MORTGAGEEXECUTIVE

www.mortgageexecutivemagazine.com 2014

Turning Adversity Into Advantage

TOP 100
THE FASTEST WAY
TO INCREASE
MORTGAGEORIGINATIONS
GUARANTEED
MORTGAGE COMPANIES
In America 2013

MASTERMIND 2014
JUNE 4–5

Anthony Robbins
LIVE IN LAS VEGAS
Learn the Critical Money
To Build a Profitable
Join These Industry Leaders at The Palm

Tony Robbins
Peak Performance Strategist

ANTHONY ROBBINS is a world-renowned business leader and turn-around

expert. Tony will share unique business solutions to help you grow your
business 30-100% in the next 12 months. Discover how to manage your time
and priorities to grow your business, not drag it down. Tony will teach you the
seven forces of business mastery that have allowed thousands of businesses
to thrive despite one of the worst economies in history. Training that allows
your business to develop, grow and succeed—in any economy.
His nonprofit Anthony Robbins Foundation provides assistance to inner-city
youth, senior citizens, and the homeless, and feeds more than three million
people in 56 countries every year through its international holiday “Basket
Brigade.” Robbins has directly impacted the lives of more than 50 million
people from over 100 countries with his best-selling books, multimedia and
health products, public speaking engagements, and live events.
For the past three decades, Anthony Robbins has served as an advisor
to leaders around the world. Robbins has produced the #1-selling audio
coaching system of all time with over 40 million sold. Robbins has been
honored by Accenture as one of the “Top 50 Business Intellectuals in the
World”; by Harvard Business Press as one of the “Top 200 Business Gurus”;
by American Express as one of the “Top Six Business Leaders in the World”
to coach its entrepreneurial clients; and by Forbes as a Top 100 Celebrity with
an estimated net worth of nearly $400 million.

Register Today • 866.304.8319

y Making Skills You Need
e Mortgage Business!
ms Hotel • Las Vegas • June 4 – 5, 2014
Steven Marshall
Founder of Mastermind Summit
STEVEN MARSHALL will share the critical money making
skills you need to build a profitable mortgage business. Steven
will reveal his complete guide for a successful $1.5 billion
origination career. When the mortgage industry imploded
in 2008, Steven had to rebuild his personal production. By
2010 he closed over $100 Million again. Previously, Mortgage
Originator Magazine ranked Steven the #16 originator
nationally and the #1 mortgage originator in Washington
for six years in a row. He is the CEO of Mortgage Executive
Magazine, the Founder of Mastermind Summit and a Partner
at Cobalt Mortgage.
Rick Ruby
Founder of The Core
RICK RUBY will teach you the five critical steps to creating
a profitable business. Learn how to structure your business
and build an origination team to help you to double and even
triple your income. Rick Ruby was a top loan officer from
1984 until 2007. He currently manages a profitable mortgage
company in Michigan, as well as mortgage offices in Cornelius
and Charlotte, NC. Rick has taken all of his mortgage expertise
to start The CORE Training, Inc. 11 years ago to help people
accumulate wealth, net more money and build tighter teams.
MastermindSummit.com
Barry Habib
Founder of MBS Highway
BARRY HABIB will share the five specific steps that are
GUARANTEED to exponentially grow your mortgage
production and personal income immediately. Barry is the
Founder MBS Highway. Barry is one of the most recognized
speakers in the mortgage industry. He was recognized
as one of the top 10 mortgage professionals in the United
States. He closed over $2 Billion in production as a Loan
Originator, called the bottom of the Housing Market and
currently provides sales and market training to thousands of
Loan Originators across the country.
Dave Savage
Founder Mortgage Coach
DAVE SAVAGE will share the two mental triggers top
producers use to multiply their commissions and referrals.
Dave will teach the “The Art of Referrals,” as step–by–step
system he used to manage hundreds of CPAs & Financial
Advisors, which generated $962,000 in one year. Dave is
the Founder & CEO of Mortgage Coach. Over 22,000 loan
officers have used The Mortgage Coach’s flagship software
to increase their success and help homeowners make more
informed decisions.
2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    1 
 The Fastest Way to Increase
Mortgage Originations Guaranteed.

Greg Frost Jim McMahan Cindy Ertman Manuel Corral

PRMI Benchmark Mortgage RPM Mortgage GEM Mortgage
Learn Greg’s system Learn how to Learn how to build Learn how to build
that allowed him to exponentially grow a $70m personal a $70m personal
be the FIRST $1 billion your business in business & manage a production team
originator 90 days top producing branch

Dave Jaffe Calum Ross “Hammer” Helmer Ken DeLeon

On Q Financial Verico Mortgage First Priority Financial Keller Williams
Learn the Money Learn the $100m Learn scripts to close #1 agent in the US
Making Blue-Print of systems of Canada’s more rate shoppers per WSJ (out of 1.2
a $154m Mortgage top producer million agents)
Originator

Michael Maher John Abraham Amanda Sessa Michael Groff

#1 Best Selling Author
Learn from North
America’s most
referred Real Estate
Professional
Associated Bank SWBC Wallick & Volk
Learn how to close Learn the critical Learn how to build a
$100m year after year systems to balance $1 Billion company
$76m of production
with being a
great mom

Register Today • 866.304.8319

  2    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014
 Join $100 Million Originators, $8 Billion Banking Executives,
Bootstrappin’ Mortgage Entrepreneurs and Top Producers earning
$500,000 to over $5,000,000. In short, the perfect combo to
help you grow your mortgage business.

Shayla Gifford Frank Garay Brian Stevens Tim Braheem

Guild Mortgage National RE Post National RE Post Performance
Learn how to generate Learn the secrets of Learn how he Experts
50+ leads per month video blogging generated 6.3 million Make a transformation
from seminars blog views last year change in your
business & personal life

Scott Foreman Michael Smalley Tim Broadhurst Don Goettling

NJ Lenders Waterstone On Q Financial Cherry Creek
Learn how he grew his Mortgage Learn the “New Rules” Mortgage
income from $300k to Learn cutting edge for origination success Learn how to target
$3m in 4 years origination strategies top producing
that drive results Realtors

Chad Melin Fred Arnold John Weller Joe Caltabiano

Academy Mortgage American Pacific Megastar Financial Guaranteed Rate
Learn how to grow Step by step advice Learn how to grow Learn the $223m
your purchase for creating a your list of referral system of one of the
business exponentially successful mortgage partners top 10 originators in
business the U.S.

MastermindSummit.com 2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    3 

 MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE Turning Adversity Into Advantage

10 22 47 52

MortgageExecutiveMagazine.com
CONTENTS 2014

07 Founders Letter
A Bridge to Success
by Steven Marshall
18 Originator
Billion Dollar
Secrets
by Steven Marshall
47 Whatever It Takes
 he Keys To Unlocking a
T
Can-Do Attitude
by Dr. John C. Maxwell

08 Real Estate
Market Update 22 Why Don’t You
Net $1M As A
Loan Originator? 52 Tony Robbins:
Success Secrets
Tony Answers Some

10 American
by Rick Ruby
Chris Gardner: An Questions About Failure
Dream And Success…

29 Capture
Behind The Scenes by Steven Marshall
Pursuit of Happyness
by Chris Gardner
Opportunities

58 And
Cultivate Big Future Prospect
Relationships
by Dan Sullivan Protect
by Greg Frost

TOP 100
38
Mortgage Companies
In America 2013

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    5 


A Bridge To Success
I
n any profession, there are two groups: the ultra-suc-
cessful and the ordinary. The ultra-successful are the
elite. They achieve the most success as defined by
any measure, including but not limited to income.
For every ultra-successful sales person in any profession,
there are a thousand, ten thousand, one hundred thou-
sand ordinary sales people.
The same is certainly true of the mortgage industry. A
top producer in the industry makes $250,000. The vast
majority earns significantly less. Mortgage originators that
earn more than $1 million annually are statistically rare.
In the coming year, the majority
of loan originators will see a decline
in personal income, with up to a 40%
drop from the previous year’s income.
Yet the ‘ultra-successful’ originators
have not only survived, they’ve con-
tinued to thrive.
Mastermind Offers
a Bridge to Success
Once every year, for two days in
Las Vegas, there is an opportunity to
learn from ultra-successful originators.
It is the fastest way to increase mort-
gage originations guaranteed.
More than 30 elite mortgage pro-
fessionals will share their secrets of
success at Mastermind, including
some of the top producers and branch
managers in the industry:
• $100 million originators
• $10 billion banking executives
• Top producers that consistently earn from $500,000
to more than $5 million annually
And this year’s Mastermind Summit will feature the
top success coach in the history of business…
FOUNDER’S LETTER
A One-Man Bridge
Tony Robbins has served as the bridge to success
for untold thousands in many professions, including
the mortgage industry. Robbins is renowned world-
wide for his ability to motivate and inspire dramatic
business turnarounds.
For decades, Tony Robbins has
served as an advisor to top business
leaders around the world. Accenture
has proclaimed him one of the “Top
50 Business Intellectuals in the World.”
Harvard Business Press has named
Robbins one of the “Top 200 Business
Gurus.” American Express counts
Robbins as one of the “Top Six Busi-
ness Leaders in the World” for coach-
ing its entrepreneurial clients. And
Forbes ranks Robbins as a Top 100 Ce-
lebrity, estimating his personal fortune
at nearly $400 million.
Hard work is crucial to achieving
success. But hard work alone won’t
get you to the island of the ultra-suc-
cessful. The elite achieve success by
knowing what to do, and how to do it.
For those mortgage professionals that attend and put
what they learn to action, Mastermind 2014 will represent
the first step across that bridge to success. And for every-
one else, Mastermind will represent an opportunity lost.
I look forward to seeing you in Vegas.
Viva Las Vegas,
Steven Marshall, Founder
Mortgage Executive Magazine
2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    7 
 Market Update
Real Estate

