Lead to Close: The Mortgage Professionals Podcast
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Lead to Close: The Mortgage Professionals Podcast featuring authentic and real conversations amongst Canadian mortgage pros. Hosted by industry leaders James Loewen and Greg Williamson, with unfiltered opinions and no topic off limits, these are the conversations you wished the industry was having.
Available episodes
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4 days ago
Getting More Business During Slower Times with Scott Rogers
How can mortgage brokers generate more activity during slower periods? That’s what Scott Rogers of Greybrook Land Development is talking about during this episode. Scott is the Vice President in Greybrook’s Private Capital Markets group.
After briefly dipping his toe into the world of finances, he moved onto sports—but eventually found his way back into a customer service driven finance role with Greybrook. During the episode, Scott reveals the biggest barrier a person faces in taking advantage of great opportunities in the real estate market and how he helps Greybrook clients overcome this.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
● How Scott found himself working back in finance and what his role is today.
● What makes Greybrook different from other private equity firms.
● The secret to Greybrook’s success and how their approach is unique.
● How tangible ownership makes people feel more connected to projects.
● Why they are focusing on the South Florida and GTA markets right now.
● The biggest barriers to gaining opportunities in the real estate market.
● Why having a conversation around investing is worth it even if you’re not ready.
● What Greybrook generally offers for their referral partners.
● What liquidity and risk could look like for Greybrook investors.
● The expected time frame of short-term, mid-term, and long-term projects.
● What makes Greybrook inclusive, and instances where they talk people off the ledge.
● Why diversification is important and how dilution might come up in your investment.
● Powerful touchpoints that drive relationships in real estate.
● Scott’s recommendations as a bourbon expert and which one is worth investing in.
Finmo: https://www.lendesk.com/finmo
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Nov 27, 2023
Sarah Mathieu Talks Mortgage Marketing Trends and the Best Tools to Use
On this episode we’re joined by broker Sarah Mathieu. She is the Operational Partner and Team Lead at BRX Mortgage, focusing heavily on business development. Perhaps as a result of this, Sarah is also the brains behind her own marketing business, My Broker Pro.
My Broker Pro offers templates and social media packages for Canadian mortgage brokers who want to improve their online presence. We’ll hear Sarah share her current marketing trends for mortgage brokers, secrets to getting your foot in the door and building relationships, plus tips for deciding which platforms and tools are best for you.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
● What career path Sarah was on before entering the mortgage industry.
● The key to breaking through the mortgage industry and why her husband joined too.
● How Sarah and her husband manage working together.
● When Sarah started creating templates and how she used them.
● Why being prepared is more powerful than waiting to be asked.
● How to capitalize on the need for human connection to create partnerships.
● How you can use social media to get your foot in the door.
● The experience that inspired Sarah to start My Broker Pro.
● The biggest marketing trends for mortgage professionals today.
● What the average mortgage broker uses social media for and why it’s a long game.
● How knowing your target demographics can help you align with the right platforms.
● The benefits of using a scheduling software for your social media.
● A strategy for positioning yourself as an expert that realtors are drawn to.
● How to leverage AI when creating your marketing materials.
● How conscious language and asking the right questions can help you add value.
● A tip you can use on the Canadian Mortgage App to build relationships.
Finmo: https://www.lendesk.com/finmo
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Nov 10, 2023
Megan McDonald's Formula for Success
On this episode of Lead to Close we’re joined by Megan McDonald, the Senior Vice President of Single Family Sales at MCAP. MCAP offers easy mortgage solutions for Canadian homeowners, investors, brokers, and more.
Megan believes everything happens by design, and that’s why she’s such a big fan of process. We’ll hear Megan expand on the formula she follows for success, along with how this formula can impact your personal and professional success.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
● Why mindset is especially important when the mortgage industry is tough.
● How the mortgage industry shifted after the pandemic.
● The formula Megan lives by and how it helps you get where you want to go.
● What it means to build a comprehensive plan and why so many people overlook it.
● Signs you might be in the wrong role as a mortgage broker.
● The importance of acknowledging what’s in your control versus what’s not.
● The personal difficulties Megan faced and how she got through it.
● What it means to “right set” your personal life and how it impacts your business.
● The routine aspects of Megan’s day and why she repeats these habits no matter what.
● What the cost of saying yes to everything is.
