Meet Ellen Frazier | Mortgage Broker and Sober Activist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ellen Frazier and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ellen, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Work Life Balance, is there such a thing? Aren’t we supposed to be showing up fully in all facets of our lives? Am I the same person at the yoga as I am at work or in my personal life?

A common definition of work-life balance is “equal time or priority to personal and professional activities.” according to Forbes.com (July 2022).

Equal time or priority to both personal and professional activities sounds like a dream, right? What if we found a way to make our personal and professional interests align? And that is exactly what I intended to do.

Hi, I am Ellen Frazier, owner of Frazier Lending Group (empowered by Nexa Mortgage), Founder of Booze Free Babes, a global sober sisterhood, and the creator of the Evolve Method, a roadmap to personal discovery. What do all of these things have in common? ME!

I am a complex being w/ loads of interests, hobbies and preferences. Finding balance is finding alignment in the things that I do for work and pleasure. What if the work is pleasure!!!! Ooooo, now we are getting somewhere. Finding the JOY in work, that is the sweet spot.

Cresting my 20 year anniversary as a mortgage lender, I allowed myself to become complacent in the mundane routine. I just wasn’t having fun anymore. I thought about switching careers, finding something that sets my soul on fire. I didn’t need a new career, I just needed to do more of what made my heart sing. And that is exactly what I did. I traded my office for a home office. I traded my 4am workouts for a yoga community that I could thrive and grow. I chose to go into business for myself so I could have the freedom and flexibility to follow my passions and pour into my sober community.

And once I implemented my whole self into ALL areas of my life; business and personal, I began to show up as the same person in all areas. I “GET” to be a sober, yogi, mortgage broker, that shares a message of experience strength and hope.

What should our readers know about your business?
Frazier Lending Group has been a long term dream of mine. In 2023, I had the opportunity to obtain my mortgage brokers license. I knew becoming a broker was the natural progression for my career. Armed with enough self confidence and a little bit of fear to keep it spicy, I took take the leap of faith, and in early 2024 opened Frazier Lending Group. With a new found sobriety and a passion to create alignment among all areas of my life, I embarked on a journey that has been worth every once of discomfort along the way.

Booze Free Babes started in the fall of 2023 as a passion project. A small local Facebook group has turned into a global supportive community. We offer resources, events, and workshops. A safe sober meetup for likeminded women seeking connection in a sober curious environment.

How I marry the two is easy! Frazier Lending Group supports and sponsors Booze Free Babes events. I get to bring my two passions together in perfect alignment creating a balance that supports both initiatives. Through cause marketing I am able to create exposure for both FLG and BFBs.

With over two decades of unwavering dedication to the mortgage industry, a seasoned mortgage professional and entrepreneur, fearlessly navigating the ever-evolving landscape of finance. Recently adorned with the title of Mortgage Broker, I am on a mission to redefine the narrative around home financing while weaving
mindfulness and balance into both my professional and personal realms.

Beyond the boardroom, my journey transcends numbers and interest rates. A proud
advocate of mindfulness, yoga, and meditation, I’ve discovered the profound impact
these practices have on both my professional acumen and personal well-being. As
someone celebrating almost two years of sobriety, I believe in the power of balance, not only
in finances but in life as a whole.

I am passionate about weaving mindfulness into the fabric of finance. By combining the
precision of numbers with the serenity of mindfulness, I aim to guide my clients towards
not just a mortgage, but a holistic financial experience that nurtures stability and
growth.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love playing tourist in our historic city. When my husband and I moved back to Charleston, well over a decade ago, we would play tourist every weekend, checking out new, up and coming restaurants, events, and festivals.

If visiting the Charleston area, there is no lack of fun activities. Whether you are downtown at the farmers market on Marion square, walking around the South of Broad historic district, meandering through the City Market, or taking a carriage ride, rest assured that history will be in every corner of your journey.

A fun pastime is walking the Ravenel bridge. The views of downtown and the water are unbeatable. Perhaps you would prefer a secluded beach hike, Botany Bay is a great place. Folly Beach and the Morris Island lighthouse are also easily assessable and a fun short walk w/ remarkable views.

And my personal favorite is the Angel Oak tree! My mother, who worked at Southern Bell downtown when she was pregnant with me, while my dad was stationed at the Naval Base, would visited the tree. And when we moved back here, my mom came to visit and we visited the tree. I have a picture of both of our hands on the tree (when you could get close enough to touch it). She told me the story about how she would come visit the Angel Oak w/ me. It took almost 40 years but we finally got back to that tree and were able to experience it together once more.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Thriving in a post pandemic world required a strong look at what was working and what wasn’t. The collective has shifted. We have all been impacted by what we had experienced. Covid shined a light on the darkness in our own lives. When the world stopped we were forced to look at ourselves in a way we hadn’t since cell phones had been created.

Like many, I too leaned into self soothing behaviors like over eating, eating for pleasure, drinking more than usual or in excess, over shopping online, etc. the list goes on. When those behaviors no longer serve us, we must look deeper. Deeper into ourselves to uncover the issues that make us react the way we do. And that is exactly what I had to do too.

“Naked Mind”, by Annie Grace started my sober curious conversation. Followed by, “Quit Like a Woman” by Holly Whittaker that really led to the decision to stop drinking all together. And once I removed the booze, I realized that I needed community, a sober sisterhood, and I built one: Booze Free Babes.

Booze Free Babes, celebrates the journey of sobriety and radical self-discovery among like-minded women. Join us as we embark on a transformative journey towards a life free from alcohol, embracing a holistic approach to wellness and spiritual growth.

Whether you’re already on your path to sobriety, considering it, or simply seeking inspiration for
personal growth, BFBs offers a supportive space where you can find empowerment,
guidance, and connection. Booze Free Babes, join us as we navigate the journey
of sobriety with courage, compassion, and a commitment to radical self-discovery.

Website: https://www.EllenFrazier.com

Instagram: @BoozeFreeBabesCHS @ellenthemortgagechic

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-frazier/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ecfrazier/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ellen-frazier-nexa-mortgage-charleston

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCivRDSun3feM7b426VXzbyw

Image Credits
Photo Credit: George Brown w/ Creative Collective Agency
Photo Credit: Stephanie Selby w/ Stephanie Selby Headshots
Photo Credit: Taylor Czerwinski w/ Taylor Czerwinski Studio