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From Uncertainty to Opportunity: Building Success in Mortgage & Business with Parker Knudsen · Epic Entrepreneurs

0:38
SPEAKER_00: Today I'm excited to be joined by Parker Knutson.
0:42
SPEAKER_00: Rate mortgage.
0:43
SPEAKER_00: So Parker, thanks for being here.
0:45
SPEAKER_00: How are you doing today?
0:46
SPEAKER_01: Hey, I'm doing so well.
0:47
SPEAKER_01: Thanks for having me.
0:48
SPEAKER_01: I appreciate it.
0:50
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, no problem at all.
0:51
SPEAKER_00: So let's go ahead and jump right in.
0:53
SPEAKER_00: So for those of you who may not know it yet, who is Parker Knutson and what is Rate Mortgage?
1:00
SPEAKER_01: Amazing.
1:01
SPEAKER_01: So uh Parker Knutson.
1:03
SPEAKER_01: Man, a little bit about me.
1:05
SPEAKER_01: I am a father.
1:06
SPEAKER_01: I just had my second kid about two and a half months ago.
1:10
SPEAKER_01: Um I'm a traveler and I've actually lived in about three different countries.
1:16
SPEAKER_01: Um I'm passionate about real estate finance and I love helping people with all their mortgage needs.
1:24
SPEAKER_01: And rate mortgage itself is based out of Chicago, though we have a very small kind of ma and pa office in the Asheville area.
1:34
SPEAKER_00: So if you if you were to start from absolute scratch, and obviously this is a hypothetical question, but if you were to start from absolute scratch in your business, you know, no brand, no clients, no safety net, what would you do differently the second time around?
1:49
SPEAKER_01: Man, that's amazing.
1:51
SPEAKER_01: And to understand what I do differently, you'd have to understand what I did in the first place.
1:57
SPEAKER_01: So um I was one of those people that fell into mortgage.
2:01
SPEAKER_01: I never really um inspired myself going this route.
2:05
SPEAKER_01: I was one of the people that decided to get a career change in COVID.
2:11
SPEAKER_01: So I was actually teaching English in Thailand at the time COVID came.
2:15
SPEAKER_01: Um COVID happened and we had to come back.
2:18
SPEAKER_01: And I was in engineering before mortgage.
2:22
SPEAKER_01: Um, but I came back, decided I did not want to do that any longer.
2:27
SPEAKER_01: I wanted something flexible, I wanted to make more money.
2:31
SPEAKER_01: And a combination of buying a house and um talking with a friend that was the mortgage broker decided me to make the jump.
2:40
SPEAKER_01: So going from engineering to mortgage, it was really scary to think about going from knowing what I got paid to going to full commission.
2:52
SPEAKER_01: So I actually started as a loan officer assistant for a whopping two months.
2:59
SPEAKER_01: So to answer your question, I would go right to becoming a licensed loan officer without having um being assistant.
3:09
SPEAKER_01: I would have definitely done things uh imperfect or imperfectly and got them done instead of focusing on trying to be perfect and be the best loan officer from day one.
3:23
SPEAKER_01: Um, I also would have just kind of really leaned more into more of the sales side than um necessarily just learning the loan products from the beginning.
3:36
SPEAKER_01: You need to know the loan products, but you need the sales in order to understand the loan products and experience that as well.
3:46
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
3:47
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, I love that advice.
3:48
SPEAKER_00: That's awesome.
3:50
SPEAKER_00: So, what's a lesson you learned the hard way as a business owner that no one really prepares you for?
3:55
SPEAKER_01: Oh my god.
3:56
SPEAKER_01: So I I learned my life the hard way in my personal life too.
4:01
SPEAKER_01: Um, and I've learned so, so, so many things.
4:05
SPEAKER_01: Um the things I've learned the hard way, I would say sometimes, um, especially at the beginning, I feel like almost giving too much passion or time with those clients um was actually a negative thing.
4:29
SPEAKER_01: I I think I realized that people really want to speak to their mortgage person as little as humanly possible.
4:38
SPEAKER_01: So instead of talking with them with updates every single day, little little things, really trying to be intentional and make our time together important and big and really hone in on all those big milestones and updates with uh smaller communication in between.
5:01
SPEAKER_01: Does that make sense?
5:04
SPEAKER_00: It does, yes.
5:07
SPEAKER_00: All right.
5:07
SPEAKER_00: So, what's a lesson you learned the hard way?