● Understanding it takes time to build habits that work for you, and why it’s worth it.
● How finding discipline can lead you towards freedom, plus where you can start.
● A tip you can use to hold yourself accountable and why it works.
● Why humans have a tendency to make bad things worse.
● The power of perspective and how zooming out keeps our egos in check.
● How healthy-minded entrepreneurs think and act in a down market.
● The people that tend to win even when the industry is down.
Finmo: https://www.lendesk.com/finmo
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Nov 2, 2023
Mike Forshee Breaks Down Why the Canadian Real Estate Market is Unique
Today we’re joined by Mike Forshee, the President of Glasslake Funding ULC. Mike has been in the mortgage industry for decades, and through relationships he’s formed in the industry, he decided to bring Glasslake into Canada in 2022.
What he’s come to appreciate over the last year is that performance metrics in Canada are unique. While this may hinder some businesses from expanding into the Canadian market, well-heeled investors aren’t intimidated. During the episode, Mike shares what makes the approach at Glasslake different plus his advice for building strong relationships in the mortgage space.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
● An introduction to Mike and how he fell into the mortgage industry.
● Current trends in the Canadian market and how it compares to other markets.
● The quality of applicants in Canada and what makes them especially resilient.
● How understanding client motivations supports a successful interaction.
● How to avoid losing credibility with a client.
● An example of a lender cutting off brokers and why it made perfect sense.
● Why Mike can confidently say Glasslake isn’t for everybody.
● What led to a natural increase in appraisals recently.
● How assuming your client will shop around can strengthen your relationship.
● The opportunities Glasslake offers to experienced brokers they already work with.
● Why Glasslake emphasizes staying flexible in their broker relationships.
● The locations you can find Glasslake in and where they’re headed next.
● The upfront research they initiated when they started business and what it revealed.
● Why their approach is a bit of a reverse approach and how it’s supporting their growth.
● What brokers working in smaller areas bring to the table for lenders.
● What Mike enjoys including as part of his morning routine.
Finmo: https://www.lendesk.com/finmo
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Oct 26, 2023
How Lennie Rampone and Aaron Marsh Thrive Through Collaboration
On this episode of Lead to Close we’re joined by Kelowna-based mortgage brokers Lennie Rampone and Aaron Marsh of Rampone-Marsh Mortgages. The longevity of their business highlights just how well the team approach to real estate is working for them.
What’s unique about Lennie and Aaron is how they thrive using their collaborative approach. They’re united in their strong work ethic and desire to be successful, and bringing together their different perspectives makes their business stronger. During the episode they share their approach with clients and what differentiates the way they serve.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
● Where Lennie and Aaron started their careers in the industry.
● How Lennie and Aaron crossed paths before starting a business together.
● Their secrets to finding rapid success as a team.
● How they approach disagreements and difficulties between themselves.
● How the roles inside their business are structured.
● Why it’s important for them to provide service a step above their competitors.
● Why they emphasize being mortgage planners for their clients.
● How the process works inside their business from lead to deal.
● Changes within the current landscape of the mortgage space.
● The effective tools and strategies they use to retain their clients.
● What they’ve been paying more attention to this year and how it’s paying off.
● The secret to getting a lot of Google reviews and why it matters.
● What most brokers are terrible at and the solution to implement that clients love.
● The impact of marketing to the people you already know.
● The tech they’ve tried and love—or loathe—at Rampone-Marsh.
● How to identify opportunities in times of slower or lesser demand.
● Where they steer clients who are particularly worried about rates.
Finmo: https://www.lendesk.com/finmo
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Sep 20, 2023
Strive (Marty Frenette, Steve Kissuk, Brian Mason)
Today on Lead to Close we’re joined by the team from Strive: Marty Frenette, Steve Kissuk, and Brian Mason. Strive is an award-winning mortgage finance company offering lending solutions to brokers and home buyers across Canada.
What started as identifying a need in the market between the team members became a business plan, and that’s how Strive came to be. In our discussion, the team highlights what makes them competitive and why they’ve decided to do things differently.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
● The roles Steve, Brian, and Marty hold at Strive.
● How non-domestic interest is influencing the Canadian housing market.
● The specific issues being highlighted by mainstream media and what they mean.
● The non-traditional products and structures within Strive and why they exist.
