Jinye Zhang: When you truly put yourself in your client’s shoes, they feel it

A Canadian Top-75 broker transformed cold contacts into long-term clients through CRM and social media, earned four consecutive Diamond Awards, and explains why traditional lending criteria fail self-employed professionals, comprising a third of the global workforce. 

In 2025, the global workforce undergoes a profound transformation: self-employment, freelancing, and flexible careers have become defining features of the modern economy. More than 1.57 billion people worldwide now work independently, and this number continues to rise each year. This shift reshapes entire industries, primarily financial and real estate services, which face a critical question: how can they adapt strategies to serve clients with flexible incomes and non-traditional credit histories? Traditional lending criteria—designed for salaried employees with steady paychecks and two-year employment histories—fail to capture the financial reality of a third of the global workforce. The mortgage industry, built on W-2 forms and predictable income verification, now confronts borrowers whose tax returns show business expenses rather than gross revenue, whose income fluctuates seasonally, and whose entrepreneurial ventures don’t fit standardized underwriting models.

Jinye Zhang offers a compelling answer. Moving to Vancouver without experience in the real estate sector and without professional connections, he built a successful mortgage firm ranking among Canada’s Top-75 brokers and earned four consecutive Diamond Awards from Dominion Lending Centre (2022-2024), a mortgage brokerage network behind Clear Trust Mortgages, where he now works as a Sub-Mortgage Agent. His methodology combines CRM systems, social media presence, and personalized client service to transform cold contacts into long-term relationships, with nearly half his business now coming from referrals. But his immigrant experience—building a network from zero in a new country and culture—mirrors exactly the challenge financial professionals face globally when serving self-employed clients who lack traditional employment verification. The question his trajectory raises for mortgage professionals navigating the 1.57 billion independent worker market: whether expertise in building trust without institutional credibility matters more than mastering conventional underwriting—and whether technology enables personalization at scale or merely automates the same exclusionary criteria that already fail freelancers.

“It’s important to offer a quick solution right at the first meeting.” 

Mr. Zhang, you went from being new to the mortgage industry to ranking among Canada’s Top 75 brokers in just a few years. How did this transition begin for you — what first steps were crucial when you started building a business in a new country?

It’s all about taking action and learning every day. Every success starts with commitment and devotion. One of the key things for my business is building a network since I am new to the country. It’s important to go out and talk to people, to feel the market, and to learn from other people. For me, trust has always been a fundamental principle in financial services — without it, client relationships cannot be long-term. And in today’s world, things are changing rapidly, so it’s always important to learn new tools to help with the business.

Today, you are a four-time Diamond Award winner from Dominion Lending Centres and a jury member of the international TITAN Business Awards. How do you personally view this recognition — as an individual achievement, a validation of professional excellence, or a responsibility to the industry?

It’s an achievement for myself, my team, and all the clients and partners who support me and bring me to this level. It’s the recognition for helping all my clients achieve their goals. And of course, it’s also a responsibility to the industry to give back and help it grow. Being a jury member of the TITAN Business Awards is part of that responsibility: it gives me a chance to contribute to innovation and excellence in the global business community. Moreover, it’s also a great opportunity to learn from talented people about how they apply innovation — a valuable learning process for me. Today, it’s important to think outside the box and be creative in growing a business. The internet, social media, and AI create more possibilities for everyone to succeed.

You said that trust is a key principle for long-term client relationships. How do you build trust with clients, especially when your relationship starts from a “cold” contact?

There are two ways to warm up a cold contact. First, social media really helps. Nowadays, people actively use social media, and it brings relationships closer if you have a presence, so that people know you before the first meeting or contact. Second, it’s always important to offer a quick solution during the first meeting or call to strengthen confidence. Trust grows when you demonstrate expertise, reliability, and consistent personal attention.

“There is a different ‘chemistry’ between personal contact and digital interaction.”

You have called CRM systems and social media your “invisible assistants.” Can you share how exactly these tools have transformed your approach to client service and business development?

Yes, I often say that CRM and social media are my ‘invisible assistants’ because they help maintain personal connections with clients even at a distance. With an automated CRM setup, the system helps track all clients and deals and reminds you what to do at the right time and in the right way. CRM also records key information about each client, so I always have the full picture when calling them. Some clients are impressed that I remember how many properties they own and the address of each while speaking with them on the phone.

In recent years, the financial market has become increasingly digital, yet clients still value personal attention. How do you balance automation with a truly human touch?

Personal attention is always important. I believe the future of financial services lies in personalization and trust, and technology is a tool that enhances this effect. It’s a service industry, and we should continue spending time with clients — in person, over the phone, or even sending Christmas cards. Digital tools like video and social media help remind clients about you and show them what you are doing. There is a different ‘chemistry’ between personal contact and digital interaction — the key is combining them effectively.

“Broader experience makes me more open-minded.”

Your background spans not only mortgage brokerage but also hospitality, commercial real estate, and investment. How has this cross-industry experience influenced your problem-solving and decision-making in finance?

Broader experience makes me more open-minded when structuring applications and understanding clients. Working at STR and Langham, I led operational improvements and investment strategies that directly impacted revenue and efficiency, giving me practical insight into complex portfolios. When dealing with clients with commercial portfolios, this experience helps me understand their business strategy and find the best solutions. That’s part of why I was able to develop a strong portfolio in commercial mortgage deals.

At DLC Clear Trust Mortgages, you helped the company achieve leadership status among other brokerages in the country. Which internal strategies or decisions proved most important for strengthening the team and brand reputation?

I would say it’s the family-oriented culture at Clear Trust and the integrity in doing business. All our brokers treat each other as family and help each other succeed. That’s the key factor that made Clear Trust the leading brokerage in Canada.

“Be humble but demonstrate your abilities.”

 Transparency seems to be one of your guiding principles. What practices or values have helped you earn such a strong level of client trust, with nearly half of your business coming through referrals?

I am always honest with clients and provide the best and most practical solutions. When you truly put yourself in your client’s shoes, they feel it and know that I am not just a mortgage broker, but a friend helping them make one of the largest financial decisions in their life.

You actively mentor other brokers and entrepreneurs. In your view, what is the most underestimated skill professionals need to build long-term client relationships?

Marketing skill. From my perspective, marketing is not something you can learn at school or work, but it’s the most effective way to maintain client relationships.

Immigrant entrepreneurship requires adaptability and resilience. Which personal qualities and professional values helped you not just adapt, but succeed in one of Canada’s most competitive industries?

Be open to new ways of doing business. Be humble but demonstrate your abilities and professionalism to your client. The main value a mortgage broker can provide is solving client difficulties without making them struggle. We strive to solve client problems as smoothly as possible.

“Learning is a lifelong mission.”

You said the future of financial services lies in personalization and trust. How do you see this model evolving over the next 3–5 years, especially in markets with a growing share of self-employed clients?

In the future, the financial industry will require more customized solutions. The world is changing rapidly, new industries are emerging, and more people are starting their own businesses. So we need to study new environments and provide more personalized solutions constantly.

Finally, if you could offer one piece of advice to young professionals or entrepreneurs starting from scratch, what would it be, based on your own journey and lessons learned along the way?

Never stop learning. Learning is a lifelong mission. And not just the knowledge in your field, but also be open-minded about everything. You can always find a new path to success if you are open to new ideas and continue learning from others.