’s going right, there’s nothing you're worried about or afraid of, there’s only positive energy in your system, that’s what that means for us. MWM: I used to, well I still do this sometimes, where I put a quote on my mirror so that I see it all the time to inspire me. I love that idea that you need to empower yourself first in order to be able to move forward. Is there anything that you personally have done on a practical level? What are a couple of things you have done to get to a point of being as successful as you are and as empowered as you are? You talk about clothing and working on yourself, is there anything else you can give as advice to women who are trying to take those steps? LS: I love that you think we’re successful. Thank you for saying that. I hope I’m one of many entrepreneurs, but I will tell you I make a ton of mistakes on a daily basis, but I learn a lot from them. I know you probably share this a lot with people you interview, but I am a

great practice of gratitude. I sign all my emails, “With Gratitude.” I am an incredibly thankful human being. I think that has probably made me be able to deal with the insanity of what we do. I actually think there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. I think the tunnel is really dark and that every few miles there’s a skylight that reminds you that blue sky is above. And with those little skylights along the way, you’re just really grateful that whoever carved out that skylight for you, you thank them for reminding you there’s a sky, thank you for reminding you there was a small way today. So part of my whole mentality is this is a really hard job, it’s really not a fun job. And fundamentally, it’s a tough job. I actually wouldn’t wish it on many people. Elon Musk says entrepreneurs eat glass and stare into the abyss. They eat glass because they deal with stuff no

one else wants to deal with and they never know where the next dollar is coming from. Who would choose this life? I only choose it because of the little skylights in a very dark tunnel. An entrepreneur once told me, if you’re an entrepreneur, when people ask how is the business or how you are doing, you always say it’s good. You don’t say we’re killing it and you don’t say we’re sucking wind. If you’re making tons of money, you still say we’re good. The reason is, if you say we’re killing it, everyone will charge you more money. And if you say you’re sucking wind and have all these problems, they don’t want to help you. MWM: Well this gives all of us lots to think about. Thank you so much for sharing such an empowering and practical message!

MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

If You’re Happy and You Know it… BY DA N A WA S S O N

Many, if not most of us, are familiar with that childhood song, “if you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands!” In fact, I would venture to guess because some of us are so familiar with that song and sentiment, that as you read it, you most likely sang it! It seems to have the intrinsic ability to make us smile. Is it the sentimentality of the song or could it just be that happiness itself can make us want to physically clap our hands or stomp our feet, as the song lyrics continue on? Either way, there is something to be said for simplistic happiness. 20

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As we become adults, it seems harder and harder to keep happiness that simple. More specifically, the idea of how happiness aligns with our professional success. How many of us have said, “I will be happy when I get that raise…” or, “I will be happy when I get that promotion or that highprofile client account,” when I, as soon as, etc. We are living, in my opinion, under the false idea that something has to drive that happiness. Here is my groundbreaking idea... why not just choose to be happy? Whoa, you say! No way, you say! How can I just choose happiness? What if my boss hates me? What if my dog has run away? What if I have worked at this company for five years and haven’t been promoted? What then? Well, while these are valid questions, they actually have nothing to do with happiness. Happiness

comes from an interior view point that must be turned to action by a choice. Food for thought: Isn’t it entirely possible for you to be happy in any situation? Albert Schweitzer said, “happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory”. In other words, happiness and good health go hand in hand. The Dalai Lama believes that “happiness is the highest form of health!” Often the things that prevent real happiness in everyday life or professional life and prevent us from obtaining that “highest form of health” are our own mind and/ or thoughts. And trust me, you have been well trained. In a world where catastrophe sells, finding the happiness advantage may prove more difficult than we think. It takes a refocus of your lens to see positive change is possible. In a book written by Shawn Achor,

“The Happiness Advantage”, he has some very interesting ideas about the path to successfully achieving happiness in every aspect of your life. He asks things like "What is the reality you see?” If I asked you to give me one-word responses to something like, an overflowing work inbox after you have been out of the office for a day, would you respond with something like “aggravating” or “time consuming” or would it be more like “opportunity” or “possibilities”? While the inbox will hold the same number of emails, it really is about the lens you use to determine your reaction. If your general reaction leans more to the negative word choices, it may be time for you to put on a widerangle lens! Shawn’s other thoughts include mapping your success and defining your X-spot or end goal. Whichever idea you try, (or even

MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

IF YOU'RE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT ...

some combination, it may help lead you to that mental shift of being happy in the now, and I mean the right now. I can prove it. Smile! No, I mean really smile! That big wide grin you give your best pal when you haven’t seen them in forever. Feels good, right? Of course, it does! It’s a physical signal to your brain registering happiness. So, could it just be that if we go around smiling more we will be happy? Well, while I am not sure there is scientific or medical data to support the idea, I don’t think it hurts! How many times has someone shared a smile with you and it fills you with, at least for a moment, a warm, happy feeling? What if you could just string all of those together? Imagine the impact we could have on our health, and maybe even that of others! In a recent study report, 29

percent of American employees report they are NOT thriving at work. In other words, almost one-third of the American workforce feels unhappiness! There are numerous studies that have published findings that being unhappy, especially as it relates to our professional lives, can lead to weight gain, lowering of your immune system, impacting personal relationships, sleep deprivation, and other serious illnesses. This may result in missed work and/ or a potential financial ding from medical bills. Listen, I know many of you reading this have had some amount of success in your professional lives with or without adopting the “happy, when….” syndrome. But doesn’t it stand to reason that if we could all make actual choices for happiness, that we might just

actually end up happy? So maybe it’s time to walk the talk, and if you want to be happy, well….BE!

Dana is a seasoned mortgage professional with more than 25 years of mortgage lending experience that includes senior management experience in production and operations for the last 15 years. Dana has been involved in numerous industry initiatives collaborating with the MBA and government agencies including HUD’s liaison program and MBA’s leaders program. Her proven track record covers both operations and sales support and management. She is an avid speaker/presenter at numerous mortgage industry events, and has been a key speaker/presenter for the NMI Mortgage Lender Roundtables for the last three years. Dana is a published author, with her most recent articles appearing in Mortgage Women Magazine. Dana is actively involved with Habitat for Humanity in her local area of Montgomery County Texas and lives with her husband and daughter.

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Five Steps to Financial Wellness JP Morgan said, “The first step towards getting somewhere, is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are!”

