Empowering Excellence

In the dynamic landscape of mortgage finance, Kate deKay stands as a beacon of empowerment and resilience

Insider

CEO, Lighthouse Advisors

Kate deKay is the CEO of Eustis Mortgage in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is a married mother of three and was born and raised in New Orleans.

How did you start in the mortgage industry?

KD: When I was a teenager, I worked in the Eustis office as a receptionist and filing clerk in the summers and then came back after my education and a brief stint in the non-mortgage world, to start as a loan processor. I worked as a processor for a few months, gaining the understanding I needed to move into a loan officer role.

At the reception desk, I had a bird’s eye view of the life of a loan officer in the late 1990’s. Our company uniquely had mostly female sales leaders, and I remember watching them walking into the office with confidence each day, always dressed impeccably and multitasking with apparent ease. It inspired me to see that women can have a career in a high-pressure role. They were great role models, proving what women were doing in an industry that was heavily male dominated at that time.

In 2017, I purchased the majority shares in Eustis Mortgage and became the CEO. I grew up in this business, so it was a natural fit for me. This is and has always been a family-based company and I still put high importance on creating a family atmosphere, making every effort to get to know the people who work for me.

What does being a trailblazer mean to you?

KD: I see a trailblazer as someone who recognizes the authority and influence that is a part of their role and uses those to foster growth, improvement, and positivity in the people around them.

A trailblazer needs to be authentic and demonstrate humility and empathy while encouraging the same in others who are looking up to them. Someone who can encourage others to become the very best version of themselves while breaking through traditional norms and being willing to take a risk in their quest for excellence makes a trailblazer so important to our future. Working hard is always a part of trailblazing, but working at your best while staying genuine and humble makes a trailblazer unique.

Where do you see yourself and women in general in the industry over the next 5 years?

KD: I am confident that we will see women taking on leadership roles in much greater numbers in the coming years. I have seen significant progress in that regard in just the last 2–3 years.

Women have a unique and valuable perspective and set of skills to offer, and our industry seems to recognize that. I see many companies taking the opportunity to promote women into roles that allow them to shape policies and process and make decisions that have real impact.

Tell us something about your career in the mortgage industry that was pivotal to your achievements today.

I became CEO of Eustis Mortgage when I was 8 months pregnant with our third child. It was also during a time when our company was facing numerous challenges.

I believe stepping up at that time and taking the opportunity that presented itself made a significant impact on my career and gave me a greater sense of achievement and confidence.

I was experiencing the physical and emotional stresses of pregnancy and raising a young family and then added a huge new professional challenge to my plate. I could have said no and passed on the offer, and it might have been understandable given the circumstances, but I am not a person who steps back when opportunity knocks, so I dove in with the understanding that my maternity leave would be short, and my workload would increase.

You deserve it. You are capable. You have support. Remember to hold your ground and keep your decisions real.

What advice would you give to a woman entering or trying to move up in their career?

KD: I would say take opportunities when they arise. Don’t put it off and think something else may come along if your circumstances change. If you take the leap and later discover the result is not what you want, you can always change your decision. What you can’t do is go back and find an opportunity available that someone else took when you did not.

Women are being offered more and more leadership and impactful roles in our industry and I want to see them take those opportunities and run with them as far and as fast as they can go.

I had a mentor contact me when I became CEO, and she told me that I deserved my new role and that I was fully capable of handling everything that would come with it. The quotation at the beginning of this article is exactly what she told me and it’s something important we must remind ourselves of when opportunities present themselves.

Those words are key to remaining successful in your career. Don’t question if you deserve something or not. Society can place unrealistic pressures on us that force us to question this, but I challenge you to remember you are deserving and capable.

Having a good support system in place that can be there to allow you to take what comes without hesitating is also crucial. Your decision should never have to be about logistics but about progress and taking the chances you deserve and have earned through your hard work. That support is key both internally in your organization and externally with your friends and family.

I took a risk and gained a healthy measure of confidence from making that decision. Learning what you are capable of will take you further and higher as you take each step in your career. Use that confidence to help you grow personally and professionally and always keep it real!

Lastly, find something that lets you decompress. I use exercise as my “me” time. That time may not seem relaxing to many, but it allows me to focus on a singular goal and zone out without needing to be the decision maker for an hour of the day. Whatever activity you choose, make sure it is one that lets you disconnect from the stresses of work and home and take a breath.

To be honest, I am not always the best at balancing work, home, and life in general. But I do try to make sure there is time for me and that I stay grounded to avoid burning out. I remind myself that I am important and there are many families that depend on me, at home and at work, and who deserve the best version of me I can offer them.

What does success mean to you?

KD: For me, success is measured by the growth, fulfillment, and well-being of my team members.

The ultimate achievement as a leader lies in the capacity to shoulder the responsibility for, and serve as a steadfast support for, both our clients’ families and the families within our organization.

I also firmly believe that success is not simply found within the walls of an organization but also spreads outside to the community and beyond our industry.

Our business is and should be about the goal of allowing access to home ownership for anyone who wishes to attain it. In every community, all over the country, being able to purchase a home and feel pride in that accomplishment is what I see as the ultimate success.

And, in my role, encouraging and empowering my employees to strive for the success they aspire to, is what I work for every day.

Where do you see yourself professionally and personally in the next five years?

Professionally, I want to continue to grow our company and empower our employees in their careers with us. We have always been a family company and I want to continue that legacy and provide an environment for people to grow and be their very best. I am not a person who believes in setting financial targets as goals, but rather to foster a workplace that provides support, opportunities, and a healthy atmosphere.

Success is measured by the growth, fulfillment, and well-being of my team members.

I currently serve on both the Mortgage Bankers Association and The Mortgage Collaborative boards. Organizations like these cultivate great professional growth, and I am enthusiastic about dedicating more time here in the future.

Personally, I want to continue to watch my kids grow and thrive. Knowing my oldest will be 18 in 5 years is a daunting thought, but I want to continue to put in the effort to maintain our family life and make it happy and healthy for all of us.

What do you enjoy doing outside of our industry?

KD: Most of my time outside the office is spent with my kids. I make every effort to attend each recital, sporting event, and any other activities they are involved in. With three kids, there are lots of things to keep up with.

I also volunteer my time with charitable organizations in the city. I work with one that helps foster children, Raintree Children and Family Services. Raintree helps with building and supporting foster families of kids with needs in New Orleans. One service Raintree provides that is very close to my heart is the foster girl’s home, which helps teen girls transition to adult life, making sure they get all the educational opportunities they need to succeed, and supporting them emotionally through the changes that come with having to move on to the next phase of their lives.

I also serve on the board of the Youth Empowerment Project of New Orleans, who work with groups that support after school and educational programs for underprivileged youth in the city. It would be great to continue to dedicate time to these organizations.

Do you have anything else you’d like to share with the readers?

KD: Don’t pass up opportunities when they come, build a support system, and set your mind to recognizing how capable and deserving you are of accepting a new challenge.

My career has been a series of opportunities that I took, despite perhaps my circumstances not always being ideal. If you wait for the perfect moment, you could miss many moments you could not have predicted in your wildest dreams.

Find a group of like-minded women to keep you motivated and on the best path, especially those women that help build you up and remind you of how worthy you are of the successes you achieve. Be present and engaged in all things and you will find that inspiration flows both ways. ■