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Being an independent mortgage broker can feel like you’re facing big retail banks all alone. Why not learn from industry experts who have already forged the path? Join host Marc Summers, AIME President of Membership, as he goes in-depth about the business with industry experts and AIME members every Tuesday. Sit back, relax, and benefit from the insights you’ll need to further your breakthrough in the broker channel!
188 - Generosity at Work: The Link Between Selflessness and Success (With Kristin O’Neil) – Episode 188
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- 188 - Generosity at Work: The Link Between Selflessness and Success (With Kristin O’Neil) – Episode 188
This episode is sponsored by Fuse National Conference 2024
In this spirited episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers learns the business benefits of selflessness & support from the Senior Loan Officer at Open Door Lending, Kristin O'Neil!
Kristin shares her invaluable perspective and strategies, from a career that has seen the best and worst the industry has had to offer. She joined the wholesale channel just two months before the crash of 2008, and has become more resourceful and resilient for it.
Kristin exemplifies why brokers are such an invaluable resource for their community, as she shares her expertise with assisting Self-Employed borrowers, how the worst of 2008 helped us learn to better serve the current market, and how to get the most out of your local community, and the broker community, through selflessness:
“Brokers have such a great, great community. I can't say enough, it’s opening doors to things that you would have never done or pushed yourself to do before, like, being on a podcast or being interviewed by MPA, or meeting your congressman. That's just something I would have never considered doing. It's pushed me outside of my comfort zone in so many ways. And I think that's really where you grow, when you feel uncomfortable. When you're scared, that's where you see true growth.”
Kristin states “a few years ago, I started to pay attention to the people who were really excelling, and they were all the people who have an honest abundance mindset, about giving without expecting anything in return. I think that's 100% true. It's never tit for tat. All the friends that I've met through AIME are people that I could call, like any of my best friends, with any question. We just happen to do the same thing as a job.I can think of a dozen people I could call with any question, and they would answer it without hesitation. And I do the same. So if I've recently worked with a new partner or tried a new program, I try to share as much knowledge as I can because honestly, it comes back tenfold.”
Key Points:
3:41 - Entering Wholesale in 2008: Timing and Fallout
9:41 - 2008’s Market vs. 2024’s Market
16:46 - Servicing Self-Employed Borrowers
22:11 - Joining the Broker Community
26:09 - Make the Jump: Attending Fuse & Other Broker Events
Tue, 14 May 2024 - 31min - 187 - Education is Everything: Marketing, Client Education, and Wholesale Recruiting(With Mike Cox) – Episode 187
This episode is sponsored by RCN Capital
This is an instant classic episode that has been a long time coming. Learn how to step up your game as a broker, educator, leader, and marketer as host Marc Summers is (finally) joined by Mike Cox, CEO or Mortgage Nerds.
During this episode, MIke references & recommends these two essential books for the broker community to purchase and read:Chop Wood, Carry Water - Joshua MedcalfReThink Everything You Know About Being a Next-Gen Loan Officer - Kyle Draper, Brian Vieaux, feat. Mike Cox
Mike left his two decade-long retail career to become a beloved wholesale community member within just four very productive years. Mike is an AIME leader, a Fuse speaker, marketing guru, and a leading force for VA program and homebuyer education. Mike is more than happy to share his proven advice & strategies for stepping up broker marketing, organic lead generation, network growth, and of course, the best places to find cheese curds.
Mike shares the exact approaches that have worked in making himself two of the most important things in the wholesale industry: memorable, and reliable. Making yourself a valuable resource to your network and homebuyer peers, and making yourself just as memorable with those same people, so you can add them to your network and pipelines.
Mike shares his favorite strategy for this: “I have a metal business card and it looks like a flag. And the back of it, it says our slogan for Veterans: ‘We love our vets every day.’ So, it's not just Memorial Day and Veterans Day where everybody celebrates Veterans. We celebrate Veterans every single day. So let's say you’re at an event and there's ten other lenders there, and everybody hands you their cards. I just hand mine over. I don't say a word. Yet, 100% of the time, whoever I give it to, they look at me and go, ‘this is the coolest card I've ever seen in my life’. People ask ‘why do you do this?’ I say it’s because I know that you won't throw this card away, and I want you to know how much we care about our Veterans. Now, if you ever run across a Veteran, you tell them that they need to call us because we are the best option for a Veteran, right? It's a strategic, intentional, thought. So I don't have to wedge my VA niche into conversations and go, ‘Well, hey, you know, we do great work for Veterans.’ People ask me, instead of me needing to tell them. You know, these cards aren't cheap, but they've gotten us tons of loans”
Key Points:
1:05 - Intro to Mike & Starting in Mortgage
7:14 - Joining Wholesale 60 Days Before The Pandemic
9:51 - Mortgage Nerds & VA Loans
19:57 - The Value of Making Yourself Memorable
29:07 - Advice for New Brokers & The Broker Community
Tue, 07 May 2024 - 40min - 186 - The Loan-Processing Mindset: Selflessly Doing What Retail Can’t (With Cheryl Dempsey, CEO of Coastal Breeze Processing) – Episode 186
This episode is sponsored by The Loan Store
This episode, we flipped the format. For the first time this year, the show goes from ‘Broker to Broker’, to ‘Broker to Processor’ as host Marc Summers is joined by beloved wholesale community member, and the CEO of Coastal Breeze Processing, Cheryl Dempsey.
Though she is a Processor, Cheryl is one of the most active and selfless members of the Broker community, setting the example by putting so much of her time and efforts towards supporting her Broker peers across the country. She takes this energy back to her own work with her Processing Company, Coastal Breeze. She shares how she entered the industry due to how rewarding it was to selflessly work with clients to find success in her business, and upon scaling up her selfless business model, is now experiencing the rewards of growth and leadership.
Cheryl also breaks down everything Brokers should know about Processors: the Processor pipeline, client outreach, when to hand off client files and assistance, and much more. Cheryl speaks to the Broker community directly, giving the tips on how to best collaborate and utilize the Processors they work with and get the most out of their working partnerships:
“Everybody's first instinct is to go to Optimal Blue and check rates. Then, it’s locating picking the Lender with lowest rate, because that's kind of what we've been trained to do. I would say, instead, work with your Processor. Talk to your Processor. Walk through the loan. Tell us the avatar of that client, what the pain points are. Is it self-employment? Do we need gift funds? Is it a DPA? Let us help you find a good home for that, because it's not always about the rate. It's about that client’s experience. Getting them a slightly lower rate via a miserable loan process isn't it isn't serving your clients. So let us work with you, and help guide where that possibly can go for newer loans. Once you know who you want to work with, and which systems you like, now is when we're here to help. We'll support you on the back end. For new Brokers, really lean into the advice from Processors, because we've worked in all of those systems, we've seen it all. We banged our heads on the walls with underwriting. We know which lender is going to take what, and we can help make the best experience for your client.”
Key Points:
1:48 - Entering Wholesale, and Current Growth Initiatives
6:50 - Starting a Processing Company
9:02 - Leadership: You Can’t Do Everything
11:54 - The Broker/Processor Dynamic
21:21 - Wholesale Mindset: Doing what Retail Can’t
Tue, 30 Apr 2024 - 28min - 185 - Mortgage Leadership Mindset: Finding the Right Talent, and Delegate (With Darren Copeland) – Episode 185
This episode is sponsored by RCN
Season 4 of Broker To Broker is officially in full swing, as host Marc Summers is joined by the President and CEO of Summit Lending, Darren Copeland. In this episode, Darren graciously shares a comprehensive coaching on how to recruit, train, empower, and equip your staff as you grow your mortgage business, giving the exact details that helped make him a top loan originator.
Darren shares and breaks down his leadership, training and coaching philosophies that he’s gained from nearly 20 years in the mortgage industry. After working in the retail channel for a decade, he joined wholesale to start Summit Lending. Within five years, Summit has grown from a husband and wife duo, to one of the top brokerages in the country, expecting a staff of 50 LOs, representing ~20 states by the time you’re listening to this episode.
Darren lays out everything a leader in a brokerage needs to know: What tech stack he uses. How to reach out to potential recruits or members of your network. How to generate leads. How to set up a pipeline for your leads. How to naturally market and grow your business. And, most importantly, how to be an effective leader once you’ve set all these pieces in place:
“There was one thing that I had to do when building Summit Lending into a true company; I had to get better at leadership and organization from a 30,000 foot-high view, because I'm not great when it comes to details. I knew we had to do a better job of communication, so I had to become a master of delegation. First, make sure whoever you have on the staff, are the salespeople who can go out there and sell.” Darren shares “We have one non-negotiable thing here at Summit Lending, it's called the ‘ABC rule,’ which is ‘always be cool.’ I know it sounds simple, right? But man, there's just no room for people to be jerks or to keep everything to themselves. Everyone here is sharing an abundance mindset. People with abundance mindsets? They collaborate. People with smaller mindsets? They compete against each other. So ,it's all about lifting each other up, especially after the last year with this crazy market. Make sure you mutually support the people that are on your side.”
Key Points:
4:00 - From Husband & Wife, to 50 LOs in 20 States
7:47 - The ABC Rule
13:48 - Tech Stacks, Recruiting, and the Vital 5-Star Review
24:51 - Referral Pipeline & LO Training
27:48 - Routine, Delegation, and Supporting Your Pillars
Darren shares and breaks down his leadership, training and coaching philosophies that he’s gained from nearly 20 years in the mortgage industry. After working in the retail channel for a decade, he joined wholesale to start Summit Lending. Within five years, Summit has grown from a husband and wife duo, to one of the top brokerages in the country, expecting a staff of 50 LOs, representing ~20 states by the time you’re listening to this episode.
Darren lays out everything a leader in a brokerage needs to know: What tech stack he uses. How to reach out to potential recruits or members of your network. How to generate leads. How to set up a pipeline for your leads. How to naturally market and grow your business. And, most importantly, how to be an effective leader once you’ve set all these pieces in place:
“There was one thing that I had to do when building Summit Lending into a true company; I had to get better at leadership and organization from a 30,000 foot-high view, because I'm not great when it comes to details. I knew we had to do a better job of communication, so I had to become a master of delegation. First,Tue, 23 Apr 2024 - 31min - 184 - Thriving and Surviving: Strategies for Every Mortgage Market (With Jonathon Haddad) – Episode 184
This episode is sponsored by Windsor Mortgage
It’s the Season 4 premiere of Broker to Broker podcast, and we’re kicking it off from the top! Host Marc Summers is back, joined in a momentous conversation with none other than the CEO of AIME, Jonathon Haddad.
In an episode that becomes an important moment for the broker community, Jonathon very honestly and candidly addresses the current headlines and events taking place within our industry. Nothing is off the table as Jonathon discusses becoming AIME CEO, tangibly supporting the broker community, current issues within the housing industry, and the looming UWM lawsuit, the threat towards brokers everywhere. Jonathon calls the broker community to action to defend, support, and empower themselves & each other, by doing what only brokers can: making homeownership possible for as many people and communities as possible.
Jonathon goes into further detail of how he and AIME are fighting for the entire wholesale channel:
“AIME is going to extract HMDA data to show you exactly the truth, the real truth about these lawsuit charges, about consumers, and show how much better they are with a mortgage broker. We're going to fight this with real data, real education, and we’re going to make it very difficult for people to point the finger back at our channel.”
While discussing these high-level issues, Jonathon doesn’t lose sight of consumers, taking time to acknowledge struggles for current homebuyers. Jonathon emphasizes how invaluable homeownership is for so many groups of Americans, relating the current market back to his own personal experiences growing up, and breaking down why it’s important to never lose homebuyer empathy, as it’s a broker’s duty to assist homebuyers in need, so everyone can achieve homeownership.
While Jonathon discusses tangible efforts, benefits, and resources he’s sharing and providing to the broker community, he iterates that he, and the rest of the broker community are personally there for support:
“You’re a member of our community. Surround yourself with winners. You already know who they are. You already know there's people dominating in your market, who are more than happy to help you. Find those people, get away from all the noise, and focus on what you can control. The more you do that, the better you will be long term. And that's what I have is a message to the entire community.”
Key Points:
1:26 - Transitioning into AIME Leadership
3:41 - The Renewed Vision for AIME
9:56 - Homebuyer Awareness Week: Making it Personal
17:01 - UWM’s Class-Action Lawsuit: Defending Brokers with Qualified Data
22:29 - Wholesale’s Call to Action: Serving Consumers as Only Brokers Can
Tue, 16 Apr 2024 - 29min - 183 - Thriving and Surviving: Strategies for Every Mortgage Market (With Joanne Russell) – Episode 183
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers talks to a familiar face as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Align Lending, Samantha Shelton.
Samantha’s story is one shared by many in our community, one of constant growth; starting with her own business, to nurturing and ensuring the success of others under her leadership. Starting in the Retail channel, she made the jump by joining Marc’s staff of Loan Officers, where she worked for 8 months. Now, from employee to peer, she’s the Broker Owner of her own brokerage, and is doing amazing things in her and Marc’s community by making herself a local resource, and establishing her brand.
Samantha is known to be a very proactive leader and team builder. She shares her experiences and strategies in how she sets up all of her employees for success. On top of her proactiviry, she’s known as an integral part of her community, utilizing events, outreach, and strong branding to generate leads and expand her network.
Sam shares her philosophy behind strong community branding all throughout, and has a few slogans to keep in mind that may help with branding consideration: “Find something you're passionate about and execute it and execute it at the highest level possible. Get your brand out there. Your brand speaks highly of you even when you aren't there. So getting out into your community, buying water bottles for the school, doing a local festival, free events like Easter egg hunts, just making yourself very noticeable in your community. People would have t-shirts or water bottles, and now brand recognition is important. You want them to look at that and be like, Oh, I remember I took my kids, this or that event, we did pictures with Santa, and so on. That recognition of ‘Oh, I need a loan. We went to this event.’ It's just like going backwards. It’s important to make sure that you're always representing yourself in a way that you would be proud of, even if you weren't around.”
Tue, 05 Dec 2023 - 32min - 182 - We’re Farmers, Not Hunters – How to Become a Client’s Lender for Life (With David Kakish) – Episode 182
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers talks to a familiar face as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Align Lending, Samantha Shelton.
Samantha’s story is one shared by many in our community, one of constant growth; starting with her own business, to nurturing and ensuring the success of others under her leadership. Starting in the Retail channel, she made the jump by joining Marc’s staff of Loan Officers, where she worked for 8 months. Now, from employee to peer, she’s the Broker Owner of her own brokerage, and is doing amazing things in her and Marc’s community by making herself a local resource, and establishing her brand.
Samantha is known to be a very proactive leader and team builder. She shares her experiences and strategies in how she sets up all of her employees for success. On top of her proactiviry, she’s known as an integral part of her community, utilizing events, outreach, and strong branding to generate leads and expand her network.
Sam shares her philosophy behind strong community branding all throughout, and has a few slogans to keep in mind that may help with branding consideration: “Find something you're passionate about and execute it and execute it at the highest level possible. Get your brand out there. Your brand speaks highly of you even when you aren't there. So getting out into your community, buying water bottles for the school, doing a local festival, free events like Easter egg hunts, just making yourself very noticeable in your community. People would have t-shirts or water bottles, and now brand recognition is important. You want them to look at that and be like, Oh, I remember I took my kids, this or that event, we did pictures with Santa, and so on. That recognition of ‘Oh, I need a loan. We went to this event.’ It's just like going backwards. It’s important to make sure that you're always representing yourself in a way that you would be proud of, even if you weren't around.”
Tue, 28 Nov 2023 - 32min - 181 - Find Your Why: How to Establish Your Place in the Mortgage Industry (with Fadi Sankari) – Episode 181
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers talks to a familiar face as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Align Lending, Samantha Shelton.
Samantha’s story is one shared by many in our community, one of constant growth; starting with her own business, to nurturing and ensuring the success of others under her leadership. Starting in the Retail channel, she made the jump by joining Marc’s staff of Loan Officers, where she worked for 8 months. Now, from employee to peer, she’s the Broker Owner of her own brokerage, and is doing amazing things in her and Marc’s community by making herself a local resource, and establishing her brand.
Samantha is known to be a very proactive leader and team builder. She shares her experiences and strategies in how she sets up all of her employees for success. On top of her proactiviry, she’s known as an integral part of her community, utilizing events, outreach, and strong branding to generate leads and expand her network.
Sam shares her philosophy behind strong community branding all throughout, and has a few slogans to keep in mind that may help with branding consideration: “Find something you're passionate about and execute it and execute it at the highest level possible. Get your brand out there. Your brand speaks highly of you even when you aren't there. So getting out into your community, buying water bottles for the school, doing a local festival, free events like Easter egg hunts, just making yourself very noticeable in your community. People would have t-shirts or water bottles, and now brand recognition is important. You want them to look at that and be like, Oh, I remember I took my kids, this or that event, we did pictures with Santa, and so on. That recognition of ‘Oh, I need a loan. We went to this event.’ It's just like going backwards. It’s important to make sure that you're always representing yourself in a way that you would be proud of, even if you weren't around.”
Tue, 14 Nov 2023 - 34min - 180 - The Business of Helping People: Using Existing Resources to Help Veteran Homebuyers (With Elizabeth Cassidy) – Episode 180
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers talks to a familiar face as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Align Lending, Samantha Shelton.
Samantha’s story is one shared by many in our community, one of constant growth; starting with her own business, to nurturing and ensuring the success of others under her leadership. Starting in the Retail channel, she made the jump by joining Marc’s staff of Loan Officers, where she worked for 8 months. Now, from employee to peer, she’s the Broker Owner of her own brokerage, and is doing amazing things in her and Marc’s community by making herself a local resource, and establishing her brand.
Samantha is known to be a very proactive leader and team builder. She shares her experiences and strategies in how she sets up all of her employees for success. On top of her proactiviry, she’s known as an integral part of her community, utilizing events, outreach, and strong branding to generate leads and expand her network.
Sam shares her philosophy behind strong community branding all throughout, and has a few slogans to keep in mind that may help with branding consideration: “Find something you're passionate about and execute it and execute it at the highest level possible. Get your brand out there. Your brand speaks highly of you even when you aren't there. So getting out into your community, buying water bottles for the school, doing a local festival, free events like Easter egg hunts, just making yourself very noticeable in your community. People would have t-shirts or water bottles, and now brand recognition is important. You want them to look at that and be like, Oh, I remember I took my kids, this or that event, we did pictures with Santa, and so on. That recognition of ‘Oh, I need a loan. We went to this event.’ It's just like going backwards. It’s important to make sure that you're always representing yourself in a way that you would be proud of, even if you weren't around.”
Tue, 07 Nov 2023 - 33min - 179 - Creative Homebuyer Education: Adapting to the Changing Mortgage Market (With Jessica Wells) – Episode 179
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers talks to a familiar face as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Align Lending, Samantha Shelton.
Samantha’s story is one shared by many in our community, one of constant growth; starting with her own business, to nurturing and ensuring the success of others under her leadership. Starting in the Retail channel, she made the jump by joining Marc’s staff of Loan Officers, where she worked for 8 months. Now, from employee to peer, she’s the Broker Owner of her own brokerage, and is doing amazing things in her and Marc’s community by making herself a local resource, and establishing her brand.
Samantha is known to be a very proactive leader and team builder. She shares her experiences and strategies in how she sets up all of her employees for success. On top of her proactiviry, she’s known as an integral part of her community, utilizing events, outreach, and strong branding to generate leads and expand her network.
Sam shares her philosophy behind strong community branding all throughout, and has a few slogans to keep in mind that may help with branding consideration: “Find something you're passionate about and execute it and execute it at the highest level possible. Get your brand out there. Your brand speaks highly of you even when you aren't there. So getting out into your community, buying water bottles for the school, doing a local festival, free events like Easter egg hunts, just making yourself very noticeable in your community. People would have t-shirts or water bottles, and now brand recognition is important. You want them to look at that and be like, Oh, I remember I took my kids, this or that event, we did pictures with Santa, and so on. That recognition of ‘Oh, I need a loan. We went to this event.’ It's just like going backwards. It’s important to make sure that you're always representing yourself in a way that you would be proud of, even if you weren't around.”
Tue, 31 Oct 2023 - 30min - 178 - Broker is a Good Word: How We Fight for Our Homebuyers (With Lindsay McCoy) – Episode 178
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers talks to a familiar face as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Align Lending, Samantha Shelton.
Samantha’s story is one shared by many in our community, one of constant growth; starting with her own business, to nurturing and ensuring the success of others under her leadership. Starting in the Retail channel, she made the jump by joining Marc’s staff of Loan Officers, where she worked for 8 months. Now, from employee to peer, she’s the Broker Owner of her own brokerage, and is doing amazing things in her and Marc’s community by making herself a local resource, and establishing her brand.
Samantha is known to be a very proactive leader and team builder. She shares her experiences and strategies in how she sets up all of her employees for success. On top of her proactiviry, she’s known as an integral part of her community, utilizing events, outreach, and strong branding to generate leads and expand her network.
Sam shares her philosophy behind strong community branding all throughout, and has a few slogans to keep in mind that may help with branding consideration: “Find something you're passionate about and execute it and execute it at the highest level possible. Get your brand out there. Your brand speaks highly of you even when you aren't there. So getting out into your community, buying water bottles for the school, doing a local festival, free events like Easter egg hunts, just making yourself very noticeable in your community. People would have t-shirts or water bottles, and now brand recognition is important. You want them to look at that and be like, Oh, I remember I took my kids, this or that event, we did pictures with Santa, and so on. That recognition of ‘Oh, I need a loan. We went to this event.’ It's just like going backwards. It’s important to make sure that you're always representing yourself in a way that you would be proud of, even if you weren't around.”
Tue, 24 Oct 2023 - 44min - 177 - Planning, Educating, and Following Up: Becoming a Top Producer, and Staying a Top Producer (With Major Singleton) – Episode 177
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers talks to a familiar face as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Align Lending, Samantha Shelton.
Samantha’s story is one shared by many in our community, one of constant growth; starting with her own business, to nurturing and ensuring the success of others under her leadership. Starting in the Retail channel, she made the jump by joining Marc’s staff of Loan Officers, where she worked for 8 months. Now, from employee to peer, she’s the Broker Owner of her own brokerage, and is doing amazing things in her and Marc’s community by making herself a local resource, and establishing her brand.
Samantha is known to be a very proactive leader and team builder. She shares her experiences and strategies in how she sets up all of her employees for success. On top of her proactiviry, she’s known as an integral part of her community, utilizing events, outreach, and strong branding to generate leads and expand her network.
Sam shares her philosophy behind strong community branding all throughout, and has a few slogans to keep in mind that may help with branding consideration: “Find something you're passionate about and execute it and execute it at the highest level possible. Get your brand out there. Your brand speaks highly of you even when you aren't there. So getting out into your community, buying water bottles for the school, doing a local festival, free events like Easter egg hunts, just making yourself very noticeable in your community. People would have t-shirts or water bottles, and now brand recognition is important. You want them to look at that and be like, Oh, I remember I took my kids, this or that event, we did pictures with Santa, and so on. That recognition of ‘Oh, I need a loan. We went to this event.’ It's just like going backwards. It’s important to make sure that you're always representing yourself in a way that you would be proud of, even if you weren't around.”
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 - 176 - Retail, Correspondent, or Broker: What 24 Years in Mortgage Looks Like (With Michael Most) – Episode 176
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers talks to a familiar face as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Align Lending, Samantha Shelton.
Samantha’s story is one shared by many in our community, one of constant growth; starting with her own business, to nurturing and ensuring the success of others under her leadership. Starting in the Retail channel, she made the jump by joining Marc’s staff of Loan Officers, where she worked for 8 months. Now, from employee to peer, she’s the Broker Owner of her own brokerage, and is doing amazing things in her and Marc’s community by making herself a local resource, and establishing her brand.
Samantha is known to be a very proactive leader and team builder. She shares her experiences and strategies in how she sets up all of her employees for success. On top of her proactiviry, she’s known as an integral part of her community, utilizing events, outreach, and strong branding to generate leads and expand her network.
Sam shares her philosophy behind strong community branding all throughout, and has a few slogans to keep in mind that may help with branding consideration: “Find something you're passionate about and execute it and execute it at the highest level possible. Get your brand out there. Your brand speaks highly of you even when you aren't there. So getting out into your community, buying water bottles for the school, doing a local festival, free events like Easter egg hunts, just making yourself very noticeable in your community. People would have t-shirts or water bottles, and now brand recognition is important. You want them to look at that and be like, Oh, I remember I took my kids, this or that event, we did pictures with Santa, and so on. That recognition of ‘Oh, I need a loan. We went to this event.’ It's just like going backwards. It’s important to make sure that you're always representing yourself in a way that you would be proud of, even if you weren't around.”
