We had the good fortune of connecting with Marette Gillen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marette, what role has risk played in your life or career?
As a mortgage professional, mom, and wife, I deal with risk 24/7. When I receive an application, it is my duty to determine if the customer can meet the guidelines for a home loan. There are a variety of risk factors to identify depending on the type of loan, and no two applicants are the same. To put it simply, imagine a friend is asking you for $1,000. If your friend has a history of asking for money and repaid you on-time, you would extend them the money. Should your friend have a history of not paying you back on-time, you would have obvious hesitations about lending $1,000. You may even pass entirely on lending them money until they prove they can repay you. The same logic applies to mortgage lending. To measure the risk of a loan application, I analyze a borrowers history of repaying debt, and their likelihood to repay the proposed mortgage loan. Learning how to measure risk of a borrower in an efficient way has been rewarding for my career, but success does come at a cost. The most weighted risk I take is missing time with my family; the notorious “work life balance”. I have overwhelming guilt at times when I find myself working long hours past my partner, but I continue because the risk seems worth the reward. As a family, we invest in real-estate to reduce the risk of relying off of my commission job. Commission changes with each month and if I don’t close, I don’t have money to contribute to the household. Weighing risk plays a big role in my life, and it can be difficult to make choices at times.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When I am not reviewing loans, I am marketing. There is a considerable amount of marketing required in this industry to stay relevant. The evolution of social media is insane, and I find myself trying to figure out what social media platforms work for me and what doesn’t. Staying top of mind is a necessary evil, expensive, and it can take on many different forms. I enjoy creating content for social media, hosting events, meet with realtors/recruits, or volunteering. There is more to the job than reviewing loans, and I love that I can use my creative side.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

In The Woodlands there are many great restaurants and things to do. To start the week off, I would book a deep tissue massage at The Woodhouse Spa followed by sushi at Uni Sushi in Market Street. The spicy edamame and ribeye beef roll is quite good here. Head to dinner at the family owned restaurant Eden Cafe on Wednesday night for half of wine bottles. Eden Cafe is known for their steak salad and Cuban ropa vieja. Thursday night would be a great night for TRIS and their steak board, an off-menu must try. Friday night I would make reservations at the Olive Oil for 7:30 to see the belly dancer, my sons favorite thing to do. One of the best items on the menu is their Keftedes and the Saganaki (flaming cheese) set on fire by the table. We would end the week at Margaritaville on Lake Conroe to get some sun, enjoy the pool bar, and float on the lazy river.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mother, Cathy Gibb, has been in the mortgage industry for over 40 years and is a phenomenal mentor and manager; she is also my best friend. Growing up when I would leave school, she would pick me up and take me back to her office until sundown. Being next to her taking phone calls, problem solving, and “talking shop” is the direct link to my success as a mortgage originator. I didn’t take a class and learn how to be successful, it was being her shadow. Watching her navigate such a roller coaster of an industry also while maintaining lifelong relationships and friendships is priceless mentorship. I know that undermining others for a short-term gain for myself will never win me long-term success, and that has carried me a lot further than anything else. People talk, the world gets smaller as we get older, and it’s important to do the right thing when you think no-one is watching. Someone is always watching. She taught me to do the right thing and I am so thankful to call her my mom.

Website: www.uhm.com/mgillen

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mortgagewithmarette/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marette-gillen-957ab3154/

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