Success REfashiond Icon | Erin Kaiser

Wow, can you believe we're already halfway through this year? Time sure knows how to put on a show! It feels like just yesterday we launched in February, and now we're here, ready to conquer the world!

Hold onto your bold and fashion hats because we have a sizzling treat for you! Introducing our first REfashiond Icon of the season, the one and only Erin! I've had the pleasure of witnessing Erin's sparkling personality, unwavering determination, and heart full of pure magic since I was a wee little terrified new-ish business owner. And let me tell you, she's a force to be reckoned with!

I'm constantly in awe of Erin's brilliant ideas, her unstoppable drive, and her fabulous wit that could make a flamingo blush. She pours her heart and soul into everything she does, and that's what sets her apart. But here's the real kicker: she manages to stay down-to-earth and approachable while rocking her incredible space.

When I saw her nomination come across my desk, I did a little happy dance (imagine Beyoncé-level dance moves, but even sassier). I just knew I had to share Erin's awesomeness with all of you. Trust me, you're going to fall head over heels for her, just like I did.

So buckle up and get ready for a wild ride as we dive into Erin's world. She's a true inspiration, a shining star in the marketing and business owning (especially in insurance and now mortgage) galaxy, and we're about to uncover all the secrets behind her incredible journey. Are you excited? I know I am!

Stay tuned, my refashioning-forward friends, because Erin is about to take us on a whirlwind adventure that will leave us breathless, inspired, and maybe even craving a new pair of shoes (or two) after you see her photos. It's time to celebrate her as the magnificent REfashiond Icon she truly is!

Interview with Erin Kaiser

Jessica: What does RED symbolize for you?

Erin: To me Red symbolizes a fierce change. The color Red is not typically included in my wardrobe or even in something I would normally make part of my daily pallet. Honestly, I normally shy away from the color Red. To me an event or a cause almost has to be worth of such a fierce decision to wear Red. It screams bold and demanding of attention.

Jessica: What does Success REfashiond Mean to you?

Erin: I think it really speaks to how Success looks different to everyone. Whether success is money, a family, a solid balance in your life, health, etc. It speaks to me that everyone's version of success looks different. That success is constantly being challenged by your own change within yourself.

Jessica: Tell us about you

Erin: First and Foremost I am a mama. To 6. I am a wife obsessed with her husband and the life that we have created. I am a sister, daughter, and a fiercely loyal friend. I love CrossFit, spending time outdoors with my adorable fur baby, and have a love for reading that constantly challenges my need to do household chores or pick up a good book.

I love having the home where everyone feels safe. We are a big family and have a constantly revolving door on people coming in and out. It fuels me that my family is around and consider myself lucky that we have these close relationships. 

Jessica: Tells us about what you do.

Erin: I started in the professional world of insurance at the young age of 19 and have spent years changing within the insurance space to find my true passion of pushing the envelope in marketing. Creating systems, processes, relationships that challenges other's in the same space ways of thinking. I am a self-proclaimed "void filler". Someone who loves to find the need and create something to fill said void.

After owning my own insurance agency for over 8 years I sold my company in 2022 and joined forces with my husband at V.I.P. Mortgage Inc. There, I manage marketing and growth in the industry of mortgages. I manage the business side of marketing and business development. I am a public speaker and also have traveled the country speaking about marketing, content creation, creative ways to grow your brand business. I am also an avid blogger and have used the blogging platform to gain authority in both the insurance and the mortgage space.

Jessica: Why is the work you do so important?

Erin: The give back is 100 % the reason I love what I do. The giving of ideas that open others in the professional world to tap into a space within themselves that someone might not have ever told them was attainable. Making people believe they can achieve the next level and then lining them up with the fuel to do it is what keeps my fire burning.

I believe in any industry you work in that it is your responsibility to simply make it better. To invest in not just your own work but in the work of others around you. 

Jessica: What’s a common myth about your industry or business? and can you debunk it? 

Erin: I think there is a stigma in the world of mortgages. It sounds a lot like "salesman". I think what a lot of people don't realize is that if you work in any type of financial industry, you will always have the stigma of sales that comes with it. And having that stigma can lead to pre-conceived notions of just being a number or a "deal". What a lot of people don't understand is that it doesn't have to be. When you commit to changing the way an industry does business you commit to also finding a new way of connecting with your clients. Customer experience and the entire marketing experience in regard to mortgages is not just the standard rate you are given when looking to refinance or purchase a home. It's things most people don't think of. It's credit counseling, budgeting, investing your time into customer experience so that they can trust you with one of the largest investments they will ever make. It's attention to detail, doing what you say you are going to do, and reinvesting your time in referral partners to make sure you are aligning for your customer. It's close relationships with your team, listening, and trusting each other to be creative.