Wed, 11 Oct 2023 - 30min - 175 - Episode 175: The Entrepreneurial Spirit: The Freedom & Control to Thrive in the Mortgage Industry
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers talks to a familiar face as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Align Lending, Samantha Shelton.
Samantha’s story is one shared by many in our community, one of constant growth; starting with her own business, to nurturing and ensuring the success of others under her leadership. Starting in the Retail channel, she made the jump by joining Marc’s staff of Loan Officers, where she worked for 8 months. Now, from employee to peer, she’s the Broker Owner of her own brokerage, and is doing amazing things in her and Marc’s community by making herself a local resource, and establishing her brand.
Samantha is known to be a very proactive leader and team builder. She shares her experiences and strategies in how she sets up all of her employees for success. On top of her proactiviry, she’s known as an integral part of her community, utilizing events, outreach, and strong branding to generate leads and expand her network.
Sam shares her philosophy behind strong community branding all throughout, and has a few slogans to keep in mind that may help with branding consideration: “Find something you're passionate about and execute it and execute it at the highest level possible. Get your brand out there. Your brand speaks highly of you even when you aren't there. So getting out into your community, buying water bottles for the school, doing a local festival, free events like Easter egg hunts, just making yourself very noticeable in your community. People would have t-shirts or water bottles, and now brand recognition is important. You want them to look at that and be like, Oh, I remember I took my kids, this or that event, we did pictures with Santa, and so on. That recognition of ‘Oh, I need a loan. We went to this event.’ It's just like going backwards. It’s important to make sure that you're always representing yourself in a way that you would be proud of, even if you weren't around.”
Tue, 03 Oct 2023 - 36min - 174 - Episode 174: The Fuse VI Countdown Special
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers talks to a familiar face as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Align Lending, Samantha Shelton.
Samantha’s story is one shared by many in our community, one of constant growth; starting with her own business, to nurturing and ensuring the success of others under her leadership. Starting in the Retail channel, she made the jump by joining Marc’s staff of Loan Officers, where she worked for 8 months. Now, from employee to peer, she’s the Broker Owner of her own brokerage, and is doing amazing things in her and Marc’s community by making herself a local resource, and establishing her brand.
Samantha is known to be a very proactive leader and team builder. She shares her experiences and strategies in how she sets up all of her employees for success. On top of her proactiviry, she’s known as an integral part of her community, utilizing events, outreach, and strong branding to generate leads and expand her network.
Sam shares her philosophy behind strong community branding all throughout, and has a few slogans to keep in mind that may help with branding consideration: “Find something you're passionate about and execute it and execute it at the highest level possible. Get your brand out there. Your brand speaks highly of you even when you aren't there. So getting out into your community, buying water bottles for the school, doing a local festival, free events like Easter egg hunts, just making yourself very noticeable in your community. People would have t-shirts or water bottles, and now brand recognition is important. You want them to look at that and be like, Oh, I remember I took my kids, this or that event, we did pictures with Santa, and so on. That recognition of ‘Oh, I need a loan. We went to this event.’ It's just like going backwards. It’s important to make sure that you're always representing yourself in a way that you would be proud of, even if you weren't around.”
Tue, 26 Sep 2023 - 26min - 173 - Episode 173: Repurposing the Wheel: Easy Steps to Grow Your Audience, Network, and Mortgage Business
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers talks to a familiar face as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Align Lending, Samantha Shelton.
Samantha’s story is one shared by many in our community, one of constant growth; starting with her own business, to nurturing and ensuring the success of others under her leadership. Starting in the Retail channel, she made the jump by joining Marc’s staff of Loan Officers, where she worked for 8 months. Now, from employee to peer, she’s the Broker Owner of her own brokerage, and is doing amazing things in her and Marc’s community by making herself a local resource, and establishing her brand.
Samantha is known to be a very proactive leader and team builder. She shares her experiences and strategies in how she sets up all of her employees for success. On top of her proactiviry, she’s known as an integral part of her community, utilizing events, outreach, and strong branding to generate leads and expand her network.
Sam shares her philosophy behind strong community branding all throughout, and has a few slogans to keep in mind that may help with branding consideration: “Find something you're passionate about and execute it and execute it at the highest level possible. Get your brand out there. Your brand speaks highly of you even when you aren't there. So getting out into your community, buying water bottles for the school, doing a local festival, free events like Easter egg hunts, just making yourself very noticeable in your community. People would have t-shirts or water bottles, and now brand recognition is important. You want them to look at that and be like, Oh, I remember I took my kids, this or that event, we did pictures with Santa, and so on. That recognition of ‘Oh, I need a loan. We went to this event.’ It's just like going backwards. It’s important to make sure that you're always representing yourself in a way that you would be proud of, even if you weren't around.”
Tue, 12 Sep 2023 - 31min - 172 - Episode 172: Connecting Mortgage Peers: The Processor Perspective
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers talks to a familiar face as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Align Lending, Samantha Shelton.
Samantha’s story is one shared by many in our community, one of constant growth; starting with her own business, to nurturing and ensuring the success of others under her leadership. Starting in the Retail channel, she made the jump by joining Marc’s staff of Loan Officers, where she worked for 8 months. Now, from employee to peer, she’s the Broker Owner of her own brokerage, and is doing amazing things in her and Marc’s community by making herself a local resource, and establishing her brand.
Samantha is known to be a very proactive leader and team builder. She shares her experiences and strategies in how she sets up all of her employees for success. On top of her proactiviry, she’s known as an integral part of her community, utilizing events, outreach, and strong branding to generate leads and expand her network.
Sam shares her philosophy behind strong community branding all throughout, and has a few slogans to keep in mind that may help with branding consideration: “Find something you're passionate about and execute it and execute it at the highest level possible. Get your brand out there. Your brand speaks highly of you even when you aren't there. So getting out into your community, buying water bottles for the school, doing a local festival, free events like Easter egg hunts, just making yourself very noticeable in your community. People would have t-shirts or water bottles, and now brand recognition is important. You want them to look at that and be like, Oh, I remember I took my kids, this or that event, we did pictures with Santa, and so on. That recognition of ‘Oh, I need a loan. We went to this event.’ It's just like going backwards. It’s important to make sure that you're always representing yourself in a way that you would be proud of, even if you weren't around.”
Tue, 29 Aug 2023 - 30min - 171 - Episode 171: Consistency is King: How a Mentality Change Can Revolutionize Your Mortgage Business
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers talks to a familiar face as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Align Lending, Samantha Shelton.
Samantha’s story is one shared by many in our community, one of constant growth; starting with her own business, to nurturing and ensuring the success of others under her leadership. Starting in the Retail channel, she made the jump by joining Marc’s staff of Loan Officers, where she worked for 8 months. Now, from employee to peer, she’s the Broker Owner of her own brokerage, and is doing amazing things in her and Marc’s community by making herself a local resource, and establishing her brand.
Samantha is known to be a very proactive leader and team builder. She shares her experiences and strategies in how she sets up all of her employees for success. On top of her proactiviry, she’s known as an integral part of her community, utilizing events, outreach, and strong branding to generate leads and expand her network.
Sam shares her philosophy behind strong community branding all throughout, and has a few slogans to keep in mind that may help with branding consideration: “Find something you're passionate about and execute it and execute it at the highest level possible. Get your brand out there. Your brand speaks highly of you even when you aren't there. So getting out into your community, buying water bottles for the school, doing a local festival, free events like Easter egg hunts, just making yourself very noticeable in your community. People would have t-shirts or water bottles, and now brand recognition is important. You want them to look at that and be like, Oh, I remember I took my kids, this or that event, we did pictures with Santa, and so on. That recognition of ‘Oh, I need a loan. We went to this event.’ It's just like going backwards. It’s important to make sure that you're always representing yourself in a way that you would be proud of, even if you weren't around.”
Tue, 22 Aug 2023 - 39min - 170 - Episode 169: Your Brand Speaks Highly of You, Even When You’re Not There w/ Samantha Shelton
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers talks to a familiar face as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Align Lending, Samantha Shelton.
Samantha’s story is one shared by many in our community, one of constant growth; starting with her own business, to nurturing and ensuring the success of others under her leadership. Starting in the Retail channel, she made the jump by joining Marc’s staff of Loan Officers, where she worked for 8 months. Now, from employee to peer, she’s the Broker Owner of her own brokerage, and is doing amazing things in her and Marc’s community by making herself a local resource, and establishing her brand.
Samantha is known to be a very proactive leader and team builder. She shares her experiences and strategies in how she sets up all of her employees for success. On top of her proactiviry, she’s known as an integral part of her community, utilizing events, outreach, and strong branding to generate leads and expand her network.
Sam shares her philosophy behind strong community branding all throughout, and has a few slogans to keep in mind that may help with branding consideration: “Find something you're passionate about and execute it and execute it at the highest level possible. Get your brand out there. Your brand speaks highly of you even when you aren't there. So getting out into your community, buying water bottles for the school, doing a local festival, free events like Easter egg hunts, just making yourself very noticeable in your community. People would have t-shirts or water bottles, and now brand recognition is important. You want them to look at that and be like, Oh, I remember I took my kids, this or that event, we did pictures with Santa, and so on. That recognition of ‘Oh, I need a loan. We went to this event.’ It's just like going backwards. It’s important to make sure that you're always representing yourself in a way that you would be proud of, even if you weren't around.”
Tue, 15 Aug 2023 - 30min - 169 - Episode 168: From Mortgage Underwriter to Broker: Working as a Team w/ Ethan Hough, Broker with One Stop Financial Group, LLC
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers gets a new viewpoint from a very valuable perspective when he’s joined by Ethan Hough of One Stop Financial Group, LLC.
Ethan has had a very interesting career path that is very useful to his longevity and effectiveness as a mortgage broker; he became a broker after eight years of working as an underwriter. Because of his prior career, Ethan’s skills, knowledge, prep, and pipeline all reflect a full knowledge of his clients’ loans, scoping out the entire mortgage process with no surprises.
Ethan instills the notion of working as a team throughout this episode, and lays out how to make it happen. He bridges the gap between Loan Officers, Underwriters, Real Estate Agents, and their shared client. Everyone is communicating and on the same page at all times; this ensures that information rarely needs to be clarified, confirmed, updated, or re-submitted. Over-communicating keeps stress levels low, and client satisfaction high.
“The number one thing I could tell other brokers as a former underwriter would be: remember that it’s all a team effort. No matter how emotional and heated things get, just don't accuse, don't fight, don't yell. It's not productive. The most successful people I knew in my underwriting time were people that got on the phone, and problem-solved. Just be patient, be thorough, and take your time on your submission. Y’know, take a step back. I do escalations all the time, there are tools available to work and help everybody get to that closing table. The biggest thing to consider is: what questions would you ask? If you submit a loan to an underwriter and you’ve thought about what they might ask about, they're going to have way less questions. Some of the brokers I used to underwrite with would type up like word docs, and those people's loans were always super, super clean.”
Wed, 26 Jul 2023 - 46min - 168 - Episode 170: Advising & Building Relationships for a Seamless Mortgage Pipeline w/ Dante Royster
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers talks to a familiar face as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Align Lending, Samantha Shelton.
Samantha’s story is one shared by many in our community, one of constant growth; starting with her own business, to nurturing and ensuring the success of others under her leadership. Starting in the Retail channel, she made the jump by joining Marc’s staff of Loan Officers, where she worked for 8 months. Now, from employee to peer, she’s the Broker Owner of her own brokerage, and is doing amazing things in her and Marc’s community by making herself a local resource, and establishing her brand.
Samantha is known to be a very proactive leader and team builder. She shares her experiences and strategies in how she sets up all of her employees for success. On top of her proactiviry, she’s known as an integral part of her community, utilizing events, outreach, and strong branding to generate leads and expand her network.
Sam shares her philosophy behind strong community branding all throughout, and has a few slogans to keep in mind that may help with branding consideration: “Find something you're passionate about and execute it and execute it at the highest level possible. Get your brand out there. Your brand speaks highly of you even when you aren't there. So getting out into your community, buying water bottles for the school, doing a local festival, free events like Easter egg hunts, just making yourself very noticeable in your community. People would have t-shirts or water bottles, and now brand recognition is important. You want them to look at that and be like, Oh, I remember I took my kids, this or that event, we did pictures with Santa, and so on. That recognition of ‘Oh, I need a loan. We went to this event.’ It's just like going backwards. It’s important to make sure that you're always representing yourself in a way that you would be proud of, even if you weren't around.”
Tue, 08 Aug 2023 - 37min - 167 - Episode 167: Mindset, Leadership, and Connection – Developing Relationships and Generating Mortgage Leads by Showing Up w/ Paige Hernandez, Heritage MTG Inc.
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is joined by Paige Hernandez, Broker with Heritage MTG Inc.
Paige has had a life-long history in the real estate industry, growing up with her mother owning a real estate company, working numerous jobs around many different facets of mortgage, housing, and real estate, all until she landed back into becoming a mortgage broker in 2018.
Paige is a person of many different perspectives. She has the perspective of all the ins and outs of the mortgage industry. She has perspectives on being a mother. And she has the perspective to teach others with her transformative mindset coaching. She shares her knowledge and skills with the laws of attraction, and also, or having a healthy outlook; the best outlook on being a broker is focusing on the hundreds of things that do go right, as opposed to the very few things that could go wrong.
Paige is amazing at utilizing Facebook for lead generation, and shares some of her secrets with us: “I love Facebook. I have friends say “you're always on your phone!” but, my phone makes me a lot of money. Facebook is really about connecting with people. I think I can build a trust factor by showing up. It's like an automatic drip campaign.You interact with people, you're in their algorithm and they're in yours. I just educate a lot on Facebook and talk to people and share just what I'm doing. I'm a part of different Facebook groups that revolve around lending and real estate. I will tell you, this works like a charm. You're showing up on social media. Do not look at your likes or the feedback you get. You have to get really good at showing up, and nobody responding. Don't worry, people are watching. Then, somebody will post something about a loan. And I comment that I can help you out. Then, I take that same post, and I will send it to clients that I have in that group. And I say “Hey, do me a favor- can you comment on here?” Then, when you go to a post and you got five people of the 20 that are commenting “You have to use Paige!” and what's great about that, it's not just the one poster, it's everybody else in that group is looking at it. So people start reaching out.”Tue, 18 Jul 2023 - 33min - 166 - Episode 166: Creating an Efficient, Repeatable Process For Your Brokerage w/ Cameron Harper, Broker Owner of California Mortgage Lending
This episode is sponsored by the AIME FUSE VI National Conference
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey is joined by Broker Owner of California Mortgage Lending, Cameron Harper
Cameron is high-energy, and high efficiency. This episode covers a lot of processes and procedures and marketing topics, and Cameron shares his effective strategies, execution processes, and their incredible results.
Cameron’s largest proponent is seeing the mortgage process through the eyes of the homebuyer, and services what they need that way. He doesn’t drown them in mortgage industry terminology, he takes the time to learn the finances and goals of his clients, and provides them with the exact information they need to meet their mortgage needs. He uses personalized videos, worksheets, and automation to ensure his clients know exactly what they want, but also need to know.
Cameron’s process and procedures pipeline is something he’s honed to near perfection. “It's important to create a repeatable process. Henry Ford’s model of interchangeable parts. When he started building cars, the assembly line could manufacture cars much quicker, faster, more efficient than anyone else. So I try to have the same process on every single file. When I'm talking to a client, I say, ‘Look, I need you to tell me 2 of these 3 things: the sale price that you want. Monthly payment that you want. How much money you have for a down payment and closing costs’. When they give me that information, I price it out immediately, and send a two-minute video. I record my computer screen and explain everything about their loan costs. I go over a fee sheet attached in a PDF and I make these numbers make sense. The next step is I tell them to go to my website and fill out the application. Then I give them a list of everything I need. I'm not gathering all these documents and running credit costing time and money in their effort for them to say, oh, I need to just keep renting because it's just too expensive. So I'm focusing on working on people that have already seen the numbers that I’ve shown to them. They can afford it. We can even talk about refinancing in a year or two when and if rates go down.”
Key Points:
2:47 - Getting Started in Refinance
5:39 - Never Burn a Bridge: The Importance of Retaining your Contacts
11:06 - More Broker Freedom, More Homebuyer Options
22:17 - Repeatable Processes & Automation
28:06 - The Value of Utilizing Video and Simplification in Processing33:38 Video - Consistent and Frequent over Perfection
Tue, 11 Jul 2023 - 47min - 165 - Episode 165: Mutual Support as a Mortgage Lead Generation Model w/ Kevin Oto, Broker Owner of Green Haven Capital Inc
This episode is sponsored by PRMG
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is joined by Broker Owner of Green Haven Capital, Kevin Oto.
Kevin is a master of setting up a system that works. From starting with a few staff members working out of a bedroom, to a prominent broker owner in one of the most lucrative markets in the country, Kevin has established his presence in the market by creating a consumer experience like no other; supported by the automations and dependable processes he’s put in place.
Kevin notes to “stay humble, stay hungry” in this industry, and he lives and operates by those words. He shares the way he’s able to systematically keep in touch with clients, stay on top of processes, and continually generate new business leads. He notes that supporting his real estate agents’ events, and coming to them as a resource to have their problems solved and questions answered has led to mutual support in kind.
Kevin shares his strategies for making new real estate connections: “Every purchase I get is basically an audition. I need to wow this listing agent. What can I do differently to get this listing agent's business? Then as I grew, this came through education. I would target small teams. There's a lot of realtor groups that have teams of like five or ten. So, I would target the teams, go to the founder of that team, say, “Can I just come by your office and give a presentation? I think I can add value to your agents. What would they like to learn about?” So it's just going in there, presenting and showing them what we do differently, then educating them about the market. We cover how to get their offers accepted, how are we different, and differentiate ourselves from the competition. And that works. Every time I do a presentation, I have at least one or two people come back with questions. And then it's really just building relationships with these people. It's just staying in front of them, building relationships, supporting their events, having outings together, just building that bond and then the business will eventually go both ways. Just focus on the relationship, and make sure you’re educating these people.”
Key Points:
1:34 - Getting Started, Rebuilding after the 2008 Crash
4:39 - From The Beginning: Automations & Procedures for the Best Client Experience
8:57 - Educating Borrowers and the Urgency of Pre-Approval
16:14 - Establishing Real Estate Partnerships
19:32 - Being Consistent: Mortgage Marketing in 2023
Tue, 13 Jun 2023 - 27min - 164 - Episode 164: Proving Yourself as an Enduring Resource, Generating Evergreen Mortgage Leads w/ Kurt Strandson, Broker Owner of Pinnacle Mortgage Corp.
This episode is sponsored by Change Wholesale
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey is joined by Broker Owner of Pinnacle Mortgage Corp, Kurt Strandson.
Kurt has a wealth of experience, insight, and influence. As the former president and chairman of the Mortgage Bankers and Brokers Association, with experience lobbying for broker and homeowner rights since the crash of 2008, Kurt brought his years of advocacy expertise and experience to his new role as the AIME Legislative State Captain of New Hampshire.
Kurt shares not just his knowledge of advocating for homebuyers and his fellow brokers, but also his knowledge of running and scaling a successful, growing brokerage. Kurt’s strategy for organic lead generation by way of fostering relationships with his clients and community before, and especially after closing on homes, is his secret to evergreen referrals and leads.
“We focus on customer experience throughout the transaction. Not just throughout the transaction, but after the transaction. Many companies will focus on going out and entertaining some realtors asking for the next new loan. We spend a lot of time on a yearly basis, 7 to 8 events a year, where we invite our most recent clients to events after they closed, and we're formulating relationships with them. We're inviting their families or kids. We do stuff in the local community and we're building those relationships so they know that we care. It's not ‘Oh, your loan is closed, we're not going to see it for a long time’. Your first loan is done, and that's how you build those lasting referral relationships. You're providing a level of service. They come to us, with questions like, ‘Hey, I need a plumber,’ or ‘Hey I need a solar guy,’ or they're coming back asking for referrals. It keeps that dialog going. So it's not just a one-and-done transaction. And then that's how you build some loyal relationships. They rely on you. They rely on you for your knowledge, your professionalism, your experience, and you're able to provide that for more than just on a one transaction deal.”
Key Points:
2:01 - Starting Out As a Broker in New England
7:31 - Broker Advocacy in Action
11:27 - Advocacy Strategies — Local to National
13:37 - Why Employees and Homebuyers Go Broker
18:38 - Pinnacle’s Structure and Growth Strategy
22:36 - Lead Generation via Fostering Relationships
Tue, 30 May 2023 - 35min - 163 - Episode 163: You Are Here: The Mortgage Broker Advantage of Problem-Solving w/ Elena Boland, Broker Owner, Wholesale Mortgage Services
This episode is sponsored by PowerTPO
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is joined once again by friend of the show and AIME community, Elena Boland, Broker Owner of Wholesale Mortgage Services.
Elena has been changing her game and scaling her business since she was last on the show over 100 episodes ago for episode 55. She’s been diversifying her products and services, finding new ways to engage her local community, as well as ways to involve her business and marketing in her personal life to great networking and lead generation benefits. Elena is a true example of changing with the market and social climate leading to success & growth.
Elena had some amazing experiences and advice to share on specialty programs like Jumbo loans; and really drove home the broker advantage: “You have to look at who your competition is, in any portion of our mortgage share. So, meaning our different products. And if you look at what your competition is doing, what are their limitations? What are their restrictions? Are we restricted in that way? Nope. So even though we don't have the same benefits in the way of omitting student loans and things like that which can be done in retail, if you can lend more money, that's really going to be more valuable to them; if they don't have another $500,000 to put down on a big expensive home that they're diving into, that's huge. You're going to do a better job because you're the mortgage professional, you're not a banker, you're not someone sitting behind a headset across the country. You are here. They can walk in, and they really love that. Not only do clients love that, but the realtors love that as well, because they know that you're going to keep working until you solve a problem.”
Key Points:
2:31 - Changes in the Housing Market Since early 2021
8:05 - Diversifying your Products and Services based on Local Housing Needs
11:31 - The Essential Requirement to Adapt to Constant Change
16:47 - Blending the lines between Social Media Marketing and Personal Life
22:23 - Jumbo Loans and the Broker Advantage of Negotiation
26:12 - “Diving into AIME” & Other Advice for Driving Business into 2024
Tue, 23 May 2023 - 32min - 162 - Episode 162: Wholesale Choice and Control: How Mortgage Brokers’ Freedom Creates Innovation w/ Jason Kindler & Aaron Bacus, Broker Owners of First Coast Mortgage Funding
This episode is sponsored by Windsor Mortgage
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey gets a peek at the bright future of the wholesale channel, as he’s joined by Jason Kindler & Aaron Bacus, Broker Owners of First Coast Mortgage Funding.
As Broker Owners of First Coast Mortgage Funding, Jason and Aaron bring two different approaches, skill sets, and backgrounds to their brokerage that creates a sum of strengths greater than the sum of their parts; Jason has strengths in processes and working with builders, and Aaron with relationship building to creating new leads. Together, First Coast Mortgage Funding has grown into an incredibly successful and efficient machine.
Both Jason and Aaron have incredible advice for retail LOs and wholesale brokers new to the wholesale channel. The levels of freedom they have as brokers in wholesale has granted them the opportunity to forge their own systems & processes to a point that their speed competes with the fastest retail lenders, while still remaining able to maintain the service, consideration, and human element that brokers are known for. They break down and make the case for why the wholesale channel is the way of the future for industry workers and borrowers alike.
Aaron breaks it down simply: “At this point, I’d be concerned for you if you're not a broker. While loan officers are still going to be needed in the future, there's no question that their margins will shrink. There's no doubt that it’s happening now for technology shoppers. And if you don't have control, at least to see what's going on and have some sort of participation in that, I would be concerned. What are retail LOs going to do when rates are raised? They have no control over that. And that’s why we're very optimistic for the broker from the entrepreneurial local business standpoint. We're serving the local people. That's our value add. We're accountable to that realtor and that borrower that lives down the street to make sure that their loan closes.”
