Intro/Outro 0:05

Welcome to Elevate with Elsner. Join us for inspiring conversations with individuals who have transformed their lives and are making a difference through the work that they do. And now, here's your host, Blake Elsner.

Blake Elsner 0:21

Welcome back to another episode of Elevate with Elsner. Today I'm joined by someone who's become a familiar face in the St. Louis real estate community. He's a loan officer, a leader, and the founder of Agent STL, a platform that's bringing agents, lenders, and industry professionals together through networking and education. David Ames, welcome to the show and thanks for joining me. Yeah, thanks uh for having me. Very much excited to be here. Absolutely. So let's let's tell a little little backstory about who David Ames is.

David Ames 0:57

Wow. Uh who David Ames is. Well, uh I was born in a small desert town. I don't know if we want to go back that far. Yeah. Um, yeah, you know, I I I grew up um uh father in the uh in the army. And so it it is relevant, I guess, to who I am today that we we moved around quite a bit. Um, you know, ultimately I went to three different high schools. Um, I I think I was telling my uh my nine-year-old recently, by the time I was his age, I think I had lived in seven different houses in seven different states, something like that. So um yeah, it was it was you know pros and cons, right? But um I think it it pointed me in the direction of who I am today in terms of um uh enjoying community building um and things like that, right? So uh, but yeah, that was that was childhood, and then um spent some time early in my adult corporate career as a corporate trainer for Verizon, which I've also recently realized and informs a lot of what I do. Um and then about 20 years ago, I got into the mortgage industry and uh I worked for a large bank, kind of a corporate level, uh doing mortgages that way, and got about 10 years under my belt. And then about eight years ago, eight and a half years ago, I uh joined New American Funding and uh decided to explore more of the entrepreneurial mortgage role where you um don't have anyone, you know, making your phone ring for you. You have to go make it ring yourself. And so that's been uh a big part of my journey and how we wound up talking here today.

Blake Elsner 2:42

Yeah, obviously uh a leader inside the uh mortgage industry. So, how did you like was there ever a time prior to when you're in Verizon and doing corporate training that like it popped into how did that even come about?

David Ames 2:56

Yeah, so um I in 2009, early 2009, got um laid off with the rest of the world um because of the mortgage industry, basically. Um and there was a uh I worked for for Citibank. Uh there's a Citibank building down the street from the Verizon building. I've been at Verizon since I was, I think, 19 years old and worked my way into a corporate trainer position and um didn't know, you know, the the working world outside of that, really, other than entry-level type fast food stuff, right? That was my first adult job. And um got later, I didn't know, you know, I didn't know unemployment insurance exists. I didn't know anything. I I knew I had a baby and a new wife at home and uh felt very panicked. And there was another large office building down the street, and I thought I'm gonna pop on their website, see what they're hiring for, and um wound up in sort of a more entry-level role in the mortgage business. Um, figured I guess, you know, if they're gonna collapse the world's economy, I uh might as well see see what that industry's all about. So uh yeah, kind of wound up over there and again some entry-level roles, and I worked my way up from being a loan processor, a loan closer, did some junior underwriting, which was all very healthy and and good experience to kind of lead me um eventually into the sales role, which to be honest, I had very little desire to get into. Um, not a real salesy kind of guy, but um became friends with a lot of the salespeople, um, saw what they were making, got a lot of uh recommendations from them saying you really, really should come over on uh on this side of the building and and work over here with us. So eventually I I caved and um my initial thory in the sales as a loan officer was in uh corporate relocation. Um, so I was primarily dealing with executives um from a lot of specific companies like you know, Boeing, um, a lot of the pharmaceutical industry executives. And so that was uh that was fun. It was I I enjoyed it quite a bit because anyone I had on the phone tended to be someone with high demands and high expectations. And uh I figured out pretty quickly that all they wanted was to talk to someone that sounded like they had it under control and uh could leave them with very little to worry about. You know, they're sometimes moving, uh repatriating from a foreign country. Uh, they've got a lot on their plate. And so they, you know, want to get someone on the phone that sounds like, hey, this mortgage thing is all taken care of for you. You don't have anything to worry about. And so thankfully that worked out well, where I, you know, won a lot of those folks over. Um, but I think it was informative too, because I got used to delivering, I think, a caliber of service for a certain type of clientele that even when I left corporate relocation, um, you know, I pride myself a lot on that executive level treatment. Um, even if you're, you know, not an executive, you're maybe just starting out your family, starting out your career, first-time homebuyer, that sort of thing. I still like to make those people feel like the the same treatment that the uh you know president of Boeing might have gotten from me.