5:11
SPEAKER_00: Actually, I just asked that.
5:12
SPEAKER_00: I'm sorry.
5:12
SPEAKER_00: What's one common myth people believe about running a business that makes you laugh now?
5:17
SPEAKER_01: Oh my gosh.
5:18
SPEAKER_01: Um, there's so many myths about just entrepreneur itself.
5:21
SPEAKER_01: There's myths about mortgage, there's myths about real estate.
5:26
SPEAKER_01: Um, I would say that one of the biggest myths is uh the flexibility aspect.
5:35
SPEAKER_01: Um, a lot of people get into real estate or mortgage or entrepreneurship thinking that this is gonna be the key ingredient to buy themselves more time with their family.
5:49
SPEAKER_01: And I think it does eventually, but those first few years, you're definitely working extra to set yourself up for that.
5:58
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, that makes sense.
5:59
SPEAKER_00: That makes perfect sense.
6:01
SPEAKER_00: So be honest, are you naturally more of an entrepreneur or an employee at heart?
6:06
SPEAKER_01: Oh man, I'm definitely much more of an entrepreneur, and um, I'd say ever since I was a kid, I was always scheming on how to make money or dream of businesses.
6:20
SPEAKER_01: Every single passion I've had, I've wanted to turn into a business.
6:24
SPEAKER_01: Um, mortgage is actually my third entrepreneurial journey.
6:30
SPEAKER_01: I've had uh two quote-unquote failed business attempts, one being an artist making jewelry, and one um being kind of a marketer in a way.
6:45
SPEAKER_01: Uh, one was uh a jewelry business, and the other one was selling different air purification systems and blogs online.
6:53
SPEAKER_01: Um, I've always wanted to work for myself.
6:57
SPEAKER_01: I've never really I've always admired leaders and mentors, but I really don't like people telling me how to do things.
7:06
SPEAKER_01: And I love being creative and finding ways how to do things better than what people will find out.
7:13
SPEAKER_01: So um I always love being a leader, I love being a teacher, and I love um being some kind of manager or leader or um a helper for those that are trying to increase their own careers.
7:30
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
7:31
SPEAKER_00: No, it's it sounds like you're just naturally just a real helper.
7:34
SPEAKER_00: Like you want to see people do their best in your life.
7:36
SPEAKER_00: That's right.
7:37
SPEAKER_00: That's right.
7:39
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
7:39
SPEAKER_00: No, that's awesome.
7:40
SPEAKER_00: That's an awesome trait.
7:41
SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's like, you know, it's it's hard to come by these days, you know, in a in a world that's always about me, me, me, me, me, rather than, you know, helping everybody else.
7:54
SPEAKER_01: And I think a lot of people these days they like convenience, they like easy.
7:59
SPEAKER_01: I know before I even started this mortgage journey, you know, I was always scheming on how to make easy money.
8:05
SPEAKER_01: And you hear about people making easy money, and I think it's possibly possible, but what people don't realize is there's a lot of work that those people have to do to get where they're at.
8:18
SPEAKER_01: And it's only the small select few that's willing to put in the time and the blood, sweat, and tears to get there.
8:27
SPEAKER_01: Um, but I'm I'm long-term vision.
8:30
SPEAKER_01: I I see things paying off in the future.
8:34
SPEAKER_00: Nice, I love it.
8:36
SPEAKER_00: So, how do you personally handle stepping away from the business?
8:39
SPEAKER_00: Uh, I guess you could say like vacations.
8:41
SPEAKER_00: How do you handle vacations?
8:43
SPEAKER_01: That is one of my biggest downfalls, I would say.
8:47
SPEAKER_01: Um, I am very dedicated to my business.
8:52
SPEAKER_01: Um, in my business, and being mortgage, if you don't answer that phone call right away, there's a good chance that they're calling that next person.
9:04
SPEAKER_01: So it took a long time for me and my wife and my family to kind of figure out um how the best way I can still enjoy my time with them, enjoy our vacations, and also still close business and bring in business.
9:20
SPEAKER_01: And I'll tell you, it's the curse.
9:22
SPEAKER_01: Every time you go on vacation, that's when you get the most business.
9:26
SPEAKER_01: So, how I change that is um we actually now plan extra long vacations, and I plan on working about a half of a day each day while being there, and then just really being vocal and communicative with my clients and my partners about hey, I'm out of town, I'm still here for you.
