“One thing with this industry that I find very interesting is how it is a badge of honor for a lot of people to work 24/7, and I think it is just going to lead to burnout of a lot of good people,” Krueger told Mortgage Professional America. “You work as a vehicle to be able to do the rest of your life and the things you want to do.”
He notes that brokers work with lenders and underwriters with very fixed boundaries of when they’re on the job.
“We’re not bankers,” Krueger said. “We work with bankers and underwriters who work essentially Monday through Friday, 8 to 5. So do you really, truly need to take that call at 11 pm on a Saturday or at 6 pm on a Wednesday when you’re sitting down to dinner with your family? And the answer is no, almost never. Maybe one call a year.”
Taking care of yourself
Krueger set his boundaries from his first day at his brokerage. And people were quick to tell him that his boundaries weren’t going to work out for him.
“From day one, when I came into the industry, my voicemail said the same thing,” he said. “It has been said, ‘Dave Krueger, Montana Family Mortgage, if this is Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, I’m on a different line or with a client. Please leave a message if it is after those hours or on the weekend. That is my designated family time, and I will call you back during the next business day. If this is urgent in nature, please text me.’