Monday, September 15, 2014

Taking the Lead: Shane Hofmann


This month's "Taking the Lead" features Shane Hofmann, Home Mortgage Consultant for Edina Realty Mortgage.  Most people think mortgage brokers are a dime a dozen, and in my experience that's been pretty spot on. However, recently I was blessed with meeting one of the rare shining stars in the field of home lending.  After working with Shane, I realized that not all mortgage consultants are created equal...not by a long shot.  When I decided to add this feature to Trinity's newsletter, Shane came to mind immediately as the person to showcase in its first edition.  Find out what Shane has done in his field of home mortgage consulting to become one of the best in the business!



Shane Hofmann
Home Mortgage Consultant
Edina Realty Mortgage
What is the most important thing you have learned that has been critical to your career success? 

Treat people the right way and the rest will take care of itself.

What key steps did you take to get to the role you are in today?
 Early in my career I took mortgage jobs in different areas of the business. I worked on the broker side of things, I worked for a new construction company and I worked in a real estate office. I truly believe that gave me great insight into every area of the mortgage business and made me very knowledgeable in every area of the business.


What is your leadership style?
I’ve never been a rah-rah guy, I think I’ve always led by example. People have always respected me because I treat people fairly & honestly, and try to have some fun at the same time.

What tools or resources have you used that have been crucial to your success?
I might be old school in saying this, but a 1-on-1 meeting can be better than any tool or technology piece out there. Getting to know your clients & referral sources on a personal level has been vital to any success I’ve had.


What steps are you currently taking to improve yourself, professionally?
Edina Realty Mortgage is always offering classes/training on different topics and I attend everything they put on. It’s a great sign when your company is willing to put some dollars/training back into their employees.

What is the next step you plan to take in your career to develop your leadership skills? My long-term goal is to someday get into management. I need to continue to lead in key areas like sales/volume, but also lead in customer service. If I’m not putting up solid numbers, along with treating people well, you’re not going to achieve your goals. I’m constantly striving to get better in every area of our business.

What professional accomplishment or result have you achieved in the past year that you are proud of?
I was recognized for market share within our company, which just awards the top producing loan officer for percentage of deals within our office that are going to me as the loan officer. That is a huge key to any success I have and just shows that the people I work closely with trust me with their clients and handling of their business.

Have you experienced a career or leadership challenge recently that you have overcome?

Not necessarily a leadership challenge, but a generational challenge. As a 30-something, it’s easy to get caught up in today’s technology advances and tools. But not everyone works with those tools today. I had to remind myself that isn’t the only way to do business. You have to communicate with people the way they want to be communicated with. Sending an email to someone might not mean nearly as much as picking up the phone and talking to them.

Would you mind sharing some of the tips on how you were able to change what was perhaps a negative career challenge into a positive outcome?
Have a formal way to stay updated with your referral partners. I felt like I was staying in touch with my referral partners and was updating them, but I got some feedback that they’d like something more formal. Since then I set up an afternoon every week and put it in my outlook calendar that I don’t do anything but update my referral partners on what is going on with any of their clients or to just touch base. I can tell it’s made a difference in my business.

What are some top tips you can recommend to other professionals who want to be recognized as a high potential emerging leader?

Status quo is never good. I’ve been in the mortgage business for 12 years and I’m still striving to become great. There are always areas of your business you can improve. Don’t become stagnant, look for opportunities to make yourself better, or make your business better. If you see or know of a great leader in your company, take them to lunch and pick their brain! Learn from the people around you.

Thanks Shane for your awesome insights!

If you're ever in need of a home mortgage or are looking at refinancing your current property Shane is a great resource and you'll be glad you turned to him! He comes highly recommended by yours truly!

To find out more about Shane and the services he offers, please visit his website by clicking
here.



1 comment:

  1. When it comes to a Home Mortgage Consultant Shane Hofmann is a true Professional and asset to the Mortgage Industry.

    Thomas Foust,
    Farmers Insurance

    ReplyDelete