“Since the financial crisis and the depths of the recession, substantial progress
has been made in restoring the economy to health and in
strengthening the financial system. Still, there is more to do.”
—Janet Yellen, Federal Reserve

U.S.
Housing
Starts

SOURCE: CENSUS BUREAU, HUD

“Home ownership makes sense for most Americans, particularly

at today’s lower prices and bargain interest rates.”
—Warren Buffett, Billionaire Investor

  8    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014
 MARKET UPDATE

200 Year
Mortgage
Rate History

SOURCE: FREDDIE MAC

“As we start 2014, the housing recovery continues its steady pace. House-price gains will likely
moderate from last year’s pace but rise about 5 percent in national indexes. Home sales, as well as
other key indicators, continue to trend in the right direction, although in some markets
we are seeing the sales recovery strengthen while many others remain weak.”
—Frank Nothaft, Chief Economist, Freddie Mac

“Today, our housing market is healing.

Now we have to build on this progress. We give to
more hardworking Americans the chance to buy their
first home. We have to help more responsible
homeowners refinance their mortgage.”
—President Barack Obama

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    9 

 Chris

American
Gardner
An

Dream
I
In the words of
Chris Gardner
t was Chris Gardner’s life and, suddenly, one of the
biggest movie stars in the world was acting it out.
Will Smith was playing Chris Gardner. And better yet,
Smith’s son, Jaden played Chris Jr. “He had begun
to study me,” Gardner said. “Now, that made me
Behind
the Scenes
uncomfortable. I had never been studied before. But I’ve
got to tell you... Will Smith played Chris Gardner better Pursuit of
than Chris Gardner ever did.” Gardner is a man who has
earned millions of dollars as a stockbroker, after rising
from homelessness. It was an amazing journey—a story
Happyness
20/20 first told nearly four years ago. That exposure led
to the acclaimed film, The Pursuit of Happyness. “I saw
the 20/20 piece on Chris’s life,” Smith said. “It blew me
away. He personified the American dream.”

  10    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014

 INSPIRATION
COACHING

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    11 

 INSPIRATION
COACHING

A
nd audiences were hungry for the positive
message. The film opened number one at
the box office during the holiday rush. The
word “happiness” is deliberately misspelled,
just as it was on the wall of a day care center
where Gardner once sought care for his own son, Chris
Jr., during some of his worst days.
Gardner used to be homeless, and on rare occasions,
he holed up in a public bathroom with his son.
“There’s a choice: You eat or you stay in a hotel. We
chose to eat. And we stayed in a subway station. We rode
the trains. We slept in bathrooms,” he said.

Not a Reality Show

Then, after getting himself into a training program
and proving he could keep company with the best of
them, Gardner became a multimillionaire stockbroker.
In the days just after his story was broadcast on 20/20,
Gardner fielded a lot of weird offers related to his rise
from homelessness to wealth—including a proposal
for a reality show.
“Guy calls me up. He’s got this great idea. He’s gonna
take some homeless people off the street, give them a job,
and the one that does the most with their life is going to
A Painful Start to His Extraordinary Journey
get a $300,000 house, $100,000 in cash. And I can’t repeat
Gardner’s story began in a Milwaukee neighborhood,
what I said to the guy. But the gist of it was, being homeless
with a kind of mystery: Why a woman with an incredible
is not a game, and if you think it is, I already won, so send
smile, a woman who turned out to be his mother, some-
me the money! Haven’t heard from him again!”
times went missing.
Now Gardner’s story is about how a life with much
“And no one explained to me, well, why am I living
larger stakes than any reality show got turned into a
with this relative, or why am I living with that relative.
book and then a screenplay. Examining his memories
My mother was in prison, twice. And it was one of those
with movie and book writers, Gardner said, placed his
things that no one ever talked about.”
life on a different scale.
One prison term was for allegedly receiving welfare
“I would have never gone back in to take another look.
while working, Gardner said. “And the second time she
Didn’t need a second look. Hurt so bad the first time, you
intended to burn down the house that my stepfather was
didn’t need to see it again.”
sleeping in. She wanted to kill him for beating her. And
I could say honestly, I’m sorry she didn’t succeed. Until
I went to the U.S. military, the worst violence I ever saw
in my life was in my home.”

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    13 


Actor Will Smith and
stockbroker Chris
Gardner attend the
UK premiere of the
movie The Pursuit Of
Happyness held at
the Curzon Mayfair
in London, England.
Photo by Chris Jackson/
Getty Images
  14    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014
“It’s not a black thing,
it’s not a white thing,
it’s a green thing.”
“I don’t know how any rape victim survives something
like that. But... a lot of us do block it off, shut it down, com-
partmentalize it, contain it, hide it. I know I did. There
Later in his life Gardner was heavily influenced by was no one I could talk to about it. And at some point in
decisions he and his mother made, sometimes with just time, I did have another encounter with that gentleman.
a look between them, when he was terrorized by his I expressed myself another way.”
gun-wielding stepfather. Gardner said he struck the man with a cinder block.
“There was gunplay in the house, consistently. I don’t “And walked away. And left the whole incident right
own a gun to this day. I’ll never own a gun. My last Christ- there on the street.”
mas at home, I was put out of the house, buck naked, at gun
point. Till this day, I still have a problem with Christmas. Leaving the Neighborhood for the Navy
But I made a decision that I was going to be everything that What got Gardner out of his neighborhood was the Navy.
this guy was not. I’m not going to drink, and I’m not going After four years of duty, he was a young man without a col-
to beat women. I’m not going to be ignorant. And one of lege degree who valued reading and learned quickly. He
the survival tactics that I developed as a young kid, I would became a medical supply salesman in the San Francisco
read. And I’d read out loud. And [in my mind] I would be area, supporting a wife and a young son. But he reached
saying to this guy, ‘Yeah, you can beat me down, you can another turning point in his life when, in a parking lot one
beat me and you can beat my mom, you can put us out day, he met a man who drove a red Ferrari.
of here with a gun, but I can read and I’m going places.’” “I asked him two questions that basically changed
Gardner also learned to compartmentalize his reac- my life: What do you do, and how do you do that? Turns
tions to trauma, including an incident of childhood rape out this gentleman was a stockbroker who was making
by a man who was a member of a gang of thieves in $80,000 a month.”
his neighborhood. That was all the motivation Gardner needed to start
knocking on doors, applying for a training program at a
brokerage even though it meant he would have to live on
next to nothing while he learned.
“I cut grass, I did yard work, I did roofing, I cleaned
basements to take care of my family.”
 INSPIRATION
COACHING

“I hold one thing dearer than all else:

my commitment to my son.”
The toughest times were still to come. Gardner was
hauled off to jail for $1,200 in parking violations that he
couldn’t pay. His wife left him. First, she took Chris Jr. with
her. Then she returned to the boardinghouse where Gard-
ner had moved to ask him to care for their son. Haunted
by his stepfather’s abuse and by a promise he had made to
himself at the time, Gardner was determined not to aban-
don his own child. “He had a program for homeless women with children,”
“I made a decision when I was a little boy that when said Gardner. “And I [told him], ‘Obviously, I’m not a woman,
I had children, my children were always going to know but I am homeless and I have a child. I need some place to
who their father was.” stay to get myself together.’ And he let me in.”
The bottom line was this: Gardner was studying for Gardner and his son stayed in a shelter provided by
a broker’s license on virtually no income; the boarding- the church when they needed a room. And when he
house where he stayed wouldn’t accept children; and he finally started accumulating money and had enough
had to live with Chris Jr. in cut-rate hotel rooms when he to rent a modest place of his own, Gardner recalled
could afford them. Occasionally, as Gardner brought his that his determination to raise his son paid off in one
son home from day care past a strip of cheap hotels in priceless moment.
Oakland, he got help from unexpected sources. “I was giving my son a bath by candlelight. We had
“By the time we were coming home, the ladies of the no electricity, and it was at a point in time, where hon-
evening were beginning their shift. And they would always estly, I didn’t know whether I was going to quit, crack
see me, this baby and the stroller. They never saw a woman. or cry. Some kind of way this child, this baby, picks
So they kind of figured out, somethings going on. So they up on it, and he stands up in the bathtub, and he says,
started giving him $5 bills. And if it were not for those ‘Papa, you know what? You’re a good papa.’ That was
ladies of the evening giving that child $5, there would be all I needed to go on. And to this day I have yet to hear
times I could not have fed him.” words that meant as much to me.”
Occasionally, he found a place to stay in a nearby Bay
Area Rapid Transit station, where he could bathe Chris ‘It’s a Green Thing’
Jr. in the sink behind a locked door. One of the moments Once Gardner passed his exam to become a stockbroker
that changed his life came when the Rev. Cecil Williams and the opportunity was his to seize, the success of the for-
of Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco saw Gardner merly homeless man was astonishing. He started with cold
standing with his son in a food line outside the church. calls, was recruited by other firms, and eventually opened
his own institutional brokerage firm in Chicago, benefiting
from, among other things, government and pension fund
rules that created business for minority brokers.

