The 7 Questions With… interview series will give you an inside glimpse into the lives of various individuals involved in the legal profession, but in very different ways. Today we’re exited to welcome Susan Naftulin, co-founder and President of Rehab Financial Group.
Let’s get started!
1. What did you want to be when you were a kid?
I certainly did not expect to be an owner of a mortgage lender. Growing up in the sixties, I had the usual girly aspirations of being a professional figure skater or a nurse!
2. What was your very first job?
My very first job was as an assistant bookkeeper in a cemetery, crematory and columbarium while in high school. My first post college job was as an assistant buyer with the now defunct Abraham & Straus department store.
3. What did you think you’d do when you started law school? How is what you do now the same/different?
I thought I would be a litigator when I entered law school. During the three years, I realized that I did not have the appetite for litigation, and enjoyed the “Code” courses best, such as bankruptcy and tax. My first legal job was as a creditor’s rights associate for a large Philadelphia law firm. I initially expected to stay there my entire career. Now, I am now part owner and Chief Operating Officer of a small mortgage lender. I use the way I was trained to think in law school and legal practice, but do not practice law.
4. In two sentences, what is your career about today?
My career today is about running a business, melding my business and legal training to effectively start, grow and manage a mortgage lending company.
5. What’s a typical day like for you?
I do not have a typical day. As my current company is small, I wear many hats, from sales, to document preparation, to cash management, to blog writing, to visiting properties, to personnel management, etc. What I love about my current position is that each day is different and presents new challenges and experiences.
6. What are you currently reading?
I am currently reading a collection of short stories by Alice Munro.
7. What’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self or a person starting their career?
Don’t put yourself in a box. Look for opportunities outside of the norm and listen when presented with a chance to do something different. Don’t be afraid to take a risk when you are starting out. It will be much harder later on!
Thanks, Susan!
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Susan is co-founder of Rehab Financial Group, LP and currently holds the title of President. Prior to forming RFG, Susan has held several senior management positions in the mortgage industry, including General Counsel, Managing Attorney, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President for both privately and publicly held mortgage lenders. In each of these positions, Susan was responsible for multiple aspects of the company, including loan origination and documentation, licensing and regulatory compliance, servicing, default management, litigation management and human resources.
Susan also serves on the American Association of Private Lenders Ethics Advisory Committee where she continuously upholds the real estate industry’s values and supports professional conduct in private lending. Prior to entering the mortgage industry, Susan was a creditors’ rights attorney with the Philadelphia Law Firm of Fox Rothschild LLP. She obtained her law degree from the University of Pittsburgh and has two Bachelor of Arts degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, in history and the other in secondary education. Susan lives in suburban Philadelphia with her husband and two teenage sons.
Missed a 7 Questions With… interview? You can read them here:
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