Lodestar's Lending Leaders: Recent Episodes
Lodestar Lending Leaders
Listen every week as Lodestar CEO Jim Paolino interviews people across the Mortgage Industry. Episode ideas? Email us at lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
So, Jim is buying a house (again). Here to talk about why, and what it's been like participating in the current market, is Jim himself. Alayna and Jim talk about a mortgage pro's take on the home buying process.
This week, Alayna sits down to talk with Wes Horbatuck, VP of Marketing at Dark Matter Technologies, to talk all things marketing for the mortgage industry.
One of Lending Leaders's first and most commonly recurring guests, Matt Einheber, Principal of TitleEQ and Creator of TitleBox, joins Jim to gauge the state of the market as we head into Fall 2024. At the time of recording, there's talk of a rate cut, so there's plenty to speculate about. Head into the weeds with us!
For episode of Lending Leaders' fifth season, Alayna Gardner, AMP, sits down with Amanda Morrow, AMP, Director of Investor Relations at Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group. Together they chat all things values, and rep the irreplaceable value of in-person industry conferences.
Welcome back, Lending Leaders listeners, to the fifth season of LodeStar's podcast. Per tradition, Alayna Gardner, AMP is sitting down with LodeStar's co-founders, Jim Paolino and David Spektor to kick off yet another exciting season of insightful conversation and fun!
For this final episode of the Lending Leaders 2024 Summer Session, Jim and Alayna lament the emergence of Halloween candy in grocery stores and reflect on SettleWise's successes so far.
For the fourth episode of the Summer of SettleWise, Lending Leaders host Jim Paolino interviews Shawna Proztman about her role as Title Operations Manager with SettleWise. She recounts her journey into title and how her specific expertise is exactly the kind of thing that differentiates SettleWise's quality of service.
For the third installment of Lending Leaders' Summer of SettleWise, Jim and Alayna go into the power of branding, and the challenge of acing the particulars.
Welcome back to the Summer Session, sponsored by SettleWise. Jim and Alayna jump back in to their discussion of SettleWise and chat all things brand. How to brand, how NOT to brand, and everything in between.
Welcome to the 2024 Summer Session, brought to you by SettleWise! We're diving right in by discussing why we decided to found SettleWise, a national title company, in a less-than-hospitable market.
It's that time again! The Lending Leaders Podcast has concluded its fourth season, and Alayna Gardner chats with LodeStar Co-Founders Jim Paolino and David Spektor to mark the occasion.
For this week’s episode of Lending Leaders, Jim interviews Michael Barnett, CEO and Founder of Loanspark, about what SMBs need to know to succeed in the world of finance and lending.
For this week's special episode of the Lending Leaders Podcast, Alayna Gardner chats with LodeStar's Marketing Content Manager Tim Austen about his original webcomic, "A Tale of Two Mortgages," the cost of content marketing, and the importance of trying new things.
LodeStar's Jim Paolino talks with Melissa Langdale, COO of the Mortgage Collaborative, about how they got started in the industry, the future of mortgage lending, and what it really means to collaborate.
This week, Alayna had the pleasure of speaking with Stacy Holindrake, a veteran of the mortgage industry with a strong background in Mortgage Operations. Together they discuss new opportunities and the joy of problem solving.
For this week's episode of the Lending Leaders Podcast, Alayna chats with Monica Raciti of Vesta. Together they talk about technology, how it's changed our industry, and how we can build trust amid the changes.
For this week's episode of the Lending Leaders Podcast, Alayna chats with longtime friend and industry partner, Olga Faynshteyn, Business Development Manager at LenderLogix. Olga is no stranger to the world of optimizing the loan origination process with key tech—especially since she just got to use LenderLogix products to buy her own house.
While at TMC's "The Mane Event" in Louisville, Kentucky, Alayna had the opportunity to chat with Stephen Huang, Key Account Director at MeridianLink, about sales, the benefits of being a vendor vs. a lender, and the importance of sticking to your core values.
For this week's episode of the Lending Leaders Podcast, Jim talks with Rich Swerbinsky about his long career, growth over the years, leadership, and developing a decision maker mindset.
