Lending Leadership

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief, your go-to podcast for actionable insights at the intersection of sales, performance, and personal well-being!

In this episode, we focus on one of the most fundamental but often overlooked pillars of sales success: consistency. We’re joined by the inspiring Alicia Dupree, whose extensive career in sales and coaching brings a wealth of real-world wisdom to the table. Whether you’re a loan officer, realtor, sales professional, or juggling a busy home and work life, this conversation is packed with strategies to help you show up, follow up, and stand out.

We kick things off talking about why simple habits, done consistently, separate top performers from everyone else. We explore “consistency versus perfection or intensity,” why being a great listener matters more than being convincing, and how authenticity is the key to building lasting trust. Rachael Tresch leads the discussion, drawing parallels to her own journey as a working mom in sales and reflecting on how Alicia Dupree’s coaching and follow-up habits transcend industries.

Together, we dive into the challenges working moms face, the importance of managing energy and health, and why sales is more about listening and problem-solving than pitching. Plus, we unravel what makes follow-up so hard and what practical systems can make it easier and way more authentic.

Key takeaways:

1. Consistency Beats Intensity and Perfection
2. As Alicia Dupree shares, it’s not about being perfect or intense; it’s about showing up and making incremental progress each day (00:00, 30:11). Small, consistent actions compound over time, especially in sales, coaching, and wellness.
3. Listening Over Convincing
4. The best salespeople are great listeners, not pushy persuaders (06:00). By asking thoughtful questions and letting the client speak, you uncover their real needs and match your solutions authentically.
5. Authentic Follow-Up Builds Trust
6. Following up is critical, but it must be intentional and personal (19:14). Using voice memos, recalling details from previous conversations, and avoiding generic “just following up” messages helps you stand out and create genuine connections.
7. Systems Make Consistency Possible
8. Don’t “wing it” have a reliable system to track and execute your follow-ups (19:53). Whether it’s pen-and-paper or a CRM, the important part is implementation, not complexity.
9. Health, Wellness, and Professional Success Are Interconnected
10. For busy professionals (especially working moms), health isn’t just about exercise; it's sleep, mental wellness, and managing stress (04:32). Addressing the root causes (not just surface-level symptoms) leads to sustainable growth in both life and work.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to build better habits, lead with authenticity, and achieve lasting success in sales and beyond. Connect with Alicia Dupree at www.aliciadupree.com.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Lending Leadership for more conversations that empower you to grow, execute, and thrive.

Rach & Rinn

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros, your playbook for building a truly thriving mortgage business.

In this episode, we’re diving deep into what really moves the needle for mortgage loan officers. Too often, people chase the latest shiny object—new technology, marketing gimmicks, and magic-bullet solutions—hoping for shortcuts to the top. But as we reveal today, genuine, consistent success is rarely about easy wins.

To cut through the noise, we went straight to the source: our top-producing loan officers. These are our President’s Club winners and $25+ million-a-year mortgage pros—the crème de la crème. We asked them one key question: What are the top five things that actually make you money? Spoiler alert—their answers were surprisingly consistent and refreshingly straightforward.

While we didn’t have a guest for this episode, the real stars are the insights from our leading LOs, which, as always, sparked a vibrant conversation among us—Dave Holland, Tom Mills, and Robert Fillyaw. Together, we dig in to decode those proven revenue drivers, unpacking why old-school fundamentals outpace new fads, and how to turn these lessons into simple, actionable systems.

Here’s what we explored in this episode:

• Why “blocking and tackling” everyday fundamentals still matter most—and why there’s no such thing as a shortcut to success.
• The absolute importance of relationship-building, especially with realtors, and why this is nearly always the top source of business.
• How systems, processes, and consistency are the unsexy but crucial backbone for scaling, retaining clients, and producing at a high level.
• The power of past clients as a “goldmine” for referrals and repeat business, and simple ways most LOs could better leverage this resource.
• Why speed of response in communication is an underappreciated key for building trust and winning deals—especially in today’s fast-paced market.
• What really matters (and what doesn’t!) in personal branding and social media—and why flyers alone won’t cut it any more.