Jennifer DuPlessis

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Self-assessment is a key component in determining your emotional, physical, and financial health. If you aren’t happy where you are now, I have five suggestions to help you get to where you really want to be. In today’s market where everyone is trying to find ways to differentiate themselves, there are some critical steps to take that not only will improve your emotional and physical states, but your financial health as well.

FIVE STEPS TO FINANCIAL WELLNESS

1. FIND YOUR PASSION Step one: decide on the vehicle in which you are going to achieve success. Here’s a shocker - in today’s market it isn’t about all the cool, new products you offer. I repeat, it isn’t about all the cool, new products you offer. If you are reading this, you can check off this step because you have already made the decision to find financial peace through pursuing work in the mortgage industry. Whether you are a loan officer, processor, underwriter, etc., you’ve determined that mortgage lending is for you and that working in this industry will provide you with the best path to achieve the health and wellness you desire. Make no mistake, your health and wellness aren’t limited to money alone. True happiness is found in finding something you do every day that doesn’t seem like work at all. Helping families realize their home ownership dreams is quite honorable no matter your role in the process. If this is your passion, run with it.

MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

FIVE STEPS TO FINANCIAL WELLNESS

2. FOCUS

3. LEARN FROM EXPERTS

Once you've found something that you are passionate about, it’s time to focus on something specific in the mortgage space that you absolutely love to do…aka, “Niche to Grow Rich”. Let me use my chiropractor as an example. What comes to mind when we talk about chiropractors? Cracking our backs, right? Except my chiropractor offers laser treatment, traction, nutrition classes, healing oils, massages, and electric treatment. Well that’s confusing isn’t it? I wonder what he really does the best. Is he great at everything or just one or two activities? What if I choose something he isn’t that great at? Will I get the best results, or will it be a waste of time and money? Does this sound familiar? As loan officers, there is such an overwhelming tendency to tell everyone every last product and program our company offers. The result is that our partners and clients end up drowning in information and starving for wisdom from us. Think of this. What is the difference between an M.D. and a heart surgeon? A lot! You can be a generalist or a specialist. I have news…specialists make much more money and spend less time trying to be all things to all people. They stay in their lane and are the best at what they do. Full service one-stop lending shops and loan officers are getting lost in this competitive world of lending. To stand out you must absolutely become an expert at something that charges you up. I don’t feel it’s necessary to follow the herd and do what others are doing. If it works for them, great. But please know that their niche may not work for you as well. Why? Because it may not align with your passion

I knew from the start of my career that I wanted to be known as the teacher. I have taught workshops, continuing education, sales sessions, and lunch-andlearns on topics that provide professional growth. That’s one of my niches. From a loan perspective, I’m known as the “Investor Loan Lender.” I’m an avid real estate investor so why wouldn’t I specialize in these loans as well? It has allowed me to spend the majority of time connecting with investors, realtors, financial planners, and estate attorneys to talk specifically about how I can help with wealth creation through real estate. This doesn’t mean that I only do these loans, and herein lies the fear for most sales people, lending or not. We think we have to be the jack-of-all-trades and master-of-nothing or we won’t get busy. That’s just crazy! Niche in one or two areas, gain the respect and reputation, and then watch the business flow in for everything. A commodity is not memorable; a specialist is always shining. A realtor colleague of mine, who also specializes in investors, could have simply told everyone she talked to that she specialized in investment properties or even held investor classes on weekends. Instead, she invited potential clients on a bus tour of possible buy and hold properties in a small but highly desirable area. They had lunch at a local hot spot and she asked me to talk about loans while traveling between the various home tours. Now that’s what I call a true niche and a differentiator. Have some fun and think out of the box. You’ve determined that lending is for you and you have selected one or two niches. Now it’s time to learn everything you can about your pending specialty. The quote “the more you learn, the more you earn” is so dead on. After all, what would be the alternative? “The less you learn, the less you will earn”. Things that can prevent you from originating could be daily review of guidelines, loans in process by other loan officers at your company, proper structuring, talking to the account executives, or outside resources for loans your company’s overlays. Perhaps try reaching out to others who are already successful in your niche. But most importantly, reach out to others who are already successful in your niche. You will want to learn how do they market themselves, where do they network, their successes and lessons learned.

YO U ’ V E D E TE R M I N E D TH AT LE N D I N G I S F O R YOU A N D YOU H AV E S E LEC TE D O N E O R T WO N I C H E S . N OW IT ’ S TI M E TO LE A R N E V E RY TH I N G YOU C A N A BO UT YOU R PE N D I N G S PEC I A LT Y.

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FIVE STEPS TO FINANCIAL WELLNESS

4. TAKE ACTION AND IMPLEMENT When you are ready, it’s now time to take action and implement how you are going to become the specialist in your marketplace. In my book, LAUNCH! How to Take Your Business to New Heights, I talk extensively about this step. So many people talk about success yet fail to take action. Mostly because they don’t possess the true passion to light the fire under them. I was just watching the movie Rudy a few weeks back and, in the movie, Rudy was told so many times that he was just a ‘dreamer’ and that dreamers rarely find success. He had to prove himself by implementing, reviewing, and adjusting his plan for years. He also stayed focused and on-course for those actions that were helping him reach his goal of playing for Notre Dame.

5. REVIEW AND REPEAT

A LWAYS B E A S S E S S I N G W H AT I S WO R KI N G , W H AT N E E D A Q U I C K T W E A K F O R I M PROV E M E NT O R W H AT N E E DS A FU LL OV E R H AU L . A S K YO U RS E LF W H AT YOU A R E G OO D AT, W H AT YO U LOV E TO DO, A N D W H AT M A K E S TH E M OS T FI N A N C I A L S E N S E TO I M PLE M E NT.

Please don’t set it and forget it! Always be assessing what is working, what needs a quick tweak for improvement or what needs a full overhaul. Ask yourself what you are good at, what you love to do, and what makes the most financial sense to implement. Will you be known for doing events or seminars, or will it be for sponsoring sporting events or mixers to get the word out? Will you work with just a few partners or everyone you can find? What are challenges for clients and partners in the specialized area you are pursuing? Can you help them with your current products and company? What will create your differentiator while in your niche? For example, if you wanted to specialize in builder business, should you have a meet and greet so you can meet some builders? Should you join an association so that you can find out more about what are their challenges before you meet them to avoid solving problems they don’t even have? Are you going to work with a few builders or hundreds? Small boutique builders or national chains? This requires some thought as you can see, but I promise if you slow down now to speed up later it will be well worth the effort. My hope would be that you won’t have to do a complete reversal or scrap an idea and start all over, but through the course of your learning, you may discover whether or not the niche you have chosen is something you actually want to pursue. Utilizing these five steps to financial independence, you can apply them to anything you want to pursue in your life to achieve the health and wellness you desire.

