The Chicago Journal

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Eduardo G. Perez Jr. Shares His Knowledge on Having Success in the Mortgage Industry

Many people want to work within the financial sector by getting involved in the mortgage industry to earn an outstanding income. However, while the earnings are good, it’s about much more than what you can make while working in the mortgage industry. It’s about what you can achieve and how you can make a difference in the lives of others. When you better understand what it takes to succeed, you can develop the right mindset and prepare yourself for the obstacles that will come your way. 

Eduardo G. Perez Jr.’s success story shows that anyone can turn their dreams into reality when they’re passionate and willing to put in the effort. As the co-founder and CEO of Equity Prime Mortgage, a licensed mortgage lender with operations throughout the country, he’s responsible for handling dozens of crucial tasks to keep the business thriving. Some of these tasks include overseeing sales and taking care of both professional and business development. And, despite his extensive to-do list, he continues to remain productive while helping his company succeed. 

“We started Equity Prime Mortgage in 2008, one of the worst times for real estate and the mortgage industry because of the economic downturn that led to the well-documented recession. The job wasn’t easy at a time when homebuyers didn’t have much trust, and everyone was feeling relatively low due to the economic uncertainty. Still, we managed to get through it,” shared Eduardo G. Perez. “Our company got through such difficult times because we set goals and worked on them together as a team. In addition, we’d worked as a broker for three years before the start of the company and decided that it was in our best interest to serve as a lender and then serve the brokers to the best of our ability.” 

If the economy’s crash taught Eduardo Perez anything, it’s the importance of learning how to adapt quickly and make fast yet efficient decisions that lead to better results. In addition, he knew that it was vital to keep pushing and keep working to boost morale for other employees and keep people feeling empowered. 

“It wasn’t always a walk in the park, but we addressed specific challenges and used mentorship and insights to our advantage to complete various tasks. We work together as a unit with brokers, employees, and loan officers to provide a better experience for consumers that allows them to live the American dream,” shared Perez. “Anyone thinking about getting started in this industry needs to understand the importance of collaboration and working well as a team. They should also have a passion for what they’re doing and a willingness to continue studying until they know everything there is to know about this industry. With knowledge, determination, and some experience comes success.” 

Equity Prime Mortgage continues offering a variety of products designed to fit different financial needs and is known as one of the top mortgage bankers in the nation. Eduardo G. Perez Jr.’s effort has helped the company achieve such a notable accomplishment while putting his all into everything he does and earning outstanding awards of his own for his excellence.

Successful Companies Do These Three Things – Jay Doran

Continual growth, excellent staff retention, and, of course, profitability are the hallmarks of a successful business. But, what leads a company along the path to success? Culture expert Jay Doran believes three things unite all exceptional businesses; A willingness to embrace conflict, a growth mindset, and a well-defined corporate culture.

Of the three, says Jay Doran, defining culture – and making it a fundamental part of everyday working life – is key. He’s the CEO and visionary mind behind Culture Matters, an advisory firm that helps companies succeed and grow without losing sight of core values. Jay says, “the margin of profit in knowing your culture is related to how employees interact with each other and their customers. More profit is the result of more productive interactions.” When a company has a clearly defined corporate culture it unifies employees, creates a harmonious working environment, and increases staff retention. Having a growth mindset and being willing to embrace conflict are essential in defining culture – and embedding it into all facets of a business.

For Jay Doran, companies with an open-minded approach to inclusivity and diversity of thought are the ones that flourish. For him, conflict is not something to be avoided. He believes that when approached maturely, conflict is a useful tool to help organizations learn and grow. He says, “Learning takes stress. If the ‘collective we’ is going to understand culture, then they must do this through open conflict.” Jay uses conflict as a way to better understand a counterpart’s beliefs, thoughts, and point of view. However, he adds, “Stress needs responsibility so that a culture does not break down, so people do not break down.”