Key takeaways:

1. Realtor Relationships Drive Revenue: Our top producers were unanimous—nothing beats strategic, intentional relationships with real estate agents. This goes far beyond one-off coffees or meetings; it’s about consistent, value-driving follow-up and becoming a trusted partner (05:49). If you don’t build and nurture these connections, you’re flying solo and missing the highest-leverage opportunities.
2. Past Client Database Is a Goldmine: Loan officers with an organized, consistently worked database see steady referrals and repeat business. It’s not about cold outreach—these are folks who already know, like, and trust you. Whether through calls, mailers, or newsletters, top LOs treat their past clients as ongoing customers, not just closed files (11:21; 15:19).
3. Systems and Process Free You to Grow: Without structured processes, every extra deal just adds chaos. The best producers have clear routines and workflows—everything from how they handle new apps to client communications—so they can scale with support and avoid putting out fires all day. “Sweat the same way every time”—consistency matters (19:12).
4. Speed of Response Wins Deals: Success often hinges on how quickly you get back to agents and clients. It’s not always about being first—but being reliably responsive builds trust, captures business before it slips away, and shows you mean business (24:05).
5. Visibility and Personal Branding Matter—But Only with Purpose: Consistency in personal branding and community involvement makes you familiar before the first conversation. But winging it on social media, or just posting flyers, isn’t enough. You need a plan to actually build trust and distinguish yourself, not just fill the feed (27:36).

We wrapped this episode with an action challenge: If you had to strip your business down to just five activities that truly make you money, what would they be? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for tuning in, and remember: fortune is in the follow-up, consistency is key, and the mundane daily work is where the money really lies. Subscribe and drop us a five-star review if these insights help you lead your lending business to the next level!

• Access the HMA Top Producer Playbook: The Top 5 Things That Make LOs Money

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief—your inside guide to modern leadership in lending, community building, and the strategies separating top producers from the rest.

In this episode, we had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Will DeLaTorre, President's Club winner at HMA Greentree and the man behind the motto, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Will DeLaTorre is renowned for his relationship-driven approach, his ability to consistently level up his business, and his unique path from a single loan officer to a team leader shaping his market by championing collaboration and cultural inclusion.

We dig into how Will DeLaTorre built his legacy from the ground up, starting in the late '90s at a massive mortgage company, absorbing foundational lessons in customer service, and evolving through the industry’s many cycles. Our conversation examines not just his business philosophies but also the hard strategies and lived experiences behind building a thriving, inclusive team—especially in serving underserved communities and mastering event-driven marketing.

Here’s an overview of what we covered:

• The importance of long-term planning and consistency in business development
• How Will DeLaTorre intentionally grew from a solo producer into a leader with a strong, culturally diverse team
• The pivotal role of authentic relationships with coworkers, clients, and collaborators
• His specialized service for the Spanish-speaking community, and what true inclusivity looks like for borrowers
• Tactical deep-dive into event planning and making marketing impactful—even getting over 220 realtors in one room!
• The mindset shifts from competition to collaboration, and how “iron sharpens iron” in the modern lending world

Key Takeaways:

1. Consistent, Long-Term Planning Wins Every Time
2. We’ve all been tempted to throw together last-minute events or campaigns, but Will stresses repeatedly the power of detailed, six- to eight-week planning. Consistency in your actions—not just your vision—is truly what propels growth, from daily prospecting to large-scale marketing events.
3. Relationships Are the Foundation
4. Will’s trajectory proves that treating clients, colleagues, and partners like family outlasts every market shift or technological change. When you’re in it for the right reasons—to genuinely help people—the business takes care of itself.
5. Culture and Collaboration Trump Competition
6. Early in his career, Will DeLaTorre saw fellow loan officers as competition, but growth accelerated when he shifted to collaboration—especially through masterminding with peers and inviting new people into his circle. “I want to be the dumbest guy in the room,” he says, underscoring the value of always learning from others.
7. Serving the Underserved Builds Business and Legacy
8. As a fluent Spanish speaker and immigrant, Will recognized how the Latin community is often underserved and distrustful of traditional banks. By making everything accessible in their native language and offering true cultural understanding, his team doesn’t just close loans—they create generational change.
9. Event and Marketing Success is a Team Sport
10. The secret behind Will’s packed events isn’t magic (or luck). It’s collaborative effort: leveraging sponsors, the skills of everyone on the team, and regular touchpoints and rehearsals. That, plus telling authentic client stories on social, multiplies reach and drives referrals long after the event is over.

