Do we have perfect companies? Companies that people are happy to work for every day of the year. Probably, we have some. There is a common narrative where people say, “I love working with X company, but you know no company is perfect.”  The big question is, are people okay with working for companies they believe are not even working toward perfection? Is just settling there the only option they have? According to Fobby Naghmi, Divisional President of Homecomings Mortgage & Equity, the last thing he would want to hear any of the people he works with is how they love working for Homecomings,  but they understand that Fobby and Homecomings are not perfect.  Fobby would like everyone who works for Homecomings feels like they are in the right place.  His team trusts him enough to bring up whenever they have an issue with the company.  And while some issues would be resolved, some bigger issues may take time, or the answer may be "not at this time."  But Fobby would prefer having the dialogue. In this episode, Fobby and  Michael David Chapman discuss how people can make their companies the best workplace. They also look at the different leadership mindsets and people to avoid when hiring, especially if you are looking for loan officers for a mortgage company. Why candidates say "No company is perfect": Candidates may say this to acknowledge that every company has its challenges and issues. It is also a way to express that they understand that a company is made up of human beings; therefore, there is no such thing as a perfect company. It might also be that the candidate is looking for a company willing to work on improving and addressing any issues that may arise. Listen in and learn. Key Talking Points of the Episodes: [04:52] No company is perfect [16:01] What is perfect, and what does it look like? [19:22] The best way to recruit for your company [27:08] What is the best mindset to have as a leader? [29:04] Michael and Fobby’s definition of affirmation Magical Quotes from the Episode: “Human nature is to minimize.” “Complacency equates to lack of engagement.” “If you can't work with me, at least go back, and improve your company. Don't accept the fact that it's not perfect.” “Recruiting, anybody is like dating. You have to make a decision like, is this person someone that I do want to continue my dates with?” “If you can't get to perfection, at least try to get to perfection.” “Great leaders will always see the gap.”

On this episode of Laugh, Lend & Eat, your host Fobby Naghmi has a very special guest, Dalila Ramos, the creator of the very popular "Taco Tuesday." Today we'll be discussing the importance of having a brand strategy. First, let's start by explaining what a brand strategy is. A brand strategy is a long-term plan to develop a successful brand to achieve specific goals. It includes the brand's mission, values, and positioning in the market. Now, let's get into the top reasons why a brand strategy is essential. A brand strategy helps to define your target audience and communicate your message to them. Understanding your audience can tailor your messaging and marketing efforts to reach and resonate with them effectively. A brand strategy helps to differentiate you from your competition. In a crowded market, it's important to stand out and be unique. A well-defined brand strategy helps you do just that by highlighting what makes your brand special and why customers should choose you over the competition. A brand strategy helps to build trust and credibility with your audience. By consistently communicating your values and mission, you can establish yourself as a trustworthy and reliable source in your industry. A brand strategy helps to guide decision-making within your company. It provides a clear direction and helps to ensure that all actions and decisions align with the goals and values of the brand. A brand strategy helps to increase brand recognition and customer loyalty. You can turn one-time customers into loyal brand advocates by consistently delivering on your brand promise and providing a great customer experience.

Episode Summary  In today’s episode of LLE with Madness, we get into how this show all got started, calling in instead of out, our experiences with grief, Madison’s greatest year in business, and our recap of Madness 2022.  Topics Discussed  • [04:00] How this all started.  • [08:06] Madison’s biased and unbiased favorite episodes.  • [10:02] Keeping the momentum in 2022.  • [12:30] Becoming unlimited.  • [15:05] Calling in.  • [16:55] Dealing with grief.  • [20:05] Blending passion with purpose.  • [24:24] Recap of 2022.  • [27:28] Wrapping up.  Key Takeaways  • “Life is happening, and I’m part of life.”  • “In this world, it’s easy to call out.” • “There’s no handbook when you lose someone.”  Follow the podcast: www.laughlendandeat.com  Host: Fobby Naghmi.  Co-Host: Madison Keenan.

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Michael David Chapman, Co-Founder of LeadIn Social. We get into Grief and trauma, the truth about the ego, juggling business with Grief, and acknowledging the full spectrum of Grief. Topics Discussed · [03:08] Grief and trauma. · [08:30] Unbending the ego. · [12:49] Juggling business with Grief. · [21:48] The full spectrum of Grief. Key Takeaways · “Your ego is not the problem. It’s your unbent ego.” · “[Grief is] not just a loss, but a recognized loss.” · “You can’t solve a problem you don’t know you have.” · “Everything has led up to this exact moment.” · “At the end, we can be grateful that we are grieving our loved one rather than our loved one grieving us.” Relevant Links Website: leadinmedia.net. LinkedIn: Michael Chapman. Follow the podcast: www.laughlendandeat.com Host: Fobby Naghmi.

It’s Thanksgiving with the Laugh, Lend and Eat show. Fobby Naghmi of Family First Funding wants to show his gratitude to Madison Keenan of Annie Mac Mortgage and producer John Perry. But somehow misses that point in the beginning. The good news is that all can feel gratitude and friendship by the show’s end! Topics Discussed · [01:25] Does anyone listen to the radio? · [02:53] Madness is the oldest of 5 siblings. · [06:30] Inflation has peaked · [09:47] Give thanks at the dinner table · [11:07] Madness’ first Thanksgiving without her grandmother · [13:44] Funeral Potato’s · [16:21] Gratitude is a very overused word · [18:31] Slower market allows reexamining business relationships. · [19:25] How to achieve instant gratitude · [26:15] Thank you for being a friend Key Takeaways · “I have eight cousins and siblings, and we’re all a year apart.” · “Rates go up rapidly, but they come down very slowly” · “Time to reflect and readjust.” · “Simple say instead of “I got to” “I get to” Follow the podcast: www.laughlendandeat.com Host: Fobby Naghmi. Co-Host: Madison Keenan.