For this week's episode of Lending Leaders, Jim chats with Allen Pollack, a product innovator, board advisor, and strategist, about the mortgage industry, tech, and how to build bridges and relationships in lending.
For this week's Lending Leaders episode, Greg Uttal, President at Cyberlink Software Solutions, was kind enough to talk with us about tech, implementation, the benefits of AI, and what matters most when it comes to implementing automations.
For this week's episode of the Lending Leaders podcast, Jim Paolino interviews Josh Friend, the CEO and Founder of InSellerate, a powerful marketing automation platform for lenders. Together they discuss missed opportunities and how to avoid them.
For this week's episode of Lending Leaders, Alayna chats with Brandon Goldstein of Cape Analytics about how AI can be more than just a buzzword and elevate customer experience.
LodeStar's Alayna Gardner chats with Lynnette Nuese, Director of Sales at Constellation Mortgage Solutions, about how lenders and vendors can work together to improve the loan origination process and ace tech implementation.
LodeStar's Jim Paolino chats with longtime friend and recent homebuyer, Brian Popek, about the ups and downs of buying a home in a less-than-ideal time.
Jim Paolino talks with CEO and Founder of BeSmartee, Tim Nguyen, about what's ahead for mortgage in 2024, and how companies should size up various challenges on the horizon.
NFM Lending's Greg Sher sits down with Alayna Gardner to discuss the impact of social media, the need for true leadership, and which marketing and leadership strategies really make the biggest difference in today's mortgage industry.
Alayna Gardner sits down with Travis Dyson, VP of Sales at Flagstaff Bank, on the power of relationships in lending, the importance of planning, and the primacy of putting people first.
LodeStar's Jim Paolino interviews Dave Savage of Trust Engine. Together they chat about the spirit of innovation, how to weather tough markets, and the importance of customer service.
LodeStar's own Jim Paolino chats with ACUMA President, Peter Benjamin, CMB, about the credit union movement, the American dream of homeownership, and the importance of community engagement.
Alayna chats with longtime LodeStar friend, John Hardesty, General Manager-Mortgage Division at Argyle, about the borrower experience, the importance of education, and how technology moves the industry forward.
Get ready for an eyeful of holiday sweater... Alayna and Jim sit down with Dave Spektor to reflect on 2023 and look forward to 2024.
Raquel Borras, host of Raq the Boat and Women Who Shred, talks with Alayna Gardner about bridging the generational gap, fostering accountability, and bringing a spirit of fun to the workplace.
For this week's episode of Lending Leaders, Jim chats with longtime LodeStar friend, Matt Einheber, Principal at TitleEQ and Creator of Title Box, about the impact of the NAR ruling and the future of real estate.
LodeStar's Alayna Gardner chats with the indefatigable Liz Short, CEO of Short Solutions, about how to do more than just "Survive Till '25."
This week's guest is a new friend, Nomi Smith, Founder and CEO of PMI Rate Pro. She and Jim Paolino chat about Nomi's amazing story, her journey into mortgage lending, and her expertise in the world of mortgage insurance.
Two hosts for the price of one! Jim and Alayna regroup at LodeStar HQ to recap MBA Annual 2023 in Philadelphia. They discuss key takeaways, shifts in focus in mortgage tech, and—of course—Philly food.
This week LendingLeaders features an awesome conversation between LodeStar's own Alayna Gardner and Equity Capital Mortgage Group's Rick Rucker on how to be unbreakable in tough times and tough markets.
For this week's Lending Leaders episode, Alayna talks with Meg Bennett, AMP, CMB, on the struggle of getting those impressive letters behind her name. Meg is a champion of authenticity, and she brings that to every conversation and endeavor.
For this week's episode of Lending Leaders, Jim Paolino talks with Joel Gonzalez, Managing Partner & EVP of Sales MOR Lending, about Joel's journey into mortgage lending and the power of connection in sales.
For this week’s episode of Lending Leaders, Alayna Gardner and Dustin McClelland, EVP of Sales at Lender Price, talk about the importance of usable data, integrity and respect, and competing on more than just cost.