9:50
SPEAKER_01: These are gonna be the best times to get me.
9:53
SPEAKER_01: If you need me otherwise, just know I'll get back to you as soon as you can.
9:58
SPEAKER_01: And believe me, it's probably me in my head thinking it's taking a longer time getting back to my clients than what they do.
10:07
SPEAKER_01: Um, I'm just very obsessed with getting results and answers back to my folks really quickly.
10:14
SPEAKER_00: Nice, nice.
10:14
SPEAKER_00: I love it, love it.
10:17
SPEAKER_00: So, how do you personally handle like I guess the work day or unplugging at the end of the workday?
10:23
SPEAKER_00: Um, are you typically a person that at 6, 7 p.m., you're done turning your phone off?
10:27
SPEAKER_00: Or are you taking answer your phones around the clock?
10:31
SPEAKER_01: Yes, so that's also something I've struggled with.
10:35
SPEAKER_01: Um, but I'm slowly getting better.
10:37
SPEAKER_01: And I will say, after having a second kid about two and a half months ago, I think I've really honed in on trying to set those proper boundaries and stuff for myself.
10:49
SPEAKER_01: Um, they just grow so quick, and I definitely don't want to miss anything.
10:53
SPEAKER_01: So I wake up, I get the kids, um, I get my oldest toddler, daughter, bed and ready for school.
11:01
SPEAKER_01: I go into work about eight, I would say, and just really try to work as much as I can till at least four.
11:11
SPEAKER_01: Sometimes I go to 6 p.m., but by 5, I really want to be starting making dinner, starting to decompress, putting a little bit of music on, and really focus on trying to separate my business from the time of my family.
11:29
SPEAKER_01: There's been so many nights where something was going different or sour or sideways or unknown, and I'm sitting there at dinner just thinking about that and not really absorbing that time, and I just realized that time is so, so important.
11:47
SPEAKER_01: So I'm also on dad duty till about 8 p.m.
11:51
SPEAKER_01: Uh, put my kids down, get them bathed, fast booked.
11:55
SPEAKER_01: Um, so I tell my clients that between about uh 6 p.m.
12:01
SPEAKER_01: and 8 to 8:30 p.m.
12:04
SPEAKER_01: is my time to be a dad.
12:06
SPEAKER_01: I will still text them back and I will call them back after that.
12:11
SPEAKER_01: But there are many folks that can't talk during their normal work hours.
12:16
SPEAKER_01: I've worked with a prison guard or a warden before.
12:20
SPEAKER_01: They definitely can't leave.
12:21
SPEAKER_01: So there's definitely late night phone calls that pick back up about 8:39.
12:27
SPEAKER_01: And sometimes my best work gets done after the kids are in bed, and I have that time to myself.
12:34
SPEAKER_00: Are you a night owl parker?
12:36
SPEAKER_01: I used to be, I am now seeing the value in more sleep every day.
12:46
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, sleep sleeps a little bit important.
12:53
SPEAKER_00: No, I I know how it is uh you know, I tell people this all the time.
12:56
SPEAKER_00: I I'm definitely a night owl.
12:57
SPEAKER_00: I don't know what it is.
12:58
SPEAKER_00: I've been like this since I was 14.
13:00
SPEAKER_00: Uh as soon as that sun goes down, I get a second win and I'm like up and ready to tackle everything.
13:06
SPEAKER_00: I don't know why.
13:07
SPEAKER_00: I've always been like that though.
13:08
SPEAKER_01: And now I'm a dad, it's just my my day.
13:11
SPEAKER_01: There's there's no time for just me, except for right in the morning before everyone's up, my lunch break, and when everybody goes to bed.
13:24
SPEAKER_01: So that usually is my time that even if I'm not working, I'm doing something or other for myself.
13:32
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, get it, get it.
13:34
SPEAKER_00: So, looking back, what do you attribute most to your growth so far in your business?
13:39
SPEAKER_01: Man, that is really, really good question.
13:43
SPEAKER_01: And I would say, believe it or not, it's uh it's not the loan product, it's not the rate.
13:52
SPEAKER_01: Um, it's not necessarily the loan credentials that I think most people think about when shopping for a mortgage.
14:02
SPEAKER_01: I truly believe the key to my success has just been bringing in a little bit more human into the financial world and building trust and teaching people that I am not a gate blocker, I'm an opportunity seeker for you.
