CONNECT by California MBA

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. In our 58th episode, we welcome Brent Chandler, Founder & CEO, FormFree. Topics of discussion: 4:04 - Since we talked last year, FormFree unveiled new branding to reflect its focus on expanding financial inclusivity in home ownership. Is financial inclusivity the new fron...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. In our 57th episode, we welcome Alex Kutsishin, Co-Founder, Chief ROI Booster, Sales Boomerang. Topics of discussion: 4:06 – What’s new at Sales Boomerang? 6:09 – What do you think has been the biggest innovation or disruption that you and Sales Boomerang have had on the...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. In our 56th episode, we welcome Michael Guidotti, VP, Integration & Branch Technology, American Pacific Mortgage 3:22 - What’s your background, and what led you to the tech side of the industry and APM? 6:27 - What has your experience been like over the past year, trying...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. In our 55th episode, we welcome Greg Pettersen, Director of Technology at RWM Home Loans Topics of discussion: 3:29 - What’s your background/how did you get started in the business, and what’s drawn you to the marketing/tech side of the industry? 6:04 - What’s the transfo...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. In our 54th episode we welcome Linn Cook VP, Sales, OptifiNow Topics of discussion: 2:06 - What’s your background, and how did you get started in the industry and end up where you are now at OptifiNow? 4:07 - How has the pandemic sped up (or slowed down) industry innovati...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. In our 53rd episode, we welcome Cathleen Schreiner Gates, President, SimpleNexus. Topics of discussion: 3:06 - Tell us about your background and what led you to SimpleNexus. 8:25 - You’ve joined a leadership team that has largely been there from the start – how has it bee...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 52nd episode we welcome back Josh Friend, Founder & CEO, Insellerate. Topics of discussion:   3:35 - Much of the focus in the past half-decade (or more) in the realm of customer/user experience has been on the front end/end-user side.  But since the advent of digital...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 51st episode we welcome 3 Rising Stars of Commercial Real Estate Finance. Sarah Bernhisel, Vice President, Slatt Capital Pasha Johnson, Principal, Pacific Southwest Realty Services Amit Tyagi, Senior Director, Gantry Topics of discussion:   3:41 – How did you got star...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 50th episode features Peter Margolin, Commercial Loan Originator, Alliant Credit Union Topics of discussion:   4:04 - What’s your background, and how did you get into the business and to Alliant? 5:29 - Where is the market at right now – what’s the state of lending fr...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 49th episode features Brad Zampa, EVP, CBRE Capital Markets. Topics of discussion:   3:47 – What’s your background, and how did you get into the CRE market, and specifically the debt/structured finance sector? 9:56 – Big picture – what is the state of the CRE market r...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 48th episode features Gary Bechtel, CEO, Red Oak Capital. Topics of discussion:   4:44 - What’s your background and how did you wind up at Red Oak Capital? 9:25 - What’s the current state of the CRE market right now, and what trends do you see dominating 2021? 17:08 -...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 47th episode features Lori Brewer, CEO, LBA Ware. Topics of discussion: 2:18 - What’s your background and what led you to start LBA Ware? 5:33 - CompenSafe’s position as the industry’s leading incentive compensation management platform has given you in-depth insight i...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 46th episode features a mini-panel discussing Sales & Origination Strategies for 2021. Panelists: Casey Hughes-Wade, VP, Relationship Manager-Mortgage, SLK Global Solutions Erin Futterer, Regional Vice President, Stearns Lending, LLC James McKibban, Branch Manager, Ne...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 45th episode features Bill Tessar, President, Civic Financial Services. This episode covers a variety of topics including: 4:56 - What’s your background?  What led you to Civic and the private lending space? 7:43 - So what is the state of private lending right now, co...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 44th episode features Erik Enright, COO/CTO Top of Minds. This episode covers a variety of topics including:   5:11 - What's your background? How did your varied experience lead you to Top of Mind? 6:23 - What has been the biggest challenge for you this year, leading...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 43rd episode features Margaret Chiavini, Regional Vice President, Correspondent Sales West, Caliber Home Loans This episode covers a variety of topics including:   3:57 - Let’s start with your background – how did you get started in the business, and how did you end u...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 42nd episode features Michael Flynn, Of Counsel, Buchalter. This episode covers a variety of topics including:   3:08 - What’s your background?  What drew you into the legal field, and how did you end up at Buchalter? 5:57 – What was a bigger challenge – your time dur...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 41st episode features Brent Chandler, Founder & CEO, FormFree. This episode covers a variety of topics including:   3:01 - What’s your background?  How did you get started in the industry and what led you to found FormFree? 5:09 – How can the industry help our veteran...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 40th episode features Richard J. Andreano, Jr., Partner, Ballard Spahr. This episode covers a variety of topics including:   4:15 - Let’s start with your background.  What led you into the legal field, and specifically to the world of financial markets, mortgage and r...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 39th episode features Ben Miller, Co-Founder, SimpleNexus. This episode covers a variety of topics including:   2:04 - What’s your background?  What led you to SimpleNexus? 9:37 - What was the biggest challenge in helping to start a company?  Advice for aspiring mortg...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 38th episode features Michael Pfeifer, Of Counsel, Kirby & McGuinn, California MBA General Counsel. This episode covers a variety of topics including:   2:33 - What’s your background?  How did you get started and what led you to the mortgage industry? 18:36 - What has...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 37th episode features Cody Charfauros, Principal/Managing Director, Slatt Capital. This episode covers a variety of topics including:   2:43 - Let’s start with your background – how did you get into the business, and what led you to Slatt Capital? 5:28 - How is the co...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 36th episode features Alex Kutsishin, Co-Founder, CEO & Chief ROI Booster, Sales Boomerang. This episode covers a variety of topics including:   4:05 - Let’s start with your background – how did you get into the business, and what led you to co-found Sales Boomerang?...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 35th episode features Joe Langner, President, ReverseVision. This episode covers a variety of topics including:   4:04 - What’s your background?  How did you get started on the reverse side of the business, and what drew you to ReverseVision? 7:55 - With all the focus...

Welcome to Connect, a podcast featuring one-on-one interviews with some of the top movers-and-shakers in the mortgage industry. Our 34th episode features Gary Clark, COO, Sierra Pacific Mortgage. This episode covers a variety of topics including:   3:32 - What’s your background?  How did you get in the industry and end up at Sierra Pacific? 5:37 - How has the company adapted to the pandemic and th...