The BLITZ Break

Episode 46 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, Phil Rasmussen, Buzz Howard, Julie Shroyer, and Justin Ingolia are back with a no-guest episode packed with real talk on sales, relationships, and what actually makes you stand out in a crowded market. From first impressions to follow-up, the crew breaks down the subtle (but powerful) behaviors that separate average producers from top p...

Episode 45 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, Phil Rasmussen, Justin Ingolia, Buzz Howard, and Julie Shroyer sit down with Steve Vasquez, owner of S&D Custom Stone and Tile, for a conversation that blends craftsmanship, entrepreneurship, and real-world lessons from over 30 years in the trade. Steve shares his journey from starting as a helper in 1992 to building his business from t...

Episode 44 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, Phil Rasmussen, Buzz Howard, and Justin Ingolia are joined by Tara Anaya and Kyle Ellsworth from CrossCountry Mortgage for a fun, fast-paced conversation that blends real estate strategy, relationship-building, and a few unforgettable stories along the way. Recorded ahead of a Sacramento Real Producers event at an A’s game, the episode...

Episode 46 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, Phil Rasmussen, Justin Ingolia, and Buzz Howard are joined by returning guest Mike Miklaus from Integrity Mortgage for a wide-ranging conversation that blends mindset, market insight, and real-world loan scenarios you won’t hear anywhere else. From early baseball stories and viral umpire moments to the psychology behind performance (and...

Episode 42 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, Phil Rasmussen, Buzz Howard, Julie Shroyer, and Justin Ingolia sit down with Gayla Wiley from Old Republic Home Protection for a conversation that dives into one of the most overlooked tools in real estate, home warranties, and how they can create real value for both agents and clients. Gayla breaks down what a home warranty actually is...

Episode 41 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, Phil Rasmussen, Buzz Howard, Julie Shroyer, and Justin Ingolia sit down with Ricky O’Neal, real estate agent and certified Exactly What to Say guide, for a powerful conversation on communication, influence, and what actually builds trust in today’s market. Ricky breaks down why most professionals struggle not because they lack knowledge...

Episode 40 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, Phil Rasmussen, Buzz Howard, Julie Shroyer, and Justin Ingolia are joined by Leslie Reed of RE/MAX Luxury for a conversation that blends market insight, personal story, and what it really takes to stand out in today’s real estate landscape. Leslie shares her unique upbringing, from Danville to Incline Village to Maui, and how her family...

Episode 39 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, Phil Rasmussen, Buzz Howard, and Justin Ingolia sit down with Tara Anaya, a top 1% producing branch manager with CrossCountry Mortgage and a nationally recognized top female originator by Scotsman Guide, for a powerful conversation on reinvention, resilience, and what it takes to stay elite in any market. After more than 30 years in the...

Episode 38 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, Phil Rasmussen, Julie Shroyer, and Justin Ingolia sit down with Aaron Ralls, a top 25 real estate agent in the Greater Sacramento region, eXp Realty leader, and former corrections officer turned entrepreneur. Aaron’s story is anything but typical. From spending over a decade in California prisons to being fired, fighting back, and rebui...

Episode 37 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, it’s just Phil Rasmussen and Buzz Howard, no guests, just a real, unfiltered conversation about what it actually takes to win in today’s mortgage market. Building off recent episodes featuring powerful stories like Success Redefined, From Darkness to Redemption, and Break the Ceiling, Phil and Buzz reflect on the common thread of vulner...

Episode 36 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, hosts Phil Rasmussen, Buzz Howard, and Julie Shroyer welcome Mike Miklaus, owner of Integrity Mortgage and a 50-year industry veteran, for a masterclass in mindset, leadership, and what it truly means to be a mortgage advisor in today’s market. From humble beginnings to building a decades-long career, and now stepping into a new chapter...

Episode 35 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, hosts Phil Rasmussen, Buzz Howard, and Julie Shroyer welcome Albert Chavez, mortgage professional, coach, and author of From Darkness to Redemption: Unfinished Work 2.0, for one of the most raw and powerful conversations we’ve had on the show. Albert opens up about the emotional journey of writing his book and the moment that changed ev...