Blake Elsner 6:18

You know, I love that. And obviously, I think back on when you said you got into the industry of of servicing loans and whatnot, it's interesting because you had to have a big heart because if you think about the time, like you said, mortgages kind of took people out back then in a way, right? And for you to go, well, I want to help people and I'm gonna switch jobs and get into the exact thing that kind of took people out obviously shows that hey, you know, you gotta you got a heart and a knack for helping people. And I think when you talk about the sales part where you're you know you're not true, true salesy, right? The people that have big hearts, it's like you don't need to be salesy, right? Because you're you're there to help people, and naturally, as you help people, you succeed. And and I feel like that's kind of what you've kind of spoken out.

David Ames 7:06

Yeah, I mean, I I I won't personally try to stake any claim to the size of my heart. I I you know I certainly try to be a big-hearted individual. I let the world decide whether that's true or not. But uh, yeah, I mean, I I agree. I I think I fell in love with the profession because it is a complicated beast. And I think my training background informed my ability to try and simplify and taking complex scenarios and be able to make them as simple as possible for people to not feel nervous and intimidated, you know, taking the nerves out of it is something that I take a lot of pride in because I can be an anxious, nervous fellow by nature. And uh, if I feel like I can gift someone the removal of anxiety uh and try to make things simple and exciting for them, then you know, yeah, for sure. That's something that means a lot to my heart and is the the aspect of this job that I enjoy the most for sure.

Blake Elsner 8:09

Yeah, you yeah, you really, you really tell you you put a lot into it and obviously you get a lot out of it, which is awesome. What would you say, like going back, what was the the hardest part like early on in your career with like the loans and everything? Sure.

David Ames 8:25

Well, you know, I started as a loan processor, and this is absurd to think about now, but this was 2009. Interest rates had had kind of like they did later during COVID, had had taken a big crash and were lower than people had seen in in decades. And so there's a lot of volume coming in, right? And that's why they needed me was to process these loans. And so they just, you know, said here, here's a few, kind of get your feet wet, and then you know, okay, he seems reasonably competent. Let's give him about a hundred more. Um, and you know, I I it all worked out, right? Right. But uh it it was a challenge for sure, and learning almost trial by fire, right? Like, like being thrown in the middle of a lake and being expected to swim. I certainly made my share of mistakes. And um, so really just learning how it all worked, because I didn't have a mortgage background, I had a talking to people background, and they they saw enough, you know, had enough faith in me to think, okay, he can he could do a good job, but you know, holy cow, just again, it's it's a complicated beast, right? Learning the ins and outs and trying to help people navigate that process. Um, that was a pretty brutal, you know, first six months or so. And um, yeah, it was tough, but got through it and hopefully helped a lot of people. And I'm sure if I sure if I could listen to some of those phone calls now, I'd be mortified. But um, you know, yeah, I did I did my best.

Blake Elsner 9:57

They don't have AI call recording back then, so you're good. You're good. Yeah. No, I I I think back on like how you had to navigate the the times and just think about all the different, you know, moving parts. It truly is like incredible for somebody to, you know, get thrown into such a crazy economy, um, and then pretty much thrown into the fire and then go from there. Yeah, definitely.

David Ames 10:24

It was a challenging time for a lot of people. And so it was uh interesting time to get into mortgages and learn all the stories of what people were doing before I got in, even just a year prior, right? All the uh, well, if they didn't make enough, you just told them, hey, if you made a couple dollars more an hour, you could qualify. And they'd say, okay, well then I do. And you'd go, okay, great. We don't need pay stubs. So um just a very different world than the one I entered. Um, and I'm kind of glad I kind of glad I got into it when I did and and wasn't part of the old wild, wild west scenario and and mortgages because um I I I definitely think I would have thought this is this is just not for me.