14:22
SPEAKER_01: And if you're concerned about something, I want to know what that is because I can help you come up with solutions or help ease your anxiety about those things.
14:33
SPEAKER_01: I think that language is the best tool anyone could use, probably in almost any entrepreneurial business.
14:43
SPEAKER_01: Um, if you can master language, you can master teaching those things, you can master the sales of bringing in those people, you can really work and master a lot with just language alone.
15:00
SPEAKER_01: And then once you start to know your your products, your timelines, what works for you and your schedule, that only increases through time.
15:14
SPEAKER_01: Um so yeah, I think it's I think it's the trust, I think it's the transparency, I think it's the language, and I think it's the education for people.
15:23
SPEAKER_01: I think people really do, when they leave me, think that I went above and beyond for them.
15:30
SPEAKER_01: Um I looked out for their best intention, I educated them on all their options available, and I think that reflects my Google reviews and everything as well.
15:41
SPEAKER_00: Very nice, very nice.
15:42
SPEAKER_00: So let's dig into that a little bit more, Parker.
15:44
SPEAKER_00: Because I I'm interested.
15:45
SPEAKER_00: I'm actually intrigued with what you said there.
15:47
SPEAKER_00: So, you know, you're saying language.
15:49
SPEAKER_00: You do you mean you mean not language like the English language itself?
15:54
SPEAKER_00: You mean saying things that you know get over with people correctly?
15:58
SPEAKER_01: Oh my god.
15:58
SPEAKER_01: So actually a lot of both.
16:01
SPEAKER_01: Uh so most of communication will actually be nonverbal.
16:08
SPEAKER_01: However, most of my calls are on the phone, so it does have to be verbal a lot of the time.
16:15
SPEAKER_01: Um, mastering English is definitely like learning how to say things several different ways.
16:24
SPEAKER_01: And learning how, and it's crazy, learning how to better your language by simplifying it.
16:31
SPEAKER_01: Because sometimes with mortgage or other entrepreneurial stuff you're working on, you work with these acronyms and these terms and these words every single day, and you get um used to those things, and it becomes just a common thing for you.
16:48
SPEAKER_01: But most people don't know, you have to explain what PMI is and stuff.
16:54
SPEAKER_01: Um, so the language of how to educate, the language to listen, you need to be able to listen more than you sell.
17:04
SPEAKER_01: In fact, the best uh coffee meetings and stuff that I have with real estate agents is really just me listening to them and asking the right questions.
17:15
SPEAKER_01: And people love to talk about their selves, and then just being intentional with you know what you want to ask them, um, simplifying things.
17:27
SPEAKER_01: Uh, I think also there's a lot of empathy and human emotion and human connection that is explored through language.
17:37
SPEAKER_01: I mean, just for an example, when you're texting someone versus you're calling someone, like they can interpret that message completely different.
17:47
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, I totally agree.
17:49
SPEAKER_00: I I think that's like you said, it's it's not what you say, it's how you say it, right?
17:55
SPEAKER_01: That's right.
17:57
SPEAKER_01: And how they feel about how you say that.
18:01
SPEAKER_00: Now, Park, I don't know if I asked you this.
18:03
SPEAKER_00: Do you have a team?
18:04
SPEAKER_00: Do you have employees under you at all?
18:07
SPEAKER_01: So, yeah, great question.
18:08
SPEAKER_01: So I have two team members that help my clients get to the finish line.
18:14
SPEAKER_01: So I am always kind of the the head of the situation.
18:19
SPEAKER_01: Everyone's calling me first.
18:20
SPEAKER_01: I'm their main connection.
18:22
SPEAKER_01: But I do have what we call is a processor and a loan coordinator that once we do go under contract, they kind of help take that loan through the finish line.
18:36
SPEAKER_01: They help coach those clients on what we need to get that loan cleared.
18:42
SPEAKER_01: They do a little bit of um updates and keeping me informed, and then really I'm still the master project manager, making sure that the attorneys and the real estate agents and the clients and the homeowners insurance people are all on the same page.
19:03
SPEAKER_00: Love it, love it, love it.
19:06
SPEAKER_00: So when you're building a team, let's let's say you're getting ready to hire a new loan processor or coordinator, what traits matter more to you than what's on someone's resume?
19:16
SPEAKER_01: Oh man, so for me, I think I look for people that have different um qualities or perks or um abilities that do things better than I can.
