Lending Leadership

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief! In this episode, we get right to the heart of what truly makes brands and businesses connect with their audiences: storytelling. In a world increasingly dominated by AI-generated content and relentless marketing noise, how do we stop sounding salesy and start sounding human? That’s what we wanted to dig into today. We’re thrilled to be joined...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros—your trusted resource for mastering the ever-evolving world of mortgage lending. On today’s episode, we’re diving deep into what borrowers are really looking for in 2025, 2026, and beyond. With Dave Holland, Tom Mills, and Robert Fillyaw at the roundtable, we explore how borrower expectations have shifted in our tech-driven world. We reflect on...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief. Today, we’re especially excited to introduce you to someone who literally grew up dreaming of being a loan officer. We’re talking about Lindsay LaBonte—who, from childhood, was inspired by her father’s dedication to helping families achieve the American dream of homeownership. Lindsay joins us to share her unique journey into the mortgage bus...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros where we tackle the real challenges, pivots, and wins in today’s mortgage industry. In this episode, we’re digging deep into a hot topic that’s on every loan originator’s mind: the reality check on the long-awaited refinance (refi) boom. Dave Holland and Tom Mills break down what these new market predictions mean for your business plan, why it’...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief, your trusted stop for all things mortgage leadership, creative strategy, and lender success. In this episode, we’re thrilled to sit down with Mike Whiteaker—HMA Team Leader, Senior Loan Officer, and a five-time Scotsman Guide Award winner. Mike joins us to pull back the curtain on what it really takes to thrive in the mortgage business, movin...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros, where we share real talk and actionable insights for mortgage professionals, from originators just starting out to established leaders looking to sharpen their edge. In today’s episode, we’re shifting gears from the technical, loan-specific questions we tackled last week and diving deep into something even more foundational: the importance of...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief! On today’s episode, we’re taking you behind the microphone for a podcast about podcasting. We’re joined by our good friend Larry Roberts of LarryRoberts.com and Red Hat Media—a true podcasting pro with years of experience helping brands and individuals grow their authority in the digital space. Whether you’re a loan officer curious about star...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros—your go-to podcast for practical wisdom, actionable advice, and real talk on building a successful career in the mortgage industry. Over the past few months, we’ve seen a real uptick in listener engagement, and we love it! So this episode, we wanted to do something a little different. Instead of focusing on a set topic, we dove into our mailbag...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief—your trusted resource for building bold brands and thriving careers in the lending world. In this episode, we’re diving deep into what it truly means to stand out as a loan officer in today's crowded marketplace. We’re joined by the dynamic Trevor York from Linkspot, whose fresh perspective and storytelling skills left a lasting impression at...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros—your front-row seat to candid conversations about the ever-evolving mortgage industry. On today’s episode, we decided to kick back, relax, and embrace a looser format. With Tom out and just the two of us, Robert Fillyaw and Dave Holland, at the helm, we traded structure for a little “chewing the fat.” From Vegas trips and Grateful Dead concerts...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief! We’re excited to bring you a powerful and practical episode focused on a life event that touches so many—divorce—and how it intersects with one of the biggest financial assets most people have: their home. This week, Rachael sits down with friend and coworker Amy Malamut, who brings a truly unique perspective to the table. Amy spent over a de...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros—your go-to podcast for honest, unfiltered conversations about growing your mortgage career and leading at the highest level. On today’s episode, we opened up about one of the most pivotal (and misunderstood) transitions in the industry: moving from being a successful loan officer to stepping into a leadership role. If you’re thinking about taki...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief—the podcast where we break down the art and science of mortgage marketing and leadership. Today, we dove straight into one of the fundamental questions every loan officer and marketing professional faces: what really is marketing, and what is it not? With both of us—Rachael Tresch and Corrine Bibb—on the mics this week, we brought the full ene...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros. In this episode, we’re diving deep into a timely and critical topic: the elusive “Refi Boom.” While it seemed like we were on the brink of a refinance surge not too long ago, rising rates have complicated things. Still, with expectations for a potential boom in the next 6–12 months, we’re unpacking what a refinance boom really means, how to pr...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief. In today's episode, we're talking about our sales rally--a tool we use here at HMA Mortgage for fostering collaboration and innovation within our team. While we're likely bustling around at our own sales rally as you listen to this, we're excited to share insights on why showing up, leaning in, and sharing ideas can significantly transform yo...

Welcome to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros, your go-to podcast for mastering the mortgage industry and developing leadership skills. In this episode, we're talking about the art of overcoming objections in the mortgage business. We're excited to have a detailed discussion about how to handle objections like a pro—whether they come from buyers or realtors—and turn a "no" into a "let's talk."...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief. In today's episode, we explore the critical role of marketing in the success of loan officers. Joining us are two marketing powerhouses, Caitlin and Laura, who share their expertise and insights on how to effectively leverage marketing to build a successful mortgage business. We take a deep dive into how internal marketing departments work in...

Welcome back to another episode of Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros. Changing companies as a mortgage loan originator is very common, but how do you know whether it's the right move for you? In this episode, we're helping you identify whether you're in the right place within your company or if you should be looking for somewhere new. As co-hosts, Dave Holland, Robert Fillyaw, and Tom Mills ex...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief! In this episode, we tackle a topic that can be a little daunting yet incredibly powerful for loan officers: leveraging social media to boost business. Social media can sometimes feel like an overwhelming space, especially with perceptions of generational divides, but we're here to demystify it with the help of our guest expert, Summer Boyd. S...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros! In this episode, we covered a topic that resonates with many professionals, especially those in the mortgage industry: taking a vacation without your business falling apart. Having just returned from a President's Club trip in Punta Cana, we were inspired to discuss the systems and strategies that allow you to take time off without anxiety ove...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief! In this episode, we sit down with one of the top loan officers from the Pittsburgh area, Laurie Nelson, to dive into her incredible journey in the mortgage industry and uncover her unique marketing approach. Laurie, Rachael, and Corrine explore the evolution of Laurie's career, from her unexpected beginnings to becoming a leader in her field....

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros. In this episode, we're diving into the art of building a championship team within the mortgage industry. Inspired by the Philadelphia Eagles' recent Super Bowl victory, we're drawing parallels between creating winning sports teams and leading successful mortgage teams. Join us, your co-hosts Tom Mills, Dave Holland, and Robert Fillyaw, as we d...

Welcome to another episode of Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief! In this episode, we're excited to dive into the world of mortgage marketing and leadership with our special guest, Dan Andersen, a member of the HMA team from the Chicagoland area. Dan, an exemplary loan officer, has not only achieved remarkable success with his team but also exhibits a unique quality of being generous with his...

Are you able to take 24 hours off work and still have everything run smoothly? What about two weeks to spend in Hawaii like Dave Holland is doing right now?  Today, we immersed ourselves in the concept of Time Freedom in the mortgage industry, a subject that's as essential for maintaining personal well-being as it is for professional success. With Dave popping in from the beach for a short gr...

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Creative Brief.  In today's episode, we’re excited to dive into the creative marketing strategies of the Malamut brothers, Jim and Greg, from New Jersey's top-performing team at HMA Mortgage. We start by uncovering what big hats, funny videos, and mortgages have in common with our guests Jim and Greg Malamut. Known for their innovative approach to marke...