Whether you’re an individual loan officer looking to scale, a branch looking for direction, or simply in search of inspiration on leadership through service, this episode delivers both actionable steps and plenty of heart.

Thank you, Will DeLaTorre, for sharing your insight and passion. Loan officers in South Jersey—and beyond—take note: where there’s a will, there’s definitely a way. See you next time!

Rach & Rinn

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros, where we dive deep into the strategies, challenges, and leadership philosophies shaping the mortgage industry today.

In this episode, we unpack an intriguing statistic: 84% of $20 million producers are open to recruiting conversations, but only if an executive is involved. We dig into what this means for mortgage recruiting, how leadership at every level impacts the process, and why top producers are prioritizing conversations with executives over recruiters.

While we don’t have a special guest this week, you’ll hear from the full Lending Leadership team: Tom Mills, Robert Fillyaw, and Dave Holland. We share our firsthand experiences, insights from recent mastermind groups, and practical advice for branch managers, leaders, and anyone looking to build a high-performing mortgage team.

Here’s a breakdown of what we covered:

• The changing landscape of recruiting in the mortgage industry and why today's top producers want conversations with executives, not recruiters.
• What motivates loan officers to change companies: from compensation, leadership, and company stability to support systems and technology.
• How leadership at the branch and company level influences recruiting, retention, and overall team culture.
• Building strategic and meaningful relationships in recruiting, with real-world tactics and long-term nurturing.
• What makes a great loan officer and branch manager, and why the right hire isn’t just about production but about values and team fit.

Key takeaways:

1. Leadership Matters More Than Ever: Top producers want to engage directly with high-level executives because they value leadership stability and alignment. The days of relying solely on recruiters are fading—executive involvement is a sign of credibility and long-term commitment.
2. Recruiting is a Relationship Game: Effective recruiting isn’t about cold calls or opportunistic pitches. It’s about building relationships, offering value over time, and being the trusted industry professional people turn to when change happens.
3. What Attracts Talent in 2024: Compensation and incentives matter, but so do technology, marketing support, operational efficiency, and strong leadership. Loan officers want to know the company is forward-thinking and ready for the future, especially with the rise of AI and automation.
4. Branch Managers Must Build Their Own Leadership Brand: It’s not just about what the company offers. Branch managers need to create a value proposition, align with the right people, and be someone worth working for. Leadership stories, proven development, and servant leadership are key.
5. Be Strategic and Selective With Recruiting: Not every high producer is a good fit. Being clear about your values and target avatar prevents costly mis-hires. The best hires are sometimes the ones you don’t make—and a strong team is built around ethics, growth mindset, and collaboration.

We hope you found something of value in today’s discussion. If you’re a branch manager looking to grow your team and wondering what to evaluate first, drop us a line—we’d love to hear from you. Be sure to subscribe and smash that review button; your feedback keeps Lending Leadership moving forward!

Robert, Tom, & Dave

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief—your go-to podcast for current conversations shaping modern mortgage and lending leadership.

This week, we're thrilled to bring you a particularly timely episode: we reframe social media from a content dump into an opportunity for authentic relationship building. Posting is no longer about volume—it’s about connection. If you’ve ever felt exhausted or burned out by the constant push to “post more,” this conversation is for you.

We’re joined by our very own social media director, Summer Boyd, who brings her expertise to help us decode what actually works on social today. Social platforms are evolving rapidly, and, as we enter the world of 2026 and beyond, trust, presence, and authenticity are more essential than ever.

We discuss the impact of AI, the importance of engaging instead of broadcasting, why quality beats quantity on business pages, and actionable strategies for social listening, building trust, and growing your digital presence—without losing your mind.

What we covered in this episode:

Together with Summer Boyd, we explore:

• Why social media should be seen as a tool for building relationships, not just for broadcasting content
• The massive shift toward authenticity and “showing up human” in the age of AI and filters
• How engagement—not posting frequency—now drives the algorithms and boosts visibility for business pages
• The practical value of social listening, content responsiveness, and supporting your community online
• The true meaning of social proof in the digital age, and how trust is built over time (not in a single post)

Summer shares expert and easy-to-implement tips for those overwhelmed by social media, emphasizing the power of small, consistent habits that can grow your network and authority without requiring you to be everywhere, all the time.