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    15 

 INSPIRATION
COACHING

“I asked him
two questions
that basically changed my life: When actor Will Smith found Gardner’s story so compel-
ling that he developed a film based on the stockbroker’s life,

What do you do,

Gardner joined the project as a consultant. Smith and Gardner
both made large donations to Glide Memorial Church, and
Smith hired the Rev. Cecil Williams to play himself.

and how do you do that?”
PREVIOUS
KEYNOTE
MASTERMIND
Chris Gardner’s
inspirational story of
pulling himself and
his son out of poverty
through sheer will is
even more motiva-
tional in person.
On his way, Gardner said, the business did have some
unpleasant baggage attached to it. Because African-Ameri-
can brokers were rare, one particular phone client assumed
that Gardner was white.
“This one guy, he would tell me every Jew joke, every
nigger joke, every spick joke in the world, and then he
would turn around and say, ‘Well, buy me 50,000 shares
of whatever you called me about.’ And one day he calls to
say he wants to meet this broker that’s been making him all
this money. I knew there were only two things that could
happen. He was either gonna close his account with me
or he was gonna close all the other accounts that he had
and I was gonna get all his business.”
Gardner said the client closed every other account that
he had and, until his death, gave all his business to Gard-
ner. “That’s when I learned in this business, it’s not a black
thing, it’s not a white thing, it’s a green thing. If you can
make me money, I don’t care what color you are. So that’s
how I deal with that to this day.”
Smith also visited the transit station restroom where
Gardner once went so he and Chris Jr. would have a place
to stay for a few hours when they were homeless.
“I couldn’t have been there any longer than a moment,”
Gardner said. “And I turned to Will, and I said, ‘Let’s go.’
He said, ‘No, leave me here for a minute.’ I left him. And
I gotta tell you, when he came out... the phrase I once
heard him use was that it was as if the ghost in the walls
had jumped out into him.”
A Warm Welcome from Nelson Mandela
One of the great footnotes of Gardner’s story is that
when San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit System issued
new bonds to raise money a few years ago, one of the
underwriters was Chris Gardner’s company—run by a
man who, when he was homeless, had bathed his son in
the bathroom of its train station.
After shooting wrapped on the film, Gardner returned
to being a star on the investment circuit. He started an
international mission designed to create economic oppor-
tunities in South Africa. For a man whose own father had
abandoned him, he said that meeting Nelson Mandela was
an unforgettable moment.
“He shook my hand and said, ‘Welcome home, son.’
And for the first time in my life, for a man ever to say the
words to me, ‘Welcome home, son,’ and for it to be Nel-
son Mandela, I cried.”
The quote on the cover of Gardner’s book, The Pur-
suit of Happyness, echoes those sentiments. It reads, “I
hold one thing dearer than all else: my commitment
to my son.”  ■

  16    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014

 BEST PRACTICES
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

  18    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014

 Learn How the Top
Mortgage Originators
Increase Leads, Increase
Lead Conversion and
Maximize Revenue

W
hen loan originators first set out on their
own, reaching the heights of billion dollar
production levels may seem as daunting as
embarking on a NASA career. That is why we
asked several Mortgage Originators who have funded in ex-
cess of one billion dollars of loans over their career to share
their best strategies and systems for increasing origination
success. They all agreed that
concentrating on the basics— by Steven Marshall
generating leads, converting
them to loans and increasing per-loan income—were the
building blocks to a jet-propelled income stream

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    19 


New Leads Fuel Growth
While producing more than $1.6
n T
 ip 1: Ask for referrals billion in 16 years and coaching thou-
to prospective clients
and professional sands of loan originators to reach their
partners every time own goals, I learned that all of the other
you close a loan. strategies out there merely serve as tools
n T
 ip 2: Create a to mastering these three steps. It all starts
consistent multi- with increasing your referral partners
media campaign of and developing innovative strategies for
direct mail, e-mail and
word-of-mouth. new mortgage leads.
Over the years I have experimented
n T
 ip 3: Keep in touch
with past clients with just about every marketing idea
and partners. out there. I discovered that a consistent
plan that includes a valuable mail piece
n T
 ip 4: Slow down
and follow through. sent monthly to referral partners and
your best clients keeps your name top of
n T
 ip 5: Ask probing
questions that lead mind. Combined with e-mailed nuggets
to more, bigger of mortgage and financial information,
loans closed. a lively blog on the benefits of home-
n T
 ip 6: Use visual aids ownership and quarterly homeowner
to educate the client seminars, these personalized touches
about all their options.
add up to a multi-media experience that
other loan originators can’t touch.
Use personalized marketing tools
such as custom magazines sent to target-
ed referral partners to add another qualified four or five
leads each month. These glossy, educational publications
establish you as a subject matter expert, making it easy
to build vibrant relationships with real estate agents,
financial planners, insurance agents and even divorce
attorneys. This pipeline can be a powerful engine for growth.
David Jaffe, a California mortgage originator with a
career production dollar volume of $2.0 billion, uses the
springboard effect to fill his pipeline as he closes loans.
He asks for referrals from new loan applicants. He also
reaches out to each professional involved in a transaction
(listing agent, financial adviser, CPA) to build referral part-
ner relationships. Meanwhile, he stays in constant contact
with his database of existing clients through weekly mail-
ings, e-mails and phone calls filled with relevant informa-
tion about the market and mortgage planning.
Mark Klein is a top producer who has funded over
$2 billion in loans and is consistently ranked in the top
  20    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014
50 of mortgage originators in the country. His business is
built on three pillars: past clients; financial professionals,
formal and informal relationships; and a small percentage
from a core group of realtors.
Klein shared with me that for past clients, the key is to
regularly review all past loans. He contacts clients at least
six months before any prepayment penalty expires and/
or any fixed rate is going to change to an ARM. He also
conducts annual reviews and sends out monthly Rate
Watch reports.
Klein uses a similar philosophy with his affinity rela-
tionships—tax professional and financial planners. Some
are informal, meaning he does not have any formal agree-
ments or affiliation with them (other than they know he
is a safe place for their clients to get mortgage services).
Others are more formal to the point where his services are
considered an extension of their service. Many of these
professionals have been orphaned by originators who are
no longer in the business. He reminds them frequently
that now more then ever their clients need a professional
Mortgage Planner to guide them. Klein has found that
real estate agents are now discovering the need to partner-
up to make sure that their clients are qualified and are
getting good information.
Another $1.5 billion originator, Lloyd Streisand,
described his secret in one word—consistency. “You need
to have a clear vision of what you are trying to accom-
plish. This clarity will flow down to the business plan you
create and the way that you implement it,” he said.
Streisand conveys his unique selling position through
a high trust sell combined with a customer for life plat-
form. He creates a relationship with the client right from
the beginning by profiling the interests, circumstances and
professionals that determine which marketing materials
are used. At the end of the process he establishes the ongo-
ing relationship and creates relationships with the clients’
professionals. Those strategic partners are so important,
he considers them customers. This consistent strategy has
resulted in a 70% repeat business and client referrals.
Michael F. Bischof a top producer who funded over
$1.4 billion dollars in personal loan production in his
career, says the key to success is marketing, marketing,
 BEST PRACTICES
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

