More Than A Mortgage

What if a better financial future starts with a conversation your financial team hasn't had yet?

In this episode of More Than A Mortgage, host Gavin Sessions sits down with financial advisor Corey Davidson to explore practical tax-planning strategies, retirement savings, and the importance of building wealth with intention.

Through real-world stories and straightforward explanations, Corey shares how proactive financial planning helped one small business owner uncover a potential $47,000 tax deduction by employing a spouse who was already contributing legitimate work to the business and using a 401(k) strategy. They discuss why tax planning requires more than simply trying to reduce a tax bill and why business owners should work closely with their CPA before implementing any strategy.

Whether you're self-employed, running a small business, working in real estate or mortgages, or simply trying to make smarter financial decisions, this conversation offers valuable questions to bring to your financial professionals.

What happens when you start a real estate career at 40, enter the market as interest rates surge, and then go an entire year without closing a single deal?

Britta Menzel joins Gavin Sessions on More Than A Mortgage to share the honest story behind her real estate journey during a challenging market, closing just one transaction in her first year, and then facing a year with zero closings.

But Britta didn't quit.

She shares how open houses, consistent follow-up, education, mentorship, social media, and simply continuing to plant seeds helped her build the foundation for a sustainable business. She also explains why her first two years of struggle ultimately prepared her to handle the ups and downs of real estate better.

And ultimately, Britta shares the deeper lesson behind her journey: success doesn't always look the way we planned it. Sometimes the difficult seasons, unexpected jobs, setbacks, and changes in direction are part of what prepares us for what's next.

What happens when you get your real estate license at just 18 years old—but don't have the experience, network, or sphere of influence to immediately build a business?

In this episode of More Than A Mortgage, Gavin Sessions sits down with Idaho real estate agent Jonah Rae to unpack his unconventional journey from getting licensed straight out of high school to building a successful real estate career through lessons learned outside of real estate.
Jonah shares what it was like starting young, working under his grandmother, and learning the business while also working other jobs. He explains why building a sphere of influence can be especially difficult when you're young—and why mentorship can make such a difference.

The conversation then takes an unexpected turn into Jonah's experience with drop shipping and e-commerce. Those lessons eventually became valuable when Jonah returned his focus to real estate and began recognizing the power of TOO YOUNG TO SELL?

What does it take to build a lasting career in real estate when the market crashes, business partners disappear, and the path you planned takes more than a decade?

In this episode of More Than A Mortgage, Gavin Sessions sits down with John Cotner, a longtime Idaho homebuilder and developer with nearly 30 years of experience in residential construction and land development.

John takes us through the 2008 housing downturn, when the other builders in one of his developments went bankrupt and he was left with a 65-lot subdivision and a $1.8 million development loan. Instead of walking away, John changed his strategy, identified a target market, reduced costs, and spent years building homes primarily to service the debt.

The conversation also covers John's experience building mortgage-free homes for veterans, his transition from homebuilding into land development, the opportunities he saw during COVID, and how he is now using his experience to mentor younger builders.

Most importantly, John shares the lessons he learned about relationships, financial leverage, reputation, integrity, perseverance, opportunity, and playing the long game in real estate.

Why are new homes so expensive and how much of that price actually comes from the builder?

In this episode of More Than A Mortgage with Gavin Sessions, Gavin sits down with three experienced voices from the Southwestern Idaho housing industry: Adam Capell, EVP of Land & Development at Tresidio Homes and president of the Building Contractors Association of Southwestern Idaho; Jenna Englund, president of Berkeley Building Company and past BCA president; and realtor Jenn Hickey of Spotlight Real Estate.

Together, they take a closer look at the real factors behind housing prices and challenge the idea that builders simply set high prices because they want bigger profits.

The conversation breaks down the cost of land, construction materials, labor, government fees, regulations, financing, supply and demand, and the risks builders take years before a home is ever completed. They also discuss how changing requirements, development timelines, density restrictions, and rising fees can affect the final price of a home.