Jen Du Plessis, CMPS, CDLP, CME is the Vice President and Regional Sales Director of Apex Home Loans, Inc. in Sterling, VA. She is the author of LAUNCH! How to Take Your Business to New Heights. She is also a national speaker, coach, consultant, and the Podcast Host of Mortgage Lending Mastery. She can be reached at jen@kineticsparkconsulting.com or www.kineticsparkconsulting.com.

MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

SURPRISING WAYS T O INSPIRE PRODUC T I V I T Y With a deadline for a speech looming over me, I stared at the blank computer screen and tried to force myself to create inspired ideas. My tense fingers sat still on the keyboard. I took a deep inhale and realized that I’d been holding my breath, stress seeping through my brain and cutting off the creativity. I needed to write this speech, but I was blank. Wasted minutes kept ticking by until I finally stood up and left the office, knowing that sitting at my desk any longer wouldn’t get me the results I needed. I needed to go to the place where my mind and body felt the most centered, relaxed, and present. For me, that place was on a rocky dirt trail where I could take a long slow run to clear my mind.

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BY B R O N W Y N M O R R I S E Y

If we’re desperately striving

produce results, we lose the

creativity & fun in our work.

S U R P R I S I N G WAY S T O I N S P R E P R O D U C T I V I T Y

We all struggle and get stuck under the pressure of our workloads, and at those times it’s tempting to try berating the ideas out of your own brain instead of letting them flow naturally. Although it seems counter-intuitive to walk away from the computer when you need to get more work done, public research as well as my personal experience has shown that taking care of our bodies and minds improves our moods, creativity, and productivity. In 2016, neuroscientist and author of “Healthy Brain, Happy Life” Wendy Suzuki wrote in the online publication Quartz that “In addition to its stressreducing, mind-focusing, productivity-inducing, and memory-enhancing properties, there seems to be some evidence supporting the idea that exercise could help make us more creative. Exercise seems to help people come up with new ideas, which many researchers use as a proxy for thinking creatively.” If we’re desperately striving to produce results, we lose the creativity and fun in our work. Over the past ten years I’ve dedicated a lot of time to working on changing my personal habits and beliefs, finding healthy habits and creating an honest and supportive

relationship with myself. I truly believe that taking deep care of yourself gives you the confidence to achieve your dreams and produce great results in your work, because taking care of your mind and body creates self-trust. As someone who always prided herself with being a high achiever and master of multitasking, I used to drive through my to-do list fueled by strength of will and stress. But by the end of the day I was irritable, exhausted, and hard to be around even though I’d checked off all the boxes. On the day of that deadline, when I was faced with a slump, I knew that what I needed wasn’t to try harder to write the speech, but to move away from the stagnant situation. Running is what puts me into a flow state, and I felt like if I took a break to clear my mind I might return with readiness to work again. I tied up the familiar laces and headed right out the door into the beautiful mountains that surround my city, Boulder, Colorado. After a few miles my mind began to quiet. I relaxed into the moment and the rhythm, just breathing and being grateful. As I continued to run my mind started to wander back to the speech, imagining what messages I wanted to deliver. My creativity

was kicking in now that I’d finally let myself relax and let go of the pressure, and all it took was the decision to go move my body. Exercise has been shown to elevate our moods through increased endorphins. A Harvard business review article states, “On days when employees visited the gym, their experience at work changed. They reported managing their time more effectively, being more productive, and having smoother interactions with their colleagues. Just as important: They went home feeling more satisfied at the end of the day (hbr.org, 2014).” This shows that taking care of mental and physical health together will not only make you happier, but you will be better in your work as well. You don’t have to hit the mountains for a long run! Going for a walk, dancing around to your favorite song, or stretching for a half-hour could be what you need to get into your relaxed creative space. Here are some ideas to help slow down your thoughts and raise your productivity: biking, swimming, yoga, gardening, singing, journaling, painting, making a healthy meal, and gentle meditation. Anything that works for you to feel relaxed and in your element works,

MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

S U R P R I S I N G WAY S T O I N S P R E P R O D U C T I V I T Y

as long as you know you’re doing it to nurture yourself. I’ll give you another example of my client Monika, a great woman who felt stifled and unmotivated at her job. A few months ago we went on a hike on a rocky canyon trail to help her escape the stress and pressure. As we moved in and out of the shade from the canyon walls, Monika told me about her desire to do something new. She talked about the stressful divorce she had experienced over the past year, and the hard times her family had gone through, which gave her a desire to help other families. On the way out of the canyon maze, climbing up steep hills and sandy pathways, she let herself dream about what she would do if she let go of time and money worries. Monika had the epiphany that she wanted to create a place of support for young children whose parents had recently gone through divorce like her own family. She wanted to create a “kid community” where there was a safe space to share pain and sadness as well as creativity and physical activity. Just this past week, Monika sent me a message that she had accomplished this goal. She was so inspired by how her own revelation came to her that she included hiking in the program, helping them escape the challenges of the world while making new friendships. Her commitment to her own self-care turned into the great idea that is helping others also heal, and gives her the joy and passion she desired. Many women, including myself, were taught to be tireless caregivers and support everyone around us. However, that nurturing is seldom directed inward. As women, we find ourselves focusing more on others than ourselves, spreading our energy too thin and working until we run ourselves to zero. Whether it’s to prove our own ability or keep others from feeling burdened, it’s so easy to neglect our own needs. We’re even told that investing in ourselves with time or money is selfish. But there’s a reason that we’re told on every airplane to put our own oxygen masks on before assisting others! It’s only when we have nurtured and cared for ourselves that

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we can effectively help others, reach our full creative potential and produce outstanding results. Deep self-care is one of the most important things we can do to support our families, our organizations and ourselves. Everyone around you will benefit from the time you make to care for yourself. On the day of my deadline, running back into town, the whole speech had become clear in my mind. Soon I came to a local auto body shop and I ran in, covered in sweat and out of breath but full of excitement. The woman behind the desk looked at me in bemusement when I asked her, “can I borrow a pen and paper?” Then she smiled and took out a pad of sticky-notes and a dull pencil, handing them across the counter. Sitting at a table near the windows, I filled 15 sticky-notes with my whole speech. It was done within a couple of minutes. Returning the pencil and papers, I thanked her for the support and ran home with my completed speech in my hands. When under pressure to perform and create, it can get harder to access our talents or come up with good ideas. Making time to slow down and take deep care of yourself will allow room for the spark of inspiration you need. I would like to empower you to spend time taking deep care of yourself, knowing that your most inspired and invigorating ideas will come from it.