Key Points:
2:26 - Starting Out in a Lead-Based Business
13:54 - Misconceptions about Wholesale, and The Freedom of Choice
22:37 - Collaboration in Wholesale vs. Competition in Retail
30:42 - Wholesale Control and Organic Process Building
40:39 - Advice to Retail & New LOs & the Bright Future of Wholesale
Tue, 16 May 2023 - 50min - 161 - Episode 161: How Mortgage Brokers and Financial Planners Can Work Together to Serve Their Clients w/ Justin Rocheleau, Owner of JR Mortgage Group Inc
This episode is sponsored by AIME Fuse 6
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey sits down with Justin Rocheleau, Broker Owner of JR Mortgage Group Inc, to discuss how teaming up with financial planners can take your business to the next level.
Justin has found great success in marketing to financial planners as referral sources for his business. As we all know, financial planners are in it for the long haul when it comes to serving their clients, and being able to present the best options for their client's financial success is a win-win for both parties. By collaborating with financial planners, Justin has been able to create strong relationships and provide clients with the best possible advice and solutions.
In the past, many financial planners did not have mortgage relationships at all, and when it came to mortgages, they would simply recommend their clients to "just go talk to your bank." However, this allowed Justin to come in and offer a new and better solution. He was able to show financial planners that by working with him, they could offer their clients a more personalized approach and get better results.
Through his experience, Justin has learned that the key to success in this approach is to focus on building long-lasting relationships with financial planners. He emphasizes the importance of trust and transparency, as well as staying up-to-date on the latest industry trends and changes.
If you're looking to take your business to the next level and gain valuable advice to stay ahead of the game, tune in now!
Key Points:
1:52 - The market's weird everywhere you go
4:10 - Justin started JR Mortgage in March 2021
7:55 - Targeting financial planners as referral sources
12:46 - You gotta know your role
15:38 - Where would you find these planners, and how would you initiate that conversation
25:58 - Send us the folks that have trouble getting approved
33:26 - Fill that gap and help those people
34:29 - Where do you see the mortgage market in 3-5 years?
Tue, 09 May 2023 - 37min - 160 - Episode 160: Letting Things Grow By Letting Them Go: How to Foster Your Mortgage Business’ Skills, Staff, and Client Base w/ Elyin Perez, Broker Owner of ACE Lending Group
This episode is sponsored by AIME Fuse 6
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is joined by the Broker Owner of ACE Lending Group, Elyin Perez.
Elyin hasn’t been in the wholesale channel long, but ever since going broker and joining the wholesale channel, Elyin and ACE Lending Group have made a substantial impact. Elyin is now a tenacious, driven, and prominent leader in the wholesale community. He leads by example, and has an adventurous willingness to continually try new or different strategies to find what works best for both his staff, and client base. ACE maximizes its backend to provide the best possible client experiences; “good enough” is not a term Elyin uses in his approach to systems, processes, and service.
Elyin utilized what he calls the “Break It Method,” which means he and his staff push to change even what works, to make it work even better. It’s an approach that invites his team to contribute to the way it functions, thus finding the best way for the team to collaborate. Strategies like this are how independent brokerages are able to compete with big banks and retail lenders, by remaining flexible and open to change.
Elyin breaks down the “Break It Method” process, and how and why it works as a tool to foster the abilities of your staff: “When I say “break it,” I mean that we're really changing. There will be days that we say, ‘All right, we're going to try this.’ And then an hour later, we realized that was not a good idea. I take responsibility as the owner. Obviously, you need to have people that are willing to grow with you through those pains.I don't care if it costs me money. I don't care if it means I have to jump in to assist. You’ve got to be empowered to make decisions. I need to be able to run the business. And so going through that Break It Method, we just keep tweaking, tweaking, tweaking to make it better. I say, “What makes Amazon so special?” It's their speed. They don't actually have great service. It's all automated. Their speed is what people are buying. They're convenient. So we need to compete. We can deliver the speed & convenience that people need to feel like they're talking to the right people to make the right decisions.”
Key Points:
1:20 - Breaking In as a Broker — from Auto, to Retail, to Opening ACE Lending
7:52 - Dynamics of Working with Loan Partners
12:08 - Tech for Mortgage Brokers: Systems and Processing
13:57 - The ‘Break It’ Method
18:41 - The Leadership Mindset: Letting Things Grow by Letting Them Go
Tue, 02 May 2023 - 31min - 159 - Episode 159: The Buck Stops with the Broker: Project Management for Mortgages w/ Allison Thenhaus, Mortgage Advisor/Broker at C2 Financial
This episode is sponsored by EPM
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey is advised, informed, and inspired by Mortgage Advisor and Broker with C2 Financial, Allison Thenhaus!
Allison is known as a Mortgage Advisor for multiple brokerages for a great reason. Though only having been in the wholesale mortgage industry for a relatively short time, she has insight and knowledge beyond her years. Allison has a vast knowledge of systems & processes, customer service, ethics & values, and long-term market trends.
Allison has done her research and has practical experience as a broker that sets an exceptional example for the rest of the broker channel, willingly taking on the wealth of responsibility that comes with being a broker, and using it to the best interests of her clients. Doing the hard work leads to long-term, and high-scale return business: “Ultimately, the buck stops with brokers. We're like project managers of the loan; we're reaching out for the title, to insurance, to the appraisers. If something happens that our borrower does not like, we fix it. Even if we didn't make the mistake, even if it wasn't our cost to incur. We're really not in this for the transaction. I'm in this for every loan, so when we get a client, I want to make sure that I do every single loan you ever have for the rest of your life, every friend, every family member. If you hear of anyone that wants a loan, that's my ultimate goal. We're really after what's best for our clients because we want them to come to us as advisors and know that we're going to shop for the best deal for them. That's why we're brokers, ultimately.”
Key Points:
3:08 - The 2023 Mortgage Market & The Windows of Opportunity
7:07 - From the Equestrian to the Real Estate Industry
11:46 - Personal and Professional Responsibility for Brokers
14:22 - Recruiting, Systems and Services
21:28 - Bob Burg’s The Go-Giver Mentality: Saying Yes for the Right Reasons
30:25 Simplifying Processes to Handle More Volume & Save More Time
35:43 Preparing Investments for the Imminent Future of the Housing Market
Tue, 25 Apr 2023 - 40min - 158 - Episode 158: How To Lead your Mortgage Business from the Front — Fight for Your Clients and Stay Hungry w/ Mike Maddux, Broker Owner of Maddux Mortgage
This episode is sponsored by RCN Capital
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is exhilarated by the infectious energy and down-to-earth wisdom of Maddux Mortgage Broker Owner, Mike Maddux!
Mike’s hunger for success in the wholesale industry is an inspiration that mortgage professionals can learn from. Mike’s energy, pragmatism, and ability to get to the heart of a topic are all as refreshing as it is educational. With a diverse background in the Marine Corps, the fitness industry, and in the retail channel all before starting his own brokerage, Mike brings a lot of no-nonsense wisdom to the table, and it leads to significant takeaways in short order. In just this episode alone, Mike provides substantiated and immediately applicable advice for peer and client relationship building, social media and advertising, VA and DPA Programs, and so much more.
Mike does 50% of his business in VA Loans. His experience with VA and DPA programs leads to some invaluable insight: “VA doesn't have really strict set guidelines on debt to income or credit, and that's why it is one of the best loan programs out there, because if you get an AUS approved eligible, then it works. And if you don't get approved eligible and you have to have it manually under it and you find an underwriter that doesn't have any overlays, that goes off the VA handbook and you can get almost anything approved. I couldn't be more thankful for the fact that 50% of my business is VA Loans because it introduces me to more Veterans, and they're super easy to get close with. So I'm like a kid in a candy store. Oh, you're in the army? I'd love to help you buy a house!”
Mike doesn’t take no for an answer in fighting for his clients, and takes it a step further for clients that need access to DPA programs: “A lot of Down Payment Assistance programs specific to a state or a municipality are restricted to banks and credit unions. The biggest piece of advice I can give is to do your due diligence, find out if there is a way you can offer it, or what steps would be required for you to partner with said bank or credit union so that you can offer it. And, as a broker, provide a higher level of service than they're going to get from the loan officer at the bank.”
Key Points:
1:30 - A Roundabout Break into the Mortgage Business
4:20 - Growth Mindset of an Up-and-Coming Brokerage
6:20 - VA: The Pinnacle of Loan Programs
12:29 - Diligence for Success in Down Payment Assistance
17:07 - Navigating the Housing Market and Communicating with Clients
19:40 - Social Media - Lead Generation Through Being Relatable
27:11 - Get Prepared for 2024 by Staying Hungry
Tue, 18 Apr 2023 - 30min - 157 - Episode 157: Retail, Wholesale, Investments and Mortgage — More Knowledge = More Business w/ Brian Sweeney, Broker Owner and President of Scoot Mortgage
This episode is sponsored by REMN Wholesale
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is joined by Brian Sweeney, Broker Owner and President of Scoot Mortgage.
Brian has a long, varied career in financial services. Starting in retail, he transitioned to wholesale while simultaneously working in wealth management. Brian’s varied career has led directly to an understanding that knowledge is power. The more knowledge you have and are able to successfully communicate to consumers leads to a more diverse and assured client base.
Brian believes that brokers can and should take on an advisor role for their clients because it brings in return business, which is better for the long-term health of a brokerage. “When you're an investment advisor, I mean, you're having quarterly meetings. We're reviewing what's happening in the economy. We're reviewing what's taking place in your actual investment accounts. We're looking at time horizons and risk tolerance and all these sorts of things that go into investment management along with your accounting and taxes, especially for a business owner. But you know, the wealth management side has taught me to be very patient in the mortgage world, because that planning aspect goes a long way. Instead of just saying, ‘Oh yeah, here's your rate, here's your turn, let's do business.’ it's like, tell me about yourself. How is your current financial situation? What do you have going on? Maybe it's not even right for you to buy a House right now.” Brian explains “Clients can smell desperation. Look out for your clients' best interests as opposed to the business they may give you.”
Key Points:
1:30 From Retail to Wholesale, starting Scoot Mortgage
5:38 Brokerage vs. Wealth Management Firm
15:18 Social Media, Content Production, and Client Education
18:16 Client Communication and Lead Generation
21:35 Conceptualizing and Executing a Successful Marketing Campaign
27:42 Fuse: Success from Last Year, and Anticipation for Fuse ‘23
Tue, 11 Apr 2023 - 30min - 156 - Episode 156: True Stories of Service from the Heart — Build Mortgage Business Prioritizing Clients’ Benefit w/ D.C. Terry, CEO of Mr. Mortgage LLC
This episode is sponsored by Change Wholesale
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey’s foundations are rocked by the incredible stories and life lessons from a much-beloved member of the AIME community, the CEO of Mr. Mortgage, D.C. Terry!
D.C. has incredible stories, and important lessons to share and impart on the broker community. From his start as a US Marine in the music industry, to the pivotal moment that made him make a dramatic change in his career trajectory. D.C. is full of stories, moments, and instances where he took it upon himself to do the right thing by his clients. His selflessness, knowledge, and commitment to his clients is both inspiring and a model to which mortgage brokers should aspire to. D.C.’s stories have to be heard to be believed.
D.C. speaks of how essential it is to ensure the client gets the most out of working with him, and how this has led to long-term connections, referrals, and business. “Listen, something spoke to me and said, “I've got too much money.” I sat back and I'm like, “What do you mean?” That client was charged too much money. I'm really going over it in my mind because I'm thinking, “I did a great job. The client was happy.” Next thing I know, I call them back and tell them that I charged them too much money. True story.”
D.C. recounts “But, I tell him “If there’s anything that you need from this point forward in this industry, you come to me. I got you.” Well, it turns out that guy later on, his businesses had to go through some modifications. So he calls me, and we can make money for doing modifications. I jumped on the phone with his commercial lender, worked that out for him. I worked out the same thing with his primary residence as well. If he had any issues with insurance or anything, he called me. I handled everything for him. But from that point it was something that was given to me that I can now give to you: when you are closing a loan for someone. Make sure that that person gets more out of it than you.”
Key Points:
2:23 - The Hall of AIME Sparking Change Award
5:51 - Life-changing moments, from the music to the mortgage Industry
14:17 - Working in mortgage for the service, not the money
22:52 - Establishing Your Own Brokerage
28:52 - Serving the Underserved Loans and Clients.
34:34 - Educating Clients leads to Long-Term Collaboration
41:08 - Making Homeownership Possible for the “Impossible” Clients
Tue, 04 Apr 2023 - 55min - 155 - Episode 155: Finding Your True, Unique Self as a Mortgage-Focused Content Creator w/ Rebecca Richardson, The Mortgage Mentor™️
This episode is sponsored by FundLoans
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is given an absolute masterclass on social media, content production, and branding from The Mortgage Mentor, Rebecca Richardson!
Rebecca is known all throughout the AIME community and the wholesale channel at large for her expertise in content creation, branding, and social media. She’s been featured on AIME stages and in AIME content due to her success and the hard-earned knowledge she shares, helping mortgage brokers navigate and find success across all social media platforms.
Rebecca acknowledges that often, the content creators themselves are the biggest hurdle to overcome. She shares her two-tiered strategy for content creation and posting, but also, how to approach mortgage-specific content to make it more fruitful for the audience AND the creator: “Let your real self come through. We're talking about a pretty dry topic. At least look like you're excited to be here. It's really more about being willing to be unique and nobody can copy you. So the way that you explain things, the way that you show up, what you think is funny, even injecting humor into those videos - that’s a vulnerable process because you're putting yourself out there for public consumption, ridicule, all those kinds of things. Until you start getting some of that feedback, you feel like you're just shouting into the void. But understanding that it's going through that process, and being consistent, and being willing to do it consistently for three, six months, sometimes longer, there is a payoff at the end because you will find your people. They will find you, and they will identify with you as your true, unique self versus trying to be some persona or avatar or whatever you think that people want to be. Just be yourself. You've already connected with people in real life. It's really no different online.”
Key Points:
1:17 - Then: From Financial Planning to the Wholesale Channel
5:01 - Now: Connecting with Clients Online
8:17 - The Brass Tacks of Tik Tok, Facebook, and Instagram
13:20 - Content Creation and Posting Strategy
20:12 - Posting Across Multiple Platforms
25:16 - Being Authentic with Your Content & Finding Your Audience
27:54 - Improve Processes & Procedures by Making them Personal
Tue, 28 Mar 2023 - 32min - 154 - Episode 154: Creating Time to Build the Relationships that Grow your Mortgage Business w/ Tano Kapedani, CEO/Broker of EZ Fundings Home Loans
This episode is sponsored by PRMG
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey is joined by a master of pipeline management and relationship building, CEO/Broker of EZ Fundings Home Loans, Tano Kapedani!
Tano has been in the wholesale mortgage business for over 20 years. As an expert on delegation, Tano shares how to properly prioritize your own time. He’s honed and prioritized his brokerage’s structure to get the absolute most out of his precious time as a producing owner.
What does Tano do with that time he’s earned back? He’s focusing on building strong relationships. Tano has made EZ Fundings massively successful because he’s learned how to effectively build relationships with peers and clients over his 2 decades in the industry.“I promise you this: 20 good relationships are better than 5000 likes. I don't care if everybody knows me or not. What I care about is how the results are aligned with my efforts. Am I getting what I'm putting in? Am I influencing and accomplishing what I want to do? Am I changing the lives of people I'm meeting? This is what I care about.” Tano passes on how to both make time to form relationships, and the steps to building strong relationships. “Make sure that you create relationships so strong, that those you work with would be embarrassed to even consider working with somebody else.”
Key Points:
2:02 - The 2023 Housing Market, West to East Coast
7:14 - The Differences over 20 Years in the Industry
12:23 - Serving your Pipeline by Eliminating the Unknown
18:01 - Setting the Schedule to Run a Brokerage
22:41 - Own what You’re Doing in Policies & Procedures
31:20 - Delegation of Tasks, Paying to Save Yourself Time
39:43 - 20 Relationships over 5,000 likes- Becoming the Broker you Want to Be
Tue, 21 Mar 2023 - 45min - 153 - Episode 153: Happy, Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise — Creating Opportunity for your Mortgage Business and Yourself w/ Kahren Oxner
This episode is sponsored by AFR Wholesale
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is joined for a strategically rejuvenating, and a self-assuring discussion with the Pacific Northwest Regional VP at UMortgage, Kahren Oxner!
Kahren is a wealth of hard-earned knowledge, wisdom, and confidence. This combination makes for an exceptional, educational, and inspiring episode. In just a half hour, Kahren shares an empowering discourse about business, networking, and social media strategy, how to build up your skills and mindset to take on changing markets, and most importantly, how to build yourself up to be the best version of yourself every day.
Kahren also provides a lot of clarity and definitive reasons why it was the right decision to change from the retail mortgage channel to the wholesale community. While in retail, Kahren had heard years worth of lies and ghost stories about what goes on in the wholesale channel. Little did she know, those fabricated stories would end up being exactly opposite from the truth, and also, a self-dictated description of the retail industry: “You have better technology as a broker, a better opportunity, more control. You've got executives, peers, and leadership at every wholesale lender that want us to thrive and succeed, and are working their tails off to be innovative. I have never seen more innovation than I have in the broker channel. It is a sharp, smart, progressive group of people that are really moving this industry forward. And frankly, I think what retail is saying about wholesale is more true about their own side than it is on the wholesale side.”
Key Points:
1:06 - From Unaware of the Mortgage Industry to Retail Mortgage Expert
4:40 - Going Broker- how and why she made the jump
6:55 - Myths & Misconceptions about Brokers from the Retail Industry
9:35 - The Current Mortgage Market, and Controlling what you can Control
13:42 - Changing with the Market, Finding the Opportunity in Everything
18:53 - Strategies to Build Relationships over Transactions
27:19 - Learning What Works to be Your Own Self-Advocate
Tue, 14 Mar 2023 - 31min - 152 - Episode 152: Gratitude Creates Opportunity— Philanthropy as a Model for your Mortgage Business w/ Lamont Harris, Broker/Owner of Harris Capital Mortgage Group
This episode is sponsored by REMN Wholesale
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey is joined by an exceptional entrepreneur and member of the AIME community, Broker/Owner of Harris Capital Mortgage Group, Lamont Harris!
Lamont has his hands in many industries. Nonprofits, basketball teams, solar energy, and a brokerage of more than 80 staff members are just some of his endeavors. Lamont is able to successfully juggle all of these fields because he focuses on long-term sustaining practices. He actively fosters long-term relationships and prioritizes contributions to his communities.
By example, Lamont has taken it upon himself and for his staff at Harris Capital to stay hungry and humble by being active, contributing members of their local communities. Lamont himself is an expert on the VA VASH program, and takes the opportunity to spread awareness of this resource to homeless veterans in his community: “I look for areas of opportunity to actually meet with homeless veterans and educate them on this process, and walk them down the path of finding out whether they're eligible or not. I don't get any immediate gain from that. It's not about that. It's about taking somebody from not having housing at all, and being able to help them regain that sense of independence. So I look at it from a standpoint of, hey, it may not create something for me today. Doesn't matter. It could possibly create something for me a few years from now. Once this person gets back on their feet, they're working, they're gainfully employed, I may have a VA loan in the future. Who knows? What I do know is I know that servitude begat gratitude, and gratitude creates opportunity. Right. So we don't go into it looking for an opportunity. We go into it looking to serve.”
Key Points:
3:19 - Starting in the Industry By Accident
6:21 - Promoted Cross-Country, and Similarities of Timeshares and Mortgages
11:23 - Sustainability Through Relationships- from Retail to Independent
17:27 - Building Community, Staying Humble, and Staying Hungry as a Broker Owner
26:18 - FLAG: The Financial Literacy Advocacy Group
33:02 - Balancing Multiple Businesses, and Keeping Everyone Happy
37:15 - Controlling the Controllables- Preparing for Opportunity
Tue, 07 Mar 2023 - 42min - 151 - Building Your Community, Rebuilding yourself as a Mortgage Broker w/ Amy Jo Tetzner – Episode 151
This episode is sponsored by Homepoint
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is joined by the new, yet already beloved member of the AIME community, Mortgage Advisor for Mortgage Nerds LLC, Amy Jo Tetzner!
Amy Jo joined the broker channel only recently, having worked in the retail industry for most of her life. Despite that, Amy Jo has made a massive, positive impact on the entire wholesale community. “I started noticing the things about retail that I didn't like that I wasn't in love with, and having the background of living and breathing this industry. For almost 21 years, I started to suspect that I was being fed some lines of garbage and that I really needed to figure it out on my own. So I really started researching it and I was like, I need to become a mortgage broker. I want to become a broker.”
Since joining the Wholesale Mortgage Channel, Amy Jo has contributed on social media, marketing, and community education to an unprecedented scale, setting an incredible example of what brokers are capable of on Facebook, TikTok, and in person. But it doesn’t come easy. Amy Jo breaks down her industry jump, and how it was one of the hardest, but most rewarding years of her life: “I am my mortgage business. And when something bad happens or makes me feel bad in mortgage, I take that very, very personally. And I think that most of us do. I think that's very regular to feel that way. And if you really care, like if you really give a shit about your business, you're going to feel that way. I'm 20 years in, the good is really good, the bad is really bad. But just remember, you are going to get over that mountain and you're going to feel like you climbed Everest and you're on top. And I feel like that right now.”
Key Points:
1:29 - From Business Major to Marketing Director, Mortgage Broker
3:42 - Poking Holes in the Retail Channel, Deciding to Become a Mortgage Broker
7:00 - Networking via Facebook Groups, and Marketing in the Last Places You’d Expect
13:18 - Success By Educating Borrowers, Peers, and the Community
19:53 - Tips to Breaking into the Broker Community
23:13 - Building Yourself and Your Work/Life Balance, Rebuilding the best Mental Health
Tue, 28 Feb 2023 - 31min - 150 - Grow Your Mortgage Company to a Large-Scale, while Supporting the Small-Scale w/ President of Growth at AIME, Tom Ahles – Episode 150
This episode is sponsored by EPM
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey celebrates 150 episodes with President of Growth at AIME, Broker and Co-Founder of Edge Home Finance, and Host of Grow & Get It, Tom Ahles.
Tom is a master of many. As the President of Growth for AIME, he has helped facilitate the growth of AIME and hundreds of brokerages nationwide. While he has many large-scale goals and aspirations for the wholesale channel, he hasn’t lost sight of, or consideration for improving the business of small and individual brokerages. Tom shares his top-down perspective from the positions he holds, but approaches his work from the ground floor, in that he still finds originating as invigorating and engaging as ever.
Tom shares his strategy and approach to recruiting and growth that has brought him and the wholesale community such unprecedented success: “All that I know for what I can control is I can make it a little better than it was yesterday. So for me, if that means I'm adding one person a day to this industry, then I'm doing my part. We just onboarded 30 in the last 50 days. So, you know, we'll do a little bit more than the average just because we've been at it for 12 years.”
“We’re all using the same things, it’s about getting your process down. Make sure it’s something that you feel confident to put your reputation on. Because our members have families to feed, they have goals and aspirations. And the last thing we want to do is set somebody up in a position where it's not going to be better for them. I think that's the biggest misconception with a lot of those in retail that haven't switched yet- is the saying the grass is always greener. Well, it's a damn true statement. I got to tell you, the grass on the broker side is green.”
Key Points:
2:33 - Celebration of Broker to Broker Episode 150
6:39 - Unprecedented Growth from Operations and Relationships
15:55 - The Broker Lifestyle, Maintaining Success and Life/Family Balance
22:31 - Doubling the Broker Market Share
28:09 - The Value of Working ‘From the Ground Floor’
34:59 - Best Lessons from Grow & Get It
41:24 - Getting Involved in the Community through AIME On Tour
Tue, 21 Feb 2023 - 48min - 149 - Short-Term Goals, Long-Term Vision in the Mortgage Industry w/ Marsel Cilla – Episode 149
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey sits down for a deep, considered mortgage coaching from the CEO at Safetrust Mortgage LLC, Marsel Cilla!
Marsel started his career in production for the auto industry, and brought his skills and mastery of managing minutiae in product and service delivery to the mortgage industry. Marsel has established dozens of processing systems to address immediate problems and concerns by setting short-term goals that fit in with the pursuit of long-term visions. Now, Marsel is looking ahead at the future of the entire wholesale channel by extending a welcoming hand to retail channel LOs looking to make the industry jump in 2023. In what he’s called the ‘Thrive in Wholesale’ campaign, Marsel and Safetrust aim to educate and empower Retail LOs, to encourage recruiting in independent brokerages, further strengthening the wholesale channel by utilizing the invaluable experience from retail lending.
