NWA Women in Business: Mandy Hathorn

Residence: Springdale

Education: B.S.B.A., B.S., marketing management, University of Arkansas

Professional background: Hathorn began working for a mortgage company while in college and decided to make it a career. She has worked as a mortgage loan officer since 2004, both on the brokerage and banking side. She is now the senior vice president at Encore Bank, where she has been employed for more than five years.

What inspired you to pursue the career you are in? I worked part time for a mortgage brokerage while attending college and loved the challenge. No two loans are the same, and what sometimes appears to be an easy transaction can turn into a challenge. So every day is something new, and I love that. I love helping people provide a home for their families while also building long-term wealth through homeownership.

What advice can you offer to women who want a career in your industry? Build relationships and stay true to yourself. This isn’t an easy career. It comes with a lot of long hours and being available around the clock if you want to be successful. I approach every loan I do as if that customer is a customer of mine for life. The majority of my customers are people I have helped with financing on numerous occasions. The fact that they trust me, time and time again, is the reason I do this. It is important for my customers to know that I look out for them like I would my own family and will always have their best interest at heart.

You stay busy professionally. How do you take care of yourself and maintain good mental health? I make sure that I don’t get so caught up in making a living that I forget to make a life. My family comes first in everything I do, and making sure that I stay true to this and always put them first results in me being happy. I also walk, almost every day. I love to put in my AirPods, turn on an audiobook and go for a long walk.

What are some of the leadership skills that helped you move up in your organization? I’m not sure they are leadership skills, but I would say consistency and dependability. I show up every single day. I put in the work and am willing to do whatever needs to be done to make us better. I am often found handling things around the office like ordering supplies and cleaning out cabinets. I don’t approach my position at the bank as one that fits into a box and means I am only responsible for certain things.

What was your dream job as a kid, and why? My dream job was to be a kindergarten teacher because I love kids. If I had not landed in the finance world and fallen in love with that, I would definitely be a teacher.

First thing you do at the office each morning? Talk. I am a talker, and I have to start my morning by catching up with my friends at work about all the things before I’m ready to start the daily grind. Once I get caught up on everything, I usually start by making my to-do list for the day and talking to my assistant about updates and what issues are the most pressing so we can decide how to divide and conquer.

What do you do to relax when not working? My family would probably say shop. I love to shop and find good deals. I also love spending time with my husband and our two boys. We love to play pickleball, go to concerts, go to Razorback games, go out to eat and spend time together.

What’s the next big personal or career challenge you plan to take on? My oldest son just graduated from high school, so my next big personal challenge is moving him to college. I would be lying if I said I was ready for this. This is such a bittersweet milestone but one that my heart isn’t quite ready for.