In this episode, Christine Beckwith sits down with Sparkle Swann Middlebrook, a newer loan officer who walked into her very first industry event knowing absolutely no one. She traveled through a hurricane, slept in her car, and showed up anyway. That decision changed everything.

Sparkle gets real about the intimidation of being new, the power of sitting at the right table, and how being welcomed into Women’s Mortgage Network gave her the confidence to keep going. Christine shares her own story of walking into a room full of strangers and why she now makes it a point to find the person standing alone.

Together, they dive into why community builds confidence, not the other way around, and how the broker space is the perfect place for women who want to grow at their own pace, on their own terms.

If you have ever felt like you don’t belong in the room, this conversation is your permission slip to walk in anyway.

Subscribe to our channel and join the movement!

#WMN #WomenInMortgage #CommunityBuildsConfidence #NewLoanOfficer #BrokerLife #WomenInLeadership #Empowerment #BrokersAreBest #AIME #Podcast #Network #MortgageJourney

The post Women’s Mortgage Network Podcast: Episode 21 appeared first on AIME.

Episode 248

Host: Marc Summers (AIME’s Founding President)

JP Hussey is back, and he brought the Huss-bus.

Our former Broker to Broker host returns to talk marketing, mindset, and how to make mortgages fun. From the famous Huss-bus to closing loans on the Rocky steps in Philly, JP has built a purchase-focused brokerage around consistency, fun, and genuine relationships.

He sits down with Marc to talk about marketing, mindset, and why scheduling your day is the secret to keeping your sanity.

Key Takeaways:

Golden Nugget:

Subscribe to Broker to Broker on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

#MortgageMarketing #CreativeMarketing #LeadGeneration #PurchaseFocused #SmallBusiness #BrandBuilding #MortgageTech #LO #BrokerLife #TeamHussey #BrokerToBroker #MortgageTech #BrokersAreBest #AIME #Podcast #Network

The post Broker to Broker Podcast: JP Hussey – Ep. 248 appeared first on AIME.

Episode 59: No Company Will Save You From Yourself

Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager.

In this episode, Jonathon and Tommy respond to an anonymous post from a new loan officer asking which company to join for guaranteed success. Jonathon delivers a candid reality check about mental toughness, pain tolerance, and why you have to fix yourself before any company can help you.

Broker Buzz

Sales Training | How Much Pain Can You Take? 

Someone asked anonymously in a Facebook group, “What company can I join that will make me successful?” Jonathon’s answer cuts through the noise.

The real question is how strong are you mentally? How many months are you ready to make little to no money? No company can teach you how to handle that mental strain.

Write down what success actually means to you. How many months can you go without getting paid? How many real conversations will you have every day, even when nothing is working?

Then interview companies with specific questions. Will they help you get in front of people? Are there high producers you can learn from? Are they transparent about pricing? Your mental fortitude will set you apart. Not the logo on a business card.

Story Time | Do Not Follow Where the Path May Lead

The fortune cookie this week is one of the most provocative yet. Jonathon reframes it as a call to action. If you have been on the same path for years and it is not taking you where you want to go, stop following it. Pick a different path. Tommy adds a line from Tolkien about stepping out your door and not knowing where you might be swept off to. The message is simple. You are in control. Don’t follow blindly. Go off-roading if you have to. Have the courage to blaze your own trail.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts

#MortgageBroker #NewLoanOfficer #MentalToughness #SalesTraining #CRM #EarnestMoneyDeposit #WorkLifeBalance #HousingMarket #RealEstate #Lending #BrokerCommunity #MortgageIndustry #CareerAdvice #ProfessionalDevelopment #Resilience #SelfDiscipline #BrokersAreBest #BrokerPowerUp #AIME #Podcast #Network

The post Broker Power-Up Podcast: Episode 59 appeared first on AIME.

Episode 58: Cash Out Refinances, Effective Interest Rates, and Having the Hard Conversations

Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager.

In this episode, Jonathon and Tommy dig into fresh HMDA data that reveals a massive gap between retail and broker cash out refinance volume. Jonathon shares three things that every broker needs to do in order to start winning more of these deals.

Broker Buzz

Sales Training | Never Be Nice, Always Be Kind

HMDA data shows retail originators closed nearly three times as many cash out refinances as brokers in 2025. Why? Brokers are not making the call or pulling credit. Jonathon shares three steps to close that gap.

First, pull credit without prejudging. One client with a balloon payment turned into a deal he almost walked away from.

Second, learn effective interest rates. Clients paying twenty three percent on credit card debt do not care about their four and a half percent mortgage rate. Show them why.

