Exec encourages women to don an iron determination when entering the field
Woman mortgage professionals face particularly tough challenges in a traditionally male-dominated sphere, according to Tracy Valko, founder and chief visionary officer of Valko Financial as well as a CMP 2022 Woman of Influence.
“Women as leaders in the financial spectrum [have] not only been undervalued, but [also] underutilized,” Valko said in a recent interview with CMP TV. “Going through the journey I had, I don’t know how many times I was told, ‘As a woman, here’s your place, here’s where you need to be.’”
Especially for women, Valko advocates an iron determination to thrive in the field.
“You have to have resilience; I think that’s the number one requirement,” she said.
It is this characteristic that Valko said helped her plant her foot on the ground and tell her detractors, “‘No, this is where I know I deserve to be, because I know I’m doing good for people.’”
For Tracy Valko, Chief Visionary Officer & Brokerage Owner at Valko Financial, there’s a “huge need” to address the fundamental basics of financing.https://t.co/CL3J7sj0Na#mortgagenews #mortgageindustry #financialliteracy #mortgageprofessional
— Canadian Mortgage Professional Magazine (@CMPmagazine) July 6, 2023
For Valko, among her greatest strengths as a mortgage leader is compassion, a trait that she said is not normally seen in the most flattering light in the financial services industry.
“Many other people look at that as a weakness in leadership, but it is so much more of a strength [when it comes to being] a leader today, because you need to be able to put people first – and be able to foster what [your people’s] strengths are,” she said.
This especially applies to the client-facing side of the transaction.
“In an industry where we’re all about numbers, you sometimes have to take that aside,” Valko said. “We really need to look at people’s situations, because I think [in] money, there is trauma – and helping people through their trauma, and recognizing it, can really help you get some really good headway, see good success with families and individuals.”
The exec also encouraged women leaders to become more adaptable, and to listen to the expert inner voice that they have cultivated during their careers.”
“Pivoting in different situations… and trusting your gut. I don’t know how many times over the years when I sat there and said, ‘I should have trusted what I knew was right.’”
Watch now: What does it take to be a Woman of Influence in the industry?
