Zahra Jafri, chief executive of Lynx Mortgage Bank

Zahra Jafri was answering the phones at her husband's law firm when she stumbled into her future career.

"I just started organizing his office, making myself busy," she recalls. When clients called saying they were buying a house and needed a mortgage, "I thought, 'Hey, I could do that.' I started making phone calls to banks that had broker outlets and I started brokering loans."

She learned the industry "as I went along," asking questions and attending conferences.

After founding a mortgage broker company 15 years ago, she converted it into a bank in Westbury -- Lynx Mortgage Bank -- in 2004.

Jafri, 40, has three sons.

How has the recession impacted the company?
"We work off referrals only. So when the economy crashed, we were slow but we were able to stay status quo."

What are your plans for growth?
"We're always looking to get more salespeople, and we're working to open a branch on the East End and eventually branch into different states. It's slow and calculated and we don't want to jump into anything too quickly. I think there are lots of opportunities to grow, especially since a lot of our competition is going down. People always buy houses -- hopefully." 

What qualities do you look for when you're hiring?
"I ask a lot of questions directed toward whether they're going to make decisions on the loan that are beneficial to the consumer.

"I look for honesty, integrity. We are a small office. Everybody works hand in hand to get the job efficiently done. Everyone's to be treated respectfully."

 What's your approach to competition?
Sales staff interact with clients "the old-fashioned way, sitting down with the consumer, talking to them, walking them through the process, truly making sure that they understand the steps of mortgage financing and what type of a product they're getting. And once any of my salespeople have done that - including myself - we don't lose business to other competitors. Do the right thing by people, they stick with you and they send more people to you."

 How would you describe your leadership style?
"I try to set [an] example. I behave how I expect them to behave. I give respect and I demand respect."

How did you learn how to manage other people?
"I try to always treat other people how I would expect to be treated myself. I communicate what I expect of them and what they can expect of me as their employer." 

How do you get people to do what you need them to do?
"Tell them to do it, and they do it," she says with a laugh. "And because they're responsible and they're loyal and they're dedicated people, they care about performance -- everybody in the office knows that things have to get done."

Name: Zahra Jafri

Title: President

Company: Lynx Mortgage Bank Llc

Business: Direct mortgage lender

Locations: Westbury, Manhasset

Type: Private company

Assets: More than $1 million

Employees: 14