We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ashlin Endter a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Ashlin, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
Honestly, I found my purpose at one of the lowest points in my life — when I was, as I often say, “broke, busted, and disgusted.” And I use that phrase intentionally, because that was the truth. I wasn’t just struggling financially; I was emotionally and mentally worn down. Life felt heavy. I remember looking around and thinking, “There has to be more than this.”
It wasn’t one big moment, but a buildup of little, painful ones. Not being able to give my kids the basic things they needed. Watching my friends go off to med school, build careers, chase dreams — while I felt stuck in place. It hurt. But that pain became the catalyst.
One night, I remember lying in bed and praying, “God, if you send me the boat, I’ll figure out how to row.” And that became my mindset. I didn’t wait for perfect conditions anymore. I stopped saying, “Why me?” and started saying, “Try me.”
My purpose came from that pain — from the decision that I couldn’t keep living the same story on repeat. I was tired of surviving. I wanted to live. I wanted to be a woman my kids could look up to, not just listen to. I realized I couldn’t tell them to be great if I wasn’t willing to do the hard work myself.
Finding purpose wasn’t about suddenly knowing what I was meant to do — it was about refusing to stay in the same place. It was about showing up, even when it was hard, even when it hurt. My purpose came from choosing growth over comfort, and now, it’s rooted in helping others rise out of their own stuck seasons — just like I had to.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
What I do today is rooted in where I’ve been — and that’s what makes it powerful.
I’m in the mortgage industry, and while on the surface that might seem like it’s just about home loans and interest rates, for me, it’s much deeper than that. I help people access something that once felt completely out of reach for me: stability, security, and a foundation to build a future. I know what it’s like to feel financially stuck, to feel like owning a home is impossible — and now, I get to walk people through the very process that changes that narrative for their families.
Whether it’s helping a first-time homebuyer feel confident through the process, or guiding someone who thought homeownership was never going to happen for them, I bring my heart into every deal. I believe mortgages are more than numbers — they’re about legacy. They’re about creating space for dreams, healing generational patterns, and giving families something solid to stand on.
What’s most exciting for me is how I get to blend purpose with profession. Every conversation I have with a client is a chance to educate, empower, and encourage them — because I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to feel overwhelmed and unseen, and I never want anyone who works with me to feel that way. This isn’t just business. It’s personal.
Right now, I’m growing my mortgage business, expanding into more communities, and launching tools and resources to make the home-buying journey less intimidating and more empowering. I also continue to speak, coach, and create content around mindset and transformation — because I believe that financial empowerment starts from the inside out.
At the end of the day, I want people to know that where they are right now isn’t where they have to stay. Whether it’s securing a mortgage or finding the courage to change their life — I’m here to help make that possible.
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?
Looking back, the three qualities that were most impactful in my journey were resilience, belief, and communication.
1. Resilience — There were so many moments I could have quit. Times when nothing was working, when doubt crept in, and when it felt easier to shrink than to stand up. But resilience kept me going. I learned that success isn’t about never falling — it’s about how quickly you get back up. If you’re just starting out, understand that the road won’t be smooth, but it will be worth it. Your ability to keep moving through the hard moments will define your journey.
2. Belief — I had to believe in myself before anyone else did. That belief didn’t come from external validation — it came from making one bold decision at a time and showing up even when I was scared. If you’re early in your journey, work on your mindset like it’s your job. Read, listen, pray, visualize — whatever it takes to build belief. Because once you believe, the world starts to open up.
3. Communication — Especially in the mortgage space, communication is everything. But even beyond that, learning how to connect with people — to truly listen, to simplify the complex, and to lead with empathy — that changed everything for me. If you want to grow in this area, don’t focus on being impressive — focus on being intentional. The best communicators are the best connectors.
And one more thing I always tell people: fail forward. You’re going to mess up. You’re going to get it wrong sometimes. That’s part of the process. But if you can learn from it, grow through it, and use each “failure” as feedback, then you’re not failing — you’re evolving. Failing forward is how I got here. It’s how you’ll get where you’re meant to go too.
Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?
For a long time, I believed that to grow, I had to pour energy into all the areas I was weak in. That was what we were taught — fix your flaws, sharpen your shortcomings. But a mentor of mine, who also happens to own a mortgage bank, challenged that mindset in a way that changed everything for me.
He asked, “What if you focused on your strengths instead?” At first, it felt backwards. Like, Wait — shouldn’t I be trying to get better where I’m lacking? But then it clicked. Unless your weakness is hurting someone or holding back the entire operation, it’s rarely where your greatness will come from. In business — and especially in mortgages — we have the ability to hire for our weaknesses. That frees us up to fully develop and double down on what we do best.
And that shift changed my business.
When I started out, I was incredible at getting people through the door — building trust, having meaningful conversations, connecting quickly and deeply. That’s my superpower. But I struggled with processing files, calculating income, meeting all the detailed demands of a mortgage file while juggling 50 calls an hour, compliance reports, and constant client updates. It was exhausting — and I was trying to do it all.
Eventually, I realized: I can do this, but I’m not great at it — and it’s draining the energy I need for the things I AM great at. So I hired someone for that role. And guess what? My business started growing. Faster. Smarter. Stronger.
Now, I lead with what I’m best at: leading, qualifying, building relationships, creating trust, and bringing people into a process that feels human — not transactional. I can still stretch in other areas, but I’m no longer trying to be everything to everyone.
My advice? Go all in on your strengths. That’s where your edge is. You can always build a team or systems to support your weaknesses — but no one else can bring your unique brilliance to the table like you can. Your strengths are your lane. Stay in it — and own it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://4mgmortgage.com
- Instagram: @askashaboutmortgages @4mgmortgage
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashlin-endter-cfmp-cmps-143751267/
Image Credits
Shay Walker
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