Full Transcript is Below:
– Welcome to another episode of Cafecito y Charlas. My name is Ana Maria Sanin, and I have the privilege to be part of the Business Development team here at NFM Lending, as well as the brand ambassador to the Hispanic market. And today I have a very special guest, which I am very excited to share with all of you. His name is Danny Banda, the Banda team. He is the branch manager over at NFM’s location in the west coast in Phoenix, Arizona. Danny, welcome to Cafecito. Thank you for being here.
– Good morning, good morning. Thank you for having me, I appreciate it.
– Absolutely Danny. So, let’s just jump quickly into what made you join NFM Lending?
– Well, there was quite a few reasons actually. One of the biggest ones, after speaking to my Vice President, and Greg Sher, and quite a few directors over there at our corporate office in Baltimore, I really felt like they had and shared the same vision that I did, to educate and motivate as many client people as possible who acquire the American dream. Primarily, with my book of business being 90% Latino and probably 40-50% Spanish-speaking, I had to really team up with a company that had, like I said, the same vision and the same goals and the same drive that I did and my team, because we are a recognized top-producer in the west valley of Phoenix. We do a great job of providing great customer service, and so, I just thought it was a win-win-win for everybody. A win for myself, to get to team up with such a great company. A win for NFM to have and acquire a recognized, top-producing Hispanic team, and then, a win for our clients, to be able to offer them the best service and products and pricing in the manner that they prefer to do business in.
– That’s awesome, and congratulations! I know that you run a very successful team, so definitely want to take time to congratulate you. Danny, tell us a little bit about your work history. How did you end up in this ever-changing industry, which we love so much.
– This crazy industry! So, I’ve been a mortgage loan officer going on about nine years. I originally was at a financial institution, and the position sort of almost landed on my lap, to be honest with you. I’ve always been good with numbers. I have a business degree background, but the real estate department actually reached out to me, and they said, “Hey Danny, we have a position opening up soon that we really think you’d be great and successful in, and that we would really appreciate you to take on,” and that was the position of a bilingual mortgage loan officer. And at first, I was a little hesitant. I was like, well, I enjoy my two days off a week and my base pay, but I remember the Vice President telling me at the time, it’s going to be a lot more work, but it’s gonna be a lot more rewarding, and it came down to me agreeing with her, and saying, yeah, I would like to help as many people as possible acquire the American dream because that’s what we do in this industry, right? And so, I was a top-producer there for about five years, up until about three and a half years ago, when I made the biggest bet of my career, and I took a chance on myself. And I left that institution, I got licensed. I joined a local company here, and I grew a team of up to seven, actually eight loan officers now, and two assistants, and so, that’s how I ended up. I was just actually recruited into the industry, and I’m glad I took a chance on myself because it’s been a great ride.
– Well, you’re definitely a great leader because it takes a lot to be able to build a team, especially of eight people, and in such a short period of time.
– Right.
– That’s great.
– Thank you.
– Absolutely, absolutely Danny. So, let me ask you, what would you say to any other industry professionals out there who perhaps are looking for their new home?
– Well, I would say to give me a call. I see so many peers in the industry making moves time and time again, for different reasons, right? Either they cater to a certain market and that lender changed their conditions or guidelines for that, or maybe they’re being priced out because of the market right now with the compression, so I tell them, you give me a call. We are in the sense fully staffed. We do have an operating team that we’re in a good groove, but I would never turn down a coffee or a lunch appointment with a loan officer looking to make the move, because we run a great team here. We’re like a family, our numbers show, our reviews show. I know I share those quite a bit because I’m super proud of my team and the great customer service they have. So, and we’re doing a great job of marketing too. So, if there was anything that I look into, as far as bringing on another loan officer, would be those three things. You’d be proven track record of customer service, a great job of marketing themselves, and more importantly, that they share the same vision of helping and educating and motivating as many buyers as possible. So, I’m always up for a quick coffee with anyone looking to make a move, absolutely.
– Perfect, always ready for a cafecito y charlas.
– Always, always! Thanks to you!
– Awesome, awesome! Now Danny, before I let you go, I definitely want our viewers right now to be able to get to know you on a little bit more of a personal level. So, if you don’t mind, I’m gonna go ahead and shoot you three questions, just go ahead and answer first thing that comes to your mind. And so, what inspires you Danny?
– My family, of course, my wife and four beautiful children.
– Awesome, awesome, and were you ever given a nickname? And if so, what is that?
– I was, actually, my legal name, believe it or not, is Lorenzo Daniel Banda, and growing up, everybody called me Danny Boy, so that was my name up until about high school, I think.
– Awesome, awesome, and Danny, what would be your favorite movie or music type?
– Music type, if I had to pick one, it would have to be 90s hip-hop. And I just feel like for whatever reason, that music just motivates me in the car, and when I get to the office, I’m in my A-game. So, 90s hip-hop would have to be it.
– I gotta agree with you. Well Danny, thank you so much again for taking the time to join us. We really appreciate your time, and again, congratulations on everything that you’re doing. We’re definitely happy to have you as part of NFM’s family, so, with that, I will see you soon! And to all of our viewers, thank you so much for tuning in once more to another episode of Cafecito y Charlas. I will see you guys on the next episode.