Fintech Hunting

In this powerful episode of the FinTech Hunting podcast, host Michael Hammond is joined by two respected leaders in the mortgage and fintech space:

• Michele Buschman, Chief Information Officer at American Pacific Mortgage

• Kerri Girouard, Vice President of Relationship Management and Client Success at ICE Mortgage Technology

Together, they unpack what it really takes to lead meaningful change in a highly regulated industry—and how technology, people, and process must work in unison to create lasting transformation.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why fear, not regulation, is the biggest barrier to innovation

• How successful AI adoption starts with transparency and trust

• What "slow discovery = fast delivery" means for digital transformation

• How to align cross-functional teams around shared outcomes

• Ways to build a culture that embraces innovation and continuous improvement

• Real-world examples of AI in underwriting and operations

• How to measure ROI and adoption in tech pilots before scaling

• The future of mortgage leadership in a fast-moving tech landscape

Who This Episode Is For:

• Mortgage executives leading digital transformation

• Lending professionals exploring AI and automation

• Fintech leaders designing compliant, scalable solutions

• Change management experts in financial services

• Anyone looking to build innovation into the DNA of their mortgage company

Is your mortgage business unknowingly bleeding revenue?

In this powerful and eye-opening episode of the Fintech Hunting Podcast, host Michael Hammond sits down with returning guest Tim Nguyen, CEO and founder of BeSmartee, to uncover one of the most overlooked—and costly—problems in mortgage lending: application abandonment.

Why are 30–40% of borrowers starting but never submitting applications?
What’s the ROI of fixing just 10% of your funnel?
Is your point-of-sale (POS) platform silently working against you?

Tim shares practical, actionable insights on how lenders can stop leaving money on the table—without increasing ad spend or adding staff. From tracking application submission ratios to improving digital workflows and using AI to increase conversions, this episode delivers high-impact strategies you can implement immediately.

Key Takeaways:

• The number one metric every lender must track

• How to identify conversion drop-offs and fix them

• Why your current tech stack may be sabotaging growth

• What commercial lending can teach the mortgage world about efficiency

• What’s next in AI-powered lending from BeSmartee

Whether you’re a lender, loan officer, fintech vendor, or executive, this episode will challenge your assumptions and offer fresh perspectives on driving digital efficiency and profitability.

In this eye-opening episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, host Michael Hammond sits down with newly appointed MISMO President Brian Vieaux to explore how AI, data standards, and digital transformation are reshaping mortgage lending—from the inside out.

Together, they dig into questions few in the industry are asking aloud:

• What role will MISMO play in regulating and enabling responsible AI adoption in lending?

• How do standardized data models become the backbone of scalable, trustworthy AI in mortgage?

• Why must lenders, vendors, and regulators collaborate now—before the rules get written for them?

• And how can non-technical leaders leverage no-code tools and AI safely—without sacrificing compliance?

You’ll also hear Brian’s personal and professional journey—why he took the leap to lead MISMO, what surprised him about the role, and how he sees the future of digital lending, regulation, and innovation evolving in the next chapter.

This isn’t just another podcast on AI. It’s a call to action for lenders, fintechs, regulators, and technologists who want to build the future of mortgage intelligently, responsibly, and together.

🧠 Key topics include:

• The importance of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) in today’s AI-driven search landscape

• Why AI models are only as strong as the data standards that support them

• What MISMO’s role is in ensuring compliant, scalable AI use across the mortgage ecosystem

• The human side of leadership, transformation, and stepping into a role that impacts the entire industry

📍 Resources Mentioned:

• Learn more at: https://www.mismo.org

• Connect with Brian on LinkedIn

• Register for the MISMO Winter Summit & December Tech Sprint Workshop

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🔗 Subscribe for more FinTech & Mortgage innovation insights.
🎙 Hosted by Michael Hammond, President of NexLevel Advisors.

