Jessica Geijer was in her early 20s when she fell into the operations side of lending and began to forge a successful career for herself that now has spanned more than two decades.
Geijer, a loan officer and team lead on Team TK with Citywide Home Mortgage, takes care of clients and ensures they feel supported from preapproval to closing.
“I put people at ease, am always available, never make them feel rushed and explain the process in a way that actually makes sense,” she says. She prepares clients with the information they need for a successful transaction.
Part of taking care of people, she says, is showing up at the closing table, something most mortgage professionals rarely do. Most clients say they feel completely taken care of by her and leave wanting to send everyone they know her way.
Participating in Citywide’s in-house coaching program this past year felt like a huge professional accomplishment because it changed the way she thinks about her business. “I became much more focused on income-generating activities and, more importantly, on deepening the connections I have with my referral partners — primarily the real estate agents in my network,” she says.
She put more energy into being present with referral partners, showing up consistently and building relationships that go beyond just the transaction. She also leaned into her roles as president of the Professional Women’s Club of Chicago and co-chair of the Union League Club of Chicago’s real estate group.
“The mortgage process can be intimidating — there’s a lot of paperwork, a lot of moving parts, and for most people, it’s one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives,” she says. “My ability to slow down, listen and meet people where they are at has made all the difference.”
