Building Bigger Lives

This episode of the Building Bigger Lives podcast features Michael Regan and Kathryn Pedersen interviewing Russ Laing, a top-producing mortgage professional at Network Funding who has closed over $100 million annually multiple times. Russ shares his authentic business approach that focuses on old-fashioned relationship building, transparency, and doing what's right for clients rather than chasing...

In this episode, Michael Regan and Kathryn Pedersen discuss the importance of using halftime as a strategic opportunity for business reflection and course correction heading into the second half of the year. They explore two mindset scenarios for business owners at halftime: winning teams who need to identify what's working and make slight improvements, versus losing teams who may be struggling wi...

In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Kathryn and Michael discuss Michael's recent trip to Italy, focusing on the planning process and experiences during the journey. Michael explains how the trip was planned about a year in advance after friends recommended a Culture Discovery vacation package to the Amalfi Coast, which he and his wife Lori booked along with another couple from Sc...

This episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast features a book club episode discussing "Unreasonable Hospitality" by Will Guidara. Kathryn and Michael explore key takeaways from the book, including creating memorable experiences through personalized gestures, the importance of serving both customers and team members with excellence, and the value of asking thoughtful questions to understand cli...

In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Michael and Kathryn discuss the role of a trainer in leadership, expanding on a previous podcast episode about the four roles of leaders. They explore the mindset, skill set, and tool set needed for effective training, emphasizing the importance of designing systems and frameworks, using visual aids like PowerPoint and Excel, and adapting to on...

In today's episode, Michael Regan and Kathryn Pedersen discuss the importance of changing one's mind in response to innovation and personal growth. They explore how innovation, whether driven by technology or process improvements, often forces individuals to reassess their approaches in business and personal relationships. The hosts share examples of how they've adapted to changes over the years,...

This episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast features Michael Regan, Kathryn Pedersen, and Greg Harkavy discussing the Building Champions Experience (BCE), an immersive coaching event returning in September 2026 after a seven-year hiatus. Greg, an original coach and co-owner, explained that BCE was created in 2008 as a structured experience focused on three elements: reflect, connect, and pla...

In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Kathryn and Michael discuss the distinction between membership and sponsorship in leadership development, based on a HousingWire session Kathryn attended. They define mentorship as providing guidance and advice through a formal or informal relationship, while sponsorship involves actively advocating for someone's advancement or opportunities, p...

In today's episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Michael and Kathryn discuss the newly coined term "otrovert," introduced by psychiatrist Dr. Rami Kaminski, which describes individuals who are independent thinkers and excel at one-on-one connections but feel disconnected from groups and resist groupthink. They explore how otroverts differ from introverts and extroverts, noting that while i...

In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Michael Regan and Kathryn Pedersen discuss their reflections on the HousingWire Gathering in Austin, Texas. They highlight key takeaways from various speakers, including Jason Mitchell from the top independent real estate group, who emphasized the importance of bringing value to agents to retain talent. Kathryn and Michael also discuss insights...

In this episode of the Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Michael Regan and Kathryn Pedersen discuss Michael Hyatt's book "Free to Focus." They explore key concepts from the book, including the importance of stopping to evaluate priorities, protecting energy rather than just time, and using a productivity compass to focus on tasks in the "desire zone." The discussion covers Hyatt's five levels of dele...

In this episode of the Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Michael and Kathryn preview the upcoming HousingWire Gathering 2026 event in Austin, Texas, scheduled for April 27-30. They discuss their positive experiences from previous years, highlighting the event's unique format where HousingWire journalists focus on drawing out stories from guests rather than typical sales-focused presentations. Key spe...

In this episode of the Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Michael Regan and Kathryn Peterson discuss the distinction between loan officers and mortgage advisors in the housing industry. They explore how titles impact customer perception and the importance of asking thoughtful questions to build trust and provide value beyond transactional services, particularly focusing on the titles "mortgage advisor...

In this episode, Kathryn Pedersen and Michael Regan discuss client touch points and post-closing experiences in the mortgage industry. Kathryn shares how she received a request from an insurance agent about the systems she uses for client follow-up, which inspired this podcast episode. They explore the importance of maintaining personal connections with clients beyond the initial loan process, inc...

In this episode, Kathryn and Michael discuss four key leadership roles that leaders can play: advisor, trainer, manager, and coach. They explain the differences between these roles, using examples like seeking advice versus training on specific topics like P&L management. The discussion highlights how leaders often default to certain roles based on their natural tendencies and ego, but emphasizes...

In this week's episode of the Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Kathryn and Michael discuss creating predictable performance in an unpredictable housing market. They explore how leaders can develop flexible systems and manage teams through change by focusing on controllable factors like attitude, cross-training, and backup plans. Michael emphasizes the importance of having a growth mindset and prepar...

This episode focuses on the impact of AI in the housing industry, specifically in mortgage underwriting, following Better's announcement of automating the process in 47 seconds without human intervention. Michael and Kathryn discuss the implications of AI on job roles, emphasizing speed and efficiency improvements while addressing concerns about job displacement. They explore how AI could free up...

In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Michael and Kathryn discuss the concept of "essentialism" and the importance of slowing down to think and make meaningful decisions. The idea originates in the book "Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less" by Greg McKeown.    Essentialism emphasizes the importance of simplicity and clarity in communication. Kathryn and Michael explore ho...

[This episode serves as a follow-up to last week's episode 109: "Are You Caught in the Drift?" offering a more industry-specific perspective on navigating career changes in real estate and mortgage sectors.] In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Kathryn and Michael discuss the concept of career drift, particularly in the mortgage and real estate industries. They explore how profess...

Michael and Kathryn discuss the concept of "the drift" in this episode of Building Bigger Lives, exploring how it can affect both personal and professional life. They explain that the drift occurs when individuals lose their sense of direction or purpose, often due to a combination of complacency and unnoticed gradual changes. Michael shares examples of how the drift can manifest in various aspect...

Welcome to the Building Bigger Lives Podcast! This episode features Jason Mata, a mortgage education leader who discusses his journey from working in consumer finance to creating Mortgage Educate, which provides homebuyer education classes across the country. Jason explains how he started with small workshops in Sacramento and expanded to working with 16 universities, hosting over 60 classes annua...

In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Michael and Kathryn explore the concept of time blocking for entrepreneurial leaders, discussing its practicality and importance in managing schedules and creating consistent habits. They cover various aspects of time management, including the value of white space, establishing routines, and aligning tasks with energy levels and team schedules....

Welcome to the Building Bigger Lives Podcast. This episode features Frank Blakeley, who shares his journey from a fitness industry background to becoming a successful mortgage professional in Orange County, California. Frank discusses how he transitioned from personal training to mortgage lending after realizing the fitness industry's focus on numbers over client service wasn't aligning with his v...

In this episode of The Building Bigger Lives Podcast, Kathryn and Michael discuss the importance of choosing a clear and focused theme for business planning, emphasizing how themes help align team members and guide decision-making processes. They explore various strategies for developing and simplifying themes, including collaborative approaches and visual representations, while highlighting the d...

Today's episode of The Building Bigger Lives podcast features Michelle Berman-Michael, a national keynote speaker and business strategist who helps professionals use social media for revenue-generating connections. Michelle is the founder of Beyond the Method, a platform that helps mortgage and real estate professionals use social media for revenue-generating connections. She discusses her approac...