TheMReport — News and strategies for the evolving mortgage marketplace.
Issue link: http://digital.themreport.com/i/1345021
20 | M R EP O RT FEATURE encouraged to bring everything that I have to the table and work with passion to pave the way for the array of women I represent. M // How has your demographic affected your business? HALEEM: Sometimes, when I walk into a room, it's obvious the people there do not expect me to be leading the conversation or providing the solutions. I have not let what other people think about my gender or race affect how I approach projects. I simply prove that I can do my job and do it well by doing so. PIPKIN: Being a minority woman has helped me open the door for other women. My role has allowed me to help women of all races and ethnicities purchase new homes, many of them first- time homebuyers. With more and more women entering the mortgage industry, I am happy to see more women feel enabled to go through the mortgage process. RAMOS: Being a minority in the mortgage industry has given me a level of trust with my minority peers and candidates, allowing me to connect with them and build a true relationship. I hold that dear to my heart, and I hope to never lose that. M // What kind of change have you seen in the industry in regards to minority women? Acceptance? Participation? Mentors? HALEEM: I do not feel like a minority, and that is a huge change. I do not feel the pressure of needing to be twice as good as everyone else in the room to get half the credit. I feel like I can be myself, that my ideas can stand on their own and do not need a stamp of approval from a majority representative. A decade ago, I was hard pressed to find ladies who not only pursued a STEM- based career, but also continued a full-time career post-motherhood. Now, it is more acceptable and more importantly, there is far more support. There have always been women in junior positions, starting their careers and then there are a few women in the C-suite, but middle management was usually an "ovarian desert." I am happy to see this change. PIPKIN: In recent years, I have seen the number of women in the mortgage industry and the number of women seeking mortgages grow significantly. It is a ripple effect. As more and more women enter the industry, more women feel empowered to enter it, and I think that mentorship is a powerful piece that will grow the number of minority women in our industry even further. When entering the industry, I had one strong mentor who allowed me to ask questions, and in turn, brought questions to me. Now, as more women enter the industry, I take that approach with them. For example, I encouraged a young mother to enter the mortgage industry, as I felt the field would allow her to be the parent she needed to be. Now, she has worked with me for six years. In addition, about a year ago, there was a divorced, single mother who was worried about being able to care for her sons. After speaking with her about the industry and helping her to prepare academically, she began working for me as my assistant, and she will soon transition to a loan originator role. Over the years, I have led many women to the industry through similar means. The way I look at it, there is enough business out here for all of us. We just need good people who want to take care of people in this industry, and in the coming years, I hope to see more women take part in mentoring others in the mortgage industry. RAMOS: As women, we have grown so much. Being in the mortgage industry for 20 years now, I am happy to see how far we have come. There has been such a wave of accep- tance, women encouraging other women, partnerships, friendships, and now that some of us are more tenured, we are opening doors for the future women in mortgage leadership. As someone gave me the opportunity to enter the mortgage space 20 years ago, I am passionate about ensur- ing other women and minority women have equal opportunity. M // What have you done to help increase the number of minority women in the industry? HALEEM: Mentoring is key. Irrespective of gender, we are social beings and want to feel like we belong. In addition, increasing participation starts young. Girls need to see that their options are not limited. I support Girls Who Code and FIRST. My daughters have been participants in a variety of STEM-related programs. They may choose a nonSTEM career, but it will not be because they thought that they could not have one. PIPKIN: Simply put, I just talk to women about the benefits of being a mortgage loan officer. Often, I can tell by their person- ality if they would be a good match for the industry, and I enjoy asking them questions and sharing more with them. Once, while conducting business at a local bank, I spoke with a young African American woman about those benefits, and now, she is preparing to enter the mortgage industry. I believe that she will be a great asset to our team, and it all started with just one conversa- tion. In addition, by participating in educational courses and being a part of a community, I have seen the number of minority women increase in the industry, many feeling more comfortable with having a mortgage, and eventu- ally, joining the mortgage industry themselves. Educational courses, such as homebuyer seminars, empower women to purchase homes as they are more confident in their own knowledge about the process. These can be powerful tools in increasing this number. RAMOS: With my new role at Planet Home Lending, I have recently had the opportunity to hire women with skill sets that "I used to feel a lot of pressure because I felt like I represented women in every interaction that I had, needing to do well so more women could get an opportunity. Over the years, that pressure has died down. Part of it may be my own maturity and experience, but I believe the world is changing as well." —Aneeza Haleem, VP of Technology, Planet Home Lending