Page 204 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2023

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WOMEN OF THE HOUSE story by Holly Harrison and Shannon Stage
photos courtesy of Sundee Vance and Nancy Mellon
Women are constantly striving to balance work and family. Often, we expect more than we can give. This month we profile two women who are keeping everything in balance their way and working from home is the key to their success. While many women cannot work from home, their stories offer insights to finding happiness wherever you are.
Sundee Vance.
Sundee Vance is a transaction assistant with Cardinal Financial, a national mortgage lending company with a branch on the Gulf Coast. “It’s my job to make sure everything is in order to secure a loan,” she says. “We have
a sophisticated system for applications, but I am here
to help when help is needed. I want to be sure people can get the ‘happily ever after’ home they want.”
Like so many people do, Vance and her husband found the Mississippi Gulf Coast on vacation. “We visited friends here and fell in love with the place,” she says. After living in Las Vegas
for 25 years and working in the commercial development arena, Vance was ready for a change. “Our friends offered me a job and the timing was right. We had been looking for a reason to move and here it was.”
Vance works with team members across the country. “The
time difference doesn’t matter as much as it might when you are working from an office with standard hours. I can quickly provide my team with information they need when it’s officially after hours here, but they are still working in a different time zone.”
Being more available to clients and team members is an advantage of working from home for Vance, but an equally rewarding advantage is being with her fur babies, Murphy and Guiness. “When I am at work, there’s usually a pup curled up on my feet and another laying beside me. They bring me such joy.” She can also interact with her husband, Jimmy, during the day.
Vance occasionally makes a trip to the Cardinal office, but most of her work happens through virtual meetings and phone calls. “When someone needs me to meet with them face to face, I can do that. But the world has changed, and people are more comfortable now connecting through technology.” It’s a win- win for Vance and her clients. She believes working from home makes life easier, more enjoyable, and improves her attitude on the more stressful days. “I am only a phone call away and when someone calls, they reach a happier me.”
204 | September 2023
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