Episode 34 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, hosts Phil Rasmussen, Justin Ingolia, and Julie Shroyer welcome Michele Zaragoza, author of Break the Ceiling, for an inspiring conversation on mindset, faith, and what it really takes to grow — both personally and professionally. Michele shares the powerful story behind her book, how years of journaling turned into a published work, an...

Episode 33 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, producer Justin Ingolia steps into the host seat alongside Julie Shroyer, welcoming back Liz Andersen from American Pacific Mortgage Retirement Lending for a fun, honest, and insight-packed conversation. From career beginnings to mindset shifts, this episode blends practical advice with personal perspective, highlighting how gratitude,...

This week on The Blitz Break, hosts Phil Rasmussen and Buzz Howard are joined by Patrick Woods of Keller Williams and Jesse Garcia of Maverick Real Estate for a high-level conversation on leadership, risk-taking, and what it really takes to stand out in today’s evolving real estate market. From career-defining decisions to the growing role of AI, this episode blends mindset, strategy, and real-wor...

Episode 31 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, hosts Phil Rasmussen and Buzz Howard take the mic for a wide-ranging conversation that dives deep into leadership, resilience, relationships, and the philosophy behind building a business centered on value. What starts with some lighthearted banter quickly turns into an honest discussion about what it truly means to serve clients well,...

Episode 30 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, hosts Phil Rasmussen and Buzz Howard welcome Mustafa Abdul, founder and owner of Jaguar Heating & Air Conditioning, for a deep dive into the HVAC industry, home maintenance, and what it takes to build a successful family-owned business in Sacramento. Mustafa shares the story behind starting Jaguar Heating & Air in 2013 with just himself...

Episode 29 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, hosts Phil Rasmussen, Buzz Howard, and Julie Shroyer welcome Ryan Lundquist of the Lundquist Appraisal Company and the Sacramento Appraisal Blog for a thoughtful, grounded conversation that blends market insight, technology, and the human side of housing. Ryan brings his appraiser’s perspective to a wide-ranging discussion on how AI can...

Episode 28 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, hosts Phil Rasmussen and Buzz Howard welcome Jason Mata, top-producing loan officer at American Pacific Mortgage, for a deep dive into the 2026 housing market, buyer psychology, and what it really takes to win in today’s lending environment. From market predictions to daily disciplines, this episode is packed with insight for loan offic...

Episode 27 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, it’s just the core crew, Phil Rasmussen, Buzz Howard, and Julie Shroyer, for a focused, practical conversation on relationships, consistency, and how to build a business that lasts. From the power of a well-managed database to networking with intention, this episode is all about giving value first and trusting that the business will fol...

Episode 26 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, hosts Phil Rasmussen and Buzz Howard welcome Noel and Shauna Felix, founders of GiVE Culture, for a powerful and heartfelt conversation about unity, empathy, and the impact of choosing to lead with grace in a divided world. What starts with light banter and road trip stories quickly turns into a meaningful deep dive into the origins of...

Episode 25 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, hosts Phil Rasmussen, Julie Shroyer, and Buzz Howard welcome Chris Airola from RentPros for a candid, experience-driven conversation that pulls back the curtain on property management, legislation, and the realities of running a high-responsibility business. From navigating rent control laws to protecting your personal life from work st...

Episode 24 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, hosts Phil Rasmussen, Buzz Howard, and Julie Shroyer are joined remotely by Michael Belfor of American Pacific Mortgage for a timely conversation about technology, connection, and having the courage to take the leap. From AI tools to real human relationships, the group breaks down how today’s loan officers can work smarter without losin...

Episode 23 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, hosts Phil Rasmussen, Buzz Howard, and Julie Shroyer welcome Kassidy Callori, social media influencer and Arbonne consultant, for an encouraging and practical conversation about confidence, content creation, and showing up consistently online. Kassidy shares her path into Arbonne and how social media became a powerful tool for building...

Episode 22 | The Blitz Break 🎙️ This week on The Blitz Break, hosts Phil Rasmussen, Buzz Howard, and Julie Shroyer welcome Liz Andersen from American Pacific Mortgage (Reverse Mortgage Division) for an honest and insightful conversation to kick off the new year. From goal-setting (and why we’re no longer calling it that) to emotional connection, the group dives into what it really takes to show up...