Sometimes it takes good, old fashioned grit to get a broker through unprecedented crises
Mackenzie Chaisson, sub-mortgage broker at the Clear Trust Mortgages arm of Dominion Lending Centres, credits his first property purchase for his enduring interest in the industry.
“I got into mortgages in 2017 when I purchased my first apartment,” Chaisson told MBN. “I was working two jobs and was looking actively for a new career. I saw what my mortgage broker was doing and wanted to learn more about what went on behind the scenes. I enrolled in the licencing program at [the University of British Columbia] shortly after.”
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Having entered the mortgage space at a time when the industry and its technologies were evolving at a breakneck pace, Chaisson described the business as both demanding and fulfilling.
“I think it’s been much more challenging than I expected. I had to learn a lot very fast,” Chaisson says. “Luckily, I’m always up for a challenge, so it’s been a lot of fun. There are no files that are the same; you need to know how to adapt very quickly in order to give your clients the best service.”
Patience and perseverance come naturally to Chaisson, who worked as part of the grounds crew at a golf course and as a cook before entering the mortgage space through Clear Trust. He says his background in gruelling, thankless work has helped him through the toughest parts of 2020.
“When we went into lockdown, everything I had going stopped,” Chaisson said. “I needed to pivot to a different style of marketing/lead generation. I became much more engaged on social media and started running some advertisements. It was a bumpy start to 2020, but since then it’s all picked up again and I’m seeing a lot of success for the work I put in.”
These same characteristics feed into Chaisson’s approach to his work.
“My two specialties would be persistence and communication,” Chaisson said. “In any business, you need to give it your all, and mortgage brokering is no different. These have been the two cornerstones of how I conduct my business, and so far it’s worked well for me. I’ve still got a ton to learn, but every day I take a few more steps.”