“It's short-term goals, but the long-term vision, so that met goals will guide you towards your long-term vision. We need to have the long-term mindset every day. What are we doing every single day to hit those production goals? Just like production, that goal will be reached, correct? And then, if we're unable to reach it, let's take a look and see what we can tweak.” Marsel illustrates that the idea of perfection is the enemy of progress, and that the best approach for your clients and your business is to improve as you go: “We call it quick response, continuous improvement. It's a method of saying, ‘Hey, this was my goal, and what actions are you going to implement to try something different, to fix the reason, to fix the root cause?’ Then, we continue to get better every day.”
Key Points:
2:21 What was Taken from the Automotive to the Housing Industry
4:11 How to Become a Business Owner and Leader in the Mortgage Industry
8:12 Establishing Structure and Goals of Mortgage Transactions
16:40 Short-Term Goals, Long-Term Vision
24:07 Recruiting from Retail to Wholesale with the Broker Shop Platform
32:49 Networking, Social Media, and Marketing for LOs
This episode is sponsored by FundLoansTue, 14 Feb 2023 - 45min - 148 - The Vital Importance of Remaining Heart-Forward in Your Mortgage Business w/ Brian Shields – Episode 148
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers has an invigorating heart-to-heart with Broker Owner of Shields Family Home Loans and essential member of AIME’s Veteran Homeownership Committee, Brian Shields.
Brian shares exactly how he’s brought his marketing, his business, and his overall well-being to a new level through being ‘Heart Forward’ in everything he does. His social media presence and engagement are both incredible because he shares himself with his community. His peers, clients, and community all get to know him as a person just as much as they know his work.
Brian shares his effective, time-tested strategy of sharing yourself and personal, daily life as the model for video content creation: “We don't use it for marketing, we use it to provide for the communities and people that follow us. But, on the flip side, it does help because my audience realizes, ‘Oh, these are real, real people! They're not scripted, and they're not actors. So be as relatable as you can, very heart-forward. One of my favorite lines is ‘I don't have to ask for business as long as everybody knows what I do’.”
“Go out and appreciate everything you got, and hold onto it with both hands.” Brian explains as he details his ‘Heart Forward’ way of engaging his clients that builds community and trust. “Give your clients the attention that they deserve.” Brian’s 'Heart Forward' approach exemplifies the core of what makes brokers great resources for their communities: “Give your clients the attention that they deserve. These people are leaning on us. They're coming to you and me without even knowing who we are to say,’ Hey, I want you to handle me, my wife, and my kids buying a house.’ They’re giving you that trust. We can't be desensitized to that. We’ve got to make sure that we're appreciating that and giving everything that they deserve and more. And with that, they'll never look anywhere else for mortgage assistance ever again.”
Key Points:
1:18 Starting the Broker Side Hustle, to the Broker Lifestyle
6:16 Sharing Yourself and Life as Video Marketing Strategy
11:11 Responding to Engagement to Create More Engagement
16:04 Treating Every Conversation as a New Relationship
21:04 Remaining ‘Heart Forward’ for Business and Mental Well-Being
27:27 Supporting those who Support You in the Community
This episode is sponsored by RCN CapitalTue, 07 Feb 2023 - 34min - 147 - Sell Yourself and Your Mortgage Business by Pursuing Your Passions w/ Jason Turner – Episode 147
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey learns about video content creation and how to pursue your own niche by the Broker Owner of Navigator Mortgage Brokers, Jason Turner.
Jason has over a decade of experience in the mortgage industry, and over that time, has become one of the community’s leading VA loan experts, as well as one of the most consistent content creators in the wholesale channel. Jason shares how he pursued and found his niche, which has led him to strong, business-growing relationships, as well as the basis for his marketing strategy.
Jason shares his secret to how he’s able to post high-level content so consistently: “My content day is Monday. I'll actually bring a bunch of different shirts to the office and then just change my shirt, adjust the camera angle, and then it looks like it's a different day where I do stuff off the cuff. I see a question online, I'll do a real quick-hitter - I like to create my content all at once, just to have it done. I get it recorded, edited, and then posted and just spread it out through the week.” Jason shares his strategy for the rest of the week: “I like to plan on my content, and I actually do a lot of research online to see what other people are interested in or talking about. And then let me talk about that. What do the people want and what do they want to learn about? And then bam, here's my timely take on that.”
Jason also shares his wisdom on how he was able to get over the hump of creating and releasing content: “Do what you're passionate about - I'm passionate about the VA space, so it's very easy for me to get behind my passion and then speak about it. So if you're fired up about it, the nerves fall to the wayside. So if you do what you're passionate about, it's going to be really easy.” Jason’s advice for great business networking, knowledge building, and business growth are one and the same. “Target a niche. You can't be everything to everybody. People know me as a VA guy. If I talk to a bunch of realtors and I sell everything that I have, I'm really not selling anything. But if I sell myself and what I do as a specialty, and then they have that need, then they think of me. So I would absolutely recommend going deep in a niche for whatever people want to do.”
Key Points:
2:50 From Laid Off, to Loan Processing, to going Independent
6:09 Opening up Shop during 2020
9:03 From Retail to Broker & the Tools of Wholesale
15:23 Expertise in VA Loans & Debunking VA Myths
22:51 Marketing and the Importance of Video Content Creation
30:05 Overcoming Yourself to Produce Relevant and Consistent Content
This episode is sponsored by AIME Member Portal (AMP)Tue, 31 Jan 2023 - 40min - 146 - Providing Value as a Core Relationship and Mortgage Business Building Tool w/ Robert Mahaffey – Episode 146
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers learns of the invaluable innovations in networking and marketing from Broker Owner of Third Street Financial, Robert Mahaffey.
Robert shares exactly how he’s changing and elevating the game for networking and lead generation through organic relationship building, and with proving and providing value in his relationships. Robert has both of these techniques on display through the hosting of his new Realtor Mastermind session series, featuring top-ranking realtors.
Robert explains how the game for networking, lead generation, and marketing has changed for Brokers: “I did the parody of the ‘Call Me Maybe’ Carly Rae Jepsen song, poking fun at the way that loan officers still think they can market when refinances dry up. They're like, ‘Hey, I just met you. Here's my business card. Call me maybe!’. You just can't go in with rate sheets and donuts anymore; that's the old way that people did it. We've got to provide more value than we ever have before, and we have to prove and provide value before we ask for anything.”
Robert shares how he provides incredible value for those who attend and speak at his Mastermind Sessions, through graciously investing his time and providing the resources he has available: “I create reels for the agent, and then I send it to them and I say, ‘Hey, thank you so much for being my guest. I learned a lot about you. I think it was great whether we ever do a deal together or not. I know I've gained a new friend and hopefully, we'll get to work together. But I wanted to give you something; here's the whole recording of our mastermind. And, here's 12 reels that I cut for you without me in it.’, It's an organic thing where now I'm investing in them.”
Key Points:
1:11 From The Tech Industry to the “2nd Worst Job in America”
6:41 Independent from Day One, to Owning Third Street Financial
11:33 Organic Leads from Organic Conversations
14:37 Proving and Providing Value — Hosting Realtor Mastermind
22:25 Leading by Example and Collaboration
28:35 Hall of AIME, and the Opportunity to Build Relationships
This episode is sponsored by Change WholesaleTue, 24 Jan 2023 - 32min - 145 - Establish the Brand for your Mortgage Business with an Accessible Content Catalog w/ Emmett Dempsey – Episode 145
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey sits down with Broker/Owner of Treasure Coast Mortgage, Emmett Dempsey.
Emmett has an invaluable wealth of experience that he’s bringing to the table. From globetrotting in the military, to varied jobs and positions within numerous channels in the Real Estate industry, Emmett has a perspective of the mortgage broker channel that few can match.
Emmett shares the marketing and business strategies that he’s utilized to great success with Treasure Coast Mortgage, and notes that a business and marketing strategy can be one and the same; an established catalog of educational content. Emmett utilizes YouTube as means to educate and motivate tentative homebuyers off the fence, as to spread awareness of his brand by providing education and resources for borrowers.
Emmitt explains how easy it is to establish and build a catalog of content that resonates with people. “Explain different concepts to clients, like loan estimates and closing disclosures. Make those videos a part of your in-process marketing — you know when you record a video for individuals sometimes? Record it one time and it lives forever.” Emmitt explains how these videos are utilized: “Build a consistent catalog. As soon as they find content that they like, they'll watch everything. They'll get into a suggested video loop on YouTube, or they'll dig through your Instagram to your old videos. Now, a common thing I hear is: I watched all of your stuff!”
Key Points:
4:10 From Korea and Kosovo, to Two Decades in Real Estate
9:41 Starting a Successful Brokerage in April 2020, and Thriving Through COVID
18:01 How to Specialize with Niche Loans
26:53 Marketing Strategies, and Inspiration from Gary Vee
32:56 How to Build Credibility through a YouTube Catalog
40:36 The Need for Brokers: 100,000 LOs chasing 1,000,000 Agents, Doing 3,500,000 Sales
This episode is sponsored by PRMGTue, 17 Jan 2023 - 45min - 144 - Multiply Your Mortgage Business Through Standardized Operations w/ Kyle Koller – Episode 144
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers sits down with a Mortgage Loan Officer at UMortgage, Kyle Koller.
Kyle shares his eclectic knowledge and expertise from both the professional and personal sides of the wholesale channel – from multiplying his overall business by streamlining his operations processes, to the unique and effective ways he’s able to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Kyle acknowledges the pride and drive that comes with a successful position in the wholesale channel, and drives home the importance of utilizing your community and resources to take the best care of yourself. “Brokers are an amazing force. We can do so many great things and I feel like the sky's the limit. And being able to turn that off sometimes is very hard.” He notes, “Is being number one ruining your life balance? You’ve got to take a look in the mirror and realize, hey, I need to be the best dad tonight – I know on Monday I'm not going to be able to shut it off. Know your limitations, but also lean into what you have.”
Key Points:
0:00 Preparing for Hall of AIME 2023
3:16 From Dentistry to Mortgage Brokering
8:48 Streamlining Operations Through Pipeline Management
13:38 Change Your Life with an Underwriter Cover Letter
17:58 Phenomenal Operations by Leaning into Your Community
25:34 An Alter Ego to Carve Out a Work-Life Balance
This episode is sponsored by EPMTue, 10 Jan 2023 - 33min - 143 - Living the Brand – Becoming Memorable in the Mortgage Industry (with Kris Radermacher) – Episode 143
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers sits down with Broker/Owner of K2K Mortgage, Kris Radermacher.
Kris shares the secrets of how she’s established, maintained, and lived her memorable branding, and how she’s taken advocating for the betterment of her client’s long-term finances to an unprecedented level. From her returning clients, all the way to those who have only seen her K2K branding in passing –- there’s no denying Kris has made herself and her business unforgettable.
Kris shares how consistently going beyond the call of duty to advocate for even the toughest borrower cases has brought her incredible success in 2022. “It's so important now to be giving that extra to people. Where brokers are so much better is that only brokers can do loans that most can't, right?” Kris notes “Wells Fargo tells the client they can't get approved, and never tells them how to fix their situation. That client may be able to get approved. It may not be as far away as we think.. And that's where I think I've set my business kind of apart, is that honestly, I will have a talk with anybody. I tell agents, send in my way, let's chat about it. Let's see if there's a fix.”
Key Points:
1:41 From Retail to Founding K2K in the Wholesale Channel
3:45 The Broker Boutique Process
6:37 Using The Experian Credit Report App to Clients’ Benefit
9:37 Reverse Bruised Credit for your Borrowers
14:56 Making an Impression & Establishing Strong Branding
25:34 Investing in Yourself in 2023
This episode is sponsored by HomepointTue, 03 Jan 2023 - 33min - 142 - Grow your Network by Advocating for your Borrowers (with Thomas Sloan) – Episode 142
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey sits down with Thomas Sloan, Certified Mortgage Advisor at Capital First Mortgage.
Thomas shares his recent experiences of entering the Wholesale Channel just before the pandemic, and how navigating that environment was a crash course of how to succeed through the worst the mortgage industry had been since 2008. These experiences, in turn, made him a stronger advocate for his borrowers.
It's evident that Thomas is a true mortgage expert and fiduciary – always looking out for his client's best financial interests. “The harder you work, the more you stay in touch with your borrowers,” Thomas states. “The more you pay attention to their pennies and try to save them money wherever you can – the more they appreciate you, then refer you. Most of my business is referrals from my borrowers to other people, not real estate agents.”
Key Points:
2:44 From Hospitality to the Mortgage Industry
8:03 Becoming a Full-Time Broker
11:33 Working Lean with a Small Brokerage
15:57 Flexibility as a Business Model
19:57 Organic Leads Through Doing the Right Thing
25:46 Taking the Time to Educate Realtors
29:57 Humanizing Yourself to your Borrowers
This episode is sponsored by RCN CapitalTue, 20 Dec 2022 - 38min - 141 - Getting VA Loans Done – How Having a Specialty Leads to Growing your Mortgage Business (with Jimmy Hobson) – Episode 141
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey sits down with a mortgage broker from JH Home Loans, Jimmy Hobson.
The two discuss Jimmy’s introduction to the inviting community of the Wholesale channel, take a deep dive into VA Home Loans, and how to create your own leads through frequent and authentic posts on social media.
Jimmy shares his invaluable expertise of how and why he’s the #1 originator of VA Loans in Utah, and how having a specific expertise can grow the rest of your business. “Give me your VA Loans, and give me the opportunity to show you why we're better, and then I'll do your commercial loans, too.”
Jimmy goes on to break down misconceptions and the more intimidating aspects of originating VA Loans. “You can never take enough training on how to do those loans. The VA handbook is fluid, right? So there's a lot of nuance to it. That's why it's such a powerful loan, because the nuance is where you get loans done.”
Key Points:
2:03 Looking ahead to 2023
4:26 Starting as a Lender
8:29 Being Welcomed into the Wholesale Channel
14:24 How Authenticity Beats Perfection
20:04 Generating Organic Leads
26:42 Developing a Social Media Presence
36:01 Breaking Down VA Loan Processes
This episode is sponsored by JMAC LendingTue, 06 Dec 2022 - 49min - 140 - Running an Elite Mortgage Company by Creating Community (with Joseph Shalaby and Sam Hijazin) – Episode 140
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers sits down with two members of E Mortgage Capital Inc: Founder & CEO Joseph Shalaby, and President Sam Hijazin.
The three discuss Joseph and Sam’s unique yet similar perspectives of the mortgage industry, both having started their careers in the wholesale channel, neither having worked in retail before. They share their experiences and wisdom in navigating starting companies, establishing healthy workplace culture, and the grit mentality it takes to make it through Recessions and Pandemics with overall growth on the other side.
Joseph discusses how he maintains such a great working culture of mutual support within E Mortgage - even with its members spread across the country. “Even though you're independent within this organization, you don't feel like you're independent. You're part of something much bigger than you… One of our pillars is community; the whole company is one big community. We're always helping each other get better.” Sam also shares the benefits of open communication and resource sharing leading to widespread success. “Our members follow the same mindset that Joe and I have, which is that mentality of abundance. Sharing your wins for the day, sharing things that are working for you with other people within the organization. That collaboration is really what makes this company special.”
Key Points:
1:22 Starting in Wholesale and Joining Forces
9:36 Growing your Business with Great Workplace Environment
13:52 Internal Systems and Processes
18:42 Nationwide Training, Support, and Community
27:03 Large-Scale Mindset and Culture
31:57 Favorite Parts of Fuse 2022 - The Year That Made Us Better
This episode is sponsored by LeadpopsTue, 29 Nov 2022 - 37min - 139 - How to Find Your Audience and Grow Your Mortgage Business (with Russell Petty) – Episode 139
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey sits down with Senior Mortgage Planner and Owner of Grow Mortgage, Russell Petty.
The two discuss how to make the career shift into the mortgage industry, and how to start, structure, and staff your own brokerage. JP picks Russell’s brain on his successful marketing campaigns through TikTok and Instagram Reels, and how Russell successfully utilizes social media to connect with local leads and collaborators in the Broker Channel.
Russell shares his ideologies for successful marketing for both brokers and owners. “I own a marketing company that does mortgage- nobody wants to talk to a mortgage lender until they need a mortgage, but if you’re marketing… that’s how they know to call you.” Russell breaks down the initial barriers and struggles in marketing through social media that most Brokers encounter. “Post every day, or as often as you can; consistency beats talent, every single day of the week.”
Key Points:
2:11 Moving from IT to the Mortgage Industry
6:28 Starting, Structuring, and Staffing Your Brokerage
10:23 The Importance of Keeping your Marketing Local
15:50 “Niche Down” Your Marketing Through Social Media
28:59 Forming Genuine Connections with Your Leads
34:57 Advice for Loan Officers and Brokers for Thriving in the Market
This episode is sponsored by PRMGTue, 22 Nov 2022 - 41min - 138 - Breaking Free From Retail Banking (with Carrie Gusmus) – Episode 138
Gusmus meets the Hussbus in this week's episode of Broker to Broker. JP Hussey sits down with Carrie Gusmus, the President and CEO of Aslan Home Lending Corporation, a 100% female-led brokerage based in Denver, Colorado. In this episode, they will discuss how to break yourself from the Retail and non-bank culture and steps to thrive in today's market.
A veteran in the financial industry, Gusmus shares her advice to independent mortgage brokers: "Do not diminish yourself to having only a rate conversation." They challenge listeners to effectively communicate the broker model to not only borrowers, but to originators in the Retail channel.
Gusmus also expands on Aslan's business model and hiring practices by sharing her insights to building a successful brokerage. She urges all originators in the wholesale channel to expand their spheres of Influence and to stay vigilant when communicating the ups and downs of today's market to clients and referral partners.
She leaves us with one resounding thought that solidifies her perspective -- "I believe that people are good, but brokers are better."
3:33 Journey from Financial Services
7:25 Cold Calling for Business
9:50 Transition from Retail Banking
15:58 AIME is the Association of Choice
19:00 Mindset for Today's Market
22:53 Communicating the Broker Model
27:25 Now is the Time to Buy
34:00 Aslan Business Model
45:00 Utilizing Your Sphere of Influence
This episode is sponsored by EPMTue, 15 Nov 2022 - 53min - 137 - Building Relationships and Trust with Borrowers to Grow Your Business (with Samantha Baros) – Episode 137
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers, President of Membership at AIME, sits down with Samantha Baros, Broker Owner of Integrity Home Loans Inc.
The two discuss how AIME has helped grow her business by providing mentorship, networking opportunities, and community support. As a recipient of the Spark small business grant program, Samantha was able to open her own brokerage and grow her business to do what she does best – helping homebuyers.
She details how she develops relationships with women in her community to build trusted interactions with borrowers, referral partners, and potential clients. “My communication is pretty open across the board. And just knowing that I'm a human and I'm a mom – clients can hear my kids in the background, and they know that I'm a real person. I want people to know that I'm here for them because I'm really passionate about helping them.”
Key Points:
5:20 Starting Your Own Brokerage
10:15 How AIME Helps Mortgage Brokers
13:31 Spark Small Business Grant Program
18:55 Building Relationships with Borrowers
27:40 The Impact of Fuse on Business
This episode is sponsored by HomepointTue, 08 Nov 2022 - 31min - 136 - Tackling Tough Mortgage Cycles with Collaborative Leadership (with Dale Vermillion and Katie Sweeney) – Episode 136
On this special edition episode of Broker to Broker, guest host Katie Sweeney, CEO of AIME, sits down with the Founder and CEO of Mortgage Champions, Dale Vermillion.
The two discuss the evolution of leadership in a variety of market cycles and the need for a collaborative mindset. From Dale’s humble beginnings selling pots and pans to becoming a leadership and sales expert with 30 years of experience, he shares his journey into mortgage and his recipes for success.
They dive into the biggest challenge facing the mortgage broker channel – the rising rate environment. Sweeney notes that “this environment is where people are going to win – this is the market where people are going to grow.” Vermillion agrees and challenges that now is the time for loan originators to shift from a volume market to a conversion market and doubles down that brokers need to learn how to sell more effectively in this climate.
Vermillion leaves the audience with a strong message to focus on “others first,” instilling his mantra that giving back to others is our duty, both in business and life.
Key Points:
1:52 Getting Started in the Mortgage Industry
4:32 Evolving Leadership with Market Cycles
16:23 Mindset Shifts for Tough Market Climates
24:32 Selling for a Conversion Market
32:30 Importance of Giving Back
This episode is sponsored by Guaranty Home MortgageTue, 01 Nov 2022 - 40min - 135 - Getting Over Yourself (with Jay Bunte) – Episode 135
On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers sits down with a mortgage broker with the Long Gray Lending Team, Jay Bunte.
The two discuss overcoming the difficulties facing brokers, how to get started in the industry, and the importance of “getting over yourself.”
A native Texan, Jay Bunte got his start in the industry after an 8-year term of service in the U.S Army and a prior career in oil and gas. With his interest piqued by friends in the mortgage space, Jay signed up for educational courses, got his license, and began working in the industry.
When it came to learning the technical ins and outs of the industry, Jay was able to draw on his prior military experience and adopt the right mindset. Starting from square one gave Jay an opportunity to learn on the job with a go-get-it mentality. “Nobody wants to fail,” he says, “but you have to get over yourself and try.”
He also says that his people skills made the difference when it came to getting started - but that even there, he had to learn to manage expectations. “Not everyone is going to want to work with you… but once it clicks, things will take off.” Jay also says that communication - even overcommunication - is key. “It was extremely crucial in the military, having great communication,” he says. “But there’s a big difference between listening and communicating.”
Times:
3:00 - Background
7:00 - Learning on the job
12:00 - Communication is key
18:00 - Biggest broker mistakes
27:00 - Discussing Fuse
This episode is sponsored by REMN WholesaleTue, 25 Oct 2022 - 31min - 134 - Transitioning From Loan Officer to Broker Owner with Ramona Chapman (With Ramona Chapman) – Episode 134
This week, Marc Summers sits down with Ramona Chapman, Broker-Owner at JR Mortgage Group. The two discuss Ramona’s start in the mortgage industry, the importance of a well-developed process, and the value that networking events like AIME Fuse can add to a mortgage professional’s career.
Ramona Chapman got her start in the mortgage world after a successful career in hospitality. While still working in sales for a hotel chain, Ramona decided to buy a home. Realizing the difficulty of the process, she became interested in working in the mortgage industry herself. Her research led her to take a role in retail, where she received her first taste of the business.
Although she received an offer to work as an assistant to a successful loan officer, Ramona realized she would prefer to work for herself. She and a business partner decided to break into the business in a decidedly bank-dominated area, becoming some of the only independent brokers in that region.
After about two years as a broker/owner, Ramona feels that she is still learning on the job and honing her skills. However, her success speaks for itself. Between managing the responsibilities of a LO, she must also contend with running a business and managing personnel. When asked how she stays on top of a lengthy to-do list, Ramona says that waking up early gives her the time she needs to get responsibilities out of the way.
She arrives at the office around 6 AM and sets to work on tasks that she might not have time to deal with later. Then, she is able to make headway on the rest of her day. With 17 people on staff and more incoming, Ramona says organization and delegation is key to running a tight ship. Her goal is to create a work environment where employees are willing and able to educate others and operate with minimal supervision.
When asked what advice she would give someone interested in entering the broker channel, Ramona says, “just go for it. Lean into it and believe in yourself.” She stresses that the resources necessary to succeed are out there - especially with AIME by your side. Having recently attended her first Fuse event and WMN Summit, Ramona says that the broker community is sincerely supportive, cooperative, and ready to help. “The information available and the community are second to none. I made real friends and real connections - just come humble and be ready to receive whatever advice the community gives.”
Times:
3:00 - Background
7:30 - LO vs. Broker Owner
12:00 - Relearning roles and perspectives
16:30 - Process and tech stack
20:00 - Fuse experience
This Episode Is Sponsored By PRMGTue, 18 Oct 2022 - 31min - 133 - Growing your Shop, Staying Compliant, and Delivering Amazing Experiences (With David Temko) – Episode 133
This week, host Marc Summers sits down with David Temko, President of C2 Financial. The two discuss David’s upbringing in mortgage, his route to the broker channel, and the logistics of running one of the largest shops in the country.
David Temko grew up in the industry, and says that mortgage terms and discussions about loans were a normal part of family dinner. His father was a pioneer of the high-margin brokerage model, and David himself got his real estate license at 19. In college, he interned with top producers to learn the tricks of the trade. Upon graduating, David started Cobalt Financial, which would go on to become C2 Financial.
