Mortgage Leadership Q&A: Tackling Tough Industry Questions from Our Listeners

Lending Leadership

Welcome back to Lending Leadership: The Mortgage Pros—your go-to podcast for practical wisdom, actionable advice, and real talk on building a successful career in the mortgage industry.

Over the past few months, we’ve seen a real uptick in listener engagement, and we love it! So this episode, we wanted to do something a little different. Instead of focusing on a set topic, we dove into our mailbag and tackled the questions you, our listeners, have submitted via our site. We’re always striving to keep the show relevant and helpful, and what better way to do that than by answering what’s on your mind?

We had a lot of fun with this format, and based on the volume and quality of the questions, we’re sure we’ll revisit it in future episodes.

Key takeaways:

1. Take Ownership of Your Lead Generation: If you suspect your manager is cherry-picking the best leads, the consensus is clear: build your own book of business. Relying solely on company-fed leads limits your growth and options. Approach sensitive conversations professionally, but never let frustration breed office drama.
2. Understand Your Competition and Pricing Structure: Losing deals on rate? Be sure you’re comparing apples to apples. Different lending models (big banks, credit unions, brokers) often have radically different compensation and support structures. Know what you offer, and if you’re consistently losing to legitimate competitors despite offering value, consider whether your company’s platform is truly supportive.
3. Get Savvy With Unconventional Income Sources: We shared firsthand experience closing mortgages for borrowers with income from platforms like OnlyFans. The bottom line? It’s just like any self-employment income: document it well, look for a reasonable earnings history, and be prepared to navigate more complicated tax scenarios.
4. Boundaries Are Essential—Not Optional: Whether it’s aggressive noncompete agreements or clients texting at midnight, setting and maintaining clear boundaries is key to long-term success (and sanity). Don’t let fear of missing out undermine your values or livelihood. The right partners and clients will respect your professionalism.
5. There Are Many Paths to Prospecting Success: Not every successful originator cold calls! Open houses, adding value as a subject matter expert, strategic “warm” introductions, and consistent social media presence all work. The crucial ingredient is consistency and finding the method that aligns with your strengths and target audience.

We appreciate every question and story you bring us. If you liked this episode, please hit that like button, leave us a five-star review, and most importantly—keep sending those questions! We’re here to support you in building a business and a life you can be proud of in the ever-changing world of mortgage lending.

Robert, Tom, & Dave