Third, use trend data to respectfully call out inconsistencies. If a client says they are paying down debt but the credit report shows otherwise, have the kind but direct conversation.

Never be nice. Always be kind. Sometimes kindness means telling people what they need to hear, not what they want to hear.

Story Time | A Loved One’s Guidance Leads to Prosperity

The fortune cookie this week sparks two different interpretations. Tommy reflects on being present and letting a loved one guide you without having to ask. Jonathon thinks about the power of being the one person who believes in someone. Pour into others, even when it feels like a waste of energy.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts

#MortgageBroker #CashOutRefinance #HMDA #SalesTraining #EffectiveInterestRate #HousingMarket #RealEstate #Lending #BrokerCommunity #MortgageIndustry #SalesTips #ProfessionalDevelopment #BusinessGrowth #BrokersAreBest #BrokerPowerUp #AIME #Podcast #Network

The post Broker Power-Up Podcast: Episode 58 appeared first on AIME.

What if you stopped chasing a hundred loans a month and started focusing on the two families you could truly help instead?

In this episode, Nike T. Ojo sits down with Meredith Herr, co-owner of Lake Tahoe Mortgage, for a warm and honest conversation about building a mortgage business that fits your life, not the other way around.

Meredith shares how she went from IPO consulting to working alongside her dad, why she calls herself a “mortgage coach,” and how she helps first-time homebuyers get prepared long before they ever step foot in a house.

They dive into the misconceptions that trip buyers up, the power of starting the conversation early, and why the broker space is the perfect place for women who want flexibility, especially those raising young kids.

Meredith also opens up about finding her people in WMN and why having a community of women cheering you on is absolutely irreplaceable.

This episode is a reminder that you don’t have to be a top-tier producer. You just have to show up, help families, and build a business that works for you.

Subscribe to our channel and join the movement!

#WMN #WomenInMortgage #MortgageCoach #FirstTimeHomebuyer #BrokerLife #WorkLifeBalance #WomenInLeadership #Empowerment #BrokersAreBest #AIME #Podcast #Network #MortgageJourney

The post Women’s Mortgage Network Podcast: Episode 20 appeared first on AIME.

Episode 247

Host: Marc Summers (AIME’s Founding President)

This week’s episode features Paul Messina, a former paramedic, firefighter, police detective, and military veteran who found his way into the mortgage industry after a chance meeting with a loan officer who challenged him to “do his effing job.”

Paul shares his remarkable journey from healthcare and public safety to becoming a VA loan specialist, and how attending Ascent, AIME’s VIP retreat in Puerto Rico, gave him a new perspective on purpose, legacy, and the importance of self awareness.

Key Takeaways:

Golden Nugget:

Subscribe to Broker to Broker on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

#BrokerToBroker #MortgageTech #BrokersAreBest #AIME #Podcast #Network #VALoans #Veterans #Ascent #PersonalGrowth #MortgageAdvice #ServiceMatters #LegacyBuilding

The post Broker to Broker Podcast: Paul Messina – Ep. 247 appeared first on AIME.

Episode 57: AI, Objections, and Knowing the Difference Between ‘an answer’ and ‘The Answer’

Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager.

In this episode, Jonathon and Tommy explore how artificial intelligence is changing the way borrowers prepare for conversations with loan officers.

They share practical strategies for staying ahead of AI-informed clients, handling objections with confidence, and knowing when to trust the technology and when to trust your own expertise.

Broker Buzz

Sales Training | Handling Objections by Asking Better Questions

Jonathon shares a prompt designed to help loan officers move beyond generic responses to the three most common mortgage objections: wanting to shop around, wanting to wait, and wanting to talk to a spouse. He demonstrates how a question like “What is the best way for me to communicate to you without you being upset that I believe you are making a mistake?” forces a client to think rather than react.

Story Time | Your Heart Will Have Capacity for Love

The fortune cookie this week arrives with a strange and slightly uncomfortable phrasing. Jonathon turns it into a conversation about purpose, loss, and keeping your heart open even when life makes it hard.

He shares the story of his grandmother, who passed away in January and was the reason he got into mortgages. On her birthday last week, he registered for college classes before visiting her grave, fulfilling a promise he made to her and rediscovering a sense of love for the process.

