What does an Ironman athlete and a loan officer have in common? This top originator ties it all together
An Ironman race, which consists of 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of cycling and a marathon-length run, is widely considered one of the most difficult sporting events in the world, both mentally and physically.
When Nathan Steiner started training for his first Ironman last year, he couldn’t help but notice that the techniques and qualities that helped him success in his mortgage career is also what was going to get him across the finish line. A competitive spirit, structure and discipline are the tools he’s used to separate himself from competitors in the mortgage field, but also in the grueling race.
“Everyone works hard, but I am my own worst enemy. I am constantly competing against myself, which has created this constant drive that pushes me forward,” he said.
That drive is what pushed Steiner to closing almost $115 million dollars in volume in 2019, and the courage to leap out of his comfort zone to take a new role as vice president of mortgage lending at Guaranteed Rate at the start of this year. After 17 years at Flagstar Bank and many consecutive years as their top producing loan officer country-wide, he knew he was ready to take on a new challenge.
“I wanted to surround myself with people who were more successful than I was, and Guaranteed Rate is known for supporting brokers who are producing at my level. I went from a place where I thought I was capped out to a place where the learning opportunities are endless,” said Steiner.
Another big draw to Guaranteed Rate for Steiner was their emphasis on work-life balance. With technology and a team of support staff, not only is he able to spend more time focusing on referral and client relationships to drum up more business, but he is also able to prioritize time with his wife and three sons.
“I integrate that structure and discipline into my daily routine so I can continue to drive my career forward, but I will never miss one of my kids’ sports games,” he said.
Steiner’s day usually starts around 4:45am when he wakes up to get his workout in. By 6:15am, he’s having a coffee, going through his emails and getting his kids off to school, before heading to the office. By 5:30pm, he’s back home for some family time, and if needed, will wrap up any additional work before bed. This year, he hopes to divide his office hours so he can spend the second half of his workday out-of-office, prospecting and meeting with referral partners and clients, as well as getting in front of financial planners and realtors.
This careful planning and structure also translate to his leadership style. Steiner has just recently built his new team, which consists of an assistant, a mortgage consultant and head processor, a loan consultant who will handle more of the back-end operations and an operations assistant. Each person has their role, but they work together toward one goal. Something that Steiner stands firm on when it comes to his operation is working together in the same space.
“I do not sit in a separate office from my team, I want to be in the thick of it. We all work together, talk out loud and engage with each other.”
The synchronicity of his team, along with his unparalleled work ethic and disciplined regime continues to propel Steiner in his career. He hopes to encourage other young, mortgage professionals to stay committed even when times get tough and never settle.
“Don’t give up. There will be good days and bad days. It’s easy for people to walk away from everything, but I’m a firm believer of keep your head down, take one step at a time, and push forward.”