Blake Elsner 11:00

But yeah, no, I think back on some of those, some of those, you know, I would say bad loans. Um, I remember in high school sitting at our Keller Williams office, and there was like a cook and a waitress, and they were just bawling, and I think they had like a half million dollar house, like nowhere near what they should have um been buying, and they were, you know, had to do a short sale and all that, all that crazy stuff. And I thought in high school, I'm just like, what's going on? You know, you're just kind of an immature high school kid and you don't really know, and you look back on those these times and you go, holy crud, like it was a Tuesday at noon, too, and nobody's in the office. Like, I'm like I was just oblivious to those times, and it's truly incredible um to see people like yourself who persevered through those times and built an incredible um career. So props to you on that. I I appreciate that very much. Thank you. Absolutely. So let's just uh switch gears here for a second um and jump into the agent STL. Give us a little rundown on if people don't know what the agent STL is for the first time, what would you tell them?

David Ames 12:06

Yeah, um, it is a event series, magazine, and workshops designed for the housing community in St. Louis, primarily focused on realtors. Um you know, I can kind of walk you through its genesis where it came from. Um, you know, I got uh again into the entrepreneurial side of mortgages 2017-ish. Um, and you know, had to start networking, had to start meeting people, right? And I started getting out there a little bit, and you know, no knock on what anyone else is doing, but I attended things that I felt like I don't know if this is my room, you know, it felt a little clicky, um, really, you know, driven by the desire for sponsors. Um, and I didn't leave some of those rooms feeling like uh I learned a lot, or there's this is you know, cultivated for the purpose of the education of the people in the room. And so I always thought, well, one day if I ever get my feet underneath me, I'd like to take a stab at something like this. And then COVID happened and no one was going anywhere. And so, you know, I uh a few years of that or so, and then um a couple three years ago now, I I started having the thought that I think I've got my feet underneath me enough and I know enough people that'd be fun to start getting rooms together, people that, you know, may be like-minded, may want to uh enjoy the same things I enjoy. And so, you know, started off, it's it's gone through a lot of iterations. I won't walk you through all of them, I'll spare you the detail. But, you know, the first time I did something like that, I probably begged and pleaded everyone I knew to just please show up. And um, you know, probably 12 people were in the room. And I thought, I don't know why I'm doing this. This is probably pointless. But I'll always remember after that first event, a couple there was a couple, uh, a couple of the agents that were there pulled me aside afterwards and said, Um, you know, hey, I want to tell you, I I got a lot out of this. This was uh this was really enjoyable. This felt different than a lot of the rooms I've been in. Um, I you know, took away this nugget, that nugget. I I think I'll be better at what I do because I was here. Or, or in so many words, right? And I thought, holy cow, that's that's fantastic. That's why I want to do this. Um, and I think it was that old kind of corporate corporate trainer hat being put back on that I didn't even think about at the time, but that enjoyment of feeling like you got some people in the room, they learned some things and they left better off than when they walked through the door, right? Uh, and so that motivated me to keep building and building. And eventually, uh, about two and a half years ago now, the it morphed into the agent STL branding. Um, and now, you know, we've expanded out into a uh St. Charles County edition of this at the beginning of this year. Uh, we get anywhere from 50 to 100 people in the room each time we do it, primarily realtors. I'm very particular about cultivating speakers and panels that I feel like are going to be very beneficial to people in the room. Um, not everything's gonna be for everyone, but you know, I want people that have a spirit of wanting to provide for others, um, want to educate, want the people that they're talking to to leave the room maybe a little better off than when they walk through the door. Um, and really it's community building too, right? That's super important to me that people can come together no matter the brokerage they work for, no matter what color you know, their hat or shirt is, that once they come in the room together, it's a uh a communal experience and everyone's happy to be there together. And you know, maybe I sat next to this person last time and I get to see them again, and that that's neat, you know. Um, and so yeah, it's kind of taking on a life of its own. And then the magazine component is fun too, because you know, there's no requirements, there's no restrictions, there's no this magazine promotes this specific thing about the real estate industry. It is uh, these are people that have an interesting story. Um, these are tips and tricks that can help realtors be better at what they do with contributions from people across the industry, right? So it's a lot of fun cultivating that and putting that together. Um, because again, there's no hard definitions on how that functions or who gets on the cover or things like that. Um, and so you know, for me, that that's really exciting. And I I think that the people that are have been part of that have really enjoyed it and and been excited by it. So hopefully that's a good explanation of what it is that we're doing.