Today, C2 has a staggering 1,000 loan officers across 22 states. The organization is headquartered in San Diego, where a corporate team of 40 does the behind-the-scenes work. Temko is beginning to expand horizons, with eyes on the East Coast. He says that he feels C2 Loan Officers can make a difference in any community, and that brokers provide transparency and value that people are willing to pay for. Long gone are the days, he says, where going to a broker was a last resort for folks who couldn’t get loans elsewhere. “They’re (retail) limited, and we’re unlimited,” Temko says.
How does one operate an organization on the scale of C2, especially when it comes to compliance? For David Temko, it starts by being ahead of the curve. His shop keeps a tight grasp on their policies, ensuring that things never get out of hand. He also must contend with a roster of 100+ lenders, which is constantly shifting and changing based on options offered. A consumer-first mindset determines what C2 will offer and who they do business with. This, combined with a team-as-family mentality ensures success.
When it comes to support, Temko points to the value of AIME as an organization. “It’s all about connections,” he says, as well as the advocacy AIME is doing on Capitol Hill. “Ours is a community of brilliant entrepreneurs, like-minded individuals… now more than ever it’s time to galvanize our community and continue to grind, and I appreciate (AIME) more than ever.”
Times:
2:30 - Background
10:00 - Growing your shop
15:00 - Compliance
20:00 - Retail recruiting
25:00 - Why is AIME so important?
This episode is sponsored by HomebotTue, 13 Sep 2022 - 32min - 132 - Building your Team and Growing your Connections (with Major Singleton) – Episode 132
This week, host JP Hussey sits down with Major Singleton, a mortgage broker at Major Money Matters. The pair discuss the importance of a strong support team, how to foster connections, and how to make sure your clients keep coming back.
A 23-year veteran of the U.S Navy, Major Singleton got his start in mortgage by chance. Unbeknownst to Major, a junior sailor under his command had booked a mortgage professional for an information session. Major attended to ensure that nothing went amiss, but was fascinated by what he learned. He felt that the mortgage industry could be in his future, and when it came time to retire from service, he made the leap.
Originally beginning on the retail lending side, Major eventually decided to become a broker. “I always wanted to be one,” he says, feeling that brokers had more freedom and more capability to earn for themselves. When he left the retail channel, he brought elements of his team with him, which he partially credits for his success. Currently, his team consists of a processor, LOA, a business development representative, and a client resources manager. With his team managing much of the behind-the-scenes efforts, Major is free to focus his time on what he excels at. “I have everybody on my team take a DISC Assessment”, says Major. “That way, everybody is operating within their gifts.”
Major’s gift is for customer interaction and retention, which has helped him see staggering levels of repeat business and recommendations. He prides himself on reaching out to past clients, on attending closings (especially the difficult ones), and on sending thoughtful closing gifts. These touches, according to Major, are the difference between seeing a client again and having them take their valuable business elsewhere.
Although he has only been a part of the industry for a few years, Major has made a name for himself. When asked what he would say to a brand-new broker, he says, “let your friends and family know what you do. Don’t feel like you need to be established already - have your connections become your jumping off point.”
Times:
2:30 - Background
6:00 - Team composition
10:00 - Process
20:00 - Reinforcing brand identity
25:00 - Closing gifts and check-ins
32:00 - The value of listening
40:00 - Final advice
This Episode is Sponsored By HomepointTue, 06 Sep 2022 - 49min - 131 - Revving Up for Fuse 5 (with Jamie Cavanaugh) – Episode 131
AIME Fuse 2022 tickets are available now at https://aimegroup.com/fuse-2022/
Join Marc Summers and guest Jamie Cavanaugh for a very special episode of Broker to Broker. This week, the two get excited for the upcoming Fuse 5, which kicks off in just four weeks. This year’s Fuse is bigger and better than ever - listen to Marc and Jamie’s chat to learn more about what you can expect from the world’s premier mortgage event.
Jamie Cavanaugh is well-known in the wholesale channel - the broker/owner of Amerifund Home Loans is an inspiration to anyone working in the industry. Fuse, she says, is a large part of her success.
“Anybody involved in the mortgage industry, anyone who’s curious about AIME, anyone who’s concerned about this market cycle and knows how important it is to level up should come to Fuse,” she says. “There’s truly something for everyone… every speaker and every panel really tackles something unique.” Jamie points to the fact that Fuse presenters are both highly vetted and highly goal-oriented. They provide real-world skills and processes that can be applied to your own business, and have an immediate impact on your production. “I always leave Fuse with at least four real takeaways I can use,” she says.
Additionally, she says, the networking opportunities are unmatched, with a welcoming, friendly atmosphere that invites collaboration and contact. “I have been to just about every other trade association’s events, many many lender and vendor events, and they’re great - but not one of them has that welcoming, come-join-us feeling that AIME events have.” She says that Fuse has enabled her to make friends and connections that last to this day, and continue to inform and shape her business goals.
Not only are you surrounded by fellow mortgage professionals, says Jamie, but you also have top-of-the-line vendor and lender partners at your fingertips; attending their events can provide you with career-changing networking opportunities and more information about the tools at your disposal. With just four weeks to go, Jamie says “I think this Fuse is going to be really great - I’m looking forward to getting even more value than I have in years past.”
This Episode is Sponsored By AIME Fuse 2022.
Buy your AIME Fuse 2022 Tickets today at https://aimegroup.com/fuse-2022/Tue, 30 Aug 2022 - 25min - 130 - Building Big Picture Relationships (with Ashley Bedford) – Episode 130
This week, host Marc Summers is joined by Florida’s own Ashley Bedford, who discusses her early experiences with brokers, her work ethic, and the value of building relationships.
Ashley first encountered the broker channel as a customer. A new parent, Ashley was looking to purchase her first home. Initial quotes from a big bank set her down payment as an unaffordable $30,000, leading her to start looking elsewhere. She was referred to a broker, who informed her that she only needed less than half of what she was initially quoted. The revelation led Ashley to vow that no one else would have to go through the same experience. With the dream of her new goal in hand, Ashley asked the broker to take her on as a processor. The broker accepted, with one condition: that Ashley begin as a broker instead. “I just dove in,” she says. “I lived with my mother-in-law for 18 months until I built my business.”
Despite a background in banking, Ashley realized she had a lot to learn. “I was a little nervous at first for the test,” she says. “But I just got through it.” According to Ashley, the freedom is the best part of being involved in the broker channel. “I like to tell people that in retail, you have Fannie and Freddie, and those are the parents who set the rules. But then Fannie and Freddie have their own parents who set even more rules on top. In the broker channel, we’re our own parents.”
Ashley’s home shop is small, consisting of about five people. She attributes her success there to dogged determination and the knowledge that she would have to do something different to make it. “When I started I decided to do every manual underwrite I could find… I would relentlessly call title companies and ask if they had any deals the lender couldn’t close. I called every week.” She built a reputation, and soon became recognized statewide by lenders and realtors alike.
Ashley’s business is built on being precise, punctual, and prudent, while simultaneously serving as a one-stop resource for her clients. “I always make sure their main point of contact is me,” she says. Making your clients feel comfortable and like they have someone in their corner is key. Her main piece of advice to new brokers? “Don’t ever focus on the paycheck - focus on your relationships. Everything else will fall into place.”
Times:
Background - 1:00
Early approach - 7:00
Realtor relationships - 13:05
Process - 20:00
Final advice - 28:00
This Episode is Sponsored By Guaranty Home MortgageTue, 23 Aug 2022 - 30min - 129 - Seeing Through the Cycles (with Atrion Faiola) – Episode 129
Host JP Hussey sits down this week with Atrion Faiola of NorthPort Funding. Atrion has spent almost 20 years in the industry, and has worked on both sides of the aisle. The two discuss making the most of the recent downturn, the cyclical nature of the mortgage channel, and the need to keep your foot on the gas even when times are tough.
Atrion joined the mortgage channel right out of high school. As a teen, a next-door neighbor hired him on to his brand new mortgage business. He began at the very bottom: making cold calls. Eventually, during the recession, he left to join a major bank. He went through their LOA training program and found a niche in physician lending. Atrion was eventually appointed branch manager, a position he held for a number of years. When the branch folded, he used the severance payout to start his own shop.
Atrion has seen it all in the industry, a fact that he uses to keep himself grounded. “I’ve been through so many cycles,” he says. “I remember when they invented the trigger lead… now the trigger lead is basically useless.” He points to a willingness to adapt and a motivation to overcome as crucial to his success. The downturn the industry is going through, he says, is just another in a long line. “It’s a blessing in disguise for brokers. We’re faster, more flexible, and we can hunt different opportunities.”
Atrion was initially attracted to the independent wholesale channel because of that indomitable spirit. He says that after watching Mat Ishbia and Anthony Casa speak at a Fuse event, he knew he had to make the switch. “You can’t take your foot off the gas - stay motivated, believe in what you do, and use your downtime.”
When asked what advice he would give to brand new brokers, Atrion was quick to answer with some powerful words of wisdom. “1) Call financial advisors over real estate agents. 2) Align with real estate agents who match your personal style. 3) Never stop adding value - have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and share that knowledge with everyone you know.”
Times:
2:00 - Background
6:00 - How is this downturn different?
10:00 - Why did you become independent?
17:00 - Asking powerful questions
25:00 - Process
33:00 - Closing advice
This Episode is Sponsored By EPM WholesaleTue, 16 Aug 2022 - 43min - 128 - Making the Switch from Banker to Broker (with Daniel De La Torre) – Episode 128
JP Hussey sits down this week with Daniel De La Torre of UMortgage. Daniel has only been part of the broker channel for a few months, but with a background in the retail mortgage industry, he brings a wealth of prior experience and keen insight along with him. The two discuss making the switch from bank to broker, the importance of the personal touch, and key advice to get started as a broker.
Daniel emigrated to the US from Cuba in 2004 and quickly found a job as a telemarketer. He began exploring mortgages shortly thereafter, but the market crash caused him to turn to real estate. In 2015, he returned to mortgages, and two years later, he was working in a bank setting. He says he only closed 1 loan his first year on the job, but through perseverance and persistence, he drove his numbers up to over 100 a year. He says the switch was brought on by a desire for independence, pricing flexibility, and product optionality. After years of being told that switching from bank to broker was crazy, he did the research for himself and decided to take the plunge. “It was the hardest career decision I’ve ever made, but I’m glad that I did,” says Daniel. “It’s important to make sure you’re associating with someone who can coach and direct you… knowledge is the most important asset.”
According to Daniel, his process is not much different than most people’s. What separates him is his attention to detail and care for his clients. For example, he recommends using a service to send personalized cards and gifts to clients as a way to reach out to past contacts. An initial call enables him to check in and see if a client will be a good fit, and from there, it’s the VIP treatment. “In the past, we didn’t have time to make the calls… now that we do, we have to take the time.” He also stresses the importance of getting back to realtors and continuing to both learn and teach mortgage information.
When asked what he would tell a newcomer to the channel, Daniel had some great advice. “You need to figure out what you want to be. Do you want to own your own shop? How scalable do you want to be? From there, you can learn the right channels and choose your platform.”
Times:
Background - 2:00
Making the Switch - 5:00
Process - 20:00
What should everyone be doing? - 26:00
Advice for people making the switch - 31:00
Closing advice - 34:00
This Episode is Sponsored by 20/20 Vision for Success CoachingTue, 09 Aug 2022 - 38min - 127 - Mind Over Money with Brian Cooke (With Brian Cooke) – Episode 127
Host JP Hussey is joined this week by Brian Cooke of Sunny Hill Financial. Brian joined the broker channel a few years ago, after a long and successful career on the other side of the industry. In that time, he’s made a name for himself with a relentless pace, unparalleled customer satisfaction, and a diamond-tough work ethic.
Brian graduated college in 2001, directly in the middle of a crippling financial crisis. Stuck at home with no job, he began dropping off resumes. His first interview led to a job as a closed loan reviewer, which kicked off a nearly 20-year mortgage career. Eventually, Brian felt that he was undervalued by his employer, despite record-breaking production and 16-hour days. One thing led to the next, and he decided to enter business for himself. Now, he runs his own show. Backed by a team of 20+ plus LOs, he regularly turns out a level of volume that would be notable for a team three times its size.
Part of Brian’s success is his focus and his obsession with the customer experience. He is constantly working on his mindset, sharpening his tools, and developing his repertoire. Almost all of his business is brought in organically because of his reputation. “I just am obsessed with the overall client experience - I get massive referrals… It’s just working hard, and never being off. I’m always on.” Brian’s commitment is reflected in his incredible response time, which he says is never more than 20 minutes. That speed and dedication is key to the retention and referrals that have skyrocketed his profits. “My performance and being better is what gets me business,” he says.
For Brian, dedication and mindset are the keys to success. He says he is constantly learning from the experts and actively putting their advice into practice. He recommends reading everything you can about taking control of your mental space and working hard on discipline. His advice to new brokers? “Spend more time on your mindset than your skillset - that’s what’s going to get you there.”
Times:
Background - 3:00
Rewiring the operating system - 8:00
Process and stats - 14:00
Organic referrals - 19:00
Speed the leads - 23:00
The experience difference - 29:00
Closing advice - 32:00
This Episode is Sponsored by MyCreditGuy - Credit RestorationTue, 02 Aug 2022 - 38min - 126 - How to Get Started in Mortgage and Carve your Niche (with Gay Veale) – Episode 126
Gay Veale of Epoch Lending might be relatively new to the mortgage industry, but she brings a wealth of life experience. A 30-year veteran of the United States Air Force, Gay shares her wisdom and perspective on leveraging connections and proving your worth.
Gay Veale joined the Air Force out of high school, where she would serve for the next three decades. After leaving the military, she worked for a time as a consultant in the defense industry. However, when a friend introduced her to the broker channel, she decided it was time to take a risk and make a change. She began working as a loan officer just 19 months ago, in November of 2020. In that short time, she has used her extensive expertise and experience to become a recognizable name in the world of VA loans.
Gay knows what it’s like to live the military lifestyle, and that knowledge enables her to help service members get the loan products they need. She understands the importance of a tight-knit community and working with people you trust. When asked how she generates leads, she points to a network of fellow veterans who have since gone into real estate. By leveraging that network at the start of her career, Gay has been able to grow her contacts list exponentially, and create a solid base of partners to work with. She also points to the importance of asking questions and forming relationships in Facebook groups like “Brokers Are Better” (BAB) while you are carving out your niche.
Gay’s advice to others who might be transitioning to the broker channel after years in another career? “Whatever product you’re going to do, make sure you know it inside and out. Know your product and make sure you’re communicating that expertise.” She also stresses making use of communities and resources such as Vetted VA. These welcoming and informative communities can provide the tools you need to get started and help you thrive along the way. “A home is a basic need of life and always will be,” she says. “I feel great about this job and the service I provide future homeowners.”
Times:
Background - 1:30
Industry start - 4:30
Why mortgage - 7:00
Lead generation - 10:30
Establishing a niche - 13:00
Multi-state licensing - 18:00
VA Loans - 21:00
VA loan limits - 24:00
Vetted VA - 31:00
Advice to newcomers - 37:00
Advocacy group - 43:00
This Episode Is Sponsored By AFR WholesaleTue, 26 Jul 2022 - 47min - 125 - National Mortgage Brokers Day 2022 (with Katie Sweeney and Brendan McKay) – Episode 125
This week’s episode is a very special one - Broker-To-Broker host and AIME President of Membership Marc Summers is joined by AIME’s CEO Katie Sweeney and President of Advocacy Brendan McKay. It’s also National Mortgage Brokers Day (or is it week?) - so the three share their tips for celebrating the broker channel and getting the good word out there.
“National Mortgage Brokers Day is not just a day, but really an entire week -and we’ve grown it into a month - of education. Educating the consumer about the benefits of working with a broker, educating the industry about all the great things the broker channel is doing and its impact on communities, but also educating each other to be better at our craft,” says Katie.
Education is at the forefront of the AIME CEO’s vision for the month - she says that the goal is not just to tell people that brokers are better, but to show them why.
For Brendan Mckay, education is key to seeing brokers return to the 70% market share they held before the 2008 financial crisis. “Mortgage broker became a dirty word,” he says. To him, this year’s National Mortgage Brokers Day represents the culmination of five years of work to turn that around.
“I was there in ‘08, ‘09, and it was scary,” Marc Summers chimes in. “We didn’t have a voice. Now, I know we have AIME itself, and a community surrounding it that’s working to make things better.”
Of course, this year’s NMBD also sees the launch of AIME’s most important initiative to date - the BACPAC. This political action committee enables AIME’s members to make their voices heard on capitol hill and directly affect policy decisions. It is an unprecedented step for the broker channel, and is a massive win for the nation’s independent brokers. The three discuss making BACPAC a possibility, its impact on the industry, and what the future holds for AIME.
This week also features the release of a powerful educational tool for AIME’s members with the introduction of AIME Academy. This online platform will provide educational support for everyone from aspiring LOAs to seasoned brokers, as well as special product certification for VA, FHA, Self-employed borrowers, and more. “Until we get back to 50% market share, we have a lot of stories to tell and education to put forward,” says Katie. Resources, including shareable templates and social media profile pictures, are also available for members starting today. Now, let’s go celebrate!
Times:
What is NMBD? - 2:00
Why is NMBD important to you? - 4:25
The importance of education - 6:25
BACPAC Announcement - 7:05
The importance of BACPAC - 11:00
Training course announcement - 15:00
How to celebrate and spread the word - 22:00
Closing remarks - 25:00
This Episode Is Sponsored By National Mortgage Brokers DayTue, 19 Jul 2022 - 30min - 124 - Cultivating Connections and Building Expertise (with Craig Messman) – Episode 124
This week, join in with JP Hussey and Molitor Financial’s Craig Messman as they discuss the importance of creating structure and approaching the industry with methodical intent. Craig is one of Chicago’s top producers, and with almost 20 years of experience, he knows a thing or two about long-term success. In this episode, he shares his tips for structuring and scaling your operation, cultivating in-house experts, and much more.
Craig entered the industry in 2001, learning the ropes at a large bank. In 2005, he and partner Troy Molitor started their shop together, and the rest is history. Although their shop takes a boutique model, they oversee 50+ employees and continue to post runaway numbers.
One of Craig’s keys to success is focusing on purchases. He recommends using these transactions as networking opportunities, carefully fostering relationships with those involved in the purchase. Craig says that communication - even over-communication - is essential at this stage. He maintains that honesty and transparency should be prioritized, and that leaving clients in the dark for any length of time is a huge mistake. “I never want my clients to experience what it’s like to buy a car,” he says. Craig mentions that he even discloses to clients what percentage of the sale will go to him, emphasizing that nothing should be withheld from the client.
Craig also delves into the nitty-gritty of his tech stack and his processes and procedures. He uses tools like Floify, Lending Pad, and SureFire to streamline workflow, but he credits a lot of his success to another strategy; namely putting his most experienced processors up front. “It’s easier to catch mistakes earlier than try to fix them later,” he says. This is also central to another one of his business tenets - a pod system that enables newer employees to safely learn on the job and develop their skillset. “If you want to scale, you have to establish your front end,” says Craig.
Cohesion is central to Craig’s model - everyone from underwriters to real estate agents are running the same playbook. He believes in building from the ground up, drawing on cultivated relationships and genuine connections. “When you build it your way,” he says, “the organic way, the stress-free way, the endorsement way, that’s gonna be a very sustainable business model for you. Otherwise, these lead systems just go back to the transaction.”
Timestamps:
(2:00) - Background
(5:30) - The importance of Purchase-focused business
(8:05) - Teaching people to communicate
(10:19) - Technical stack and workflow
(11:20) - Transparency in the buying process
(13:00) - The Pod system
(18:00) - Creating connections with all layers of the process
(23:00) - Building in-house expertise
(35:00) - Triangle approach
(42:00) - Drawing on existing relationships
This Episode Is Sponsored By AmeriSave WholesaleTue, 12 Jul 2022 - 48min - 123 - The Importance of Diversity, Generosity, and Mental Toughness (With Whitley Cooper) – Episode 123
We are joined this week by Whitley Cooper, a nearly lifelong mortgage expert with the results to back it up.
Whitley grew up in the business, and remembers her mom, herself a broker, jotting down loan applications on a napkin during long car trips. A detour into broadcast journalism led her back into mortgage, where she has found her niche. In this episode, Whitley and Marc Summers discuss her methodical approach, the importance of diversity, and how to make homeownership more accessible.
Though she was familiar with the mortgage industry from a young age, Whitley took her time to explore her options. When she started her family after college, going into brokerage just made sense. Now, she is a successful broker/owner who also makes time to serve her community as the Association of Independent Mortgage Brokers Chairperson of Black Homeownership.
When it comes to process, Whitley is systematic, employing an LOA to help calculate income and other financials. What’s really important, she says, is using that time to build rapport and establish meaningful relationships with clients. She highlights the importance of keeping your realtors close, saying “if it came from a realtor, it always gets back to that realtor.” The personal touch is key to Ms. Cooper’s approach - she stays in touch with clients through Facebook, sending handwritten cards and well-wishes for meaningful life events.
Whitley also serves as chairperson of the Black Homeownership Committee, a role she takes incredibly seriously. She says “It’s a chance to reduce the black homeownership gap, not just at the local level but at the national level.” She also stresses the necessity of creating a welcoming environment for “those who don’t look like you” - and the impact it can have on your profits. Whitley is a passionate mortgage education advocate, citing the need for initiatives like SPARK. “Capital is just one side,” she says. ”SPARK provides the grant, but also the education and mentorship to create lasting and sustainable business.”
The pair also discuss the current rate environment and tips for self-management. Discussing rising rates and the potential to panic, Whitley demonstrates the resilience that has contributed to her success, saying - “I almost got caught up in it. I had to pick myself up, dust off my shoulders, and remind myself what I was about.”
Times:
1:40 - Background
4:50 - Process and Outreach
7:22 - Post-closing strategy
9:43 - Black Homeownership Committee Appointment
12:50 - Importance of Diversity
17:49 - Education Cycle
22:40 - Broker Community
25:00 - Rate Environment
This Episode Is Sponsored By REMN WholesaleWed, 06 Jul 2022 - 32min - 122 - Building Connections and Creating Value (With Breon Price) – Episode 122
Breon Price is a rapidly rising star in his native Ohio. The owner of Motto Mortgage, Breon has made impressive strides only a few years into his career as a broker. A former athlete who began as an underwriter, Breon made the transition to brokerage in 2018. A mere two years later he was made managing partner, a testament to his tenacity, work ethic, and drive to understand the game.
In this conversation, Breon shares his thoughts on what makes a broker successful in 2022. Price says that personal investment is criteria number one, citing a “skin in the game” mentality for associates at every level of his brokerage. “If a loan doesn’t close on time, that should hurt” he says. “Most operations fail because (that mentality) doesn’t carry through processing and closing.”
He also stresses the importance of building lasting relationships - not just with clients, but with realtors and builders. Price notes that nourishing these connections is often more fruitful than a purely client-driven approach. This dovetails with his calls to set goals for yourself and your business, and then attack those methodically. “My goal is to do 450 transactions this year - I’m not going to get 450 clients. I’m going to get 15 realtors and 3 builders, and get 20 loans from each of them.”
To Breon Price, face-to-face is still the crux of the business. He has no fears about the internet killing the broker business. He believes a good broker is an inimitable resource, a wealth of knowledge and support for the client. His approach is to use the tools technology provides, but to never lose that personal touch. He emphasizes the importance of building up local influence, within 15 miles or so. “Be the mayor of your local sphere” he says.
Price sees his role in the homebuying process as more than just a broker. He is a coach, a cheerleader, the guy you call to recommend a plumber or an appraiser. He is a professional facilitator, the lender clients know they can trust. Parting advice? “Don’t forget you’re in the service industry… I know I’m not going to make money on deals 1 and 2. But I will on deals 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.”
Timestamps:
3:15 - Personal Investment and Attitude
9:20 - Why Rates Aren’t Everything
16:00 - Dominating the Local Sphere
27:00 - Providing Value to Clients
This episode is sponsored by PRMGTue, 28 Jun 2022 - 53min - 121 - Quality Over Quantity: Developing your Broker Brand (With Carrie Johnston) – Episode 121
Since 2018, Carrie Johnston has been the top producer in the state of Indiana. Carrie’s constant commitment to growing her brand is an inspiration to upcoming brokers nationwide. For over two decades, she has reigned as an unrivaled authority on the ever-changing world that is the wholesale mortgage channel. In this episode, we get her perspective on realtor relationships, staying up to date with industry trends, and the attitude required to succeed in a competitive field.