The message is simple. If you have been hurt, if you have closed yourself off, find a purpose and move toward it. The opportunities are endless when your heart stays open.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts

#MortgageBroker #SalesTraining #AI #ObjectionHandling #BorrowerEducation #HousingMarket #RealEstate #Lending #BrokerCommunity #MortgageIndustry #SalesTips #ProfessionalDevelopment #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #PersonalDevelopment #CreditUnions #BuilderIncentives #DSCRLoans #NonQM #HardMoney #BrokersAreBest #BrokerPowerUp #AIME #Podcast #Network

The post Broker Power-Up Podcast: Episode 57 appeared first on AIME.

Episode 56: Framing, AI, and the Art of Asking Better Questions

Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager.

In this episode, Jonathon and Tommy explore how the right mindset and the right questions can transform your sales conversations. They dig into listener questions about real-world borrower challenges and share practical advice on using AI as a practice tool rather than a crutch.

Broker Buzz

Sales Training | Whoever Frames the Conversation Controls the Outcome

Jonathon shares a personal story from his teenage years about overpaying for a simple tire repair because he did not know the right questions to ask. He explains why you should assume your clients are using AI before they ever talk to you, and how you can use the same tools to practice framing, pressure test your questions, and walk into any sales call with confidence.

Story Time | A Positive Outlook Will Lead You to Success

Jonathon reflects on why positivity is not just a nice idea but a prerequisite for success. The most successful people he knows do not tolerate negativity in their circles. They cultivate environments where optimism and action go hand in hand.

Tommy adds that a simple smile or a laugh with a friend can reverse an entire day.

Your thoughts shape your actions, and your actions shape your results. If you want to win, start with the belief that you can.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts

#MortgageBroker #SalesTraining #Framing #AI #ConversationSkills #HousingMarket #RealEstate #Lending #PositiveMindset #BrokerCommunity #MortgageIndustry #SalesTips #ProfessionalDevelopment #BusinessGrowth #ReverseMortgage #TaxLiens #BrokersAreBest #BrokerPowerUp #AIME #Podcast #Network

The post Broker Power-Up Podcast: Episode 56 appeared first on AIME.

What if you stopped trying to make a hundred phone calls and just focused on having five conversations instead? That simple shift changed everything for Kym Mason.

In this episode, Julie Yarbrough sits down with Kym Mason, the creator of the Mason Method, for a raw and energizing conversation about habits, mindset, and the power of showing up as yourself.

Kym shares how a traumatic brain injury forced her to rely on the systems she had built, why she stopped chasing someone else’s definition of success, and how she gamified her daily routine to make winning a habit, not an accident.

They dive into the difference between being a producer and being a true business owner, why women need to stop waiting for someone to save them, and how shifting from “making calls” to “having mortgage conversations” can change your energy and your results overnight.

If you have ever felt like you’re grinding without growing, or wondered how to make the hard stuff feel a little more fun, this conversation is for you.

Subscribe to our channel and join the movement!

#WMN #WomenInMortgage #MasonMethod #MindsetMatters #MortgageConversations #HabitStacking #WomenInLeadership #Empowerment #BrokersAreBest #AIME #Podcast #Network #MortgageJourney

The post Women’s Mortgage Network Podcast: Episode 19 appeared first on AIME.

Episode 55: Ascent, Tone Setting, and ‘How You Do Anything Is How You Do Everything’

Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager.

Fresh off the AIME Ascent VIP retreat in Puerto Rico, Jonathon and Tommy reflect on what it takes to bring together top producers, set the right tone, and create an environment where even the most successful people in the room can lower their guard and grow.

Broker Buzz

Sales Training | How You Do Anything Is How You Do Everything

Jonathon shares the philosophy behind the Ascent retreat and why setting the tone matters more than any sales script. Set the tone early. At AIME Ascent and for viewers at home, Jonathan challenges listeners to examine how they approach their own introduction calls, presentations, follow-ups, and post-close processes. Your words matter. Don’t minimize them.

Story Time | Lessons from Ascent

Tommy reflects on being surrounded by billions of dollars in production and what it felt like to watch top producers interact with other up-and-coming brokers in a space that felt safe, open, and free of clicks.

Jonathon and Tommy both came away with new habits, new connections, and a renewed appreciation for what happens when you bring the right people together with the right intentions.

Whether you were in Puerto Rico or listening from home, the invitation is the same. Show up open minded, set your tone, and remember: how you do anything is how you do everything.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts

#MortgageBroker #SalesTraining #Leadership #AIMEAscent #PersonalDevelopment #HousingMarket #RealEstate #Lending #BrokerCommunity #SalesTips #MortgageIndustry #MindsetMatters #BusinessGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #BrokersAreBest #BrokerPowerUp #AIME #Podcast #Network

The post Broker Power-Up Podcast: Episode 55 appeared first on AIME.