Blake Elsner 16:45

It is, and I think one of the biggest things, one of the takeaways I always think about with these events now, um, are like realtors are collaborating with other realtors. I feel like that's always been a block for some reason inside of our industry that like as another realtor, like you're always on the other team or you're always against each other. And that's one thing that I've always tried to change as well. It's like, hey, we can there's there's enough houses out there for you and I. We know totally different people. Um, so like we can collaborate and figure out how we can serve our clients in a better way together. It's very simple. And and I think you see that as well. And you created this event to um help us as realtors, I think, to uh be able to open up to others and inside the industry and help um expand our you know our knowledge and our ways about uh becoming successful entrepreneurs.

David Ames 17:42

Yeah, exactly. You know, as a lender, what's interesting for me is getting to be inside of so many different real estate offices at times and getting to know so many different uh real estate cultures and leaders in particular, um you could see the cultural differences, right? You could see the differences in approaches. And it's been a lot of fun for me to bring the individual kind of lack of a better way to put it, kind of spirit and vibe of individual brokers and leaders and put them in the room in front of people that may not have had that exposure before. And I think that's the compliment that we get more often than not, is this was really fun to get to see how these people are doing things. And again, you know, I've worked hard to have the people in the room be people that are good representations of the brokerages that they're part of, right? So I feel like the people in the room are getting that, again, that vibe, that spirit of this is who these guys are all about. Oh, that's pretty cool. That's what they talk about. That's the language they speak, right? Uh, and then to have that that crop cross-representation in the room. I'll say something else, though. You know, you we say that about realtors, but I'll tell you, they do it a whole hell of a lot better than uh mortgage lenders. Uh they, you know, there are those divisions, but they play in the sandbox a whole heck of a lot better than than we or play in the same sandbox together a whole heck of a lot better than we do. Um, so that that's that's a topic for another day, perhaps. But that's you know, I don't know if it's uh where my passion and desire for some of this comes from, but the desire to kind of break down some of that the the rivalries in the mortgage industry and some of the cut-throatedness of the mortgage industry is something that's on the agenda as well. Um, I don't I don't want to just do that for real the real estate industry, but um, you know, I I we get other lenders in the room, right? I don't exclude anybody. And if you're a lender watching this now, please come out. Um, I love seeing in the room and I respect why they're there and what they're doing, right? Um, it's hard. It's hard to get out there. And if you see this is another, this is another mortgage lender's event, uh, and I still kind of have the gumption to show up. And, you know, they're always very respectful and always say, hey man, I hope you don't mind that I came. And then I always say, uh, not only do I not mind, let me introduce you to some people, right? I I respect and appreciate you being here. Far be it for me to stand in front of this room full of realtors and and talk about being together and and you know, taking care of each other, and then shoe away uh other uh loan officers that come into the room. That that would be a pretty poor example of what I'm hoping to build. So um yeah, that's uh that's that's another project that I'm working on.

Blake Elsner 20:28

Yeah, no, I I never really thought inside the mortgage mortgage industry. I guess we're always so focused on the realtor side of things that we've kind of forgot about the mortgage side. So yeah, maybe maybe we'll have to look for that from you in the future. But yeah, no. So what um in in terms of like future events, how many events do you usually hold um per year with Agent STL?