Ms. Johnston left her native Pennsylvania for the midwest while in pursuit of a Psychology Ph.D. A summer job selling airtime door-to-door led her into a brokerage office, where she was quickly scouted by the owner. “I’m a natural salesperson, and I’m very good with numbers,” she says. Carrie fell in love with the job, and 20 years later, her success speaks for itself. A stellar track record with Approved Mortgage granted Carrie a shop of her own, which she has piloted to steady acclaim.
As a broker, Carrie is known for her meticulous attention to detail and unparalleled mortgage expertise. The key to staying successful for two decades? “Embrace the change,” she says. “Treat change as an opportunity, not a challenge.” The common denominator amongst top producers, according to Carrie, is that, “Everyone is 99% purchasers. They are all competitive, they don’t make excuses, and they seek to control their own destinies.”
The other factor in generating record revenue is forming and sustaining relationships with realtors. This, says Carrie, is what is going to provide your business with the greatest consistency. She stresses the importance of demonstrating confidence and authority, of making yourself someone people want to know. “Toot your own horn… don’t ask for business, just make it happen.” When it comes to staying top of mind for realtors, Carrie says that showing up at the right times - i.e closings - is huge. But she also says that once you’ve established trust, to let the results do the talking.
Her advice to upcoming brokers is twofold. Point number one: “Track everything.” Ms. Johnston uses a detailed spreadsheet system to keep tabs on every aspect of the process, increasing efficiency and eliminating errors. The other? Be genuine in your relationships, place your expertise at the forefront, and highlight your value. After all, that’s the greatest point of separation between you and your competition. “I try to approach realtors as I would want to be treated,” she says, “and I can buy my own lunch.”
Times:
(1:25) - Introduction To The Wholsale Channel
(6:45) - Embracing Change
(11:00) - Taking Initiative
(19:00) - Common denominators for success
(22:00) - Quality over quantity
(29:00) - Parting thoughts
This episode is sponsored by Guaranty Home MortgageTue, 21 Jun 2022 - 32min - 120 - Reality TV, TikTok, & Marketing To The Masses: Scaling The Ladder To Independence (With Dario Medrano) – Episode 120
We are joined this week by Dario Medrano, Broker/Owner of Home Field Lending in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Mr. Medrano has enjoyed tremendous success, excelling as both a broker and a mortgage content creator. His TikTok videos regularly accrue thousands of views, with rookie and veteran brokers alike seeking out his insights. Dario and Marc also discuss that while homeowners of the future all have eyes on TikTok, the real value proposition currently comes from its recruiting power, which is especially beneficial for Dario’s growth-first mindset.
A former D1 baseball player, Dario starred on the popular reality TV show, “The Challenge.” Looking to turn his fledgling personal brand into a career, he moved to LA to pursue real estate. Working for a large retail shop proved unfulfilling, with little guidance and few leads.
A change to Bank of America provided the opportunity to start working with real clients and authoring deals. In 2017, Dario attended an AIME conference, where he saw Mat Ishbia speak.
“I still have his business card in my wallet,” Medrano says. “I never looked back.”
Medrano started his own shop from the ground up, committing fully to the wholesale channel. He was attracted to the self-starting, entrepreneurial lifestyle of a wholesale broker. To him, independence is the key to scalability. He stresses that starting from scratch might seem daunting, but that it's more than possible with the right mindset and help from AIME. “There are guardrails up,” he says. “I knew nothing when I first started.”
Now, he gets “3 to 4 emails a day” from loan officers looking to join his growing company. He has refined his process and believes that letting green brokers learn on the job is crucial to their success. Dario’s goal is to grow his company and achieve massive impact. The key, he says, is an influx of talent. “From day one, I wanted to scale,” he says. “The only way we’re going to grow as a channel is if somebody can give these guys an opportunity.” He wants prospective brokers to know that success is well within reach if they’re willing to work for it. “You can be a loan officer and overnight have a legitimate asset - not just a cell phone with a couple realtors in it.
Tune in for Dario’s expert advice on how to develop your personal brand and create engaging content. Authenticity, he says, is the deciding factor. People don’t want advice on how to be a broker - they want to know what it’s like to be a broker. Let your true self shine through, and success is sure to follow.
(2:32) - Entrance into the Industry
(8:10) - Getting Guidance
(12:42) - Creating Compelling Content
(21:30) - Onboarding and Developing Green Brokers
This Episode is Sponsored By EPMTue, 14 Jun 2022 - 34min - 119 - The Godfather & The Architect: The History & Future of How & Why Mortgage Brokers Are Better (With Mat Ishbia & Willie Newman) – Episode 119
Two powerhouse lending leaders of the wholesale channel sit down for this monumental meeting of the minds to discuss the history and the future of wholesale mortgage lending and why they have given up on a retail division, deciding instead to go all-in on mortgage brokers. UWM President and CEO Mat Ishbia and Homepoint President & CEO Willie Newman talk about the facts that prove why the wholesale channel is not just better for brokers, but better for REALTORs, real estate agents, and, most importantly, better for borrowers.
But Mat and Willie aren’t just here to SAY that brokers are better. They have the irrefutable evidence to prove it. 2018, 2019, and 2020 HMDA data shows that lower upfront costs and lower rates leading to lower payments over time lead to an average of $8,000 in savings for each consumer who uses a mortgage broker instead of a retail banker. Mortgage brokers also go out of their way to help those disproportionately ignored by the big retail banks. Whether it’s loans that take more time and are harder to close as a result of borrowers’ bruised credit scores or low-moderate incomes, or if it’s borrowers who are disproportionately ignored during the homebuying process like BIPOC or military veterans, brokers consistently go above and beyond to help their neighbors. Independent mortgage brokers are located in the communities they serve, sitting alongside the same little league games and waiting in the same lines at the grocery store as the homeowners with which they helped purchase their dream home.
Willie Newman likes to say, “I was there at the beginning.” Before Willie’s mentor Stan Rhodes molded the concept of the modern-day mortgage broker in the 80s as a result of the Savings & Loans crisis, most mortgage brokers only did hard money loans for unique loan scenarios. Understanding that dislocation creates opportunity, Rhodes utilized the influx of loan officers let go after the S&L crisis to catapult his small lending institution into a top 5 national originator.
Mat Ishbia shares a similar story when it comes to the growth of United Wholesale Mortgage. When Mat came aboard, UWM had a staff of 12 people. After learning every side of the business, working in operations, marketing, and as an AE, Ishbia purchased the company. Deciding to focus exclusively on wholesale, Mat has since grown UWM to 8,000+ employees.
The fallout of the 2008-2009 financial crisis and market crash disproportionately affected mortgage brokers compared to retail banks. And while it’s always easier to point fingers and blame outside sources, mortgage brokers instead looked inward and have since built back their book of business around tighter restrictions and lower margins. These mass layoffs we are now seeing from retail banks and lending institutions are a result of their infrastructures being built around bloated margins and higher interest rates.
Before the crash, back when each brokerage was on its own with little to no support, mortgage brokers held a 50%+ market share. Now with the support of AIME and broker-focused lenders like Homepoint and UWM, mortgage brokers are set up to succeed long-term like they never were before. They have the technology, service, support, and partnerships of the leading lenders in wholesale and will be able to utilize these advantages to take back the majority of the market share. And unlike retail, where the banks and lenders hold their employees accountable, it’s the brokers who have the power. Ishbia and Newman both agree that it’s up to them to win each broker’s business, not the other way around. If a broker doesn’t like a certain lender's pricing, technology, or servicing, then there are dozens of other lenders through which brokers can shop their loan.
Mat and Willie also understand that it’s not ex...Tue, 07 Jun 2022 - 26min - 118 - How To Intertwine Leadership Skills, Marketing Efforts, and Realtor Relationships To Bring in 250+ Organic Leads A Month (With Jonathon Haddad) – Episode 118
At age 22, Jonathon Haddad had become the youngest banker promoted to director at Quicken Loans. By 27, after helping build out their online chat service, Jonathon was promoted to Vice President. Now, at age 30, having transitioned from retail-to-wholesale over 2.5 years ago, Jonathon leads a team of 80 employees and is using his marketing and SEO expertise to bring in 250+ organic leads a month.
Jonathon admits that leaving Quicken was not all “rainbows and butterflies” but at the end of the day, they did what was best for business. Utilizing the AIME and Brokers Are Better platforms, Jonathon wants to share his expertise and leadership style with the entirety of the Wholesale Channel. Jonathon wants to give back to other brokers and believes this to be the ultimate opportunity to do so. He wants to teach those green to the industry that the broker space is the place to be and make sure that everyone knows that brokers are here to stay.
WIth custom drip campaigns, proper data-tracking efforts and a $300,000 budget for his marketing team’s salaries alone, Jonathon’s major push is for the combination of marketing efforts and realtor referral relationships. His head of marketing, a former content creator for ESPN, the NFL, and the Superbowl, leads an 8-person team of videographers, editors, and SEO experts. Operating under the idea that “you don’t know what you don’t know,” Jonathon and his brokerage’s marketing team welcome new realtor partners by offering to help them with any weaknesses in their marketing plans. Instead of just getting a cup of coffee with a realtor, Jonathon comes to the table with multiple marketing packets for different types of realtors and finds the best marketing plan to match each realtor’s weaknesses.
Jonathon’s greatest passion within the broker space is leadership. He is addicted to helping others and, in this podcast, shares advice for both fellow trainers and their trainees; Give more, expect less, and adjust your training style to fit the trainee, not the other way around. Provide visual, auditory, and hands-on training, and do your best to give everything you can to every employee, realtor, and homeowner. Knowing guidelines and how to close loans is simply the barrier to entry into this industry. If you don’t go above and beyond to set yourself apart you’re going to fall behind. You have to show up each and every day expecting roadblocks and speed bumps, so don’t just prepare, but embrace these hardships. “My life has not been easy, it does not matter,” Jonathon shares. Independent originators have options. They have full control of their destiny. That’s what makes brokers better.
NOTES:
* (2:20) Introduction to the Wholesale Channel* (6:00) Transitioning from Retail-To-Wholesale* (10:01) Developing Realtor Relationships Through Marketing* (23:50) Leadership & Training Style* (33:57) Parting Advice
This Episode Is Sponsored By Mobility Market Intelligence (MMI)Tue, 31 May 2022 - 37min - 117 - Don’t Push Product, Push Personality: How To Level Up By Being Authentic (With Jason Glass) – Episode 117
After 22 years in the industry, Mortgage Broker/Owner Jason Glass has finally decided to stop overthinking and take action. Instead of waiting for the perfect situation or over-analyzing every little detail, Jason has decided to take the time to invest in himself and his business with a growth-first mindset, all by being his true authentic self.
Not too long ago, Jason would dress up in a suit and tie and try to be a salesman, but that just doesn’t cut it, and it just wasn’t Jason being Jason. “You have to be yourself,” he shares. You can’t just bank on speed and rate anymore. You have to set yourself apart. Jason believes that our true authentic personalities are the only unique commodity we all have and we have to utilize ourselves for everything we’re worth. There is only one YOU so be yourself.
Growth is top of mind these days for Jason. Having hired a new LO with a grow-first mentality, Jason has shifted focus from outward selling to inward growing. Jason has stopped wasting time on overthinking and instead, is just doing. His most monumental change has been switching from Calyx to Arive. Jason has been running his pipeline the same way for two decades and understands that change is hard and nothing is ever going to be 100% perfect, but Jason compares the switch over to Arive as switching from a rotary phone to an iPhone 13. You might not have missed a single call on that rotary phone, but the doors that new technology can open for your brokerage are indispensable.
As a part of his parting advice, Jason shares that he doesn’t believe that mortgage brokers are going to be completely replaced by technology, but they should use technology to speed up and better their processes and procedures. He also makes sure to note that referral relationships are just that, relationships. You can’t treat them as dispensable numbers or transactions. Real Estate Agents and client referrals are all people with wants and needs and families. Get to know them. Create an actual relationship with them and success is sure to follow, for everyone.
NOTES:
* (2:49) Intro To The Wholesale Channel
* (15:30) Importance of Authenticity
* (31:17) “Just Do It” Mindset
* (35:45) Parting Advice
This Episode Is Sponsored By HomebotTue, 24 May 2022 - 43min - 116 - Navigating Non-QM, VA Home Loans, & Successfully Transitioning from Retail-To-Wholesale (With Jerry Avila) – Episode 116
After a dozen years of being restrained by limited options in the retail channel, Southern California Mortgage Broker Jerry Avila decided to finally make the transition to wholesale. Jerry believes that no deal should die and that there is always a way to fight and figure things out for the borrower.
Jerry started out in a similar rate environment as we find ourselves now (Q2 of 2022), and was forced to swink or swim. Instead of focusing on selling basis points, Jerry quickly realized that his path to success was through mastering Non-QM products. He knows that not all families' financials look the same or fit into the boxes predetermined by the big banks. Being able to take the time to curate the best possible loan scenario for a borrower is one of the biggest attributes that make brokers better.
While Non-QM is Jerry’s original niche, he has since zeroed in on helping military veterans. As one of the first moderators for VettedVA, Jerry has put in the hard work to be respected by his peers, whom Jerry credits as the main driver of his success. Jerry encourages everyone to look at who they associate and surround themselves with and note whether they are representative of who you want to be. He implores everyone to align themselves with those that passionately care about what they do because Jerry has found these groups reverberate positivity and success between each other. Everyone benefits and grows together.
And that leads us to Jerry’s parting advice: Nobody here is each other’s enemy. We’re all family, and we should treat each other with respect and help each other succeed. Whether it’s your LOA, Broker/Owner, or fellow Loan Officer in the same town or across the country, we should all be working together to benefit the homeowner, and in turn, each other.
NOTES:
* (1:49) Transition from Retail-To-Wholesale
* (10:30) Brokerage Breakdown
* (17:20) Navigating Non-QM
* (22:15) VettedVA & Brokers Are Better Network
* (37:06) Culture
This Episode Is Sponsored By REMN WholesaleThu, 19 May 2022 - 41min - 115 - Ethics & Education: For Homeowners AND Mortgage Brokers (With Andy Treno) – Episode 115
Being an Independent Mortgage Broker is in Andy Treno’s blood. With his dad opening the first broker shop in Minnesota in 1987, loans and title companies were a part of nightly dinner table conversations, and making spreadsheets and stuffing envelopes was Andy’s summer job. After going to school to become a financial advisor, Andy got a job at a bank but quickly realized that mortgages are what he loved, and a bank was not the place to best put together home loans.
Andy, as a Mortgage Banker, was ranked top 10 in the state for selling home loans, but he got called into a manager's office for not cross-selling enough checking accounts. A homeowner's dream home and an entire family’s generational wealth should not be treated with the same respect given to food that’s about to expire at a chain restaurant. Andy understands that mortgages are not something you just sell. You don’t tell the client what they need. You listen to them, learn their wants and needs, analyze their financial situation and look over their 1003s. You sit families down face-to-face and have conversations about their life goals and then take the time and effort to explore multiple different loan products from multiple different lenders to find the option that works best for each individual family. It is for this exact reason that Andy has made it his life’s mission to educate and advise homeowners everywhere. Andy knows it's their money and their decision, he just wants to help them make the best possible choice for their family’s future.
One of the biggest things that make brokers better are options, and Andy makes sure to take advantage of all the options at his disposal. Whether it’s using multiple Brokers Are Better Network partners like leadPops, LendingPad, Homebot, and Pre-Approve Me, or becoming an expert in everything from first-time homebuyer FHA to reverse mortgages (with a specialty in VA as a member of VettedVA), Andy is always looking for new ways to help more people. And it’s up to each and every individual independent mortgage broker to make sure they’re helping as many homeowners as possible by taking advantage of everything at their disposal.
As a member of AIME’s ethics committee, Andy stresses the importance of taking the time to not just educate your borrowers, but educate yourself. You are the expert, clients are going to look to you for answers. As rates rise, don’t slack off or cut back. Take advantage of the extra time and reinvest in yourself and your business.
NOTES:
* (1:50) Family Business
* (4:51) Company Culture & Growth
* (12:00) Tech Stack & Lender List
* (19:00) Financial Literacy & Ethics
* (30:52) Parting Advice
This Episode Is Sponsored By leadPopsTue, 10 May 2022 - 35min - 114 - Homeowner Education, Unlimited Options, and Exploring Non-QM (With Dustin Rosenberg & Jonathan Yoo) – Episode 114
Within 6 months of transitioning from retail-to-wholesale, Los Angeles Broker/Owners Dustin Rosenberg and Jonathan Yoo were ranked #14 in Non-QM originations by Scotsman Guide. They have 200 loans in their pipeline at any given time and are signed up with 80 different lenders. With a strong support staff, a solidified tech stack, and an assembly line system, Convoy Home Loans is able to personalize loan experiences for everyone from traditional first-time homebuyers to self-employed jumbo investment property holders.
Understanding that they couldn’t grow without a sturdy foundation, Dustin and Jonathan focused on building a strong support staff before onboarding a bunch of loan officers. A converter belt set of processes and procedures were put in place that makes sure no part of the loan process goes untouched.
Dustin and Jonathan are the very first people a homebuyer talks to, but instead of just handing them off to the next person in line, Dustin and Jonathan make sure to remain transparent. They let the client know that for a loan to be done as effectively and efficiently as possible, they will need to hand off the next part of the process to a trained and trustworthy LO. However, they also make it clear that they are both available at any time if any questions arise. Whether it’s about figures or terms or cost or rate, their clients can call them directly. Dustin and Jonathan make it very clear that the last thing they want their consumers to feel is hesitant to reach out for assistance. Mortgage Brokers are not just paper pushers. They are advisors whose responsibility it is to carry a homebuyer through their entire transaction.
While they use LendingPad as their LOS and Shape as their CRM (both Brokers Are Better Network Partners with AIME-exclusive pricing), Convoy Home Loans also utilizes their own in-house spreadsheet to price out all 80 of their lender partners. Dustin and Jonathan admit that it is time-consuming, but optionality is a huge part of what makes brokers better. It’s just not something they were able to provide as retail bankers.
With their focus set on optionality, customization, personalization, and freedom, Dustin Rosenberg and Jonathan Yoo of Convoy Home Loans are the epitome of what it means to be an independent mortgage broker. And for all the other brokers out there, especially those new to the wholesale channel, Dustin and Jonathan want to remind you that you should always be trying to perfect your craft, but don’t get caught up in the day-to-day. Hire to help focus on long-term goals and always remind yourself that anything is possible if you bet on yourself. The worst thing you can do is NOT try. It’s going to be hard work, but bet and believe in yourself and run with it.
Notes:
* (1:45) Transition from Retail-To-Wholesale
* (14:45 ) Assembly Line & Support Staff
* (23:07) Luxury Jumbo vs First-time Homebuyer
* (31:58) Tech Stack
* (36:23) Parting Advice
This Episode Is Sponsored By AmeriSave Wholesale Mortgage SolutionsTue, 03 May 2022 - 44min - 113 - Why Mortgage Brokers Need To Believe In, & Bet On, Themselves (With Danny Calderon) – Episode 113
California Mortgage Broker Danny Calderon is the first Spark Grant recipient we’ve had on the podcast. After almost ten years in retail, Danny made the jump to work for himself. With the support of AIME, Spark, and the Brokers Are Better Network and Facebook Group, Danny is more than set up to succeed during this rising interest rate environment.
After attending an AIME Fuse event, Danny realized that Wholesale was the place to be. While in retail, Danny started questioning things when he had to keep declining loans he knew he could get done with a little more time and energy. As a broker, he knew he would gain the options to be able to help every family get their home, but it wasn’t until he saw the support the broker channel now has thanks to the Association of Independent Mortgage Brokers.
He has taken advantage of the Brokers Are Better Network to claim exclusive discounts on top-tier products to create a simple but effective tech stack (remember, the best tech stack is the one you use). Whenever he gets caught up during a tricky loan scenario, he posts in the Brokers Are Better Facebook group and an army of mortgage brokers and loan officers are there to offer their help and expertise.
Danny’s favorite change from transitioning from retail-to-wholesale? He loves being able to actually advise and educate his clients. Instead of just passing on FHA loans like his previous retail banks would have preferred, Danny now has the ability to sit down with a family, learn their needs and wants and struggles, and then curate a customized loan that will work perfectly for them. He can walk a Gen Z, first-time homebuyer through the process using just texts or he can sit down face-to-face with a retiring investor who has an entire portfolio of real estate investments. And at the end of it, Danny can rest happy knowing he was able to shop multiple programs with multiple lenders to find the perfect personalized loan for each individual client.
So whether Danny is working with an FHA or Jumbo loan, he knows he doesn’t have to turn anyone away. His tech stack is set up for speed so he can spend less time on the back-end and more time working with the consumer and making sure they have the perfect experience. And if a scenario ever crosses his desk that he doesn’t feel he is an expert in, Danny knows he has an entire network of mortgage experts through which he can confidently refer clients. Danny’s parting advice? Do the right thing and the right thing will happen to you.
Notes:
Introduction (1:00)
Being A Mortgage Advisor (14:40)
Tech Stack Breakdown (22:14)
Brokers Are Better Facebook Group (29:00)
Perfecting A Work/Life Balance (33:35)
This Episode Is Sponsored By The AIME Spark Small Business Grant ProgamTue, 26 Apr 2022 - 42min - 112 - Finding a Mentor, Being a Mentor, & Transitioning from Retail-To-Wholesale (With Willie Newman) – Episode 112
Looking back at his 32 years in the housing industry, Homepoint President and CEO Willie Newman has come to the conclusion that Brokers Are Better. In this special episode of Broker-To-Broker, Marc and Willie talk about the history of the wholesale channel, the importance of both finding and being a mentor, and why retail bankers should transition to being a broker.
When Willie first joined the industry in the 80s, he had a mentor who theorized that brokers, mostly doing hard money loans at the time, were going to become a much more significant part of the mortgage process. Willie believed him, hopped on for the ride, hasn't left since, and never plans to leave. Willie credits a large amount of his success to his mentor pushing responsibilities and having faith and trust in Willie. And while Willie and Marc admit that it isn’t the easiest thing to do, delegating tasks and trusting your staff is the key to growth and long-term success.
Other Brokers, even those close enough to be your neighbor, are not competitors. Always outnumbered by homeowners, brokers have to lift each other up with the goal of increasing mortgage broker market share. Brokers are better, but we’re even better together. A rising tide lifts all boats, and the more we help each other, the more homeowners will recommend using a mortgage broker, and the more market share brokers will earn back. The goal should not be to maximize profit but to maximize homeowners helped and families housed. And the only way we can do that is if we all collectively get better together.
Marc and Willie also admit that the wholesale channel isn’t for everyone. If you’re only in it for the money, then being a broker isn’t for you. You need to have a passion for helping people; homeowners and brokers. They understand that it can be hard to step away from the perceived safety net retail lenders provide, but as Marc and Tom mention, the best security blanket is providing the best possible deal to the consumer. And as rates rise, more retail lenders will most likely continue to make additional cuts, on top of the mass layoffs we’ve already seen.
Independent Mortgage Brokers have freedom. They have the ability to find and choose the best possible deal and most personalized scenario for their clients. For brokers, It’s not about the transaction. It’s about the commitment to helping homeowners realize their dream. That’s why, Willie says, “Brokers Are Better.”
Notes:
(3:25) Origin of Homepoint
(9:50 ) The importance of mentorship
(14:21) Transitioning from retail-to-wholesale
(24:37) Successful Broker/Lender Relationships
This Episode Is Sponsored By HomepointTue, 19 Apr 2022 - 34min - 111 - Building A Recession-Proof & Relationship-Based Brokerage (With Eric Tan & Daniel Solis) – Episode 111
Virginia Broker/Owners Eric Tan and Daniel Solis credit the success of their brokerage, VA Wholesale Mortgage, to low overhead, word-of-mouth marketing, and authenticity. Back when their boardroom was a kitchen counter, Daniel fell in love with Eric’s vision to help military veterans. “You can’t hide a genuine passion,” Daniel says. Eric and Daniel have now grown their two-person operation into a team of 20 Loan Officers and are now officially certified as a Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) by the US Veterans Affairs Department.