This ability to welcome diversity of thought underpins a growth mindset. Successful companies recognize the value in continually challenging working and social norms. According to Jay Doran, these companies will continue to adapt to market changes and keep moving forward. His obsession with culture stems from a personal aim to “live a life helping people think, act and do in more beneficial ways.”. Specifically, this involves working with senior leaders to solve problems in the context of productivity, strategy, turnover, profit, and brand alignment. He is on a mission to help companies understand that great corporate culture goes beyond free coffee Fridays and annual gym memberships. It is instead woven deeply into the fundamental fabric of a business.

Defining culture is not an easy task, but it gives an enormous return on investment. As Jay Doran says, “Cultural development beyond catchphrases or buzzwords takes serious and methodical work. But, the payoff is exponential both financially and emotionally.” For Jay, it’s the ultimate key to successful business, and companies with a  growth mindset that embrace conflict will reap the rewards.

Dr. Monica Patel on Heart Matters and Cardiovascular Health

Heart disease is becoming increasingly prevalent with the rise of more sedentary lifestyles coupled with unhealthy habits. Cardiovascular health is vital, and a lot of heart problems are preventable with the appropriate lifestyle changes. Dr. Monica Patel is a quadruple board-certified cardiologist who advocates for better cardiovascular disease prevention. 

Dr. Monica Patel is a cardiologist who has spent her entire career serving the Houston community. She is a first-generation Indian American and native Houstonian. Dr. Patel is an active member of her community and is very involved in several local and national philanthropic organizations and events. “I love the community which I am a part of, and I feel it is only right that I give back to help others in need,” she shares. She has also volunteered in medical mission trips in Guatemala, providing basic care for underserved communities.

Dr. Patel received her Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry in 1999 at Houston Baptist University as an Endowed Academic Scholar. She then attended medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in 2003. She completed her Internal Medicine residency and Cardiology Fellowship at the McGovern Medical school, formerly known as The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical school. 

“Cardiology interested me from the start, and that is why I chose to specialize in it.” Dr. Patel is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Echocardiography, and Nuclear Cardiology. She is a cardiologist at Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital and the Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.

Aside from working with patients on a daily basis, Dr. Patel is also an academic. She is the co-program director of the cardiology fellowship at the McGovern Medical School. There, she has a hand in the training of future cardiologists. Her primary focus is on cardiovascular disease prevention and advanced cardiovascular imaging, including echocardiography and cardiac PET scans. “A cardiac PET scan is an imaging test where a specialized dye is introduced into the bloodstream. This test gives doctors detailed information on which areas of the heart might be injured or diseased,” Dr. Patel shares, “A cardiac PET scan is an important tool, and it can provide more information compared to other stress tests.”

In line with Dr. Patel’s commitment to improved heart health, she joined the PET center as a co-investigator of the CENTURY Health Study in 2012. In this study, Dr. Patel and her co-investigators focused on the effects of a combined intense pharmacological and lifestyle treatment in the prevention and reversal of coronary heart disease. “We used PET scans to see the effects of the treatment the research subjects went through. The results showed us just how much a change in lifestyle and diet could impact a person’s cardiovascular health,” she says.

Dr. Monica Patel is a brilliant doctor and academic, and her stellar work has not gone unnoticed. She has been a three-time recipient of the Dean’s Teaching Excellence Award. In 2019, Dr. Patel was invited to her first international lecture on cardiac PET scans. 

“Cardiovascular disease affects so many Americans. Through various studies, we have learned that implementing simple lifestyle changes and committing to them reduces the chance of getting heart attacks. It can also help people bounce back better from their previous heart ailments,” Dr. Patel shares, “As they say, prevention is better than cure.”

Dr. Monica Patel aims to use her platform to promote health and well-being for all. “Working with many patients, I see how a disease impacts someone’s life. If we can change things in our lives to help keep us healthy, then we should make those changes,” she says, “Health is wealth, and we should do everything we can to take care of our bodies.”

Dr. Monica Patel is a quadruple board-certified cardiologist specializing in cardiovascular imaging and the prevention of heart disease. For more information about her work and advocacy, you may visit her Instagram page.