Meet Annie Mcniel

 

We were lucky to catch up with Annie Mcniel recently and have shared our conversation below.

Annie, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?

Over the years, I have taken every opportunity to learn all I can about the mortgage industry including guidelines, ways to help my clients secure the house of their dreams and how to educate buyers and agents along the way. By continuing to grow myself, this has created a confidence in my skills and knowledge so that I am confident that I know how to navigate almost any situation that comes across my desk. Since no two loans and borrowers are exactly the same, it is imperative that I am excellent at seeing potential issues before they arise so that I can work through them in advance of them causing a delay or issue with someone closing on their home loan. Because I am continually working of myself, this builds a confidence that I have done what it takes to be excellent at what I do and can impart my wisdom on others.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I grew up middle class but due to my parents divorce when I was nine, I quickly learned the value of money and how hard work provides you the things you want and need to live. Not only that, but I learned that owning a home helped put a foundation for a family, built relationships and community as well as financial stability and wealth. This, along with my love of finance and helping others, is what drove me to become a mortgage loan officer. I believe in what I do every day and that I am helping so many people achieve a lifelong dream that will benefit them for years to come. It is a very special day when someone gets to sign on their new home and new future.

Personally, I am into fishing, sports, pottery, music, reading, traveling and cheering my son on at his soccer and basketball games. My husband, son and I enjoy going fishing together and catching as many fish as we can in the rivers, lakes and bays of Texas. If we are traveling where we can go deep sea fishing, we love doing that too. I recently started taking pottery classes to learn how to make things and tap into my creative side. These classes have given me something I can do for myself to relax while also learning something new. I also recently traveled to Italy and toured most of the country. It was amazing to see all the history, architecture and culture there.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The three qualities that have helped me become successful in the mortgage industry are drive, self motivation and genuine caring for others. Drive is something you are born with and it isn’t something that can be taught. You either want to go after your dreams or you are comfortable where you are. I have always had a drive to achieve and do my best that stems from my childhood and my telling me I could do anything I put my mind to. I truly believed that from a young age so I was driven to set goals and achieve them. Self motivation is important because it is the reason we do the things we do or don’t do. Being self motivated to me means that I do not have to have someone to tell me what to do, how to do it or when to do it. I know what needs to be done and I am motivated to get things done quickly, efficiently and well. At the end of the day, we cannot expect someone else to motivate us to go after our goals. That comes from within. Lastly, genuine care for others is so important in the world we live in. I think so many people only think of themselves and not what others might be going through or need, etc. In my opinion, treating others with the same respect and love you would treat your family or best friends goes a long way. People notice when you treat them well and realize you have their best interests in your heart. I strive every day to make someone happy or smile and/or provide them with support to get through whatever it is they are going through.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

My managerial experience has grown leaps and bounds in the last 12 months. I took over as the Area Manager for my company about a year and a half ago and unfortunately that is around when the mortgage industry hit some harder times. Rates increased, there is an increase in competition however I also had to manage people when it seemed like everything was getting harder to do. With that being said, I had to let a number of people go due to production numbers and close a few offices. That hasn’t been easy because to me, people are what make companies great and I care for every person that has been let go. Learning how to navigate having hard conversations and doing things for the greater good of the company and others that are working really hard has made me stronger.

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