My Passion for People Feeds My Success
I have always known I was a “people person.” From the time I was kid, I knew I wanted to work with people. However, I didn’t know exactly what that meant. I knew I loved talking to others, hearing their stories, forging connections, and bringing groups together to share experiences and opportunities. All of that came easy to me, but when someone would ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I never had a solid answer. I just knew I had a passion for people, and that if I could work with others by teaching, helping, and connecting them, I would be successful and most important, fulfilled.
I joined Guaranteed Rate in 2012, and since then, have been able to use my passion for people to support and help grow employees’ careers, while helping the organization defy expectations to become one of the largest retail mortgage lenders in the country. I have seen the strong connection between fulfilled employees and company success, and I’ve been fortunate to work with the organization’s leadership to achieve both.
While not many people grow up saying they want to be in the mortgage industry, I have seen the tremendous career opportunities it presents—particularly for women. And while this is true across the entire industry, it is especially true at Guaranteed Rate. In my role as executive vice president, I have helped provide our employees with the tools and support they need to build successful careers and maintain a healthy balance. We have built national training curriculums that drive career growth and comprehensive onboarding experiences that promote employee success, and created a thriving corporate culture that feeds into a fulfilled and talented workforce.
What continues to fuel and drive my career is seeing people achieve their highest and best use. Through my work at Guaranteed Rate, I have been able to provide our employees with the guidance and tools they need to do just that. When someone comes to me or a group I lead for help, I value that they trust us to help them navigate their next steps. Above all, we prioritize helping them explore their strengths and maximize their abilities.
I have seen this play out time and time again at Guaranteed Rate, particularly within our multiple specialized employee resource groups for the women, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), and LGBTQ+ employees within our organizations. We created these groups to provide employees with additional safe spaces to explore their career development.
For example, in 2018, we established the Guaranteed Rate Organization of Women (GROW) with the goal of increasing the number of women in the mortgage industry, while championing women within our organization to succeed, exchange ideas and empower each other. Through GROW, we have created a safe space from women to create connections and mentorship, and helping them navigate their careers and reach their full potential.
By using my passion for people, I have not only built a rewarding, exciting and successful career for myself, but also I have helped others achieve the same.
