For this week, MPA brings you the industry's thought leaders - Katrina Rowlands, on her biggest challenge and how she tackled it.
Each week MPA brings you advice from the industry's thought leaders on their biggest business challenge and how they tackled it. This week we speak to Katrina Rowlands, director of Mortgage Success.
MPA: What has been one of your biggest challenges in business to date and why?
Katrina Rowlands: One of my toughest times in business so far was attempting to keep clients transactions as priority matters during the months that my dad was dying. My dad was diagnosed and we were given an indication initially of his life expectancy of two weeks. We were privileged to have him for nearly three more months, but this period of my personal life took obvious priority and keeping clients matters as a huge focus was very, very difficult.
MPA: How did you overcome this challenge?
KR: Thankfully I have wonderful staff who I was able to be very honest with and told them exactly what I felt I could do and what I was not able to 100% commit to. I was also very upfront with clients explaining that due to my personal priorities I would not in any way let their priorities be discounted but that my reliance on my team during this time would be much greater and possible handover of tasks much more likely - but that my attention and input would still be on all crucial decision points of their matter.
MPA: What are some of the key lessons you learnt from this experience?
KR: People inherently respect each other during life issues - if they know. Had I not clearly and honestly communicated I am sure some clients would not have been as understanding nor as compassionate. I learnt also to really be clear with what I could and couldn't do and make those decisions earlier rather than wait until last minute while I needed such support. This allowed much more clarity on what I had to keep forefront of mind without guilt of letting others down.
I also engaged business partners to support my team very strongly during this time and their support was also incredible. So again I learnt to help those that were helping me.
MPA: How have those lessons benefited you in business since?
KR: Transparency and honesty and respect in all aspects of life are paramount. In business such as ours we cannot always separate life from business and clients if communicated to will also understand that we have life priorities too.
MPA: If you were to tackle this again, would you do anything differently?
KR: No. Thankfully during this time I had no regrets. I am very fortunate to be able to honestly feel this way and I thank my friends in business, clients and staff for their value they held for my well being during this time.
MPA: What advice would you give to other brokers facing a similar situation?
KR: Be very open to communicate to all those that really do want to assist. The more open and honest you are the more you will be surprised as to who steps forward to support you. It actually meant a lot to me to reinforce some of my business and industry relationships to be so much more meaningful when these circumstances let me see who really cared for me and my business when I really needed it.
Related:
My toughest test... with Otta Dargan
