Over the last six years, Melanie Boyajian’s production in both volume and units has been growing exponentially.

But Boyajian’s focus is not just on numbers, but on the number of lives she touches. In 2018, her first full year as an Academy Mortgage loan officer in Lacey, Washington, she helped a total of 111 families achieve the dream of homeownership in what was, at that time, a very turbulent market. Boyajian gives credit for her success to her ex- tensive knowledge of loan products and particularly VA loans. She has worked hard over the years to earn the trust of local builders and has become a preferred lender for many of them. She devotes her time, talents and weekends to her referral partners, clients and her co-workers.

WHAT IS ONE THING YOU HAD TO OVERCOME TO SUCCEED IN THIS INDUSTRY?
“My young age was definitely an obstacle that I had to overcome to succeed in this industry. When I was looking into becoming a loan officer at age 22—after only six months as the office receptionist straight out of college—my industry peers and up- per-level management voiced mixed feelings about my ability to succeed in a fully commissioned position being so young in an older professional industry. Some saw my work ethic and ability to connect with people as a recipe for success, while others urged me not to take on the new role because they believed real estate agents, clients, and other referral sources would equate my age with lack of experience.”