Classic Man
Shawn Allen – The man, with the plan
BY SIMONE J. SMITH
“There are so many mortgage brokers!” “Yeah, but they’re not me!”
I know! My first thought when he said this was, wow! This man is extremely self-confident, some could even find him arrogant, but what cannot be denied is the fact that he is doing big things. What he has brought to the mortgage world has set him apart from everyone else in the industry, and gives him the right to say, “Yeah, but they’re not me!”
His mortgage company Matrix Mortgage Global was nominated Broker of the Year Veris Award #1 in Sales Units. In March 2019, his company was nominated as Canada‘s Mortgage Brokerage – Employer Of Choice. Matrix Mortgage Global won back-to-back Brokerage Of The Year Awards, and was ranked on the 2018 & 2019 GROWTH 500 list as the fastest-growing mortgage brokerage in Canada.
He guided Matrix Mortgage Global to over $1.1B in funded volume and over 610% growth in past five years. His success has made him a major stakeholder in the Canadian Financing Landscape, and he has worked with YWCA in conjunction with the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities to provide employment opportunities for many within his community.
His community work extends to his role as a board of directors for the Scarborough Business Association (SBA), a community-based group dedicated to helping businesses thrive in Toronto. He is connected to the: Scarborough Business Association, Scarborough Renewal Community Organization, Whitby Chamber of Commerce, Markham Board of Trade, and the Canadian Mortgage Broker’s Association. When it comes to the mortgage industry, there is not much he has not already done. I would like to introduce to those who don’t know him, our Classic Man, Shawn Allen
“The key to growing any business is providing a resource for people to find sound, reliable, credible and relevant information”
I had been trying to set up a meeting with Shawn since last year. He was introduced to me at the King and Queen Carnival last year, and upon first meeting Shawn, I knew there was something unique about him. He was very straight-faced, and serious, and even though we were at a light, fun event, I could see that he was still in work mode. I was intrigued, and since then, I have taken time to learn more about Shawn.
Literally a year later, I had a chance to sit down and speak with Shawn, and I finally saw a lighter side of him. During our interview, I learned what makes this man so dynamic, and intriguing.
“I didn’t’ grow up struggling,” Shawn began. “I am of Guyanese descent, and I hail from Scarborough, Ontario. I attended Mother Teresa, Cedarbrae Collegiate Institute, and Pearson in my O.A.C. Year. I completed high school and went on to attend Ryerson University, where I took AIM Computer Science. In 1999, I went to Seneca College and got my Diploma in Database Administration.”
“I bought my first house at twenty-four years old, and this is when my interest peaked when it came to real estate. That experience left a bad taste in my mouth, and I wanted to learn more, so I went back to school in 2003, and took the Ontario Mortgage Broker Course. I enjoyed the program, and learned about real estate, and the importance of advertising.”
His schooling led him into his first work experience with a mortgage company. During this experience, he had the opportunity to be involved in training seminars, and eventually started training people. All though he was enjoying his time at this company, he felt that there was a lack of appreciation for his work, so that is when he decided to start his own company. This was the birth of Matrix Mortgage Global in 2008
“I wanted to provide service to improve people’s lives and benefit them.”
From the jump, Shawn told me, it was pretty good.
“I had thirty people that I had already trained, and in 2006, I made ½ a million dollars.
During the 2008 recession, I did well. I just kept on finding ways to advertise the business. We would cold call out of the phone book, then we started doing email blasts, and then anti-spam became a thing, so we had to change how we did things.”
By 2011, things took a turn for the worst. Shawn took a look in his bank account and saw that he only had $2,000.00 to his name. He made the decision to put it into marketing and advertising. It took about three months, but finally things picked back up, and from there, and he has never looked back.
“Today, my goal is not only to educate my clients, but also other mortgage professionals worldwide in an effort to strengthen our community and the people we serve. I truly enjoy putting people in a better financial position and being welcomed into my clients’ homes and lives. Attracting and hiring key players at all levels of the organization have been paramount to our success. I am pleased to be mentioned again amongst the top companies in Canada.”
“Shawn,” I asked. “What advice would you give our community when it comes to real estate and mortgage?”
“Home is the most expensive purchase in your life for the majority of people. Buying a home cannot be taken lightly. Making sure that you have finances in place and a good grasp of your money.
One change I would like to see in Canada’s mortgage landscape is the removal of the stress test for existing homeowners, which often leaves people with severe debt and limited, costly alternatives.”
I have never been prouder to write about someone. Shawn Allen is the perfect example of a man finding his purpose, and going forward with it. The mortgage world no longer has to be unexplored territory for our community.