CALIFORNIA MORTGAGE 10-5-20

CALIFORNIA MORTGAGE EDITION

6 Things You Need to Do to BE A GREAT MENTOR

GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!

If it’s Good for the Soul,

IT’S GOOD FOR THE BUSINESS

TOP MORTGAGE LENDER

AMESHA LEDESMA COVER STORY

JUAN ARENAS

CALIFORNIA MORTGAGE EDITION

AMESHA LEDESM 7

JUAN ARENAS

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AMESHA LEDESMA Loan Officer Amesha Ledesma – of Paramount Residential Mortgage Group (PRMG) in Laguna Hills, California – is a hardworking, deeply knowledgeable and committed mortgage professional who truly puts her clients front and center during every transaction. Having built a thriving business on a foundation of honesty, integrity 18) TIPS ON A has and true empathy for herBEING buyers, Amesha GOOD TEAM earned her reputation as oneLEADER of the best in the business when it comes to securing loans for her many grateful customers.

CONTENTS 4) 6 THINGS YOU NEED TO DO TO BE A GREAT MENTOR 13) GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!

Able to primaril top beca the best entirety

22) IF IT’S GOOD FOR Interestingly, AmeshaIT’S beganGOOD her mortgage THE SOUL, career on a wager in 2014. “I didn’t know FOR THE BUSINESS anything about mortgages,” she recalls. “The

licensing test has a notoriously high failure rate, and somebody bet me that I couldn’t pass it. I don’t like being told what I can do and what I can’t do, so the next week I took my twenty-hour class and about four weeks after that, I took the test and passed.” Amesha Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 made the decision to begin working as a Loan mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com Processor, before eventually being hired as a No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior by consent of the Loan Officer PRMG in publisher.

2018. Top Agent

Magazine is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials, Top Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.

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6 Things You Need to Do to Be a Great Mentor

Everyone reaches the point in their career where they feel they have gained enough experience and wisdom about business and what it takes to succeed, to actually help someone else achieve the same. Although you may have trained or given advice over the years, taking on the official status as a mentor to someone is a whole new ball game.

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Although mentorship is an unpaid endeavor, you’ll be surprised to find out how much you’ll gain from the experience. You’ll also grow as a business person through the process of teaching someone else. It’s also an endeavor that many will pay forward one day, creating a business atmosphere that is based more on mutual success than competition, which is better for everyone.

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If you were mentored, you may already have an idea of what it entails, and what you liked or didn’t like in your mentor/mentee relationship. Although it is a personal relationship that will need an individual approach, there are certain things that are key when it comes to being a great mentor: 1. Be a good listener

est about your own failures. It can be a huge relief to find out someone they look up to has gone through similar experiences and still managed to come out on top. As we all know, oftentimes the greatest lessons come from failures, which can be times when our character is truly tested. Building trust through mutual respect and honesty will make every aspect of your mentorship more effective.

You’re basically a sounding board who needs to hear your mentee’s ideas, plans and goals in order to advise them. Strong, constant and clear communication is key to any successful mentoring relationship.

Sometimes just letting them talk things out with you, will lead to them to discovering the solution they were looking for.

2. Set expectations and goals at the start When listening to your mentee in your first meeting about the potential relationship, it’s important to establish the parameters of what that relationship will be: What can you give them? What do they need or expect from you? Once the terms are agreed upon, you may want to set specific goals you’ll be working on together so that there’s a defined plan of action, timeline and result you can both expect.

3. Be honest This is important when it comes to offering them constructive criticism or tough love, but more importantly, you need to be honTop Agent Magazine

4. Get them to think, don’t make decisions for them Sometimes being a mentor is being a bit like a psychologist. By asking certain ques-

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tions you can lead your mentee to their own conclusions about their business dilemmas and strategies to reach their goals. Being a mentor is all about guidance. Build confidence by drawing out the best in your mentee rather than just presenting them with solutions.

5. Look at the situation objectively One of the key strengths you offer your mentee is a complete emotional detachment to their business. You have no sentimental attachment to doing things a certain way or working with an incompetent vendor because you ‘go way back’. Your only motive is what’s best for your mentee and their business. Although emotions cans still get in the way sometimes, having a detached perspective on hand to guide you is invaluable.

