Meet Dean wegner of team Dean and The CORE training
Tell us about yourself and your organization.
My name is Dean Wegner and I am a mortgage originator in Phoenix, Arizona. My referral-based lending business (known in the Phoenix marketplace as “Team Dean”) primarily does residential home loans in the state of Arizona. Locally I am among the top ten mortgage originators in Phoenix, and nationwide I am ranked in the top 300 for volume and production. My four-person Team Dean collaborates together to provide clients with residential loan plans designed to meet each individual’s unique needs. I am also a mortgage coach for business consultation programs sponsored by The CORE Training, Inc., located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
My wife Shelly and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary in October 2006. Our favorite things to do are traveling to far-off lands such as Africa, South America, Europe, Asia and any enchanting island we can find. We have two beautiful daughters, 4 year-old Brooke and 3 year-old Lauren, and actively involve ourselves with the children’s education and growth.
How did you and your organization get introduced to Rapport Leadership International?
In the Fall of 2004, I was a coaching student with The CORE Training and my coach Tony Tylman nominated me for Rapport’s Leadership Breakthrough One. I signed up right away and the rest is history in the making.
How many Rapport graduates does your organization have?
The CORE Training has more than 400 graduates of Rapport, all from the mortgage industry or realtor profession. To compliment The CORE’s two-year business coaching program, students are introduced to Rapport training. Members of The CORE usually operate in teams, and Rapport’s training develops team leadership skills and empowerment of assistants to support team members.
Tell us about your Rapport experience?
It’s not what I got from Rapport, it is more what I became; a leader in my community, business, industry, family and church. Through Rapport I have a new sense of respect for other leaders in our world, and hold a high admiration for those making huge decisions for the benefit of others.
How has Rapport impacted you personally?
The best part of Rapport for me personally was the encouragement to trust in myself. I have evolved in so many ways since my first Rapport class and now it is a part of me. I recently became a mortgage coach for The CORE Training, and I love helping others become the best they can be. With The CORE I do seminars nationwide and I record CD’s for them. My attitude now is more focused on how others feel and what I can do to help them excel personally and professionally. I find myself involved in more thought-provoking conversations with other people, and consequently I found I have developed deeper, more meaningful relationships.
How has Rapport impacted your business?
Before Rapport, I had one assistant and worked 55 hours a week. Now I have three assistants and work 35 hours a week. I make a lot more money now and I have more fun in my day. I have been able to delegate out the things I do not care to do and focus my attention on building and maintaining relationships, networking and public presentations.
What is the most surprising benefit you or your organization received from Rapport Training?
By far the most surprising benefit has been a shift in my marketing strategies. I have been focusing on what I term “leadership marketing.” I learned the battle in marketing is not over products; it’s over perception. Consumers tend to rank services in categories. My category is mortgage services. The goal is to be ranked number one in your category, and thus you will benefit from more leads and referrals.
I am actively working to establish myself as “Arizona’s Leading Mortgage Expert.” I hired two publicists to enhance my name recognition. Recently I have been featured on over four television stations, radio stations, and magazines and I have spoken at numerous events. It seems the more media exposure I receive, the easier it is to find additional free publicity outlets that enhance my recognition as a leading expert. NBC Nightly News even contacted me to do a nationwide story on mortgages that aired in August 2006. This shift in marketing continues to evolve and it feels great! My affiliation with The CORE, traveling and holding large seminars, is a ton of fun as well! I really enjoy this new part of my job and I can say that Rapport’s training on leadership is 100% responsible for this.
How do you keep Rapport alive in your organization?
I meet with my team daily to discuss our business and culture. We focus on our vision and the outlook for Team Dean. Directing our attention toward fulfilling this vision has made our team closer and goal oriented. We utilize brainstorming ideas, similar to those taught by Rapport, to allow everyone’s input on what we plan to do. Everyone on my team knows we can be completely open with each other and that feedback is necessary for our growth and future. We survey all of our clients and make adjustments to raise our services to higher levels.
What class had the greatest impact on you and why?
I have been to Leadership Breakthrough One and Two, Power Communication, Eagle Quest and Life Mastery. Of all of the classes, Life Mastery impacted me the most. I remember flying home on the plane with enough energy to fly next to it! The processes are different and extremely thought provoking. The environment is perfect and the feeling of a clear vision for my life was the result. I’m much more expansive after attending this class.
When you face a challenge in your organization, what tools from the training do you call on first?
I would have to say going with my gut instinct. I have noticed that it allows me to make quicker decisions, be more decisive, delegate and move on. It creates a momentum in my day that I can solve dozens of issues without second-guessing myself. There are so many tools I utilize from all five of my Rapport training classes - I love it!
