559. Turns Out Mortgage Lending Was Plan B

Stephanie Weeks

Stephanie was so dead-set on a career in law, she had no Plan B. Everything she had done in college and work had pointed her toward that goal. Then, after graduation, she received the news that totally changed her path. It turned out, there was a better option.

Stephanie Weeks has been a mortgage lender for more than 13 years. Little did she know that this would become her passion. She has closed thousands of loans totaling hundreds of millions of dollars in volume, but the real joy in her career comes from the smile that she sees from buyers and sellers during a smooth and on time closing. Her mission is to change the world one loan at a time, which inspired her to write the book, “Mortgage Peace: A Proven Formula for a Smooth On-Time Closing.”

How Did You Start Using Your Talents?

“When I was 15 years old my parents bought me my first car, a $4,000 Honda. About 10 days into car ownership, I managed to total that car. My parents said, ‘Well, we spent our money. Now it is time for you to spend yours.’ I had to get a 40 percent interest loan to buy a car from a junk yard and put it back together. So, instead of driving a nice, one-color Honda, I drove a Dodge Lancer that was 75 percent silver and 25 percent brown. It was so awesome! I learned to take care of it, put gas in it and pay the insurance. To this day, I know a lot about car engines. I always managed to put holes in the oil pan. I could not afford to constantly replace things, so I had to learn how to be resourceful and fix them. I learned all about brake and power steering fluid, and keeping water in the radiator. You name it, I learned it!”

The Most Impactful Turning Point?

Throughout college, Stephanie was dead-set to go into law. She had no Plan B. She studied pre-law, became a notary public, and earned certification as a legal secretary. But after graduation, her career path changed unexpectedly. “My husband and I had married at age 20. We had bought and sold several properties and built a house. On the day before the closing to sell our house, I found out I was pregnant with our daughter. I thought: ‘I have had three jobs, gone to school and worked full time, so now I cannot imagine I can go to law school full time, hold down a job, start a family and build a house. Even for me, that’s a little crazy!’ So, I went into panic mode. Looking back, I would not change what happened for all the world.”

The Most Powerful Lessons Learned?

“We need coaches and mentors in our lives. A lot of people think, ‘I don’t want to spend money on a coach,’ but I think you need coaches that help you with physical fitness, health, your business, and a spiritual coach. I’ve been fortunate to have those in my life because nothing that I am doing has been freshly created by me. I am not super smart, creative or super intelligent. I just take things I have learned from other people and either implement them or at least use them as a base.”