● How the private lending landscape has changed over the past five years.
● The models that aren’t being used in Canada and what keeps them from being implemented.
● What they identified as a need in the market and how it led to starting Strive.
● Where Strive found early success and how they kept the momentum going.
● The type of success and feedback that makes their work feel most fulfilling.
● The secret to finding comfort in their space relatively quickly.
● How the willingness to put out imperfect products has benefited them.
● What the future of technology may look like within this space.
● The parts of the industry that are broken and what could be done better.
● Where newer product innovations are needed the most right now.
● The importance of delivering with consistency and how it impacts the business.
● What brokers should be thinking about over the next year.
Finmo: https://www.lendesk.com/finmo
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Sep 6, 2023
Selling Part of Your Brokerage with Nick L'Ecuyer
This time we’re joined by Nick L'Ecuyer. Over the years, Nick grew from a single producer to a massive brokerage owner at The Mortgage Wellness Group, and then he made a surprising move in selling part of his business.
When Nick realized he wanted to be more than a business owner, he became a leader. He began to support his team members and promote their success, which in turn led to his success. When he started looking at the bigger picture, he realized he wanted to create something more purposeful, which is truly when his business pivoted to become something even greater.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
● The percentage of people that get Nick’s last name right.
● The position Nick took in 2007 and why it wasn’t the right fit.
● Why 2008 was a great year for Nick and his business, and what shifted in 2011.
● What the inside sales team looks like and the numbers they reached last year.
● What it means to start with the end in mind and what that was for Nick.
● The importance of hiring and emphasizing great people in a successful business.
● What it’s tempting to do when business feels scary, and what to do instead.
● Why it’s crucial to be dynamic in your business model.
● How the idea of an employee share model plan came to fruition for Nick.
● Nick’s biggest tip for avoiding entrepreneur syndrome in a positive way.
● The difference between an employee share model and a management buyout.
● Why opening new offices is not on his radar right now.
● The training opportunities Nick is opening up to individuals across the industry.
● What Nick sees happening in the future of the mortgage broker space.
● The benefit of leveraging the values, interests, and networks of your team members.
Finmo: https://www.lendesk.com/finmo
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Aug 23, 2023
The Power in Creating the Right Working Relationships with Ron Swift
On this episode of Lead to Close we’re joined by Ron Swift, the Chief Executive Officer of Radius Financial. Ron is a respected member of the Canadian mortgage industry with over 20 years of experience.
During the episode, Ron shares his expertise on industry trends and the strategies Radius Financial uses that makes their approach especially unique. There is immense power in creating the right working relationships—one from which clients can reap great benefits.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
● When and where Ron started his career in the mortgage industry.
● The original construct of Radius Financial and how it’s grown over time.
● Their unique broker distribution and strategies for connecting with consumers.
● How to know when your offering is actually valuable—or not.
● Who actually has a say on how Canadians borrow for their mortgage.
● What makes Canada a safe place to invest in real estate and how this is an advantage.
● How they work with the banks to create the strongest consumer products possible.
● What happens when they want to do something outside their policy manual.
● How Radius works outside of Canada to bring money in.
● The impact of interest rates on Canadian real estate assets.
● The evolution of the “ma and pa” broker companies and why they needed to change.
● How increased agent transparency encourages success of the business overall.
● How being efficient as a lender supports both consumers and brokers.
● The influence of running promos on reducing compensation.
● Differing brokerage models and which ones retain the best team members.
● What Ron wants all brokers and lenders to feel encouraged to do.
Finmo: https://www.lendesk.com/finmo
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Jul 20, 2023
Hiring the Right People with Scott Brown
On this episode of Lead to Close, we’re joined by Scott Brown from Ultimate Mortgage Group based out of Toronto. Scott created Ultimate Mortgage Group in 2006 with his partners, and last year was their biggest and most successful year yet.
Hiring the right people into your business can bring positive change in so many ways. Not only do they bring their own unique skills and perspective, but they also free your time so you can focus on growing the business. During the episode, Scott explains what he’s done right—and what he’d do differently—looking back on his experience in this industry.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
● A snapshot of where Scott is at now in his career.
● What they are currently working towards at Ultimate Mortgage Group.
● How hiring new staff was a win-win-win for his business.
● Why Scott is still passionate about working in this industry.
