David Eckert

Build a Business, Not a Branch Most mortgage professionals think they’re building something big. But are you building a business—or just a branch for someone else? There’s a difference. A branch has your name on it. A business has your freedom attached to it. A branch pays you today. A business pays you for life. A branch is dependent on your production. A business runs without you. Yet too many mortgage pros stay stuck in the 1003 hamster wheel, believing the lie: “I just need to close more loans.” But more production isn’t the answer. More leverage is. We tell ourselves stories: “I don’t have time to build a team.” “I’m not a leader.” “My market is too tough.” “I just need one more good year before I shift.” Here’s what they don’t tell you about scaling: → The discomfort is temporary. → The control is an illusion. → The opportunity is bigger than you think. But you have to make a choice: Stay in production forever. Or step up and start leading. Your future is waiting on the other side of this decision. Which one will you make? #leadership #sales #mortgage

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I spoke with a few mortgage industry leaders this week. Some on the sales side & some on the Op's side. We discussed several topics. We all agreed on the following 3 things. 1. There are almost no clean files now. Most have at least some dirt or minor challenges. Some LO's are not asking enough ?'s up front about those files. The Op's teams are then tasked with the burden of cleaning the files up & still closing on time. I am a sales guy & can say that the responsibility is on us to ask the ?'s up front and submit a complete file. When we don't, we put extra stress on our Op's partners. It also impacts the other LO's that work with your processor that do submit a complete file. 2. True leadership is being tested right now. Some leaders are losing key employees. Some are like deer in headlights. They don't know how to navigate these challenging waters. Their employees see that & have no confidence in them. Executive leadership either has to coach those leaders up or out before they lose any more key employees. This is on both the sales & op's sides. Watch for some eye opening changes in the 2nd quarter. 3. Most sales people are working hard. If 3 years ago they needed to have 10 pre-approvals to get 3 approved contracts, it might be double or triple that now. It can be very frustrating. You are working harder than ever to make less money. The limited inventory is the big problem. As leaders we need to give the sales force all the tools and support they need to win right out of the gates. Solid pricing, a wide array of products & accessibility. If you don't help them win, they will find someone else that will. I hope you all have a great weekend. #leadershipmatters #facts #mortgage #DMV #realestate

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𝐖𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐲𝐞𝐫… 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐋𝐎. Most of the mortgage industry still doesn't know how to speak Gen Z. We're not just failing to market to them. We're failing to hire them. 📉 No pipeline of young LOs in training 📺 Their info comes from YouTube 🚫 Their trust in us is already low We're decades behind on talent strategy. And even further behind on messaging. ✅ Train them to build relationships ✅ Let them mold the next generation ✅ Hire younger, not just for call centers The future buyers are watching. And someone else is speaking their language. If it's not us, it'll be a fintech.

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The mortgage industry has a few things converging. You better be prepared, or learn to duck. More and more leads will be going to the large real estate search engines. Not just for mortgage, but for real estate agents. That means fewer opportunities for the LO who depends on agent referrals. The agents who get the leads WILL NOT be referring you for mortgage. Large servicers will be capturing more and more refinances. And some purchase. They are consolidating for a reason. At it sounds like there might be more consolidation ahead. That means fewer repeat customers for loan officers. AI is going to take over a lot of customer interaction across commerce. For simple buys, that will be ok. It should help to improve efficiencies and keep costs down. So - with fewer and fewer leads on a complicated interaction like buying a home and getting a mortgage, human interaction will often win the day. Today - that is largely left to chance. Lenders hire the LOs to go and get the leads and handle them how they see fit. Will that continue? Will you be successful if you leave the experience in the hands of the many when it matters more than ever? What is the plan? When does the plan start? I have my ideas - what are yours?

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In the mortgage industry, roles are evolving faster than ever. Loan officers aren’t just salespeople anymore. They’re relationship architects who create trust in uncertain markets. Processors aren’t just chasing documents. They’re deal stabilizers who identify risks before they explode. Underwriters aren’t just guideline enforcers. They’re strategic decision-makers balancing layered risk and investor expectations. Ops teams don’t just move files. They engineer momentum when markets slow down. The best mortgage shops already know: It’s not sales vs ops. It’s sales with ops. Sales opens the door. Ops gets the borrower across the finish line. When they operate with alignment instead of tension, approvals move faster, borrowers stay calmer, and referrals multiply. In this industry, speed is built on clarity. Trust is built on execution. And winning is built on alignment. Different roles. Different pressures. Same mission: clear-to-close. What’s the toughest part of getting a file to the finish line in your role? Share your experience below — and if a client’s credit is slowing approvals, I support teams by fixing that piece of the puzzle

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Most mortgage lenders, from execs to originators, still treat LinkedIn like its 2015. They post when they switch companies. Maybe they share a press release. Some will even drop the occasional "Rates are low! Call me!" post that gets no engagement. Meanwhile, top producers and modern lenders are building massive visibility, relationships, and pipelines because they actually show up consistently on LinkedIn. Here’s What Most Lenders Are Getting Wrong 🚫 They think LinkedIn is just for job seekers. It is not. It is a sales and branding goldmine. 🚫 They post only about themselves. Nobody cares about your five-star review if you never engage with anyone else. 🚫 They don’t interact with referral partners. You cannot just collect connections. You have to engage with them. 🚫 They assume clients aren’t on LinkedIn. Your clients might not be, but their realtors, financial planners, and builders definitely are. 🚫 They quit after two weeks. Brand-building is a marathon, not a sprint. Stop expecting instant leads. What The Best Lenders Are Doing Instead ✅ They show up consistently. Posting two to three times a week keeps them top of mind. ✅ They add value before asking for business. Market insights, homebuying tips, and economic takes drive real engagement. ✅ They interact daily. Commenting on referral partners’ posts is better than cold DMs that get ignored. ✅ They make their content human. Stories and personal experiences outperform generic industry posts every time. ✅ They treat LinkedIn as a long-term play. The business comes, but only if you stick with it. If you are in mortgage lending and still ignoring LinkedIn, you are losing business to people who aren’t. If you are a leader, your loan officers follow your lead. If you are an originator, your competition is winning deals by being visible. #truth Onward & Upward Consulting

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