6. Don’t just offer constructive criticism, be supportive Yes, being a mentor is sometimes advising your mentee that he’s doing something ineffectively, but your main purpose is to alway approach everything like cheerleader.

You need to let them know that through it 6

all, you are a reliable support to them and have a complete belief in their abilities.

Make sure to always praise their accomplishments.

Remember: your job as a mentor is more about guidance than constant feedback.

Your goal is to help someone become the best they can be, not someone who just does everything the way you do it. You’re helping them build confidence in their own intuition, which will hopefully lead to a lifetime of success, and one day, they too might be a valuable resource to another mentee down the road.

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JUAN ARENAS Top Agent Magazine

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JUAN ARENAS “‘My mission is to help families be able to purchase a home,” Juan says. “I often focus on first-time homebuyer products that can help people be successful in their goals.”

Back in 2007, Juan Arenas was weighing his options as a Director of Merchandising at a high-end fashion company. His friend, a mortgage professional, encouraged him to try his hand at the industry, and Juan was intrigued.

When the time was right, he finally made the leap. As he earned his stripes amidst a 8 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

downturn, Juan learned from the ground up.

Now, more than a decade later, he was established a reputation for his honesty, expertise, and personal touch.

Today, Juan is a senior loan officer serving his California clients as they embark upon Top Agent Magazine

the homebuying process. For the last ten years, he has hosted a radio show geared toward mortgage and financial education, with a focus on connecting with the Hispanic community. “My mission is to help families be able to purchase a home,” he says. “I often focus on first-time homebuyer products that can help people be successful in their goals.”

As part of a correspondent lending outfit with an established broker channel, Juan offers clients access to a full range of loan options to suit every financial feed, from FHA and high-balance products to conventional and Top Agent Magazine

first-time homebuyer programs. His brokerage also offers an app for borrowers to use that streamlines the back-and-forth of communication and offers helpful insight into the lending process. “I like the technology we offer, and we have a great platform,” he says. “We direct our clients start to finish, and we’re in constant availability and communication via the app.”

Likewise, almost the entirety of Juan’s business is driven by repeat and referral clientele, or radio listeners, who turn to Juan Copyright Top Agent Magazine 9

“I’m constantly finding new opportunities to help families, and there is always a program out there that can help borrowers reach that next chapter in their lives.

That’s what I’ve focused on my whole career.”

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for his trusted insight and counsel. “I’m passionate about helping families make homeownership possible,” he says. “People are familiar with me through my radio show and are comfortable working with me. I’m constantly finding new opportunities to help families, and there is always a program out there that can help borrowers reach that next chapter in their lives. That’s what I’ve focused on my whole career. I Top Agent Magazine

get so much satisfaction from helping families, and there are always new programs and solutions out there.”

Beyond the office, Juan enjoys free time spent with family and loves ones, especially his beloved wife and four children. “I have a wonderful wife who has supported me from day one,” Juan says. He also enjoys music and staying active.

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As for the future, Juan intends to keep progress steady as he continues to serve aspiring and repeat homebuyers in his home state of California. Now, with thirteen years of in-depth experience and insight, Juan Arenas considers some of the lessons he has learned

over the course of his career in mortgages.

“Everything is possible,” he reflects. “I came here with fifty dollars in my pocket and now I’m a citizen. It doesn’t matter where you come from. Anything is possible, just keep dreaming BIG.”

To learn more about Juan Arenas please call (415) 699–0424 or email juan.arenas@preferredrate.com

http://www.justingrable.com 12Copyright Top Agent Magazine

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Get Your Head in the Game!

By Barry Eisen

Can you think of any top athlete in any sport who is inconsistent in prepara­ tion, has little focus, has no defined game plan, and has low confidence and self-esteem? If you can, you’re not thinking of a top athlete, you’re thinking of a wanna-be poser. There are lots of gifted and talented people in sports, but the world doesn’t care as much about the talent unless it shows up, demonstrates focus, shows a dedicated plan of action and acts like success is the natural by product of all the previous preparation.

The same scenario is true about successful entrepreneurs. You’d be hard pressed to think of a winner who wasn’t prepared, focused, strategized and confident.

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The stories about Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Lionel Messi, Amanda Beard, and thousands of other sports greats share many When you hear negative basic success principles.

Think of the Captains of Commerce in your business and chances are the success principles are much the same.

messages in your mind... take a deep breath and replace them with supportive words.