In this episode of The Fintech Hunting Podcast, recorded following the Loan Vision Innovation Conference in Atlanta, host Michael Hammond sits down with Julia Brown, CEO and Founder of Telescope Advisors, to unpack the hidden fractures that quietly derail mortgage M&A deals.Julia shares deep insights from the frontlines of organizational transformation and post-acquisition integration. Whether you’re an executive at a top mortgage enterprise or a growing IMB evaluating potential partners, this conversation delivers the strategies you need to avoid costly missteps and lead your team through change.Topics covered include:The real reasons M&A integrations fall apart after closingCultural alignment vs. operational efficiencyWhat PE firms are looking for in servicing portfoliosThe power of transparent leadership during transitionHow AI and workflow optimization are reshaping modern lendingWhy compensation alone won’t retain top talent in 2025This conversation is packed with practical takeaways for lenders, tech leaders, and operators navigating a rapidly evolving mortgage landscape.Featuring:Host: Michael Hammond, Founder & CEO, NexLevel AdvisorsGuest: Julia Brown, CEO & Founder, Telescope AdvisorsRecorded in Atlanta, GA at the Loan Vision Innovation ConferenceTimestamps00:00 – Introduction01:00 – The Quiet Collapse: Hidden Gaps in Business Value03:15 – Post-Merger Culture Clashes and Communication07:20 – The State of M&A Activity in Mortgage09:45 – AI, Automation, and Workflow Strategy14:20 – Lessons from Year One of Telescope Advisors15:45 – The Evolving Role of Mortgage LeadersContact Julia BrownEmail: [email protected]

 In this must-watch episode of Fintech Hunting, host Michael Hammond welcomes back Dan Bailey, SVP at WFG Enterprise Solutions, to uncover how WFG is transforming title, valuation, and lending operations with next-gen technology and service-first culture.

🎙️ What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The state of the mortgage market—and what’s improving

• Why borrower experience isn’t just talk at WFG (and how they quantify it)

• How AI and automation are revolutionizing title production, post-closing, and customer engagement

• The power of Volie—WFG’s CRM and marketing platform fueling lender success

• What’s coming next in AI-driven mortgage innovation

📊 Whether you’re a lender, tech vendor, loan officer, or executive navigating the evolving mortgage landscape, this episode is your playbook for thriving in 2025 and beyond.

Inside Loyalty Tech, M&A Strategy & Global Growth with Denis Brosnan | FinTech Hunting SpecialIn this Special Episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, host Michael Hammond sits down with returning guest Denis Brosnan, Portfolio CEO at CORA Group (a division of Jonas Software under Constellation). Denis leads one of the largest software groups you’ve never heard of—and in this conversation, he shares a behind-the-scenes look at:🔹 CORA’s unique acquire-and-operate forever M&A model🔹 What founders should know about selling their tech company🔹 The rise of loyalty technology & programs like RewardOps, Carlson Marketing, and Points at Work🔹 Global expansion and customer incentives done right🔹 How CORA is using AI practically—not just for hype🔹 Upcoming events including Money 20/20 and CORA’s global presenceIf you're in fintech, loyalty marketing, SaaS M&A, or just want to understand how legacy software businesses scale globally, this is a must-watch.

What happens when a fourth-generation mortgage pro, mom, mentor, and now published author decides to rethink everything she knows about networking, technology, and building trust in financial services?

In this episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, host Michael Hammond sits down with Lindsay Meyer—a trailblazer in the mortgage space who’s redefining what it means to lead with heart and innovate with purpose.

Together, they unpack:

Why Lindsay believes the future of lending lives at the intersection of innovation and connection

The power of human-first networking in a digital world

How to turn a simple LinkedIn message into a 5 minute call that builds true relationship

Why 39% of professionals fail at follow-up—and how you can fix that today

The story behind her new book: Rethink Everything You Know About Networking

Cutting-edge AI tools like Groves IQ and how they’re reshaping the mortgage experience

The importance of mentorship, legacy, and showing up authentically in your career

If you're a mortgage professional, fintech leader, or growth-minded marketer looking for real talk, real strategy, and real transformation, this episode will move you—and maybe even change how you approach your next connection.

Subscribe now, and don’t miss what might be the most heartfelt and thought-provoking episode of the year.

Welcome to a game-changing episode of The FinTech Hunting Podcast — filmed LIVE with Josh Friend, CEO and Founder of Insellerate, one of the mortgage industry’s true AI pioneers.