Eric and Daniel made it very clear, especially when first starting out, that you should buy only what you need to buy to get the job done right. “You don’t need all the bells and whistles to help people,” Eric shares. Instead of wasting a lot of money upfront on an expensive office, Eric and Daniel were able to afford lower compensation rates for their clients and offer full medical benefits and 401k options to their staff. They focus more on volume than money per loan because it’s not about the money. It’s all about helping as many people as possible.
Daniel provides an example of a past homeowner who was denied by almost a dozen lenders. A client had a small hiccup in the form of a delinquent property from 20+ years ago, and after having already lost one child, their other child was paralyzed and needed a home that was close to the local hospital and was outfitted with custom doorways. It was clear that a cookie-cutter bank loan just wasn’t going to cut it. VA Wholesale Mortgage rolled up their sleeves, opened up the VA handbook, and got to work. It took time and effort, and wasn’t the most financially beneficial loan they’ve ever done, but again, it’s not about the money. They helped out a neighbor in need because it was the right thing to do. This is why Brokers Are Better.
Notes:
0:31: Tiger Woods Tees Off At The Masters
5:12: From Retail to Wholesale Mortgage
11:15: Operations Breakdown and Structure
18:00: How and Why To Keep A Low Overhead
26:00: VA Home Loan Advocacy And Myths
35:55: Eric and Dan’s Best Advice For Brokers
This Episode is Sponsored By The AIME Member Portal (AMP)Tue, 12 Apr 2022 - 44min - 110 - Prepping for Purchase Season: Perfecting the Right Conversations as an Independent Mortgage Broker (With Rami Daood) – Episode 110
Rami Daood, President and CEO of RightWay Lending, was a top producing agent at Rocket Mortgage, earning the Triple Crown President’s Club award. Having grown tired of a numbers-only game, he opened his brokerage In 2021. “The level of care [in wholesale] all the way around is way different. I don’t work on hours - I work on results.” As his business grows, Rami plans to have five loan officers on his team by the end of April.Rami, a Hall of AIME Visionary Award winner, is renowned for his problem-solving skills while keeping things simple - including his tech stack and elevator pitch. Continuing into the unknown realm of mortgage rates, he asks other brokers, “What steps are you taking to generate business?” Perfect your elevator pitch, including questions such as “What types of qualities are you looking for?” Always stay in contact with the client and build a long-lasting relationship based on a clear understanding of their actual goals.
Rami recommends becoming familiar with your local market as a new Broker/Owner and keeping a growth mindset. “Take a second, slow down - everyone wants to go, go, go, but slow down and implement the things you’re learning.”
Tune into the podcast now to learn more about Rami's methods.
Notes:
1:40: From Retail to Wholesale Mortgage
14:00: A Simple, But Effective Tech Stack
17:00: Why Brokers Are Better
18:00: The Perfect Elevator Pitch
22:50: Get to Know Your Local Market
26:40: Rami’s Best Advice
This episode is sponsored by HomepointTue, 05 Apr 2022 - 29min - 109 - Prepping for Purchase Season: Rising Mortgage Interest Rates with a Referral Business – (With Matt Newman) – Episode 109
Newman Mortgage Group's President and Founder, Matt Newman, began his career as a meteorologist. Realizing he was not fulfilled, he obtained his real estate license in 2006, survived the 2008 crash, then reevaluated his path in 2012. He joined Silverton Mortgage Specialists, Inc. as a loan officer in 2017 then opened his brokerage the same year.
Matt enjoys being a mortgage broker the most. “What I enjoy most is holding someone’s hand through the financial aspect of the transaction.” Matt advises new brokers, including those coming from retail, to “Find someone in the community that matches your style.” With rising mortgage interest rates and borrowers, “It’s all about setting up that expectation upfront.”
Matt utilized his past client base as a real estate agent to become a 100% referral mortgage broker. A low housing inventory in the market allows Matt to compete with large mortgage companies and banks. “[You should go] at it with a heavy consultative model… it’s very critical in this market, leading to referrals.” Additionally, the listing agent is his target since he will be introduced to the buyer's agent. Many of his referrals have also come from the Brokers Are Better Facebook group.
Hear more advice from Matt Newman now.
Notes:
* 1:45: Intro* 7:00: Creating a 100% Referral-Based Business* 11:50: Tackling Interest Rates on the Rise* 16:00: Pitching New Products* 18:40: What’s In My Tech Stack?* 29:00: Advice To New Mortgage Brokers
This episode is sponsored by UWMTue, 29 Mar 2022 - 33min - 108 - Perfecting Your Processes: Cold Calling Tips, and the Mortgage Broker vs. the Builder’s Preferred Lender – (With Eric Eisenberg) – Episode 108
Eric Eisenberg, President of Expert Home Loans, started his mortgage career at 16. As he delivered food to a local mortgage broker in New York, he was offered a part-time job in high school. As early as day three of the new position, Eric was generating eight leads a day.
After attending college for one year, he started selling subprime mortgages with his older brother's friends. With a passion to advance his career, Eric applied multiple times to work at Morgan Stanley but was rejected since he did not have a college degree. With a determined mindset, Eric was hired as a Financial Advisor at the company, then moved to Merrill Lynch.
Eric attributes his success not only to his past but also to his processes. One of them is cold calling. “Cold calling is an art form,” he says. “The trick is to add value outside of closing deals.” Find out what the client is struggling with, and how you can assist.
Second, leverage Non-QM and Jumbo loans; become an expert in both of these products. “Read the guidelines. Read the updates,” Eric states.
Lastly, when speaking to a 'new build' client, learn to push your services. The builder's lender will offer plenty of credits to borrowers, but understand where those credits are coming from. Eric says to always remind the client that you'll have their back throughout the process.
Eric encourages novice wholesale mortgage brokers and loan officers to stay ahead of deals. “That’s going to be enough with communication, and you’re going to give the client such good service,” he says.
Learn more about how to improve your processes by listening now.
Notes:
* 3:00: Intro* 17:50: Mortgage Broker Cold Calling Tips* 24:00: Understand Non-QM Loans and Jumbo Loans* 35:00: Mortgage Brokers vs. New Construction* 44:00: Advice for New Wholesale Brokers and Loan Officers* 47:00: Mortgage Market Predictions for 2022
This episode is sponsored by AmeriSaveTue, 22 Mar 2022 - 50min - 107 - Perfecting Your Processes: From Lead to Closing – (With Fannie Mae West) – Episode 107
From mortgage application to closing, Fannie Mae West, the President of OPTIST, Inc., offers a clear process. With a name meant for the mortgage industry, Fannie entered the market in 2007 after partnering with a real estate agent. After her brokerage closed, she worked in correspondent lending while searching for a new career path.
Fannie Mae opened OPTIST, Inc. in February 2021 after receiving the AIME Spark grant. “Follow your dreams, don’t be scared to make a change,” she says. “The good outweighs the bad. As long as you bring YOU to the table and what makes YOU successful, then you can make it.”
As mortgage rates increase, creating the right mortgage loan process is key. Fannie Mae heavily relies on technology, yet maintains a personal touch. Her tech stack includes a pre-approval app, ARIVE, and a CRM. In order to reduce the number of emails, she uses an online portal where customers can upload their documents.
When she receives a mortgage loan application, she schedules a consultation with the borrower. “The pre-approval has to be solid,” she states. Before sending the file to underwriting, Fannie Mae scrubs the file so that there are as few conditions as possible.
Once a clear to close has been achieved, Fannie Mae communicates clearly and simply with the borrower about the next steps. "Moving Day Meals" are part of her mortgage post-closing procedures, in which food is delivered on the day the borrower moves in. In addition, she mails closing gifts.
Fannie Mae, a veteran of the Army, is an active member of her local community. She belongs to a group for women business owners, serves on the board of a local non-profit organization, and owns a ministry titled Chosen to Live. She also offers financial workshops and seminars to first-time homebuyers.
Fannie Mae credits AIME with helping her achieve her goals. “I go into the [Facebook] groups and I get so much information. I was able to save a deal from the information I read in Brokers Are Better.”Tue, 15 Mar 2022 - 31min - 106 - Perfecting Your Processes: Diversifying Your Mortgage Leads – (With Melanie Walburg) – Episode 106
Broker/Owner of Destiny Mortgage Lending, Melanie Walburg, turns to unique sources for mortgage lead generation. “Grow and thrive, think outside the box,” she advises. During the past two years, she has originated over $60 million in mortgage loans in the state of Georgia by connecting with CPAs, divorce attorneys, and clients who have purchased or refinanced a home. “It’s all about the units. Every loan is a potential referral connection for other clients,” she says. Don't be afraid to offer help to others in the Brokers Are Better, VIP, and Women's Mortgage Network Facebook groups. As a result of helping other brokers, Melanie has been able to gain referrals.
Melanie is a seasoned mortgage professional with over twenty years of experience. Originally hired as a receptionist for a construction finance company in 1995, she was soon promoted to an executive position. Following, she became a loan officer, then she started her brokerage in 2005. After surviving the 2008 crash, she kept her advice of working hard, maintaining good ethics and morals, and pivoting into the future. “You have to prepare for the lean times,” she advises.
Keeping honest communication is always important, but during this year's rising interest rates, it is even more crucial. Keep the listing agent informed of any updates, including when the appraisal is completed and the disclosures are available. Only ask for what the underwriter will ask for - don't overburden the borrower with paperwork. “It’s all about the experience, for both the borrower and the real estate agent.”
Notes:
* 1:30: Intro* 6:00: On Becoming a Mortgage Broker* 7:00: A Recipe for Longevity* 12:20: How to Generate Leads Organically for Mortgage Brokers* 20:00: Honest, Open Communication* 26:00: BRAWL Spectrum Test* 29:00: Gaining Referral Sources from the Community* 36:50: Recommended Tech Stack and Mortgage Processes
This episode is sponsored by leadPops.Tue, 08 Mar 2022 - 45min - 105 - Perfecting Your Processes: Forging a Path as a Black Female Mortgage Entrepreneur – (With Janine Kempfer) – Episode 105
The President of Prime Mortgage, LLC, Janine Kempfer, has more than 25 years of experience in the mortgage and real estate industries. Despite purchasing her own home in her 20s, she faced challenges and eventually had to rent an apartment with her son a few years later. Having learned the burdens of saving money for a house, she developed a passion for real estate and became a real estate broker while working in corporate America.
In addition to showing houses while in school, she also originated mortgage loans. When her living situation improved, it was time to focus on the community. After being laid off from her corporate job, she turned to residential real estate full-time and became an AE until the 2008 financial crisis. She switched to franchising and bought a company that rented new houses out to potential homeowners on a rent-to-own basis, then and a Snap Fitness with her husband.
Eventually, the businesses were sold. “I never look at closing a business as a failure because you learn so much. I’ve learned so much about business, how to deal with people, and about myself - how do I handle adversity, or how do I handle success? If you aren’t seeing success, how do you build on that and make it something more?”
Since opening Prime Morgage, LLC six years ago, Janine has never looked back. Beginning alone, she acquired a team including a third-party processing company, and now she has two assistants, one of whom is her sister. She has remained a consultant for The Franchise Consulting Company. Her extensive background allows her to understand a wide range of aspects of the business.
As a triathlon athlete, Janine draws inspiration and dedication from her fitness training for her business. Despite experiencing nuisances during her career as a diverse woman, she has always maintained her vision and stayed connected to what she wants. “Get your vision in place, and don’t let anything stop you from reaching your goal. Things will be hard and go up and down, but if you have in your heart what you’re trying to accomplish, nothing can stop you.”
Janine was recognized as a Sparking Change winner in the Minority category at Hall of AIME. She is most passionate about teaching others about the impact this industry has on the local community while making sure people are educated about the past and present and what it will take to change it. “We have to have a better answer than someone can just Google. Personalizing and customizing solutions for clients is what we do.”
Notes:
* 2:30: Intro* 8:00: Mortgage Originator, Real Estate Agent…And Corporate America* 14:00: Pushing the Limits as a Female Business Owner* 32:00: How Brokers are Impactful Educators for Communities* 42:00: Advice for New Broker/Owners
This episode is sponsored by REMN.Tue, 01 Mar 2022 - 46min - 104 - Empowering and Leading Your Team as a Diverse Broker/Owner – (With Shawn Williams) – Episode 104
Shawn Williams, a former Division III basketball point guard, developed a winning mindset early. As the Founder and President of Fortis Mortgage and Ailen Capital, he has helped thousands of families in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, become homeowners or refinance their homes.
As a Founder of Black Men Ventures, a non-profit that provides access to capital and networking to black male founders with less than a million dollars in revenue, and as the Founder of Kid From Greene, a non-profit that provides transportation services for local at-risk youth, Shawn is deeply embedded in the community. A certified Eric Thomas & Associates LLC speaker, he speaks passionately about goal-setting, mentorship, entrepreneurship, and various mortgage-related topics and sits on the board for the Maryland Mortgage Bankers and Brokers Association, Inc. and Juice 4 Life, Inc.
In 2005, after spending time with NPR and telecommunications companies, including Verizon, Shawn was introduced to the mortgage industry by his best friend after the death of his grandmother. Following the 2008 crisis, he started his own branch and rose to management in 2011, then to District Manager and then Executive Leader. In 2018, Shawn decided it was time to become a Broker/Owner, fueled by his passion for breaking down barriers to homeownership.
Shawn leads a small but powerful team that keeps growing. Six months ago, he hired a new Loan Specialist, and he works closely with his mother, an Executive Assistant, two Client Success/Services professionals, and a Business Development Manager. He designed front-end and back-end systems using human-friendly technology, including personalized BombBomb videos that go over disclosures with borrowers via video; this personalized touch results in high Google Reviews from clients regarding how efficient the process is.
For new Broker/Owners, those thinking about starting their own brokerage, or those who are reinventing themselves, Shawn recommends, "People first, money will follow." Plan some procedures, invest in education for borrowers, and be fair and humane in everything you do.
Notes:
* 2:00: Intro* 8:00: Minority Entrepreneurship* 27:00: Relationships Are Key* 29:30: The Right Teamwork, Tech, and Systems* 40:00: Reinventing Yourself: Advice for Success
This episode is sponsored by Brokers Are Better.Tue, 22 Feb 2022 - 48min - 103 - Becoming a Top Producer with a Niche Mortgage Product – (With Sal Ali) – Episode 103
Sal Ali, Director at InstaMortgage, has been working in the mortgage industry since he was 23 years old. Upon being offered a job at his brother's brokerage, he entered the wholesale world.
Today, Sal is a top-three originator for VA loans and VA IRRRL products in the country. Formally known as Arcus Lending, InstaMortgage recently ranked as one of Inc. 500’s Brokers of the Year and Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America, number 110 on the 2021 North America Technology Fast 500, and the fastest-growing private company in 2021 by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. It was started by Shashank Shekhar during the 'dark times' of the mortgage industry - 2008 - and presently provides services to over twenty-five states.
What is Sal's secret to success? “Time, patience, and risk. You have to take the risk,” Sal says. Investing in yourself and your capabilities, along with well-planned processes and strategies, are the keys. Initially, Sal used direct mail to build his client base, and then he kept scaling what worked. In lieu of selling, he demonstrates his abilities and discusses the borrower's central plan.
Three referrals should result from every closed deal. “You gotta be timely.” Always remain upfront and transparent with a borrower if a problem arises, such as an underwriting issue. “If they don’t qualify, you have to pick up the phone and call them. Don’t take it on yourself; reach out to your resources and be upfront with who you’re working with.” Sal also reaches out to real estate agents to offer his expertise on a specific product. “Send me your VA business, and I will show you what I can do for you.”
Establishing quarterly benchmarks, and having the right technology in place, including lead generation systems and LOS, is paramount. Choosing the right technology stack can have a significant ROI, but it's best to start small and grow it over time. In each quarter, Sal has improved one efficiency, mostly technology. “It’s important when you invest in the technology that you build it out to what you want.” With Shashank, he has developed a new AI assistant, Rachel, to help answer mortgage questions and locate client files. She is the first AI assistant in the mortgage industry.
What are Sal's predictions for the mortgage market in 2022? “The same wave that happened in 2017 is happening now - the refi boom is gone, and it’s now a purchase market. There’s always going to be a niche product no matter what the market.” When Sal isn't closing loans, he serves as the Education Chair for the Dallas Chapter of the VA Real Estate Professionals, educating real estate agents and borrowers on the VA product.
This episode is sponsored by AFR Wholesale.
Notes:
* 1:25: Intro* 4:00: Generating Mortgage Referrals* 8:00: Taking Risks and Setting Benchmarks* 25:20: Meet Rachel, the First AI Assistant in Mortgage* 27:25: Solving Mortgage Problems* 31:30: Questions from the Broker CommunityTue, 15 Feb 2022 - 42min - 102 - Best Processes and Strategies to Win at Mortgage Lead Generation – (With Paul Olbrantz) – Episode 102
Paul Olbrantz, Broker/Owner of Clear2Close Brokers, started his career at a subprime call center before moving to a large retail bank. He quickly found that adding value and obtaining better conversations with clients led to more leads and better results.
In April 2019, Paul Olbrantz and his wife, Danielle Olbrantz, opened Clear2Close Brokers. As the team realized that chasing rates was not a good business model, they began developing lasting relationships with their lending partners by learning their systems and discovering ways to succeed. “Having an amazing product, you have to know who to go to,” says Paul. “Start developing relationships with the right lenders, and as you grow, you and open up to more.”
The following year, Danielle began her own third-party processing company, Clear2Close Processors, taking the majority off Paul's plate so he could focus on growing the company. The company has grown to seven employees, while Clear2Close Brokers has six loan officers.
How did Paul close $177 million in purchases during 2021? Developing the right processes and strategies for mortgage lead generation and relationships, including clients, lenders, and real estate agents. “It’s gotta be simple, it’s gotta be measurable, and it’s gotta be reportable,” says Paul. When a customer calls or a real estate agent calls, he can easily look into his system and keep them informed of the loan's progress. In addition, the coaching sessions that he attends every two weeks facilitate the process of calling real estate agents and selling his products.
The past couple of years have been busy for Clear2Close - Paul attributes it to Bridge Loans, which add a lot of value to the client and real estate agent, and usually lead to a refinance after the loan is closed. Furthermore, Paul and Danielle have completed Homes for Heroes and are currently working on starting their own charity, Believe in Hope and Inspiration. Due to its slimmer margins and competitive rates, Paul predicts the broker channel will continue to grow.
Both Paul and Danielle plan to attend Hall of AIME, which is taking place this weekend in Miami.
Notes:
* 2:30: Intro* 12:30: Insights from a Retail LO* 14:00: Building Relationships* 18:00: Starting a Processing Company* 18:50: Implementing the Right Systems* 33:00: Giving Back to Heroes* 38:00: Getting Coached
This episode is sponsored by Brokers Are Better.Tue, 08 Feb 2022 - 42min - 101 - From Retail to Wholesale: Starting and Leading a Mortgage Company – (With Jason Cecco) – Episode 101
Jason Cecco, the President of Lending Heights, LLC, didn't go to school for finance. After graduating with a degree in Engineering from Penn State University, Jason's cousin Joe Cecco introduced him to the world of brokerage. Jason began working at ELends Call Center in the early 2010s, where he focused on FHA streamlines and made $500 per loan. In 2015, after moving around to small correspondents in northern New Jersey, he and his wife opened their brokerage in Pittsburgh after realizing the retail mortgage industry lacked transparency. The entrepreneur recalls sitting on milk crates to work out the business and teach her how to process loans.
He had to learn which party sent disclosures since the retail lender handled everything, including Good Faith and Loan Estimates, as well as lender-paid versus borrower-paid fees. “There’s so much support with the wholesale lenders,” says Jason. “Coming in and not knowing anything, there are so many resources and support.” He quickly learned that the broker channel has more control than the retail channel.
It was time to stop originating and start leading in August 2018. The business grew to 26 employees, including 14 Loan Officers. All of them are licensed by NMLS, and they each specialize in their specific fields, which allows them to focus on their strengths.
Jason's production levels for 2021 reached $200 million and 850 units. Most of his leads came from online. What sets you apart is getting the right service, culture, and execution, and a solid foundation and core are necessary to succeed. In addition, implementing the right tools, systems including an LOS, and tech stack will put you ahead.
Notes:
* 1:10: Intro* 9:00: Shifting from Retail to Wholesale Mortgage* 11:15: Small Business Challenges* 22:00: Conquering the Broker Channel* 25:00: Creating Team Culture* 30:00: Structuring Small Business Leadership* 44:00: Back to Basics
This episode is sponsored by EPMTue, 01 Feb 2022 - 50min - 100 - How Independent Mortgage Brokers Can Lean on the Community for Success, Leads, and Market Growth (With JP Hussey and Marc Summers) – Special Episode 100
Marc Summers and JP Hussey, host of Broker To Broker Season 1 and co-host of Season 3, celebrate the 100th episode of Broker to Broker. In this special podcast, Marc and JP review favorite perspectives and success systems from independent mortgage professionals.
JP Hussey credits each guest for the advice and knowledge shared that helped grow the Hussey Team from just himself and his brother to a small broker shop. Marc is grateful for the Broker Owners who are willing to share their expertise in the wholesale channel. Favorite key takeaways from Broker To Broker include building a lead and referral base through YouTube, time management, organization that top originators apply each day in the mortgage industry, and how you can best serve and impact your local community.
What will 2022 and Season 3 bring to the table? Guests will tap into how they plan to evolve in the ever-changing mortgage business. “It’s a changing market, and we’re in another one of those cycles,” says JP Hussey. It’s time to become more focused on the purchase game. Brokers “gotta get more creative with marketing, and help as many consumers the right way as possible,” notes Hussey. Marc Summers asserts, “If you’re a transaction person, you’re not going to last. But if you have that longevity to it, with a borrower for life mentality, you’re going to be fine.”
With currently 25% share in the mortgage market, will wholesale take over banks in five to ten years? JP Hussey predicts big time. “Small business is coming back, big, everywhere,” says Hussey. “Consumers are supporting them more in local communities, and that’s who the consumer wants. Brokers are now held to more compliance and need to be transparent. So, I think the broker channel will grow by 50% within the next three years.”
Independent mortgage experts can gain a wealth of skillsets by tapping into the Brokers Are Better Facebook Group and opening an AIME Member Portal account. “Don’t be afraid to take from it, and don’t be afraid to give back to it,” says Marc Summers. JP Hussey thanks the group for saving loans and scenarios; it’s even allowed his team to pre-underwrite files. “You learn something new constantly,” Hussey adds. “Invest in this; it’s a great starting point to have people support you in a very, very tough industry.”
Listen now to find out the common traits top producers have, mortgage loan originators should be doing right now, how to keep team production moving during rising rates, and how to fully contribute to your local community as an independent mortgage professional.
Notes:
* 0:55: Intro* 3:37: JP and Marc’s Favorite Broker To Broker Moments* 12:10: Biggest Takeaways* 14:39: What Will Season 3 Include?* 18:28: The Future of the Broker Channel* 22:39: Join the Brokers Are Better Facebook Group and AMP* 29:00: Questions from the Broker Community
This episode is sponsored by PRMG.Tue, 25 Jan 2022 - 48min - 99 - How to Approach the Rising Mortgage Rate Environment through Adaption and Lead Generation (with Hammer J. Helmer) – Episode 99
Hammer J. Helmer, former mortgage originator and founder of OriginatorSuccess, began his sales career selling vacuum cleaners. Hammer pursued a mortgage career after finding that an originator led him on while buying his first condo. In 2008, he fell victim to the housing crisis but eventually found a position as a Business Development Manager at a large corporation in California. After discovering that he didn’t like corporate America's ‘red tape’, Hammer started OriginatorSuccess, which assists brokers with leads through Google and social media. OriginatorSuccess also offers free daily lock advice.
Hammer’s thoughts on the Fed rate hikes? The mortgage industry will now see the effect on rate sheets because investors and markets are trying to stay ahead of the rate hikes. “They kind of quietly gave us a one-two punch because we knew the tapering was going to happen,” Hammer says. “We’re probably near some of the worst rates we’ll see this year.” Hammer also believes that we won’t see another housing crash due to the number of cash buyers and that consumers who are taking out mortgages are more qualified than before. Additionally, there is plenty of equity, allowing consumers the opportunity to consolidate debt.
How can brokers succeed in 2022? “Sharpen your pencil and work on your sales scripts,” says Hammer. Brokers will need more flexibility, which is a massive benefit in a rising rate market. And, “increase your at-bats” with digital marketing. Embrace marketing your brokerage on social media, and opt for creating a Google Business Profile. Organic search traffic can obtain many quality leads and large loan sizes.
