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Welcome back to Lending Leadership, your inside track to smart moves in mortgage leadership.
Today, we're focusing on one of the most pivotal decisions any mortgage professional can face: Should you stay with your current lender or is it time to make a move? We revisit this enduring question against the backdrop of a market that's tougher than ever. With Q4 moves on the rise, increasing recruiter activity, and six-figure sign-on bonuses being dangled, the allure to switch can feel stronger than ever. But beneath the surface, the true reasons for jumping and staying run much deeper than money.
Today, it’s Robert Fillyaw and Tom Mills bringing decades of industry perspective and candid, inside talk on what really drives these decisions.
If you're being recruited, feeling pulled by shiny offers, or even just curious about how to think through a potential move, this is the episode for you.
Key takeaways:
Welcome back to Lending Leadership, your go-to source for growth, leadership, and connection in the mortgage industry.
In today’s episode, we dive deep into the art and science of building trust both in business and beyond. We’re thrilled to have R. Scott Armstrong, author of the forthcoming book From Asshole to Ally, join us for a rich, no-holds-barred conversation about how the smartest professionals can sometimes undermine their own success by prioritizing answers over curiosity.
Scott draws on his decades-long career in advertising and professional services to share hard-won lessons about the value of asking the right questions, the pitfalls of “the curse of knowledge,” and the essential skills needed to foster trust in any relationship. Expect not only actionable leadership insights but also a candid look at moments of failure, real-world role play, and a little bit of fun as we challenge each other to rethink what it means to be truly trustworthy.
Key takeaways:
We hope this episode gets you thinking about your own patterns and inspires you to level up your trust skills whether you’re closing a complex mortgage, working a deal, or just having a tough conversation at home.
Don’t forget to check out Scott’s book From Asshole to Ally (coming this fall) and head to winthequestion.com for hands-on quizzes, trust audits, and more. And, as always, subscribe to Lending Leadership for the latest on mortgage leadership, sales, and professional growth.
Welcome back to Lending Leadership, where we dive into the crucial topics that impact our industry, our lives, and our well-being.
Today we’re taking on a subject that affects every professional, especially those of us who spend hours glued to Zoom or planted at our desks: the impact of sitting, moving, eating, and caring for ourselves in a remote work world. With research showing that people working from home are taking 2,500 fewer steps a day, we wanted to explore what that really means for our health and what we can do about it.
To guide us through this conversation, we’re thrilled to welcome Kristen Zetterberg, registered and licensed dietitian and founder of Inspire Nutrition, to Lending Leadership. With over 20 years of experience helping people break free from chronic dieting and build sustainable health habits, Kristen Zetterberg shares practical, real-world insights for busy professionals looking to boost their well-being and productivity.
In this episode, we unpack the realities of working from home, from disrupted movement and metabolic health to the myths of intermittent fasting and the nuances of new weight loss medications. We talk about the importance of intentional habits, why “knowing” isn’t the same as “doing,” and how grace, not perfection, is the secret to lasting health changes. Whether you want to feel more energized, age with strength, or simply avoid that afternoon crash, this conversation offers tangible steps and a refreshing dose of honesty.
Key takeaways:
We hope this episode helps you reflect, recalibrate, and give yourself the permission to move, eat, and thrive even in the thick of your busiest days. And if you’re ready for even more support, details on how to connect with Kristen Zetterberg at Inspire Nutrition are linked below.
Welcome back to Lending Leadership, your go-to source for actionable strategies, mindset shifts, and winning plays in a tough mortgage market. With just 100 days left in 2026, we thought it was the perfect time to get real about what it takes to not only finish this year strong but to tee up lasting success for 2027 and beyond.
In this episode, we (Dave Holland, Robert Fillyaw, and Tom Mills) dig deep into the realities of today’s shifting market, the critical importance of mindset, and the tactical steps every loan originator should take right now.
We're pulling from decades of front-line mortgage experience, some hard-earned lessons, and a few playbooks that will give you a competitive edge. This episode is all about equipping you to take action while your competition is easing off the gas, and ensuring you exit 2026 with momentum, not chaos.
Key takeaways:
As we celebrate 100 episodes and look to the next 100, we challenge you: Exit this year with a plan, momentum, and a warrior’s mindset. The seeds you plant today are the loans you’ll harvest next year. Now get out there, swing your damn pickaxe, and make your own destiny!
Welcome to Lending Leadership. Today marks a truly special milestone for us: our 100th episode! For this landmark discussion, we’re excited to dive into the power of book clubs, habit formation, and the role company culture plays in personal and professional growth.
We’re joined by Dave Holland, whose passion for self-improvement and leadership through reading has sparked change across our team, and your hosts, Corrine Bibb and Rachael Tresch.
This episode is all about how the simple act of reading, whether on your own or as part of a book club, can deliver lasting change in your career, your family, and your life. We explore how our company book club came to be, the impact it’s had (and the honest truth about participation), and why consistency and a growth mindset matter more now than ever, especially in a tough mortgage market. We also break down how habit stacking, as discussed in “Atomic Habits” and other top books, creates a foundation for success and resilience.
We share our favorite reads, practical approaches for making reading a routine (yes, audio counts!), and actionable strategies for building a culture that goes beyond one-off events or pizza parties. Dave offers personal stories about how reading and consistent daily practices have influenced not just his work, but his family too. As leaders, we reflect on why bringing what you love to your team can positively impact everyone around you.
Key takeaways:
We hope this conversation inspires you to be intentional about your daily habits, get involved in (or start!) a book club, and find joy in sharing what you love with those around you. To everyone who’s been with us for these 100 episodes, thank you for being part of our journey! Here’s to 100 more!
Welcome back to Lending Leadership, your destination for candid conversations and game-changing insights from across the mortgage and real estate industries.