For this week’s episode of Lending Leaders, Jim Paolino chats with Marina Hubenova, Director of Sales at Inspect HOA. They discuss the fear of changing, navigating difficult markets, the role of tech, and how to build trust with expertise.
During this week's episode of the Lending Leaders podcast, Alayna Gardner and Skip Willcox discuss sales, time management, the importance of investing in your dreams, and the value of leadership.
In today’s episode of Lending Leaders, Heather Horovitz, the SVP of Community Development, Financial Institutions, and Impact Lending at VyStar Credit Union, joins us to discuss her journey into community development and impact lending. Heather’s transition from being a chef to working in finance might seem like an unlikely path, but it was driven by her passion for strategic planning and the desire to make a difference in her community.
In this week's episode of Lending Leaders, Alina Gardner interviews Jimmy King, CEO and Co-Founder of Banking Bridge, to discuss the importance of transparency in the mortgage industry and how it can benefit both borrowers and lenders.
Lending Leaders is back for its fourth season. We're kicking things off with Alayna, Jim, and Dave discussing how to build your business with an eye to the future.
For this week's episode of the Lending Leaders Summer Session, Jim and Alayna dissect LodeStar's much needed rebrand (see last week's episode 😬) and talk about what makes a good brand.
For this week’s episode of the Lending Leaders Summer Session, Alayna and Jim mark the beginning of LodeStar’s tenth anniversary by resurrecting some old marketing, website materials, and cringe fuel. Let’s just say we’re proud of how far we’ve come…
For this week's episode of the Lending Leaders Summer Session, we're back for the fourth and final installment of our ongoing conversation: business lessons from the hit sitcom, The Office.
For this week's episode of the Lending Leaders Summer Session, we're back to part three of our ongoing conversation: lessons from the hit sitcom, The Office.
For this week's episode of the Lending Leaders Summer Session, we're back to the next installment of last week's conversation: lessons from the hit sitcom, The Office.
To kick off the Lending Leaders Summer Session, Jim and Alayna begin a four-part discussion on the Office, the beloved TV show about a small-town paper company and the people who work there. This week’s question: is Dunder Mifflin a good company?
For this week’s episode of LLL, Jim chats with Leora Ruzin, Founder of Ruzin Creative, to talk about the mortgage industry, hiring and firing cycles, and why those are so unnecessary.
For this week's episode of LLL, Alayna sits down with Dominique Wiest, VP of Regulatory Compliance with LendingPad. Together, they discuss all things compliance, the importance of knowing how disclosures work, and why lenders can't afford not to know about state and federal requirements.
For this week's episode of LLL, Alayna sits down to talk with Steve Sussman, Chief Business Development Officer with Nationwide Appraisal Network (NAN), about the world of appraisal, the importance of data, and the value of accountability.
For this week's episode of the LodeStar Lending Leaders podcast, Jim and Alayna sit down to talk spring market, market cycles in the mortgage industry, and the perennial fear: recession.
For this week's episode of the LodeStar Lending Leaders Podcast, Alayna talks with Robert Palmer, Marketing Manager at Byte Software, to discuss the importance of branding, rebranding, and core marketing principles.
For this week's episode of LLL, Jim sits down with Babar Chaudhary, Founder of Mortgage Automation, to talk about one of the mortgage industry's most overused buzzwords: automation.
For this week's episode of the LodeStar Lending Leaders Podcast, Alayna chats with Molly Elmore, Partner at Valhil Advisors and co-host of the new podcast Escape Velocity, about how Blockchain is changing the internet and the economy at large.
For this week's episode of LLL, Alayna and Kelsey chat about their experience as women in the mortgage space and how things have changed since they got their start.
For this week's episode of the LodeStar Lending Leaders podcast, Alayna talks with SimpleNexus CTO Lori Brewer about women in STEM and the impact that unforeseen challenges can have on your career.
