Women are often underrepresented in areas they frequent and, as a result, are treated differently by those who do not relate well to them. This lack of understanding tends to leads to preventable communication gaps between businesses, those they serve, and sometimes even those they employ.
When it comes to home buying, single females are the second largest home buying segment in the country and yet women are largely underrepresented in the profession as compared to their male colleagues in the mortgage industry.
Women in business have some idea as to why. Many report that, in any business environment, it’s hard to be heard as a female. Many women get the sense their older male boss is unable to relate to them and, as a result, they often pass up opportunities for one-on-one interactions. This often results in women dropping out of businesses where they’re unable to progress due to a perceived lack of attention and communication from their supervisors. It also has impacts growth of women in the industry as this attrition may discourage others from pursuing opportunities in the profession in the first place.
Vicky Weldon at Fairway Mortgage is changing that. As a leader in the Frederick-based company, she’s hyper-aware of her influence as a senior executive woman.
“It’s about helping people, more than anything else,” she said of her position setting her clients up with loans and other financial aid. Often, she’s offered young couples or young women financial advice and help outside of her normal work day.
“You don’t get paid for it, that extra work, but it’s the satisfaction of knowing you’ve helped someone with something they’d been struggling with that keeps you doing it.”
At Fairway, Vicky hopes that helping others inspires those they’ve helped to do the same, thereby creating a chain of goodwill throughout the Frederick community. She herself is on the Women in Business committee run by the Frederick Chamber of Commerce and is a strong advocate for S.H.E. Week, the Chamber supported initiative designed to celebrate Strength, Heart, and Equality of Women in Frederick.
As far as advice for women entering the mortgage (or any) field, Vicky says to never forget why you’re doing it. Always strive to help others and let your intentions be good, and you can use that passion to carry you forward. SHE Week, like Fairway and Vicky, hopes to spread this message of filling all your business endeavors and life with strength, heart and equality.
Fairway Mortgage is a sponsor of Frederick S.H.E Week.
About Fairway Mortgage
At Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, customer service is a way of life. They are dedicated to finding great rates and loan options for their customers while offering some of the fastest turn times in the industry. Their goal is to act as a trusted adviser, providing highly personalized service and helping you through every step of the loan process – from application to closing and beyond. It’s all designed to exceed expectations, provide satisfaction and earn trust.
Since opening their doors more than 23 years ago, the Fairway Mortgage team has helped thousands of Americans achieve their dream of homeownership. Ranked as one of the top 10 mortgage companies in America by Mortgage Executive Magazine, they have funded more than $129.4 billion in loans since the company started and more than $21.8 billion in 2018 alone.
Frederick Chamber Insights is a news outlet of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. For more information about membership, programs and initiatives, please visit our website.