In today’s episode of LLE with Madness, we get into the Federal Reserve’s plan to combat inflation, the conspiracy around the Federal Reserve, 2-1 buydowns in today’s market, why properties should be treated as investments, and we announce Podapalooza. Topics Discussed · [01:10] The Federal Reserve is at it again. · [03:57] The Federal Reserve conspiracy. · [05:54] What to tell a loan officer. · [08:28] 2-1 buydowns today. · [12:08] Flex on the Gram. · [15:08] Treating a property as an investment. · [20:19] How’s Madness doing in this market? · [23:21] Why do realtors expect us to pick up the tab? · [26:30] Switching companies. · [28:30] Podapalooza. Key Takeaways · “You need to be building trust and building relationships and stop focusing on selling a product.” · “If you have a 2-1 buydown, but you have nobody trust you, it doesn’t matter what you have.” · “Fear is peeing in your pants, and courage is doing what you’ve got to do with wet pants.” · “Never confuse a single defeat with the final defeat.” Follow the podcast: www.laughlendandeat.com Host: Fobby Naghmi. Co-Host: Madison Keenan.

Episode Summary In today’s episode, we’re joined by Darcy Reynolds, Team Growth Manager at Streamlined Properties On-Market, Gina Scodella, Real Estate Agent at Keller Williams Shore Properties, and Kristina Hajhassan, Realtor at Remax. We get into the recent rate increases, educating buyers, guidelines and overlays, inventory, seller expectations, cash buyers, and heading into the “new normal” market. Topics Discussed · [02:16] Borrowers no longer qualify due to the rate increase. · [09:03] Pre-approved buyers. · [11:34] Educating buyers. · [12:56] Overlays. · [14:40] Staying in your lane. · [19:14] Inventory. · [20:44] The seller’s expectations. · [23:06] Is there more inventory on the market? · [24:22] Preparing sellers for the market. · [29:38] Is this a good time? · [33:21] Cash buyers. · [36:40] Second home properties. · [39:02] Heading into a “normal market.” Key Takeaways · “It’s super important for realtors and clients to constantly communicate weekly, if not every other week.” · “If they’re not pre-approved, they’re not ready to go.” · “Good weather doesn’t make good sailors.” Relevant Links  Instagram: Darcy Reynolds                 @realestatedarcy  Gina Scodella                                        @ginasellsnj_  Kristina Hajjassan                                 @closewithkristina   Follow the podcast:    www.laughlendandeat.com   Host:         Fobby Naghmi       www.fobbynaghmi.com  Co-Host: Madison Keenan   www.madisonkeenan.annie-mac.com

Episode Summary In today’s episode, Fobby Naghmi and Madison Keenan are joined by Johnny Di Domenico, an American actor, comedian, and writer best known for his award-winning impersonation of Donald Trump, Austin Powers, Jay Leno, and many more! The conversation goes through Johnny’s upbringing outside of Philadelphia to his coming to NYC and tackling new challenges. Madison engages with Johnny by asking questions that connect the mortgage industry to that of life as a comedic actor. Key Takeaways Fobby claims he is like a “Velcro Fob”; every lawsuit sticks to him Stay curious and keep learning. “I wanna know how they think.” “The currency of nice and the currency of connecting with people” Topics Discussed · [02: 27] How John learned how to impersonate people · [06:32] Remarkable that John did not let a speech impediment hold him back · [07:01] What skill sets are required to wear multiple hats? · [13:50] First introduced to Donald Trump in 1986 · [16:47] A fine line between satire and comedy · [19:25] Creating an experience for the customer · [21:34] Everyone gets undivided attention · [23:28] Social media · [28:28] Adapting to a new world and succeeding · [31:58] Dreaming in character Relevant Links YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnDiDomenicoComedy Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/johndidomenicocomedy/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thejohnnydshow/?hl=en Cameo:  https://www.cameo.com/thejohnnydshow Follow the podcast: www.laughlendandeat.com Host: Fobby Naghmi.

Episode Summary In today’s episode, Fobby Naghmi is joined by Clayton Jones, VP of Credit Risk-Mortgage at First Option Mortgage,  Mark Thomas, EVP at Truly Mortgage, a division of Amerifirst Financial Inc, and Phil Brousseau, SVP of TPO Underwriting at EPM. We get into the future of the mortgage industry using social media, the human aspect of underwriting, maintaining diligence, and some of the craziest files received throughout their careers. Key Takeaways · “Sometimes a quick ‘no’ is the best response.” · “Breaking a habit requires energy, so we all resist because we don’t want to spend that energy.” · “It’s about being thorough, and it’s about being consistent, and it’s about doing the right thing.” Topics Discussed · [02:31] Where the mortgage industry is headed. · [04:42] Is this a new market? · [06:00] Credit tightening and credit loosening. · [08:20] Using social media. · [12:16] The human side of underwriting. · [17:40] Managing emotions. · [21:35] Underwriting for third parties vs employees. · [25:36] The “feel good condition.” · [29:27] Touches. · [30:42] Credit scores. · [34:47] Maintaining diligence. · [38:45] Crazy files. Relevant Links LinkedIn: Clay Jones. Mark Thomas. Phil Brousseau. Follow the podcast: www.laughlendandeat.com Host: Fobby Naghmi.

