Lending Leadership

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros, where we dive deep into what it takes to excel in the mortgage industry not just through numbers, but through authentic leadership, smart recruiting, and building winning teams. This week’s episode marks our first of 2026, and we’re celebrating a year on the podcast! We’re continuing our Blueprint Series by putting Tom Mills in the hot seat. A...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief! On this episode, we sit down for an energizing, insight-packed discussion with one of our absolute favorites in the business: Jeff Shealey, top Texas loan officer, community builder, and creative marketing standout. We’re diving into what happens when a loan officer doesn’t just talk about doing video and implementing new strategies—but actua...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief! In this episode, we dove deep into what it really means to build a thriving team and a differentiated brand in the mortgage industry. We were thrilled to have special guest Dan Andersen, an accomplished loan officer from Chicagoland, join us for an inspiring conversation about leadership, creative marketing, and the power of giving back. We k...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros—the podcast where we pull back the curtain on what it really takes to be a great leader in the mortgage industry. In today’s episode, we shift gears and get personal, inviting you into a raw and unscripted discussion about one of the most pivotal transitions a mortgage leader can make: moving from top producer to branch leader. This week, we’re...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros. We’re continuing our Blueprint series as we dive into one of the biggest turning points in a mortgage professional’s career: the decision to shift from top-producing loan originator to non-originating manager and leader. It’s a transition that’s not for everyone, but for those who feel called to grow something lasting and impactful, it’s a pat...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros—your roadmap to building, scaling, and thriving in today’s mortgage industry. This episode is part two of our Blueprint Series, and we’re diving deep into the critical strategies, mindset shifts, and systems that helped Dave Holland break through a long-standing production ceiling and grow his business from $50 million to $200 million (and beyo...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros—your hands-on guide to leadership, growth, and grit in the mortgage industry. On this episode, we’re kicking off a special two-part series focused on the journey from zero to $50 million in annual loan production—and what it takes to break through to $200 million and beyond. This week, we turn the spotlight on our very own Dave Holland, whose c...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief. We’re excited to bring you part three of our special series on the power of storytelling, featuring Will Greenblatt, founder of Outloud Speaker School. If you’re just joining us, now’s a perfect time: over this three-part journey, we’ve been unpacking not just why stories matter, but also how to craft your own compelling narrative, especially...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief, where we dig into stories, strategies, and the moments that shape leadership in the mortgage and lending industries. This week, we’re diving back into storytelling with the brilliant Will Greenblatt, picking up where last episode left off. If you joined us for Part One, you know that Will is a master of helping leaders use narrative to connec...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief! We’re kicking off something extra special this week—a three-part series focused on the art and business impact of storytelling. If you’ve ever wondered how some people seem to captivate with their personal stories while others fall flat, you’re in the right place. In this episode, we explore why storytelling isn’t just a “nice to have” for le...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros—your trusted resource for navigating the ever-changing world of mortgage lending and leadership. In this episode, we dive deep into the question every loan originator eventually asks: How do you know you’re at the right company? With the fourth quarter in full swing and originator movement at its peak, we break down the inner workings of career...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief, your go-to space for authentic conversations about creativity, career, and the beautifully chaotic world of mortgage and real estate professionals. In today’s episode, we’re pulling from real-life chaos—think Alexa reminders gone wrong and the hurried juggling of family calendars—to talk all things organization, boundaries, and keeping our cr...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros—your go-to resource for guidance and inspiration in the ever-evolving world of mortgage lending. After a whirlwind of traveling for work conferences, we’re excited to bring you a fresh perspective on marketing for mortgage professionals. In this episode, we’re joined by industry coach and marketing expert Ralph Watkins, who shares his expansive...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief, your go-to podcast for staying ahead in the dynamic world of lending, real estate, and business development. In this episode, Rachael Tresch welcomes Brian McGroarty—a self-described “Renaissance guy” who’s as comfortable talking title insurance as he is discussing AI, business growth, and modern marketing strategy. If you’ve ever wondered ho...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros—your go-to resource for honest conversations and actionable insights on what’s driving the mortgage industry today. In this episode, we welcomed Rich Swerbinsky, a true industry leader, master connector, and thought leader with over 30,000 LinkedIn followers. Rich is known for his dynamic approach to networking, branding, and digital presence i...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief—your go-to podcast for sparking new ideas, driving community engagement, and leveling up your leadership in the lending industry. This week marks a special occasion at HMA Mortgage: it’s HMA Gives Back Week! In this episode, Rachael and Corrine dive deep into the world of charitable giving, event planning for impact, and connecting meaningfull...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros! In this episode, we dove deep into a topic that every loan officer and mortgage professional faces—the art of “Attract First, Chase Later” when building powerful and enduring Realtor relationships. Robert Fillyaw and Dave Holland are hosting and bringing you real talk, honest stories, and practical strategies from our combined decades in the m...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief, your go-to resource for the latest in mortgage leadership, team-building, and creative strategy. In this episode, we sit down with one of the mortgage industry’s most dynamic family duos: Deanne “the Mortgage Mom” Katsaros and her son, Tom Katsaros of GreenTree Mortgage, a partner of HMA Mortgage. From catering weddings to closing loans, we e...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros. With back-to-school season in full swing and college football kicking off, we started to reflect on one of the quirks of our profession: almost no one grows up aspiring to be a mortgage loan officer. The vast majority of us, ourselves included, stumbled into this industry rather than charting a deliberate course here. So, Tom and Dave got toge...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief—your resource for real talk about the mortgage industry’s behind-the-scenes realities. Today, we’re jumping into a topic that’s critically important for every loan officer: What should your marketing department actually be doing for you? Whether you’re an industry veteran or building your book, this episode is all about evaluating marketing su...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros, where we dive deep into what makes the mortgage and lending industries truly tick. In today’s episode, we’re celebrating a milestone—our first-ever guest! We sat down with Will Eubanks, the founder and owner of EA Appraisals, to explore what genuine partnership looks like in our business and how one expertly executed cold call blossomed into o...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief, where we dive deep into the real drivers of growth for mortgage professionals, leaders, and their teams. Today, we’re thrilled to bring you a conversation that we’ve been looking forward to for some time. We’re joined by Irene Duford, founder and CEO of Loan Team Training and an experienced coach who has spent decades in the mortgage business...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros—your go-to source for real talk on leadership, recruiting, and building successful teams in the mortgage industry. This week, we dove deep into one of the most commonly misunderstood (and, honestly, daunting) aspects of being a branch manager: RECRUITING. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “Why isn’t my company recruiting loan officers fo...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief. In our latest episode, we’re diving into a topic our audience asks about all the time: event planning. We know great events don’t just happen—they’re meticulously crafted and strategically funded, often supported by thoughtful sponsorships. To help us unpack the “what, why, and how” of event planning, we welcomed a very special guest: Melanie...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros, your go-to source for real talk about thriving in today’s mortgage industry. We just hit the halfway point of the year, so in this episode, we’re laser-focused on the power (and necessity) of a mid-year business plan review for loan officers. A lot of us are feeling that “summer swagger,” but we caution against getting too comfortable—complace...