Top originator opens up about hiatus and what drove her back into the mortgage industry
A career path is never a straight line. It’s much more like a winding road, and sometimes, even the best of the best get lost along the way.
MPA recently spoke to Angela Anderson (pictured), who took a break from the mortgage industry in 2009 and entered the space again when she joined AmeriSave Mortgage in 2020. Anderson shared her experiences of getting back on track to becoming a top originator and the people that helped her get there.
MPA: Can you tell us about your mortgage journey? How did you come into the industry?
AA: While finishing up my degree in the finance program at Ferris State, I discovered that I had a deep interest in mortgage finance. I decided that I would become a loan officer after graduation and obtained my first job in 2000 in Grand Rapids, MI. I worked in the Grand Rapids area until 2009 as a loan officer. I took a hiatus in 2009 and returned to the mortgage industry in 2020 with AmeriSave Mortgage.
MPA: What are three events that helped shape your life and career?
AA: The first major event in my life that gave me motivation was having my daughter. I was young and not prepared to be a parent. I could not let her down and had to give everything that I had to make sure she had everything that she needed.
The second would be moving back to my hometown to be closer to family. This put me on a different career path in automotive finance. During this time, I invested in real estate by rehabilitating homes and creating affordable rental properties in my community.
The third is my decision to go back into the mortgage industry. Opportunities to return to the mortgage industry arose in 2020 as I was able to find work outside of my rural surroundings.
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MPA: What are the threats to your business, your success, and how are you handling them?
AA: The biggest threat is probably me. The phrase ‘you are your own worst enemy’ can be very true. I find myself getting in my own way on a regular basis. I think it takes regular self-assessment to stay on track.
MPA: What energizes you about your work?
AA: I love helping everyone. I hate when there is a situation where I cannot provide the outcome that the client wants. I know some situations are out of my control, but I truly want to help every single one of them. So even if that means I can help them get one step closer to their goals, I will do what I can to make that happen.
MPA: Have you relied on any mentors throughout your career? What’s one piece of advice that greatly impacted you and your career trajectory?
AA: I would say my biggest mentor starting out in 2000 was a veteran loan officer that took me under her wings when I first started out. I still keep in contact with her and cherish her advice. I now look up to a variety of mentors on a daily basis. Not necessarily all in the mortgage industry, but I look to their daily motivation in all forms. While I look for their motivation on a daily basis, something that recently stuck out to me was something Ryan Stewman said which was “the #1 undisputed key to success is simply not quitting.” I think a lot of professionals fall victim, myself included.
MPA: Can you give me any kind of quantification of your success in the past year, and what is your target loan volume this year?
AA: Last year, I funded more than I ever dreamed I could. Just over $75 million. I couldn’t fathom actually providing a quality service to that many clients successfully. My target this year is to try to be better than I was last year, in business and as a person. Providing a better experience for my clients and building lasting relationships with those who trust me and provide me with future business.
MPA: What advice can you share with people trying to break into the mortgage field?
AA: Learn everything that you can learn. Learn more than just what you do and touch. Try to learn everything involved in the real estate and mortgage industry and realize that you may have to re-learn it because things change. If you think you know it all, you are wrong and are no longer growing. Stay green.
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MPA: Where will we find you on a Saturday at 10am? How do you unplug yourself from work?
AA: At 10am, I am likely checking emails and voicemails. I try to make it a habit to at least return any emails and calls on a Saturday morning. Once that is done, I try to spend time outside of the house with my family and/or friends. In the summer, I enjoy Northern Michigan drives, the river, hiking and such. In the winter, I just do whatever I can to leave my house. Those who do not work from their home may think it is the perfect work situation, but in reality, I think those that work from home have a harder time “unplugging.”
