Casey Cunningham - InsightsSuccess

Over the course of her 37-year career and previously named one of Atlanta’s 5th Most Influential Female Business Owners, Casey Cunningham has defined and refined her craft through an insatiable passion for learning that she believes is embodied in all great leaders. That’s why she founded the industry leading knowledge academy, XINNIX, in order to help business owners hire, train and effectively scale their businesses. What’s unique about your business? What makes our company unique is the formula referred to as The XINNIX System in which we combine training, accountability and coaching to ensure powerful outcomes. Why are you passionate about helping brokers? We are passionate about helping brokers because our mission is about impacting their lives and assisting them in delivering world-class service to their customers. What the #1 mistake a business owner can make when hiring and training a new employee? The #1 mistake a business owner can make is not having a formalized process documented and structured in building the three critical elements of knowledge, skills and disciplines. Why is training crucial to a businesses’ success? Ultimately the success of a business is how well the team is trained to execute the entire business model. When all things are equal, rate, products, etc., the differentiator for a company or team is how well they are trained to deliver world-class service. Training is crucial in delivering a scalable and successful business. If you could change one thing about the mortgage industry right now, what would it be? I would increase the financial acumen of helping consumers prudently build their net worth. What’s the biggest obstacle you’ve faced in your career? The biggest obstacle I have faced was convincing corporate leaders to prioritize performance training and critical accountability. I was able to overcome this obstacle by providing indisputable evidence linking professional development to performance outcomes. Who (or what) has shaped your leadership style? My leadership style has been shaped by the multiple leaders I have experienced in my career and my insatiable passion for learning what great leaders embody. Where do you turn for leadership advice? I turn to my Advisory Board, other industry leaders and my executive team. What is your business philosophy? Through excellence, there are infinite possibilities. The most powerful words for success are “I am responsible.” How do you handle obstacles? I view all obstacles as opportunities for growing, learning and achieving success. Every obstacle allows you to see what you are capable of. What is one thing that would surprise your coworkers/clients to know about you? I am not sure this would surprise everyone but I don’t watch television at all. What are the biggest challenges facing mortgage brokers and what’s your advice for overcoming them? The biggest challenges facing mortgage brokers are developing themselves into great leaders and creating scale in their business. My advice to all brokers is to formalize your business model with a very detailed business plan, become a student of leadership and surround yourself with an amazing team that fits your model. If you could go back to your first day in the industry, what advice would you give yourself? Seek wisdom immediately. Find the most successful person in your role and interview them. Accomplished professionals will gladly provide advice and insight. Show up with predetermined questions and respect their time. Source URL