David Ames 20:49

Yeah, so that's something that I've tinkered with, you know, over the past couple years or so, trying to find the right cadences. Um, what that is going to look like for the remainder of the year and then 2027, um, what I think has worked really, really well, especially as we've expanded out west now into St. Charles County, is uh leading off in January with uh Agent STL. And we're at the Lodge and Depair typically, um, depending on you know what they have going on. But that that's primarily home base, is the Lodge and Depair. Uh that would be in January. And then the next month, um we have implemented workshops now where we invite people at the event to do some drill-down work. Um and very specific, you know, recently we did a workshop called Own Your Neighborhood that was well attended. Uh, people were very excited about, and that takes some very specific marketing concepts to the classic geographic farming, but target specifically the people that live around you in your neighborhood and show some, I think, unique and creative ways that people don't always think about to geographically farm, to show yourself as a resource for the people around you instead of just, you know, bringing. Hey, bragging that I'm a realtor, it's good to have some proof of your competency and your skills and that you sell houses. That's awesome. But uh, what else can you do for me that, you know, I already got three postcards last week from another realtor? Why should I pay attention to yours, right? So anyway, that on your neighborhood workshop um spoke to that. And then February, you know, if it's 2027, February, then is back out to St. Charles. And we do those at the water's edge, uh, really beautiful facility, uh, facility there in St. Peter's. Uh, and then, you know, off-month workshop back to St. Louis. So three in St. Louis, uh, three in St. Charles with workshops in between.

Blake Elsner 22:39

Yeah, that's really neat. All uh you have it down to almost a science. I know you're always tinkering with it and trying to figure out what what's the best avenue or lane to be in. But uh so far I think it's uh been a success. And I am lucky enough to actually be a part of the next event. I believe it's the next one, end of August. Um, I know it hasn't come out yet. So if you give us a little uh insight, maybe a little sneak peek on what's to come on that one.

David Ames 23:04

Yeah, you know, I think people have uh hear me say this almost every event. Uh, but I think this is the one I've I might be most excited about that we've ever had. Um, I'm thrilled, of course, that uh you've uh will be gracing us with your presence. Um it will be sort of a uh an event in uh in three acts. Um the uh you being a uh a podcast host and doing such a phenomenal job with that. I was excited to invite you to come because I know that you have a lot that you can show the real estate community in in this space, right? Um and then that will kind of play along with another uh agent. Um her name's Brittany Bonds, and she will be speaking to uh some video stuff that she does. And so um kind of uh building some relationships through broadcasting, if you will, right? So uh I think that that that will be the initial pairing. And then I I have a gentleman coming out, uh, Dr. Maybe from uh Dale Carnegie Institute. If you're familiar with Dale Carnegie, wrote a lot of the the most famous sales books that exist. And so um Dr. Maybe is part of Dale Carnegie. He will be sort of uh uh an in-between between uh realtors speaking, and Dale will, or I'm sorry, um Brian, Dr. Maybe will be speaking to building um uh things as well from from the Dale Carnegie perspective. And then that will be followed by uh two agents um that will uh be presenting uh some sphere building and community building and things like that. So um yeah, it's gonna be kind of three separate portions of the event. Um and this will really be one of the first times we've had anyone come out that's not from the real estate community, but has a uh I I think uh I could not have enjoyed listening to him talk more. Um again, Dr. Maybe. I I think what he's gonna bring to the table and the information that he'll be able to present um will be exciting for all of us because it's someone outside the housing industry, uh, but has just an incredible depth of knowledge and um building relationships with people and uh sales techniques.

Blake Elsner 25:17

Yeah, even I always say like these events, even that I get to be a part of this, I am always still taking stuff away and and learning and the amount of you know knowledge that you that I get to spew to people. You're gonna be walking out with a ton of stuff from me, and I'll get to walk out with even more stuff from somebody else. Like it is, it's really and then you get to then you get to collab with other people in inside the room and other people in the industry and business owners, people that actually, you know, they understand you know the the daily grind that we go through. So I really am excited um to you know to to be a part of this. So same.