Jessica: Do you feel like your industry is male dominant? If so, has there been improvement in this area in recent years? why?

Erin: 100 %. Both the mortgage industry and the insurance industries are saturated primarily with a male culture. In the insurance space I could probably think of maybe 6-10 female independent agency owners that had any kind of name in the space when I entered it. And that is being generous. My other thought I always go back to, is that if those female agency owners existed... the new female agency owners didn't know about them. Since I have sold my company, I would confidently say on the insurance side of my life there is now an abundance of female agency owners who not just exist in the space but are now pushing forward to make a space for new female agency owners to feel safe and supported.

On the mortgage side I am blessed to be surrounded by a few of in my bias of the best female mortgage originators in the business. Although the mortgage industry is still saturated and predominantly male, the female loan officers that are present in the space have made their presence know by doing things that are out of the box and wanting to grow a male led industry.

Jessica: Who are 2-3 women who made huge influences on your life?

Erin: Claudia McClain- Agency Owner in Washington State. Starting in the insurance space at such a young age I had a lot to learn. Working from the bottom included cold calling, learning the in's and outs about the industry (that didn't at that time make sense), and learning to deal with personalities that weren't always warm... was something I had quick lessons in. For my first 10 years in the space I had very little "atta girl's" or even support as I was constantly trying to do new things. I was met with a lot of resistance from an industry that wasn't accepting to shake things up. When I opened my company in 2014 shortly after I created a niche company within my own that helped me create a name for myself. As exciting and new as it was it was the first time I created something, did it on my own without any expectations that someone would maybe acknowledge that I had done a good job. It landed me my first public speaking engagement out of State. To say I was terrified was an understatement. Claudia was basically a celebrity for females in the insurance space. I admired her work ethic, her commitment to her kids while she was growing her business, and her empathy in wanting to give back to the next generation. She was in attendance at my first speaking engagement. She took the time to come up to me, congratulate me and present me with a token (necklace) and told me... no matter what they tell you ever- don't stop. You are the change we need. From then on... I have continued to admire her business acumen and am eternally grateful she dove into me.

Denise Bravo- Business Owner, Mom, and Friend. This woman. Of all the wonderful things I could say about this woman I think the best thing I could say to truly embody her is she challenged me during my toughest times to get out of my own way. I will never forget as I started my company out of my master bedroom and was getting all the notoriety for things I didn't even know I was capable of, she kept me humble. Kept me honest, kept me real, and kept me from letting my head get in the way. She brought me out of some of the darkest times in my life both personally and professionally and I admire her adoration to people in general. She is a fierce fierce woman. She has impacted my life in more ways than I probably have room to explain here.

My mom. Lorrie Hennessy. It might go without saying that every girls' mom should impact their lives in ways that make them a better human being. But I would be remiss to not acknowledge that not every mother does that for their daughter. I had my oldest daughter at 18. My mom could easily have told me to figure it out on my own, turn away when I said I needed help deciding how to turn away from having a career or just taking care of my daughter and being ok with a mediocre standard of career, and she for all those years could have chosen to not dive into me and remind me that no matter what I was able to change the world. My mom above everyone else in my life has shown me first hand that I can change anything I deem suited to be changed. She has never questioned my ability to make choices for myself and she has always reminded me who I am. On the inside. She has reminded me of my character, integrity, and ability to help other people see the same in them.

Jessica: What was a struggle you remember facing when you began?

Erin: The biggest struggle I ran into was financially. For so long I believed that I needed a certain dollar figure in the bank in order to just Run into Business. I let it talk me out of doing it for years. Sometimes the universe has a funny way of continuing to show up when you are meant to do something, and you refuse. The universe then makes it so that way you have no choice but to listen. That happened to me. I started my business with nothing. No clients, no money, and no office. I worked out of my master bedroom for the first 3 years of my agency life before I moved into a shared office space. Getting the business off the ground without reserves was my biggest struggle in the beginning. But at the end... it became my biggest business achievement. I was all profit and no overhead.