“We have to smother them with our unique process and

marketing. He creates a constant top-of-mind awareness
with the client by continuing to serve their interests and
needs long after the loan has closed. He uses a bi-monthly
custom magazine, quarterly newsletter, and 8-12 html
e-mails to offer a high level strategic advice.
While 70% of Bischof’s new leads come from his
existing client base, he continues to proactively seek out
new business sources. A majority of the new business
sources are financial planners and CPAs—an area often
overlooked area by loan officers.
Rod Flowers, an originator in Maryland who has been
ranked number one in the country and closed more than
$3 billion over his 20-year career also believes in getting
back to the basics. “I built my reputation on integrity. I
our knowledge to the point that they don’t care to shop
around,” Bischof advised. He puts the client through a
three-stage process:
1. The “Big Picture” overview stage: Where are you
now and where would you like to go? KEYNOTE
2. The “Data Transformation” stage: Compiling the SPEAKER!
raw material to complete the application 2014
LAS VEGAS • JUNE 4-5
for pre-approval
3. The “Strategy Session” stage: Offering custom
high-level financial and mortgage planning advice
This clearly separates him from the competition while
avoiding the discussion of price and diversifying the value
proposition.
The quality time Jaffe spends explaining a client’s Steven Marshall
overall financial plan results in more closed loans is one of the few

always get back to the customer and I always tell the and lessens the chance of shopping around and originators to have
successfully funded
truth,” Flowers said. price grinding—a painful process for the client and
$1.5 Billion before the
the Mortgage Planner.
age of 40. When the
Lead Conversion Strategies For Klein, the ultimate goal is to help the client make
mortgage industry
A long list of leads may be a waste of time if you aren’t an informed decision. He believes it is the loan officer’s imploded in 2008,
converting these interested buyers into closed loans. In- responsibility to help a client whether they ask or not. Steven had to rebuild
creasing your conversion ratio capitalizes on the momen- That extra advice helps the client make the most of his his personal pro-
tum you created in your marketing campaign. equity by taking out a larger loan to make investments. It duction. By 2010 he
Jaffe prioritizes follow through. He immediately also increases Klein’s average loan size. closed over $100 Mil-
sends a handwritten thank you note to prospects after Rod Flowers built his stellar 20,000-loan closed busi- lion again. Previously,
getting off the phone, schedules follow-up phone calls ness one loan at a time by focusing on the whole finan- Mortgage Originator

and adds them to his contact keeper mail campaign. For cial picture with each individual. That sometimes meant ranked Steven the #16

Klein, conversion is all about the quality of the leads and hiring as many as five assistants to follow through, but originator nationally
and the #1 mortgage
that means referrals. His team uses a standard lead sheet he gave each loan personal attention from the beginning
originator in Washing-
to take control of the conversation from the beginning. to the end. That holistic approach results in larger loans,
ton for six years in a
Questions range from the basic (name, phone number even in a less affluent market.
row. He is the CEO of
and e-mail) to whether it is a refinance or purchase, cur- Focus on increasing your leads, increasing your lead Mortgage Executive
rent loan information and all of the client’s personal infor- conversion and maximizing your revenue and you’ll be Magazine, the Found-
mation. The in-depth nature allows him to display both well on your way to becoming a Billion Dollar Career er of MASTERMIND
his competence and character very early on in the pro- Mortgage Planner.  ■ 2014 and a partner at
cess—traits that usually result in placing the application Cobalt Mortgage.
in the closed file.
In Streisand’s mind, conversion depends on the qual-
ity of the lead and the type of relationship created at the
beginning of the sale. Many of his referral partners are
influential with their clients. That results in a more proba-
ble sale because of the high trust relationship.
Bischof believes in getting to the client early on in the
buying process to avoid last minute commoditization.

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    21 

 Why
Don’t You
By Rick Ruby

$1,000,000
NET

LoanOriginator?
As A

L
ast year Tony Robbins was at the Mastermind Summit and I really heard him
loud and clear. Your state and belief system is the foundation for success and change. Feb-
ruary 14th is my 30th year as a loan rep, and I have been a professional mortgage coach
for 17 years. I know how to help you net $1,000,000 because I have personally done it 16
out of the last 17 years. My coaching company is called, The CORE, and we coach 267 of
the biggest and brightest lenders and realtors in the nation. They pay us $2,500/month and
sign a two-year contract. We have lots of accountability, pressure and competition, and usually
double—or triple—their income within the term of the two-year contract. Last year, 36 of my 267
clients netted over $1,000,000 on their W-2s.

  22    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014

 INSPIRATION
COACHING

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    23 

 O
ne of my favorite success stories involves a guy
named Scott Forman. Scott joined us three years
ago. For 12 years he was a really good lender,
making about $250,000/year. Well, the first
semester he was really hard to work with; he
thought he knew it all and just wasn’t following our pro-
gram. I called him and told him it wasn’t working out,
and he was shocked! “I am paying you $2,500/month,”
he said, “and you are going to fire me?” I said yes, be-
cause we don’t need your money, but only would want
to continue if he would shape up. He was quiet for a
minute and said “okay.” After that, he was angry for a
time. But since then, Scott has become, not only, one of
our best students, he has also become one of our coaches.
In 2013 he netted over $4,000,000 as a producing owner
of a branch. I think he personally closed $110+ million
for his branch. Quite a jump in three years!
  24    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014
We have hundreds of stories that are similar, and we
are having a blast changing the mortgage industry. At
The CORE we have 26 coaches, and 19 of them netted
$1,000,000 in 2013. Forget what someone did 10 years
ago… what is working right now? On top of being a mort-
gage coach I also own four branches for Summit Funding,
with 25 loan officers closing around 120 loans/month to-
taling around $264,000,000 in 2013.
I am telling you all of this not to brag, but to let you
know that we have an exact plan for you to explode your
income, save tons of money, become very generous, and
do it in a 40-hour work week. Here are my five keys to
netting $1,000,000 as a loan originator:

1. REALTORS: They are the foundation that The
CORE believes in. I have personally built my 30-year
career on realtors as the primary client. (They’re the
only clients that matter.) You need 20 realtors that close
$3,000,000 in volume per year and they have to be your
best friends. Remember that realtors will pick you be-
cause they like you, and they’ll stay with you because
their experience makes them say “wow.”
We teach you to start with a list of 40 realtors, and to
call them every Monday between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00
p.m. The point of calling them is to form a relationship
and get an appointment. I do all of my selling face-to-face,
no Internet, and never over the phone. I meet a lot of loan
reps that never meet their clients. It’s foolish. After six
weeks of calling, if you can’t get an appointment, replace
them on your list (you will be shocked how easy it is to
set up a meeting.) My favorite line is “let’s meet so I can
help you make more money.” If they say no to that, I
don’t want to work with them anymore.
INSPIRATION
COACHING
Next is holding face-to-face meetings—you need to
see 15 realtors face-to-face every week. Our students fill
out call sheets to make sure they made their calls, face-to-
face meetings, and five lunches per week. All this activity
will definitely keep you busy!
2. 400-PERSON DATABASE: You have to keep in
touch and track your past clients. This is automatic and is
very easy to do. We send out a monthly letter that we call
a “letter from the heart,” and I’ve sending them for the
past 18 years. I call this entire list and introduce myself
and send them video e-mails every month. Two strong
builders and 10 local business people round out the 20
realtors and 400-person database. Our plan is crystal clear,
is the only plan we allow and must be followed to a “T” if
you’re on our Level 3 Coaching Program.
2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    25 
 INSPIRATION
COACHING

KEYNOTE 3. BUILDERS AND BUSINESS PEOPLE: These
SPEAKER! are secondary sources of business, but they add a really
nice balance to your realtors and database. I teach that
2014
LAS VEGAS • JUNE 4-5 you should go see 10 builder-site offices every week and
ALWAYS bring food. These site agents are sitting there all
day long, so a coffee or a protein bar really helps open
the door. For business people, I like the Chamber of Com-
merce and send them video e-mails each month. I am
looking for people I like and that I enjoy hanging out with.
4. TEAM: You can’t do all of this business if you don’t
have the proper team to support you. We have five dif-
Rick Ruby is the
ferent team players or roles that need to be filled: Team
president & founder
of The CORE
Captain, LP2, LP1, Dialer and Jr. Loan Officers.
Training, Inc., www. We believe you should have one staff person per six
thecoretraining.com closings. A lot of companies don’t support this, but we are
firmly committed to these numbers. The team frees you up
to SELL! To be clear: I am a professional salesman, and you
need to be as well. I liken the team to Michael Jordan—not
early on when he was selfish, but later when he won six
championships. He had to share the work and the ball to
win. You can’t dominate without a GREAT team.
5. HIRE A COACH: Whether you hire us or some-
one else, you need a coach (If you hire someone else,
make sure they net at least $1,000,000 and have them
prove it, so they can teach you properly). Michael Jor-
dan also didn’t win a championship until Phil Jackson
became his coach. Tiger Woods and Michael Phelps all
have coaches. We have three levels of coaching to help all
different incomes.
Lastly, I have had 10 great coaches and mentors that
have molded me into the man I am today, and I would
have been an even bigger mess without them. Surrender
is the key ingredient in coaching. Don’t be a know it all!
Be a sponge!
I can’t wait to yell at you all at Mastermind Summit in
June. Go be all you can be. And remember, it starts with
belief and with a plan.  ■

  26    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014

 STRATEGIES
GROWTH

  28    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014

 Capture
by Dan Sullivan
Cultivate
Big Future

Opportunities
Relationships

A
s a mortgage entrepreneur,
you have the freedom to cre-
ate a future full of endless
growth. The size of the future
you actually experience will largely be
determined by one factor: the people
you choose to connect with. The bigger
future of your business lies in the bigger
futures of your clients and customers
and also in the bigger futures of your
team members and all the other relation-
ships you depend on to help you grow.

