Spotlight Podcast
Summary In this interview, Cole—an LO and branch leader in Mount Dora, Florida—shares how he produced his best year ever in 2025 with 132 closings and $32.5M, despite a challenging market. His success stems from a disciplined, multi‑layered marketing strategy, obsessive time management, community involvement, and intentional team building. Cole emphasizes the importance of a media mix approach: combining micro (1:1 meetings, community events) and macro (CRM email campaigns, online advertising) marketing to ensure broad visibility while maintaining personalized relationships. He uses his...
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Executive Summary This interview was a year-end recap of best practices shared by top performers and coaches in the mortgage industry. The discussion centered on strategies for scaling production, leveraging technology, building strong client relationships, and maintaining intentionality in business operations. Key themes included simplicity, delegation, database engagement, CRM utilization, consistency, and niche specialization. The conversation emphasized that success is rooted in fundamentals—intentional actions, consistent rhythms, and clarity of purpose—rather than relying on complex...
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Summary Allie Lord, Regional Sales Director at Movement Mortgage, shared her proven approach to business planning and personal growth. Her journey highlights the power of coaching, habit stacking, and structured planning to achieve consistent success. Allie emphasizes starting early (October), leveraging tools like the Warrior Challenge and Sales Test, and creating a clear execution plan. She advocates for balancing professional and personal goals through the Wheel of Life and maintaining accountability systems. Her formula combines preparation, planning, and disciplined execution to drive...
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Summary: “Think Bigger, Act Faster—Kickstarting 2026” As 2025 winds down, Coach Kevin and Bill Hart challenge mortgage professionals to lean in while others ease off. Drawing inspiration from The Science of Scaling by Dr. Benjamin Hardy, they advocate for a mindset shift: dream bigger while shortening the timeframe for achievement. Through real-life examples and coaching insights, they emphasize the importance of treating mortgage work as a scalable business, not just a job. The conversation encourages listeners to simplify systems, remove constraints, and take bold action toward...
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Summary Quinn shares his inspiring journey from working at a sandwich shop in Tallahassee to becoming a top-producing mortgage loan officer at Movement Mortgage. He reflects on the early challenges of entering the mortgage industry with no prior experience, the importance of mentorship, and the turning point when he committed to taking massive action. Quinn emphasizes the value of customer service, operational efficiency, and adapting to market shifts. He discusses leveraging CRM tools like More, maintaining visibility through social media, and hosting customer appreciation events to build...
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Summary Libby shared her journey of scaling her mortgage business while staying grounded in her core values: Do your job, Find a solution, Be intentional. Her story is highly relatable because, despite growing from $37M to $80M in annual production, she emphasizes relationships and authenticity over purely transactional business. Key themes included: Core Values as a North Star: Libby’s team distilled their values by flipping frustrations into guiding principles—never cutting corners, always solving problems, and being intentional in communication. Balancing Relationships with Scale:...
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Summary Grant’s journey in the mortgage industry highlights the power of discipline, focus, and sustainable growth. In just under five years, he transitioned from a Loan Officer Assistant to a top-producing originator funding close to $40M annually. His success stems not from flashy tactics but from a methodical system built on consistency, measurable lead indicators, and deep relationships. Grant emphasizes the importance of tracking the right activities—calls, meetings, follow-ups—rather than obsessing over lagging outcomes like closed loans. He has carved out a niche serving...
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Summary Edwin emphasized shifting from chasing outward success to building significance—creating lasting impact through authenticity, intentionality, and a legacy-driven approach. Inspired by Zig Ziglar, he encouraged professionals to focus on meaningful contributions over numbers, aligning actions with core values. He urged leaders to regularly step out of daily operations to view their business as a CEO, introducing a four-hat framework: CEO/CFO, Chief Relationship Officer, Chief Marketing & Branding Officer, and Loan Officer. This perspective brings clarity, accountability, and...
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Summary Today we discussed the enormous but untapped opportunity for loan officers (LOs) to partner with financial advisors. Traditionally, realtors and client databases have been the primary lead sources for LOs, while financial advisors have been overlooked. Yet, with tens of millions of Americans underprepared for retirement and trillions in unused home equity, the potential for collaboration is significant. Chuck Ruddy, a former financial advisor and marketing director, shared how he developed the HERO Program (Home Equity Retirement Options). The program is designed to integrate home...
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Summary – Interview with Nicole Rueth Nicole Rueth’s journey in lending, investing, and wealth-building demonstrates the transformative power of niche focus, consistent action, and value-driven leadership. Initially operating broadly, Nicole’s career accelerated when she narrowed her focus to a specific niche—creative, strategic, and scalable lending for investors—and positioned herself as an authority through education, data interpretation, and community engagement. Her early pivot from recruiting to becoming a “rainmaker” led her to create Agent Ignite, a recurring educational...
info_outlineSummary: Interview with Chris Conlon
Chris Conlon, a seasoned mortgage professional and coachable high-performer, shares his return to mortgage production after years in executive management and how he’s built a thriving business using a disciplined, tech-savvy, and client-centric approach. Chris emphasizes the power of execution over inspiration—taking good ideas and methodically implementing them until they drive results. From transforming client communication with video and voice notes to leveraging data, refining workflows, and deploying consistent social media strategies, Chris reveals the tools, mindset, and systems that help him generate over $4 million in production from personalized outreach alone. His approach blends technology, discipline, coaching, and authenticity to create scalable, high-touch client experiences.
Practical Application Steps for Mortgage Professionals Inspired by Chris Conlon
1. Implement a Client Segmentation and Refinance Readiness Strategy
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Action: Aggregate your servicing data (e.g., through platforms like M.O.R.E.) and sort clients by current interest rates and readiness to refinance.
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Why it works: Identifies “in-the-money” refinance candidates so you're ready to act when rates shift.
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Bonus: Chris generated $2.6M in apps within three days using this method.
2. Replace Voicemail with High-Engagement Communication Tools
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Action: Use voice texts and video messages (e.g., BombBomb) instead of cold voicemails.
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Why it works: Higher contact and conversion rates. Chris reports near-100% open and engagement rates.
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Script Example: “This isn’t the time to refinance just yet, but the next call you get from me, it will be. Be ready.”
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3. Systemize Social Media with a Content Calendar and Batch Creation
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Action: Create 4–5 social media posts weekly by batching content (with or without a videographer) and posting across platforms (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok).
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Why it works: Builds brand familiarity, reduces cold call resistance, and creates inbound leads.
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Chris’s Tip: Authenticity beats perfection. Be consistently visible, not polished.
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4. Track Daily Activities Visibly and Consistently
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Action: Use a visible whiteboard to track 20 daily intentional calls and a bullet journal (or Win By Noon planner) to schedule and reflect.
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Why it works: Builds accountability and helps reverse-engineer success by tracking leading indicators.
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Mindset: “If I don’t hit 20 today, I make 30 tomorrow—no guilt, just action.”
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5. Use Time-Blocking and Pomodoro Timers to Focus
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Action: Block out 30–90 minutes daily for focused outbound calls or pipeline work using a timer (e.g., Pomodoro method).
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Why it works: Minimizes distractions, enhances productivity, and increases intentionality around income-producing activities.
Tool: $14 timer from Amazon helps lock into distraction-free zones.
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Final Mindset Takeaway:
“Consistency beats everything.” Chris emphasizes that there’s no secret sauce—just layering good habits daily until the results compound. He attributes his success not to gimmicks, but to repeated, intentional execution and staying top-of-mind with clients.