1) What steps in your career led to your Business Development role at Optimum?
“I entered the financial services world in 1972, so I’ve been in this industry for 43 years! My background includes time as a bank manager, manager for a retirement lodge, director in a prominent banking company, and mortgage agent. In 2010, I was approached to work at Optimum and have been here ever since.”
2) What do you enjoy most about the position?
“I like the camaraderie here and the team building aspect. We’re able to make decisions quickly, and our key decision makers are very easy to approach. We also have a strongest team atmosphere that I’ve ever experienced.”
3) What have you learned over the years that brokers look for from a Business Development Manager?
“I’ve found that many brokers are looking for a sense of partnership. They want good answers and good service, but most of all, want to feel part of the ‘Optimum Team’. This team includes everyone: the underwriter, mortgage administrator, funder—all working toward the same goal.”
4) What’s a favourite story you have from your time at Optimum?
"During our annual meetings in 2014, Susan, Emily, Martene and I were all on the same team for an activity we were in. We took a picture and coined it ‘Rod’s Angel’s’. It was great!”
5) Some of your brokers know that you’re a certified personality trainer. Why did you decide to take formal training in that area, and how can your brokers use this knowledge themselves?
“Years ago, I was a trainer for a banking system and found that just dumping product information wasn’t the most effective way to teach others. After attending a conference about the DiSC personality assessment program, I realized that if we knew how to speak to clients in the same way they saw the world, they would probably be much more likely to listen to us.
In 1994, I travelled to Atlantic Georgia to become a Certified Behaviour Consultant. I took what I learned back to my training sessions and saw our success rate increase about 30%!
I found that creating relationships with clients allows you to create partnerships so much faster. If any of my brokers want to be trained on personality assessment to grow their own businesses, I can easily set up a session—it takes about 45 minutes.”
Bonus question: Words to live by?
“Here’s what I think about every day:
‘I don’t have to go to work—I get to go to work.’
I love what I do and feel lucky to have the opportunity to do what I love every day. I try to approach everything from that mindset: it’s not that I have to, it’s that I get to.”