Bronwyn Morrissey has worked in mortgage banking for over 27 years. If you want to know more about how she supports women to reach their true potential through BTribes.com and BeBold Mastermind groups please contact her at bronwyn@bronwynmorrissey.com or her website www.bronwynmorrissey.com

WORKS CITED: https://hbr.org/2014/10/regular-exercise-is-part-of-your-job https://www.businessinsider.com/exercise-benefits-braincreativity-stress-2016-11

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SALES FOCUS

F INDING THE F UEL

A HEALTH & WELLNESS ARTICLE FOR BUSY PROFESSIONAL WOMEN

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;How to Power Your Extraordinary Life!â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

BY C H R I S TI N E B E C K W ITH

FORMING A FOUNDATION OF FITNESS: When I think about my 18-year-old self and look back, I see a naturally fit girl, coming off active high school athletics and seeking my degree in sports medicine and nutrition. I was innately focused on health and it was at the core of where I thrived. I had learned early in life the feeling I got from competition within the ranks of sports and the physical benefits. By age twenty-one I was a certified aerobics instructor and worked for a fitness center while originating loans for the first decade of my mortgage sales career. I taught both aerobics and nutrition, later expanding my nutritional counseling and teaching to a specialized center for women part-time. This formed my physical foundation for life. The rest is history.

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However, my story, like most women, is that our lives evolve, and our bodies decline, as time marches on. The demands of our home and professional lives increase over time, so there lies the tug-of-war of life for most women. Making time for your health becomes a staple you must focus on as it lends to every single other aspect of your life in a measurable way. THE DECLINE IN TIME SQUARED: As I grew deeper in my role within the banking industry and my life became more professionally focused, I found myself challenged with my schedule to find the time to commit to a true exercise regimen. I would often weigh the benefits of the time lost to working out over the stress felt by not jumping into my huge workload every morning. Taking

SALES FOCUS

for granted a fast metabolism that rendered easy results in the gym, by the time I reached my early thirties I found myself lowering my physical fitness efforts for the trade up in my career. That began my slow physical decline and the obvious trade off was not acceptable to me. I returned to working out within a couple of years and the damage done and momentum lost took many years to dig back out from. Today I would never skip working out regularly and I now accept and enjoy knowing this will be part of my life forever. I am resolved for the need of fitness as a means of my overall happiness. BUILDING A FOUNDATION OF ACCOUNTABILITY In reflecting, I can see now due to the fact that exercise had become my job, I was anchored to it and held accountable by a workout schedule. I later realized how fortunate I was to have invested in myself that core belief system. How lucky it was to have accountability and workouts + health benefits from that dedication. I gained a foundation of muscle memory and a base of physical fitness that has kept me coming back for more for several decades now. Today I am an accomplished professional, a mother to a young teenager and my life is more demanding than ever, but despite it all exercise remains at the very top of my to do list and even more so as I age. I am accountable for my work outs and very publicly proud of that. A NEW GENERATION & LOVE AFFAIR WITH WORKING OUT: We all know that working out pays daily dividends beyond any material wealth that we can ascertain from other efforts made in our lives. Working out has become what keeps humans propelling in a world that is spinning into a new orbit of technology, speed, image and demand. The reduction of stress is addicting and has become a proper place and outlet for ridding a person of their mounting life stresses in a very healthy way.

Did you know?

More business is exchanged in the locker room and weight room today than the golf course? Professionals are running together, working out together and meeting at the gym or post gym cafes. Companies have traded the corporate barbeques for fundraising runs and physical events. Companies are performing lunchtime yoga and wellness is engrained in all we do professionally. It is almost impossible to ignore now, so why not embrace it.

While we secretly wish for our lives to slow down and we work on the balance of stepping off from time to time to reflect, to rest and to regroup, there is an innate pressure for us to perform at levels greater than ever before. Somewhere in the balance lies the conclusion that either way, work or rest, we need to be exercising. The truth is to be competitive you need to appear healthy and more over BE healthy. In a world of video and imagery, there is more demand for health than ever and it’s not a fad, it’s here to stay.

MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

SALES FOCUS

T OP T E N W E L L NE S S T IP S F OR T HE WORK ING WOM A N 1.

Make it priority #1 No Excuses. Get it in. However possible. Search work outs that are from 10-15 minutes to start. I ramped, slowly and now dedicate one and a half hours a day six days a week. That is not where I started though. My workout has evolved. Before I do anything, I exercise, run, work out, weight train and if for some reason I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, I do it at 8 pm. But I do not skip it. Not when I travel, not when I vacation, not unless I am sick. I allow myself one day a week off from exercise.

Your workout will evolve and must progress. Over years and with age I have had to seek guidance for workout and nutrition that fits me and how my body is now reacting to what I do with it and put in it.

Do it for the vibes

Leadership edge

Have a plan As with anything worth doing, you need a fitness plan that fits you and it must be combined with the proper nutritional plan to fuel the work out, your life etc. There are several ways you can do this:

a. Seek professional advice: Hiring a physical trainer or seeking advice at a gym you join by one of their onsite fitness representatives is an easy way to either start the right way or return to exercise with the correct plan.

b. Use technology: I use an exercise watch and iPhone app that measures my works, intensity and is a place I can track water and food intake to a caloric level I desire. There are many: I use Fitbit which offers me the ability to change bands for professional reasons as well.

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Make sure your workout evolves

The greatest aspect for me of working out is the clear deposit of energy. There are endless articles on the increase of the brain chemical, Serotonin a known natural mood enhancer produces during exercise. This for me has been key. Understanding I am exercising for mind health is the added benefit. I know when I go work out, I am elevating my mood. I know I am also depositing fuel into my body, that is necessary for a demanding life of travel and professional obligations.

I can see a direct correlation in the output and level of work speed and quality from having a dedicated workout regimen. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s undeniable the ROI from exercising professionally speaking. It truly can give a person strategic advantages. When you can outlast your competition or work with less stress and a clear mind, you are healthier for it. It also is a very good leadership trait and look for someone trying to lead by example.

SALES FOCUS

TH E BOT TO M LI N E

“You’re so vain!”

Calling all cougars AND cubs!