● The mortgage tech stack Ultimate Mortgage Group is working with.
● Why his clients love Finmo and why he thinks everyone should use it.
● The opportunities of working in a down market.
● How micro commitments lend to the success of the business.
● Details of the systems, processes, and client journey.
● Where most deals tend to fall apart and how Scott manages this.
● How Ultimate Mortgage Group functions like small businesses inside a big business.
● The type of people Scott hires and how they are compensated.
● How business is doing so far this year.
● Scott’s approach for next year and what he thinks will happen.
● Tips for creating more freedom in your mortgage business.
Finmo: https://www.lendesk.com/finmo
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Nov 3, 2022
Things We Are Surprised People Don't Know
Jason Henneberry joins us on this episode of Lead to Close. He is the Director of Technology & Strategic Initiatives at Tango Financial, a BC Mortgage Broker offering advanced mortgage planning strategies to help homeowners achieve greater financial success.
The conversation today covers various topics that the hosts and Jason are surprised people don’t know about the industry. We’ll cover topics such as the flow of money inside brokerages, broker burnout, and the strategies and technologies that have made broker life more efficient.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
* Where the money flows in the broker business.
* What agents have started to push for over the years.
* How the money flow in the broker industry has evolved.
* Finding the right balance of value between cheaper and better.
* What broker burnout is and why it happens.
* How the past three years have felt in the market and the impact it has had.
* How goal setting has changed for many brokers post-burnout.
* When to consider hiring an assistant sooner rather than later.
* Why Jason decided to quit drinking and how his life has changed.
* What it means to redefine value and why it’s important.
* An example of working backward to meet your financial goals.
* Why Jason sold all his cars and properties to start fresh.
* Three questions to consider for business value optimization.
* Innovations that changed the broker industry.
* What brokerages need to do to continue to compete with banks at a high level.
* The specific areas where mortgage brokers add value.
* The exciting new things happening with Finmo.
Finmo: https://www.lendesk.com/finmo
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Sep 19, 2022
Special Guest Chris Johnstone
On this episode of Lead to Close we’re joined by guest Chris Johnstone, a seasoned expert in the mortgage space. He’s a man with proven longevity who has helped a lot of people. His job entails working within mortgage businesses to help streamline their processes for increasing booked appointments, including finding ways to get more inbound leads from Google.
Chris shares tips and advice today that people often pay him for. Through the episode, the discussion covers topics such as increasing organic leads from Google, engaging your previous clients for referrals, how to overcome the fear of reaching out, and how you can crunch the numbers to meet your financial and lifestyle goals.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
* Why it’s important to get Google reviews for your business.
* The quickest way to gain momentum in your bookings.
* The strategy most brokers aren’t implementing (but should be).
* How to activate the referral network in your local market.
* The impact…
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Jun 17, 2022
Sales Strategies for Inflationary Times
During this episode of Lead to Close, James and Greg discuss the best ways to navigate the sales process, especially during times of inflation. These tactics can also encourage your clients to choose you over the competition.
There are strategies you can implement to have more effective sales conversations, and it starts with exploring options rather than jumping to a decision on fixed versus variable rates. This means the discovery call is key in setting the tone for your work with the client. This part of the strategy and the following steps are covered throughout the episode.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
* The better option between fixed versus variable rates.
* What to remember when choosing a fixed rate.
* Tips for framing your sales conversation to beat out the competition.
* How to lead the conversation into rates with a client.
* What you should aim to uncover during a discovery call.
* The importance of having a conversation around economics and metrics.…
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Oct 27, 2021
The Art of Client Retention Strategies with Matt Parker
James and Greg are sitting down with Matt Parker, team leader and mortgage broker at The Mortgage Group (TMG). Matt is well-versed in client retention and nurturing existing clients to promote further business growth.
Matt dives into what client retention is and how it’s different from general marketing. Client retention is important for growth, and he shares what brokers can focus on to bring greater value to their clients and build their business more predictably.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
* How Matt got into the mortgage industry.
* Why Matt says this career was the best choice for him.
* The difference between client retention and marketing.
* The benefit of nurturing existing clients.
* What the biggest challenge is to keeping clients.
* Why it’s important to reach out to clients at the right time.
* Why mortgage brokers shouldn’t solely rely on new business.
