How Clear Trust Mortgages continues to grow and prosper in an uncertain environment
When the coronavirus pandemic first struck in mid-March, Clear Trust Mortgages joined businesses across the industry is closing down their offices in Ontario, BC and their newly opened branch in Alberta. After just one month in lockdown, president and CEO Robert Afan decided it was time to adapt and move forward. Clear Trust began offering training sessions on sales strategies, and roundtable meetings with brokers to share best practices in order to motivate brokers and keep them engaged.
“I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t worried when we first got hit with a lockdown; numbers were trending downwards and for a numbers guy like me, I was worried. I knew something needed to be done to get things going again, and that all starts with a change in mindset from lockdown to open for business.”
A big part of that change in mindset had to do with Afan conducting weekly briefings with brokers across the country, staying connected with leadership, encouraging them, and making sure they felt supported. Through this time of uncertainty and volatility, Afan’s steady leadership, optimism and unwavering passion for his business cascaded down through the rest of the team, and as a result, their 180 brokers banded together to achieve $1 billion in mortgage production for 2020. It’s the third time that Clear Trust Mortgages has hit this goal since its inception in 2011.
“With the pandemic, we’ve had to make some adjustments like everyone else. I thought meeting this goal was farfetched, but our brokers stayed energized and focused, and we kept going,” said Afan.
While achieving this $1 billion goal is a huge accomplishment, Afan is most proud of his team and their commitment. A supportive group of partners and a great cast making up the leadership team has been a driving force behind the success at Clear Trust. A culture of family and not leaving anyone behind is what separates the brokerage from their competition, he added.
CT Green Financial, Clear Trust’s commercial operations led by Jeremy Leung and Dennis Ng, saw explosive growth, according to Afan, posting triple digit gains this year. Toronto operations led by Janice Lee and Paul Occhiuto also saw a 50% growth year over year.
“You can’t put a price tag on our team. While many companies are shutting down because of the pandemic, we appear to be coming out unscathed and I am so proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish together,” said Afan.
He adds that the strategies implemented through the pandemic will help take Clear Trust through future challenges and be well prepared for whatever is to come. With an emphasis on the team, recruiting did not stop throughout the pandemic either. Afan says they attract brokers who embody the same values and share the same goals.
“We want to have a relationship with every single one of our brokers. They are not just a number for us, they are part of our family, and we focus on their contribution, rather than volume or numbers. When Clear Trust succeeds, everyone succeeds,” he said.
