The solid and respected business of real, attainable mortgage solutions, and the caring and giving back to the community is at the core of Mortgage Connection’s success.
Robby Aurora, Josh Higgelke and Joe Jacobs are the three Mortgage Connection managing partners and co-founders.
Powered by more than 200 mortgage brokers and team members, Mortgage Connection continues to parlay innovative mortgage experience and expertise into a respected and homegrown Calgary success story.
The company began in 2018 with $300 million in funded mortgages. Today, the company is on pace to fund approximately $3.5 billion in mortgages in Calgary, in Alberta and Canada wide, helping more than 7,000 families, and giving back to the community.
“One of the things we’re most proud of is our community impact growing directly alongside the business,” Aurora says with enthusiasm and pride. “Our community is at the heart of what we do. When it comes to giving back, our people are enthusiastically all in.
“From the beginning, we built Connected to the Community around a simple commitment: $50 from every mortgage goes back into the community. As our brokers and the company succeed, the amount we’re able to give grows.”
Connected to the Community has now directed more than $1.5 million back into the community.
Jacobs explains that the company’s solid success is a testimonial to people and the dynamics of the community. “Calgary has a unique combination of entrepreneurial ambition, resilience and community. It’s a city where people are willing to take risks, build businesses and genuinely support one another. That has significantly influenced Mortgage Connection.
“In business, we compete hard with ambitious goals. But we firmly believe that culture, collaboration and community don’t have to be sacrificed for growth.”
ROI on giving back is notoriously hard to measure. Josh Higgelke cautions that companies trying to gauge return on philanthropy is merely a marketing strategy. “Our measure is how we make a community impact. Reaching people. Helping families through hard times. Addressing homelessness, food insecurity or domestic violence. And inspiring our team to highlight community causes.”
Robby Aurora underscores the Mortgage Connection passion and commitment. “Giving isn’t something we decide based on what’s left in a marketing budget – it is built directly into the economics and culture of our business. And with where Mortgage Connection is headed, we believe we’re only getting started.”
Mortgage Connection has a 14-person volunteer committee for responsiveness to community causes. In Calgary, it is supporting Field of Crosses, numerous Calgary organizations, direct assistance for families dealing with terminal illness, single parenthood, sudden financial hardship and more.
There are no rules and templates for giving back. It is a focus, reacting to the needs of people and the community.
“Sometimes that means supporting a major organization, or helping one family make rent, or a mortgage payment during difficult times,” Robby Aurora points out.
The Connected to the Community Fund was established through the Calgary Foundation to create a more sustainable, long-term vehicle specifically for Calgary giving.
“After all, it’s a basic. Successful Calgary businesses should help strengthen the community that helped build their success,” Joe Jacobs says from the heart.