I’ve been privileged to have worked with some of the very best in sport and business over many years and this is some of what I’ve learned from them.

5 ideas for stepping up your game.

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Preparation is what creates confidence. Don’t work on confidence.

Practice more. Whether it’s practicing getting out of the starting blocks quickly in the 100 meter dash, efficient flip turns in the pool, chipping onto the green from 30 yards away or rehearsing business presentation scripts, introducing yourself while knocking on doors, or closing assertively after a strong presentation...you can’t get around practice/preparation. Check out “the 10,000 Hour Rule,” in Gladwell’s, Outliers. Ya gotta do the work!

Mental practice in a relaxed state of mind (self-hypnosis) can speed up the success process from 2-5 times. Read almost any autobiography of a successful athlete or business personality and recognize this common trait; almost all successful people saw and savored the end result in their quiet, meditative states first.

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The quality of Self-Talk is a big reason for the separation between superstars and the herd that follows. It’s easy to be positive and use positive words when things are going great and your attitude is up. One way of getting and keeping an “up” attitude is to silently tell yourself what the outcome of the next event will be...where the ball will land, your time for the 100 butterfly, the height of the high jump you’ll clear, the room you’ll mesmerize with your speech, the powerful listing presentation you’ll 14

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give today, etc. The result of negative self-talk (self fulfilling prophesy) is obvious...poor posture, unfocused, procrastination, fear. Self sabotage!

When you hear negative messages in your mind...take a deep breath and replace them with supportive words. This will get easier and more automatic with practice and so will your successes.

(If you don’t achieve what you set out for...it doesn’t matter...keep doing this.) The difference in how the ultimately successful get to where they are and where everyone one else gets, is how soon you pull the plug and quit.

Raise your game by staying in it. As you shift your mind your game will improve/your business will improve.

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Visualize the self-talk. Pictures make more and deeper neurological impressions. A picture IS worth a thousand words. The greats in every sport played the game, walked the course, saw the 100 mph fastball come in, saw the touch at the pool’s wall, broke the beam at the finish line well before their bodies were involved. Your actions are based on your thoughts.

Don’t be random. Choose successful pictures that move you forward.

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Feel the satisfaction of success for just a moment. How would it feel hitting that perfect dive, making the 20 foot putt, running your personal best in a 10k, nailing that listing presentation, passing that test?

Allowing the neurotransmitter dopamine to flash through the pleasure centers of your brain, reinforces the positive goal towhich you are moving.

We do things to maximize pleasure or to minimize discomfort. As you associate the task or goal with a positive feeling, you’ll approach the task/ goal with a more open, “CAN DO,” attitude. It’s attitude not aptitude that usually matters more. Like a pep talk before a game, like a supportive hand on a child’s shoulder before a test in school, like a smile from a prospect that says, “I’m open to what you have to say,” feel good about what you’re here to do. You’ll make changes, not because you need to or want to, but because it feels good. Take the kicking and screaming out of your life to experience a more centered and focused energy.

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Relax before you compete/take care of that piece of business. Some use music, some meditate, some create physical rituals (eat a certain food, do push ups, clap hands, stretch, a couple of breathes (and a whole lot of other crazy things you’ve seen. It ain’t crazy if it works.) Create a small ritual that focuses you in the last moment before the event/business presentation/prospecting/public speaking...

Some sport psychology is about emotional, social and or physical issues, more to be addressed by qualified coaches, counselors or therapists, trained to deal with psychological baggage and physical scars. Some business leaders sit in with therapists and coaches to sort out individual blocks.

But after all the analysis is said and done, the smart ones go back to the basics. See the ball, hit the ball.

Copyright©, 2016 Barry Eisen. All rights reserved.

Barry Eisen teaches personal development seminars and coaches Southern California top producing REALTORS®. “Your business will never grow more than you do” is the theme; self hypnosis and behavior modification are the tools for playing a bigger game. barryeisen.com, barryeisen@LA.twcbc.com 818-769-4300 16

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Tips on Being a Good Team Leader Your business is booming, so much in fact, that you’ve finally made the decision to start a team. You’ve made sure it’s financially feasible, and you’ve found the right people, but there is still one other component of a successful team. And that’s an effective leader. It’s your job to not only generate business, but to motivate your team, which in turn increase productivity. Here are a few simple tips on being a good team leader.

