The Director of the Loan Lounge tells MPA about a typical day
The Director of the Loan Lounge, Nathaniel Truong, tells MPA about a typical day…
5.30am: My alarm goes off and my wife and I both get up. I brush my teeth and head downstairs for a warm drink with lemon and get into my quiet place.
5.40am: Open the bible and start to read, journal, and pray over the day.
6.30am: Plan the day and complete a schedule.
6.45am: I will do some exercise. If its sunny, I will go for a walk or jog outside and listen to a John Maxwell or a Craig Groeschel podcast.
7.30am: I have a weekly Monday catch up with friends and business partners over Zoom, where we discuss a key leadership principle or a biblical thought. I find this motivating and sets my priorities for the week.
8.30am: Check my diary and review our pipeline of leads and work in progress files. I will also review our existing client files. I’ll note down anyone I need to call on a to do list and review the material for the sales meeting.
9.30am: Sales meeting starts, and I check in with each staff member. I spend 30 minutes upskilling the team on a leadership or a business principle. This week we covered a leadership thought around “The Law of Mt Everest” which states that as the challenge escalates, the need for teamwork elevates. We talk about how we can apply the principle and an action item for each person. We are a team of four which includes two brokers and two admin staff.
10.00am: During the next part of the sales meeting, we go through the pipeline. We go through every client to check the progress, what the SLA is and whether we need to escalate the file.
11.00am: Client meeting via Zoom. I love the practicality of Zoom but definitely prefer face to face meetings because our business is highly relational and I don’t want to lose the personal side of the business. Meet with client, understand position and complete a needs analysis.
12.00pm: Take full hour break and I usually get Vietnamese takeaway and spend some time reading.
1.00pm: Review of business goals and KPIs, check cashflow, pipeline, leads received, staff workload and status of referrals partners. Good news – our numbers are up year on year. Good news – we are on track for another great month.
2.00pm: Connect with our referral partners.
2.45pm: Prepare client files, qualify leads, complete servicing calculators and finalise proposals so admin staff can prepare applications.
3.45pm: Debrief with whole team to make sure everything is on track.
4.15pm: Spend time on the phone with clients and referral partners to request anything that is outstanding.
5.00pm: Drive out to the shops to buy some groceries to make a quick dinner. I’ve been following an Instagram chef ‘Instakrill’ and feel like I’ve mastered an anchovy pasta dish. My wife does not like cooking, so she cleans and I cook.
6.00pm: Client appointment via Zoom.
7.00pm: Have dinner with my wife and chat over our work day and things that we need to do around our house. We moved into a new place and are still adding items to the home. I’ve been trying to sell her the idea of a wine fridge.
7.30pm: Meet with a business coach over Zoom. Talk through any challenges around the business and how to handle it.
8.45pm: Have some chill time. I normally either watch a documentary or read a book. I’m currently reading ‘These Truths’ to educate myself about the history of the US and slavery.
9.30pm: Get ready for bed.
10.00pm: Sleep.
