Even as companies all over the country are losing millions of employees a month in what is now dubbed the Great Upgrade, one metro Denver small business is bucking the trend, doubling in size during the pandemic by making it easy for motivated and creative talent to switch careers.
How did they do it?
“Our company provides a supportive, team environment for self-driven and disciplined individuals,” said Dave Gallegos, President of Zenith Home Loans in Greenwood Village. ”When the pandemic hit, many highly-motivated people were looking for a career change and working at Zenith is one of the few places where hard work directly correlates with financial success.”
What sets Zenith apart from other companies, especially other mortgage companies, is its Elite Sales Training Academy, which helps prepare new loan originators for success. The program guides trainees on how to find clients and build structured and efficient habits, while also providing trainees with a base salary as they learn. Gallegos said the training academy ensures the right people always have an opportunity to be successful. The new employees call the program a game-changer.
Christine Angely was working in copier sales for seven years before she switched careers and joined Zenith in 2020 – six months into the pandemic. Now she is one of the top loan originators at the company.
“I really wanted a job where I could make my own destiny,” Angely said, noting that the training program provided a bit of a safety net as she learned. “It’s a lot of hard work but worth it. Honestly, it’s the best secret job no one knows about.”
Many of the new employees cited how fulfilling it is to help educate homebuyers about smart decisions for their long and short term financial future, and they stay in touch with them each year for a mortgage checkup.
Wanting a career change, Jan Abrego left his job at a large bank nearly two years ago for Zenith’s training program. Abrego, who speaks fluent Spanish, serves a lot of first-time homebuyers in underserved communities.
“It’s an amazing feeling to give a helping hand, especially to those people who didn’t think they could own a home,” he said. “In some cases, it’s life changing for them.”
While experience in real estate or the loan process is not required to join Zenith’s training program, Gallegos says successful loan originators tend to have three core traits: accountability, drive and smarts, which he defines as the ability to continually grow and learn.
Matt Baldwin, who switched from a job as a manager at Costco for a position at Zenith, wanted to add one more.
“No ego,” he said. “To be successful here, you need to leave your ego at the door.”
Switching careers is more common than ever, and businesses need to adapt to the needs of employees looking to explore and find their place in the world. As for employees ready to make that next career leap, Zenith Home Loans is a great place to begin exploring. Contact Dave Gallegos at daveg@zenithhl.com to start the conversation