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speaker-0: Hey guys, it's Tony Thompson. to another episode of Chasing Yaxes. Hi, welcome back to another episode of Chasing Excellence. I'm Tony Thompson, your host for today. I'm excited to have with me our next guest, Greg Driggs, who's with PMR, Premier Mortgage Resources, out in Utah. Greg is a top-performing community lender. He's been on Scottsman Guys before. Greg, welcome to Chasing Excellence.
speaker-1: Hey, thanks for having me here. It's great to be on your show.
speaker-0: Well, you know, prior to coming on the show, you and I spent some time together just learning about you and your business and talking about your potential market. One of the things that I was really excited about and having you on for Chasing the Excellence is that you're not in a major market, but you're owning your market. And we're going to talk a little bit about your secret sauce or your secret recipe for how you own your market coming up. But first, Tell us a little bit about PMR for those who don't know who Premier Mortgage Resource is.
speaker-1: PMR is this fantastic little company that I was lucky enough to find about two and a half years ago based in Meridian, Idaho. it is an ESOP, so it's an employee owned company, which makes it even better. The the president of the company is Corey Swain. And it it's trying to think of how to put it into one sentence, but I'll just tell you the the super secret to PMR is underwriters are not allowed to deny loans. So think about it. There's a there's an explanation with that, but but it's the underwriter's on my team. It's awesome. you know, you have a conversation with an underwriter to figure out how to get a deal done instead of everywhere I've worked in my career, which has been a minute, I've always felt like the underwriter was there to kill my deal. And I I know that's common the way we all feel in the mortgage industry, but they took that away here and it's an amazing place to work, and I'd be happy to be buried here.
speaker-0: Well, well, I love it when when someone is really excited about the culture and the philosophy of the organization. So kudos to you. You know, you mentioned a moment. And then we're not gonna tell your age, but what I will say is you've been in this industry making a difference in the communities that you lived in for a moment. Greg, we all have a story of how we got into the mortgage industry. What's your story?
speaker-1: So I let's see, nineteen eighty eight, I was working for a financial advising firm in Salt Lake City, going to college. I was the assistant of the chairman of the board. And that if they've ever seen there's a Netflix special called I think it's the Mormon Murders. I lived that story. per person I worked for was murdered, bombed in nineteen eighty five. so Kind of changed the course of my cause I had dropped out of college because they I had this amazing job already. And so anyway, I one of the persons that I worked with there, his dad bought a mortgage company in
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nineteen eighty eight and I got the phone call, said do you want to come work for us in the mortgage business? And I said, Yes. And I didn't have any clue what it meant, but it meant regular work, and so I that's how I got into the business.
speaker-0: Wow. And and as they say, the rest is history. We're going to talk about that history. We're going to talk about the exciting journey that you've had. And again, you're someone that I refer to as a community lender. You're you're not in a major market, but you're owning your market. And again, we're gonna talk a little bit about some of your secret sauce or shall I say, some of the secret recipes about how you own your market. I think there's gonna be some great nuggets for the audience to to take away. But before we do that, let's take a look at as a branch manager, a top producer originator, Scottsman got originator as well. Greg, what do you see as your your biggest challenge right now in the in the marketplace?
speaker-1: Well, I mean, if we're talking right now, I would say it is the war that's going on and interest rates. I mean, there's a lot of people that are kind of frozen. they wanna wait, see what's gonna happen. They think maybe rates are gonna go up, maybe they're gonna go down. There's this kind of an uncertainty in the market. we try to be the voice of reason. We try to be out making sure that we're talking to everybody we can every day. but but that's probably the biggest challenge that I see right now. And it's funny because when I got into the business, of course, I was doing interest rates at thirteen and a half percent and I had a line out the door, people couldn't wait. And now people are complaining because they're in the mid-sixes. So I guess it's all perspective, which is kind of what we try to preach to people. You know, if you buy now, we can always refinance down the road, but you know, d don't wait. I I this really interesting, real quick. It's watching House Hunters or whatever the other night on HG TV. Couple had waited seven years. to buy a home in California, instead of it being eight hundred thousand, they pay two million dollars. So that's kind of an in a nutshell, don't wait. It doesn't matter what's going on the outside. Get that house now. Get in there and and and get going. Right? Rates are gonna go up. They're gonna go down. I've seen it all in thirty eight years.
