The Startup Helping Entrepreneurs Get Mortgages

When Greg started in the mortgage industry in 2003, he primarily witnessed closings, traveling to people’s homes, and notarizing closing packages for other lenders. In about 2005, he saw something he will never forget.

“I was sitting across from the loan officer, and the borrower was to my right, and his two beautiful daughters were playing in the back room, and his beautiful wife was standing over his shoulder, and he's rubbing his face, and he is rubbing his eyes,” Greg says. “She goes, ‘Honey, what's wrong?’ And he goes, ‘I know if we sign this mortgage now, we're going to lose our house in two years, and if we don't sign it, we're going to lose our house in six months.’ And the loan officer… made probably about $20,000 off these people, and I was sick to my stomach.”

That experience inspired him to found a different kind of mortgage company. “The reason I started my business was this: I knew I could treat people better, and I knew I could treat them the way I would want to be treated,” he says. “Our core values are our clients first, making things easy, getting better every day, family, and fun. So that is why I started Giniel Financial Group.”

Greg says Giniel Financial provides “the truest form of mortgage brokering” by helping clients find the right mortgages for their particular situations. “We use a multitude of different lenders that specialize in different things,” he says. “Not every lender is perfect for everyone, and we team them up with the best lender and really try to advise clients on what is the best mortgage for their situation.”

The company makes a point of asking applicants about their specific goals in taking out a mortgage beyond just getting a low interest rate. In fact, getting the lowest rate might not be in a client’s best interest. For example, suppose a client wants to keep as much money in their pocket as possible. “That's not going to get you the lowest interest rate, but it may give you a peace of mind elsewhere,” he says. “What are you trying to accomplish in life? Are you trying to pay your house off early? Let's start from that point, and then the interest rate kind of follows.” 

Entrepreneurs in particular often face roadblocks when trying to secure a mortgage – especially when working with salaried loan officers at banks. “They're going to make their money regardless if you close or not,” Greg says. “Working with a mortgage broker, we make our money when you close, so we're going to do everything we can to help you reach that goal.”

Entrepreneurs can also find it hard to choose the right mortgage. “Multiple mortgage products could help an entrepreneur in a multitude of ways, but typically the big one is having everything expensed through your tax returns and making sure they’re actually filed,” he says. “Having all your books together is 90% of the battle.”

Greg says early-stage entrepreneurs need to implement a well-defined process like the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to have the best chance of success.

“We instituted EOS three years ago, and I wish I would've done it six years ago,” he says. “It has been a life changer. We have gone from putting out dumpster fires on a regular basis to focusing on growth, and it is the number one thing that has brought clarity to the company.”

It’s also important to set a clear company vision, stick with it, and make sure everyone is on board. “Once you figure out who you are, you will never lose your direction. The number one thing is to make sure everyone knows what those core values are, and if they're not the right people, they'll self-select out, and the right people will stay. They will help you with that passion for what you're trying to accomplish.”