Cole Barlow Interview
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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2025 Wrap!
Spotlight Podcast
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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Allie Lord Interview
Spotlight Podcast
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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Think Bigger, Act Faster—Kickstarting 2026
Spotlight Podcast
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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Quinn Cooke Interview
Spotlight Podcast
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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Libby Holt Interview
Spotlight Podcast
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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Grant Schroeder Interview
Spotlight Podcast
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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Edwin Britt Interview
Spotlight Podcast
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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Chuck Ruddy and the HERO Program
Spotlight Podcast
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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Nicole Rueth Interview
Spotlight Podcast
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...
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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 equity into retirement planning conversations between financial advisors, clients, and LOs. It reframes reverse mortgages and other home equity solutions as math-based financial tools rather than misunderstood or stigmatized products.
The HERO Program equips both advisors and LOs through 10 educational modules with case studies and compliance-friendly approaches. The ultimate goal is to create a win-win-win collaboration: advisors retain and grow assets under management, clients gain improved retirement outcomes, and LOs expand their market presence beyond realtors. The program stresses early engagement, client trust, and education as keys to breaking into this overlooked but highly lucrative market.
5 Practical Application Steps
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Build Your Advisor List
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Start identifying financial advisors in your market.
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Commit to adding at least one advisor per week by leveraging your own network, realtor partners, or past clients.
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Learn the HERO Framework
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Study the 10 HERO modules to understand reverse mortgages, compliance, and advisor conversations.
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Position home equity as a financial planning option—not just a mortgage product.
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Use the “Three-Minute Conversation”
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Show advisors the math: clients paying mortgages into retirement deplete investment portfolios, which erodes advisors’ revenue.
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Demonstrate how home equity strategies can protect both client assets and advisor business value.
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Leverage Client Trust in Advisors
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Recognize that many clients will follow their advisor’s guidance over the LO’s explanation.
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Frame your role as collaborating with advisors to serve the client better, not competing for influence.
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Take Action Now
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Begin pre-planning strategies with clients in their 40s and 50s, so they’re prepared at age 62.
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Don’t wait until clients reach retirement; educate early to establish long-term relationships.
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Email getcoaching@movement.com for strategy support or guided implementation.