Key takeaways:

1. Social media is relationship-first, not content-first.
2. Treat social platforms as networking events—don’t post and ghost. Engagement (commenting, responding, supporting others) is the new differentiator.
3. Authenticity wins over perfection.
4. In an increasingly AI-saturated world, being real, imperfect, and “human” is more valuable than ever. Audiences want to connect with real people, not brands hiding behind polished graphics and scheduled posts.
5. Quality engagement outperforms quantity of posts.
6. Algorithms now favor interaction and community building, not static business posts. Prioritize responding, sharing, and showing up for others—especially on your business page.
7. Social listening provides endless content inspiration.
8. Pay attention to what your partners, clients, and competitors are discussing online. Use their challenges and questions as starting points for your own content—don’t overthink it!
9. Trust (social proof) is built in small moments over time.
10. Consistent engagement, celebrating client victories, and supporting your local community online matter far more than a sporadic review or testimonial. People trust those who show up and interact, not just those who talk about their successes.

Whether you’re new to the social media game or a seasoned poster who’s lost motivation, this episode will help you reset your focus, start small, and show up more intentionally.

As always, if you have questions or want to share your own tips, engage with us online—we’re here to listen and grow with you. Don’t forget to like and subscribe!

Thanks for tuning in to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief. See you next time!

Rach & Rinn

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros, your inside track to the strategies, stories, and culture shaping today’s mortgage business.

In this episode, we’re excited to welcome a true industry legend: John Mirenda, founder of Greentree Mortgage. For decades, John has been widely respected not only for building a powerhouse mortgage company, but for doing so with a focus on people, honesty, and servant leadership. If you’re a mortgage owner-operator grappling with the challenges of growth, culture, or even considering a merger, John’s journey is a masterclass in navigating them all.

We kick things off discussing the big question: What happens when an owner who’s been courted by competitors for years finally says “yes” to a real conversation? And, more importantly, what does a merger look like when people, culture, and leadership truly come before the numbers? Dave Holland, Tom Mills, and Robert Fillyaw team up with John to explore the ups and downs of his 30-year journey at Greentree, his rise from entry-level employee to owner, and the tough times that ultimately defined both his company and his leadership.

We dig deep into what made Greentree stand out—its reputation, its culture, and the extraordinary loyalty of its team, even as competitors sought to lure them away. John Mirenda shares the story of buying the business just before the market crash, the years spent in survival mode, and the lessons that only adversity can teach. Together, we talk through what made our own merger unique: how trust, transparency, and partnership came before negotiations, and how keeping culture intact guided every decision.

The heart of the conversation is about more than business. It’s about what it means to put people first, why servant leadership—while not the fastest path—creates lasting and meaningful success, and why sometimes, being open to one key conversation can change your business and your life for the better.

Key Takeaways:

1. Servant Leadership Isn’t Just a Buzzword: John Mirenda shares how seeing himself as a partner and service leader to his team (not just the “boss”) built a foundation of loyalty and stability, especially through market turmoil and aggressive recruiting from competitors.
2. Survival Through Adversity Builds Real Success: The toughest years—surviving the ’07–’09 mortgage meltdown—didn’t just test Greentree; they defined its future. John explains how taking just one positive step each day through crisis laid the groundwork for long-term achievement.
3. Culture and Trust Over Numbers: When merger talks began, the conversation centered on vision and people, not the balance sheet. The partners made sure that Greentree’s legacy, reputation, and relationships stayed at the center of every decision—proving that deals built on trust last.
4. Collaboration Multiplies Opportunities: After years “at the top but alone,” John found the greatest surprise and benefit was joining a partnership where leadership and decision-making were shared. This collaboration opened new doors, from technology to marketing and coaching his team had never explored.
5. Openness to New Conversations Drives Growth: John’s message to other mortgage leaders: Don’t close yourself off from new partnerships or ideas out of apprehension or habit. Sometimes, the path to even greater fulfillment and success is on the other side of one open, honest conversation.

This episode is packed with wisdom for any leader in the mortgage industry, whether you’re running your own company, building your team, or contemplating a merger. We hope John’s story inspires you as much as it inspired us—and reminds you that in this business, putting people and culture first is always the best investment.