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    29 

 STRATEGIES
GROWTH

Gas in the Tank

People with bigger futures come with a full tank of gas:
they have a positive outlook, they have goals, they have their
act together, they’re inspiring to be around, and they’re going
places. If you can find a place where your goals and theirs In The Strategic Coach® Program, participants sometimes
align, your combined energy will help you both get where receive “tough love” challenges from one another, such as,
you’re going faster with greater ease and enjoyment. The “You’ve been complaining about this person for a while now.
common denominator in any relationship like this is that When are you going to do something about it?” Often, when
each person is making a contribution to the other. the entrepreneur finally has that conversation they’ve been
By making a conscious effort to have more people in avoiding, they come back to report, “Why didn’t I do that
your life whose bigger futures align with your own, you ages ago? I feel so much better! I got so much energy back.”
can turn what may seem like a serendipitous meeting of
“just the right person” into a proactive strategy for growth. A Strategic Tool
Mortgage entrepreneurs can support themselves in
Fewer, Better Relationships focusing on the right relationships by looking at their best
PREVIOUS If you were to make a list of the relationships in your life relationships and using them as models. Start by reflecting
KEYNOTE
that have this quality of mutual contribution, you might no- on who these people are and how you support each other’s
MASTERMIND tice that some people are conspicuously absent. This brings bigger futures. The insight you receive from looking at
about the opportunity to make some conscious decisions. your network of relationships this way can have an impact
Perhaps there are some relationships you’re currently in that across your whole business. Here are a few possibilities:
you would like to change or transform. In business, it is often n Clone the best—you can tailor your marketing
thought that a bigger network or client base is always better. and prospecting efforts to generate more relation-
However, sometimes having fewer, more strategic relation- ships like your best ones.
ships allows you to be more productive and focused. Manag- n Clean up messes—you may see some relation-
Dan Sullivan ing relationships with people whose futures don’t align with ships that you want to end, delegate, or
is the founder of your own can be extremely draining and time consuming. transform in some way in order to align them
Strategic Coach. For with your bigger future.
Worse, we often don’t recognize the true costs, especially the
more information
opportunity costs, of just getting by in these situations. n Strengthen existing relationships—when you see
on his business-
The pressures and complexity of running an entrepre- how you contribute to your best relationships, you
building program,
neurial business day to day can be all-consuming. If you’re have an opportunity to do more. You can also
call 1-800-387-3206.
able to take time out to get clear about your goals and what take the opportunity to express your gratitude:
contributions from others are needed to achieve them, it’s By acknowledging a relationship as special, you
much easier to make clear decisions and to partner with make it special and stand apart from those whose
the right people. However, when you’re just struggling to interest is solely in transactions.
get things done and keep it all together, it’s easy to feel that
simply anyone is better than nobody. It can seem easier to A Big Future Together
just work with what you’ve got than to have to worry about By focusing on growing and nurturing quality relation-
replacing staff or clients with people who might be a better fit. ships, you can build a network of future-focused, aligned
As a result, you may have a client who demands growth partners in all areas of your life. How do you see
a lot of time but isn’t generating the revenue to justify your future together with the people in your best rela-
it, or a team member who seems to be going through tionships? All the money you’re going to get paid, all the
the motions but not creating the results you want. You extra demand for what you do and for the innovations
know you need to do something, yet you don’t. you’ll create—it all lies out there in that future. When you
invite people who are truly committed to growth into
every aspect of your life, your own potential for growth
becomes truly unlimited.  ■

  30    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014

MASTERMIND
THE
Fastest Way
Increase TO

Mortgage Originatio
Guaranteed
MastermindSummit.com
  32    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014
2014
ions

Register by April 25 and Save $200!

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    33 
 “AWESOME, SOMETHING “FANTASTIC. BEST MONEY
THAT EVERY MORTGAGE BANKER A LOAN OFFICER CAN SPEND!”
SHOULD ATTEND, EVERYONE NEEDS —Dan Rawitch, Primelending
TO BE BETTER!”
—Troy Clemen, Wells Fargo
“EXCELLENT AND
VERY PROFITABLE”
—Brenda Heller,
“TOTAL ROCK CONCERT Cobalt Mortgage
FOR LENDERS!”
—Chet Lackey, Eagle Home Mortgage

“INCREDIBLE EVENT
TO LEARN AND NETWORK
WITH TOP PRODUCERS
AROUND THE COUNTRY!”
—Douglas Haldeman, Cherry Creek Mortgage

“AWESOME—
TOOK IN LOTS OF
STRONG INFORMATION ”
—Joseph Amato, Fifth Third Bank

MastermindSummit.com
JUNE 4-5 ✦ LAS VEGAS
  34    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014
 “IT WAS SO AMAZING!
YOU NEED IT TO RECHARGE
YOUR BATTERIES AND
CONQUER THE LOAN WORLD!”
—Adriana Galaviz, Us Bank
“VERY POWERFUL.
IF YOU MISSED IT,
YOU MISSED OUT!”
—Dylan Kramer, Mortgage Master
“GREAT LESSONS
AND A MUST GO TO EVENT
FOR NETWORKING
AND SUCCESS STRATEGIES
FROM THE BEST
INDUSTRY LEADERS”
—David Armstrong, First Cal
“WOW—
A MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE
TO LEARN
FROM THE BEST”
—Dean Mlinarich, PNC Mortgage
“LOVE IT ALL!
VERY POWERFUL!
EVERYONE WAS AMAZING!”
—Sherri Kirk, Primelending
2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    35 
 The Fastest Way To Increase Originations!
Learn The Critical
Money Making Skills
You Need To Build
A Profitable Mortgage Business
A
s a successful mortgage professional, you’ve
proven that you have the ability to transform
your vision into reality. Yet as many mortgage
originators and mortgage executives become
successful, they reach a stage where it becomes
increasingly difficult to move to the next level.
Strategic Coach calls this problem “hitting the ceiling
of complexity.”
We developed Mortgage Executive Magazine
and Mastermind Summit to give you the tools and
systems to make the quantum leaps in your mortgage
production and business results. Designed for
successful, experienced Originators, Branch Managers
& CEOs the magazine and Vegas event provide what is
needed to break through to the next level.
In today’s mortgage market, we need every
advantage we can get… Here are some sobering
statistics. The majority of mortgage originators
will likely see a 20–40% decline in personal
income from last year. And if that is the worst that
happens, they are the lucky ones. If rates go up,
tens of thousands of mortgage originators will be
leaving the business.
What makes the difference between thriving
and barely surviving in the mortgage business, in any
economic climate? Answer: It’s not the interest rate or
service. It’s the skills, strategies and systems developed
and implemented by each mortgage professional. That
is the key element. On June 4-5 2014 at The Palms Hotel
in Las Vegas, we have assembled an exclusive panel of
Billion Dollar Career Originators. The six Mastermind
2014 panelists have personally originated and closed a
combined $10 billion of mortgages over their careers.
MastermindSummit.com ✦ 866.304.8319
  36    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014
The last few years have been turbulent in the
mortgage industry. Over 70% of your competition
has been swept away. The mortgage industry
has experienced dramatic changes and for many
originators it has been challenging. Never before has
investing in yourself been more critical. Implementing
the turn-key strategies, predictable loan systems and
marketing secrets generating results for the nation’s
top mortgage producers—those earning $500k,
$900k and $1,500,000+ in personal net income, even
in today’s turbulent mortgage market—can help you
take your business to the next level.
At Mortgage Executive Magazine and Master-
mind Summit we are serious about helping mort-
gage executives and mortgage originators who are
serious about creating stable, healthy, personally
fulfilling businesses. The mortgage business is
fun and creative and challenging and filled with
possibilities. What it’s not is easy or effortless. If
you are looking for a “get rich quick,” “I don’t want
to spend any time,” “business should be easy”
approach to building a mortgage business, this is
not the place for you. You can create a mortgage
business that gives you time and freedom and
money, but it will take work. We are here to help,
but we can only help the originators, managers and
executives who are willing to work for it. We take
pride in getting our clients results, but we are only
half of the equation.
$10 Million Dollar Money–Back Guarantee!
AV S
GENERAL ADMISSION $
RE 20
E

REGISTER TODAY! GI
A STE
0
PR R
IL 2 BY
• Full Access to all Event Sessions 5th
June 4–5 (value $799)
• FREE access to Tony Robbins
Business Mastery Session
Total General Admission Package value $799
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL $599

VIP – Limited to 250 SOLD OUT!

All General Admission privileges, plus:
• Guaranteed Premium Reserved Seating
(value $999)
Total VIP Package value $999
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL $999 SOLD OUT!

CORPORATE SPECIALS - UP TO $400 OFF

Exclusive pricing for America’s Top 100 Mortgage
Companies. For corporate rates of 10-100 tickets,
please contact Corporate Sales at 866.304.8319 or
corporate@mastermindsummit.com

Ten-Million-Dollar Money-Back Guarantee!

We’re so confident of the value of this event that after attending MASTERMIND
2104, if you don’t personally feel that the strategies and tools you received will
help you originate at least $10,000,000, turn in your manual & materials at the
end of the first day, and we will give you a full refund for the event.

MASTERMIND SUMMIT
June 4-5 ✦ LAS VEGAS 2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    37 
  38    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014
TOP 100
MORTGAGE COMPANIES
In America 2013
High Performing Mortgage Companies Turn
Periods of Uncertainty to Their Advantage
What keeps a mortgage executive awake at night? Probably the same nagging concern that worries
most of us when we toss and turn at 3 a.m. Uncertainty. At any hour, what we don’t know seems to
loom more ominously than what we do know.

