The Collective Podcast

We all have goals in our personal and business lives, but how clear are we about what we want to achieve? Could it be that our current goals aren’t big enough or important enough for us to care and do the work on a consistent basis? How can improving our diet and fitness give us more clarity and focus? In this episode, Wes Wyrick shares the principles of achieving goals and how they've shaped his success.

Three Things We Learned From This Episode

1. How our diet and fitness impact our business (08:00-09:00)

Changes to our diet can make a huge difference in our business. Our sleep patterns improve, and so does our focus. It’s easier to stay productive when we’re feeling well.

1. There are no life-hacks or shortcuts to big transformations (10:00-12:00)

There’s no secret to weight loss, just as there’s no secret to making a positive change in our business. The only strategy that leads to change is consistent work.

1. How to uncover our “big why”(14:00-16:00)

What keeps us going through highs and lows is having a “big why” behind us. Knowing what we do and why we do it and having our final goal in front of us gives us the strength to be consistent in our efforts.

Resources

• Take your mortgage business to the next level. Visit nextlevello.com for more information.
• Click here to schedule your free no-obligation Next Level Coaching Call: https://nextlevello.com/schedule

We don’t need luck or a secret hack to make big transformations and overcome major obstacles in our lives. It becomes far easier to work toward our dreams when we discover our true motivations and dig deeper to find out why we do everything we do. When we don’t have a clear idea of what our ideal future looks like, it’s hard to get up every day and work for something undefined.

Guest Bio-

Wes Wyrick is the branch manager at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation. He’s an entrepreneur, author, and the creator of the Weight-Loss Accelerator coaching program. He has over 18 years of experience in the financial industry and has helped hundreds of families with their first home purchase.

You can get his Weight-Loss Accelerator Accountability Planner here.

Motivation is a hot topic in the business world, but what makes some people more motivated than others? What can we do to find our inner motivation and continue working towards our dreams no matter what happens around us? What are the actions that damage our progress? In this episode, coach Nate Bailey shares on finding your “Big Why” and the tremendous impact it can have on your motivation.

Keep it simple, show up, do a little bit every day, and don’t worry about not being perfect. -Nate Bailey

Resources

Take your mortgage business to the next level. Visit nextlevello.com for more information.

Click here to schedule your free no-obligation Next Level Coaching Call: https://nextlevello.com/schedule

Three Things We Learned From This Episode

1. Pain and discomfort is a big motivator  (06:00:07:00)

Many of us don’t feel motivated to put in the work on a consistent basis because the pain of not doing something isn’t big enough. We have to ask ourselves what we really want. When we achieve clarity on what future we want to build for ourselves, it’s easier for us to work towards it because we have the prize right in front of us.

1. We need to confront our current situation (10:50-11:50)

Confronting our current situation is scary. Maybe we don't want to look at our bank account because it’s easier to avoid doing so than being face-to-face with our financial situation. But we need to be aware of the baseline in order to identify progress.

1. Make promises you can keep  (14:00-16:00)

One of the biggest mistakes that negatively impact our self-esteem and how we see ourselves is the act of breaking promises. We often overestimate what we can do. It’s important to only make promises to ourselves that we’re certainly going to keep.

Asking hard questions is the first step towards finding our path to success. Many of us hide behind somebody else’s dreams and come up with generic responses when asked about our “big why.” We have to dig deeper and be honest with ourselves about why we want to reach certain goals. Otherwise we won’t have enough motivation to put in the work. Motivation comes from our cause. This is what makes us show up and work towards our dreams every single day.

Guest Bio-

Nate Bailey is a speaker, author, and lead coach at Prosperity Revolution, ManWealth, and Shield Maiden. He’s had the opportunity to work with hundreds of people and help them achieve their dreams.

In addition to his successful coaching and speaking career, Nate is also an entrepreneur in the real estate and insurance industries and the author of two best-selling books.

The average loan professional is around 50 years old, and it can be difficult to connect with clients of younger generations. What do millenials value the most? What type of communication do they prefer? How can we build trust with them? In this episode, Kristin Messerli talks about how to attract clients from a younger customer base.

Millenials and Gen Z are more likely to work with a company that identifies with a cause. -Kristin Messerli

Resources

Take your mortgage business to the next level. Visit nextlevello.com for more information.

Click here to schedule your free no-obligation Next Level Coaching Call: https://nextlevello.com/schedule

Three Things We Learned From This Episode

1. Millennials value transparency and education (02:30- 03:30)

We can get better at attracting a younger customer base by being transparent and focusing on education rather than sales pitches. Millenials are very skeptical of sales people, and the only way we can convince them to work with us is by focusing less on selling and more on helping them out.