* How brokers can bring a human moment back into their client interactions.
* Matt’s t…
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Sep 14, 2021
Deep Tech Dive with Jackson Middleton
James and Greg sit down for a deep tech dive with Jackson Middleton in this episode. Jackson runs Deploy, a company that’s doing fantastic work in the mortgage space. He’s on the podcast to discuss tech needs in the mortgage industry and how tech, including, can be used to support brokers.
Jackson examines building the best software stacks for new agents, growing agents, and mega agents. He also discusses what the future of tech looks like in this space and the role it plays throughout your client’s journey.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
* An introduction to Jackson and Deploy.
* The part of the mortgage industry Jackson realized he enjoyed the most.
* What Jackson did first after leaving brokering.
* The one job of your website and why it’s important it gets that job done.
* How a clear call to action serves your business.
* How Deploy serves the mortgage industry differently.
* Why you need to use technology to manage your client’s journey.
* What cit…
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Aug 26, 2021
Choosing your Brokerage or Network
Greg and James are sitting down with Frances Hinojosa, President, Co-Founder, and Mortgage Broker at Tribe Financial. She is also a Lendesk ambassador. They’re getting into what you need to consider when choosing a brokerage as well as a network.
You’ll hear about some of the topics people in this industry tend to shy away from: the antics, the trends, and the lesser-known things about what brokerages are doing these days. It’s time to go beyond complacency and level up by identifying what you should be looking for.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
* The undercurrent in the industry and how it influences behavior.
* How long Frances has been in this industry.
* Why people become apathetic in the workplace.
* The psychological reasons why people avoid pain.
* What Frances has been noticing about model change.
* Common expectations when starting at a firm.
* Where disruption tends to happen in this industry.
* Why human connection and fulfillment is important in…
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Jul 29, 2021
Growthing Pains
Continuing the last episode’s discussion about team building, today Greg and James will talk about hiring people and making sure they don’t quit. It’s something that every realtor trying to grow their own business has to deal with.
Additionally, the guys will reveal hires that they view as unnecessary and the reasons why they feel this way. They’ll also give tips on meeting with other realtors and your own team members.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
* An activity to help you figure out who your first hire should be.
* Skills that Greg has found offset each other.
* Lies that we may tell ourselves and why we must overcome them.
* Accepting that hires will make mistakes and that it’s part of the process.
* How James managed to streamline the training of new hires.
* Having a plan for future hires.
* Example of some hires that may not be necessary.
* Why realtors are irreplaceable when growing your business.
* “People want to do business with people th…
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Jul 15, 2021
Tackling Team Structures while Scaling a Team, featuring Zach Silverman
In this episode, Greg and James sit down with Zach Silverman from Silverman Mortgage Group in Langley, BC. They all know one another from a mastermind group and have been acquainted for years, so Greg and James know Zach’s business well.
Today’s discussion revolves around peeling back the layers of the Silverman Mortgage Group business. We’ll hear about unpacking the flow of leads, scaling a business, creating a team, increasing conversions, and more.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
* How a lead starts at Silverman Mortgage Group.
* The different reasons why you might want to build a team.
* Why overworking is not a badge of honour.
* How technology has changed the lead process.
* How Silverman Mortgage Group is able to find out if the lead is a fit right away.
* The lies professionals in this industry tell themselves.
* Who the first hire should typically be.
* How you can greatly simplify a discovery call.
* The journey of the lead through Zach’s busine…
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Jul 8, 2021
Do you have a job or a business?
Welcome to Lead to Close. Between Greg and James, there’s been a lot of learning, growing, and laughing. Now, there’s a desire to share their experiences with mortgage brokers in a way that’s very transparent.
This podcast will cover pragmatic topics, but it will also touch on lifestyle topics and other subjects that some podcasts are too afraid to talk about. Today’s episode is all about the obstacles to scaling and how you can overcome them.
On this episode of Lead to Close:
* A brief summary of how the podcast started.
* How to know when it’s time for you to scale.
* The biggest obstacle to scaling if you haven’t already done it.
* The importance of having support in place before scaling.
* Reasons you may want to scale that have nothing to do with money.
* Common mental barriers to scaling.
* What it means to “shrink the change”.
* How scaling has allowed Greg to do what he does best.
* The one thing that’s consistent for all mortgage brokers.…
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