Lindsay Sills - InsightsSuccess

Lindsay Sills has spent 20 years in the mortgage industry all while raising a family of her own with a little one on the way. Her passion for assisting consumers with solving their financial obstacles to homeownership and desire to act as a role model for her growing family serve as prime examples of why women are leaders in both the mortgage industry and the community. What interested you in starting a career in the mortgage industry? I was always passionate about real estate. My grandmother instilled this in me at a very young age through finance. So after I bought my first home (a duplex) at age 18, I was hooked and knew I had to get into the mortgage industry. What’s a career highlight you’re most proud of? There are so many, one story really touches my heart every time I think about it. A few years ago we helped a homeless veteran buy his first home. The story is long, comically entertaining and heartwarming at the same time. To this day he still tags me on Facebook every time he talks about his home. What’s unique about your business? I educate clients. I break every step down into simple to understand steps without making the clients feel dumb. Empowering them to really “know” what a mortgage is and why we ask for each thing we do. I make zero assumptions that people should know what we do. Due to this style of teaching, we help a lot of first-time homebuyers and business owners buy homes. How has being a mother made you a stronger business professional? I’ve always felt like I had something to prove, not to others but to myself and my kids. I wanted to make it clear to my kids that running a business and being a mom is possible no matter what anyone says. My daughters, now young adults, are growing into strong women. I can only hope that I’ve helped turn them into those women. As a parent, what skills do you feel are most transferable to your role as a mortgage professional? Juggling a thousand things at a time and not getting upset at the little things. How has your career affected the way that you parent? This industry can be hard. My kids have taught me that it’s okay to feel pulled in a million directions and it’s okay if I have to work late sometimes. They know I love them and that everything I do is for them, so it’s not necessarily affected how I parent, so much as how we work together as a family. How do you balance work and family? I don’t. Work-life balance is a myth. You will always feel pulled in one direction or the other. The best thing you can do is communicate with your family, don’t miss the big stuff, and remember that the work will be there tomorrow. What is your business philosophy? Service first, money second. As long as I am providing the service my heart calls to and I’m ethical, trustworthy and serving my clients, the money will come. What are the biggest challenges facing mortgage brokers & what’s your advice for overcoming them? This may sound funny, but stop chasing shiny objects! Get a simple database, a phone that works and a team if you have the volume. Stay in front of your database, call real estate agents and make relationships. If you could go back to your first day in the industry, what advice would you give yourself? Work for yourself and don’t be afraid, you’ve got this! Source URL