1. Utilize texting and video messages (06:20-07:38)

Millenials are more comfortable answering texts as opposed to picking up the phone. But when it comes to big purchases, texting alone isn’t enough to build trust and make them feel good about working with us. Video responses are a great way to build the connection that’s missing from texting without forcing people to go to our office.

1. Trust is the deciding factor (10:00-13:12)

There’s always someone cheaper or more productive than us, but when it comes to a big purchase, trust is what wins the deal. When it comes to millennials, they prefer professionals who are active on social media and authentic in their communication.

The younger generations value transparency and education. They prefer companies who not only deliver good service, but also have a cause that they can identify with. If we want to succeed at attracting a younger customer base, we have to be more involved in the local community. We also need to stay active on social media, as Millenials are most likely to make contact with us on a social media platform.

Guest Bio-
Kristin Messerli is a national speaker and founder of Cultural Outreach where she helps businesses reach a younger and more diverse customer base. She has over 13 years of experience working with multicultural businesses and has spoken at over 100 conferences, including at the Mortgage Bankers Association and the American Bar Association.

Going from $10 million combined in the first 3 years to $18 million in year 4 is no small feat in this business. What are the mindset and behavioral shifts that make such an achievement possible? How can we make our service more integrated with our client’s financial goals, and not just about rates?

On this episode 21-year industry veteran, Mark Maiocca, shares how he got 600% sales growth in his first 4 years, and how he’s continued to grow since then.

Resources

Take your mortgage business to the next level. Visit nextlevello.com for more information.

Click here to schedule your free no-obligation Next Level Coaching Call: https://nextlevello.com/schedule

Three Things We Learned From This Episode

The importance of the client profile (08:44 - 08:58)

It’s incredibly valuable to understand our ideal client profile, and sit down with our clients on the front end to make sure the fit is good. We’d rather part with the client in the first 20 mins than to realize they aren’t a good fit after 3 weeks. People will respect us more for that.

Build strong relationships with other professionals in the transaction (17:15 - 18:33)

There’s a big difference between being just another vendor and being a partner. By building a network of a Realtor, real estate attorney/escrow officer, property & casualty insurance agent, accountant and estate planning attorney, Mark has strong relationships with like-minded business owners and generates systematic, predictable referrals.

Our service should integrate with every aspect of the client’s financial plan (24:25 - 25:25)

If our clients have one small hole in their financial plan, it doesn’t matter how well they are doing— it will impact them negatively. People need to know what can happen to them. That’s why it’s critical for us to provide a service that puts the mortgage within a framework of good overall financial practices.

It isn’t just our job to give our clients a great rate— it’s our fiduciary duty to go the extra mile and make sure they are protected on all financial fronts. We need to understand how the loan structure fits into their whole financial plan. Even when it seems a bit intrusive, it’s our job to suggest what is best for the client, and introduce them to other professionals who have that same passion. Ultimately, instead of trying to sell them something, we should be providing a service and creating value.

Guest Bio-

Mark Maiocca is a Senior Mortgage Originator at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation. He has been in the business since 1997. He is the founder of Core7 Referral Network and the author of What's Your Rate?: How to Buy a Home and Secure Your Financial Future At The Same Time. Go to https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmaiocca/ to connect with him, or follow @MyCoreSeven on Twitter.

We all want to receive repeat business from our past customers, but our efforts to stay in touch with our database may often be ignored. How should we advertise ourselves for our benefit and the benefit of our clients? Is being a jack-of-all-trades actually good for our business? Why is excellent customer service the biggest lead generator, and how can we deliver it? On this episode, Tim Braheem talks about the steps we should take to create a business that can deliver excellent customer service.

Do you want to be known as "always available", or do you want to be known as "worth waiting for"? -Tim Braheem

Resources

Take your mortgage business to the next level. Visit nextlevello.com for more information.

Click here to schedule your free no-obligation Next Level Coaching Call: https://nextlevello.com/schedule

Three Things We Learned From This Episode

1. Advertising ourselves as constantly available only sets us up for failure (10:00-11:32)

Being available non-stop isn’t a good differentiator. It takes a toll on our health and makes us appear desperate for business. Instead, we should focus on providing a customer experience worth waiting for.

1. Being the core of our business prevents us from scaling  (12:00-14:00)

Ego can sometimes make us believe we should be the core of the business, but this negatively impacts our capacity to scale in the long-term. We can only do so much by ourselves. Though it may seem like a additional cost, outsourcing can actually “save” us money by giving us more time to focus on high-value activities.

1. Excellent customer service is the biggest lead generator (25:40-27:17)

Every loan should generate business on its own because of how easy we make the lives of our agents and clients. We have to find ways to make it so easy for our clients that we become the standard for excellent customer service. No amount of advertising can beat the repeat business and referrals gained from people who already know, like, and trust us.

