If there’s one message Jackie Wampler wants to send to the world, it’s “never give up.” There are many wisdoms she’s carried from her time in the Army, but persistence is at the core of her business. Nothing can stop her.
She went through boot camp, training on “Tank Hill” in Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Running up that hill gave her more than just physical endurance, and the mental endurance she earned has carried through to this day.
“That was a long time ago,” Wampler said. “But I learned a lot — hard work, determination, and to always keep my eye on the ball of what I want to do in life.”
In the mortgage world, it can be easy to feel discouraged; rejections from homebuyers, tough economic cycles and loans that don’t work out are common occurrences, especially early on. Wampler’s dedication got her through that challenging early part of her career and has served her well for more than 35 years in the mortgage business.
The other pillars she’s brought to her business from her time in the military are simple and effective: courage, discipline, and integrity.
Courage and discipline come through in Wampler’s boots-on-the-ground approach to her business. “You’ve really got to get in front of people. Everyone’s so focused on doing everything online, but I think you still need to make a personal connection with people. That makes a big difference,” she said.
Wampler practices what she preaches — she’s out in her community for frequent open houses with her referral partners and works with two nonprofits to teach first-time homebuyer classes on Saturdays. She works in two offices, one in Raleigh and one in Wilmington, to reach more clients. Wampler leans very little on her company’s marketing department; she’s always hustling, working hard to form personal connections with her clients and partners. The referrals keep coming.
Her integrity shines in her approach to customer service. Trust is capital, and she wants to make sure every client trusts her. She said she’s very upfront and honest about each loan, she makes sure every question gets a response within 24 hours, and if a client is in a tight spot she will go to great lengths to solve the problem.
Once, she had a very tight closing with a helicopter pilot who was getting ready to be deployed. “He had to get his family in the house, get his wife and child settled,” Wampler said. “We jumped through hoops to make it happen. Called the attorney, called everybody. We got him in his house so he could be at ease and know his family was taken care of.”
Like many originators who have military backgrounds, Wampler closes a lot of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs loans. She’s not the only veteran on her team — her husband and son, both veterans, work alongside her. Their collective experience means each servicemember or veteran who walks through their doors feels understood.
She doesn’t focus exclusively on VA loans, though, she said. Construction is a big pipeline for Wampler; her husband worked for a builder when she started in the mortgage industry, and she started connecting with more builders as her business grew.
She also works with Federal Housing Administration and first-time homebuyers, focusing on education for these clients (many of whom come from the classes she teaches). Wampler said education is one of her favorite parts of the job, and it ties into her core tenet of integrity: she wants to make sure every client has all the information before they make a decision as huge as a home purchase.
When she’s not working, Wampler loves boating on the North Carolina coast and traveling through Europe and the Caribbean. She’s been in the industry for a long time, and values her free time, but she’s still in her prime. This year, she made Scotsman Guide history by being the first woman to be No. 1 on the Top Veteran Originators list.
As for 2024, Wampler said business has picked up in the first two quarters, and she’s feeling optimistic. “Business is good,” she said. “We just keep working at it. We reach out and ask for business. You can’t be afraid to ask for it.” ●
Tips of the Trade
Have that personal touch: go out there and make the sales call in person or pick up the phone. Don’t always hide behind an email. The personal connection is important. I make sure we always call everyone back within 24 hours, and answer emails within 24 hours. Set your goals and set your mind to what you want to do, and you can achieve pretty much anything. It all comes down to doing the hard work and never giving up.