19:32
SPEAKER_01: Um I also look for people that are um not afraid of challenges and tasks because I'll tell you, even if you were the best employee, highest credit, something there's probably still something that we're gonna have to chase or upload or clear to get that mortgage done.
20:02
SPEAKER_01: So someone that's not afraid of challenges, um, I hear it all the time.
20:07
SPEAKER_01: There's no growth in comfort zones.
20:11
SPEAKER_01: So just someone that um, and ultimately I really do want them to be uh good with uh communication and relationships with my clients, but really that's what I'm here for.
20:26
SPEAKER_01: As long as you can get me the things we need for our clients, I will still be that forward dating person to communicate with them.
20:36
SPEAKER_01: Um I've always talked about people too, like I've talked, I was I've been thinking about bringing potentially some other loan officers on as well.
20:47
SPEAKER_01: And I've always thought, oh gosh, do I try to find someone that's already been in this business for a while, or do I find someone that's interested in this business and help mold them to what I want them to be?
21:06
SPEAKER_01: And I think I lean towards the latter, to be honest.
21:09
SPEAKER_01: I think you have to give it two years to even know if you'll make it in this business.
21:17
SPEAKER_01: But I think there's also just a lot of bad habits and things that's harder to relearn than learn in the first place.
21:26
SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay.
21:28
SPEAKER_00: So, you know, going into you know, building that team, you've got a perfect, you know, team of people, loan officers, everything.
21:35
SPEAKER_00: What's something that you do as basically you know their boss or manager uh to intentionally keep your workplace positive, motivated, and productive, you know, especially during like a stressful season or time?
21:48
SPEAKER_01: Oh yeah, and we're in it right now.
21:50
SPEAKER_01: Low the rates are the lowest they've been in three years.
21:53
SPEAKER_01: We're feeling the volume.
21:55
SPEAKER_01: They're feeling the volume.
21:57
SPEAKER_01: I think honestly, in 2026, there's gonna be not necessarily rate issues, but more like hiring issues and stuff if rates continue to be this way.
22:09
SPEAKER_01: Um, I don't know if rates will continue to be this way to disclose that, but we never know.
22:15
SPEAKER_01: But I'm hoping they do.
22:17
SPEAKER_01: Um, so I'm so sorry.
22:19
SPEAKER_01: I kind of sidetracked off that question a little bit.
22:22
SPEAKER_01: Oh, how do I ensure my team are getting well big feedback?
22:26
SPEAKER_01: Back and so yeah, so every single morning, um, I usually have a list that I make the night before of what I want to accomplish that day.
22:38
SPEAKER_01: I like to have my team members know what they need to do before they even clock in by you know nine or so.
22:49
SPEAKER_01: Um I am very, very good about positive reinforcement sandwiching, positive with any negative feedback or things that we could work on.
23:01
SPEAKER_01: Um I love celebrating um failures, we call them, but really a lot of them I like to say are hidden blessings because you literally had to learn this in order to set yourself up for the next place.
23:17
SPEAKER_01: So um positive reinforcement, lots of communication.
23:23
SPEAKER_01: I will like send my team like copies on uh with DoorDash or something just to appreciate them.
23:30
SPEAKER_01: We always have these virtual appreciation cards every holiday that I'll always send, not only just to my team, but to underwriters and closers and uh operational managers and stuff that also help make my life easier and better.
23:48
SPEAKER_01: Um, and just being human again, I think that there's also just a change of work ethic in newer generations and work culture, and what work some people would let work take over their entire lives for generations, others are like this is just a small part of my life.
24:18
SPEAKER_01: Um, so just kind of engaging with them, but also just checking in on them as a human and um just really making sure that we're not just robots, I guess.
24:31
SPEAKER_01: We live in an AI world, but we want to be more convinced.
24:35
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, I definitely agree with that.
24:36
SPEAKER_00: I definitely do.
24:37
SPEAKER_00: So all right, so let's go ahead and quick fire round.
24:40
SPEAKER_00: So I'm gonna give you one word.
24:44
SPEAKER_00: And then when I when you hear that word, I want you to think of the first idea and then expand upon that idea uh as far as what you think about that word when it comes to running your business.
24:53
SPEAKER_00: I like it.
24:55
SPEAKER_00: All right, so the first word is education.
24:58
SPEAKER_01: Education.
24:59
SPEAKER_01: Education is the main thing of my whole business.
25:03
SPEAKER_01: In fact, setting up the proper expectations from the very beginning is also a huge key to my success.