Madison "Madness" Keenan of AnnieMac Mortgage shares her concerns about the current mortgage market with Fobby Naghmi of First Option Mortgage. While the increasing rates don't scare her, her concerns are more about the consumers and that they are not changing their spending habits.  Madison's advice to potential homebuyers is:  1) Don't buy a new  car 2) Don't open new lines of credit 3) Keep your credit card balance to 50% of the maximum limit This advice spurs a quick debate between the two. Fobby questions if Madison may be asking too much of the consumer.   The Federal Reserve raised the Federal Reserve rate 75bps  for the 2nd time this year. First, Fobby put some historical context on this topic of the fed fund's rates Fobby followed up by asking Madison if she knew what the Federal Reserve rate was and what it did. There was also the case of the bunny ears throughout the entire episode! Not one to be missed, for sure! 

Fobby Naghmi, host of Laugh, Lend and Eat, talks with Vince Nepolitan, National Renovation Sales Manager for EPM Wholesale.  The two first met in 2018 when the same mortgage lender employed them.  Fobby made a point of saying the "other lender that shall not be named."  This was meant to tell Vince not to mention that company's name for whatever reason! Why Belief Matters The conversation moved to Vince's current company, EPM Wholesale, and the fact that Vince believes in EPM and is reciprocated back to Vince.   Having a belief in your work life is a critical component that is often overlooked by many.   Once you believe in one another, the first significant step has been taken to build a relationship on trust. Renovate Me Vince has released his book, Renovate Me.  The book dives into Vince's childhood as an abandoned teenager living on the streets of Las Vegas.  His father was on drugs, and his mother did not want him around.  His environment was gang life, selling drugs, and living on the street.   From there, his journey took a miraculous turn. Absence Creates Shadows Fobby noted that the absence of not having a father in his life ultimately made Vince a better father to his children.  He added that the absence of specific beats in music creates rhythm, so why would the exact blueprint not apply in life?  Vince wholeheartedly agreed.  Both of Vince's children are in college, and Vince is deeply embedded in his children's lives.   Renovation Loans With the real estate market entering a buyer's market, per Vince, it's more important than ever to offer a home renovation loan program.  He explained why doing a renovation loan makes so much sense.  Vince also feels that most residential loan officers are afraid of a product they don't understand and have not taken the time to learn.    To learn more about Vince and his book, "Renovate Me," please go to his website, www.VNRenovateMe.com.

How To Create A Mortgage Podcast Welcome to another edition of Laugh, Lend, and Eat the Podcast. Today we're joined by the 2020 Vision Sales Expert class. We're going to explore everything you need to know about how to create a Mortgage podcast to give you the tools you need to get off the ground. So tune in and learn! How "Laugh, Lend and Eat: Madness" Was Born We start the show with Madison (the co-host) sharing what she does in Laugh, Lend and Eat Madness podcast. Madison shares that the madness is the name of a brand she is trying to establish. The Madness part of the Podcast came to fruition because after recording the traditional Podcast with Fobby, they would get off the recording side, and she would start a rapid-fire on things happening in real-time in her day-to-day mortgage business. They realized that that would make a great segment of what they were already doing in the Laugh, Lend and Eat Podcast. The traditional Podcast is based on interview style with one or multiple guests, while Laugh, Lend, and Eat: Madness podcast is her being real. She talks about things happening in real time, including the market, the interest rates, clients, or something that she feels is a common theme many loan officers are going through. To hear more, go to 02:26 Reasons Why You Should Start A Podcast Next, we talk about why you should start a podcast. Fobby shares that his most significant reason for starting a podcast was to generate leads for his business. According to him, everything he does 24/7 is for recruiting loan officers, and podcasting is just another branch of that. The Podcast gives him a platform to generate leads with realtors and builders and allows him to be recognized as an industry leader. Similarly, Madison shares that it has helped her get her name out there. Podcasting is a great platform where you can be vulnerable and share your story and thing that are important to you. It is also a platform where you can get the most reach, similar to social media, as you can talk to 500 people in an hour. So, if you have an important message that needs to be heard and resonates with people, podcasting is the best way to get it out there. To hear more, go to, 05:00 Choosing Topics, You Feel Good Talking About At 08:03, we talk about why you should choose something you feel good talking about. Just because people do something doesn't mean you have to do it. Do what you feel good about that you can do regularly. What is essential is bringing experience that can help others. Podcasts are built on ideas. Creating a podcast is all about developing ideas into something specific and pre-planning your show. This does not mean you have to stick to a script in everything, but planning will allow you to return to the original idea when you side-track or get on tangents. Tangents are entertaining, but if you have an overarching goal or topic you want to cover, make sure to have a few bullet points of specific things you want to hit. This will allow you to recoup another question when the conversation is trailing off and bring it to the original topic instead of going down the rabbit holes. The Name Game, Naming Your Podcasts Next, we talk about the name game. As easy as it sounds, your listeners should be able to understand what they are listening to the moment they hear your title. We all judge a book by its cover, and podcast titles are no different. Wishing you had named your Podcast differently down the line is not something you want to do. Get your marketing team on board and lay down three core values you want to cover and a podcast name that aligns with your brand. The name game is huge, and you must also be careful when naming your episodes. Your episode title tells your audience what they will get when they listen to the show. Make sure you name your episode right to help your listeners to tune in for a reason. To hear more about the name game, go to 08:03 How Much Time To Dedicat