The group also explores what “affordability” actually means, including the relationship between median household income and home prices. They discuss why entry-level homes, condos, and townhomes are increasingly important for first-time buyers and why getting that first property can be an important step toward building equity and moving into future homes.

What happens when a real estate agent chooses relationships over transactions?

In this episode of More Than a Mortgage, Gavin Sessions sits down with Tina Upton, a local real estate agent who built her business almost entirely through referrals, relationships, and honest communication.

Tina shares how she unexpectedly found her way into real estate, initially planning to use her license to pursue real estate investments with her husband. What started as a practical decision quickly became a career she genuinely loved.

She also opens up about the challenges of getting started, working Zillow leads, learning what type of clients she serves best, and eventually realizing that a referral-based business aligned much better with her personality and values.

The conversation also includes a real-world example of the power of referrals: one client relationship led to multiple additional transactions and even more referrals—all because Tina was willing to have an honest conversation about the client's home's market value.

Gavin and Tina discuss improvements such as solar, generators, and other upgrades—and why something can be attractive to a buyer without necessarily adding the same amount of value in an appraisal.

What does it take to go from working in construction to building a real estate portfolio of 55 rental units and eventually becoming a boutique custom home builder?

In this episode of More Than A Mortgage, Gavin Sessions sits down with Jake Stone of Tetelestai Homes to talk about entrepreneurship, real estate investing, homebuilding, cash flow, and the unconventional path that helped Jake build his business and investment portfolio.

Jake shares how his background working in construction eventually led him to start his own company, including the challenging early months when he lived off a credit card while waiting for his first projects to come together. He also explains how he began investing in real estate, house hacking, remodeling properties, adding ADUs, and eventually building a portfolio of 55 rental units.

Jake and Gavin also discuss an important reality of real estate investing: buying one rental property isn't necessarily the same thing as building a profitable portfolio. They talk about cash flow, leverage, appreciation, active income, financing, and why investors need to make sure the numbers actually make sense before buying.

What happens when you leave college at 21, jump into real estate, and eventually decide to develop 24 acres of your own?

In this episode of More Than a Mortgage, Gavin Sessions sits down with Treasure Valley realtor Brianna Jessup to talk about her unconventional path into real estate, the lessons she learned from her first clients, and how relationships can turn into lifelong partnerships.

Brianna shares how she went from working three jobs while attending Boise State to becoming a successful real estate agent, why she eventually moved away from online leads and focused on new construction, and what she has learned from working with builders and buyers in the Boise market.

The conversation also dives into one of the biggest challenges facing Boise and the Treasure Valley. Brianna explains why she believes continued development is necessary to keep up with demand, why building more homes can help address affordability, and what buyers are facing when competing against cash offers.

Gavin and Brianna also discuss the realities of buying and developing land, including roads, utilities, septic systems, wells, zoning, county approvals, and the long process behind creating a new community.

What does it take to build financial freedom when you weren’t born into wealth?

In this episode of More Than A Mortgage, Gavin Sessions sits down with Ismael Garcia, a financial advisor and business owner whose journey began working on his family’s farm and eventually led him to becoming a CFP, graduating college debt-free, and starting his own financial firm.

Ismael shares how growing up working alongside his father taught him the value of hard work, discipline, sacrifice, and seeing progress. The conversation goes beyond finances. Gavin and Ismael explore the importance of taking action instead of simply “trying,” embracing uncomfortable situations, developing the mindset to jump into the deep end, and making intentional choices about how you spend your time.

What does it take to successfully expand a homebuilding company into one of America's fastest-growing housing markets?

In this episode of More Than a Mortgage, Gavin Sessions sits down with Ryan Styger, Division President of Pacific Lifestyle Homes, to discuss his journey from growing up around residential construction in rural Washington to leading Pacific Lifestyle Homes' expansion into Boise, Idaho.

Ryan shares how years of networking, relationship-building, and strategic decision-making prepared him to launch a new division in a rapidly evolving real estate market. Together, Gavin and Ryan explore what makes Boise such an attractive place for families, why timing matters when entering a new market, and how successful businesses learn when to say "yes"—and more importantly—when to say "no."