25:13
SPEAKER_01: I mean, literally telling people that um underwriting is annoying and it's nosy and it's frustrating, but don't worry, I got your back.
25:25
SPEAKER_01: We're gonna get you through this, and this is just part of the journey.
25:29
SPEAKER_00: Planning.
25:30
SPEAKER_01: Planning.
25:32
SPEAKER_01: Um always have to be planning on a house.
25:35
SPEAKER_01: In fact, I think a great way to say this is lack of planning.
25:40
SPEAKER_01: If you can plan before going to buy your house, it's gonna be so much better.
25:47
SPEAKER_01: Now, I know and I understand that when you want to make an offer, that's the best motivation to apply.
25:56
SPEAKER_01: However, you could have such a better, smoother, more plans journey had we talked to each other before and got you set up for success.
26:06
SPEAKER_01: Not only that, but you'll be ready for when that perfect house comes and you can send in that letter and win that offer.
26:14
SPEAKER_00: Inspiration.
26:16
SPEAKER_01: Inspiration.
26:17
SPEAKER_01: Everybody has a different inspiration for buying a home.
26:21
SPEAKER_01: Maybe it's to do it for yourself, maybe it's for your family, maybe it's for your dog, maybe it's to become an investor.
26:28
SPEAKER_01: Um, I love to understand what inspires you, and I'm gonna ask you what your short, your mid, and your long-term goals are because it does make a difference with the way we strategize for your mortgage.
26:46
unknown: Commitment.
26:48
SPEAKER_01: Commitment.
26:49
SPEAKER_01: I am committed to my clients seven days a week, uh, pretty much 24 hours a day.
26:57
SPEAKER_01: But I'm literally sleeping sometimes or helping my kids in those small two hours at nighttime.
27:04
SPEAKER_01: But I'm committed to my client, and I think that when you're considering taking a loan officer, you should get someone that is committed and available to you and understands your motivations and inspiration.
27:20
SPEAKER_01: And guess what?
27:22
SPEAKER_01: Most people go shopping on the weekends, so make sure you're working with a loan officer that works on the weekends and answers their phone on the weekend.
27:35
SPEAKER_00: Discipline.
27:37
SPEAKER_01: Discipline.
27:38
SPEAKER_01: Oh my goodness.
27:39
SPEAKER_01: Uh, whether it's in life or an entrepreneurship or creating a schedule to um or a plan to buy your first house, it's going to take discipline.
27:53
SPEAKER_01: And I always say it's not if you'll get pre-approved, but when, as long as you have a little bit of discipline and are willing to work on a game plan.
28:04
SPEAKER_00: Risk.
28:07
SPEAKER_01: High risk, high reward, baby.
28:09
SPEAKER_01: That's the whole entrepreneur journey.
28:12
SPEAKER_01: So um, it is scary to become an entrepreneur, but the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward.
28:20
SPEAKER_01: And remember that failures are hidden blessings.
28:25
SPEAKER_00: Execution.
28:26
SPEAKER_01: Um, sometimes it's better to just execute it less than perfect than to work on it being perfect before you execute it.
28:37
SPEAKER_00: I like that.
28:38
SPEAKER_00: I like that a lot.
28:40
SPEAKER_00: All right, perfect.
28:40
SPEAKER_00: So appreciate that for the quick wrap around.
28:42
SPEAKER_00: That's all the words there.
28:43
SPEAKER_00: So um, you know, and I want you to be as kind of as a channel to answer, you know.
28:49
SPEAKER_00: Let's say if a small business owner is listening to the podcast episode today with me on you, and they feel stuck or overwhelmed.
28:57
SPEAKER_00: What's a piece of advice you'd want them to hear from you today?
29:01
SPEAKER_01: Oh man, so I'll tell you a piece of advice I heard a while back, and I like to share too.
29:09
SPEAKER_01: It's hard to know what you want in life, in your business, in your dreams, in your goals.
29:19
SPEAKER_01: And when you find yourself wondering what is it I want, I want you to take a second, take a big breath, smoke your mental cigarette, I say, and I want you to write down all the things you don't want in life, and then you'll just slowly start to see those things that you do.
29:44
SPEAKER_00: I like that.
29:45
SPEAKER_00: I think I like that.
29:46
SPEAKER_00: So, any words of advice for small business owners looking to grow their business?
29:52
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
29:54
SPEAKER_01: Um, I would say if you can, the the start with the small steps.