Welcome to another episode of Laugh, Lend, and Eat, MADNESS, our host, Fobby Naghmi, National Sales Manager for First Option Mortgage, and co-host, Madison "Madness" Keenan, loan officer for AnnieMac Home Loans. The discussion revolves around loan officers going to borrower's closings, and Madness surprises Fobby by telling him she is not a fan of technology. Madness likes to Jaywalk We start the episode by finding out that Madness can't help herself and breaks the state's law by consistently jaywalking around town. While this is amusing, Fobby recalls a past loan officer that received a ticket for jaywalking in Alexandria, VA. For more information about jaywalking, please go to: https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/jaywalking. Madness Goes to Borrower's Loan Closings. At a recent lunch, a co-worker of Madness stated that he noticed Madness does not cry as much anymore. Madness attributes her not crying as much as she is "getting numb to the business or getting thicker skin." At 3:43, Fobby asks Madness if she has ever watched "A League of Their Own." A favorite movie of Fobby with Tom Hanks. Fobby tells Madness that his favorite scene is where Hanks yells at a women baseball player, saying, “There is no crying in baseball!” Fobby tells Madness she must watch it. The talk switches to Madness talking about how she goes to a first-time homebuyer's closing. She tells Fobby that it's important for her to see all the parties come together that were involved in the transaction. Fobby brings up the time he went to a client's closing in 1995. The clients were a very elderly couple who had a very credit-challenged loan. At the closing table, the wife declared that she did not care about fees but that no one was to sell her beloved organ. Fobby had avoided closings since that time. Madness admits that she comes at the tail end of the closing. She can then be part of the celebration with her borrowers. She also tells us that she had seen other loan officers in her office going to closings, which is where she learned to go. Fobby commends her effort and encourages her not to stop doing that. Madness Does Not Believe Technology Builds Relationships At 11:06, Madness surprises Fobby by stating that any mortgage lender that believes technology is the way to get ahead is just wrong. She adds that many mortgage professionals hide behind their technology software rather than creating relationships with their borrowers and referral partners. She is often blind-sided by past borrowers calling her after they receive an automated email from her, and they want to talk to her about the email they just received. Fobby pushes back that Madness may want to communicate with her marketing department to be better prepared when those automated emails are sent to her past clients. Madness Needs to Detox from Technology At 14:18, we finally discover that Madness is saying there are too many ways to communicate with her. Between emails, texting, and social media sites, her brain is getting overloaded. Fobby tells her about tech detox weekend camps where people go to do just that, turn off all things digital. But then Fobby states, why pay someone money? When you can turn off your own devices yourself. Madness does agree that she can control her device settings to allow quiet time. She can also re-record her greeting on her voicemail to allow herself more time to respond to voicemail messages. Technology is a product of convenience. It can seem overwhelming for those who use it in business and personal lives. But we can control how much we let it control us. We can also decide where the boundaries are with our clients as well.

In this episode, Fobby Naghmi,  the Nat'l Sales Manager for First Option Mortgage, and Madison Keenan, loan officer for AnnieMac Mortgage, discuss how being mindful daily gives them more energy and clarity throughout the day. Mortgages and Mindfulness  KEY NUGGETS:  [01:47] Teaching mindfulness in prison at 19  [05:37] Mind Mortgage and how it was born  [08:37] Mindfulness as a buzzword in our culture  [11:21] Going from yoga to mortgages  [14:10] How to stay grounded when rates go up and business slows down  [16:54] Mindfulness Vs. work-life balance  [22:55] Finding meaning in work  [31:11] Morning routine; How to Wake up, dress up and show up  [41:11] Meditation and acknowledging the emotions that come up for us  Contact Links  Fobby Naghmi: www.fobbynaghmi.com  Madison Keenan: https://lnkd.in/eqJxWfgb  Loretta Turner: www.lorettaturner.com  Kim Clancy: www.Kim-Clancy.com

www.LaughLendandEat.com In this episode of “Laugh, Lend and Eat” we’re talking about all things social media with Raquel Borras of New American Funding; Dalila Ramos, host of Taco Tuesday; and Joe Wilson founder of Social Coach. This episode lays out: - The three C's of social media; Content, Community, and Call-to-Action -  Using social media to actually create long lasting relationships, both business and personal  - Why contributing to other people's posts is helpful to you - Being mindful of your network You don’t want to miss it! Fobby has spent the past several years honing in on best practices for social media and how mortgage loan officers can benefit from it.  Adding the experience of the panel on this episode just increases the value you will receive...especially if you execute the ideas!

