by Mr. Wright at EducateZap.com
At 28 years old, Ryan W. Smith is one of the young guns of Real Estate in Kamloops, BC, Canada. He's one of Kamloops' most driven mortgage brokers. His focus is on customer-centric mortgage programs that become beneficial, long-term solutions.
Ryan's belief is that a well-prepared mortgage should be part of your overall financial plan and should complement the rest of your savings, investments, and wealth-building strategies.
Well, I came to this job after a long career in retail electronics sales. It took a lot of preparation and careful planning to make such a drastic career change, but this job provides me with everything I loved about retail, and amplifies the impact I have in my ability to help people.
Being a part of the biggest purchase most people ever make means a lot to me. Outside of work, I am a musician at heart and love anything with wheels and an engine(cars and bikes!). I also enjoy being a part of my local Toastmasters club, Chamber of Commerce, and other community groups.
If I were to describe my job to a 5 year old, I would say this: I help people find the money they need to buy, renovate, and continue to own their homes.
I am young, ambitious, and I am comfortable focusing on a demographic I am familiar with: Millenials. While I am happy to work with anyone at any stage in life, I find my own group to be easy to relate to and to have the greatest need for a trusted advisor with whom they are comfortable.
Through my use of technology and willingness to adapt, I think I am making a big impact in the modern consumer who is using technology to find their sources for information and to complete what once were difficult transactions.
I have the ability to craft an entire deal, comfortably, without ever meeting the client face-to-face. That’s not to say I don’ appreciate one on one meetings, but using technology to our advantage can make our jobs and our client’s live easier.
I really enjoy a program called Purchase Plus Improvements. It allows new homeowners to buy a home with very little down, and have some extra funds available for renovations and repairs to their new home. I see this being a big thing in cities with older housing inventories that are in need of updating.
I have always been driven to excel, but in this career specifically, it’s a desire to truly help people. I think that I have the chance to make a big impact in my client’s lives, and by making the choices that are right for my client I am saving them money and helping set them up for financial success in the future.
I would like to see myself at a point where I have maximized my productivity. What I mean by that is that I am looking forward to being faced at that time with the dilemma of whether to hire a larger team, or to continue by myself at my personal capacity for business.
Make sure to have impeccable time-management skills, in addition to a functional understanding of the mortgage business. Personality is also very important, my business is my clients, and treating them like gold will always be #1 priority for me and everyone on my team.
Work hard. Ask lots of questions. Don’t be afraid of failure.
Keeping motivated is the hardest part of any self-employment or ‘contract’ type of job. I keep motivated through the notion that what I do is meaningful for my clients. This keeps the job fulfilling and allows me to come to work inspired to do more of it!