1. Evaluate each team member, making sure to utilize their strengths Hiring the right people is one of the first steps in creating a successful team, but once you have those people it’s really 18

important to figure out where they best fit into the operation. Having every team member be an ‘expert’ in their part of the process leads to seamless transactions and a business that runs like a well-oiled machine.

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Of course it’s also important to create a supportive atmosphere that allows team members to stretch beyond their comfort zones, under your guidance. It’s to the whole team’s advantage when people take initiatives to up their game by taking additional training or mastering a new and innovative technology that can improve productivity. The key is to constantly evaluate not only your systems but the people running them. It’s your job as a leader to encourage that personal growth while making sure to always protect against any major misfires. Which leads us to…

2. Always reevaluate what is and isn’t working It’s a good idea to have a weekly meeting where the whole team can convene and go over any snags they may have hit in the systems that you developed when starting your team. Your team is in the trenches with you and since everyone probably focuses on a different aspect of the transaction, it’s important to make sure things are working on every level. Make sure copious notes are taken during these meetings so you have a track record of what was suggested, as well as a history of things that may have been tried and the results.

Another good thing to focus on in these meetings is goal setting. Set weekly and monthly goals, and use the meetings to discuss what’s being done or needs to be done to meet them. When goals are met, it’s a great bonding experience for everyone. When they aren’t, it’s a moment to learn how you can do better in the future.

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Don’t forget to always take in what you can do to be a better team leader as well.

3. Stay connected and in communication These are your team members! There’s more to that than just a label. Be connected to them on a daily basis. Clear, open and honest communication is important on a busy team and that’s much easier if you actually like and trust your co-workers.

Sure you want to succeed for yourself, but knowing that other people you respect are counting on you, is an additional motivating factor, that is certain to lead to everyone going above and beyond creating a wildly successful business.

4. Be inspiring and supportive If you’re enthusiastic about what you’re doing, it really will be infectious. Encourage innovation and creativity. Yes, systems and consistency are great but don’t let your team get in a rut either.

Support their individual careers, always encourage them to go for more, let them rely on you for mentorship. If they sense that you want each member to succeed as much as you have, you won’t find more loyal employees. And perhaps most importantly focus on what’s being done right. Don’t be the boss that just points out things they don’t like. Let them know when they’ve done an amazing job and be specific about what it is. Make them feel valued and they will become a valuable asset to you and your business.

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AMESHA LEDESMA

Loan Officer Amesha Ledesma – of Paramount Residential Mortgage Group (PRMG) in Laguna Hills, California – is a hardworking, deeply knowledgeable and committed mortgage professional who truly puts her clients front and center during every transaction. Having built a thriving business on a foundation of honesty, integrity and true empathy for her buyers, Amesha has earned her reputation as one of the best in the business when it comes to securing loans for her many grateful customers.

Able to do loans all over the United States, but primarily in California, Amesha rose to the top because of her true dedication to providing the best customer service available. Nearly the entirety of her business – she does not advertise

Interestingly, Amesha began her mortgage career on a wager in 2014. “I didn’t know anything about mortgages,” she recalls. “The licensing test has a notoriously high failure rate, and somebody bet me that I couldn’t pass it. I don’t like being told what I can do and what I can’t do, so the next week I took my twenty-hour class and about four weeks after that, I took the test and passed.” Amesha made the decision to begin working as a Loan Processor, before eventually being hired as a Loan Officer by PRMG in 2018.

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or self-promote – is based upon referrals from past clients and real estate agents she has worked with. “I’m very genuine and I’m transparent,” she explains, when asked how she has managed to engender such impressive levels of trust and loyalty. “I’m willing to go out of my way to help people, and I really love solving problems that might come up during a transaction. I’ll have loans referred to me that other lenders don’t want, or that are too much of a headache for them. I’m really good at the guidelines, and I like to find workarounds that a lot of other Loan Officers don’t even know exist. But there are little cracks here and there that allow me to help people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to be helped.”

Amesha is proud of her association with PRMG and the vast array of loan products that are designed to fit any buyer’s needs. “We’re able to do loans that a lot of other companies can’t,” she says. “The fact that our company really doesn’t have overlays and has tried to keep our programs the way they are – particularly considering everything that’s going on with COVID right now – is pretty amazing.”

