In Samantha's words
How Align started
Mortgages were around me for years before I actually worked in mortgages. My husband, Terry, had been in the business forever. We'd go to events. Friends would come over. People would start talking about loans, interest rates, houses, deals, whatever it was. And I remember sitting there thinking, I have absolutely no idea what any of you are talking about.
I used to joke that everybody was talking about mortgages and I could talk to you about Yo Gabba Gabba because I was home with three little boys. That was my world.
And honestly, part of why I originally wanted to get into mortgages was just exposure. I wanted to understand the conversations. I wanted to be able to help our friends. I wanted to be part of those wins instead of standing on the outside of them.
Then 2020 happened. I had decided I was going to do this, and Michigan basically shut down right when I needed to get licensing pieces finished. I could've easily said, "Well, I guess I'll wait." Instead, I got in the car and drove to Ohio because I could get what I needed done there. Looking back, that probably tells you a lot about me. Once I decide I'm doing something, I'm probably going to figure out how to do it.
I worked locally for a little while and started learning the business. And I realized pretty quickly that I liked the people side of mortgages. I liked taking something somebody thought was really complicated and explaining it. I liked being able to solve a problem. I liked being part of somebody buying their first house or moving their family.
What I didn't want to lose was being a mom. That was really important to me. I didn't want to build a career where every baseball game or soccer game became a problem because somebody else controlled my schedule. So eventually I looked at it and thought, why can't I build this around the life I actually want?
That's really where Align came from. It started with me. No big team. No giant corporate plan. I was doing everything. And then you help one person. Then another. Then somebody wants to come work with you. Then somebody else does. And eventually the little thing you started because you wanted to understand the conversation becomes an actual company.
I definitely didn't see all of that coming when I got in the car to drive to Ohio.
Samantha Shelton, Broker Owner and Senior Loan Originator