Hiring our own processor is one of the first steps we should take towards scaling our business and delivering an excellent customer experience. Sharing a processor isn’t a good option because there’s less time for them to work with your clients. A shared processor ends up doing an average job for everyone and an excellent one for none. When we get a good processor working only on our business, we increase our chances of delivering a better experience and making the process painless. As a result, our chances of getting repeat business and referrals greatly increases.

Many loan officers compete with each other to get the attention of real estate agents, but they use the same old tactics. In addition to offering good rates to our prospects, what else can we do? What do real estate agents need the most? How can we build a network of people with whom we give and receive referrals? In this episode, Rick Scherer talks about to add real value by leveraging your network.

We are teaching real estate agents to stop looking for the fish, and start looking for the fisherman: the people who come in contact with buyers and sellers all the time. -Rick Scherer

Resources

Take your mortgage business to the next level. Visit nextlevello.com for more information.

Click here to schedule your free no-obligation Next Level Coaching Call: https://nextlevello.com/schedule

Three Things We Learned From This Episode

1. The needs of your prospects come first (05:40-06:30)

Don’t think about what you can get when you call prospects, but about what you can give. If there’s a way you can save your prospects time and money, don’t be afraid to be specific about how you can add value.

1. Build your network  (13:40-16:00)

A good way to increase the number of leads that come from referrals is to help other people in your network get clients. For example, if you know a good CPA, you can ask your clients about their experience with their current CPA. If they aren’t satisfied, you can make a recommendation. The best way to help referral partners remember your business is to give them what they need the most: clients.

1. Don’t settle for average tactics (19:30-20:43)

Many loan officers make the mistake of believing that meeting deadlines or giving a good rate amounts to adding value, but this is what everyone else is doing. If you want to generate more business, you need to find out what’s missing from an agent strategy and fill in the gaps.

Agents are trained to do cold-calling and door-knocking, but this is what turns people off: phone calls and visits from people they don’t know. You can add value if you help agents get more prospects by creating a referral network. This can be accomplished by asking people like your CPA if they would send you real estate referrals in exchange for you giving them referrals as well. The more people you have in your network that you help, the higher chance you receive help as well.

Guest Bio-

Rick Scherer is the Vice President / Senior Mortgage Planner at MSA Mortgage. In his successful career as a Senior Mortgage Planner, Rick has funded 475 million in loan volume throughout the New England area. Rick takes pride in helping first time home buyers achieve home ownership but also enjoys working with clients purchasing their next dream home. Over the last 8 years, Rick has consistently been awarded Presidents Club for both loan production and customer satisfaction. Specialties: Working with First Time Home Buyers, Jumbo loans to $7M, Working with Real Estate Investors to maximize property cash flow, Equity Management.

Many loan professionals make the mistake of constantly chasing the next client while losing the opportunity to deliver an outstanding customer experience to a current one. What do winners in this industry focus on? Why should we put all of our resources into delivering an outstanding customer experience? 

On this episode Andrew Soss, one of the highest producing loan originators in the country, shares his tactics on what helps his business grow.

Three Things We Learned From This Episode

Profitability beats units

We often make the mistake of looking at units instead of looking at profitability. The truth is, we can have many clients and still be unprofitable.

How to decide the kind of business you want

When the loan value is higher, the competition is bigger but so is the income. We must decide from the beginning what kind of clients we want to serve. We also have to look at what worked best for us so far and how the location where we live influences our income.

Why quality should come before quantity as we grow in business

In the beginning, it’s best for us to go with more units because of the contacts we need in the future. As we get more experienced, we should shift towards higher margins. Fewer loans with a higher margin gives us more freedom and time to work on our current clients and deliver an outstanding customer experience.

The most inexpensive and efficient source of income is our database. However, no amount of follow-up can erase a bad experience, so we need to walk the extra mile for our clients and make the process as pain-free as possible. This way, we have a better chance of them coming back to us when they need a loan. The most efficient tactic to getting referrals and repeat clients is delivering an outstanding customer experience.

Guest Bio-

Andrew Soss is the branch manager of The Soss Mortgage Team in California and one of the best mortgage professionals in the country. He provides the vision and drive to the team and is responsible for ensuring that the clients have an amazing experience. With 15+ years in the residential finance industry, Andrew has seen it all. He has numerous mortgage related accolades, including being named one of the top 40 Under 40 by Mortgage Professional Magazine being ranked the 48th highest producing loan originator nationally and #3 in Orange County. Go to http://www.andrewsoss.com/team  for more information or connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewsoss/

For many LOs, the beginning of every year is “Day One” in business. How do we get longevity and steady growth? What are habits and activities necessary for success? How do we break our threshold and grow with systems and leverage? On this episode, we talk to Jen Du Plessis about her incredible 35 years in the business and what she’s learned from this time.