Thanks for listening to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros. For John Mirenda, Dave Holland, Tom Mills, and our entire team, we’ll catch you in the next episode.

Robert, Tom, & Dave

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief – your source for real conversations about leading in the lending industry and beyond.

Today, we’re diving into a topic that’s become critical in the way we work, build relationships, and represent ourselves: showing up with confidence, authenticity, and intentionality on virtual calls. Over the past few years, video meetings have become the backdrop for how we sell, lead, recruit, and connect. But as Rachael Tresch points out, logging on is not the same as truly showing up.

Rachael Tresch guides you through the subtle details that quietly shape the way others experience and remember us online. From camera angles to lighting, wardrobe choices to body language, Rachael Tresch breaks down the best practices for a standout virtual presence. We share real stories and practical tips for mastering the small things that add up to big first impressions.

Here’s what we covered in this episode:

• Why your virtual first impression matters more than ever
• The impact of the background—real versus virtual—on trust and memorability
• Camera placement, body language, and the art of making real connection through a screen
• Wardrobe secrets for looking your best and building confidence virtually
• The power of lighting, energy, and using AI note-takers to boost professionalism and connection

Key Takeaways:

1. Authenticity in Your Background Builds Trust
2. People connect more with a real, thoughtfully designed background than with a virtual one. Your space subtly tells your story, so avoid clutter and choose elements that reflect your personality. If possible, include something visually interesting—like pets or a moving object—to hold attention and increase memorability.
3. Camera Placement and Eye Contact are Game-Changers
4. We often forget that the camera is our direct line to other participants. Looking into the camera—rather than at ourselves—creates genuine connection, just as we would in-person. Camera should be at eye level with a couple of inches of space above your head—no awkward cut-offs or “up-the-nose” shots!
5. What You Wear On Calls Matters—Choose Simple and Avoid Stripes
6. Your clothing impacts your professional image. Stay away from busy patterns like stripes or plaids, which appear blurry on video, and avoid the color orange, which tests poorly with viewers. Solid, confident colors (other than orange!) make you more memorable, and always dress for the role you want to project, even on remote calls.
7. Lighting Can Make or Break Your First Impression
8. Lighting should be in front of you—not behind—so you’re clearly visible. Avoid backlit setups that make you look mysterious or untrustworthy. Natural light is best, but even basic side lights will help. Clear, well-lit visuals foster trust and enhance your effectiveness.
9. Boost Connection with Intentional Energy, Gestures, and AI Tools
10. Virtual meetings tend to sap energy, so we need to intentionally elevate our voice dynamics, body language, and engagement level. Use hand gestures, vary your vocal tone, and bring energy to the screen. Use AI note-takers to stay present, building rapport and trust without sacrificing meeting notes or action items.

This episode’s message: Virtual presence isn’t going away—so let’s show up wisely, authentically, and with intention. If you have best practices for thriving on video calls, we want to hear them! Like, subscribe, and let us know how you make your virtual meetings a success.

Thanks for joining us on Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief. Until next time, we’ll see you—clearly—in the virtual world.

Rach & Rinn

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros, your go-to resource for everything mortgage professionals need to lead, grow, and elevate their business.

In this episode, we shine a spotlight on one of the most impactful growth levers in our industry: coaching. Whether you're an aspiring loan officer looking to break through the next ceiling, a manager navigating multiple teams, or a seasoned originator feeling stuck, coaching is a tool with ripple effects far beyond business output—it can transform lives, families, and organizations.

We’re thrilled to welcome Kristen Watkins as our special guest. As someone who’s shaped the trajectory of countless mortgage professionals, including our very own co-host Robert Fillyaw and other company leaders, Kristen Watkins brings decades of hands-on coaching experience both as an external and—now—internal coach within our organization. Her journey began in an unexpected place—the dental industry—and took a fortuitous turn into coaching mortgage professionals after seeing how powerful the right guidance can be for unlocking true potential.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The unique role of coaching in the mortgage industry and why even the best in the world—athletes, executives, and loan officers alike—depend on coaches to reach new heights.
• Kristen Watkins
• 's personal journey from managing a mortgage office to becoming a sought-after coach, and what it means to run an internal coaching program that's fully aligned with company leadership.
• The incredible impact of customized coaching solutions, including moving from three closings a month to 19, and how vulnerability plus accountability add up to breakthrough growth.
• The most common hurdles that hold loan officers back, including the myth that being “busy” equals being productive (and profitable!).
• Real-life stories of transformation, including how coaching restored balance and brought renewed joy and motivation not just to careers, but to home life, too.

