For many loan officers, building their own brokerage is the right path. But MLOs who attend NMP’s Build-a-Broker events often discover that owning a mortgage company isn’t required to earn more per loan, control their brand, and operate independently. Today’s big platforms meet that growing need: MLOs who want to branch out without taking on the added expense and risk of running a company.
Team lead Adam West is the latest example. He joined GoRascal with a processor and 12 loan officers. West wanted autonomy without “bureaucratic red tape,” but didn’t want to build his own company’s infrastructure, GoRascal Vice President of Operations Lexie Liston said.
The team brings scale. West and his loan officers closed about 282 units totaling $131.6 million in 2026 through September, and about 430 units totaling $186 million in 2025, according to public-record mortgage data from Modex. West alone accounted for 127 units and $64.3 million in 2026. Public-record data may not capture all production.
West said the move lets him focus on production and team management while GoRascal handles the overhead of operating a brokerage.
“I’ve seen all that goes on behind the scenes with attempting to build out a small brokerage. There is compliance, licensing, payroll etc. A bigger platform like GoRascal takes all of that off my plate for a small flat fee so I can focus on originating and running a team,” West said.
“When I look at cost vs income, just the out of state licensing portion of it more than makes up for the flat fee.”
“We are thrilled to have Adam and his team of loan officers join GoRascal,” said Scott Valins, CEO and co-founder of GoRascal. “Adam has built a massive book of business in just eight short years as a loan officer. I admire his quiet confidence and pristine reputation.
“Adam’s decision to join GoRascal is a great example of what we’re building here. Top producers want the freedom and economics of an independent brokerage, but they also need the infrastructure, technology and operational support to actually scale. We’ve built GoRascal to give loan officers both. I look forward to learning a lot from Adam while helping him and his team however I can.”
“Every loan officer reaches a point where they have to decide what they’re building and who they’re building it for,” West said. “For me and the team, the answer came down to alignment. The longer I’m in this industry, the more I’ve learned that who you work with matters as much as what you’re offered.
Why GoRascal
“Scott and his leadership team are genuinely good people, and their reputation is top notch. They’ve built a company that is rooted in transparency and integrity, with a model that’s simple and easy to operate in. It is truly rare and it’s exactly what we were looking for.
“I’m proud to bring my team to GoRascal, and I’m excited to work alongside such awesome people.”
GoRascal added a net 149 loan officers between Oct. 1, 2025, and Oct. 19, 2026, according to ModelMatch. Those arrivals carried nearly $1 billion more in associated production than departures.
The Bottom Line For Originators
Independence now comes in more than one form. Before signing a lease and hiring a team, compare what a platform like GoRascal, NEXA, Equity Smart Home Loans, or Loan Factory would let you keep per loan.
