Vola Siwakoti is a motivated and results-driven professional, currently serving as a Team Leader/Sr. Loan Officer at Nationwide Mortgage Bankers, Inc. With a wealth of experience in operations, program, and project management, Vola consistently demonstrates his expertise in executing a wide range of administrative and support duties within the operations and facilities fields. He thrives in dynamic and highly innovative corporate cultures, excelling in fast-paced environments. Vola is known for his amiable nature, exceptional organizational skills, and problem-solving abilities. Also, he has a natural aptitude for prioritizing tasks and efficiently managing multiple responsibilities.
Vola began school in the US in November 2009. He completed his associate’s and undergraduate degrees from 2009 to 2012. He enrolled in the business school in 2012 and earned his MBA in 2014. This experience reinforced his focus on real estate mortgage loans. Vola officially launched his mortgage career in 2018.
Currently, Vola is pursuing his Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from the Swish School of Business Management (SSBM), Geneva, as a member of the 2025 batch.
Bridging Cultures, Empowering Communities
With 20 years in Interpretation and Translation, Vola bridges language and cultural gaps, gaining a deep understanding of diverse cultures and languages. Skilled in accurate interpretation and translation of complex information, his role sharpens communication and attention to detail. Vola excels in dealing with people from diverse backgrounds and understanding their perspectives.
Having translated technical information into simpler terms, he effectively explains complex financial terms in the mortgage industry. 25 years in Community Service enhance his interpersonal skills, empathy, and social responsibility. Understanding the challenges communities face in accessing financial services, Vola becomes an asset in the mortgage industry. His effective communication, empathy, and ability to simplify information set him apart. Rooted in ethics, he focuses on assisting clients according to their needs and circumstances.
Building Trust
Vola’s career is built on qualifications, expertise, hard work, and ethical guidance. He prioritizes client satisfaction and follows best practices to ensure outstanding performance, supported by stakeholders and an expanding market presence through education and awareness.
As a Loan Officer, Vola recognizes the utmost importance of trust. Handling sensitive financial information and significant monetary transactions, trust forms the foundation of all interactions. He strives to establish trust with clients by providing accurate, unbiased, and precise service, always acting in their best interests. Trust is essential for maintaining professional integrity, fostering successful customer relationships, and achieving overall business success in the high-stakes mortgage industry. Vola’s primary focus is working for the clients he earns trust from – that is the core value driving his business.
Cultivating a Thriving Culture
Vola believes that company culture is essential for thriving in modern business. At Nationwide Mortgage Bank, the management values the following principles:
- Values: Fundamental beliefs that guide the company’s behavior and set standards for employees.
- Ethics: Prioritizing ethical conduct to establish trust and reliability among employees and customers.
- Communication: Open, clear, and transparent communication to foster trust and alignment towards company goals.
- Leadership: Inspirational leadership that motivates and engages teams, creating a positive work environment.
- Recognition and Reward: Acknowledging and rewarding employee efforts to increase motivation and job satisfaction.
To build a positive and successful culture, the company thrives on crucial principles:
- Integrity: Upholding honesty and transparency to foster trust and accountability.
- Collaboration: Encouraging teamwork and open communication to promote a collaborative culture.
- Respect: Treating all individuals with dignity and fairness, promoting diversity and inclusion.
- Innovation: Encouraging creativity and embracing change for dynamic and competitive operations.
- Excellence: Striving for quality in all areas through high standards, training, and recognition of excellence.
A Multifaceted Professional
Inside the workplace, Vola is a strict, confident, dedicated, composed, resourceful, meticulous, patient, and empathetic professional. He prioritizes helping his borrowers “Mortgage Their Best” over serving financial institutions. With extensive knowledge of financial products and lending guidelines, he maintains ethical neutrality and excels in communication and negotiation. Vola’s job demands constant learning and ethical decision-making in the ever-evolving financial industry, ensuring transparency and understanding for all parties involved.
