A lifelong Keys kid, an opportunity to grow in a close-knit community shaped Claire Montang into the hardworking woman she is today. Raised by a single mother who owned a business, Montang knew the value of accountability and professionalism. Montang has worked in the service industry for 15 years — you’ve likely seen her dishing out drinks at Ziggie & Mad Dog’s — and recently started a new journey as a mortgage lender. Keys Weekly met up with Montang to hear about her inspirations and aspirations.
My mom instilled my work ethic as she had her own business down here. It was a painting business, and when I was very young, my dad left, and my mom took over the business and ran it as a single mom. So I learned a lot about professionalism and what it’s like to be self-employed.
It’s amazing the relationships and connections my mom built through having her business—a lot of appreciation for the community. Young people down here don’t appreciate how amazing this community is, and I didn’t realize it again until recently when I got into the field as a self-employed mortgage professional.
In 2014 I graduated from Coral Shores and started working at Robbie’s, The Hungry Tarpon, in high school. 2018 started my journey in the mortgage industry as I worked at Pierre’s, where I met many great people. A friend of a friend was opening a mortgage company, and they paid for me to do the schooling, and I understood it. I then took some time off, not taking the state exam right away. But then, when COVID-19 hit, it resurfaced for me to redo the course again and take the state exam. Then, John Gallant, a realtor with Engel & Volkers, suggested I apply for a scholarship through the (Upper Keys) Rotary.
Then, through a connection that I met at Pierre’s, Judy Rossignol of Realty ONE Engage The Keys, I was introduced to Daren Loewinger from Element Funding, now Element Home Loans. We all met at Square Grouper for lunch, and they offered me the branch manager position. Element Home Loans is a mortgage company based in West Palm. We have a hometown feel which fits for me because I have been here all my life, and I appreciate where we are and the community.
In addition to Element, I also work four nights a week at Ziggie & Mad Dogs. I am also busy networking with various associations such as BPW, The Upper Keys Rotary, Your Professional Network (YPN), Key Largo Chamber, Islamorada Chamber, and am an affiliate for the FL Keys Board of Realtors— working hard to build connections and gain people’s trust.
When considering who to work with for your mortgage, they should be there to walk you through everything and explain everything clearly. With Element, we don’t have to worry about waiting for another company to give us the answers. Instead, we can control the process. I can call the underwriter on my own time, and you know I can get responses from my team.
Another thing I did during COVID-19 was 75 Hard. 75 Hard is a mental discipline challenge created by Andy Frisella, owner of 1st Phorm. I saw girls in the community doing it, and I was really interested in it. I ended up taking it super seriously and followed through with completing it. You have to perform seven tasks every day, such as drinking a gallon of water, taking two progress pictures every day, reading 10 pages of a self-development book, and two 45-minute workouts in which one must be outside.
So, since I had time on my hands, and all I wanted to do was work out and study, it’s basically what I did for most of the pandemic. I rode my bike up-and-down the Keys. At the same time, I ended up passing the state exam on the first try. I felt like a completely different person and owed that to 75 Hard and putting myself first.
When I started putting myself first, it changed the game for everything. I love my family, but there’s only so much I can do. And when I started putting myself first, it changed the game for everything and everyone else too.
I started getting more honest with myself. It’s you against you. And that’s completely changed my life. And then knowing I am building a brand and have a reputation to uphold.
I believe 100% that people can change—we are evolving. Honestly, all of this happened when I took a step back—looking at how I live my life now and what I could change that I wasn’t proud of. You are what you do. I didn’t like going out every night and spending my money on things that I shouldn’t be spending it on. I realized I wanted to be a better person, so I started putting effort into doing little things every day. Living a life of organized time is extremely important to me.
I always knew I wanted to be a businesswoman; have a career or a job I could dress up for and feel good about. So, I would say take a step back and look at how you’re spending your time now, and are you proud of that? And if you’re not proud of it, you need to change it.I am not perfect; and that’s what’s important for me to be able to show people that have been through a lot that you can get through it.