speaker-0: Marry the house, date the rate, as we always go the mortgage industry, right? You know, Greg, again, you have been through a a very successful journey. You've seen the ups and downs, 13% interest rate, six percent. I too believe, hey guys, it doesn't matter what the rate is, if you're a great salesperson, you can sell in any rate environment. What do you contribute to how do you stay focused year over year? being in the business for a moment, seeing these ups and downs and these market fluctuations, how do you stay focused, Greg?
speaker-1: Well, number one, I love what I do. So it's it's
fun. It's one of the reasons that
speaker-0: Say that.
speaker-1: I love what I do.
speaker-0: Love it. Love it.
speaker-1: Yeah. I mean it's it's one of the reasons that I still write loans. Thirty eight years later, I'm not a president of a company, I'm not a regional manager, senior vice president. I don't like that stuff. I like writing the loans, I like seeing the people in the grocery stores, I like getting a call saying, Hey, we got we recently renovated our house. Do you want to come see it? you know, all the things. I think I told you earlier. I was earlier today dragging a bathtub into a house so we could get a final inspection done. I like to do all but that's I'm a rural lender, so we just sometimes you gotta get dirty, but I like doing all that stuff.
speaker-0: Love it, love it. You know, one of the things though you said, the first comment you made, I think is so critical for anyone in a sales role. And that's why we created Chasing Excellence. I don't care if you've been in the business a year, 10 years, or 20 plus years, the day that you stop being passionate and stop loving the business, that's really the day that your business dies. And and so often I hear In originator's voice. And I can tell if they're passionate about what they do, or if they still are in love, I'll use that term with the business. And so I want to challenge the audience right today. I'm gonna ask you a question: Are you still in love with your why? The reason that you got into this business? If not, take a step back, take a day off and Fall back in love again because those who are truly successful and who sustain, just like you know, a relationship, you have to be in love. You have to stay in love each and every day. Not saying love is hard is isn't hard, Greg as as you know and it will test, but it's the commitment to being excellent, the commitment to to finding new ways every day to love what you do. That's I mean. Again, kudos to you, Greg. That's one of your secret sauces in my opinion.
speaker-1: Thanks. I I I appreciate it. And love isn't love isn't easy, but I'm leaving tomorrow for my forty first wedding anniversary with my lovely bride. So it's worth it. Every minute is worth it.
speaker-0: You know, that is even more beautiful. 41 years. And we're going to talk about your beautiful bride here, I think, in just a second. earlier we talked about the biggest challenge that you see in the market right now. Where do you see the biggest opportunity as an originator?
speaker-1: Man, I it just I look, the market is as good as you think it is. So to me
speaker-0: more time, Greg. I'm sorry, man. You you giving it to me today, man.
speaker-1: The market is as good as you think it is. So if you believe, and that's why you see behind me, today is a great day to have a fantastic day. So we go out and try to tell our realtors, our partners, what it anybody that will listen to us, the pharmacist next door, that it's a great time to buy. And it's a great opportunity for anybody in the mortgage industry right now. Like I think fifty percent of the people got out last year. I mean I I've been doing this for a long, long time. I've been through worse times than right now. This is a great time as far as I'm concerned. So yeah, I mean it's that's opportunity is right up here in your head. That's where it is.
speaker-0: You know, I I never paid attention to the sign behind you. Today is a great day to have a fantastic day. That's powerful, man. I mean, no matter how you look at it, no matter what perspective, Greg, you're dropping nuggets and whistles. I might I might have to call you Pastor Greg, because you're giving it to us right now. And and so I love that philosophy though. Today is a great day. To have a fantastic day. You know, Greg, speaking of that, not everyone may have had the privilege of being in the business as long as you have. For that, that guy or girl who's just getting started, a year in, two years, three years into their role as an originator, what one piece of advice would would you give to them?
