Next Level, a coaching company dedicated to training and empowering loan officers, is expanding its reach with the acquisition of Academy 18 and two new partners, Kyle Draper and Landan Hale.
"Kyle and Landan bring a wealth of experience and innovation to Next Level. Their expertise in coaching and entrepreneurship combined with the unique approach of Academy 18, aligns perfectly with our vision for the future," Next Level CEO Shane Kidwell said.
Draper and Hale are not loan originators like Kidwell and Next Level co-founder Sean Zalmanoff. Kidwell said Friday that they are trying to make it "industry agnostic," but not stray too far afield from mortgage, real estate, and insurance.
"Loan officer are entrepreneurs at heart and we're bringing that entrepreneurial spirit to the agency," Kidwell said. "Everyone will still be able to get industry specific trainings."
Draper, a pastor and business owner from Texas, is widely recognized for his approach to social media marketing and personal branding, making substantial strides in the coaching industry. He owns a virtual assistant company and has owned a roofing company. According to Kidwell he has numerous industry accolades and his public speaking engagements highlight his unwavering commitment to helping professionals enhance their online presence.
Hale, on the other hand, has a real estate company with over 100 agents. Kidwell said he brings to the table a unique combination of leadership and strategic planning skills honed throughout his career, dedicated to driving success and innovation in sales and marketing.
"He was also a top real estate agent so it wasn't as if he just would coach other people about how to be successful," Kidwell said in a video post introducing the two.
While Draper and Hale are joining the team, it's also bidding adieu to its founding members, Kellen Vaughan and Kenneth Travis.
Next Level LO was founded in 2017 when Vaughan and Travis were new to the mortgage business.
"It's always been a fundamental belief that we make better coaches and mentors when we're actively in the business," Vaughan told Lone Star LO last year. The two began coaching other lenders one-on-one and had a clientele of about two dozen loan officers at the cost of $1,800 a month for two one-hour calls per month.
Kidwell and Zalmanoff were also co-founders of the business.
In a video post on LinkedIn, Travis said it's "bittersweet" to be stepping away from the business. He cited both personal and professional reasons for stepping aside. He said he wants to dedicate more time to growing his mortgage business and has every confidence in Kidwell and Zalmanoff to lead the company into the future.
"This isn't good bye, it's see you later," Travis said.
In a press release, Next Level expressed its heartfelt gratitude to "outgoing partners" Vaughan and Travis for their "invaluable contributions since the company's inception. Their dedication and insights have played a pivotal role in the growth and success of Next Level."
