“My volunteer commitments are a great way to be present in others lives which helps me grow. “

This east coast native puts his all into everything he does: his job as a Mortgage Loan Officer with Mutual of Omaha Mortgage, his multiple volunteer positions, and his adventures with his dog, Luna. Aaron Hinson grew up in Maryland and was drawn to the west by his passion for snowboarding. In the short time that he has been in Tahoe, Aaron has truly invested himself into the South Shore community, including being a CASA (Court Appointed Child Advocate), a teacher of a “Life Skills” class at Mt. Tallac, and an SOS Outreach volunteer.

Congratulations to this week’s 40 under 40 honoree, Aaron Hinson!

Can you tell us a little about your responsibilities and accomplishments in your current position?

I’ve been a mortgage loan officer since 2005, couple years before the big meltdown. The business has changed a lot over the years and staying up to date and adapting is a definite requirement. My career has had many periods of great success and I love what I do a lot, my daily responsibilities are helping clients navigate the process and obtain the best possible terms on their mortgage. Being a mortgage loan officer is kind of a liaison between the client, underwriting, title companies, realtors, etc. No two transactions are the same that’s for sure. Outside of work, the past few years are the first time in my life I’ve also focused on being involved in and giving back to a community. I’ve found those things are million times more rewarding than anything I’ve experienced with work. Blending those together is the balance I’m working towards. I really hope to continue to grow and listen to all that Tahoe has to teach me. I also look forward to some more entrepreneurial ideas I have for the future.

What has been your favorite professional moment in the last year?

Last year I took a big jump to start my own mortgage branch, its something I wanted to do for many years and I went for it. It was a risk and it didn’t get off the ground in enough time but I learned a lot. Tahoe has taught me a little patience (which is hard for east coasters!). I didn’t do much business last year but I also spent a lot of time teaching myself digital marketing (running good FB adds and CRM automation follow up and other tools), attending workshops, networking and just learning anything I could to better grow my business out here. I know mortgage guidelines in and out but starting from scratch in a new town was harder than I thought it would be. I started with Mutual of Omaha Mortgage in January which gives my platform a lot of value both in having great rates, an awesome selection of programs and operational support. I’m also able to lend in all 50 states which has helped me grow quite a bit this year. My goal is to mostly be of service locally but that does take time. My favorite accomplishment this year has been working my tail off and staying positive while I get traction since moving here. So far I’ve had 6 closings  locally this year and those relationships and experiences are hands down my favorite.

Do you have a professional/life mantra that you live by?

I have many, they are probably rooted in song lyrics since that’s kind of where my heart is, but the one that isn’t and comes to mind is just “Live the life you love, Love the Life you Live”. That’s a good reminder for me when I prioritize and make decisions. Don’t forget to “Put a glide in your stride, a dip in your hip, and c’mon down to the Mothership!” Don’t take life to seriously I guess

Who is your role model?

My Dad. He is a an excellent example of the man I hope to be. I had a pretty wild life to say the least and my Dad, and Mom too, taught me what unconditional love really is. That’s by far the most valuable lesson in life.

Why choose Tahoe to make your home and career?

I grew up in Maryland, Just outside of Baltimore. In 2010 after visiting Denver a few times I loved it and made the move. I visited Tahoe in 2013 to see Phish for two nights. During the show I looked over and saw how close the gondola was to town and remembered it was well over an hour to a chairlift from my house in Denver. I kind of filed it away for a few years as an option. Colorado was a lot of fun and has a great real estate market so business and personal life were both pretty fast paced.

In June of 2016 I found out my Mom was very ill and moved home for a few months to be with her, planning to move back to Denver. No question that was the best decision I ever made and I cherish that time with her. After she passed my perspective on a lot of things changed and I wanted something new and different than Denver had to offer, so I moved here in February of 2017. Just kind of showed up, like many folks have.  I only knew the chairlifts were closer, that it was surrounded by nature and beautiful and that hopefully I’d figure the rest out. I didn’t question that decision until the snow melted, then it got confusing for a bit. I knew I could work from anywhere so used not being tied down as an asset and was still originating mortgages in Colorado remotely. I always planned to transition into doing more business locally which is my primary professional goal today.  I really love it here, it’s by far the smallest town I’ve ever lived in and there were some growing/adjustment pains for sure, but my heart lives here, I’m really grateful for the people I’ve met so far and it all makes sense now looking back why I’m here.

Are you active in any volunteer roles or community groups?

A few and they are my favorite part of my life here. It really gets my head out of work which is hard to do. The most rewarding is being a CASA (Court Appointed Child Advocate). That’s not something I talk about much since its confidential but I’ve worked very closely with 3 young men ages 4, 9 and 17 with various struggles. There is finding the bond and an understanding of their situation to try to find a way to stand beside them through their most difficult situations has been life changing. I had gone through things as a child that were hard and I think that helps me in that role. From being in CASA I was asked to teach a “Life Skills” class at Mt. Tallac which I did last year and will do again this year. There I found I can offer the young men some valuable knowledge. I was very surprised at first that things I’ve learned in the real work and professionally would translate into helping in that setting. We go over things like Credit Reporting, Taxes, Job Interviewing, Budgeting (easier to teach than practice!), and other topics that hopefully will better equip them for the next big chapter. We also go over social skills, played guitars and touch base on where they are it. Its real easy for me to remember what things were like at 16/17 years old and I feel like I relate to those guys a lot. I’m honored and inspired to work with them. I’m also pretty sure I learn more from mentoring than I give, so that’s something I plan to continue. I also help with SOS Outreach, snowboarding with the little shredders is amazing and that program and all the good it does is heart-warming. I’m on the board of directors for the Tahoe Regional Young Professionals which I *love*. My favorite people in town have mostly come from this group of inspiring, accepting and fun folks. I really appreciate those friendships. Recently I’m part of a fresh and new YPN with the Tahoe Association of Realtors and I really look forward to seeing what good we can do there to give back, that’s a really awesome group of people too.

When I first moved to Tahoe, I would sign up to volunteer at most things on FB without really checking what it was, I’m glad I did as it led me to some great connections that I cherish.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?

Make sure my pup Luna is the happiest dog I can. When I got her I knew if I just loved her other things when start to make sense, and it worked. I snowboard as much as possible, perfect day is work>snowboard>work. I love to play my guitar, which I’m awful at but I do have over 130 different unique covers on my “tone-def” you tube channel. My volunteer commitments are a great way to be present in others lives which helps me grow. I’m usually watching one of my favorite bands live streams, so grateful for the internet and not having to travel for music anymore. I miss my family back east a lot so try to go home once or twice a year at least. I have an amazing girlfriend who lives outside of Sacramento so we spend a lot of time together exploring up here and down there. Its not uncommon this year to work 10-15 hour days as I try to get it going out west, so really anything that isn’t work I try to take a moment to embrace.

Where are your favorite South Shore stomping grounds

TRYP Mixers, Hikes with Luna and Stephanie to new places, Kiva Beach. Eating all the foods, everywhere too.

Do you know a deserving young professional? Nominate them here.