by Alexandra Shimalla
Eddy Perez was a stockbroker until he decided to change careers in 2002. At the height of the 2008 housing crisis, with $1,000 and encouragement from friends, he began Equity Prime Mortgage. “I saw what residential housing was about: camaraderie, family and being together, which resonated with me,” says Eddy.
Equity Prime Mortgage is a home lending company with offices around the country. From mortgages to refinancing options, Eddy created a business that offers an array of home lending products. They also work with multiple borrowers so that customers of any financial or credit background can buy a home or earn more financial freedom through the equity they’ve established.
The beginning wasn’t without its hurdles. Eddy and his team pushed through potential bankruptcy and are now licensed in 49 states. “I’ve always had the mentality that failure is not an option. It’s all in how you respond to opportunity. You’ll get a lot of tough breaks, and all kinds of things will happen, but you have to make the best of all situations,” he says.
Eddy also built his company around a culture of empowerment, diversity and inclusion. He says the foundation of this culture is all about listening. “As a mentor, I want to get our employees talking, listen to them, dig into their passion and help them unleash it for the benefit of everybody. As a leader, I want to recognize the new perspective they have to bring to the table and see where we can go together as a team.”
The company created EPM+, a digital initiative to boost employee engagement. Through the various branches of the project — such as ones dedicated to health and wellness, sharing newsletters, producing video content and connecting new employees with the company — Eddy says the goal is to improve the company from within. By empowering and recognizing employees, they’ll be motivated to bring that dedication and service to the people they’re helping secure loans.
“We aren’t just in the mortgage business. We are in the business of people. We use the hashtag ‘Lives Not Loans’ because behind each loan are lives,” says Eddy. “From the consumer to the people who have touched it in the process.” Equity Prime Mortgage, epm.net,
Details: Equity Prime Mortgage, epm.net, 5 Concourse Pkwy., Queen Bldg., Ste. 2250, Atlanta, 877.255.3554.
The content for this article is brought to you by Equity Prime Morgage.
