Welcome to a powerful new episode of the FinTech Hunting podcast, hosted by Michael Hammond. In this insightful conversation, we’re joined by Nick Rutherford, mortgage tech expert and VP of Sales & Product at Milo—a cutting-edge customer retention platform for mortgage professionals.

This episode was recorded following the NJMBA Conference in New Jersey, where industry leaders gathered to discuss the future of mortgage lending and technology.

In this episode, we cover:
• The importance of up-funnel engagement to boost client retention
• How white-labeled home value reports drive monthly interaction
• Why “point of thought” is the new battleground for lenders
• Smart CRM integrations that deliver loan officer alerts in real-time
• AI's fast-moving impact on mortgage marketing and borrower behavior
• How personalized data, not generic drip content, drives conversions

Whether you're in New York, New Jersey, California, or serving clients across the country, this conversation delivers must-know strategies for loan officers, lenders, and fintech innovators.

📩 Connect with Nick Rutherford: [email protected]
🔗 Learn more about Milo: www.mymilo.ai

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a comment to let us know your thoughts. New episodes drop regularly—stay tuned for more FinTech insights!

In this must-watch episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, host Michael Hammond welcomes back Eloise Schmitz, Co-Founder and CEO of LoanNEX. Eloise dives deep into the 2025 lending landscape, sharing insights from the conference circuit, the increasing demand for non-agency products, and how lenders can diversify without the tech headaches.

🚀 Discover why non-agency lending is no longer optional, how to equip your LOs for success, and why tricking your pricing engine isn’t a strategy—it’s a symptom of the wrong tools.

🔍 Highlights:

• 2025 mortgage market trends

• Why diversified products are key to lender growth

• The Yahoo vs. Google search analogy for pricing engines

• How LoanNEX makes non-agency origination simple, visible, and scalable

• Upcoming features like in-platform exception handling

• Eloise’s advice on how lenders can reduce friction and increase confidence

📅 Don’t miss Eloise’s upcoming webinar on June 26th!

👉 Learn more at LoanNEX.com
📧 Contact: [email protected]

💡 If you can’t see it, you can’t sell it. Let’s change that.

Welcome to a game-changing episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast!
Host Michael Hammond sits down with AI pioneer and borrower engagement expert Josh Friend, Founder & CEO of Insellerate, to unpack the explosive growth of their AI-powered Athena platform and the CRM that’s transforming how mortgage lenders operate.

Key Highlights from this episode:

• 13 new enterprise clients signed in H1 2025—how Insellerate is scaling fast

• Inside Athena: How reviewing over 700,000+ calls is driving loan conversion

• AI with a Purpose: Predictive lead scoring that slashes wasted effort and boosts ROI

• CRM That Works for You: Why 12 of 13 enterprise clients chose Insellerate’s CRM, not just the AI

• Specialized AI, not general-purpose tools—built for mortgage pros by mortgage pros

• Operational Efficiency & Scalability: Eliminate wasted hours and improve outcomes

• CRM Agnostic but Powerful Enough to Convert: From Salesforce to proprietary systems

Whether you're a retail lender, consumer direct, or wholesale—this episode is a must-listen for understanding how intelligent automation is leveling the playing field in financial services.

Quote of the Episode:
"We're not just giving you a tool. We're operationalizing AI so you can close more loans—faster, smarter, and at scale." – Josh Friend

Learn more about Insellerate & book a demo: https://insellerate.com
Contact the team directly: [email protected]

Subscribe for exclusive insights from fintech innovators, AI disruptors, and lending leaders.
If this episode brought you value, leave a comment and share how your team is leveraging AI to drive results.

Modernizing Appraisals & Leading with Purpose in Mortgage | FinTech Hunting w/ Cindi Harris

In this episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, host Michael Hammond welcomes appraisal innovator and leadership advocate Cindi Harris, owner of Harris Real Estate Valuation and Consulting and founder of People Move Mountains.

🚀 Inside the Episode:

• How UAD 3.6 is streamlining the appraisal process

• The shift toward hybrid appraisals and modern inspection tools

• Why the industry must attract the next generation of appraisers

• The power of genuine connections through LinkedIn and business book clubs

• Cindi’s leadership philosophy: clarity, trust, and service

• How younger and older generations can learn from one another in the workplace

Whether you're in valuation, mortgage origination, or leadership development, this episode is packed with insights for anyone looking to grow professionally while navigating change in the mortgage space.

🔗 Connect with Cindi:
📧 [email protected]
💼 Cindi Harris on LinkedIn

👍 Like, 💬 comment, and 🔔 subscribe to hear more conversations at the intersection of mortgage, technology, and leadership.

📄 Updated YouTube Description:

Welcome to another power-packed episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, hosted by Michael Hammond!

In this episode, we’re joined by Nick Belenky, Managing Director of Solution Sales, and Matt Dowd, VP of Product Management at ICE Mortgage Technology, two of the brightest minds reshaping the mortgage tech space. If you're a lender, LO, or fintech leader navigating today's volatile market—this is the strategic blueprint you’ve been waiting for.

🔍 What You'll Learn:

• How to simplify your tech stack and eliminate “spaghetti code”

• The real meaning of personalization—and why it's more than using a borrower's name

• Why high-tech must meet high-touch for loan officers to succeed

• How to create a “single pane of glass” that drives adoption and borrower engagement

• The future of borrower retention and the myth of the post-close "set it and forget it"

• Why lenders need to stop acting like tech companies and start focusing on scalable growth

🎯 Whether you’re dealing with legacy systems, juggling five CRMs, or simply trying to get LOs to adopt your tech—this episode is packed with actionable strategies, empathy for your challenges, and a clear path to sustainable profitability.

👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more expert insights every week!

Website traffic is plummeting—and it’s not your fault. But there is something you can do about it.

In this eye-opening episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, host Michael Hammond sits down with digital marketing powerhouse and Rank Writers co-founder Alizabeth “Allie” Leng-Barton to tackle the elephant in the room: AI search is fundamentally changing how people find your website—and it’s killing your organic traffic.

✅ Why Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity are replacing traditional search behavior
✅ How to rethink your SEO around intent, not just keywords
✅ What marketing teams must do now to stay visible, relevant, and lead-generating
✅ Why use cases and content strategy are more critical than ever
✅ How omnichannel marketing drives better engagement and conversions

If you're in fintech, mortgage tech, SaaS, or digital marketing—this episode is your wake-up call.

🔗 Learn more about Rank Writers: https://rankwriters.com

Consolidation, Tech Innovation & AI in Lending: Roy George on the Future of Mortgage Banking | FinTech Hunting

📝 YouTube Description:

🚀 Welcome back to another exciting episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast! 🚀

In this powerful conversation, Michael Hammond sits down with Roy George, President at More Lending, Certified Mortgage Banker, and industry thought leader, to dive deep into the current and future state of the mortgage industry.

You'll learn: ✅ Why lenders must lean into technology and AI to survive and thrive

✅ How market consolidation and margin compression are reshaping the lending landscape

✅ The strategic advantages early tech adopters have over late followers

✅ How AI is driving operational efficiencies, marketing innovation, and underwriting improvements

✅ Why authentic networking at industry events is still critical in the digital age

✅ Insider tips on how Roy vets tech vendors and evaluates AI opportunities

✅ The impact of personal branding, CRM strategies, and building real relationships in today's competitive environment

Roy shares candid insights about embracing AI-driven tools like ChatGPT, custom GPTs, and automation technologies while stressing that those who wait too long risk being left behind.

✨ If you’re a lender, loan officer, tech provider, or financial services professional trying to navigate today’s challenges — this episode is a must-watch!

Housing Market Mayhem, AI Disruption & The Future of Homeownership: Diego Sanchez on Fintech

In this episode of the Fintech Hunting podcast, host Michael Hammond sits down with Diego Sanchez, President of HousingWire Media, to unpack the chaos in the current housing market and what it means for lenders, agents, and homebuyers.

From Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs to the volatility in mortgage rates and the spring buying season slowdown, Diego shares sharp insights on market uncertainty and how it's shifting consumer behavior.

🔥 Highlights include:

    •    Why rates staying near 7% could stall the housing rebound

    •    How HousingWire's real-time data tools are changing the game

    •    Behind the scenes of the beard challenge and The Gathering event

    •    Exclusive scoop on Rocket’s latest acquisitions (Redfin + Mr. Cooper)

    •    Why AI, local data, and digital leadership are key to surviving 2025

Plus, get a sneak peek at Varun Krishna's return to the main stage and how Rocket is building the “Apple of Homeownership.”

📍 The Gathering: June 8-11 | Colorado Springs – Limited tickets available!

🔗 Get your ticket: https://housingwire.com (https://housingwire.com/)

🎧 Subscribe for weekly fintech insights, expert interviews, and bold predictions from the front lines of di

gital mortgage innovation.

In this inspiring episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, host Michael Hammond sits down with two powerhouse women in financial services — Brooke Lapides, Director of Business Partner Development at MeridianLink, and Dana Georgiou, Chief Everything Officer and passionate financial literacy advocate.

Together, they co-authored "Rethink Everything You Know About Financial Literacy: Teen Edition", a collaborative book written by 14 incredible women. From personal stories of financial missteps to practical lessons designed to empower teens and young adults, this episode is packed with insight, heart, and hope for the next generation.

🎯 Key Takeaways:

Why schools fall short on teaching financial literacy

How everyday money mistakes turn into lifelong lessons

Why this book is a must-have for every teen, parent, and educator

The power of LinkedIn connections that sparked this movement

How to order your copy — and even bulk orders for schools or nonprofits

📚 Get your copy on Amazon: [Insert Link]

📦 Interested in bulk orders? Connect with Brooke or Dana on LinkedIn.

🔗 Connect with the Guests:

Brooke Lapides: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookelapides

Dana Georgiou: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danageorgiou

📢 Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share this episode if you’re passionate about making financial literacy accessible to all generations.

#FinancialLiteracy #FinTechHunting #TeenFinance #WomenInFinance #MoneyMatters #Leadership #MortgageIndustry #MichaelHammond #DanaGeorgiou #BrookeLapides #RethinkEverything #MeridianLink #FinancialEducation #FinServ #MoneySmarts

From Pitch to Partnership: Jason Smith on Authentic Video, Fintech Sales, and AI in Mortgage.  In this powerful episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with returning guest Jason Smith, Director of Partnership Development at Figure, host of One Take, and a well-known voice in fintech sales and relationship marketing.

🎯 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why authentic video content builds real trust in B2B sales

• How to evolve beyond the "features and functions" pitch in tech sales

• The shift from competition to collaboration and strategic partnerships

• Where AI fits in today’s mortgage and fintech workflows (without losing your voice)

• The untapped power of home equity in today’s financial markets

Jason shares hard-earned insights from the field, deep truths about human-to-human selling, and why companies must stop leading with themselves and start focusing on the real why of their customers.

🔗 Ready to rethink how you’re selling, partnering, and showing up in your market? Tune in now and fuel your fintech strategy with actionable insights.

🎧 Listen. Learn. Lead.

Subscribe to FinTech Hunting for more future-forward conversations.