We need to be accumulating properties and personal and professional growth year after year so that we can expand our business. -Jen Du Plessis

Three Things We Learned From This Episode

Ethics are necessary for longevity

There are many people in our industry who walk the line of ethics. But if we want any sustainability, it’s all about being ethical, because it will all come back to us. Take care of our brand, it’s precious.

We need to buy our own product

It doesn’t make sense for us to encourage people to buy homes and to help them if we don’t also do the same. It’s critical to have some kind of investment property, that’s how we create predictable income.

Find our superpower and maximize

The trifecta of success is doing what we love, what we’re excellent at and what makes financial sense for us. Being able to find out what this is gives us a superpower  can leverage.

There are two types of loan officers; those who have been in the business for 10 years but start over every single year, and those who grow steadily year after year. Who we are and where we are is determined by what we do. Our activities feed our goals and determine whether we achieve them. Successful people break down negative habits, replace them with good habits and stick to their routine. That’s what it takes to achieve longevity in this business!

Guest Bio-

Jen Du Plessis began her career in 1983. A veteran of the industry, she has served in multiple high-level management roles, holds a Commercial Lending Certificate, is a Certified Instructor for VAR, and sits on various boards both in and out of the lending industry. She has been featured in the Washington Post, the Washington Times, and on Good Morning America, and was recognized in Loan Origination Magazine’s Top 200 Loan Originators in the USA in 2012, putting her in the top 1% of all loan originators in the country. She has hosted her own podcast, Mortgage Lending Mastery, since 2015. She’s also the author of recently released book: 'Launch! How to Take Your Business to New Heights'

Go to https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferduplessis/ or http://kineticsparkconsulting.com/ for more information.

Some of the best talent in the mortgage world started in completely different industries. Why are outsiders often better hires than LOs with years of industry experience? Why is it so important to lean on other people in our business? Why is it dangerous to be money focused? On this episode, mortgage expert, branch manager and VP, Zach Bleznick, shares the mindsets and tactics that have been instrumental in his success.

A good leader can always identify what people’s strengths are and put them in the appropriate position. -Zach Bleznick

3 Things We Learned From This Episode

Look outside the mortgage industry for A talent

There is great talent out there who are: 1. Not in the mortgage business, 2. The best at what they do, 3. Looking for a better opportunity. We can organically bring these people in from other industries and train them.

Leverage and partnerships are key to growth

Many LOs have control issues and don’t want to invest back in their business. To be successful and really hit those huge numbers, we need loan officer partners. We can’t do it all on our own so we have to be willing to leverage and work with others.

Don’t obsess over money-- look for value first  

One common mistake we see is LO’s looking for the company who will pay the most. Many of the companies who are paying more don’t have the processes, systems and procedures to really help an LO level up. Look at the culture of the company and the value they are providing-- not how much money can be made.

Often, it’s the experienced and top-producing LOs who are not the best hires. They typically have “their own thing going on,” and they are set in their ways. The solution is looking for sales talent outside the industry. Don’t be scared to go out, find someone great, and teach them the ropes. It will take time and a bigger investment, but it is ultimately worthwhile.

May successful mortgage officers find themselves feeling lost because our success isn’t translating into happiness. Why is success about more than just money? How are physicality and spirituality important pieces of this puzzle? On this first episode we talk about what we have in store for the Next Level Loan Officers podcast, and what led us to create this platform.

This is going to be a place of knowledge, sharing and transparency. -Kenneth Travis

Takeaways & Tactics

• Good coaching isn’t just about business

  Coaching has to focus on more than just the business aspect of things. It should also involve your mind, your spirit and overall health. There are a lot of wealthy people in the world who are unhappy. Coaches have to be able to prevent or address that.

  
  

   

• Our relationships matter

  Our relationships are important. It makes a tremendous difference to have the support of our spouse or partner. Things get stressful in business, and we need to have someone in our corner.

  
  

   

• We need the spiritual aspect to ground us

  The spiritual aspect in our lives is all about getting in touch with ourselves. When we know who we are, it’s a whole lot easier to dominate our day, week, month and year.

We can have all the financial stability and consistency in the world, but if we’re not happy, we won’t be able to really enjoy our money and our life. We don’t need to sacrifice our relationship with our children or your spouse. We don’t need to lose our health or sense of self. The stories and concepts covered in the Next Level LO podcast will help us all create balance in our lives and enjoy both personal and professional success.