Each day we have our to-do list of tasks and responsibilities. And, on top of that, we've all got dreams and goals we want to achieve. But whether we do all those things largely comes down to our motivation. So, where does motivation come from? Is it the same thing as accountability? For loan officers looking to grow their careers and improve their numbers, there are some important lessons about motivation and accountability from the field of neuroscience. Here to walk us through it all is Steve Scanlon, CEO of Rewire and author of Still the Lizard. Steve joined us on an episode of the Laugh, Lend, and Eat podcast and provided some insightful takeaways. How do loan officers, accountability, and cortisol all connect? Let's find out. What are Neurochemicals? Steve has a self-proclaimed obsession with neuroscience and neurochemistry. He's been studying and compiling meta-research on data and studies for the last ten years. This has culminated in his book "Still the Lizard", which looks at the implications of our "lizard" brain (i.e., the part of your brain that keeps you alive!). Steve's fascination with this field is the study of different chemicals. In your brain, you have: • "Happy" chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. These are responsible for emotions like calm, peace, and job. • "Negative" chemicals… well, chemical—there's just one in this category: cortisol. Dubbed the "stress hormone," cortisol is secreted during times of intense pressure and anxiety. This last chemical, cortisol, has increased massively over the years. It's a bit of a misnomer to call it "negative" because it has a critical and important function in your body to keep you safe and motivate you to action. That said, high cortisol levels contribute to high stress and negative health outcomes. Studies show that cortisol rates are higher than ever before, which is why we can anecdotally observe our friends, colleagues, and peers to be more stressed out than ever. And how do you operate under stress? Not your best! So, understanding what causes cortisol to rise is important. Worry, concern, fret, and fear are all based on negative predictions of the future. But those negative predictions haven't happened yet—they're fictional! The lesson here is that we can swap out our future predictions for positive ones. Focusing on positive future predictions can help reduce stress and anxiety (cortisol) and help you perform your best. Your Lizard Brain Tied into the conversation about neurochemicals is the lizard brain. This is a construct of the productive, survivalist part of your brain. Before the modern era, people evolved to protect themselves from danger and had to go out to get food and shelter. While we don't have those same concerns today, our brains remember what it was like and have survival mechanisms. There are four ways your lizard brain tries to protect you: • Familiarity and routine. • Always being right. • Establishing habits. • Maintaining control. These are unconscious mechanisms in your brain designed to protect you from danger. It explains why making changes is so hard, even if you know they are good for you. Any change, goal, or challenge pushes you out of that comfort zone and goes against your brain's main goal and purpose. Accountability and Change Neuroscience, including what we just talked about with the neurochemicals and lizard brain, has a lot to tell us about how we can change and grow. Traditionally, coaching, mentoring, and managing are hinged on fear-based accountability mechanisms—i.e., "Get your numbers up or there will be consequences." But does that work? Steve is convinced that fear-based accountability is pointless because it raises cortisol levels. It makes people stressed! And, since our lizard brains try to keep us comfortable and safe, you'll never do your best work with elevated cortisol. Beyond that, telling someone what to do robs them of the chance to create their own neur

Women In the Mortgage Industry My guest today is Corrina Carter of CMS, Carolina Vergara from First Option, Branch Manager and Lead Mortgage, and Suha Zehl, Chief Innovation Officer from BlackFin Group. They are all women in the mortgage industry and 2021 Vision Award Winners. In this edition, our goal is to give women a shout-out by bringing them up to share their opinions and experiences on what's going on, what's right, what's wrong, and what could be better. So, let's start with this week's episode and dive into "Women in Mortgage." The Growing Numbers of Women In The Mortgage Industry At 03:52, we start by analyzing the statistics of women in the mortgage industry. As of 2022, there are 216,000 loan officers, and 44% are women. There has been an increment since 2010 from 41% to 44.7% in 2022, which is a pretty drastic change in the demographics. Corrina shares that she teaches CE for loan originators, and when she was teaching loan originators how to get licensed in a 20-hour course in 2010, 11, and 12, 80% of her class was male, and the other 10 to 15% was female. Most of these females worked in operation, and he had 2-3 women loan officers in class size between 25 and 35. However, Corrina sees many more women in her classroom, which feels wonderful. So many young ladies are coming in and want to be mortgage industry leaders. Carolina's Interesting Story of How She Got into the Mortgage Business At 05:20, Carolina shares that she got into the mortgage business right after graduating high school. Going to college was not an option, especially because people made fun of her accent when she spoke English. Instead, a friend invited her to do real estate, and Carolina loved it! Her interest in sales started in high school, where she used to sell brownies and other stuff. Her first position in the mortgage industry was as a loan officer assistant in LA. She also did junior processing and underwriting before shifting to sales. As she learned about the mortgage business, Carolina discovered numbers, realized that doing the paperwork wasn't the career she wanted to pursue, and planned her way to sales. The Technology That Loan Officers are Adapting and What Has Changed Suha shares that she entered the mortgage industry in 2002 and has been in it for about 20 years. Suha is strictly trained in technology and graduated in computer science. She was a programmer when she started and then stumbled into the mortgage industry in 2002. When she joined the industry, the tech stack looked very different from what we've now. You were lucky to have a Windows-based LOS (loan origination software). There was none of the integration, document integration, or the one-push-button system we've today. According to Suha, putting the right technology in the right hands is very important. However, we often focus on the customer experience, which is excellent. Still, Suha stresses that we should not forget that our employees are also customers. We should also adopt the right technology to make their lives easier and simpler. To hear more about Suha's incredible ride and the changes she has seen, go to, 7:28 Who Are More Resistant To New Technology, Men or Women Statistics show that men are more resistant to change than women are. In a recent survey, about 68% of women are more open to adopting technology than men. At 10:51, Suha shares that as women, we juggle many things, and we're open to things that simplify our lives more because we have so many balls in the air. Corrina also shares that she has been good at pivoting and moving to the next level lately because of age and stability. In 2008, Corrina created a separate training company to train loan officers during the mortgage crisis to keep her mortgage doors open. She started her journey in 1997 when a company with 52 loan officers hired her; there were only two other women in that company. And To make matters worse, those two women didn't come to work all the time. It took her and

Fobby Naghmi, National Sales Manager for First Option Mortgage is joined by his co-host Madison "Madness" Keenan of AnnieMac Home Mortgage. Madness goes to Tampa, FL to be part of the 20/20 Vision Summit.  Being at this summit for the 2nd year in a row, Madness was better prepared for the experience and was able to expand her network, like meeting Fobby for the first time in person!  Selfies were taken, but Fobby and Madness both felt they could have done a better job with taking pictures....maybe next year! Madness walks us through her airport experience of waiting for a flight for 9 hours.  Her mom was in tow as they were moved from gate to gate.  But you can always count on Madness to make friends wherever she goes. And finally, Fobby asked Madness how her week has been going. With mortgage interest rates rising and a housing market that is still not cooling, what is it like out there?  Fobby was slightly caught off guard at the initial response, thank God he kept digging for more clarity, cause then we got it!!!

