Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Audra McMahon, Founder of The A-Team and Senior Loan Officer at Fairway Mortgage, based in Overland Park, KS, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I’m in the business of making people’s dreams come true, especially through transition when it comes to home ownership. Making the absolute highest and best choice for someone’s home when they are going through a divorce, when they are buying for the first time, when they are choosing to refinance, if they are military personnel coming out of the military and going into a civilian lifestyle, and additionally, I am certified as a Reverse Mortgage specialist helping people save in their retirement years.
Tell us about yourself
This isn’t just my business; it’s my calling. It’s who I am, my privilege, and a gift to share. I’m motivated because I have always been motivated. Home is important to everyone. Even when we are on vacation too long, we want to go home. I love my home, the comfort, safety, love, life, and growth that happens here. Home ownership is the American dream, and I get to be a part of giving that to people. I get to work with them, listen to their goals, and then give them options in today’s wild market and help them plan to meet their goals. That’s inspirational in and of itself.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Well, I’ve been nominated for several awards. According to Scotsman Guide, I am in the top 1% of mortgage originators in the US for 2020 and 2021. That just doesn’t do it for me. I don’t do this work to compete or to have a massive amount of volume. My number one accomplishment is creating a business that is 98.526% referral based. My business comes from people that know me, love me, and trust me. I’m among the top in my profession by being of service to the people who I know first.
I help people identify and then realize their dreams of home ownership in transition. By giving them everything they want and creating miracles in the lives of my clients, I receive all this freedom and accolade in my life. Thank you to all the people who have allowed me to help over the years.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Boundaries, hands down! People love and respect me because I have boundaries, and the people who don’t love me, hate that I have them. The mortgage business wants everyone to be on call 24/7, and the only persons I am on call for 24/7 are my higher power and myself. I’m not even on call all day every day for my daughter, and she is my number 3 priority. My personal reporting system is ordered higher power, myself, and my child. My business comes in 4th. It’s very important. I adore the work that I do. I love and appreciate my clients. No one and nothing is more important than my maker. Same for my health and wellness and my child. I am very systematized, organized, methodical, and strategic.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Absolutely love the business you are in. When your job is not a job, when it is not a chore to go to, then it will be your privilege to show up every day. Love the line of business and the work that you choose to do every day.
Surround yourself with a team that fills in your gaps. You are not going to be great at everything, and that is very difficult for me to accept personally! I do want to be perfect at everything I do, and it’s not possible. My team fills my gaps! They are strong where I am weak, and we work together. I am, the one, although I cannot be “the one” without the support of my epic team.
Finally, this is going to be for life, not just for business. I have one scripture that I know, Matthew 5:37: Let your yes mean yes, and your no mean no. At every moment in your life, do what you say you are going to do. If you need to reset your expectation, reset it, no problem. If it’s no longer workable and you need to pivot - pivot. Do what you said you were going to do, by when you said you were going to do it, or reset your expectations with something workable for everybody involved. Being somebody who overpromises and under-delivers will fail you. Do the opposite, underpromise and over-deliver at all costs. You are nothing without your customers, and if you cannot honor your word to them, you will not be in business long.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://audra211.wixsite.com/audramcmahon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/audramcmahonateam
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcmahonaudra/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audramcmahoncmps/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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