Meet Christian Mills | Financial Services Professional & HECM Loan Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christian Mills and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christian, what is the most important factor behind your success?
To me, the most important factor for success is patience (I’m still working on this). Additionally, I believe success comes when you’re willing to listen with an open mind. In the financial planning space—and beyond—it’s important to remember that every client has a different life experience. There is always a deeper reason behind the stated reason that clients give you when they want to work with you. I try to make my business interactions more successful, by asking more questions and letting the other party do more talking. I also focus on is trying to add positivity to my environment. Small, daily efforts go a long way toward making people feel supported and appreciated.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The past 25 years of my career have been about straddling the relationship between financial planning professionals and their need for education around reverse mortgages to provide clients with the very best options to retire successfully. I received my undergrad degree from the University of Kentucky and went on to receive my masters in business-conflict resolution from the University of Denver. I know I said this before, but the foundation of financial planning that I received from my parents has always kept me curious and lead to a passion for helping people, of all ages, retire successfully. My work mantra is to always keep the big picture in mind. For me, this means being mindful that the obstacles in my life pale in comparison to the billions of other people on this planet. This perspective has served me in my personal life and has made my work all the more rewarding.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Ideally, my friend will visit during winter when we have good snow in the mountains. We’ll spend time in Routt, Summit, or Eagle counties. I worked downtown for about 15 years, and I love the diversity of bars and restaurants, so we’ll spend some time there, too. We might catch some live music, hit Comedy Works, or attend a Rockies game. But I must say, I’m still a little sad to see that El Chapultepec is no more.

If it happens to be summer when my friend visits, I will pull out all the stops to catch a Red Rocks show regardless of the artist(s). We’ll go paddle boarding at Bear Creek, find an outdoor dining opportunity at sunset, and include a trip to The Tattered Cover. My standby for out-of-state visitors is what I call the six-hour adventure. Start in the morning and go to St. Mary’s Glacier to hike around or make some summer ski turns, then hit Idaho Springs for lunch and a walk around the old mining town. Even after all this adventure, there’s still time to find a great dinner spot.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Hands down, the people who deserve credit and recognition in my story are my parents. They grew up in rural Western Kentucky and they are both from farming families. When I was growing up, my parents always promoted education to better your life, regardless of the occupation you choose. I feel fortunate that my parents gave me my first exposure to financial guidance, the importance of saving money, and the idea that every job can be done well.

Website: https://local.reversefacts.com/reverse-mortgage-funding-llc-christian-mills-1f0b5b5bbce2

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-christian-mills/