When Philippe Gauvin completed his military service in 2019, he wanted to find a career that similarly valued discipline, a strong work ethic, and that provided the opportunity to help people.
Gauvin found his second calling as a mortgage broker, allowing him to merge his passions with his innate skill set.
“I believe if you develop an efficient process, demonstrate resiliency, find something that makes you happy and stay true to your core values, you can find success in anything,” said the Quebec-based veteran and broker for Planiprêt. “By choosing a career as a mortgage broker, I’m able to marry those interests, as well as my natural skill set, together.”
A lifelong commitment to service
Gauvin says he chose his first civilian role based on a prior interest in real estate and selected the brokerage based on the advice of a friend, both of which proved a perfect fit.
“I opted to join Planiprêt because of their reputation as being a very ethical firm that has an exceptional compliance record,” he said. “Their technological tools are also top of the line.”
Gauvin began working for the firm as soon as he left the military in May of 2019. Four years later, he has four brokers working under him.
“My philosophy going into this industry was very clear; work as hard as possible and for as many hours as possible in the first five years in order to build up a strong database as quickly as possible and gain enough experience quickly in order to more easily scale my business,” he said. “I believe I am successful because I stay true to myself and my core values, and I always give 110% to find the right solution for my clients.”
How Manulife One empowers clients to “be their own banker”
Gauvin says what drives him most is the ability to solve the unique challenges of his clients with innovative solutions. One of his preferred solutions is Manulife One, a flexible, all-in-one re-advanceable mortgage and banking product unique from anything else on the market.
“It offers my clients the opportunity to be their own banker,” he says. “I am given the opportunity to introduce the client to the Manulife One solution, but once they understand the concept, they are able to be independent in the management of their finances and mortgage.”
That is especially true for clients who are looking to grow their real estate portfolio, says Gauvin. He explains that when clients fully maximize the benefits of the unique mortgage product, they can save tens of thousands of dollars in interest; money they could then put towards a down payment on an investment property, for example.
“This creates tremendous value for the clients and opens up new business opportunities for me,” he said. “The product is a wealth generator when used properly and I have witnessed that firsthand.”
Gauvin adds that he’s also a “big fan” of Manulife’s Partner Rewards program, which provides the flexibility to offer unique perks — such as cash back options or rebates on legal fees — to his clients.
“I think brokers need to understand and recognize the efficiency and added value of the product,” he said. “There are a lot of advantages to the client, great flexibility in structuring the sub-accounts and the online banking is very user-friendly.”
Finding a work-life balance in civilian life
Gauvin adds that bringing a military-like discipline to his work as a mortgage broker allows him to continue helping his fellow Canadians in a way that feels rewarding and meaningful.
It also lets him maintain a healthy work-life balance.
“Being the father of two young boys, my wife is instrumental in helping me grow my business by being such an amazing mother and partner,” he said.
“Success to me is being able to look back and know that you put all the energy and effort you could in a task, and that you never gave up no matter how difficult it was to accomplish.”