How many shootout rounds does it take for two, highly athletic, hockey playing mortgage brokers to score three goals?
Twelve.
When you have an audience of millions (ok, hundreds), it’s easy to get a little camera shy.
Quantus co-owner, Todd Fralic, dropped by our broker, Candice Light’s new office for this episode of Around the Cooler. Candice joined the Quantus team in December of 2022 and has launched a new brand, new office, and new shooting rink in those six months!
In downtown Okotoks, the new Craft Mortgage and Real Estate office has the perfect blend of business and play. It’s safe to say, we’re likely going to be back soon for a rematch.
Tell Us About Your New Office
Yeah, it’s in downtown Okotoks. It's great. It's a nice space for all of us. The front is definitely our business in terms of the mortgage and the real estate. We've had multiple clients come in now and have enjoyed the atmosphere.
And then the back is more of a work/play area for the rest of the family. It creates that opportunity to have not just “I'm going to work,” or “you guys stay home.” It's still a work in progress, but yeah, it's been a great opportunity.
(Yes, Candice did just refer to her office as a mullet.)
How Did You Get Into Mortgages?
I was 19 and going to school and playing hockey at the University of Lethbridge. I was actually going to school to be a teacher, and I didn't want to do that. But the problem was, I didn't know what I wanted to do.
So, Kody, my now husband, and I went out. We were going to go out for dinner and a movie, and I actually ran into my uncle. I was in this mode of asking everybody what they had done as a career. And he says, “I'm a mortgage broker!”
I knew nothing at the time. I didn't know much about adulting and what all of that took. I said, “Wow, that sounds cool. Can you let me shadow you?” And basically he took me under his wing. I had a great opportunity to start with a good foundation working with him.
I started in August of 2006 as an unlicensed assistant with him. I did school and mortgage brokering at the same time. Then at the end of that year, I ended up taking my test, getting licensed, and I never looked back.
What Makes You Stay in the Mortgage World?
I think for me, it's all about connections. I think that it's the people that make the job.
I have met so many wonderful people doing this. It would be very hard to leave the industry because some of my really good friends I've met doing this. The job is almost kind of secondary to that.
And what I love about it is that no deal is ever the same. It's not this consistent mindless job. There's always something different that comes up—there's not one mortgage that's ever been the same, which I love.
I like the problem solving and getting it done and the thrill of the win.
The Hard Hitter: What DON’T You Like About Mortgages?
Just as much as I love the challenge, sometimes I hate it too. I think it's just the emotional part of it. You can't please everybody and it took a long time for me to figure out what's right. I think starting as young as I did, I always had this perception of “I have to look more experienced because I look very young.”
It wasn't until recently where I'm like, ”I'm just gonna be me.” Authentic. It is what it is. You get what you get. And that's relieving!
Tell Us a Bit More About the Okotoks Market; Why Here?
Aside from actually physically being born in Okotoks, I've lived here my whole life. I just never left.
Growing up here, going to school here, being deeply rooted here, it just made sense to stay here. Now we have kids here, too. I don't know where I'd want to go if we ever decided to leave.
I've had clients now that have worked with me three or four times with renewals. There's a longevity of connection there.
Any generation of building of the business has come from local support, which is great. We're heavily involved in athletics, the hockey association here. My kids are big into that. And like I said, we've lived here our whole lives, both of us. With Kody's connections and friendships and mine, it's just very natural that the business comes from here.
How do you Support the Okotoks Community?
Community Key is a big part of Quantus and likewise on the Century21 side, they've been helping with Easterseals. We're hosting the Alberta Summer Games this year, so there's involvement in that.
But in terms of a specific charity, I don't know if there's one in particular. We're big supporters of the kids.
As I mentioned, we’re heavily involved in the hockey association here. I played hockey through Okotoks Minor Hockey Association, so to sit in one of the older rinks and watch my kids play is a little surreal because I spent a lot of my childhood there.
This year, with my youngest son, Brecken's team, I was team manager for his winter team. Kody coached him as well. I also went on the ice quite a bit with them. Just being on the ice and being with those families and making sure that we can do whatever we can to make that season go smoothly is really important to us.
Same with Drake, my oldest son's team. We helped out where we could on the bench and on the ice. Whenever we do things like coach gifts or closing gifts or anything for our clients like that, we really try and reach out to some of the local vendors here. There are a lot of cool shops on Main Street that offer handmade and different things.
It's nice to give back because our support helps their kids do what they want to do.
Thanks for being such a good ‘sport,’ Candice! (See what we did there?) We’re incredibly lucky to have you on the Quantus team and look forward to all the amazing things you and Craft Mortgage and Real Estate will do.
Also, when can we come back to shoot some pucks?