🏆 Named an AI Innovator by Progress in Lending and winner of Top Demo at the Digital Mortgage Conference, Josh joins host Michael Hammond to unveil how AI is transforming loan officer performance, predictability, and profitability like never before.

In this riveting conversation, Josh breaks down:

• 💡 How Insellerate’s AI platform “Athena” listens to 200,000+ hours of calls to coach loan officers at scale—helping them close more loans with greater empathy.

• 🔍 Why Athena predicts loan closings with 89.4% accuracy on the first call—and what that means for lenders battling margin compression.

• 🤖 AI voice agents that speak intelligently with borrowers, schedule callbacks, and prequalify leads before loan officers even log in.

• ❤️ How AI is making human connection and empathy more scalable than ever.

• ⚙️ The rise of low-code, no-code, and now “vibe code” AI tools that are revolutionizing development, efficiency, and deployment across financial services.

🚀 Whether you’re a C-suite executive, mortgage tech innovator, or lending professional, this episode will reshape the way you think about AI in lending.

Josh also teases upcoming Insellerate AI workshops at MBA Annual—giving attendees a firsthand experience with real-world AI tools that are redefining what’s possible in mortgage operations.

🎯 Key Takeaways:

• Athena’s “Deal Possibility Score” shows lenders exactly which leads are likely to close.

• AI isn’t replacing empathy—it’s amplifying it.

• Mortgage sales can now scale intelligently without sacrificing human touch.

• Every lender can now access the “NFL-level game film” analysis that top producers rely on.

📅 Want to meet Josh at MBA Annual?
👉 Visit www.insellerate.com to book a demo or schedule your meeting.

In this powerful episode of the Fintech Hunting Podcast, host Michael Hammond welcomes back Eloise Schmitz, CEO and Co-Founder of LoanNEX, for a must-listen conversation on the critical role non-QM and non-agency lending plays in today’s mortgage market.

🎙️ What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why non-QM lending has shifted from optional to essential for lenders seeking growth in 2025
• How to equip loan officers with the tools to confidently offer and close more non-agency loans
• The real meaning behind "If you can't see it, you can't sell it" — and how to make that visibility actionable
• The importance of tech stack augmentation vs. replacement to improve workflows
• How LoanNEX’s new in-system exception management is revolutionizing the non-QM pricing process
• What to expect from Eloise’s expert panel at MBA Annual 2025 in Las Vegas
• Why transparency, trust, and innovation are the keys to thriving in today’s lending landscape

💡 Whether you're a mortgage lender, capital markets leader, tech vendor, or loan officer, this episode is your guide to unlocking new volume opportunities, driving profitability, and winning in the evolving mortgage ecosystem.

🗓️ Event Mentioned:
Catch Eloise Schmitz live at MBA Annual 2025 on October 20th at 3 PM (Las Vegas). Don’t miss the panel: “Why the Non-Agency Market Is a Must for Your Success.”

Is your mortgage business leaving money on the table? In this powerful episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, tech innovator and AI evangelist Tim Nguyen, Founder & CEO of BeSmartee, returns with a game-changing conversation on application abandonment—the overlooked metric that could be silently draining your profits.

Hosted by industry expert Michael Hammond, this episode unpacks:

• Why the “camel business” analogy defines the mortgage industry

• The hidden impact of low app-start-to-submit conversions

• How just a 10% improvement in application conversion can generate 14% more top-line revenue

• Whether the root problem is tech, people, or process—and how to fix it

• What lenders must start measuring today to survive the next market shift

• Real advice on simplifying borrower journeys for better profitability

• How BeSmartee customers are winning by using data to eliminate friction

Plus: Tim drops some surprising truths about what loan officers should stop doing with online applications—and how to turn every borrower interaction into a closed loan.

Where to catch BeSmartee next:
Tim shares where his team will be this conference season—including MBA Annual, ACUMA, and an exclusive AI Summit in Dana Point.

Whether you're a lender, tech executive, or loan officer focused on growth, this episode will shift how you think about profitability, process, and performance.

Don't just ride the next wave in mortgage lending—be ready to drink the water first.

Subscribe to FinTech Hunting for weekly interviews with the biggest minds in mortgage, fintech, and financial services.

Want to learn more about how BeSmartee is solving the abandonment gap? Connect with Tim at [email protected]