We have all learned from the earliest days of school to rely on fundamental strategies for success. Yet when it comes to the mortgage industry, only a small percentage of executives and development initiatives. As a result, the average mortgage entity has become accustomed to 20 percent of loan officers producing 80 percent of the business. This is something that can be (and should be) avoided.Click to continue

You have all heard that companies are either growing or they are dying. That’s probably overstating it a bit since we contracted with the market during the downturn and have been thriving. But, it is true that more companies—and leading loan originators—are looking for opportunities to grow. For companies like ours that maintain national networks of mortgage banking branches, that means growing out your branch network.Click to continue

With all of the dramatic changes that have impacted the mortgage industry, none of us should be surprised by the enlightenment that resulted from the real “truth” in lending that surfaced as a result of years of unacceptable standards and guidelines. Anyone could get a loan (no documentation required) … really?Click to continue

Dealing with your existing business should never take priority over finding new business. Focus your time, money and energy on doing the one thing you should be doing every day—FINDING NEW BUSINESS. Move everything else out of the way! Finding new business is usually the first thing that gets moved to the backburner when things get busy. You know how it goes … we get a loan and immediately start doing the processor’s job.Click to continue

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Prior to entering the mortgage industry nearly 10 years ago, I worked as an operations manager for a large health and fitness organization. I was also a competitive bodybuilder during that time which feels like an eternity ago, but was an interesting experience nonetheless. Since then, I have still actively and consistently exercised even when it’s not convenient (it never is!) because I know of all the benefits associated with it.Click to continue

When you’re building a company, or even a single branch of a company, you’re really building a community. We can pretend that compensation plans and human resource recruiters populate our operations, but in reality, people join a company for the opportunity they think it represents, but only stay if they quickly feel like part of the community that company has created. If they don’t feel it, they cycle through just as quickly as they came.Click to continue

Did someone once tell you to set up a LinkedIn profile? It probably went something like this; “LinkedIn is the professional Facebook. It’s great for business and networking. You really should be on there.” Did I get it right? So, you took that leap and created a profile. But now what? There are many people out there on LinkedIn who have no idea how to use the site to their advantage. They think that simply being on LinkedIn is enough. I am here to tell you that you are wrong.Click to continue

Every leader working in the mortgage industry today knows that January is a tough month. Getting your company moving in the right direction in the New Year is always a challenge and the numbers are never going to be good. But this year is one for the record books.Click to continue

We’re all busy. Our society is a rushed society that often leaves little time for the personalized touches that cultivated relationships in the age before computers and e-mail. Those small touches included thank you notes and birthday wishes, handwritten and enclosed in customized stationary, as well as periodic phone calls for a variety of reasons.Click to continue