In this episode, we dive deep into the art of intentional business planning, not the fluffy “new year, new me” version but the real, measurable roadmap that actually moves your business. I sit down with Trevor Hammond to unpack how top producers think about the next 90 days, the next year, and even the vision they’re building for 2026 and beyond.

We start with the big picture: the long-term vision that gives your goals meaning. From there, Trevor breaks down how to reverse-engineer that vision into actionable milestones, helping you identify the specific areas of your business that deserve your attention this quarter.

Then we get tactical. Together, we walk through how to translate those big 2026 outcomes into weekly activities you can track, measure, and repeat, the kind of consistent habits that quietly compound into major results. Whether you’re refining your systems, doubling down on lead generation, or reshaping your client experience, we map out exactly how to build a Q1 plan that is clear, focused, and doable.

If you're ready to stop guessing and start executing with purpose, this episode will give you the clarity and confidence to build a quarter and a year you’re proud of.

Have a great holiday season, MML family!

- Trev & Val

Are you spending all your time in your business, or are you making time to work on your business? In this episode, we explore the balance every entrepreneur and professional faces: managing the daily tasks that drive revenue while also stepping back to focus on long-term strategy.

You’ll learn why it’s essential to go beyond just getting deals done and start building the systems, processes, and vision that keep your business growing sustainably. We’ll talk about how to prioritize high-level strategy, streamline operations, and create space for the work you do best, so you can scale without burning out.

Whether you’re in real estate, mortgage, or any industry that demands both hustle and leadership, this episode will help you recognize where your time is best spent and how to keep your business on track for long-term success.

Thanks for tuning in, and do us a favor and send this to a referral partner or colleague that would find it helpful! 

- T & V

In this episode, hosts Val Miller and Trevor Hammond sit down with longtime friend and collaborator John Thompson of SMPL Mortgage to unpack the powerful (and often overlooked) relationship between mortgage professionals and financial advisors.

Instead of fighting for the ever-distracted attention of real estate agents, John shares how loan officers can carve out deeper, more fruitful partnerships by aligning with advisors who are equally invested in long-term financial planning.

You’ll hear:

• Why financial advisors make ideal partners for mortgage professionals.
• How to approach advisors with value first, creating win-win relationships that help both businesses grow.
• Actionable strategies for shifting from transactional to transformational business models.

Val and Trevor also remind listeners that building wealth and serving clients well isn’t just about closing loans—it’s about creating holistic financial ecosystems.

👉 If this episode resonates, don’t forget to leave a 5-star review and share it with a friend who’s ready to think bigger about their mortgage business!

Cody Hardridge has seen his fair share of success; He's been on the leaderboards, he's been listed on Scotsman's Guide year after year. At this point, leadership and coaching are his passion - he has a clear enough vision that he scaled back on his own production to help other Mortgage Advisors become more successful. 

In this episode, Trevor and Cody talk about all of the things that make someone feel fulfilled doing what they do every day. Without a vision and a purpose of doing it, your career becomes a lot more meaningless. How do you get that vision for yourself and help it motivate you toward more impact? 

Cody is Mr. Discipline himself; As a Former Marine Veteran, he's wired differently than most and is extremely regimented in his life. We dive into how that plays into his Mortgage Business with system and routines that keep him on track to success. 

On this episode, Trevor asks Cody about his career path, how he got to be a 10+ year Scotsman's Guide winner, and why he decided to call NEO Home Loans his Mortgage "home." 

Thanks for joining us on this episode of Mortgages. Money. Life. 

- Trevor

Welcome back, Mortgage friends! 

One thing that Val has been challenged with is approaching partners (specifically agents) in a way that gets their guard down. It feels like you instantly become a sales person, even if you have something really valuable to help their business with. 

Trevor talks through how to approach these relationships in a way that shows them not only HOW you can help them, but the results that you can bring them by helping them in the first place. 

Thanks for listening to this episode of Mortgages. Money. Life. - send this episode to a friend if you found it valuable and think it might add value to them! 

If you're a Mortgage Pro, you have a database (we hope) - but how much are you leveraging it to get new business? Most of us don't look at clients we've worked with as a source of new business, but it absolutely can be. 

In this episode, we walk through the 3 different ways that you can leverage your database to generate business for yourself, business for your referral partners and ultimately, put your clients in a better position. By implementing these strategies, you will: 

- Send more business to CPAs, Financial Advisors and Estate Planners

- Get connected with more CPAs, Financial Advisors and Estate Planners 

- Develop a deeper connection with your clients as you look to simply add value to them while also doing good for your own business.

Listen, learn, implement! 

Thanks as always for listening, we appreciate you. 

Trev & Val

If it's not obvious already, the Mortgage industry can be a stressful environment. How can we keep ourselves from getting to the point of burnout, when it feels like there's so much to be done in your business? 

Coach and Industry Veteran Hope Bourman joins us to break down this topic and help those in the industry cope with and avoid burnout. 

• How you can build your team so you're able to unplug 
• Ways to change your perspective to not COPE with burnout, but avoid it entirely
• Helping yourself fall back in love with your career in mortgage 

Don't get us wrong, this industry is not easy, but there is a path forward and you're most definitely not alone if you feel yourself in this position. 

Thanks for listening - if this helps 1 person, we're making the different we want to make. 

Cheers! 

Trevor and Val 

About Hope Bourman

For more than 25 Years, Hope Bourman has established a respected name branding as a savvy and driven leader with extensive background in Commercial Real Estate Finance, Mortgage Banking, and Construction Joint Venture Lending.   Throughout her career Hope has achieved success focused on Sales, Leadership and Market Share Growth serving multiple platforms including Wholesale Brokerage, Fortune 500 Companies, as well as Privately Owned Enterprises.

As Founder and CEO of Signature Strategies, Inc., Hope Bourman leads a world class Private Consulting and Coaching Organization and has helped sales professionals, business leaders and executives to define vision and architect strategies to ensure measurable success worth celebrating.

For years in the mortgage industry, there have been two sides of the coin; Fast, easy and cheap vs. local, advice-based lenders. Too many times, uneducated consumers are choosing the online "click-button-get-mortgage" option, because they aren't aware of the value they're missing out on. Those years are coming to an end. 

Ryan Grant, Founder and President of NEO Home Loans, joins us this week to talk about the recent partnership between NEO and Better Mortgage. Since it's creation, NEO has been committed to giving consumers the best advice, guidance and ongoing education in order to change the way that mortgages are done. The antithesis of the company is the online, transactional lender. 

With the partnership between these two (what seems like) opposites, it begs the question; Why did these two join forces, and what does it mean for the rest of the industry?

New year means you're starting to set all of those big, brave goals around what you want to accomplish by the end of 2025. We're not here to say you shouldn't, but let's go a little bit farther with this one. If we set our THREE year goals, then the progress I make this year is much more likely to be in line with my "down the road" goals. 

This episode is not only for our Mortgage Advisors, but also for the clients that they serve. Go teach people how to set and achieve money goals, you'll set yourself apart in no time. 

Thanks for kicking off the New Year with us, excited to spend 2025 sharing value with you all! 

- T & V

Have you ever heard of the "last mile problem?" The concept is this; When it comes to online sites like Amazon, the most difficult yet most crucial part of the entire experience is the last mile. That's when the customer gets the product in their hands, and realize they're either happy or dissatisfied with the product. It doesn't matter how amazing the process was the create this product, if that last mile is unsuccessful, your product is doomed. 

Our last mile in mortgage is the client consultation. When you sit down with a client, are they blown away by the value you're creating for them, or are they just comparing you to the lender down the street?