speaker-1: Do the work. Get up every day, get into the office, make your phone calls. You just you it's a a routine. I even to this day, I have a little daily journal that sits on my desk. Now I'm old, so I don't do a lot of techie stuff, but I write down every single phone call that I make every day. And if I don't have 13 conversations, I can't go home. I gotta have so many face-to-face conversations or I can't go home. I have to write so many handwritten notes every day. Or I can't go home. And I have a wife that will make sure that I've done all those things before I do go home. So but it's you just gotta do it every day. I mean, that sometimes maybe you you wake up and you don't feel a hundred percent. Well you better be feeling a hundred percent by the time you get to your office and you better be at your office by nine AM. None of this ten thirty crap or go home at two. You you gotta do the work. So
speaker-0: You know, Greg, I'm gonna keep it real. we I we call it one hundred as as we say sometimes. I'm gonna keep it one hundred. I think the biggest missed opportunity that many originators look back over their career, or they look back and say, I used to work in the mortgage industry, is because they don't get up every day and and go do the work. You know, one of the greatest one of the greatest things that I love about our industry is the freedom. One of the worst things about our industry for ninety five percent of loan officers is the freedom.
speaker-1: Yep. I I agree with you a hundred percent. It's it's the biggest I mean that I've seen I've trained so many loan officers over the years and and the ones that don't succeed are people that roll in here at ten, ten thirty, take a two hour lunch, and at two thirty, three o'clock they gotta go home. So you're right, it it is a hundred percent the freedom is great and the freedom is the worst thing about the business.
speaker-0:
Yeah. Yeah. Well, Greg, first of all, man, I have been so, so honored to have you joining us and being my guest this week on Chasing Excellence. I never like to leave without talking about gratitude. Greg, what are you most grateful for?
speaker-1: Well, it's two words. Becky Driggs, my wife, is amazing. She is my secret sauce. she is behind just about everything that goes on in my office. she's very, very involved in the community. I mentioned to you earlier we do a a little thing called Small Business of the Month that three years ago she came up with that idea. She said we really, really need to recognize the small business owners in our community. I think we had eleven people show up the first time. And now three years in our Chamber of Commerce has jumped on board and we run out of food every time. I mean we have fifty, seventy five people show up every time and we do it once a month. So Becky Driggs is my secret sauce and biggest reason I'm a success in this industry. That and my team, I have an amazing team.
speaker-0: You know, I am remiss because as an amazing originator, and first of all, kudos, congratulations to to you and Becky. Forty one years. you know, just many more to come and and and and so again, much love for for you guys there. I can tell that she supports your journey. but she's also, you know, I I think also like like most women, where some of your great ideas come from. And and and and and once you have those ideas, she helped elevates. And so before we leave, you know, Grant, we were talking earlier about your one of your secret sauces. Open houses, you, you know, the realtor, you know, emergency kit. Share a little bit about that secret sauce of how you you, you know, use your emer realtor emergency kit to engage. Talk about that? yeah. I
speaker-1: Survival kit.
speaker-0: remember that, man.
speaker-1: So the idea I'm gonna give total credit to Tammy Schneider. it was her idea. She sent me the kind of a outline of how it should go. My wife took it to the next level by buying these little box boxes that look like houses. And then everything inside of that little box has got our logo on it. And she's got stuff in there like hand sanitizer. She's got a little tide pen. You know, okay, sometimes you go to an open house and you spill something on yourself. So she's got the tide pen in there. She's got a little thing of water. She's got a payday bar to remind the realtors that that's why they're there. They're going to get a payday. So there's about, I don't know, 10, 15 items in these boxes. And I tell you what, you walk into an open house with this realtor survival kit, there's no realtor going to send you out the door. So they're very, very happy to see you.
speaker-0: You know, everyone always talks about AI, AI, AI. At the end of the day, I'm a high trust guy. You know, relationships are not going anywhere anytime soon. And for those who can build and engage and create and foster relationships with successful and the right partners, they're the ones that's going to continue to see success over and over again as well.
speaker-1: I yeah, I agree. that's our biggest that's our secret sauce. Relationship selling, community lender. We're we're we try to be everywhere all the time. And it is a lot of work, but it is very, very rewarding.
speaker-0: Well, Greg, again, I wanna thank you for for joining me on this episode of of Chasing Excellence. It has not only been a joy, but it has been an honor to have you. Much love to you and and to Becky as well as you go off and celebrate your your forty-first wedding anniversary and many, many, many more of those to come. I'm Tony Thompson, your host. I wanna thank you for joining me on This episode of Chasing Excellence, and I look forward to seeing you on our next episode. Take care.
speaker-1: Whatever