For this week’s episode of the LodeStar Lending Leaders Podcast, Jim sits down with Michele Kryczkowski, a mortgage industry pro with twenty years of experience, and a passionate advocate of mentorships. They discuss the difference between instilling competence and demanding confidence, and how mentors can best empower their mentees.
For this week’s episode of the LodeStar Lending Leaders podcast, Alayna sat down with Rob Chrane, Founder and CEO of Down Payment Resource. Down Payment Resource connects homebuyers with the down payment help they need and provides tools for housing professionals to help them along the way. Together they discussed all things down payment assistance, empowering local lenders to help borrowers, and fighting the uphill battle of homebuyer education.
For this week's episode of the LodeStar Lending Leaders podcast, Jim sat down with Laird Nossuli, CEO of iEmergent, a data and analytics technology provider focused on forecasting the future of the mortgage industry. Since 2000, iEmergent has been focused on delivering insights to help organizations navigate the industry’s changing landscape. Jim and Laird talked about using data to forecast the future, navigating changes, and the importance of championing diversity and underserved markets.
For this week’s episode of LLL, Jim speaks with longtime friend, Matt Einheber, Creator of TitleBox, to nerd out over some stats and numbers. They take a look back at the 2021 and 2022 markets, and speculateabout 2023.
For this week’s episode of LodeStar Lending Leaders, we were beyond excited to sit down with Rob Chrisman of the Chrisman Commentary. In our industry, he’s a legend who needs no introduction. He was kind enough to give some of his time to our podcast while attending IMB23 in sunny Coronado, California.
For this week’s episode of the LodeStar Lending Leaders podcast, Jim had the pleasure of chatting with Bob Ventola, Branch Manager, and Tim Shultz, SVP of National Sales Administration, with Draper & Kramer Mortgage Corp. Both are industry veterans who’ve seen their share of “good” and “bad” mortgage markets. We were eager to pick their brains and glean some wisdom for cutting through the doom-and-gloom headlines of the 2022 and early 2023 market.
For this week’s episode of the LodeStar Lending Leaders podcast—the very first of the new year!—CEO Jim Paolino sat down with Hoyt Mann, President and Co-Founder of Alanna.ai, a virtual assistant software for the title industry. We were excited to pick his brain about all things AI, machine learning, and technology in the mortgage and title industries.
For this week’s pre-holiday break episode of Lending Leaders, Jim and Alayna slowed things down a bit and sat down with LodeStar Co-Founder and CTO, David Spektor, to reflect on what 2022 meant for the company.
This week on LLL, LodeStar Sales and Marketing Director Alayna Gardner interviews the CEO of Lender Toolkit, Brett Brumley, to talk all things automation and the mortgage industry. They touch on scalability, layoffs, market downturns, and leveraging tech during tough times.
For this week’s episode of LLL, Jim interviews Anton Tonev, Co-Founder of InspectHOA. Many homebuyers—especially first-timers—known very little about Homeowners Associations. Navigating the ins-and-outs of HOA documents and fees can be a headache. So, we were excited to pick Anton’s brain about how he helps lenders and title agents navigate HOAs, and about the wider need for clarity in the housing, title, and mortgage lending industries.
For this week's episode of the LodeStar Lending Leaders podcast, we were so excited to sit down with the host and founder of Love and Tacos, the indefatigable Dalila Ramos. LodeStar's Alayna Gardner chatted with Dalila about the mortgage industry, the origins of Love and Tacos, and the importance of DEI.
For this week’s LLL, Jim interviews longtime friend, Kelsey Brown, Chief Strategy Officer and EVP of WebMax, to discuss all things websites and the importance of an online presence for mortgage lenders.
For this week’s LLL, Alayna sits down with Daniel Felt, Founder and CEO of Kura Home to discuss home maintenance, changes in the housing market, and what home maintenance professionals wish first-time homebuyers knew.
For this week’s LLL, we’re excited to share some of the highlights from HousingWire Annual earlier this month! HousingWire knows how to put on a good conference, and we had some great conversations with industry friends and partners while we were there.