Jessica: What was a moment where you felt like you had to be brave? Something that was scary for you, but you got through it anyway? 

Erin: Leaving the insurance industry, that I was in for almost 18 years and trusting my gut that I was making the right decision to sell my company and get into the mortgage industry. It was new, it was scary, and even though I knew marketing... it was terrifying. I had to blindly trust an industry I was basically married into (family business is mortgages) and embrace the fear of starting over. I had support and patience in the people surrounding me and it helped guide me through a scary transition that I did know in my heart was right.

Jessica: What is your biggest accomplishment?

Erin: Without a doubt, my daughter Allie. Now, before I get a million pages of hate mail let me clarify, all my children are my great accomplishments. They are single handedly the milestones in my life that has made me the proudest. The reason I specially say Allie is because at 18 I became a mom, so the accomplishment isn't just the amazing woman that was raised but the simple fact that I was up against a lot and made it during that time of my life. It completely changed the trajectory of what I envisioned my life being. Up until that point I hadn't even thought about having children or what being a mom would look like. Other than it didn't matter because it wasn't happening. Finding out I was pregnant brought on insecurity struggles I didn't know I had. After she arrived everything, I thought was important about my life before her suddenly took a back seat. Every decision, priority, and career move I made had to be with her in mind. Me becoming a mom set the tone and the foundation for my other children who I have been blessed to have.

Jessica: What do you wish you had known when starting out?

Erin: I wish I had known to trust my instincts quicker. To not get caught up in paying attention to how great everyone appears to be doing. I would recommend spending less time comparing what you see on social media to the reality you already know if happening behind the scenes.

I wish I would have learned that I deserved boundaries. I shouldn't have tried to be everything to everyone. I was young when I started in business and in being young, I always put so much pressure on myself that I had to "look" a certain way in order to be taken seriously. Alot of the time that meant business suits, heels all day, and I had to constantly be put together. I wish I would have given myself more permission to do business in my workout clothes.

Jessica: If you lost everything and had to start over with your business, right now in a new place, what are the first things you would do to build your business?

Erin: Honestly, I can't say I would have changed anything. Having the financial struggle at the beginning made me have to teach myself a lot of the skills that normally would cost a fortune if I had to hire out. I believe all the struggle and uncertainty made me into the businesswoman I am today.

Jessica: Let's talk about sacrifice's as business owners.

Erin: When I had one of my first interviews publicly on a podcast I was asked while being an established business owner, what I felt like my biggest sacrifice was. It hit me so hard because after years in the insurance industry I thought I had it all figured out. But when it came to that question, I genuinely had to hit the reality wall in that the biggest sacrifice was that I sacrificed me. When I opened my company in 2014, I was 9 months pregnant. I worked in the hospital. I constantly felt like I was trying to catch the next best version of myself and failing miserably at the current version of myself. After that interview I all but locked myself in my hotel room and had the realization that I was a tremendous business owner but without my business I really didn't know where I had lost myself so deeply to it.

Jessica: What is your favorite quote?

Erin: "Don't be intimidated by what you don't know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else"- Sara Blakely, founded of SPANX

Jessica: What's Your hype song? What would you walk out on stage to?

Erin: I love this question. I am bias because I also ask it on my live Instagram Show Coffee AtHQ on a weekly basis.

Jessica: I know I stole it from you!

Erin: My favorite hype song is Venom by Eminem. I am already a huge Eminem fan, but this song always just makes me feel powerful and ready to take on a challenge.

Jessica: Do you have a favorite word? 

Erin: Authority. I think I probably say it way too often. I use it most often when speaking in regard to establishing your power and position within your industry or online.

Jessica: Tell me something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

Erin: Planning everything in detail will not get you a win with marketing. In working with professionals over the years I have found that the planning of execution can most times derail the actual execution of an idea. My belief is that you just start doing. No amount of planning with constitute the work that just needs to be put in to project forward. Marketing idea's die in the planning stages and they win in the implementation and see if it works phase.

Jessica: Where would you like people to go to find you or find out more about what you do?

 Erin: Social Media Links: coffee_at_hq and erin__kaiser

Email: ekaiser@vipmtginc.com

Company Website Info: kaisergroupmtg.com

Creative Credits:

REfashiond Icon: Erin Kaiser

Photography by Jessica Korff Studios

Makeup by: Renee Lanz | Radiate with ReneeJ

Dress Draping: Red dress draped and created by: Jessica Korff