For every mortgage executive, the current economic turmoil offers plenty of cause for insomnia.
Uncertainties abound. High performers turn periods of uncertainty to their advantage.

Mortgage Executive Magazine compiled the most comprehensive list of the nation’s top 100 closely held
mortgage companies and publicly traded banks as ranked by their total yearly mortgage volume. Mortgage
Executive Magazine seeks to recognize and celebrate the service, dedication, and hard work that mortgage
originators, managers and executives put into building their companies and serving their clients.

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    39 

 TOP 100 RK
1
COMPANY
MORTGAGE COMPANIES
In America 2013
Flagstar Bank
VOLUME 2013
$37,490,000,000
# OF LOANS 2013
157,700
2 Guaranteed Rate $15,931,725,099 55,653
3 Stearns Lending $13,800,000,000 51,903
4 PrimeLending $11,792,561,873 55,781
5 LoanDepot/imortgage $11,739,370,371 51,959
6 Prospect Mortgage $7,570,000,000 28,600
7 Pinnacle Capital Mortgage $7,072,829,257 26,994
8 Guild Mortgage $7,067,239,572 36,612
9 Sierra Pacific Mortgage $6,990,840,247 26,744
10 Mortgage Master $6,236,429,310 19,742
11 HomeBridge Financial Services $6,184,184,635 26,058
12 RPM Mortgage $5,899,305,921 13,712
13 George Mason Mortgage $5,782,912,213 16,518
14 New Penn Financial $5,740,158,045 22,182
Learn the Critical Money 15 Fairway Independent Mortgage $5,530,000,000 26,000
Making Skills You Need 16 Fremont Bank $5,308,132,418 20,582
To Build a Profitable 17 W.J. Bradley Mortgage $5,299,033,630 19,287
Mortgage Business 18 Academy Mortgage $5,249,682,636 26,974
Here are some sobering statistics. 19 American Pacific Mortgage $4,371,273,732 15,742
The majority of mortgage 20 Cobalt Mortgage $3,972,888,812 14,720
originators will likely see a 20–40% 21 New American Funding $3,893,893,231 13,747
decline in personal income from last 22 Supreme Lending $3,347,889,290 17,922
year. And if that is the worst that 23 Embrace Home Loans $3,311,230,713 17,590
happens, they are the lucky ones. 24 Movement Mortgage $3,278,575,506 16937
What makes the difference between 25 Paramount Residential Mortgage $3,087,000,000 11,773
thriving and barely surviving in 26 First Home Mortgage $3,072,414,345 10,555
the mortgage business, between a 27 Opes Advisors Mortgage Services $2,848,217,789 6,694
Top 10 Mortgage Originator earning 28 Prosperity Mortgage $2,804,390,629 9,357
$1,000,000+ a year and someone 29 Pulte Mortgage $2,765,509,000 11,818 
just getting by? Answer: It’s not 30 SWBC Mortgage $2,694,006,647 13,658
interest rates or service levels. It’s 31 Gateway Funding $2,623,000,000 11,354
the skills, strategies and systems 32 NOVA Home Loans $2,563,468,851 13,443
developed and implemented by 33 Envoy Mortgage $2,401,524,288 11,690
each mortgage professional. 34 Mortgage Network $2,352,265,744 10,116
That is the key element. 35 Land Home Financial $2,197,903,622 7,497
MASTERMIND 2014 gives you 36 First Choice Loan Services $2,113,592,151 8091
the tools and systems to make 37 Skyline Financial $2,100,000,000 5,731
the quantum leaps in your 38 Residential Mortgage Services $2,061,269,736 8,940
mortgage production and business 39 Trident Mortgage $2,029,875,364 7,955
results. Designed for successful, 40 Premier Nationwide Lending $1,983,277,534 11,237
experienced Originators, Managers 41 On Q Financial $1,935,490,122 6,722
and CEOs the event provides what 42 Summit Funding $1,931,917,738 7,779
is needed to breakthrough to 43 Waterstone Mortgage $1,808,303,462 10,137
the next level. 44 Bay Equity LLC $1,807,782,940 5,578
Register Online Today or 45 Wyndham Capital Mortgage $1,736,282,306 5,902
Call 866.304.8319 46 Leader Bank $1,734,537,000 5,232
47 Gateway Mortgage $1,686,000,000 10,843
48 First California Mortgage $1,671,753,806 6,438
49 Republic Mortgage $1,654,781,809 8,373
50 Golden Empire Mortgage $1,651,293,831 5,991

  40    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014

RK
51
TOP 100
COMPANY
Benchmark Mortgage
MORTGAGE COMPANIES
In America 2013
VOLUME 2013
$1,627,455,741
# OF LOANS 2013
7,903
52 JMAC Lending $1,600,000,000 4379
53 Starkey Mortgage $1,554,795,912 8,816
54 Citywide Home Loans $1,527,623,628 7032
55 McLean Mortgage $1,504,061,432 4,550
56 FBC Mortgage $1,448,950,144 6,848
57 1st Advantage Mortgage $1,393,211,213 5,261
58 Paramount Equity Mortgage $1,383,000,000 6,163
59 Perl Mortgage $1,351,466,053 4,468
60 Amerifirst Financial $1,301,850,448 5,845
61 Merrimack Mortgage $1,221,000,000 5,549
62 Castle & Cooke Mortgage $1,195,800,000 6,181
63 Broadview Mortgage $1,156,409,000 3,834
64 NJ Lenders $1,156,170,204 3,021 Here Is What Leading
65 Bridgeview Bank Mortgage $1,092,232,885 4,460 CEOs Are Saying About
66 Union Home Mortgage $1,079,058,337 7,132 Mastermind 2013
67 Wallick & Volk $1,065,651,688 5,559 Bill Dallas, legendary mortgage en-
68 Gold Star Financial $1,057,981,309 5,498 trepreneur and $2.1b CEO of Skyline
69 Guaranty Trust $1,057,147,053 6,280 Home Loans said, “It is important to
70 Eagle Bank $1,035,672,445 2496 invest in the University of “You”! In-
71 Megastar Financial $1,033,597,281 4,434 telligence is the x-factor in business
72 MVB Mortgage $1,011,509,403 3,263
today. Everybody can work hard,
possess a great attitude, and show
73 Directors Mortgage $976,238,761 4015
empathy for those around you…but
74 Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group $963,474,870 5,344 those who know what to do and are
75 Churchill Mortgage $962,242,534 5,511 smart, surpass everyone else!”
76 LeaderOne Financial $958,786,157 5542
“When I was a top loan officer I
77 First Community Mortgage $955,640,577 6,012
copied what other successful folks
78 Veritas Funding $942,413,519 4,082
did and learned from the mistakes
79 Intercoastal Mortgage Company $914,495,198 2,315 of others. Lead generation and cus-
80 Poli Mortgage Group $908,152,902 2,904 tomer retention has fundamentally
81 Residential Home Funding $850,270,449 3,046 changed loan origination…you need
82 VanDyk Mortgage Corp. $835,607,517 4749 to adjust your model to be truly suc-
83 Pinnacle Mortgage Group $809,005,340 3,051 cessful going forward…learn from
84 First Heritage Mortgage $791,018,633 2,021 the best…accept nothing less than
the best…choose to be great!”
85 Reliant Mortgage $788,110,332 2,927
86 Mason-McDuffie $786,177,981 2,709 According to Keith Tibbles, the CEO
87 Ameripro Funding $721,998,280 3,680 of the $3.3b Cobalt Mortgage, “The
88 NFM Inc. $707,720,928 3,083 amount of change in our industry is
89 Axiom Financial $690,945,382 3,817
making the adaptation and reinven-
tion skills of loan originators one of
90 Inlanta Mortgage $689,151,622 4,120
the most important personal devel-
91 William Raveis Mortgage $685,780,758 2,025 opment needs. There is no better
92 Axia Home Loans $672,340,811 2,926 way to invent or reinvent anything
93 Cornerstone Mortgage Inc. $669,547,493 3,953 than to be in a large room filled with
94 Network Capital $664,718,945 2824 bright, driven and successful people
95 First Centennial Mortgage $660,662,734 2,720 sharing a common challenge! That
96 American Equity Mortgage $655,000,000 3,976 is the development platform these
events provide for all in attendance.”
97 Augusta Financial $637,068,420 1,835
98 Honolulu HomeLoans $635,000,000 1,740 MASTERMIND2014.com
99 American Federal Mortgage $620,298,450 2,259
100 Mortgage Financial $575,987,765 2,131

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    43 

MASTERMIND 2014
THE
EXECUTIVE SUMMIT
1 MORTGAGE
#

EVENT
IN AMERICA
Join mortgage industry leaders from across the country
for the premier executive symposium that addresses
critical issues and the future direction of the mortgage
finance industry. Our experts are CEOs and Senior
Executives who’ve built multi-billion dollar businesses.
They are experts in marketing, sales, leadership,
networking and more. Tony Robbins