30:00
SPEAKER_01: It's so easy to leave an event or a seminar, leave this podcast.
30:05
SPEAKER_01: You're gonna be most motivated uh the next few minutes from getting off of this.
30:10
SPEAKER_01: So, first and foremost, put it on your calendar.
30:15
SPEAKER_01: And if you can, um I would say put at least a half hour a day, preferably when you wake up to just give yourself that half hour to you to focus, to read, to um meditate and manifest, to work on what you want to do that day, and just really, really focus on the small steps.
30:43
SPEAKER_01: And if you can do the small steps, the big steps are gonna compound without you even seeing them.
30:51
SPEAKER_00: Nice, nice, nice.
30:53
SPEAKER_00: I appreciate that.
30:54
SPEAKER_00: So, what's next for rate mortgage?
30:57
SPEAKER_00: What should people be excited about coming up in the near future?
30:59
SPEAKER_01: Oh man, that's really great.
31:01
SPEAKER_01: So, um, I will say we just mid-last year, um, there's so much talk about AI, and I am a little excited about it.
31:11
SPEAKER_01: So, rate um has invested a ton of money into AI, and I will say we definitely have the best, uh gosh, it's hard to say best, but um the quickest, easiest, least document collecting, um, quickest application I've seen.
31:35
SPEAKER_01: We call it the digital mortgage.
31:37
SPEAKER_01: It literally takes people five to ten minutes to fill out.
31:42
SPEAKER_01: It knows what to ask you depending on your answers, so you're not just willy-nilly sending them every single document you absolutely don't even need in the first place.
31:55
SPEAKER_01: Um, but what I'm most excited about is having those tools, but continuing to stay human.
32:02
SPEAKER_01: And I really foresee this AI train really kind of swinging pendulum very, very quickly, and then us coming back as a cultural society to be like, wow, we really do like human and human interaction and connection with one another.
32:21
SPEAKER_01: But I'm excited uh to see what the market holds.
32:25
SPEAKER_01: There's gonna be a change in the Federal Reserve in May.
32:29
SPEAKER_01: I'm interested to see what happens with that.
32:32
SPEAKER_01: Um, we're starting to hear that those people that have six percent and above rates are a lot more common than they were just a couple years ago.
32:43
SPEAKER_01: So I think that will really open up some opportunity for people to move around, free up some inventory.
32:51
SPEAKER_01: And um I'm just really looking forward to connecting with people and learning themselves, their goals, and looking forward to meeting lots of business partners and collaborators and leaders in our communities here in Western North Carolina too.
33:09
SPEAKER_00: Perfect, perfect.
33:11
SPEAKER_00: And finally, what's the best way for someone to connect with you or learn more about what you do?
33:15
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so I would say the best way to contact me would be to call me.
33:21
SPEAKER_01: However, not everyone likes phone calls.
33:24
SPEAKER_01: So if you're not the person on the phone, I think that texting me at 828-767-4329, or uh uh messaging me on Instagram at mountains underscore and underscore mortgage, mountains and mortgage, or emailing me at parker t-a-r-k-e-r dot canute k n u D as and David S as and Sam E-N at rate r-a-t-e dot com would be the next three best ways to contact me.
34:13
SPEAKER_00: Perfect, perfect.
34:14
SPEAKER_00: And and I know you did say something on Instagram there.
34:17
SPEAKER_00: Any other social media besides Instagram?
34:19
SPEAKER_01: I do have Facebook, I do have LinkedIn, but I will tell you fully and transparently I put most of my efforts into Instagram.
34:30
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
34:31
SPEAKER_00: Instagram, I like Instagram too, so no problem there.
34:35
SPEAKER_00: All right.
34:35
SPEAKER_00: Well, Mark, yeah, this has been fantastic.
34:37
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, thank you so much for sharing your story, coming on the podcast today, and sharing your perspective and real behind the scenes of building your business.
34:44
SPEAKER_00: Really appreciate everything you're doing for the community.
34:46
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it was my pleasure, man.
34:47
SPEAKER_01: And uh thanks for having me.
34:49
SPEAKER_01: I love the things you do.
34:51
SPEAKER_01: I want to interview you.
34:53
SPEAKER_01: You've met so many incredible people all across, I'm guessing, the nation.
34:58
SPEAKER_01: Um so just keep on doing you and keep inspiring, and I really appreciate it.
35:04
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, thank you, Parker.