You probably think this part is about you…well, it IS!! Our professional careers demand a level of physical fitness and image, greater than most fields. It is more important than ever with photo, video and imaging being a larger part of our advertising, never mind in person physical meetings and presentations. That may be a hard fact but it remains true.

I have come to pity the younger generations’ naivete to the need for athletic instillation at an early age. So, I am telling you young beautiful fit ladies, stick with your programs because muscle has a memory and you are setting a habit and core that will help you later in life. To my peers that are battling the decline; retool your priorities. We want to still look beautiful ladies, of course, but we may find ourselves accepting that “health” and mental wellness are still a competitive edge even if our bodies don’t reflect the hard work.

This girl will keep on trucking, no giving up, no giving in. That is so mentally tough and know it will call upon my fight, inner strength and ability to fight against urges to let go. Despite slow results now, at my age, we all need a finish line when we run, a celebration point. We need to see results so doing anything that is hard for little to see reward is hard. But I’ve come to accept the benefits I outline above even if my physical presence doesn’t represent my efforts and commitment. There is no easy path to physical fitness and diet. Instead of looking at it as a short-term plan, you must make it part of your life, a lifestyle, if you will. If you do this, you will be in it for the long haul. I believe that women who can do this, dedicate to this into their later decades will have longevity in the department of our professional worlds.

TH ROW DOW N YOU R GAU NTLET In a world wrought with competition, male dominated and vanity, I will add that having increased levels of testosterone brought on by rigorous exercise is not a bad thing. I can’t speak to the effects it may have on our “beast mode” mindset, but I know if I feel strong, physically and mentally, I will be out here kicking butt! That is the bonus effects of a life well lived! So, as I have coined in my book, Wise Eyes- See Your Way to Success “Have Faith, Be Strong and Believe” …and eat well and work out ladies, you will thank yourself a million times for making this your priority!

Never give up I will not give in or give up and I am told that in time the hall of horror we physically find ourselves in will also pass and on it the other side will render the results we seek. So I walk the hall in search of that light at the end of the tunnel.

Christine Beckwith is a 30-year mortgage industry veteran who has broken many glass ceilings and blazed a trail for many female professional generations to come. This year she was featured in the 2017 Mortgage Professional America magazine as one of the top 75 women in the mortgage industry.

MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

ASK THE E XPERTS

WELLNESS. The word alone can mean so many different things and conjure up so many images – broccoli, mammograms, running sneakers, multivitamins, that perfect sun salutation yoga pose. Admittedly, not all things that bring joy to my heart. But in really pursuing this topic – and with good reason as I rapidly approach a major milestone birthday – I have found that “wellness” is simply the active pursuit of balancing good choices in all areas of our lives. Now that’s sounding a bit better. I reached out to some of the most dynamic, amazing women I know to “ask the experts” how they look at wellness – and what practical, easy-to replicate tips they might share with you and I. And they delivered. I challenge you to select one or more to put into action today!

Tricia Migliazzo, VP of Member Engagement at the Mortgage Bankers Association: I realized that I was taking care of everyone in my family and in my business first – I never wanted anyone to wait or have them delayed – and yet I wasn't taking care of me. I decided to make a change and started practicing yoga early in the morning as a start to my day before I did anything else. It gives me mental clarity and energy to be a better ME in my life, both personally and professionally. YOU MATTER…and a simple change in your routine makes a huge difference. Think you don’t have the time or resources? YouTube has multiple workouts that are free, and you can do these classes in your home and on the road. You pick the duration and workout type and instructor. So easy!

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Maria Vergara, President of NAHREP Consulting Services: I have to put the “me time” on my calendar, just as I would any other appointment or I won’t do it. Depending on what’s going on, I may use that time for physical or emotional wellness. I wish there were time for both each and every day, but my reality is that sometimes I need to choose. The physical part is what you might expect (exercise and eating right, etc.) however, I always must remind myself to take care of my emotional wellness too. I seek things that make me happy: my time with my girl squad, from time to time a good, high caloric meal (even wine!), enjoying my children, pampering myself with spa days, and remembering to step back to enjoy little successes.

ASK THE E XPERTS

TO AVO I D BU R N OUT A N D TH E F E E LI N G O F “A LL WO R K A N D N O PL AY M A KE S O N E A DU LL PE RSO N ” – YOU H AV E TO M IX TOG ETH E R A G R E AT BATC H O F BA L A N C E .

Cindy Ertman, National Success Strategist, CEO and Founder of The Defining Difference: I’ve always been a big believer in establishing a morning ritual to start my day. I’ve studied great leaders for many years and most of the successful leaders in the world have established practices to keep them on track and to start their day from a grounded, strong and present space. So I start my day with a 15-minute meditation practice. It’s simple and helps to calm my crazy, monkey mind, helps me get clear on my priorities and keeps me focused throughout my day. Next, I do my very best to work in 15-20 minutes of exercise. Working out is not something I love to do, so I usually just jump on my treadmill and use my free weights at home to get my body moving. And I’m committed to daily learning and always start my day with an inspirational message, a great book that helps me grow and expand my knowledge base or a video to keep current on trends and new ideas!

Kelly Guest, Director of Content Strategy at Total Expert: I love essential oils and I use them every day in different situations. It’s a well-known fact that smells trigger thoughts, but the scientists back it up: The olfactory bulb has direct connections to two brain areas that are strongly implicated in emotion and memory – the amygdala and hippocampus. While there are many oils for just about any purpose you can think of, I’ve developed a regimen I use every day to connect with the feelings that advance my goals and happiness. Lavender, Sacred Frankincense and Balsam Fir are my must-haves, and they’re available as singles or in blends. Orange is my go-to in the diffuser in my office and Peppermint + Eucalyptus is awesome when I’m on deadline, stuck or stressed.

Jodee Brydges, Loan Analyst at LendUS: Balance is the key to my daily wellness practice. Let’s face it, the mortgage industry can be a high stress, fast paced, always connected, energic industry. To avoid burnout and the feeling of “all work and no play makes one a dull person” – you have to mix together a great batch of balance. Here are a few balance tips to stay engaged, focused, and committed to goals. First, I start my day early (as my friends say, o’dark hundred early) and workout. Getting up and moving early allows for “me time” before the hustle of family and work begins. Second, I make time with family and friends a priority. Whether it is sharing a meal, going on an outdoor adventure, chatting on the phone, driving a carload of girls to soccer, or hosting an event, I enjoy the time and give the individuals the attention they deserve. Third, I spend time working on my professional growth and goals daily. To grow and achieve goals and ambitions, you must practice daily. Block time, avoid distraction, and get laser focused. The more focused you are, the faster you accomplish your goals, and the more time you have to keep your balance in check. Lastly, I schedule time to reflect, review, and plan future goals and adventures away regularly. The time needed for each may vary but, scheduling time for you, your loved ones, professional and personal growth, and time away to recharge is an essential wellness mix that is needed to embrace and fully enjoy your journey!

MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

ASK THE E XPERTS

Marcia Gonzales, Mortgage Consultant at HomeStreet Bank: Life will throw you curve balls…and they seem to come when you least expect it. But when those curve balls come, you can’t ignore them, or they will fester. You must allow yourself TIME to feel what you’re going through but on YOUR time, so that you don’t allow yourself to “stew in the feels.” Write down what you are feeling and what you may be going through at that moment, then schedule a time to meditate or pray on it. When it’s time to meditate, break it down into truths and lies. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy, so it helps to breakdown and put it in writing what you’re feeling. Next, I purge the lies I’m feeding myself and what’s left are the truths. I then write out and start a defined plan on how I can possibly change those truths to continue to grow and be a better me.

LI F E WI LL TH ROW YOU CU RV E BA LL S … A N D TH E Y S E E M TO CO M E WH E N YOU LE A ST E X PE C T IT. BUT WH E N TH OS E CU RV E BA LL S CO M E , YOU C A N ’T I G N O R E TH E M , O R TH E Y W I LL F E STE R .

Ginger Bell, Education, Business Development and Training Specialist: I have found that having balance in my life is the greatest thing I can do to keep my mind fresh, my business successful and my spirit happy. Creating committed blocks of time for reading, writing, traveling and sometimes just disconnecting is my key to being able to thrive. I have also learned that it is OK to say no to projects and activities that do not fit in with my goals. I used to be a fantastic pleaser, always thinking that the key to success and happiness is making sure everyone else is happy. I now know that is not true and I'm OK with someone not being happy with me saying no to their project or activity. Create a life balance plan that includes time for reading, traveling and having fun with friends and you will see better results in your work. It's all about balance!

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Deidre Rogers, Marketing Manager and Sales Development at Axia Home Loans: Well…besides finally getting myself a lift desk, when I am seated I bought a really cheap little pedal machine and put it under my desk. I made a challenge for myself: if I am seated, I have to pedal at least 15 minutes an hour – otherwise I get my lazy self up and stand! (Note from Sue – I can attest to the fact that Deirdre is one of the least lazy people I know, but I love this self-challenge tip!) So many good practical tips, from some of the most wonderful, wellness-minded women in the industry. Balance, simple habits, block time for ourselves, and keep those bodies moving. My parting words of guidance on wellness would be these: Live your life to the fullest, with all things in moderation…even moderation. Sue Woodard brings over 25 years of mortgage industry experience, strategic vision and leadership to her role as Chief Customer Officer at Total Expert. Her focus is on helping lenders achieve greater productivity and long-term success. Sue started her career as a processor, became a top originator, then leveraged her knowledge to become a highly acclaimed industry speaker, subject matter expert and technology executive.

CAUSE OF THE MONTH

C AUSE OF T HE MON T H https://northocyounglives.com/ W H O TH E Y A R E North OC YoungLives is an organization focused on building relationships with teen moms and dads through mentorship and community.

VISION One out of ten babies in the U.S is born to a teen mom. Children of teen moms are at significantly increased risk for a number of economic, social and health problems, compared to those born to adult mothers. North OC YoungLives works to support teen parents through building bridges to authentic friendships and matching teen parents with mentors.

W H AT TH E Y D O North OC YoungLives holds free, monthly meetings to teen parents and mentors with food, activities, music, childcare and a message about real life. They also host a summer camp one week each summer for parents and their children alike.

W H AT YO U C A N D O • Become a mentor. Walk with a teen mom or dad for one school year. This often looks like doing things together such as going to the park, sharing your story with them or helping them register for college classes. Your mentor relationship depends on you and your mentee’s needs and can often look different from person to person. • Provide childcare. Monthly meetings and special events (galas, etc.) need volunteer childcare so that parents can take a break for themselves. • Help plan and host special events throughout the year such as the Christmas Boutique, Prom, and Pancakes in the Park. • Help plan and coordinate monthly club gatherings. • Offer donations

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BOOK OF THE MONTH

BOOK OF T HE MON T H Vibe: Unlock the Energetic Frequencies of Limitless Health, Love & Success BY RO BY N O PE N S H AW

“Everything has a vibration. Our food, our bodies, our thoughts and emotions. This book is revolutionary and will change the way you see everything.” -Pedram Shojai, OMD NYT Best Selling Author The Urban Monk, The Art of Stopping Time Our September/October book pick is a wellness must-have that applies to all aspects of life. In Vibe, author Robyn Openshaw, reveals the difference between low vibration emotions (fear, anger, inertia) and high vibration emotions (love, inner peace, gratitude) and helps readers dramatically impact their physical and mental well-being by raising their vibrational frequencies. Renowned scientist, Nikola Tesla, discovered that all matter has vibrational energy, or electrical frequency. This book builds on Tesla’s findings to unleash the power implications that vibrational energy has on our everyday lives. Vibe argues that everything in health and wellness should revolve around the basic concept that what we choose to eat and what we choose to do lowers or raises our vibration. And that makes all the difference. Vibe explores the foods, natural substances, and lifestyle practices that can raise our vibrations and reveals evidence that shows how drinking green juice, using certain essential oils, and engaging in yoga and meditation raises the frequency of the human brain and other organs. Living a “high vibe” life can make us resilient to illness, fatigue, burnout, and depression.

MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

HOLISTIC WELLNESS

What is

Wellness? BY C I N DY S M ITH

Wellness is one of the newest trend words in the world of health and fitness. But what does wellness mean? There are many definitions, interpretations, and subcategories of wellness. According to dictionary.com, wellness is the state of being in good health, especially as an actively pursued goal. The World Health Organization defines wellness as “…a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” 42

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Very simply stated, wellness is a state of balance. Balance in all areas of life: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, professional, relational, and financial. We can be well, or balanced, in some areas and not others, however, to achieve a complete state of balance, or wellness, we need to be balanced in all areas. Naturally, that is somewhat unrealistic considering balance is affected by many factors out of our control. However, there are many actionable steps we can take to improve our state of wellness. Just as we cannot get fruits and vegetables from a vending machine that has been loaded with candy bars and snack crackers, every aspect of our being can only output to the quality of the input. In other words, we cannot know more than we have learned, and we cannot be stronger than we have trained. But it goes much deeper.