For this week’s Lending Leaders, Jim Paolino talks with Jordan Nutter, a loan originator with NFM Lending and a TikTok influencer with over 190K followers. They talk all things TikTok and being a mortgage lender with a huge social media following.
This week we're highlighting some our friends and partners who attended the National Association of Minority Mortgage Bankers of America (NAMMBA) CONNECT conference. We talked all things diversity, equity, and inclusion in the mortgage industry, the importance of progress, and what still needs to change.
For this week’s episode of LLL, Jim interviews Mike Yu, CEO and Co-Founder of Vesta. Together they discuss technology, the role of loan officers in a changing industry, and projecting what the mortgage industry’s future might mean for vendors and lenders alike.
LodeStar’s star Sales and Marketing Director, Alayna Gardner, interviews fellow attendees at the 2022 Digital Mortgage Conference.
Season 3 is in full swing, and we’re excited to chat with Larry Bailey, CEO of Mortgage Workflow Partners. Larry is a big proponent of rolling up your sleeves, getting under the hood, and analyzing how a business really works. Not how the CEO thinks it works, but how it actually works. Investing in workflow is critical to ensure both that your business is working the way you think it is and that you’re embracing the best possible functionality. Larry is a true veteran, and we were excited to pick his brain and swap stories.
For this week's Lending Leaders, Tim Nguyen, CEO and Co-Founder of BeSmartee, shares his thoughts on the importance of balancing good business practices with a sense of social responsibility. He delves into his family history, its impact on his business philosophy, and how that philosophy has grown with him and his company.
The LodeStar Lending Leaders podcast begins its third season with Jim, Dave, and Alayna discussing LodeStar's not-so-proudest moment in business. Here's to learning from your mistakes!
To conclude the LodeStar Lending Leaders Summer Session, we’re capping off our weeks-long discussion of how a mortgage insider buys a home. Alayna interviews Jim and his wife Sarah and invites them to reflect on their homebuying process.
Welcome to part three of Jim's experience buying a home as a mortgage professional. Today we're picking his brain about the mortgage process and how being the CEO of a mortgage software company helped him navigate the ins and outs of the process.
We’re back to talking about Jim’s experience buying a home as a mortgage professional. On part two, we’re diving into his experience using a realtor, the value of realtors, and how his view of realtors changed during the homebuying process.
As a mortgage industry pro, Jim was skeptical at first about the need for a realtor, but soon had his mind changed by the expertise and guidance of the realtors he wound up using.
Ever wonder how a mortgage industry expert navigates the home buying experience? LodeStar's CEO Jim Paolino just bought his first home and is eager to share his thoughts on the experience.
Welcome to the 2022 Summer Session of the LodeStar Lending Leaders Podcast. Per our lovely inflatable tropical office decorations, we've titled this brief season between seasons "Between Two Palms." Because why not?
During the podcast season proper, we keep things fairly serious and hear from industry professionals and partners in the mortgage lending space. But during the summer, short of throwing all professionalism to the wind, we like to keep things pretty light.
This week, we're focusing on getting some rest after conference season and before autumn busyness, enjoying the warm weather, and gauging the state of the industry as the spring housing market crops up.
Thanks so much for being tuning in to LodeStar Lending Leaders! We can’t wait to resume our conversations about the mortgage industry and related topics when season 3 begins in September 2022.
To listen to this and other episodes of the LodeStar Lending Leaders Podcast, check out our YouTube channel. Please consider subscribing! It helps us out a lot. You can also find us on Anchor.
Per tradition, LLL wrapped up its season by sitting down with LodeStar Co-Founders, Jim Paolino and David Spektor to reflect on the company’s growth over the last several months. And of course, we checked in on Dave’s inextinguishable dream to purchase a t-shirt cannon.
This weeks' LLL feature's our second-ever live recording at a conference, where we had the pleasure of talking with Gary Martinek, Senior Account Executive at Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions.
For this week's Lending Leaders, LodeStar's Sales and Marketing Director, Alayna Gardner, took a moment to chat with Jemila Stewart, Partner Business Development Director at MeridianLink.
