It is hard to believe that I started the brokering phase of my life over 17 years ago;  July 31^st of 2000 to be exact.  This was my first attempt at real self-employment, it was a very uneasy feeling.  I can’t say that the uneasy feeling has completely gone away, but thanks to my business partners, my customers, and God’s will, I am still here.  Looking back, it took my then girlfriend, now wife, Deneen, to give me the extra push. She found my office and simply said, I think you can do it.

The basic premise of the lending world has never changed; make sure the person can pay back what they are borrowing.  Of course, the powers that be have lost sight of that from time to time, but that is what it still boils down to.  Of course, many people confuse what I do as sales. 

That reminds me of a conversation I was having with one of my kids. He said, how can you do this? I replied, do what? His response was, convince people to borrow money.  The question surprised me, but I realized immediately why he asked it that way.  There was a time when he went to work for a local bank as a loan officer.  His question made me realize the amount of pressure that was put on him at that bank; sell, sell, sell, and make the customer think they need what you are selling.  His question sums up why we fell into the real estate melt down.  It was all about the sale. 

It is not about the sale. Sales implies you are convincing someone to buy something they don’t need or want.  My entire approach is benefit.  If there is not benefit or a need, there is no reason for a sale.