Uncle Britt

August 2, 2013

Most of the time when the Bosses hire new people, they don’t make a big announcement. Rather, I’ll show up for work (kinda late) and find a stranger sitting in whatever cube I’ve been using and I’ll think, “Oh, must be IT working on a computer glitch.” Then I wander around for a while and notice that the person never leaves. That’s when I realize they’ve hired somebody else. To be fair, I do come in later than my co-workers (bit of a lazybones, I am), so maybe the Bosses make these introductions in the mornings before I roll in.

Britt showed up in a similar fashion. First I thought he must be here to fix our phones, but then I noticed him making calls and talking about mortgages so I put two and two together. Turns out, he is totally cool, knows a lot about clothes, drinks bourbon and is kind of like a funny/grumpy uncle. And that’s why I pulled him in for an interview…

Give this Guy an Office!

An interview with (Soon-to-be) Senior Mortgage Banker Britt Sudduth

Just the Assistant: First things first Britt, why do you know so much about clothes?

[JTA note: He’s all the time giving the rest of us clothing advice.]

(Soon-to-be) Senior Mortgage Banker Britt Sudduth: I have had a love for clothing since I was a little boy. My mother said we’d go shopping and when we got home I’d go try everything on in the mirror and tell her what was too short and what was too long.

Then one semester in college I came home to get my real estate license and had some extra time on my hands, so I went to Jos. A Banks and got a job selling clothes. I’ve just always enjoyed it. I read magazines and follow fashion. I even read my wife’s magazines.

And then the last endeavor I had before coming here was starting a custom men’s clothing company.

JTA: Britt, we’re going to get along so well. If I ever come in and look like a disaster will you tell me?

SSMBBS: Sure. You know a lot of people have a hard time with clothes because they buy clothes for an event rather than clothing for a wardrobe.

JTA (mouth agape, possibly tearing up): I feel like we get each other Britt. Man, what in the world are you doing here?

SSMBSS: The clothing business had fun moments, but it wasn’t as fun as I thought it’d be. So now I’m here working on Chad’s team on the front end of transactions – application review, preapproval, etc. I’m the initial person the borrowers are talking to. But my goal is to become a senior mortgage banker. I’m going to be sitting in one of those offices (pointing at the fancy offices reserved for big shot mortgage bankers).

JTA: Speaking of talking, I’ve heard you on the phone with clients and you are good. It’s like you’re a fun uncle, but an uncle who really knows his stuff. You’re all, “HEY MR. SO-AND-SO, HOW’S LIFE TREATIN’ YA?”

[JTA Note: Dude is loud.]

SSMBBS: You know, buying a home is fun. It’s emotional. You buy a car because you have to have a car. But you buy a home because you want one. And I think dropping the formality of the business side can be beneficial to creating relationships with these people.

People do business with friends. Whenever you’re going to purchase something, if you have a friend that sells that, you’re going to them first. So I’m constantly trying to break down the business barrier. That’s why I talk about my kids or where I live – I try to talk to people like they’re family.

Clothing was emotional too. It’s not as big a deal as buying a house, but it’s still emotional. I had CEOs stop meetings because I had arrived at the office with their clothes. I like doing business with people who want to do the transaction. That’s why I like working with people buying houses.

JTA: I would totally stop a meeting to buy clothes.

So, Jason and Hayley make fun of you, like all day long. If you were going to beat them up, just sayin’ if, you know, how would you do it?

SSMBBS (hesitant to answer): From a strategic standpoint, if you’re going to attack, you don’t tell the people how you’re going to attack. But I have to say sometimes I’m afraid of Bates [Online Dater Mortgage Banker Jason Bates] because he gets that Hannibal Lecter look. But there’s something coming, that’s for sure.

JTA: I don’ think this is going to be very good for Jason’s dating life. Well Britt, thanks for-

SSMBBS: Nope, nope, we can’t end without you putting something in there about my wife, Jen. How in love I am with her and how supportive she is and how I couldn’t do any of this without her.

JTA: Dude, you’re awesome. What else do you want to tell people?

SSMBBS: Tell them about Heroes for Children.

[JTA Note: Britt is super involved with this cool philanthropy dedicated to providing funds to families who have children battling cancer. He’s chairing a big poker tournament fundraiser for them in October and the guy is adamant that you be there. More details on their website – www.HeroesforChildren.org]

JTA: Okay Britt, I look forward to you becoming a senior mortgage banker. You think you should go try out the Boss James’ office just to see how it’ll feel?

SSMBBS: Absolutely.

Y’all stay tuned for Britt’s big promotion. In the meantime, Britt and I are off to the mall (not really – Britt’s got mortgage stuff to work on, but I don’t so I really am off to the mall).