HOLISTIC WELLNESS The first step in achieving greater wellness, is to begin with training our thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes. Listen to inspiring and motivational podcasts and music, read encouraging and motivating books, speak words of affirmation and gratitude, spend time with inspiring people that challenge you, meditate, pray, and believe the goals you have set are achievable. Create a vision board with your affirmations and pictures that increase your desire to achieve your goals or write them on your mirror with a dry erase marker, so you begin each day with a positive mind-set. Believing you can achieve your goals is the first step to achieving them. The next step is to begin inputting the nutrition we need to fuel a greater level of output physically and mentally. We cannot expect to perform well, mentally or physically, or have balanced emotions and healthy relationships by eating fake, processed foods and drinks laden with chemicals. I’m not saying you can’t ever splurge, but it needs to be the exception, not your daily diet. The best and fastest way to begin your day with the fuel of champions is with a smoothie packed full of delicious, all-natural vegetables and fruits. For sustainability, I recommend adding an organic vegetable protein powder or collagen peptides as well as some good fats such as avocado, flax or chia seeds. Another great add that does not affect the taste of the smoothie is aloe vera juice, which is great for healthy digestion and absorption of all the amazing nutrients in the smoothie. As with any diet recommendation, it is important to consider any health conditions or medications, so please check with a healthcare professional before trying any new diet. I have included my favorite morning power smoothie recipe to get you started. Feel free to contact me if you would like to try others or Pinterest is laden with great recipes. Always be sure to use recipes that do not include added sugar or artificial sweeteners. Water deserves to be discussed separately. We all know water is vital to life. We can survive three weeks without food, but only three or four days without water. Why is that? First of all, our bodies are made up of at least 60% water. Also, water is a conductor of energy and every cell, emotion, and thought has an electrical charge. Without adequate hydration, our health suffers tragically. How much water an individual needs depends on weight and activity level. The rule of thumb is to drink one-half ounce for every pound of body weight. If you are pregnant, nursing or exercise, you need to add an additional twelve to twenty ounces per day. If drinking water is a

Berry Delicious Smoothie 1 CUP water or coconut milk 1 HANDFUL spinach 1 LEAF kale 1/2 BANANA frozen 1 CUP frozen or fresh mixed berries 1/4 AVOCADO peeled & pitted 2 SCOOPS collagen peptides or organic vegetable protein powder 1 OZ aloe vera juice 1 T flaxseed oil or 1 T ground flaxseeds or chia seeds 1 PACKET stevia, optional Add water or coconut milk, spinach, and kale to blender and blend well. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. For a thicker consistency, add 2-3 ice cubes. Enjoy a great start to your day! challenge for you, try adding fresh fruit, veggies, and/or herbs for flavor. And the last but certainly not least important step to achieving greater wellness is rest. Sleep is a time for repair and recovery. Not just physically, but also emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Do you ever notice when you are tired, you tend to eat more sugar and simple carbs? It is your body craving rest. Or have you noticed you tend to feel depressed or irritable when you are overly tired? It’s your emotions craving rest. Our bodies need more rest at different times of our biological cycles as well as seasonal cycles. Listen to what your body is telling you and make time to take time for repair and recovery. Rest is not just sleep, however. Active rest is also very important to achieving balance. Taking a leisurely walk with a friend, reading a book just for fun, sitting for a few minutes in the sun, taking deep breaths of fresh air, meditation, and spending time feeling grateful are all examples of active rest. Active rest will help you feel more refreshed, alert, and nurtured. Taking steps to reach greater wellness can be overwhelming and daunting. Take it one step at a time. Implement one or two new habits at a time. Get a friend to join you in the journey, hire a wellness coach, or connect with an online community. Achieving even one new healthy habit will inspire you to add more!

Cindy is a Certified Integrative Wellness Coach and Personal Trainer for professional women. She has been helping women achieve their health and fitness goals local and abroad for the past 15 years. For a free consultation, contact Cindy at cindy@whollydesigned.com. MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

MORTGAGE MOMS

joy!

BY J E S S I C A N AG ATA N I

MORTGAGE MOMS JOY! Joy- a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. What gives you joy? Are you one of the lucky ones who experience joy in your job, your family and your hobbies every day? I would venture to say, for most of us, the feeling of joy gets lost in our dayto-day survival mode lifestyle. We allow our lives to get too serious and forget to seek joy in our every day. This is one of the many lessons I am learning from my daughter. Have you ever noticed how unaffected young children are by the world around them and the only time you really see them upset is when adults get in the way of them seeking joy? Granted, their joy could have long-term consequences or be dangerous and we know this as adults, but their intentions are usually always pure and innocent. I was at a 5yr old birthday party just the other day and all the kids were climbing trees and playing in the ocean and all the adults were sitting on the beach cautiously warning the kids to be careful, don’t fall and look out for the jellyfish. Don’t get me wrong, I understand, it is our job as parents to protect and to guide, but when does protecting stop being parenting and start stifling the pure innocence and joy of being a kid. Why should that be our job? Won’t basic human interaction over time do enough of that? I understand there is a fine line when parenting and I don’t always

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do a very good job of dancing down the middle of that line. But, shouldn’t we, as parents, be in charge of keeping that joy and purity alive in our children? I always tell my daughter she has three things she needs to do in life, be kind, always do her best and most of all, have fun! I wonder, at what point in our lives do we lose that innocence and pure hearted intention? Is that loss directed related to our limited moments of actively seeking joy? I say, let’s not lose the inner child within. Surround ourselves with people that bring us joy and seek it out every day. Know that what brings joy in our

lives will change. I used to find joy in a career , affording nice vacations and an afternoon of shopping. I still like these things, but now, I find more joy in my children, my husband and the time we get to spend together. We only get one chance in this life, “Make it great, keep it light and always seek JOY!”

Jessica Rocho Nagatani is the Chief Production Officer for Honolulu Home Loans and a mother of two. Jessica can be reached at jnagatani@honhl.com

MORTGAGE MOMS

T HE WORK ING MOM

Dynamic

A S H LE Y R I C H A R D S

the best fit. After studying, educating, and taking the exams, I was licensed and ready to go! It wasn’t long before I started receiving referrals from my outreach efforts. As I started to build my client base, I realized my clients were the exact mirror image of me! Moms. Women turning into mothers that were settling into their new roles as moms, as a stay at home mom, working part-time, or full-time. These women were the customers that needed a larger home for the new baby coming or the relocation that allowed parents to be home more versus a traveling job. These were parents that wanted to move into a better school district or be closer to extended family members. I finally found a career that not only allows me that work/life balance I had been dreaming of, but one that encourages me to help other families. The best advice I can give you is to go for it! Create your own opportunities, set some real life personal goals, but still allow the flexibility in your life to never miss a school performance or soccer game again. This amazing career in home lending has allowed that for me, and then some!

