Inside Royal United

"We're a people development company first, [a] mortgage origination company second," - Gabe Allen Companies don't issue mortgages; people issue mortgages to other people. Royal United Mortgage recognizes that it would be nothing without its workers. That's why we’re a people-first organization. We are a bottom-up, growth-oriented company. That means we're entirely dependent on our employees to propel our business forward. What’s in store for us in the future? It’s probably no surprise that our people have a lot to do with the answer. In this episode, our leaders share their thoughts on where Royal United is going, the importance of placing people first, and how you can be a part of what happens next. In the end, we are all part of something bigger than ourselves. Resources: royalunitedmortgage.com You’ll learn:

"We Serve. United." When we think about those three words we certainly think about them in the context of serving others in the community that potentially are less fortunate than us, but at the same time it's also about serving our ourselves and our souls. The outreach that we do allows us to all come away with our actions aligned around being part of something bigger and what that experience means. - Julie Wright It's not enough to merely write a check. Real engagement starts when we connect with our community through acts of service. At Royal United, we make outreach personal by fostering authentic relationships with those needing assistance in the form of BOTH time and money. Our goal is to make an immediate impact where ever we serve and in the aftermath of COVID, we put that philosophy into action , launching "Pay it Forward Fridays." Taking place over two Friday's in November of 2020, Royal United gave our team members the means to directly help those most affected by the pandemic. And as team members rallied to our communities and were able to, at random, assist someone in need, what transpired left us all with an experience we will never forget. “We Serve. United” is more than just a motto. It’s a mindset. In this episode, listen as our team members reflect on the importance of community and what it truly means to serve. You’ll hear: Resources: royalunitedmortgage.com

"If I didn't have a very clear and defined reason why I was going come in here every single day, and if I didn’t understand what it meant not only to me but, more importantly, to others around me, I don't know if I'd still be here... Money can buy you happiness. Sure. But you gotta know what happiness looks like for you." — Colby Hurford A good paycheck can only motivate you so much. Without deeper meaning, money is not enough to make you the best person and leader you can be. To be truly successful, you need a clear "why" for your work: a reason to come in and be your best every day. On this episode of Inside Royal United, members of our team share their personal why, the motivations and goals that help move them along the path of personal development, and what keeps them coming back to Royal United. Resources: royalunitedmortgage.com You’ll hear:

"The most important thing is the investment that we make in our team, and we know that if we do that, consistently day in and day out, that everything else will follow."- Julie Wright The impact we measure isn’t just what’s experienced within our organization. In this episode, follow several Royal United team members as they trace the impact that Royal United Mortgage has had on their personal, professional, and financial lives. After finding herself laid off, Amanda Caldwell found a new sense of purpose working at Royal United. Eric Wolfe's career at Royal United allowed him to fulfill his dream of supporting his family as the sole breadwinner. Keara Whelehan experienced transformative growth as she made the tough transition from college into the workforce. Now the Assistant VP of lending, Keara has come a long way from her start as a 21-year-old mortgage loan originator. ****Through their stories, discover how fostering positive personal development can lead to client success. By empowering workers, Royal United Mortgage creates a positive impact beyond its four walls. Resources: royalunitedmortgage.com You’ll hear:

"If I were to walk into another (mortgage) company, I'd probably understand what they're doing, how they're doing it. But one thing that separates Royal United Mortgage from everybody else is our people and the way that they are trained and the passion they have about achieving the common goal and helping families." - Rob Jakubowski Regardless of the industry, if you ask most employees what's the "one thing" that sets their company apart, they could probably tell you. But at Royal United it's not just "one thing" that makes us different; it's an entire list. It's our people, our business model, our training process, our focus on development, our leadership, our career path, our technology, and our mindset around being part of something bigger than yourself that you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else. In this episode we take a deeper dive to uncover why Royal United is a different type of organization, and how we got to be that way. You'll hear: How great leaders today make for more great leaders tomorrow.Why it's important that we do what we say we are going to do.Why we get excited when things get tough.How real feedback has been used to improve our process.What we are doing to support women in leadership.How, in our environment, it's very possible that someone who starts with us today, could eventually end up running the entire company. Resources: royalunitedmortgage.com

“Yesterday doesn’t matter. Tomorrow doesn’t matter. The only way to be successful is to be successful today.” - Gabe Allen "Answering the question of if I "won my day" or not, is very internal. Did I give everything that I can do today to be successful today? And if the answer is no, what can I do to change that right now? - Eric Ashton When it comes to Royal United, our culture is based on competition and a question you often hear is "Did you win the day?" While it seems like that should be easy to answer, the reality is that there's a lot that goes into "winning the day," that most people don't even think about. In this episode of Inside Royal United, we discuss how daily victories build into long-term achievements. You'll hear: How we believe in looking for, and celebrating, each small accomplishment on the way to achieving our long-term goals.Why it's important to set small, achievable goals that lead to bigger wins.The importance of having a game plan for success, and executing on it.The only one who can decide if you’ve really won your day is yourself. We’ll also share how good leaders make good employees, why people still quit before they reach success, and how making work into a game can motivate your team to succeed. Resources: royalunitedmortgage.com