LLL was excited to chat with Alex Dunton, Executive Vice President of Sales at Priority Title and Escrow. We talked all things title insurance in today's tech-driven market and how title insurance is one of the most important parts of the lending process.
We're trying something new this week at LLL. Every month, Jim and Alayna will put their heads together to talk about the state of the mortgage industry and discuss relevant topics, headlines, and current events. This time they talk about conferences, meeting clients, and responding to changes in volume. Also, they judge vendors' snack offerings and booth setups at this spring's industry conferences.
LLL visited recently with Shana Steigerwalt, the dynamic owner and founder of Modern Driven Media in Philadelphia, a content marketing and CRM implementation firm.
LLL recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Windy Lafond, CEO and Founder of Genie Notary Inc. During the pre-podcast prep conversation, Jim and Windy were delighted to discover they have a ton in common. We were eager to hear Windy’s incredible story and pick her brain about all things notarization.
LLL recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Roy George, Managing Partner at MOR Lending. Roy was eager to share some recent changes and what he’s learned along the way.
LLL recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Kevin Peranio, CEO of PRMG. Kevin has been in the industry for a long time and is no stranger to rises in falls in volume. He shared some of his wisdom about how to endure in changing markets, and how to build a business designed for the long haul.
LLL sat down with Jason Doshi, CEO and co-founder of paymints.io. Jason talked about how tech empowers client service.
LLL recently had the pleasure of sitting down with the Jeffrey Loyd, principal of Mortgage Acuity. Jeffrey is a veteran of the industry who's worn a lot of different hats. We were eager to hear his take on how technology has changed the industry and the homebuyer experience
This week we dive into the lack of sleep a business owner gets, the benefits of content marketing and more!
Today we talk about the lending and title technology industries and how they can come together.
LLL recently had the pleasure of visiting with Chuck Cain, SVP, National Agency Division with the FNF Family of Companies. Chuck is also the host of the popular FNF Unplugged podcast.
This week we had the pleasure of chatting with Big Dave about his journey and his new book! Check out the giveaway here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/7cb36cb41/?
LLL had the pleasure of visiting with Briana Ings, Head of Product and Design and Snapdocs.
LLL had the pleasure of visiting with Melissa Johnson Eldridge recently. Melissa is the President of NEMA Online Signing Solutions & Consultants as well as the creator of NEMA’s Online Notary Training. At a time when topics like Remote Online Notary (RON) closings are taking center stage, Melissa is certainly in the center of the action!
We recently visited with cryptocurrency and blockchain expert, Wes Williams, attorney at RELAW, APC.
Wes also has roots in the title and real estate industry, so we talked a bit about where, if and how blockchain could eventually fit in our space. We think you’ll agree that the conversation was educational as well as very interesting!
We recently had a return visit with the dynamic Josh Pitts, CEO or S.H.R.E.D. (Show up. Hustle. Repeat. Every Day!) The next 30 minutes were, as always, a great combination of high energy and compelling conversation—as is always the case when it comes to Josh! Our own Joe….er, Jim Paolino hosted the podcast.
We recently visited with Dan Smith, VP of Sales for one of LodeStar’s partners, Lending Pad.
An accidental start to a fruitful journey
Like many, Dan joined the mortgage industry almost by accident. However, he has thrived—especially in mortgage technology, in the 20+ years (including stints with Fiserv and ComplianceEase) since. Dan told us that it was the complex, heavily nuanced nature of the industry, as well as the opportunity to solve problems and build relationships, that have kept him coming back every day!
The slow, steady progress of tech in the mortgage industry
Dan shared that he sees a slow, but progressive, evolution in our industry from a time when tech was viewed as a necessary evil to a point where it’s viewed as a great tool to do business facilitating the American Dream. He believes that we’ve been a bit slow to adopt new technology because of the complexities of the industry itself, the heavy regulatory/compliance burdens we face and the fact that the business model is sales driven.