Outside the workplace, Vola is reliable, inquisitive, and responsible. He is known as a trustworthy and resourceful mortgage expert among his social circles, often assisting with planning and shared financial responsibilities. His negotiation skills extend to resolving conflicts and debates among friends and family. However, he recognizes the importance of relaxing and pursuing non-work-related hobbies, although it may require conscious effort due to his commitment to his clients.
Innovation for Industry Leadership
Vola believes that to stay ahead in the industry, the company should leverage its strengths, address weaknesses, explore opportunities, and overcome challenges. The team strives for the following areas of focus:
- Enhanced Customer Experience: Introducing innovative ideas to streamline and simplify the mortgage application process, such as digitization, to make it more convenient for customers.
- Operational Efficiency: Developing new tools and processes through innovation, including AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics, to enhance the efficiency of the mortgage lending process.
- Risk Management: Utilizing innovative risk assessment tools to obtain accurate and comprehensive risk profiles of loan applicants, thereby reducing default risks and improving the overall quality of the loan portfolio.
- Competitive Advantage: Offering innovative services or products that differentiate the mortgage lender from competitors in a crowded marketplace. This can include flexible mortgage products and superior customer service through innovative communication channels.
- Regulatory Compliance: Navigating the complex and ever-changing regulatory environment of mortgage lending through innovation. This can involve automating regulatory reporting and staying up-to-date with regulatory changes.
By prioritizing these areas, the company can position itself as a leader in the industry, delivering an enhanced customer experience, improving operational efficiency, managing risks effectively, gaining a competitive edge, and ensuring compliance with regulations.
The Power of Team Processes
Vola believes that team processes are valuable as they emphasize collaboration, shared responsibilities, and collective success. This approach fosters better cohesion within the team and creates a more harmonious work environment. By working together, teams can achieve more significant and complex goals that require diverse skills and perspectives.
Team processes also encourage open communication, knowledge sharing, and learning from one another. This facilitates the exchange of ideas, promotes creativity, and helps team members develop new skills and expand their knowledge base. In a collaborative environment, conflicts can be resolved more effectively, and decisions can be made collectively, resulting in better outcomes.
Path to Personal and Professional Growth
Vola believes that there is an opportunity for personal and professional growth. Here are some critical pieces of advice:
- Leading by Example: Vola emphasizes the importance of setting an excellent example as a leader. Team members often look to their leader for guidance and tend to emulate their behavior. Therefore, it is essential to exhibit a strong work ethic, professionalism, and a positive attitude.
- Building Relationships: Vola encourages leaders to take the time to get to know their team members individually. Understanding their strengths, weaknesses, career aspirations, and personal circumstances helps in building solid relationships. This fosters trust, loyalty, and open communication within the team.
- Effective Communication: Vola stresses the need for transparent and open communication. As a leader, it is crucial to communicate clearly and frequently with the team. This reduces misunderstandings and keeps everyone aligned with the team’s goals.
- Decisiveness and Openness to Feedback: Vola advises leaders to make tough decisions when necessary but remain open to feedback. Being receptive to feedback and admitting mistakes creates a culture of mutual respect and continuous improvement.
- Empowering the Team: Vola believes in effective delegation, providing necessary resources and support, and giving the team autonomy to perform their jobs. This not only helps leaders manage their workload but also builds the skills and confidence of team members.
- Maintaining Calm and Positivity: Vola acknowledges that leadership often comes with stress and challenges. Leaders should strive to maintain a calm and positive demeanor, as their attitude significantly impacts the team’s morale.
- Continuous Learning: Vola encourages leaders to seek opportunities for continuous learning and development. Engaging in leadership training programs or finding mentorship can enhance leadership skills over time.
- Recognition and Rewards: Vola emphasizes the importance of recognizing and rewarding the efforts and successes of the team. This motivates team members, reinforces positive behaviors, and fosters a positive work environment.
By following these pieces of advice, individuals can enhance their leadership abilities, create a positive work environment, and foster personal and professional growth.