David Ames 25:55

Yeah, and that'll be August 27th, uh 9 a.m. And because the lodge is undergoing renovations, we're actually going to be at the Clark Library Branch in St. Louis County off Lindberg. Just incredible facility. Um, so I'm really excited to have our first STL event outside of uh the lodge. And to your point, you know, it's I feel very spoiled because obviously I'm at every event. And, you know, I even have speakers sometimes say, well, I don't know that I have anything to offer that's going to be any different than maybe what some people have heard before. And I always say, Hey, listen, I promise you, I promise you that there's going to be something about what you say and how you say it that at least one person in the room is it's going to be revelatory for them, right? And it always is for me. So I get to sit at all these events and I'm not a realtor, but you know, there's a lot of cross-pollination between our our two jobs and hearing folks like yourself, just the best of the best of the industry, speak to the things that they do to be successful. It's all very entrepreneurial, right? Um, I feel better at what or more capable of what I could be doing after every single event. Um, you know, so easy for me to say. I I encourage everyone to come to every single one they can, right? Um, but I I mean that very sincerely, that I've never left one without thinking, wow, I've never looked at that particular thing that way before. Uh, and I think I'm gonna be better at my my job now because of that.

Blake Elsner 27:31

It's 100% accurate. I and I think also, you know, you always go, hey, this is gonna fill up pretty quick. And it's not one of those sales tactics where it's like, hey, come pay our 497. It's gonna fill up in the first day, and realistically, the room never fills up. Right. This obviously it's 50 seats. Um, it's gonna fill up fast and always does. So I I tell people, obviously, keep an eye out, um, you know, for the for the future uh flyer to come out and obviously uh vent bright and go from there, right? Yep, absolutely. We'll get that out soon. Yeah, awesome. Well, if you don't mind, let's uh do a little rapid fire to end it off. Sure. All right, you ready? Let's do coffee or energy drinks. Energy drinks. Oh, there we go. That's I got my first one right here. Um, favorite place to eat in St. Louis. Oh gosh. Uh let's say um Nintendo Endo. Oh, that's a good that is a great spot. Um, best book you've read.

David Ames 28:35

Um, you know, I'd like to give something that sounds super academic and intelligent, right? But um wow, I I'm a big Stephen King fan. Um, you know, from a uh from a business perspective, a book called Winning, um, from Michael Jordan's old personal coach. I can't remember his name off the top of my head, but boy, if you if you wanna, I can't read more than a few pages without wanting to run through a brick wall. Um, but then yeah, a lot of the Stephen King stuff, um, the shining, it, you know, uh a lot of that. His short story collections in particular. There's some short stories in there uh that I just are are very powerful. I feel like you you only 30, 40 pages, but by the time you're done, it's like riding a roller coaster, just quick hit, punch in the face. Holy cow, what a uh you know, what a story that was.

Blake Elsner 29:25

Yeah, pulls you in and keeps you going, that's for sure. Last one, beach or mountains. Oh, beach.

David Ames 29:31

Um yeah. Love the ocean. I I wish I could spend every single day on a beach if I could.

Blake Elsner 29:39

Same. I know. I I uh it's something about the the peacefulness of of waves and in an ocean and yeah, the beach. So I uh I appreciate you taking the time to be here. Um and any last uh comments for the people at home listening.

David Ames 29:56

Yeah, no, I mean thanks for thanks for tuning in. Uh I thank you very much for uh you know inviting me to be part of this. It's an honor. And um, yeah, no, just you know, anything that uh anyone ever needs from a mortgage perspective, any advice, anything I can ever help with. And then we really hope you'll come out to the Agent STL events to keep supporting that and hope you'll get a lot out of that. Um, and other than that, just you know, thanks for watching and thanks for having me.

Blake Elsner 30:22

Yeah, absolutely. Thanks for coming on here. And I think one of the biggest uh takeaways probably today isn't just about business, it's a just not about transactions, it's really about you know relationships, it's about people. Um, and I think that's exactly what you know you're building inside your career and with Agent STL. So I'm excited to see the continued impact um that's gonna have and excited for the next event, end of August. Awesome. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Absolutely. And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Elevate with Elsner on your favorite podcast platform. If you know someone in real estate lending or business that could benefit from this conversation, send it their way. Until next time, keep building relationships, keep growing, and keep elevating. One love.

Intro/Outro 31:09

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