Amesha works hard to make every transaction as smooth as possible for her clients. “There can be a lot of headaches, and a lot of stress with this job,” she explains. “But my job is to make everything as stress-free for them as I can. They just need to know that if they follow my lead, everything is going to be okay, and we’re going to find a way to close the loan. They can also reach me anytime. I do business on weekends, late at night, and on holidays.”

An avid reader and enjoys nothing more than spending time with family and friends when she’s not working, Amesha has fairly straightforward plans for the future of her business: to simply continue what she’s doing. Her overarching objective, however, is to keep providing her clients with the unparalleled service that has become synonymous with her name.

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For more about Amesha Ledesma, please call 213-793-6991 or email ALedesma@PRMG.net Copyright Top Agent Magazine 21

If it’s good for the soul,

IT’S GOOD FOR THE BUSINESS

Visibility, name recognition and knowing you’re supporting the community that makes your success possible are good reasons to take part in community service. But how is it that some people seem to be able to give time to charities while running their own businesses, managing their own families and households, exercising regularly, attending sporting events and concerts, eating well and sleeping seven or eight hours a night?

The truth is, not all agents are able to do everything so easily. But more important is the fact that no one needs to do everything all of the time. The trick is to make sure that, whatever you do holds meaning.

REALTORS® and mortgage professionals who seem the most gregarious in their community outreach are those whose giving seems to fill their own souls. When their 22

volunteer efforts or donations directly impact causes they or their clients care deeply about, “giving back” becomes energizing.

Jason O’Quinn of Prime Lending in Dallas Texas, for instance, says that his family’s ongoing work building homes for some of the poorest families in Honduras fills him immeasurably. “It rejuvenates me,” he says.

“There’s quite a dichotomy between the houses we build there and the houses we finance here,” he says. “It refocuses me, going from financing $1 million homes in Dallas to physically laying cinderblock for $10,000 homes in Honduras. Everything has more meaning when we sacrificially give of our time, talent and treasure.”

The longtime “big picture” for Colorado REALTOR® and property manager, Linda

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Todd, for instance, has included giving back to the community, whether serving as a lead carpenter for Habitat for Humanity, making deliveries for Meals on Wheels, or pitching in for the sake of baseball. And through her lifelong passion for baseball, she harmoniously blended her personal interests, her work and her community service. For many years, she was so involved Little League the local league named a new field after her. “I cried for 3 days after they told me that!” She and her husband also started a scholarship fund for junior college baseball players and serve as a host family for the rookie league of the Colorado Rockies, putting up newly drafted players in their home.

For Florida REALTOR® and property manager, Mario Gonzalez, neither his business nor his primary community outreach would exist without the other. A retired U.S. Navy pilot, Mario formed his brokerage, Navy to Navy Homes, when he saw a need for military personnel to find affordable homes to purchase. “We got into it to help, but that led to a full-blown real estate business.” Besides providing opportunities for investment and homeownership, the company donates 35% of every commission to Homes for Heroes, veterans’ groups, or organizations benefiting fire, police, medical organizations, churches and homeless shelters. “We’re small, but we give so much back that we were the top Homes for Heroes company in Florida and

top-five nationwide.” But he does none of this for the attention. His friends may call him the “Humble Hero of Heroes,” but helping is Mario’s passion. “To be such a small business and be the top Homes for Heroes affiliate is mind boggling!”

Like Mario, for many, the best service takes place in simple and quiet ways. Illinois REALTOR®, Susie Scheuber, for example, takes a humble approach to giving back. Although she donates a portion of every commission check to the Children’s Miracle Network, she doesn’t discuss this with clients unless they happen to ask. “I do it because I want to and because, to me, giving back is the right thing to do when you’ve been fortunate in business and life,” says Susie.

We all know how inertia works; the more energized we get by certain behaviors, the more likely we are to continue those behaviors. For some top agents, community outreach has become such a natural routine of their daily lives that they never find it burdensome. A good way to add community service into your life, therefore, is through the causes that mean the most to you. For starters, consider giving a small donation after closing to the charity of your client’s choosing. Learning the different causes that they care about just might foster a new mission for you.

If you have a unique story to share about how your community outreach has impacted your life and your business or inspired others, click here for consideration in our magazines: www.topagentmagazine.com/nominate-a-real-estate-agent-to-be-featured Top Agent Magazine

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