PEOPLE
PROFILE
Serving those who serve the nation Even Canada’s bravest need a mortgage broker on their side – and Jennifer Gaudet, a ‘military relocation specialist,’ has stepped up to the plate WHEN JENNIFER GAUDET decided to leave behind a career in television and radio production, it was to better provide for her growing family. Now, after many years in the mortgage business, the Nova Scotia-based broker keeps the families of her military clients top of mind when helping them find the best mortgage, whether they’ve been posted into or relocated out of the province. But the mortgage industry wasn’t exactly her first choice. Gaudet initially found a job as an assistant to a financial advisor and earned her mutual fund license shortly thereafter. “Once I became a financial advisor, I realized I liked advising people and helping people, but I didn’t like the investment side of it,” she says. “My next goal was to get a job at a bank.” Gaudet found work at Scotiabank, where she enjoyed working with people on their mortgages. From there, she earned her broker license with the intention of becoming self-employed. “I had two small children, and I climbed the ladder very quickly for being a single mom with two little kids,” she says. “But I knew I had to have the flexibility to be there for them as well.”
So she went back to the drawing board and found an underserved population: members of the military and their families. That niche made sense, especially as Gaudet lives about 10 minutes outside of the 14 Wing Greenwood military base, the largest Canadian air force base on the country’s East Coast. “I went to the Canex Mall, which is located right on the military base, and they had an office for rent,” she says. “I told them I wanted to rent that office, and that’s how it all started.” Gaudet’s office is located right across the hall from Brookfield IRP, the military’s relocation centre, and from SiSip, the military’s benefits and investment centre. The office is also sandwiched between a military barbershop and the local military museum. When military members are posted into or out of the Greenwood base, they have to visit the relocation centre – and now they usually stop by Gaudet’s office, too. “I’ve essentially created a walk-in business, which I get 80% of my clients from,” she says.
“I’ve essentially created a walk-in business, which I get 80% of my clients from”
Families first Carving out a niche Entering the mortgage market – especially in a small region like Greenwood, NS – wasn’t easy. Gaudet approached local real estate agents, but found their loyalties were already with more established brokers.
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Gaudet’s shift to a military relocation specialist was hardly an accident. In fact, the idea to serve that market first came to her while she was working at the bank. Gaudet found that her clients – many of whom were military members – were more attracted to the mortgage
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7/10/2015 6:07:30 AM