This week, we're mixing things up. Rachael is going solo for a deep dive into the lessons we’ve learned after hosting 150+ interviews with some of the finest in our business, either on this show or her previous podcast. From CEOs to loan officers, entrepreneurs to realtors, we’ve chatted with them all. Over the years, we’ve uncovered some surprising truths and recurring themes about what really drives long-term success in lending, leadership, and life.
We kick things off by debunking the notion that there’s a “secret morning routine” or a hidden hack behind every high-performer. Instead, we reveal five powerful patterns that show up again and again in the stories of successful people and challenge you to apply them in your own journey.
We also share some relatable stories: embracing messy journeys, overcoming failure, and learning that sometimes the biggest breakthroughs come from simply picking up the phone (no algorithm required!). And, in true Lending Leadership fashion, we offer a practical challenge to reconnect with your network authentically no sales pitch necessary.
Key takeaways:
As we prepare for our 100th episode, we’re grateful for everyone who’s been on this journey with us. So here’s our challenge for you: What’s the one thing that’s made the biggest difference in your success, and are you still doing it today?
Don’t forget: you’ve had the power all along. We can’t wait to keep exploring, growing, and leading together.
Welcome back to Lending Leadership: Your trusted source for insight on all things lending, sales, and, this week, the transformative power of AI.
This episode, we’re thrilled to pull up a seat at the AI sales table with Ben Treadway of ConsenSys. Ben Treadway is not only an industry innovator with deep experience in mortgage technology, but also a champion of buyer enablement and smarter sales enablement in an era where information and decision-making are happening faster than ever.
We dive headfirst into the future of lending where AI-driven agents and conversational automation aren’t just buzzy tech tools, but real solutions to information overload, repetitive inefficiencies, and shifting buyer expectations. We break down what AI can (and can’t) do for both buyers and loan officers, explore the different “buying love languages” borrowers bring to the table, and tackle the big question: Is AI here to help loan officers, or replace them?
You’ll hear practical stories about how ConsenSys was built on the idea that while selling is hard, buying is even harder and how empowering the buyer (both externally and internally) has real, measurable business impact. We also talk about website conversions, onboarding, compliance, and why the old methods are rapidly losing ground to tech-forward, customer-centric experiences.
Key takeaways:
At the end of the day, as Rach reminds us: Stop making people buy the way you want to sell—give them options, let them explore, and be there (as a person) when they’re ready. That’s how real lending leadership is done in the age of AI.
Tune in and let’s reimagine the buying journey, together.
Welcome back to Lending Leadership
This week, we dive deep into the art and science of building your personal brand as a loan officer and why stories (not scripts) are the secret sauce that can differentiate you in a digital world filled with AI-generated noise.
Our special guest, Katie Shive, brings nearly a decade of mortgage expertise, but what really sets her apart is her background in branding and copywriting, both before and after AI exploded onto the scene. Katie’s journey from ghostwriting for top producers to founding her own advisory business uniquely positions her to guide us through the transformation from generic “loan content” to authentic, memorable storytelling.
If you’ve ever wondered how to build a digital footprint that leads to real clients—not just likes this is an episode you can’t miss.
Key takeaways:
This episode is a masterclass in authentic marketing for mortgage professionals. Don't forget to check out Katie’s free resources and binge-worthy YouTube tips for even more practical guidance! Visit her website at katieshive.com.
Welcome back to Lending Leadership
In this episode, we’re diving deep into the ever-evolving world of online presence for mortgage professionals. Whether you’re trying to “own your zip code,” boost your visibility in Google, or show up on emerging AI-powered search platforms, we’re unpacking what loan officers and real estate pros need to know for digital success.
We’re joined by Laura Quinn and Caitlin Marino, two leading experts in digital marketing for the mortgage industry and Marketing Account Executives here at HMA Mortgage. Together, we demystify the terms everyone’s hearing these days-SEO, AEO, and GEO and break down why they matter more than ever as consumer behavior shifts toward AI-driven search.
We discuss practical strategies for making your online profiles work for you, staying consistent across platforms, leveraging your everyday work as content, and why building your authority is more about answering the right questions than simply creating more content. Plus, we get into the technical details of how web crawlers see your site and the ways even small actions add up to big digital wins.
Key Takeaways:
We also remind everyone that learning how to navigate digital marketing and AI-driven search is like learning a new language. Take it step by step, give yourself some grace, and remember that it’s not optional if you want to stay competitive in today’s mortgage market. If you’re ready to take action, connect with us for resources, support, and to join the conversation!
Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros, where we dive deep into the world of mortgage, real estate marketing, and recruiting through candid conversations and practical advice.
On today’s episode, we welcomed Sara Lohse, founder of Branded Media, podcast host, strategist, producer, and author. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in launching, guesting on, or optimizing their podcast presence—especially in a world flooded with AI-generated pitches and surface-level outreach.
Sara joins us to unpack the right and wrong ways to pitch yourself for podcast guest spots, the real purpose behind podcasting beyond vanity metrics, and how to maximize the connections and impact you make both as a guest and a host. We tackled everything from the basics of guesting, to call-to-action strategies, to why your microphone etiquette matters, and ways to leverage each episode far beyond its initial post date.
We also had some real talk on the AI invasion—why relying on bots for outreach is getting worse, and why authentic human connection is still the thing that sets you apart, both for growing your influence and closing actual business.
Key takeaways:
Whether you’re just curious about starting a podcast, looking to guest more effectively, or want to overhaul how you pitch yourself, today’s deep dive with Sara Lohse is packed with actionable insights you can put to use right away. And if you want to guest on Lending Leadership, take Sara’s advice: craft a thoughtful pitch, and we just might read it!
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