KEY NUGGETS: [02:21] Why First Option is a sales-oriented and not an ops-orientated company [08:30] Challenges that producing managers face and how to create your wins [11:27] How to put your team's priority above your priority as a producing manager [14:12] How to find balance and calm in stressful situations [18:33] Why mishandling a deal due to lack of communication is costly [20:54] How to balance the three-legged stool for producing managers [27:50] The importance of getting someone or something to be the third leg [34:37] The importance of asking for help and learning from others Fobby Naghmi, National Sales Manager for First Option Mortgage is joined by his co-host Madison "Madness" Keenan of AnnieMac Home Mortgage. Our guests today are Melissa Willoby, Katie Sacriste, and Russell Hillyer. They are all producing managers and part of the First Option Mortgage company. Today we’re doing an episode dedicated to producing managers on some of the challenges and obstacles they face and how they can get their wins in different situations. We dive into the concept of producing managers and the three-legged stool that every producing manager has to sit on.  The three legs consist of brand recognition;  recruiting loan officers;  and personal production Most producing managers are good at two of the three legs of the stools.  They can either be good at brand recognition, personal production, and suck in recruiting, or good at recruiting, personal production, and suck in brand recognition. So, someone or something needs to be the third leg to help us find our balance and be productive in our area of focus. If you are a producing manager of a mortgage team or thinking of becoming one, you don't want to miss this episode! Resources Mentioned First Option: https://myfirstoption.com/fobby-naghmi/ Get Fobby’s book, Falling Forward; Mishaps on the Road to Happiness: https://www.amazon.com/Falling-Forward-Mishaps-Road-Happiness-ebook/dp/B09JFJ2LYB

Fobby Naghmi, National Sales Manager for First Option Mortgage is joined by his co-host Madison "Madness" Keenan of AnnieMac Home Mortgage. In order to fight inflation, the Federal Reserve raised key interest rates by 0.75%.   While this may have some positive effect on the economy, Madison is discovering that her pre-qualified borrowers are more confused than they were when they were overbidding on houses!   Their hesitation is based on fear of what if the price of the homes decreases after the closing?? The good news for Madison is that Fobby's 28 years of experience allows for solutions in almost any market.  Fobby terms the potential homebuyers as they have entered the "Pre-Qualification Zone".

Women Revision Versus Having the Right People at The Table. At 02:19, you will learn how to approach women revision correctly in your business. You don’t need 9 men and 9 women at the table to thrive. You need the right people. Christine explains that her goal with women's revision is to help more female business owners not feel insecure about not having the education to run their businesses right. Most of us have learned to be leaders and run businesses from great men, but women are often intimidated to ask their male counterparts when they have a deficit because they fear being exposed and don’t know how to scale and create a proforma. Christine wanted to create a space where this type of learning could happen by bringing the teacher and creating the rooms to talk about things considered taboo. The Secret of 20/20 Vision For Success Coaching Growth and Success 20/20 Vision For Success Coaching is one of a kind. It has been growing tremendously from the beginning. Christine shares that the company started as a dream, and sharing their story has allowed people to show up to be part of their dream and help them feel it. Christine emphasizes that you should let the world know your story because people will want to get on a ride with you. Your story is your best marketing strategy, and being authentic is what has helped Christine’s company get ahead. 20/20 Vision For Success Coaching was built for scale from day one and not for conventional coaching. They also have the outlier support for grief, loss, health, and wellness and have built a community that allows people to be in their community, even when they are not in active coaching. To learn more, go to 09:01 How Christine Has Built 20/20 Vision For Success Coaching To Be Eventually Sold At 14:31, Christine explains how she has built 20/20 Vision for Success Coaching to run without her and eventually sell it. The company had a lot of her when she started and was under her name, but their goal is to be anonymous with education in their field. They are slowly pulling away her image to create a formative brand and a logo that will mean something and speak to people on its own. Christine also reveals that preparing her company to run without her started soon after opening her doors when she hired an SOP code writer. They started recording the standard operating processes and practices from the first day, and the company's entire history is documented. So, if something happens to her tomorrow, there is a manual for its operation, and it can be purchased by somebody that can run it at the same profitable level. The Upcoming Summit and The Experience that People should Expect Christine shares that they knew when building the five-year business plan for 20/20 that to have a community of people, they had to have a face-to-face factor. They were creating a virtual platform, which would get them far, but breaking bread was vital for relationships. Their competitors were doing it, and they realized that if they had to be adopted nationally by the industry, they had to come out and show them they were there for business. Their first-year summit was a big venture financially, and for Christine, she did sleep for a week after they announced their first show. They had small stuff at the time and were unsure about the outcome, but they pulled off a great event. Last year's summit was bigger and better, and this year it is going to blow the roof off. The theme is Eco Vision; What Going On In Your Universe, and they have something for everybody. To hear more, tune in at 18;37 The Energy And Drive Required To Fulfill A Vision At 24:00, Christine expounds on the drive required to fulfill a vision. She believes in fuelling passion and considers herself an evangelist in terms of success. Her message has to align with her tagline for 20/20 Vision For Success Coaching, Emotional Awakening Through Education. According to her, people run towards success when mo

Fobby Naghmi, National Sales Manager for First Option Mortgage, is joined by his friend Christine Beckwith, Founder and CEO of 20/20 Vision For Success Coaching.  In their first interview in 2019, Christine told Fobby, "It doesn't matter where your story starts," and those words have since inspired him.  We find that Christine came from humble beginnings, being the middle child of three sisters.  Their parents were married at a young age, and while it may have seemed they lacked in so many material niceties to the outside world, it was not so.   The parents raised their three girls with a drive and a moral compass that other children may not have had.  They provided what they could and instilled certain characteristics that would later enable Christine to rise to the top of her career. 

