Are you ready to make the life-changing switch to wholesale and take advantage of what ‘going independent’ offers you as a mortgage broker or loan officer? Our team at BeAMortgageBroker.com is here to help you every step of the way.

PAYING THE AMERICAN DREAM FORWARD

The American dream means something different for everyone. For some, it’s finding a fulfilling career. For others, it’s owning a home. Veronicah came to this country looking for her own piece of the American dream. Little did Veronicah know she would end up helping others do the same in the mortgage business.

CURIOSITY LEADS TO A CAREER

Veronicah immigrated to the United States from Kenya in 2008. When she and her husband were buying a house, Veronicah’s natural curiosity kicked in when it came to the mortgage process.

“I wanted to know every single thing,” said Veronicah. “I’m not the kind of person that you can give a document to and I just sign. I read everything, I ask questions and I ask more questions. I was interested to learn about the details in the homebuying process and I thought to myself, I want to know more about this.”

Impressed by her inquisitiveness, Veronicah’s real estate agent suggested that she get into the real estate business and introduced her to a local independent mortgage broker who was looking for help. They hit it off immediately and the broker-owner hired Veronicah as a loan processor at their brokerage in Peoria, Illinois.

DOING HER HOMEWORK

Early on, Veronicah leveraged every resource she could to learn about her new career in the wholesale mortgage industry. She leaned on her independent mortgage broker and her lender account executives, all while doing plenty of studying on her own.

“I am a very independent person so I like to be able to learn new things and be able to research and try to find out more about the work that I’m doing,” said Veronicah.

Before long, Veronicah set her sights even higher. “I actually ended up surprising my boss,” she said. “He didn’t know I was studying to take the test. I just told him, one day, I will become a loan officer. And he said he wouldn’t put anything past me.”

In 2019, Veronicah completed her training, passed her test and became a licensed mortgage loan officer. As far as she had already come, Veronicah knew her work was just beginning.

BUSINESS-MINDED, PEOPLE FOCUSED

Growing up in Kenya, Veronicah saw firsthand what it’s like to be an entrepreneur. At 14 years old, she was helping run her mother’s small business, a kiosk in her hometown of Kimana. As a mortgage loan officer, Veronicah is selling a different product, but it brings a similar result.

“It brings me joy to help other people,” Veronicah said. “People tend to trust me and once people are comfortable, it’s easier to get the process moving in the right direction.”

It also helps that Veronicah can provide her clients with an experience that is unique to working with an independent mortgage broker.

“Going to an independent mortgage broker, I always tell people their advantage is I can look around for the best rate,” she said. “They can’t find that anywhere else.”

A HELPING HEART

Eventually, Veronicah and her husband plan to return to Kenya to build a rescue center for women and children. She wants to provide hope for those who desperately need it in her home country.

“I can go back there and I call tell them, I went to America and I was given a chance. And because I was given a chance, I have the opportunity to give you a chance,” said Veronicah.

As she looks forward, Veronicah also takes time to reflect on the irony of her journey. From seeking the American dream for herself to helping others achieve it through homeownership.

“Being able to come here, being able to be given this chance to be in the wholesale mortgage industry, it means more to me than anyone would ever be able to understand.”