Notes:
* Intro (1:37)* Approaching Fed Rate Hikes (8:10)* Preventing ‘The Freakout’ (13:25)* The Impact on Mortgage Rates (15:45)* What Went Wrong in 2008 (19:40)* Adapting as Originators (26:00)* Digital Marketing Lead Generation (28:00)
This episode is sponsored by Homepoint.Tue, 18 Jan 2022 - 48min - 98 - How to Use the Right Mentality to Improve the Real Estate-Mortgage Broker Relationship, and Managing a New Hire While Self Processing (with Todd Bitter) – Episode 98
Todd Bitter, Branch Vice President of JKS Mortgage and a prominent player in the wholesale channel, has come a long way since the 2008 recession and his first stated-value loan at 1.25%. Known for his slogan, “Answer the Damn Phone!”, Todd has had a busy past two years. In 2020, Todd closed over 345 loans and originated $11,000,000 in volume, all self-processed and self-sourced. Thinking outside the box when it comes to advertising, Todd has tapped into the large local tech presence to win many of his leads.
JKS Mortgage, founded in 2000 by Todd's friend Jamie Smith, has recently introduced a new Loan Officer, Adam Corley, who previously worked at AmeriFirst Financial in Phoenix. At the time, Adam only had eighteen months in the industry, closing 2-3 loans a month at best. After being under Todd’s wing, Adam now self-processes his own loans. “I would hit weird things on deals and say, now remember this, it won’t come up very often,” says Todd. “I would give him the refis and he would start working those, and it gave him the chance to really earn as he learned.” Todd also enrolled Adam in the UWM Success Track program. In less than a year, Adam closed eighty-one units in refis.
Todd has mastered the process of working with real estate agents. “[Brokers] go into a purchase transaction with a chip on their shoulder right away, expecting that real estate agent to be a pain in the ass, expecting that real estate agent to get in their lane, things like that,” says Todd. “I think it just goes to having the mentality of working with that real estate agent, knowing how to speak to them, and just setting the expectations, and if you have that setup, a purchase transaction is way easier.”
If the relationship is set up properly and the communication is efficient, that real estate agent becomes your LOA. When Todd emails a client for a bank statement or other document, and he is not getting a response, he will call the real estate agent so that he or she can follow up with the client. In addition, Todd will establish the first point of contact with the real estate agent - he doesn’t wait for the agent to call him first. Todd now has real estate agents copying him on emails to clients. “Open the lines of communication,” Todd explains. “Don’t be afraid to say no, and don’t be afraid to give bad news.”
Todd credits those that have given him 15 minutes here and there to help with his career. His advice to those that are new to the industry is to stay active in the social media platforms, especially the Brokers Are Better Facebook page, and to not only answer your phone but to always smile when speaking to someone on a call. “[People] can see your smile through the phone,” says Todd. He recalls the tough days during the 2008 crisis when he and his wife had to roll quarters from change to buy groceries. “Find that spot in your life that you never want to go back to, and use that as motivation. Find your ‘why’. If money is your only motivator, you’re not going to go very far with that,” adds Todd.
What are Todd’s 2022 mortgage predictions? As mortgage rates slightly rise, the big retail operations will back off the competition, and wholesale will continue to grow. “You’re not going to be competitive at 2.75%,” notes Todd. Todd also uses a comp cap to stay viable and generate more volume.
Todd plans on attending the Hall of AIME event in February to further network with other industry professionals and take advantage of the Mastermind Sessions and keynote addresses.
Notes:
* Intro to JKS Mortgage (1:26)* High Volume While Self-Processing (4:37)* Tod...Tue, 28 Dec 2021 - 53min - 97 - Long-Term Thinking: How To Build A Purchase-Focused, Recession-Proof Mortgage Brokerage (with Nick Utesch) – Episode 97
Fresh out of high school, Oklahoma Broker/Owner Nick Utesch was only closing about two loans a month. Now, with almost three decades of experience under his belt, he closed nearly 500 deals last year and is the Scotsman Guide's Ranked #1 Originator of VA loans in Oklahoma, three years in a row. Nick plowed right through the Great Recession, stayed above 75% purchase through 2020’s Refi-boom, and will be able to succeed with rising rates. He attributes this success to a simple but long-term mindset. “Screen well when you start off so there are no surprises, deliver what you tell them, and close on time, every time…It’s simple stuff,” Nick says, “but it will take you a long way.”
Raised in rural Iowa, Nick had to work multiple small farm jobs to afford a stereo. After working a whole summer and coming up $1,500 short, Nick moped about until spotting an ad about a Discounted Note industry starter kit, including a guidebook and some tapes. Nick invested the few hundred dollars saved over the summer, using the knowledge learned from the tapes to help close his first deal at 14 years old. By 18, he opened a Brokerage and hasn’t looked back.
Nick's business was barely affected when the 2008/2009 crash and recession rolled around, aside from some longer wait times for houses on the market. He focused on Fannie, Freddie, and Government loans, with a specific niche in VA. He avoided Sub-Prime deals and made sure to make his purchase clients THE top priority.
Nick says going paperless since the early 2000s and having no physical office have helped sustain a low overhead and keep profit margins high. Still, his #1 tip for longevity in the Wholesale Channel is a purchased-focused mentality. No matter the rates, people are constantly relocating to new markets and expanding their families. Nick wanted to control his destiny and not rely on the cyclical nature of the mortgage industry. Take this recent refi-boom, for example. Nick only did 25% refi’s in 2020, and they were completely passive. He could’ve been more proactive and reached out to more clients about refinancing, but his service levels and standard for purchases would have dropped. Purchases are time-sensitive and require more work, but if you deliver, perform to your best, and get things done on time, you will create a referral funnel that will last a lifetime. “You don’t need to sell yourself if you can prove yourself,” Nick says.
Until this year, Nick was a one-person shop with a single outsourced Contract Processor. With the recent influx of business, Nick has added on four LO’s, but that is almost exclusively to allow Nick a proper work/life balance. His team members request the initial disclosure package and pull together doc requests from clients. Not clearing conditions and hunting down docs all day long frees up Nick to focus on pre-quals and staying top-of-mind with clients. And even with the entire team, Nick still originates 95% of his brokerage’s volume and never misses a closing.
Nick closes out the podcast with some vital but straightforward advice that all mortgage brokers should adhere to; invest in yourself and treat people right. Watch webinars, stay updated with market changes, and stay compliant. Treat every client with the same amount of respect, whether it’s a $750,000 or $150,000 purchase. Nick even mentions an AIME and Brokers Are Better favorite: answer your phone. “It’s simple stuff, but it will take you a long way.”
Notes:
* Intro to The Wholesale Channel (1:27)* Brokerage Breakdown (7:15)* Purchase Focused Longevity (19:21)* Parting Advice (29:28)
This episode is sponsored by REMN Wholesale.Tue, 21 Dec 2021 - 34min - 96 - How To Go From Buying Leads to Sustaining a 100% Referral Based Business Through Building Trust & Communication, One Step At A Time (with Joe Green) – Episode 96
California Mortgage Broker Joe Green is The Little Engine That Could. After first going independent just before the '08 market crash, Joe is back but had to start from scratch. He went from buying leads with an end goal of four loans a month to becoming a 100% referral-based business averaging twelve loans a month. He doesn’t credit his success to anything crazy. Just be there for your client, communicate clearly, and always strive to do everything you can to help make their life easier. If you do this consistently, everything will accumulate. You don’t need to take leaps and bounds; take everything step by step.
Returning to the Wholesale Channel in 2013, Joe didn’t find his footing right away. It took him 18 months to get going again. Joe claims that the slow ramp-up was his biggest hurdle, but he wouldn’t give up on himself. He sent out mailers, bought leads, and sat through many coffee appointments. But most importantly, when leads became opportunities, Joe made sure to communicate clearly and concisely with everyone. Clients and realtor partners want to be updated whether you have good news or bad news; nobody wants to feel out of the loop.
Slowly but surely, by doing right by every customer during every transaction, Joe built a book of business based entirely on referrals. Instead of ignoring realtors during the 2020 refi-boom, Joe made sure to stay top-of-mind with his partners. Refis are easy, “but you pay the price in the long run,” Joe says. If you aren’t active in purchases now, you won’t have any relationships when the rates rise again. Joe shares a great example where a deal fell through with a small builder in his local area. Instead of moving on, Joe stayed in touch and was the first person the builder went to when his duplex tenants wanted to refinance.
“I have a simple motto,” Joe shares, “help people get things done.” Want to redo your bathroom? Joe’s got a guy. Need a financial planner? Joe can send you a reference. Help people with no motive other than providing a service, and the “universe just ends up taking care of you.” Joe shares one last piece of advice by disputing a common saying. “You know that saying that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? It’s a lie.” Just listen to people, understand you still have a lot to learn, never stop growing, and stay enthusiastic.
Notes:
* Intro to The Wholesale Channel (1:26* Operations (6:06)* Referrals (11:42)* Family Business (25:48)* Parting Advice (36:11)
This episode is sponsored by EPM.Tue, 14 Dec 2021 - 39min - 95 - Community & Authentic Communication: What It Means to Be An Independent Mortgage Broker (with Aaron Hinson) – Episode 95
Aaron Hinson is the epitome of what it means to be an independent mortgage broker. He runs a small team in a quaint town and is an involved community member. Aaron allows his clients the time and space to share their stories to personalize their loan process effectively. Hiring a small staff enables him to reinvest in his local community. In this episode of Broker To Broker, Aaron explains the steps he takes to succeed, reassuring that while it can take time to see success in this easily overwhelming industry, you only have to take one action at a time.
Enjoying his life as a restaurant worker in college, Aaron eventually took his people skills to the mortgage industry. After learning from the retail side of the industry for a few years and becoming frustrated with the roadblocks and lack of freedom, Aaron transitioned to wholesale. “No matter how hard I tried, someone else was always in my way," Aaron says. Having more control and hands-on experience allowed for a more seamless process, allowing Aaron to be his true authentic self.
Aaron's transition included communicating more effectively with his clients. Instead of following a script or pushing the only products his bank offered, Aaron was now free to perfect his processes and procedures. “People can smell trust and intentions,” Aaron says. Aaron made it his number one goal to understand his clients. He pulls out a notepad or opens a Word document, and he asks questions including:
* Where are you right now?* What are your goals?* What is most important to you?* What is your vision?
“I just shut up and listen,” Aaron explains.
People will tell you what they want; you have to listen. They might have heard something about mortgages before, and they may have done some research on it. Just tell them that you’re all ears, and the progression from this point on will be more human. From here, do what makes Brokers Better. Use your expertise and freedom to personalize their loan. Use your experience to dial it into a product or financial solution that will fit them best. Let them get out what they want by opening the door.
With success comes responsibility, and as the duties kept piling up, Aaron realized he couldn’t do right by his clients or grow without a team. A new Contract Processor took the most time off his plate, but hiring a new LO and LOA has also been beneficial. And although this might sound counterintuitive in saving time, Aaron suggests hiring green employees. There is a lot of work on the front-end; answering questions, shadowing, and screen-sharing. Have them read the guidelines, but be the translator for them. Aaron took about eight months to train a new hire fully, but he affirms it has all been well worth it. In the selection process, look out for those that seem passionate and personable. Create a welcoming environment where team members can ask questions, and your employees will be beneficial and loyal.
Aaron’s recommended Xinnix LO and LOA training goes a long way as well. The time commitment is the biggest hurdle. Just believe in the individual, and although it might not always come naturally, you have to do your best to have a long-term mindset.
Another colossal time-saver for Aaron is a proper tech stack, which Aaron utilizes to focus on his weakness, social media marketing. It’s always a work in progress, but a combination of Wikirealty, Flowify, and MBS Highway have helped him fill the gap. Sixty seconds here and sixty seconds there go a long way.
Aaron uses all this extra time to be an active community member. He is a member of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), a Board Member of the Tahoe Regional Young Professionals group (YPN), and a member of SOS Outreach,Tue, 07 Dec 2021 - 33min - 94 - YouTube 101: How To Forge Trust & Build An Automated Referral Funnel At The Same Time (with Shawn Malkou) – Episode 94
Arizona Broker/Owner Shawn Malkou is a professional YouTuber with tens of millions of views. Making six figures from YouTube before even graduating college, Shawn has years of experience to share. Shawn discusses how video marketing can enhance the background of your existing clients and help you develop a special bond with potential referrals before ever shaking hands or picking up the phone.
Starting out making and streaming video walkthroughs for children's games such as Minecraft and Roblox, Shawn graduated college with a career, but he didn’t want to do that for the rest of his life. After being recruited while coaching beach volleyball part-time, Shawn brought his passion and knowledge for YouTube to the mortgage wholesale industry.
YouTube is an incredible tool at a mortgage broker's disposal, but few have unlocked its true potential like Shawn. Just like Facebook and Instagram, YouTube can bring new eyes to your product. Still, unlike other social media platforms, YouTube is the perfect place to build better relationships with your current customers as well. "Everyone tries to do it backward. They start YouTube to try and get business when that’s the opposite. You want to start YouTube to improve your existing business."
Home loans are a confusing and intricate process. Whenever a borrower asks a question or seems confused, write it down and make a video about it. Shawn has produced videos such as "What does this mean on an LE?", "What does the trade cooling-off period mean?" and "What's APR?". Some parts of the process cannot be explained over the phone or translated well through email. Shawn will save hours by having ready-to-go videos available for clients past, present, and future to avoid meeting in person for one-on-one walkthroughs.
Shawn also shares tips for those reluctant or stressed about getting the video gear or being comfortable in front of the camera. Don’t worry about looking silly or the equipment; just focus on the content. Go out to help people, and success will follow. “YouTube is where people come to learn,” Shawn says.
As long as the content is educational, it doesn't matter how long your video is. It can take years to get entirely comfortable in front of the camera, so try and focus on getting a little bit better every day. Ask friends, family, and clients what they liked or didn’t like about a particular video, and make adjustments for the next effort down the line. Eventually, you'll have an entire catalog of content that acts as an organic referral funnel. Clients will share with their friends and family how beneficial your YouTube videos were during their experience, and potential homeowners will find your content and go out of their way to seek you out.
The bottom line, YouTube is just another way to show why Brokers Are Better. You get to lean into your individuality and build a bond with homeowners that they can’t get with big bank call centers. YouTube can be an automated marketing tool that bolsters every aspect of your business; however, it requires the same care and respect as processes, procedures, and pipeline management. And while it can be easy to get overwhelmed, Shawn suggests keeping it simple. “Take your phone, turn it sideways, hit the record button, and you’re going to get phenomenal videos people are going to watch on YouTube."
Notes:
* Intro to The Wholesale Channell (2:08)* YouTube 101 (5:15)* Coming Up With Content (8:30)* Camera Equipment & Editing (12:02)* Metrics & Goals (21:36)* Advice (29:14)
This episode is sponsored by Homepoint Financial.Tue, 30 Nov 2021 - 32min - 93 - Building Back From Scratch: How to Successfully Start Over & Shift Focus (With Angelo Datseris) – Episode 93
Angelo Datseries, Broker/Owner of Leverage Lending Group, is out to make himself a household name in his local market of Charlotte, North Carolina. Starting his brokerage in 2007, he had to dramatically scale back his brokerage to survive the 2008 Stock Market Crash. Since that scale down, he has been organically growing back his brokerage through community engagement, social media, and video marketing. Staying true to his goals and himself, he has built a successful brokerage, but for Angelo, the sky's the limit.
Before joining the Broker channel in the mid-2000s, Angelo was working as a service technician until he seriously hurt his back. After spending a few years in a service advisor role at his brother’s brokerage, he decided to venture out on his own and open Leverage Lending Group.
Starting off, Angelo had a team of nine loan officers, but not long after, the recession upended the industry. Most of his loan officers left to join banks and Angelo had to completely rework his business. After a conversation with his father, he decided to massively scale back unnecessary expenditures, starting with his large office space. Shifting his focus to FHA loans, Angelo survived the market crash and was able to start growing his brokerage back up from scratch.
The key to Angelo’s success is embracing organic growth. Instead of throwing money at expensive leads, he has made it a goal to become a well-known name in his local market. He holds community meet and greets and happy hours with his referral partners, and emails personalized videos, and shares organic social media posts with his ever-growing following as well. He embraces the philosophy of “focus(ing) on helping people and the business will follow.”
Angelo’s parting advice: Build your database on day one. Every person you talk to, every person you make contact with, needs to be added to your database. Once you have that database in place, you need to set up an automation drip to keep yourself in front of them.
Notes:
* Getting into the Mortgage Industry (2:28)
* Surviving the Market Crash (5:28)
* Diversifying Your Loan Products (10:22)
* Keeping a Growth Mindset in a Shrinking Market (15:06)
* Angelo’s Tech Stack/Utilizing Video (21:34)
This episode is sponsored by Guaranty Home MortgageTue, 23 Nov 2021 - 36min - 92 - Customer Service vs Consumer Experience: How To Anticipate, Manage, & Exceed Borrower Expectations (With Arman Ghamami) – Episode 92
Arman Ghamami, a mortgage broker and branch manager with C2 Financial, has become a high-producer by putting the borrower front-and-center. He personalizes their entire process, has staff dedicated exclusively to borrower questions, and automated procedures in place to streamline the client experience.
For Arman, there is a distinction between customer service and consumer experience. Customer service is answering your client’s call or replying to their email. It is the basic things you need to do to operate. Consumer experience is where Arman makes himself and his branch stand out. Throughout the loan process, Arman has an LO available to his clients to answer all questions they might have. Having an experienced loan officer available to answer borrowers’ questions might seem simple, but it also goes a long way. He also established an automated outreach plan to consistently keep his borrowers up to date on what step of the process their loan is in. If a borrower is calling to ask for updates on their loan, then you’ve failed, Arman said.
A significant part of providing your borrower with a memorable experience is understanding their needs. Often, mortgage documents are challenging to understand, so Arman and his team take the time to explain everything to their borrowers in a way they would understand. His guiding principle is, “how would I want this process to go if I knew nothing about loans?” Along with acting as a true advisor for their clients, Arman and his team take the time to understand their borrower’s specific needs and tailor their process to serve those needs best. If you can identify and meet their needs throughout the process, you will leave them with a memorable mortgage experience.
Arman’s parting advice: It’s okay not to know everything. If you focus on your borrower and find out their needs, then you will find success. We are all trying to make a living, but don’t chase the money. If you put the borrower first, success will follow.
Notes:
Getting into the Mortgage Industry (1:15)Growing Your Team for 2022 (6:00)Going Out On His Own (11:04)Customer Service V Consumer Experience (18:20)Parting Advice (31:21)
This episode is sponsored by CF WholesaleTue, 16 Nov 2021 - 36min - 91 - Above & Beyond: The Hallmark of A True Mortgage Broker (With Brandee Stephens)- Episode 91
Brandee Stephens, a mortgage broker with Answer Home Loans, has become a top producer by helping the borrowers who are turned away the most. A majority of her clients are not credit-ready when they come to her so she works with them to improve their credit and get them ready to be homeowners. As a Mortgage Broker in the Wholesale Channel, Brandee believes it to be her obligation to educate borrowers and help those that retail operations and banks would turn away. Once she has those borrowers, she goes above and beyond for them. When a borrower didn't have or know how to obtain a Verification of Employment, Brandee went as far as driving directly to their multiple past employers and getting their VOE herself.
Brandee does not come from a long line of homeowners. Her mother did not become a homeowner until she was almost 40. If it was not for her younger brother, who bought a home at 19, she may never have become a homeowner herself. During the process of buying her first home in the 90s, her interest rate jumped 1% before signing without warning. While buying her second home, her broker locked her into an adjustable-rate mortgage without explaining the difference to her. That is when she knew she could offer a better service. She joined the mortgage industry working at retail banks for 12 years until she made the jump to the broker side in June 2019.
As a Broker, Brandee focuses on helping educate borrowers on the homebuying process. Instead of turning away credit-bruised clients, Brandee works to create a financial plan to help get their credit ready within six to nine months. As part of this effort, Brandee has made it a focus to help Hispanic and Latino borrowers. She recently hired a fully-licensed originator who speaks Spanish to assist her with the effort as well.
Once Brandee has started helping those borrowers repair their credit, she goes above and beyond to provide them the best possible service, and that starts with a customer service mindset. Part of that service is Brandee and her team helping borrowers get their credit in a place where they can purchase a home. They personalize a plan for each borrower and follow up every month to see how the process is going, but it doesn’t just stop there. Brandee once helped a borrower who had been unemployed for 10 years because of a serious brain injury. She broke down the borrower’s career history, year by year, job by job, even going so far as to reach out to the past employers herself. Nothing was going to stop Brandee from doing right by her borrower. “It’s not a job, we’re really changing people’s lives,” she says.
Brandee’s parting advice: Find what gets you up every morning. You can either have a job that forces you to get up every morning or a job that gives you a reason to get up every morning. “Nobody has to tell me to get up and tell me how I’m going to help the next person,” she said. Once you find that motivation, hire people who share it. You can teach people many things, but you cannot teach someone to be passionate about your “Why”. They either are or they aren’t.
Notes:
Getting into the Mortgage Industry (1:05)Helping First-Time homeowners/Unconventional Borrowers (5:22)Helping Hispanic Homeowners (14:28)Going Above and Beyond for Your Borrowers (19:38)Parting Advice (27:45)
This episode is sponsored by First LookTue, 09 Nov 2021 - 32min - 90 - Thinking Outside the Box: Growing Your Brokerage By Going Where Others Aren’t (With Amanda Rawls) – Episode 90
Amanda Rawls, a Mortgage Broker with Answer Home Loans, has become a top producer by thinking outside the box. Leaning on her experiences as a debt collector, she often takes on complicated Chapter 13 bankruptcy loans, which has allowed her to carve out her own niche within the Wholesale Channel. To keep up her production, Amanda has developed a CRM system that allows her to stay in front of past clients and leads, and even nurture leads who are not yet ready to buy a home.
Amanda started her career as a bill collector, but she quickly found it draining. She left debt collecting to join the mortgage industry because she saw it as an opportunity to help people get into a home. In April 2018, after 10 years with a direct lender, Amanda rejoined the broker channel when she became a loan originator for Answer Home Loans. Now she’s “taking care of others and serving hearts.”
The key to her success? Thinking outside the box. Leaning on her background as a bill collector, Amanda has built a pipeline centered around Chapter 13 bankruptcies where she works with CPAs and bankruptcy attorneys. Carving out her own niche by taking on loans that other Brokers may avoid has allowed Amanda to become a top-producing broker.
Part of that success comes from the relationships she has built as well. Amanda has built up a full pipeline of past clients and potential leads through her CRM. “[Your] CRM is the bread and butter of your business,” she said. With her CRM, she can organically stay in front of her clients with follow-up reminders and personalized gifts after closing. Amanda’s biggest lesson in pipeline management was realizing she could choose who she worked with. That way, she has the opportunity to get to know her clients and needs instead of adopting a “churn and burn” approach that is common in retail operations.
Amanda’s parting advice: Stay true to who you are. When someone decides to get a loan with you, they are working with you because of who you are, so do things the way you want instead of how others think you should. Tailor your process so it works best for you. Ultimately, work hard and be honest and success and business will follow.
Notes:Getting into the Mortgage Industry (1:49)Thinking Outside the Box (7:20)Building Relationships (12:05)Retail V. Wholesale (18:30)Parting Advice (27:23)
This episode is sponsored by REMNTue, 02 Nov 2021 - 30min
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- Herrera en COPE COPE
- The Dan Bongino Show Cumulus Podcast Network | Dan Bongino
- Es la Mañana de Federico esRadio
- La Noche de Dieter esRadio
- Hondelatte Raconte - Christophe Hondelatte Europe 1
- Dateline NBC NBC News
- 財經一路發 News98
- La rosa de los vientos OndaCero
- Más de uno OndaCero
- La Zanzara Radio 24
- L'Heure Du Crime RTL
- El Larguero SER Podcast
- Nadie Sabe Nada SER Podcast
- SER Historia SER Podcast
- Todo Concostrina SER Podcast
- 安住紳一郎の日曜天国 TBS RADIO
- TED Talks Daily TED
- アンガールズのジャンピン[オールナイトニッポンPODCAST] ニッポン放送
- 辛坊治郎 ズーム そこまで言うか！ ニッポン放送
- 飯田浩司のOK! Cozy up！ Podcast ニッポン放送
- 吳淡如人生實用商學院 吳淡如
- 武田鉄矢・今朝の三枚おろし 文化放送PodcastQR
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