While both Dan and Jim commiserated about their early experiences in the space assembling boxes to contain paper-based data, they marveled at how far we’ve come. Dan specifically referenced the growing ability to transition to a process based increasingly on API and verified data, all of which will continue to improve customer relationships. Even back-office or other production technologies which are directly invisible to the consumer are improving the experience by increasing confidence in the process and improving speed as well. Dan believes that the industry can additionally improve CX by “getting organized,” by means of things like MISMO or URLA (Uniform Residential Lending Application) to increase the standardization of data and, eventually, improved integration and collaboration among entities in the process.
On lender-service provider relationships and “future-proofing”
Asked about the lender-service provider/vendor relationship, Dan observed that there’s “more right than wrong” happening there these days. The process can suffer hiccups, however, if a lender’s due diligence process—no matter how much earnest effort is put into it—is not executed properly. He noted occurrences of lenders not asking the right questions of potential vendors or not seeking out more “future proof” partners as two great examples.
Dan does believe lenders are finally, by and large, getting the message about improving their tech stacks in all aspects, not just sales. He mentioned an industry blog which stuidied FinTech lenders as compared to traditional lenders, noting that the FinTech lenders, by and large, were closing loans faster with lower delinquency rates.
Preparing for the Unexpected
Asked about the cyclical nature of the industry, especially in light of the recent disruptive events such as the pandemic, and how lenders can be prepared, Dan told us that the best prepared lenders stay true to their values, focus on their missions and lean on the relationships they’ve built along the way.
The reason we come to work every day
While Dan did jokingly pine for the go-go days of the early 2000’s when unlimited budget corporate events were a reality, he quickly admitted that those days are long gone. Asked about what gets him excited to come to work in the morning, Dan unhesitatingly responded that the members of one’s team and the people one works with every day make all the difference.
This week we sit down with George Baker from Talkuments to discuss the importance of translation in the mortgage industry.
As you may already know, we at LodeStar are passionate about promoting mental health awareness. September was National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month, so there was no question we would be getting out, spreading the word and doing our part toward raising awareness. As part of that effort, we were honored by a visit with Dr. Shira Kafker to discuss this critical topic.
Marcia Zaruba O’Connor visited with us at LLL recently. She’s a fellow Philadelphia 100 honoree and the CEO and founder of the O’Connor Group, a talent acquisition and human resources provider.
We had the honor of visiting again with Regina Lowrie, CMB, the President and CEO of Dytrix, and one of the industry’s true thought leaders. Here’s what she discussed with our own Jim Paolino.
Our own Jim Paolino had the tables turned on him, as he was interviewed by Content Beacon’s Brian Rieger about the great year LodeStar’s had so far in 2021. He also discussed some very big news about the brand’s future.
Check out the new site at lodestarss.com
This week we discuss nothing at all about mortgage! We discuss what we learned how to cook during quarantine and what we still do today.
Jim and Alayna dive into their experience in the workplace and as managers over the years. Memes, management styles and the need for respect.
This week we jump into our favorite Olympic Sports and why mental health matters in the arena and in the workplace.
We discuss the economic impact that AirBnb has on both the Hospitality and Mortgage industries. Plus our personal preferences while traveling on where we like to stay.
This week Jim and Alayna dive into their first jobs and what they learned while scooping ice cream and flipping burgers.
Spoilers Ahead! This week Jim and Alayna react to the end of Loki and relate the TVA to the mortgage process. It might be a bit out of the normal but its a fun episode so give it a listen!
This week Alayna Gardner and Kelsey Wright sit down and talk about our experience as Millennial Women in the industry and as working professionals.
This week Jim and Alayna react to some Zillow Gone Wild homes and chat about why we love window shopping real estate.
In the kickoff of the Summer Session of Lending Leaders we jump into Hot Girl Summer, Sitting at a counter again, and if scrapple is actually good. Contact us: lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com lodestarss.com
This week we dive into the start of LodeStar, David's dream of a t-shirt cannon, and how we can impact the mortgage industry.
Find our Team!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alaynagardner/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-paolino/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-spektor-8548148b/
This week we dive into giving back as a mortgage organization and the value of marketing in the mortgage space with April and Bob from The Home Loan Expert.
