Today we’d like to introduce you to Cara Potter.
Hi Cara, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in South Africa and moved to Jacksonville to stay with my dad when I was about 12, leaving my mother behind. I moved for a better and safer environment and more opportunities, but leaving my mother behind at such a young age was not easy. I worked multiple jobs throughout high school and college and did my best to pay for college independently. I was not able to finish due to a major health scare, and working 3 jobs trying to pay for college was not allowing me the time I needed actually to take more than 2 classes at a time. With my health scare, I needed a job with benefits, and I landed at Bank of America in customer service and quickly worked my way up to the mortgage department when I first became a loan officer in 2008. I was one of the two people who needed to gain mortgage experience in that department, but I quickly worked my way up the rankings. Since then, I have worked for other big-name banks and a local credit union before landing at Future Home Loans, where I have been since 2018. I learned from a young age what work ethic is. It is the thing I am most proud of. I believe in working hard and going above and beyond – my actions define my success, and no one can be accountable.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Since my dad was American, I had dual citizenship and could move to America, but since my mom could not, it was tough to leave her behind in my early teenage years. I often worked before and after school to help out in middle and high school. After high school, I went to FCCJ at the time and had to work 3 jobs at one point to be able to pay for school. It was almost impossible trying to work 3 jobs to pay for school but not having time to go to school because you were working – that meant I often could only take 1 or 2 classes at a time. About 2 years in, I found out I had thyroid cancer and needed to get a full-time job, so I could have benefits. I ultimately had to leave school and become a full-time worker. At 21, I had my thyroid removed and began treatment. A year later, the doctors thought my cancer had returned and, while under the knife, found out it was my parathyroid, which they ended up removing. My first full-time job that provided the benefits I needed was a customer service role at a big bank. About a year in, I was suggested for a position within the company in their new mortgage department. I was one of two people hired without any mortgage experience in a department of over 100 people. I was also the youngest hire for the department. Working in an intense environment at such a young age had its challenges. I had to learn from the ground up, prove myself, and earn respect. I quickly reached the top of the rankings and outperformed over 75% of my department, who had years of experience above me. After working at this big bank for 5 years, I decided to take my career to the next level and ultimately ended up at a mortgage broker as a self-employed loan officer. I recently won Best Mortgage/loan Provider in the weekly Best of Jax folio for 2023.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a self-employed mortgage broker who “hangs” my license with Future Home Loans. It is like a realtor hanging their license with a brokerage.
How do you think about luck?
I don’t know that luck has played a role in my life or business. I believe that it’s been hard work and a positive “can do” attitude that has gotten me to where I am today. I have had many obstacles, but I try not to focus on the challenges but on how to get past them. There have been many moments where I felt I was failing, but I don’t give up easily, and at the end of the day, I have put my heart into everything I do.
Pricing:
- No, not really. It’s free to have a mortgage quote or consultation.
Contact Info:
- Website: CaraPotter.com
- Instagram: @mortgages.by.cara
- Other: https://future.loans/