MORTGAGEEXECUTIVEMAGAZINE.COM ✦ 866.304.8319
  44    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014
Patty Arvielo, President Rose Marie David, EVP Steven Marshall, CEO Jim Cameron, Managing Director Susan McHan, CEO & President
New American Funding HomeStreet Mortgage Executive Stratmor Group Opes Advisors

Steve Jacobson, CEO Brian Hale, CEO Doug Long, President Keith Tibbles, CEO Bill Dallas, CEO
Fairway Mortgage Stearns Lending Prospect Mortgage Cobalt Mortgage Skyline Financial

Bill Lowman, President Rick Floyd, EVP Bill Bent, EVP Sean Browning, SVP Dan Hanson, EVP
American Pacific Mortgage REMN Academy Mortgage Sierra Pacific Mortgage imortgage

Dave Zitting, CEO Nick DelTorto, CEO Stewart Hunter, CVO/Founder Donald Henig, Managing Director Todd Scrima, President
PRMI Inlanta Mortgage Benchmark Mortgage Mortgage Master Summit Funding

EXECUTIVE SPEAKERS ✦ JUNE 4 ✦ LAS VEGAS 2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    45 

 INNOVATION
LEADERSHIP

Whatever
IT Takes
The Keys to
Unlocking
a Can-Do
Attitude

A
Dr. John C. faint but discernable
Maxwell dividing line separates
achievers from dreamers.
At first glance this line
may be difficult to dis-
tinguish. You may be tricked into believ-
ing that talents, titles or resources draw
the line between the doers and dream-
ers. However, if you spend a significant
length of time with a group of leaders,
the line splitting the achievers from the
dreamers becomes crystal clear. What
makes the difference? Attitude. Achiev-
ers have a can-do attitude that sets them
apart from mere dreamers. Achievers
are dedicated to success—no matter
the obstacles—and they are willing to
put forth the effort and pay the price of
success. In my days observing leaders, I
have identified four main groups.

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    47 

 The four n C
 op-outs: These people set no
goals and make no decisions.
types of n H
 old-outs: These people have
beautiful dreams, but they are
leaders
afraid to respond to challenges
because they lack the self-confi-
dence to overcome difficulties.
n D
 rop-outs: These individuals
clearly define their goals, and, in
the beginning, they work hard
to make their dreams come true.
The 10 KEYS to cultivating a can-do attitude
KEY 1
Disown Your Helplessness.
Can-do people aggressively pursue solu-
tions, and, in the process, uncover creative
solutions others never even try to find. Can-do leaders take
responsibility for the future, whereas lesser leaders blame cir-
cumstances or other people when facing roadblocks. Rather
than wallowing in helplessness, can-do leaders search dili-
gently to overcome the obstacles in front of them.
KEY 2
Take the Bull By the Horns.
Can-do people are fearless. They go
straight to the source of their solution.
Their very effort commands attention as they wrestle a
problem to the ground with expediency. I have discovered
that people with a can-do attitude have an aggressiveness
about them. They take the bull by the horns. When they
enter into the arena of action, they don’t wait, they initiate.
  48    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014
However, when the going gets
tough, they quit.
n A
 ll-outs: These are the stars.
They want to shine out as an
inspiration to others. Once
all-outs have set their goals,
they never quit. Even when
the price gets high and the
challenges mount, they’re ded-
icated. Their can-do attitudes
carry them to greatness.
KEY 3
Enter the No Whining Zone.
Can-do people abstain from complain-
ing. They recognize its futility and
guard their minds and mouths against indulging in this
time-wasting activity. As George Washington Carver ob-
served, “Ninety-nine percent of failures come from peo-
ple who have a habit of making excuses.”
KEY 4
Put on Another’s Shoes.
Can-do people empathize with others.
They attempt to see any predicament
from the other person’s perspective in order to make
the best decisions. In my book, “Winning with People,”
one of the 25 People Principles is the Exchange Prin-
ciple, which says that instead of putting others in their
place, we must put ourselves in their place. Leaders see
the world from their perspective and others’ perspectives.
They use their own perspective to give direction and they
use others’ perspectives to forge relational connection.
Both direction and connection are indispensable to taking
the team on a successful journey.
 INNOVATION
LEADERSHIP

“Achievers have a
can-do attitude
that sets them
KEY 7
Quit Stewing and Start Doing.
Can-do people take action. While oth-

apart from mere ers are crippled by worry, fear and anx-
iety, they have the fortitude to press forward. The perfect

dreamers.”
moment—the time when all is safe and assured—may
never arrive, so why wait for it? Can-do leaders take risks.

KEY 8
Go With the Flow.
Can-do people adjust to change. They
don’t get caught griping about an un-
expected curve in the road. They accept transition with
an optimistic outlook. They realize it’s less important
what happens to them, than it is what happens in them.
John C. Maxwell

KEY 9
Follow Through to the End. is an internationally

Can-do people not only initiate, they recognized leadership

expert, speaker, and
finish. They are self-starters with the
author who has sold
capacity to close the deal.

KEY 5
over 12 million books.
Nurture Your Passion.

KEY 10
His organizations
Can-do people are immune to burn- Expect a Return as a
have trained more
out. They love what they do because Result of Your Commitment. than one million
they’ve learned how to fuel the fire that keeps them mov- If you make an all-out commitment leaders worldwide.
ing. In leadership, the prize is not given to the person with a can-do attitude, expect a return. Passionate com- Dr. Maxwell is the
who’s the smartest, nor to the person with the advan- mitment is contagious and resources follow resolve. Com- founder of Injoy
tages in resources and position, but the prize goes to the mitted leaders will reap rewards and find open doors as Stewardship Services
person with passion. others are drawn to the excitement and energy emanating and EQUIP. Every year
from them.  ■ he speaks to Fortune

KEY 6
Walk the Second Mile. 500 companies,
international govern-
Can-do people exceed expectations.
ment leaders, and
While others settle for an acceptable
organizations
solution, they aren’t satisfied until they have achieved the
as diverse as the
a. They set expectations for themselves higher than what
United States Military
is dictated by the people or situations around them. Academy at West
Point and the National
Football League.

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    49 

Discover the
next generation
of mortgage technology

CRM2014
Get your FREE demo today at
www.homeownercrm.com

The only Mortgage CRM

designed to increase revenue
while decreasing compliance risk

HomeownerCRM
®
Close More Loans In Less Time
 INSPIRATION
COACHING

  52    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014

Success
TONY ROBBINS By Steven Marshall

Secrets
The father of life coaching answers some questions
about failure and success, and everything in between.

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    53 


Q How did you go from living in a small apart-
ment, practically broke, to the successful
and fulfilled person you are today?
A (Anthony Robbins) I took advantage of my intense
pain, and I turned it into the fuel for action. When
you’re living in a 400-square-foot bachelor apartment, cook-
ing on a hotplate above your trash can and washing your
dishes in the bathtub, you have to start looking at your-
self. On top of that I was 30 pounds overweight, had a job
that was going nowhere, and I was in relationships I hated.
What changed me? I had a series of experiences with frus-
tration at myself, and moved into unbelievable humiliation.
I began to realize that who I was as a man—how I was
living mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually and
financially—was far less of a man than who I really was
inside. When I hit that threshold of pain, I didn’t know at
the time what I was doing, but I decided at the very min-
imum I was going to go on a run.
You have to understand; I hadn’t run or exercised
intensely for probably three years. But at the peak of that
physical intensity, my nervous system was wired. I had
  54    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014
made radical changes in my body. So I grabbed a jour-
nal there on the beach, drew a line in the middle of the
page, and on one side wrote everything I would no longer
stand for in my life, which was virtually everything I was
living at the time. And on the other side I wrote every-
thing I was now committed to. But I didn’t yet know how
I was going to make the change. I knew what I was going
to change and why. This is the day that I turned my life
around. It unleashed me. I began to search for the answers,
but instead of just reading about them, or hearing them,
I began to apply them. And I changed everything in my
life. I lost 30 pounds in a little more than 30 days. I trans-
formed emotionally, physically, spiritually and financially.
Within a year, I had begun to live the dreams that I once
thought were impossible. I’d tell anyone that if you’re going
to change your life, you have to:
1. Decide what you will no longer stand for and what
you’re committed to. Clarity is power.
2. Take massive action. You have to be willing to do
the things you don’t want to do. You have to build a
momentum that consistent action produces.
3. Notice what’s working and what’s not working. And
when it’s not working, change your approach. And
keep changing until you finally achieve what it is
you’re committed to.
Q You talk about people living an extraor-
dinary life. What is your definition of an
extraordinary life?
A I think the answer is different for everyone. Ulti-
mately, an extraordinary life is life on your terms.
For some people it might be creating their own business or
starting a nonprofit foundation. For others it may be mak-
ing several million dollars. For someone else it might be the
ultimate satisfaction of raising a son or daughter to be an
extraordinary soul. It could be creating a garden, writing
Homeowner
6 Good Reasons
To Buy A Home
The Benefits of
Homeownership