YOU CAN DO IT AS A LOAN OFFICER! The moment my sweet baby was placed in my arms, I knew my days of 8 to 5 were over. I just could not fathom leaving my baby to go sit in an office somewhere. It didn’t sound like my cup of tea. I did know; however, that I was a go-getter who was motivated to continue to be a career woman in the midst of being a mom. Finding

that sweet balance of work and home life seemed impossible, and I was on the search for something that could help me create that life: one of purpose, meaning, and joy, while still allowing me to be present for my family. After months of reviewing opportunities and options to suit my new lifestyle, I knew that becoming a Loan Officer was

Ashley is an Arizona native and lives there with her husband, Brandon. Together they have two crazy adorable kids, Ellie and Eli. When she is not with her kids, or hiking with her husband, she focuses on her career as a Mortgage Advisor for Finance of America Mortgage. Ashley has over 10 years of experience in digital marketing, helping a variety of businesses with graphic design, online marketing, advertising, and blogging. If you are interested in learning about real estate, lending, and financial tips, be sure to follow her business blog. (ashleyhomeloans.com)

MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES

Samar Nohra

Women owned Appraisal Management Company providing professional, accurate and quality reports on all residential appraisal products performed by certified appraisers and fast turn-times throughout the US. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll receive quick updates on orders and 24-hour on-line access to order information. When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready to receive the attention you deserve, contact AAA-AMC.

Kristin Messerli

Cultural Outreach supports lenders with modernizing their business practices and reaching underserved markets through speaking engagements, social media content, and training at betterloanofficer.com. Through this engaging and modern enterprise training and tools, companies are experiencing proven growth with Millennials and untapped market segments.

AAA Appraisal Management Company

Cultural Outreach

Deb Jensen

Deborahkjensen.com

Deborahkjensen.com, LLC is a training company for real estate professionals. Beyond Results Coaching is the core product and trains lenders on how to identify, approach, and meet with key referral sources. I have twenty-five years of experience in mortgage lending and have trained both new and seasoned lenders.

Robin Auerbach EdgeMac

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Since 2008, EdgeMAC has been a provider of Due Diligence, Document Management, and Business Process Outsourcing services to the financial services industry.

WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES

Tammy Butler Mortgage Currentcy

Mortgage Currentcy is a content subscription company used by mortgage originators, underwriters, and processors. Subscribers receive reference guides, monthly interpretations of agency guidelines in plain English, and field experts in the areas of underwriting and compliance that answer loan scenario questions. Thousands of mortgage practitioners rely on this information daily to make originating a mortgage easier.

MortgageGirlfriends.com â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The only membership site excluKaren Deis sively for women in the mortgage industry. Women conduct their MortgageGrilfriends.com mortgage practice differently so we provide one-on-one business coaching. Sales & marketing strategies. Articles. Interviews. Loan referrals between members. And Mastermind Retreats. Request a free, virtual tour Karen@MortgageGirlfriends.com. Karen Deis & Jenna Lindseth, Co-Founders.

Nuria Rivera

We believe in making an impact and having purpose within our community. Whether we are protecting Real Estate investments, giving back to our surroundings, or creating opportunity and growth for others. We are here to redefine the experience.

Rosalie Berg

Strategic Vantage is a leading public relations, marketing, and social media agency. The company has served over 100 lenders and vendors in the mortgage industry.

Novation Title Insurance Agency

Strategic Vantage

Adriana Luchechko The Quality Control Center

The Quality Control Center provides secondary mortgage market lending services, delivering Quality Control and Compliance outsource solutions to lenders and financial institutions. Our services include QC Audits for Post-Closing, Pre-Funding, Home Equity, Adverse Action, Appraisals, and AVM products. We also assist in QC Policy Development, Repurchase Negotiation, WorkFlow Analysis and Streamlining, Training, Consulting, and more.

MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE â&#x20AC;˘ SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES

Carolyn Calhoun

Mortgage Broker in Michigan. Most closings in 15 days or less and low rates!

Calhoun Mortgage, INC

Ebony Murphy Blessed Budgets LLC

Donna Schmidt

Financial planning organization that works with individuals, couples and/or current or pursuing business owners to examine current financial health based on each individual goal. Creating financial forecasts, budgets and showing cash flow for analysis.

Loss Mitigation, Servicing Consulting, WaterfallCalc.com, Training, Procedures, Audit Prep & Answer

DLS Servicing Consultants, LLC

Tamala Stewart

New Season Mortgage, LLC

Sandra Gainsforth

Rekon Technologies

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New Season Mortgage offers Nationwide Commercial loans and Wholesale Residential Loans in Colorado. The President, Tamala Stewart, has worked in the industry for 15 years.

Advanced software for Lien Release and Assignment preparation, and document management and tracking.

WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES

Debbie Hoffman

Symmetry Blockchain Advisors, Inc.

Jillayne Schlicke

CE Forward, Inc. DBA NAMF

Karen Geisel MESA Jewelry

Symmetry Blockchain Advisors, Inc. is leading the way in collaborating with companies in the establishment, strategy, and implementation of blockchain, crypto-currency and initial coin offering (ICO) ecosystems. One of the primary goals of the company is to revolutionize the mortgage loan lifecycle utilizing blockchain. The variety of experts at Symmetry have the depth of knowledge and expertise to help navigate the way in a space which is revolutionizing industries across the globe.

100% woman-owned business specializing in LIVE, interactive, high-energy delivery of education for the mortgage lending industry including on-board training for new hires, LO Pre-licensing, Exam Prep, and live Loan Originator CE. - Continuing Education Classes for Realtors - Instructor Development: Train the Trainer - Ethics and Compliance Consulting- Expert Witness: License defense, wrongful termination, fraud - Keynote speaker for your event- 30+ years experience - NMLS Approved Course Provider C-1400068

Designer of exclusive jewelry line for women of influence in real estate, home staging, and mortgage lending.

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MORTGAGE WOMEN MAGAZINE â&#x20AC;˘ SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

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