Marcy Berg from Mortgages4women.ca was one of our first sponsors. She believed right from the start in what we were building at the womeninbiznetwork.com, and we believe in the tremendous value she offers. If you are looking to renew or apply for a mortgage, Marcy is your woman – she understands entrepreneurship and women inside and out… why would you want to work with anyone else?
- Tell us about your business.
Mortgages for Women is a mortgage brokerage dedicated to women. It was born of frustration with a banking career that did not speak to me as a woman or a mother. My women know whether they are single, married, separated, divorced or widow “Prince charming is not a mortgage strategy”. I have set out to make women more aware of their financial contribution to the bottom lines. Oh and yes… that includes “sweat equity”.
2. Other than being an entrepreneur, who are you?
I am a mother to two grown kids. I have been a wife, I am a sister, a daughter, and a true blue loyal friend to many.
3. What motivated you to go into business for yourself?
I had a banking career that I felt wasn’t going anywhere. Every time I had a little momentum I had another baby. My kids came first and there was no ability at that time to have a successful banking career and take care of young children. I became a mortgage broker and worked from home until my daughter went to grade 1 and then I went back to the bank. I lasted about 7 years in the bank and one day I decided there was a better way to service my clientele than under a logo. I had so much experience in the world of credit and I wanted to stop the “corp. speak” and start telling it like it was. I had also noticed the trend of single women buying their own homes and I had pitched the idea to the bank about exploring this market. They weren’t interested and so I decided to head out and do it myself. I did not like the way I was treated when I was a WAHM and I wanted to make a difference.
4. How do you overcome challenges and obstacles in your business? It’s really hard to overcome obstacles. There are days when I have really had enough. Some days I wonder if common courtesy and respect is a thing of the past. My biggest challenge is the way the I have been treated by my own industry. Marketing to women was a considered a joke but now that the numbers speak for themselves they are all over it. When I get down I have to pick myself up, nobody is going to do it for me. I try to get out and spend time with people who share my vision for women. And I will add – there a quite a few men in that group.
5. What are your greatest strengths as an entrepreneur? I don’t mind hard work. I love doing the very best for my clients and I get so excited when I present a mortgage solution to them. All my work is carefully thought out and tailored for the client’s needs. There is a lot of great mortgage product out there but the differences can be huge. I really pride myself on my customer approached attitude. The most rewarding is helping clients with financing problems. I am always honoured when client trust me enough to tell me what’s going on with them and let me help them. So my dedication is a strength, combined with my experience and education.