Key takeaways:

1. Successful Loan Officers Don't Succeed Alone
2. Just as Tiger Woods or Super Bowl teams rely on expert coaches, top-producing mortgage professionals also need mentors to challenge them, refine their habits, and provide accountability. No one achieves lasting success in a vacuum.
3. Alignment in Internal Coaching Makes All the Difference
4. Kristen highlights the power of an internal coaching program: everyone—from leadership to originators—hears and implements the same proven strategies. This alignment eliminates conflicting messages, reinforces best practices, and accelerates results.
5. Vulnerability and Implementation Are Essential for Growth
6. Coaching only works when participants are honest about their strengths, weaknesses, and even fears—and are willing to do the work. The most dramatic business transformations come from those who open up, trust the process, and execute relentlessly.
7. Delegation and Focus on High-Payoff Activities Move the Needle
8. Many LOs stay busy with paperwork and behind-the-scenes tasks, missing opportunities for growth. The highest achievers consistently delegate non-revenue-producing activities to team members and focus their energy on what actually drives new business.
9. Coaching Impacts More Than Just Numbers
10. The ripple effect of coaching is profound: it delivers not just more closings or income, but also restores work-life balance, rekindles passion for the business, and improves personal relationships. Sometimes, the greatest measure of success is hearing “Thank you for giving me my husband back.”

If you’ve ever felt curious—or skeptical—about the value of coaching, this episode is packed with real-world stories, practical advice, and maybe even the nudge you need to elevate your career and quality of life. As Kristen Watkins reminds us: if elite athletes and championship teams wouldn’t go without a coach, why should you?

Thanks for tuning in to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros. Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a five-star review, and share this episode with a peer who could use some inspiration or a fresh start. If you’re ready to dip your toe into coaching or want to learn more about our approach, we’d love to connect!

Robert, Tom, and Dave

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief, your go-to podcast for actionable marketing and business-building strategies tailored for loan officers, real estate agents, and anyone involved in sales.

In this special New Year episode, we wanted to deliver a fresh, practical perspective on how to create a marketing plan you’ll actually stick to. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with too many ideas—especially at the top of the year when resolutions are high, but follow-through can be a challenge. Today, we dig into straight-forward strategies for building a sustainable marketing plan, sharing the methods and mindsets that have worked for us, for those we coach, and for countless other successful professionals in our industry.

In this conversation, we leverage years of experience in the mortgage and real estate fields, blending personal anecdotes, hard-won lessons, and concrete advice you can use right now to elevate your business.

In this episode, we break down:

• Why it’s crucial to focus rather than try doing “everything under the sun”
• How to pick a few marketing pillars that really move the needle (and keep you inspired)
• What it means to set realistic, measurable goals that actually propel you forward (not just fill up your to-do list)
• The importance of documenting your goals and making them visible—and how that transforms results
• Tools, systems, and tech hacks that make it easier to stay consistent (especially if you find some areas daunting)
• Plus, the power of creative prompts and leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT for brand clarity and content creation
• And, of course, we share some laughs (hello pickleball league!) and anchor everything with real-world, compassionate advice for avoiding burnout and building momentum.

Key Takeaways:

1. Pick Your Pillars and Get Focused.
2. We challenge you to avoid spreading yourself too thin. Pick two to three core “marketing pillars” for the year—be it video, social media, event hosting, or building realtor relationships—and direct your time and resources there. Consistency in a few strong areas always outweighs a scattered, lackluster approach.
3. Write Your Plan Down and Make It Visible.
4. Document your marketing plan and goals—whatever format works for you (digital, paper, spreadsheets, notebooks). It’s proven: when you write something down, you’re more likely to follow through. Keep your plan somewhere visible and check in regularly. Out of sight is out of mind.
5. Set Realistic, Measurable Goals.
6. Don’t just jot down “do more video”—instead, specify: “I will post four videos a month and host one event each quarter.” Your goals should push you, but also remain achievable. This balance keeps momentum high and builds confidence with every milestone hit.
7. Leverage Tools and Team Support.
8. It’s not just about what you can do yourself—look for systems and team members who can help, and periodically audit your tech and subscriptions. Utilize platforms like Social Coach to streamline your social posting, and don’t forget to ask: “If not me, then who?” when delegating.
9. Use Creative Prompts and Embrace AI.
10. We recommend starting with three defining questions: Who am I serving? What problem am I solving? How will people hear from me? Use these to clarify your brand and your message. Tools like ChatGPT can help generate ideas, write bios, and even lay out your content calendar.

This episode isn’t about perfection—it’s about taking the next smart step, tracking your progress, and building a plan that works for you (not just copying what others are doing). We hope it inspires you to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), prioritize your focus, and move into the new year with clarity and confidence.

Don’t forget to follow us on YouTube, Apple, Google, and Facebook for more conversations, weekly insights, and a supportive community that’s ready to see you win. And maybe—just maybe—you’ll catch us launching our pickleball league or recording a walking podcast soon!

Until next time—here’s to taking that first step and turning your intentions into action.

Rach & Rinn

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros, where we dive deep into what it takes to excel in the mortgage industry not just through numbers, but through authentic leadership, smart recruiting, and building winning teams.

This week’s episode marks our first of 2026, and we’re celebrating a year on the podcast! We’re continuing our Blueprint Series by putting Tom Mills in the hot seat. As someone who’s scaled entire regions in major mortgage companies, Tom Mills shares hard-earned insights on what most firms get wrong when they try to grow too quickly.

Our core focus this episode? Recruiting in the mortgage world. We unpack why it’s more than just filling seats and how true success comes from aligning leadership, values, and trust. We reflect on our own journeys, our recruiting philosophies, and how choosing to attract the right talent makes all the difference in building not just a team but a lasting culture.

We dig into the difference between “shotgun” recruiting versus a “sniper” approach, the trap of transactional recruiting, and the golden handcuffs trend sweeping the industry. You’ll hear stories from the trenches, why creating genuine relationships is the only way forward, and what it really takes to set up a company culture built to attract and keep top talent.

Key takeaways:

1. Recruiting with Intention, Not Desperation: We discuss why building external relationships should be an ongoing pursuit. If you don’t nurture these relationships, recruiting becomes a desperate exercise a slippery slope where you sacrifice your values in exchange for short-term production. Recruiting selectively allows us to stay aligned with our core principles.
2. The Power of Servant Leadership: The best leaders aren’t just great at managing mortgages—they’re experts at managing relationships. We emphasize how our role transitioned from “mortgage business” to “people business” and why understanding, supporting, and leading others toward meaningful change is the foundation of our recruiting philosophy.
3. Defining Your Avatar and Filtering for Fit: We break down why the way you recruit determines the kind of talent you’ll attract. We’re not interested in hiring every top producer—we want those who share our values, who invest in relationships, and who are loyal to their word. Defining the qualities of your ideal team member (beyond production) helps build a high-performing, aligned culture.
4. Why Transactional Recruiting Fails: We examine the industry-wide pivot to treating originators like free agents, dangling big money with contractual “golden handcuffs.” While retention bonuses and contracts might seem attractive, they rarely create happy partnerships—and often lead to misery and turnover. We choose relationship over transaction every time.
5. The Importance of the Onboarding Experience—and Success Stories: The nurture phase of recruiting is a filter for mutual fit, not just a sales pipeline. Once someone joins, onboarding must be intentional, organized, and supportive. We highlight how creating raving fans and success stories within the organization isn’t just good business, it's essential for attracting new talent organically.

Whether you’re a branch manager thinking about recruiting, or a company leader hungry for scalable growth, remember: it’s not about how many seats you fill. It’s about who’s sitting beside you, how they work, and whether you’ve built the kind of environment that helps them and your organization—thrive for the long haul.

Thank you for tuning in! As always, we’d love to hear your questions, challenges, and feedback. Smash that like button and leave us a review. Here’s to building better teams, better leaders, and a stronger industry together.

Robert, Tom, & Dave