A 26-point checklist for success for mortgage professionals

When Sarah Middleton joined Supreme Lending as Chief Marketing and Growth Officer, she not only brought an impressive track record of leadership with a 26-point checklist that she uses to evaluate every occasion. In her recent Paver Podcast appearance, Sarah revealed how this detailed framework helped her to take one of the greatest career decisions of her life and how it can help helping loan officials, branch leaders and industry professionals what really matters when building long-term success. Whether you are considering a new role, evaluating your current company or just wanting to sharpen your focus, this checklist is a must-read.

Leadership – The CEO must be active daily

1. True humility is something that does not have to be shouted from the roofs; you just do it without fanfare Or everyone tell how humble you are.
2. Do you really want to help others: it is easy to write a check, but if you say you want to enrich lives, what do you actually do not have to be broadcast?
3. Spouse/partner/friends is matter. If they cannot maintain relationships with quality people, your circle is ready. I wanted to know who was in your circle.
4. Do you allow teammates to speak when the path you are on you is wrong? Rather: “How do we get the right answer?” It doesn’t matter who the answer has.

Culture

5. Culture of excellence: I want to play for the Mets, not for the Rockies. I made the decision to be near champions. Is the mediocre game acceptable in the organization?
6. Bigger is not better if you only lose money. I want to be financially responsible for myself somewhere, but also for the ‘Smart Brancheur’. I lived in the P&L World. You can do very well if you are smart with expenses; The same applies to company.
7. Bloat: Company overhead that is unnecessary can crush your rates. Processes must be carried out efficiently. You can do this if you hire the best because they often do the work of 2-3 people.
8. Layers only work in layer cakes; I wanted a flat organization. The 2: 1 ratio was important, or at least close by. Sales must 2x its versus support of staff at 1x. This tells me if you are blown up and if you suffer from rates.

Product Savvy and time in the chair

9. Product tactics and strategy matter. You do not win that without depth and history with investors, and you have to dig for the following to help you win.
10. Again, Revisit Champions. Do you have the best in this chair? You can win a lot of deals, and you can crush it separately if they understand how important products are, especially today.
11. Products must also be quickly on board new products. How fast can you get a product on the market to compete?

Maintenance

12. “Smart Servicing”: Can you read the markets? Go in, go out and play the markets to your advantage.
13. Full seller-clerk: If you are a sub-service, you are in a dangerous position and I saw it a long time ago and still see it today.
14. Warehouse lines are important. They have to be the best be-lold-star level. Have you ever activated your covenants? Most never ask this really important question.

Technology

15. Tech: What is the deck, and how do you adjust to change to become more efficient and cost effective?
16. Most CEOs have no idea of ​​technology. I wanted to see if there was a CEO who had this as an expertise. It’s hard to find, but yes, it’s there.
17. Cisco: so undervalued, but if you don’t have it, wait until it happens.

Operation

18. Processing:

• Best in business
• Speed ​​and efficiency
• How many touches? The less, the better. Fewer touches mean lower costs.

19. Extreme property: seasoned insurers who know their craftsmanship and also specialize. The same applies to closers and processors.
20. Attitude from top to bottom: what do you really think of loose in operations, and how do you work together?
21. Speed: If you can’t get an answer quickly, deals die. Expectations in turn times they are person to person, or does your OPS team hide?

Industry support

22. Industry support is important – most don’t get it.
23. I grew up with the provision of branch support, and most companies do not support the value or do not see the value. If it takes your IT agency hours or days to respond, you lose.

Compliance and risk

24. Compliance/risk: two words, and this is really important. Do they apply “common sense”? What really is the risk? I have seen great compliance people and terrible compliance that people literally run from organizations because they are so mean.
25. Lawyers, lawyers, lawyers: becoming suest is unfortunately part of our company. It is better to have ‘fire spread dragons’ on staff and zero fear of lawsuits. On the other hand, are you a Sue-Happy Company? If you are, that was a deal -killer for me. Lawsuits only benefit one person: the lawyers.

Financial

26. Finally, can you play with the big dogs? This means that you have the capital to play the game? You can’t necessarily get there if you’ve not been there for a little time.