Today we’d like to introduce you to Calvin Wilkinson.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Calvin. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was born in Brooklyn, NY and moved to Atlanta at the age of three. My parents hailed from the Caribbean and managed to become successful entrepreneurs in Atlanta against all odds. I went to The College of William and Mary, where I graduated with a degree in Biology in 2016. Once I graduated, I immediately enrolled in Mercer University’s Master’s In Public Health Program. While at Mercer, I obtained an unexpected internship at an up and coming mortgage company, Westminster Mortgage. I just wanted to learn something new and enter the world of business. If at the time, you had told me that I would have a career in finance, I wouldn’t believe it.
On the first day of work, “You’re my executive assistant,” said my new boss, leading me through the boardroom of Westminster Mortgage for the first time. “You got a problem with that, Vin?”
“No,” I replied, “no problem.” We were walking through a maze of brown mahogany desks and black telephone wire on the 17th floor of a glass tower that rose up thirty stories above Atlanta.
Being a Mortgage professional, it seemed like a noble pursuit, and as I walked past the Loan Officers, in my cheap black suit with $7 dollars in my pocket, I found myself wishing I were one of them. But my new boss was quick to remind me that I wasn’t. With that, he handed me a stack of papers, each of them having the name and phone number of a prospective client on it. “Smile and dial,” He said.
By twelve o’clock, I had assisted in securing three new clients and I was dizzy, sweating profusely. But, most of all, I was hooked. To help and inspire people to be the greatest version of themselves was my God-given gift. God gave me the ability to inspire people with the confidence to buy a house, achieve their dreams, be better. The mighty roar was surging through my body, resonating with every fiber of my being. I realized that I could do this job. I knew I could do it just like my mentor, probably even better. I knew I could be smooth as silk.
Later that evening, me and my mentor went to dinner, we clinked glasses. “Here’s to your career in Finance!” he added. “May you make a fortune and help many people.” Ten days later, I passed my mortgage loan originators test and received my license.
In just a few short years, I would end up owning my very own mortgage company at 25 and my mentor, along with half the other brokers at Westminster, would end up working for me. I now own Atlanta’s fastest-growing Black-Owned mortgage startup. The success of my company was founded on the passion, loyalty, and grit of dozens of my faithful employees. My optimistic mindset has allowed me to see the best in people and that has transferred into a tremendous work environment set on doing good for the world.
But this is only the beginning. You see, at every moment, there are things happening that will take Goldwater to the next level. The goal is to become one of the largest companies in the entire nation by harnessing the power of digitization. We are quickly expanding our digital systems to make our loan process quicker, easier, and more enjoyable. What’s my secret? It’s a voice that’s playing in my head all the time, it’s a passionate voice, an optimistic voice, and a voice that is obsessed with Goldwater’s customer experience. It’s a voice that has helped me bring knowledge of being a mortgage professional to a generation of young people while bringing the dream of homeownership to thousands of Americans.
Why do I choose to tell my story? I tell my story because I want you to know who I really am and more importantly, that I am not any different than you. I had a vision that I relentlessly worked for a day in and day out. What I sincerely hope is that my life serves as an inspirational tale to the rich and poor alike, to anyone who’s living with a desire to strive for more, to any person who’s considering taking a God-given gift and not taking it as far as possible.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The beginning was a constant uphill battle because I was venturing out and doing something that had no road map and no guarantees. We had to learn the entire loan process from start to finish and work on building an operations team that would deliver the best experience to our customers.
We have also had to adjust to a rapidly changing market during the Covid-19 pandemic. Every day brings its new challenges, but the gratification of helping people makes it all worth it. Our team has learned to adapt despite all the things thrown our way and it has made us only stronger.
Goldwater Home Loans – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Goldwater is a mortgage company founded in February of 2018 in Atlanta, GA. We are known for our exceptional customer experience and pride ourselves on our personalized approach. We are the fastest growing Black-Owned mortgage company in Atlanta, GA and are currently licensed in GA, FL, and TX and will expand to all 50 states as we aspire to become a national brand. I am most proud of my team of faithful brokers who are constantly striving provide our customers with the best home loan experience.
We are accredited by the better business bureau and have a 5 star rating on Google.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I personally define success as doing what you love with the people you love to deliver a product that people love. The characteristics most important to our success is our tremendous and unwavering loyalty to our customers and team. We at Goldwater go above and beyond to ensure that each of our clients achieves massive success. We work hard but also balance that with a fun work environment. Our people are our greatest asset and their loyalty and grit has proven to be invaluable to our success. We plan on helping millions and millions of Americans in the future.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.goldwaterhomeloans.com
- Phone: 770-656-9593
- Email: info@goldwaterhomeloans.com
Image Credit:
Caden Wilkinson
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