Find Bob and April Here:
https://thehomeloanexpert.com/
https://keepclimbingfoundation.org/
Prefer to listen to audio only? https://anchor.fm/lodestar-lending-leaders
Episode ideas? Email us at lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
This week we talk insurance, the value of technology and more!
Find Eric Here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericfoster1/
https://www.itswoop.com/
Want to listen to us on Audio only? https://anchor.fm/lodestar-lending-leaders
Email us: Lendingleader@lssoftwaresolutions.com
This week we chat all all thing secret shopping with Richard Douglass!
Find Richard Here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-douglass-360235/
http://mortgagesentinel.org/
Contact us: Lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
This week we sit down to discuss therapy, how employers can support their employees mental health, and the impact of work from home.
Find Allie here:
https://www.allielinnwrites.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/allielinn/
Want to listen to Audio Only? https://anchor.fm/lodestar-lending-leaders
Email us: lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
This week we jump a little off course to discuss the importance of representation, Anh-Thu's planned Solo Flight around the world, and how to inspire others.
Find Anh-Thu Here:
https://awa2.org/
https://awa2.org/donate
Contact Us: LendingLeaders@lssoftwaresolution.com
This week we dive in with Laura on how AFR got started, her career, and Saying Yes Everyday.
Find Laura Here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-j-brandao/
https://laurabrandao.com/
https://www.afrwholesale.com/
https://www.sayyeseveryday.com/
This week we dive into podcasts, should your team be on Tik Tok and the fear of low views.
Find Josh:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshpittslive/
https://shredmedia.io/
Email Us Here: lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
This week we talk with Michael Marino from Corelogic about how to get your teams to adopt new tech and where the mortgage industry can go from here.
Find Michael here:
https://www.corelogic.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-marino-95a02249/
Email Us Here: lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
On this week's podcast with chat with Chief Lending Officer Kevin Peranio from PRMG, Inc. We dive into riding in an uber again, The American Dream, and doing right by consumers.
Find Kevin Here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-peranio-6a56801/
http://prmg.net/
Have an idea or questions you would like Jim to ask?
Email us: Lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
This week we sit down to chat with Adam Chaudhary about how he met Jim, what makes a risky vendor, and why he chose to start FundingShield.
Find Him: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-j-chaudhary-b292525/
https://www.fundingshield.com/
Email us: Lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
This week we sit down to chat with Justin Dowlatshahi, MD about his First Time Home Buyer Experience.
Email us: Lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
Want to listen to us without the video?
https://anchor.fm/lodestar-lending-leaders
This week we sit down to chat with Roy K. George from Taylor Morrison Home Funding
Find Roy here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/roykgeorge/
https://www.taylormorrisonhf.com/
Email us: Lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
This week we sit down to chat with Tammy Butler, CMB from Fair Lending Diversity
Find Tammy here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammy-butler-master-cmb-lss-black-belt-a88a613/
https://fairlendingdiversity.com/
Email us: Lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
This week we sit down to chat with Regina Lowrie, CMB from Dytrix
Find Regina here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/regina-lowrie-cmb-b064b15/
https://dytrix.com/
Email us: Lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
This week we sit down to chat with Candace Russell from Carrington Holding Company
Find Candace here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/candacefraleyrussell/
https://www.carringtonhc.com/
Email us: Lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
This week we sit down to chat with Kosta Ligris from Stavvy
Find Kosta here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ligris/
https://www.stavvy.com/
Email us: Lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
This week we sit down with Krystal Thomas from MBA to get her insight on the industry.
Find Krystal Here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystalmthomas/
https://www.mba.org/
Contact Us: lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
This week we sit down to chat with Matthew Patterson from Draper and Kramer Mortgage Corp.
Find Matthew here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-patterson-b1694657/
https://dkmortgage.com/
Email us:
Lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
This week we sit down with Sarah Quin to get her viewpoint on the homebuying process.
Contact Us: lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com
This week we sit down with Matt Einheber from Titlebox to get his Insight on the industry.
Find Matt Here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-einheber-8004415/
https://thetitlebox.com/
Contact Us: lendingleaders@lssoftwaresolutions.com