Todd Duncan is an American author and speaker. According to CNN, Todd Duncan is “the Tony Robbins of the mortgage industry.”   Todd shared his moment when he decided to teach other mortgage professionals what he had learned and support their success.    If you have questions about what to do to get your career in the right direction, this episode will give you major takeaways that you can execute immediately.       Todd has authored 17 books, including the New York Times Bestsellers Time Traps: Proven Strategies for Swamped Sales People and High Trust Selling: Make More Money In Less Time with Less Stress.  Todd is recognized as "THE WORLD'S LEADING AUTHORITY ON TRUST"

Episode Summary In today’s episode, we’re joined by Darcy Reynolds, Team Growth Manager at Streamlined Properties On-Market, Gina Scodella, Real Estate Agent at Keller Williams Shore Properties, and Kristina Hajhassan, Remax Realtor and Real Estate Investor. We get into social media marketing, Madison forgets her slogan, we remember our craziest clients, and we worry about the price of gas. Topics Discussed • [02:42] The use of social media in real estate. • [11:03] Using different social media styles. • [16:07] The slowdown in the market. • [22:27] How realtors come up with uplifting adjectives. • [23:56] Madison’s slogan. • [26:11] The craziest clients. • [30:27] The price of gas for the real estate industry. • [34:17] The benefit of working on a team. • [40:45] The anxiety of putting in offers and love letters. Key Takeaways • “It’s not a no, it’s a not right now.” • “You need to have a really strong team.” • “To really build wealth, you have to leverage either systems or other people to get there.” • “The way you present your offers is so important.” Relevant Links LinkedIn: Darcy Reynolds Gina Scodella Instagram: @realestatedarcy @ginasellsnj_ @closewithkristina Follow the podcast: www.laughlendandeat.com Host: Fobby Naghmi. Co-Host: Madison Keenan.

In this episode, Madison Keenan of AnnieMac Home Mortgage discusses the challenges she is still facing in light of higher mortgage interest rates and multiple bids on existing homes on the market.   Overbidding has been an issue over the past few years, and while the mortgage interest rates were low, it was ok.  But when higher rates make it harder for potential homebuyers to qualify for a loan program, overbidding just further compounds the qualification process.  Fobby Naghmi does his best to share his 28 years of experience with his co-host.   - Finding realtors that fit your marketing style - Offering programs that other mortgage loan officers may not be offering - Know that this will not last forever. Great episode that deals with challenges so many loan officers are dealing with in 2022.

It is our annual episode where we sit down with mortgage industry recruiters and get an update as they are seeing the mortgage industry in 2022. We are joined by Guy McFadden of One Good One; Ashlee Cragun of First Option Mortgage; and Matt Hill of Pursuit Search Group, LLC.  We dive into various topics such as the mass movement of mortgage professionals in 2022; bad actors in the recruiting industry; coaching and development and much more! If you want to learn how to recruit the right way, this is a must listen to episode.

Ever get too scared to just post some new content on a social media platform?  We've all been there.     If you listen to our guest, Coach Kyle Draper, you'll begin to understand why videos are so vital and why most of us probably aren't that great at making them.  But there's hope for all of us!!   That's why seven years ago, Coach Kyle took it upon himself to start helping us not struggle as much with social media.

A new comedic rant on all things mortgage, real estate & business.  Episode 1 dives deep into the origin of co-host Madison Keenan's brand name "Madness"  and how the hell she came to referring herself as Madness.  Madison also talks about her recent escapades at a local airport bar, as well as how she handles first-time homebuyers.   This series will coincide with our traditional Laugh, Lend & Eat podcasts where we sit down with other industry professionals.  

Michael McAllister breaks down in plain language why it's all about the conversion of leads.     Starting off as a mortgage loan officer at the age of 21,  Michael quickly found his lane where he could optimize his experience and benefit the most customers.     When he decided to start Empowering LO, the decision was crystal clear on why and just how he would do it.

Joined by the founder of InDesign, Roland Cochrun...we discuss how high-producing mortgage loan officers can find meaning beyond the sales reports.     Roland brings a different perspective to this topic since he was a high achiever. However, he found out all the luxuries and exotic cars did not make him feel complete.   So he set out on a journey to find what was missing from his life, and then how could he add it to give more meaning to his life.

Fobby becomes the guest on this episode to answer questions about his book, Falling Forward, Mishaps on the Road to Happiness.  He is joined by John Perry and LLE's new co-host Madison Keenan.     Falling Forward takes us from Fobby's early childhood days being raised as part of a large, loving first-generation immigrant family in the suburbs of Washington, DC, to his early successful years in the mortgage field, through some turbulent years that proved to be catastrophic for the young entrepreneur.   His downfall led him to seek clarity on why some of his past actions caused him to succeed, while others caused him to behave in ways that were destructive. As a result, he becomes re-focused and ever grateful to be given a second chance, wanting to share what he had learned.  ​His lessons hold truths invaluable to those who seek to navigate the pathways of a career or want to lead a happier and more content life.  ​   His writing is poignant and funny; thought-provoking and thoughtful as he shares the many lessons he's learned along the road to happiness.