n
Now You can be o
the cover of you
own Homeowner
r
YOUR
Magazine for as
ue.
PHOTO
low as $2.75/iss
n
HERE
For more informatio
HomeownerMagazine.com
866.304.8319
YOUR NAME HERE NMLS-#12345
Certified Mortgage Planner
Providing Valuable Mortgage Advice
During Uncertain Times to Enable
The Best Financial Decisions
a poem or just truly enjoying every breath of life. I think
the most important thing is for you to define what would
be an extraordinary life for you today because it changes
as our lives change. We don’t want to be living off an old
script. Otherwise, you may find yourself with one of those
insane moments where you actually achieved your goal
and then your brain says, ‘Is this all there is’ There’s no
worse feeling in life. Take a moment to update your wish
list and ask yourself, ‘If my life was truly extraordinary, if
it was magnificent, by my own definition, what would my Q How have you learned from your past set-
backs and failures?
KEYNOTE
SPEAKER!
life be like today: physically, emotionally, with my family, 2014
A
LAS VEGAS • JUNE 4-5
in my career, in my level of happiness?’ Set the standard Like most people, I’ve had as many, if not more fail-
for yourself so your brain, body and soul know what you’re ures than successes. But what’s been helpful is that Tony Robbins
committed to creating. I’ve worked hard to learn from these mistakes so I don’t is the world’s
leading authority
For me personally, an extraordinary life is living what have to repeat them. I realized along the way that if we
on the psychology
you were made for. For me, that means, first of all, giving can learn from our mistakes, we can create shortcuts that
of leadership,
and sharing love, and I’m truly blessed to have that kind of can help us to make a measurable difference for other
negotiations,
love in my relationship with my wife, Sage. But an extraor- people in their lives. When you recognize a pattern for organizational
dinary life for me is also finding a way to make a difference failure, you can avoid it. And when you recognize a pat- turnaround and
for others to grow and love. The driving force in my life is tern for success, you can take the on-ramp for what you peak performance.
to help make a measurable difference in the quality of life want much more quickly. I call these ‘Pathways to Power.’ Learn more about
for people everywhere. It is my greatest joy to share the And my life is truly about sharing those strategies, those how to transform
tools and strategies for creating a life of meaning and ful- pathways, those shortcuts that allow us to save ourselves your business and
fillment. Nothing stokes me more than to see someone or time and pain. Ultimately, what I’ve learned, though, is that register for your

an organization transform and begin to pursue goals with a life is not about success or failure; it’s about meaning. It’s complimentary

purpose that inspires them, and gives them a greater sense about the interpretation we give to each event in our life— Coaching Strategy
Session at www.
of meaning—in not only what they do, but who they are. and not the event itself. Meanings are shaped by what we
TonyRobbins.com.
believe and what we value.
Just remember, two people can have the same
circumstances, but they pull different meanings from it,
and therefore a different set of emotions, actions, and
a different life.  ■

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    57 

 PROSPECT
PROTECT
AND

ARISTOTLE WROTE: “WE ARE WHAT WE REPEATEDLY DO.

EXCELLENCE THEN, IS NOT AN ACT, BUT A HABIT.”

M
uch later, I wrote: “You don’t have to be the brightest, best educated, most
attractive or best spoken Loan Originator out there to achieve excellence.
You need only: set your goal, plan your work and be
By Greg Frost
consistent and relentless at working your plan every
day, every week, every month and every quarter. Do this, and in spite of
any shortcomings you may have, you will earn success. Your individual successes
are what will weave your coat of excellence. ”

  58    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014

BEST PRACTICES
PROSPECTING

2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    59 


I
learned this early on in my career. In1986, I was
working late at my ground floor office, in a business
complex in Albuquerque, New Mexico. My one
story office building was surrounded by several high
rise office buildings. Every night, that I stayed late, my
telephone back line light would light up. Most every
night it was Ahmad Hashimian from New York Life.
Each night Ahmad would greet me enthusiastically and
suggest that we meet to discuss my financial future,
which, I was certain, included a life insurance policy.
I already had life insurance and did not feel that I
needed anymore. Ahmad had other ideas.
I was single at the time, working hard at building
my mortgage practice, so I worked late on a regular
basis. So did Ahmad. His calls were regular, relentless,
polite and professional.
I finally acquiesced to his invitation to visit him
at his office, in the high rise, right across the park-
like courtyard between our buildings. I hung up the
phone, closed and locked up my office and proceeded
to walk over. I walked into the impressive building,
got on the impressive elevator and rode up to the top
floor and walked into the impressive, wood paneled
New York Life office, greeted Ahmad and then fol-
lowed him into his large opulent corner office.
  60    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014
The man in front of me was about 5'5" tall. He
had immigrated 7 years earlier. He had dark hair and
one dark eyebrow that extended the width of his
forehead. He sat down in a beautiful leather executive
chair behind an enormous hand-carved desk and be-
gan to speak to me enthusiastically with an extremely
thick accent that caused me to listen close and pay
attention. Before me sat a winner. Someone who had
come to this country with far less going for him than
I and, at least at this point in our careers, appeared to
have done far better than I.
As I sat down and looked out the floor to ceiling
windows, my eyes were drawn down to the courtyard
and my little office below. Then it hit me. Ahmad could
see when I was working late because he could look out
the window of his opulent corner office and see when
the light was on in my lobby. As we made small talk
I mentioned that I could see my light. So I now knew
how Ahmad knew when to call me. I asked how he
got my back line number. He winked and told me that
he had stopped in and told my receptionist that he was
preparing a proposal for me and that I had asked him
to call after hours, if necessary, to contact me and he
forgot to write my number down.
The rest of the meeting was Ahmad asking me
questions about my life, about relocating to Albuquer-
que from Los Angeles, about my collegiate athletic
endeavors, about my business, my goals, objectives
etc. We talked about his love of soccer, about his im-
migration from Lebanon, about how he met his wife.
We found out we both attended parochial schools.
We determined that we had a lot in common.

T
his very professional salesman was able to
draw me into a personal dialogue by finding
commonality between he and I. Commonality
between an immigrant from Lebanon selling “death
benefits” and a mortgage banker from a poor upbring-
ing in East LA, who relocated to New Mexico thanks
to a football scholarship. He had been probing to find
out how we were alike and in so doing, building trust.
As I surveyed Ahmad’s opulent office and noted
all the plaques on the wall and trophies on his credenza,
I calculated that he either owned New York Life or he
was one of their very top salesmen. I found the latter to
be true. Ahmad was the #1 salesman in the Southwest.
What made this especially interesting was that his terri-
tory included Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Tucson, El Paso
and southern Colorado. Each of these cities dwarfed
Albuquerque, if not the state of New Mexico in size. Yet,
Ahmad was New York Life’s #1 salesman.
I asked him his secret. He shared many thoughts, but
one that resonated with me was that he set aside time,
every day to prospect and protect. Prospect for future
business referral sources and clients, and, protect existing
business referral sources, as well as existing clients.
I embraced this strategy and determined that
breakfast and lunch would be the very best times in
the day for me to do this. I found this discipline pro-
vided me with many opportunities to meet and dis-
cover people like me who eventually shared their trust
and helped me build my business. To this day, I make
certain that I never eat alone. To this day, in spite of
my travels, I enjoy 25+ prospecting/protecting meals
each month. To this day I am actively involved in
the business development of our Division and of our
parent company. I have tried all kinds of new and
different strategies and technologies… all kinds. Some KEYNOTE
work, some don’t. Some I still use and some I don’t. SPEAKER!
However, daily prospecting and protecting at breakfast 2014
LAS VEGAS • JUNE 4-5
and lunch still does work and always has.
I attended a conference late last year and asked
those in the audience to stand up if they had made 10
or more belly-to-belly, face-to-face sales calls during
the previous month. Only 70 or so people, out of
1,550, stood up.
If you want to do something, that few others are
doing, to build your business, make two face-to-face, Greg Frost is the
belly-to-belly sales calls every day. Do this every day, mortgage industry’s
every week, this month and this quarter. Be relentless first Billion Dollar
about making it happen, I know what will happen. I Originator. He is ‎VP
know that you will come to find that first modicum National Training at
PRMI Mortgage.
of excellence… because, as Aristotle said…” we are
what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an
act but a habit.” Ahmad Hashimian shared this quote
and this wisdom with me in 1986. I embraced it, put
my face of action on it, and became our industry’s
first Billion Dollar Originator. Now, I share it with you.
God bless.  ■
2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    61 
  62    MORTGAGE EXECUTIVE  •  2014
2014  •  M ORTGAGE EXECUTIVE    63 
VIVA LAS VEGAS

Exclusive Event Parties

Viva
Fun Learning Experience

Over 2,000 CEOs,

Managers and
Top Producers will
converge in Vegas
for the premier
mortgage event of
Network Opportunities
the year.
MastermindSummit.com
MASTERMIND 2014
HOME LOANS

FINANCIAL CORP.

OPES
ADVISORS

CORPORATE CLIENTS – $400 DISCOUNT

 Homeowner CRM
®

(425)747-6755

Steven@homeownercrm.com

Improve Sales Productivity

Increase Mortgage Revenue
Decrease Compliance Risk
Mortgage Enterprise edition starting at $49/month/user
HomeownerCRM .com
®