This place has been the means to help me accomplish everything I’ve ever wanted.” — Colby Hurford "We don't just work together, the relationships are real, they're genuine. We have an open door policy; if anyone ever needs anything, at all, we're there to support." - Chris Doepke Virtually every employer offers employee benefits, and those that want to remain competitive in today's market know the importance of offerings that support physical, mental and financial wellbeing. However the extent to which these offerings, and others, are rooted into the fabric of the company culture is what separates a "job" from a "career." At Royal United, there’s more to uncover than what's reflected in our offer letter or on our website. An onsite wellness coach, monthly wellness challenges, budgeting classes, paid parental leave, inclusion initiatives and free mental health counseling are among the benefits that help our team members be the best version of themselves. In this episode, you'll get a peek into what goes into our benefit strategy, why we encourage people to take advantage of our offerings and the impact those resources have on our people both in, and outside, of work You’ll learn: Resources: - If you want to learn more about Royal United, find us at royalunitedmortgage.com

"Our PEOPLE, our CUSTOMERS, our COMMUNITY. Those three things are not just words. They're the playbook by which we do things.” - Julie Wright From day one, we've said that Royal United will only go as far as our PEOPLE take us. Therefore it's our commitment to provide a culture of belonging, where each team member (regardless of their role or tenure), knows they are part of something bigger than themselves and is respected and heard. Where, through strong culture and leadership, we focus on the professional and personal development people seek to help them find success and be emotionally fulfilled. Treat each CUSTOMER as a family member and give them unparalleled service and options designed specifically for their needs. Be more than just a contributor to worthy causes; be an integral part of the COMMUNITY and committed to making it better. They’re more than just words. They’re the ethos of how we operate. In this episode, you’ll hear team members share what these pillars mean to them and how everything we do revolves around them Resources: https://www.royalunitedmortgage.com/resource-center/blog/community-outreach You’ll learn:

“What we do is hard. It's not easy. If it was, everybody would do it. And it takes time to get there. And so many people just give up too soon, or they said they wanted it, but their actions don't match up with their words and they're really not willing to do what others are not willing to do. They're not willing to put in that hard work to be number one.” – Gabe Allen “Sometimes you get comfortable. It happens when you're really, really good at what you're doing right then and there, and you're real comfortable and complacent. And complacency is a real bad thing.” – Rob Jakubowski “Winning isn't easy and not everyone wins, but the pursuit of that is what we're all about and that's why we do what we do.” – Shawn Greve We’ve talked about what greatness looks like, and we’ve touched on how to be successful at Royal United, but what’s the reality? What does it really take to win? If there is one thing we know for sure it’s that we don’t shy away from the work it takes to deliver results for our people and those we serve. The rewards can be great, but it's not always fun along the way; we give feedback, we hold people accountable to their results, and we embrace conflict. On the other side though, we invest in our team and give them every resource to be successful. What you're about to hear is a real conversation with team members sharing some of the reality you might not hear in a job interview. Resources: - If you want to learn more about Royal United, find us at royalunitedmortgage.com You’ll hear:

“There are times when you are going to want to throw in the towel. But what's going to set you apart from everybody else is when you don't.” - Carole Murphy In any role in any company, there are characteristics that can make you the best, and Royal United is no exception. We strive for greatness and expect the same from our team members. In this episode, we wanted to take a moment and give you a little insight into what greatness looks like and what it requires from our people themselves. Resources: - If you want to learn more about Royal United, find us at royalunitedmortgage.com You’ll hear:

"There was never a time that I thought for one second we were not going to make it." - Mike Keleher After being laid off from their jobs three times in six months, the original founders of Royal United Mortgage decided enough was enough—they were going to build a company better than any they’d worked for. In 2008, Mike Keleher, Steve Reuss, Eric Morr, Chris Melvin, and Dave Jacobs founded Royal United with the goal of creating great jobs for great people. Despite being faced with difficult circumstances, the team persevered and was eventually able to build a successful company. In this episode, four of the original founders reminisce about what it took—both mentally and financially—to start a mortgage company during the 2008-2009 crisis. Resources: royalunitedmortgage.com You’ll hear:

”Respect and support for each customer, respect and support for each team member, and respect and support for each community we serve. With every endeavor and interaction, it’s never forgotten that it’s all about real people helping real people. Together. We are United.” Everyone has a story, and that story typically represents your "why." Given that our business model at Royal United serves the average American, and that most of us ourselves fall in that category, we serve our customers best by getting to the heart of their "why," and along the way often discover our own. So whether engaging with our PEOPLE, our CUSTOMERS, or our COMMUNITY, with every endeavor and interaction, it's never forgotten that it's all about real people helping real people. Together. We are United. Weaving through different voices and perspectives, founder Mike Keleher will be your guide as we navigate through various stories of why we create great jobs for great people and the important role Royal United plays in their lives. Resources: You’ll hear:

There’s so much more to working for a company than a website or an offer letter can reveal. It’s about the people, the culture, the real conversations about what it takes to be successful in a role. At Royal United Mortgage, we believe in honestly sharing our company's story to give you the bigger picture. This is Inside Royal United, the podcast sharing the stories behind the incredible people that make up our organization. Through a series of episodes, our team members share their stories, showing you what it means to create great jobs for great people and how that affects our customers and community. We help people improve their lives. From our customers, our team members, and to our communities, we’re making a difference. And you can make it happen.