Every business is driving engagement in some manner. Sometimes the company engages the customers, sometimes the employees. But no matter what, we are trying to drive engagement.     Aru Anavekar and her team at Botsplash do just that...drive engagement with their new AI tech-driven software. As a result of Botsplash, it's now easier than ever to engage with a customer.

Hispanic home buyers have become a sizable and growing share of the housing market across the country.  Our panel of mortgage professionals share their experience, their challenges, and their best practices to support their client's needs.

When we invited the CEO of Sales Boomerang, Alex Kutsishin, onto the show, we knew he would share a lot of knowledge.  But we also knew that Alex would bring some excitement that only he could.  He did not let us down!   From the evolution of a CEO to the misuse of AI technology, no subject was off-topic.  But even we didn't see the "Friends with Benefits" relationship that the lender has until Alex pointed it out!  Sales Boomerang is blazing a new trail inside the mortgage industry, and with Alex leading the charge, it's going to be the trail everyone will want to be on!

Rich Swerbinsky, President and COO of The Mortgage Collaborative joins us for the final episode of season 2.  We dove into multiple topics that the independent mortgage lender is facing, as well as the solutions to those issues.  When the topic turned to pierogis, well Rich was full of ideas!!

The Millennials have an estimated size of 72.1 million people just in the U.S.  So yes...the millennials are making their impact on all parts of our lives.  We sat down with a panel of them to get their insight on what's working and what's not working in the mortgage industry.  What we learned from them was very revealing and comforting.   Thank you to Laiken Hobbs, Eric Estevez and Madison Keenan for sharing their invaluable insights with us.  

We're joined by Social Coach founder, Joe Wilson for episode 45.  Joe shares his knowledge on the do's and don'ts for social media.     Social Coach's platform allows companies to magnify their brand reach, control the company message and monitor social engagement all through one simple platform.    If you ever thought you were not ready for social media, this episode will give you the tools you need to become a social media darling!

Best-Selling author and education specialist, Ginger Bell, talks about how she became the video maker to create and deliver educational marketing programs for the mortgage industry since the '90s.  Ginger shares her knowledge of making videos with us so that anyone can start creating video content immediately!

What does it take to be Women with Vision award winner?  We got to ask Kiran Shah and Corrina Carter, two winners of last year's Women with Vision award.  Along with the founder of the award Christine Beckwith.  This was a great deep dive conversation into many different topics that were important for women and all in the mortgage industry.

In 2019 Marvin Colon was already looking towards the future.  He knew streaming shows on the internet was a hit.  But what if he started streaming mortgage and real estate shows for those specific industries?   And just like that, MortFlix was born.  A streaming service dedicated to providing content to real estate and mortgage professionals.

Do you want to get something started from the ground up?  It would be best if you had someone like Micahel Kelleher, founder of Easy Mortgage Apps, on your team.   Recognized by Progress in Lending Association as a "2020 Thought Leader", Michael has a knack for starting something, learning all the nuances, and then going about how to make it better.  An added benefit is Michael brings the perspective of the millennial generation with whatever he touches.  

It's not too often you find the leadership of a company that can balance one another out as well as the three owners of First Option Mortgage.   Started in 2004 by Kurt Nikolai, a local lender based in Atlanta, GA. FOM has grown as more mortgage professionals have been attracted to what was being created.   Joined by Alvin Shah and Sohail Halani, the company truly reflects the core value of the owners, that everyone should be treated with respect as if they were part of our family.

Do you have a strategy for recruiting?  Most people don't.  We have relied on the same methods and techniques with limited success.  But these recruiting industry leaders sure do!   In 2020, they had historic low-interest rates to deal with.   This year, they have a new issue, technology, and how to use it in an industry where the average age is higher than most highway speed limits!  But like all great minds, these recruiters are using their know-how and adjusting with the times.      If you want to learn or improve your recruiting skills, cue this episode up!

Bill Bent has spent most of his career leading mortgage companies to new heights.  When he decided to lead with energy and not metrics, it was a game-changer.    Bill likes to create an environment where each side wins and no one loses.  If you want to lead with a new purpose, you need to listen to this episode  

What lessons does every leader need to know? That’s exactly what the Founder of High Point Training & Coaching, Ray Befus was here to share with us. Ray’s clients include leaders from many different industries, as well as non-profits.  What are some pitfalls? Blind spots? How can a team build on the five healthy behaviors? Ray shared with us the valuable lessons we can all use to become better leaders.

Spiritual teacher and founder of Meditation School, David Gandelman speaks with Fobby about his journey from New Jersey to Spain to India and beyond to find a method of meditation that he could share with everyone. Plus as normal, Fobby and David dive into topics that were never imagined before we recorded this episode!

First Option Mortgages' top Loan Officers join Fobby for a panel discussion.  Topics from the current market to social media to what it was like in their first year.  Collectively, these three loan officers funded over 160 units in 2021 Q1 in three unique markets.

One of the wildest episodes we’ve recorded to date. Fobby talks with the founder and president of 20/20 Vision for Success Coaching, Christine Beckwith. The discussion is focused on the upcoming Vision Summit being held in Tampa, Fl. They are joined by Barry Habib, Jay Doran, Joe Panebianco, and Jason Frazier. This episode gives our listeners a taste of what's to come at the Vision Summit for sure!