Meet Shannon Christenot | Residential Mortgage Lender

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shannon Christenot and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shannon, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I wanted independence from punching the clock and the corporate chokehold so-to-speak. I knew that profits were always padded to afford middle management salaries and that didn’t sit well with me. I also knew that I was good at what I did and, if I cut out the middleman, I would actually make more money and also be able to pass those financial rewards down to my clients. It felt like a win-win to be my own boss.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am an independent mortgage lender who prides herself on the self-employed, hard to qualify, clients… something that sets me apart from the standard/institutional banks. My 25 years of experience in this industry has taught me a thing or two about niche products and how to fit a square peg into a round hole so-to-speak. It hasn’t been an easy road carving out this niche but I truly believe that my communication, product knowledge, remaining approachable, and educating my clients has set me apart from the competition. At the end of the day, I truly enjoy the problem-solving aspect of my career and relish in the referral business and reputation I’ve created for myself because of it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ohhhhh this is my FAVORITE thing! I absolutely LOVE Los Angeles and love to show people around my city. First thing I would do is make sure we get a few hikes in. There are so many in Griffith Park and Malibu Canyons. I would most likely take them to Mount Lee or The Wisdom Tree so they can have a look at the entire city as well as the iconic Hollywood sign. We would also get out to the Farmers Market in Malibu, have dinner at Pace in Laurel Canyon, and drinks at the new Pendry Hotel on Sunset. I also love to explore downtown too. I think people are pleasantly surprised by how much culture is down there. We would do one of the Walking Tours that the LA Conservancy hosts, followed by lunch at the iconic Cole’s Restaurant OR the Grand Central Market, and then a trip to The Broad Museum. I’m also a lover of The Pantages Theater so catching a touring/Broadway play would be great too. So much to do in LA but we can’t forget some of the beautiful scenery too. I think a trip up to Santa Barbara is also a fun one and great to see the gorgeous coastline…. or even an overnight trip to Los Olivos for some wine tasting. So much to see and do!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
YESSS, absolutely!! There are several people who have mentored and inspired me in this industry. The first is a woman named Carla Kennedy. She gave me, a then 25 year old with NO experience in the mortgage industry, my first job as a wholesale rep. She literally handed me her book of business and a fax machine and said “You got this! You remind me of myself! Start calling these accounts…!” I literally learned the Wholesale Lending business on the fly and achieved the Top Sales Person for the entire bank within my 1st year. I couldn’t have done it without Carla taking a chance on me!

The next two people that influenced me and deserve a shout out would be Justin Aldi and Maureen Martin, two small business owners and top producing retail loan officers that I’ve known for over 25 years.

When I started to get the itch to leave the corporate mortgage world, I leaned on them both to learn the ropes of retail loan origination, building my referral partners, and navigating the guidelines of multiple banks, etc. They introduced me to relationships I still have today and, without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Website: www.lahomelender.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-christenot-26bb796

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lahomelender

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/shannon-christenot-los-angeles

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ3F3Ebq438