Today we’d like to introduce you to Catherine Leslie.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Catherine. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I like to call myself an “honorary native.” My family moved from Fort Worth, Texas to Niwot, Colorado in 2nd grade and I have called this beautiful state home ever since. I attended Dawson School, a K-12 college prep school, from grades 2-12. The education was amazing and the friends that I made are still, to this day, my best group of girlfriends. I’m actually going to be standing as a bridesmaid in one of their weddings this Fall! In addition to maintaining a rigorous academic schedule, I was also able to follow my passion for dance which began at the age of three.
Through middle school/high school, I had the privilege of dancing with Expressions Dance Company, Artistic Fusion Dance Academy and The Schiff Dance Collective. I also performed at Boulder’s Dinner Theatre in The King and I and The Music Man. Fun fact – I learned to play the trombone for The Music Man! Can you imagine little 5’2” me in a big top hat playing the song “76 Trombones” every night? I would be dancing/performing roughly 20 hours per week but I loved it!
For college, I decided to attend Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. Keeping up with my Advertising/Marketing & Dance double major was totally doable and allowed me to pursue multiple interests. Freshman year, I was “that girl” running from morning Ballet class to my afternoon Math class in a sweaty leotard. Yep – super attractive. Despite being busy with classes, I still found time to have a lot of fun, explore Dallas and pledge a sorority (proud Chi Omega over here). AND YES –SMU is the reason I still say “y’all” and sometimes sound like I have a southern drawl after one too many margaritas!
After college graduation, I moved back to Denver to work in Marketing and realized it wasn’t for me. One of my mentors saw that I wasn’t happy and offered me a job in the mortgage industry. Looking back, I couldn’t be more thankful for the direction and encouragement I received from that mentor because it led me to where I am today. I finally felt like I had a purpose in my work and knew that I was on the right path.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
As you can expect, it hasn’t always been a smooth road. If you want to be successful as a Mortgage Loan Originator, or successful in any entrepreneurial role, then you need to understand that there will very hard days that come with the good ones. I’m still learning and growing but here are a few things that have helped me along the way, thus far:
1) Get a business coach/mentor – Don’t ask your best friend, mom or dad. Find someone that will be able to give you a new perspective from an objective point of view. I started working with my business coach about four months ago and it’s been one of the best decisions for my career. As a young woman in this industry, it’s great to take direction from a coach that has great experience and can guide you along your professional path. If you don’t have time or money for a coach then head to your favorite app – Instagram! Start following influential powerhouse men and women for daily inspiration. I follow Sara Blakely (CEO of Spanx), Gary Vaynerchuck (Social media expert & owner of Vaynermedia), Dr. Joe Dispenza (Expert on neuroplasticity & meditation), Julie Nguyen (Creator of Energetic Movement Collective & Colorado native), just to list a few!
2) Remember your “why” – There will be days where you feel defeated and confused. Maybe a new potential referral partner declined your meeting invitation, maybe one of our buyers didn’t get their offer accepted, or maybe you just had a fight with your boyfriend/girlfriend and don’t feel like working. Whatever it may be, always come back to your “why.” Why do you do what you do? For me, my “why” is to help as many people as I can each day. That could be in the form of helping a buyer realize they CAN, in fact, buy a home when other lenders told them they couldn’t or maybe I run into someone having a bad day and they simply need a smile. Remember your “why.” If you don’t know your “why,” then take some time to think about it today.
3) Tap into your personal “it factor” – Everyone has unique qualities that make them stand out from the rest. Start thinking about your unique qualities/gifts and see how you can use them to your advantage in your business & personal life. Things got a lot easier and less stressful for me when I started doing this. I found that my work became much more enjoyable when I was able to just be myself. Give it a try and notice how you start to attract like-minded individuals into your life.
4) Network, network, network! – Get out in the community and meet people. No, I don’t mean go to another happy hour, act awkward and pass out your business card. No one likes to do that! Instead, find a way to meet people that love what you love. For instance, if you have a passion for helping underprivileged youth then go volunteer at the Boys and Girls club. If you like to dance then you spend time in an adult jazz class. You’ll be amazed at how easy and natural it feels to “network” when you’re doing it organically through something you love.
5) Have Faith & Practice Gratitude – For me, my faith in God has been crucial to my growth & development in this career. Whatever you believe, spend more time tapping into something greater than yourself. Your life (career, relationships, family, health) will feel more whole & satisfying when you strengthen your spirituality and look outside yourself.
6) Read! – I’ve never been a huge reader but can honestly say that adding helpful reading to my schedule has been a game changer. I LOVE all of the You Are A Badass books by Jen Sincero. If you need immediate motivation, please go buy these books tonight. I’ve also loved Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill. A lot of my recent reading focuses on the importance of mindset and meditation. My most recent purchase is The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer. Next time you sit on your couch and want to watch Netflix, reach for a new book instead.
Please tell us about your work.
I help people with one of the biggest purchases of their lives. As a mortgage loan originator, my job is to help clients find the best financing option for their dream home. My goal is to make the process as simple and stress-free as possible because buying a home shouldn’t be scary or intimidating; it should be fun! There are so many misconceptions about the process, so I pride myself in demystifying everything for first-time and seasoned buyers.
There are a lot of lenders these days that will simply decline someone’s application due to credit score. I don’t do this. Even if someone can’t buy at the moment (due to credit, income, assets), I work with them to get them to a spot where they CAN buy. It’s not “No”, it’s just “Not right now.” Most everyone can become a homeowner if they have a roadmap to get there.
I’ve been with my current company (Spire Financial – A Division of AmeriFirst Financial) for about 1.5 years now and continue to love my career each day. I love educating buyers about their home buying options and look forward to continuing to grow my business across the Front Range. Feel free to reach out with any financing questions! I also have a wonderful network of trusted realtors out here too, so let me know if you need a referral.
Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
Because of the great female leaders/role models in my life, I’m going to say no – I don’t believe there are true barriers/limitations for more female leaders. The women that I know have pushed past any said barriers and proven that “the limit does not exist” (for all of my Mean Girls fans). They’ve decided that they wanted to be known as strong, smart and resourceful rather than simply identified and trivialized by their gender. What I love about the real estate industry is that if you work hard, you can be successful. End of story. You can be a badass business woman that works hard, is successful and owns her femininity all at the same time. If you put limits on yourself and allow gender to hinder/define your career then that’s really a shame. Being a female leader and businesswoman is completely possible, especially here in Denver. We have such a supportive community and many of the female leaders that I know are very much celebrated and praised. As I previously mentioned, Sara Blakely is a great example of a woman who decided to ignore the so-called “barriers” that she faced and just go for it. Check out her Instagram posts. She’s killing it because she’s 100% authentic and true to herself. She’s smart, strong, feminine and fearless. I love this quote of hers – “It’s important to be willing to make mistakes. The worst thing that can happen is you become memorable.” – Sara Blakely. Go after what you want and don’t be afraid to make mistakes along the way!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cleslie.spirefinancial.com/
- Phone: 3038452064
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherinemortgage/
Image Credit:
Mark Stevens Photography, Spire Financial
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