A turbulent past was instrumental in the formation of the mantra, "Build community, not customers"
For Chris Turcotte, president of CENTUM Financial Group, an important part of the successful mortgage professional’s tool kit is their unique set of experiences – and in his case, an illustrious career in the sector has been built on a foundation of hard, and often painful, lessons.
In a keynote address at last year’s Canadian Mortgage Summit, Turcotte said that a turbulent childhood characterized by domestic abuse and parental loss was instrumental in the formation of his mantra of “Build community, not customers.”
Describing the most fundamental ingredient as “survival tactics that taught me to listen and watch for what other people need,” Turcotte recounted convincing childhood friends to allow him to stay over at their houses over the weekends in an effort to avoid a difficult home life.
“I focused on what they wanted, not what I wanted,” Turcotte said. “I wanted them to be happy and get what they desired, because if I was the one that brought them that joy, it increased my chances of getting an invite to their place, and I wouldn’t have to stay at home.”
“Inevitably, I’d end up in a friend’s house on a Friday night, because it was easier to pick us up from school that day. So Friday was usually the start of my safe haven.”
Traumatic as it might sound, Turcotte said that this lesson was instrumental in his eventual entry into the mortgage space, and dealing with consumers in much the same way that he interacted with his childhood friends and their families.
"Make it about them,” Turcotte said. “Make it all about them. Be whatever someone needs in their moment. I’ve developed these skills out of pure desperation, but I’ve used them every day since with no particular ask in mind, and good things always come back to me.”
“Watch and listen for what other people need; yes, you have eyes that can see, and you have ears that can hear — but oftentimes, your heart works better than both.”
#CMPTV: Chris Turcotte, President of CENTUM, shares insights for mortgage brokers and agents in today's market. Discover future trends and CENTUM's exciting integrations.
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And while Turcotte acknowledged other vital elements such as continuous education and efficient leadership, he said that only one thing is truly at the core of what being a mortgage professional is about.
“People don’t remember what you say, they hardly remember what you do, but they will never forget how you made them feel,” Turcotte said. “Touch the heart. That’s how you win.”
Turcotte also advocated for the iron determination to see all of this through to the end.
“No matter what happens in life, no matter how many things you go through, you will not break,” he said. “What’s the best thing about rock bottom? You can only go up from there.”
Watch now: How can you win in the mortgage market?
