Behind every opportunity is an obstacle
Behind every obstacle is character
Those who have character overcome their challenges
While my Yoga practice has been on and off for many years, lately my wife Elfa and I have been going to a beautiful studio, called Yogasita, on Mariposa in San Francisco every Sunday morning, when we’re in town. The classes are led by a remarkable teacher and beautiful human being—Susannah Bruder, who is also the owner of Yogasita.
We received an email from Susannah recently, informing us that her landlord has raised her rent by 125% and she has no choice but to close the doors. Later on, the increase was dropped to only 75% and a second plan of action was considered to add more teachers.
Please read her email and see if you can help.
But now let’s take a look at a very strange question. What do yoga studios and banks have in common?
Apparently, at least two things—serving people and a dependence on outside forces, either economic or political.
And here is a major difference: as much as banks need customers and employees, they quickly abandon both groups under the regulatory pressure from the Federal Government.
Susannah is looking for a solution to keep serving her customers in spite of her economic challenges. Meanwhile, banks have laid off thousands of mortgage related employees when interest rates went up. Recently another mortgage bank, EverBank Financial Group, decided to leave the wholesale relationship with customers following the footsteps of Citibank, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and MetLife, who did the same.
A recent article in Origination News stated that the decision was based on “the new regulatory scheme under Dodd Frank, despite the production measured in billions of dollars”. The same publication also reported that Wells Fargo ended eight mortgage joint ventures. The company’s press releases stated that it made the decision based on the current regulatory and market environment.
I am sure that with the help of her loyal students, and clients, Susannah will find a solution and we will be able to continue to stretch and strengthen our bodies in her studio.
Banks will also survive since mortgages are a very small part of their business. As far as the mortgage business is concerned, we will survive as well in spite of more new rules that will take place on January 10th, 2014, which will create even more limiting conditions for borrowers as part of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
I went through two emigrations as I described in the “The Mortgage Game: The 5 C’s and How to Connect Them”, been married for 46 years, and been in the mortgage business for 30 years. Despite all the outside challenges, the American dream cannot die.
Yours truly
P.S.
One of the advantages of practicing yoga, after one learns with a good teacher, is that you can practice it anywhere. But one needs to start in a studio. Please join me and my wife in the Yogasita studio.
Do not keep me as a secret.
SMILE AND PLEASE SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND
