Episodes

Episode 60: Cash Out Refinances, Reciprocity, and Never Showing Up Empty Handed Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager. Episode 60 is here and in this milestone episode, Jonathon and Tommy reflect on consistency, community, and the strategies that separate top producers from everyone else. Jonathon shares six actionable steps for winning more cash out refinances and explains a psychological principle that has guided his entire career. ...

In this episode, Christine Beckwith sits down with Sparkle Swann Middlebrook, a newer loan officer who walked into her very first industry event knowing absolutely no one. She traveled through a hurricane, slept in her car, and showed up anyway. That decision changed everything. Sparkle gets real about the intimidation of being new, the power of sitting at the right table, and how being welcomed into Women’s Mortgage Network gave her the confidence to keep going. Christine shares her own story ...

Episode 248 Host: Marc Summers (AIME’s Founding President) Guest: JP Hussey (The Hussey Team) JP Hussey is back, and he brought the Huss-bus. Our former Broker to Broker host returns to talk marketing, mindset, and how to make mortgages fun. From the famous Huss-bus to closing loans on the Rocky steps in Philly, JP has built a purchase-focused brokerage around consistency, fun, and genuine relationships. He sits down with Marc to talk about marketing, mindset, and why scheduling your day is...

Episode 59: No Company Will Save You From Yourself Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager. In this episode, Jonathon and Tommy respond to an anonymous post from a new loan officer asking which company to join for guaranteed success. Jonathon delivers a candid reality check about mental toughness, pain tolerance, and why you have to fix yourself before any company can help you. Broker Buzz – How to choose a CRM, and why the tool matters...

Episode 58: Cash Out Refinances, Effective Interest Rates, and Having the Hard Conversations Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager. In this episode, Jonathon and Tommy dig into fresh HMDA data that reveals a massive gap between retail and broker cash out refinance volume. Jonathon shares three things that every broker needs to do in order to start winning more of these deals. Broker Buzz – How to approach a twenty one million dollar p...

What if you stopped chasing a hundred loans a month and started focusing on the two families you could truly help instead? In this episode, Nike T. Ojo sits down with Meredith Herr, co-owner of Lake Tahoe Mortgage, for a warm and honest conversation about building a mortgage business that fits your life, not the other way around. Meredith shares how she went from IPO consulting to working alongside her dad, why she calls herself a “mortgage coach,” and how she helps first-time homebuyers get p...

Episode 247 Host: Marc Summers (AIME’s Founding President) Guest: Paul Messina (VA Loan Specialist at Canopy Mortgage) This week’s episode features Paul Messina, a former paramedic, firefighter, police detective, and military veteran who found his way into the mortgage industry after a chance meeting with a loan officer who challenged him to “do his effing job.” Paul shares his remarkable journey from healthcare and public safety to becoming a VA loan specialist, and how attending Ascent, AI...

Episode 57: AI, Objections, and Knowing the Difference Between ‘an answer’ and ‘The Answer’ Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager. In this episode, Jonathon and Tommy explore how artificial intelligence is changing the way borrowers prepare for conversations with loan officers. They share practical strategies for staying ahead of AI-informed clients, handling objections with confidence, and knowing when to trust the technology and when...

Episode 56: Framing, AI, and the Art of Asking Better Questions Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager. In this episode, Jonathon and Tommy explore how the right mindset and the right questions can transform your sales conversations. They dig into listener questions about real-world borrower challenges and share practical advice on using AI as a practice tool rather than a crutch. Broker Buzz – Why an IRS tax lien that transfers from p...

What if you stopped trying to make a hundred phone calls and just focused on having five conversations instead? That simple shift changed everything for Kym Mason. In this episode, Julie Yarbrough sits down with Kym Mason, the creator of the Mason Method, for a raw and energizing conversation about habits, mindset, and the power of showing up as yourself. Kym shares how a traumatic brain injury forced her to rely on the systems she had built, why she stopped chasing someone else’s definition o...

Episode 55: Ascent, Tone Setting, and ‘How You Do Anything Is How You Do Everything’ Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager. Fresh off the AIME Ascent VIP retreat in Puerto Rico, Jonathon and Tommy reflect on what it takes to bring together top producers, set the right tone, and create an environment where even the most successful people in the room can lower their guard and grow. Broker Buzz – Navigating hard money and credit union op...

What if the biggest thing standing between you and the life you want isn’t your business, but your belief that you have to do it all alone? In this episode, Nicole Ahles sits down with one of the most respected leaders in the mortgage industry, Cindy Ertman. Cindy spent nearly three decades as a top producing loan officer, a branch manager, and an executive leader before stepping into her true calling: helping others rise. Cindy gets real about the moment she realized she needed help, how she ...

Episode 246 Host: Marc Summers (AIME’s Founding President) Guest: Kyle Koller (Branch Manager at UMortgage) This week’s episode features Kyle Koller, a ten year mortgage veteran who has built his entire career in the broker channel. He shares his unconventional start in the industry, after receiving a text from a former student. Kyle talks with Marc about the mindset shifts, practical strategies, and relationship building tactics that have sustained his business through countless market cycl...

Episode 54: Compliance, Culture, and Managing Conflicts Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager. In this episode, Jonathon and Tommy dig into listener questions about the real-world challenges of running a brokerage, from compliance gray areas to keeping the peace among producing loan officers. Broker Buzz – Whether an affiliated business agreement is needed when a realtor also owns a mortgage company and handles both sides of a transac...

Episode 53: The Five Ps of Brokerage Success with Jeremy Millar Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager, featuring special guest Jeremy Millar, CEO of Amarlo. In this episode, Jonathon and Tommy are joined by Jeremy Millar for a deep dive into what it really takes to transition from being a solo loan officer to running a profitable, scalable brokerage. Broker Buzz – The best tools for automating rate and market updates to realtor partne...

If you’ve ever thought, “I can do it better myself” or “It’s just easier if I handle it,” this conversation is likely to hit home. Samantha Shelton sits down with Irene Duford, founder of Loan Team Training and a nationally recognized trainer with 26 years in the mortgage industry. Together, they dive into the one thing that holds so many high-performing women back: our own inner critic. Irene gets real about the self-talk that keeps us stuck, the fear of delegating, and why our instinct to be...

Episode 245 Host: Marc Summers (AIME’s Founding President) Guest: Jason Sharon (Owner of Home Loans Inc.) This week’s episode features a returning guest and owner of Home Loans Inc., Jason Sharon. A retired Navy veteran and longtime AIME supporter, Jason has built a thriving brokerage across seven states by mastering the art of delegation, creating new systems and harnessing the power of virtual assistants. Key Takeaways: Why it’s important to check your ego and let go of tasks that don’t ...

Episode 52: AI, Root Access, and Protecting the Broker Channel Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager. In this episode, Jonathon and Tommy tackle the trends and tools dominating the mortgage space, from AI-powered lead gen to the timeless value of human connection. Broker Buzz – How to balance AI bots and in-house ISAs for maximum lead conversion without losing the personal touch. – Why speed to lead and conversion metrics must drive ...

Episode 244 Host: Marc Summers (AIME’s Founding President) Guest: Christopher Griffith (Founder of Vetted VA) This week’s episode features Chris Griffith, a longtime friend of AIME and founder of Vetted VA, a training community built to help mortgage professionals serve veterans with confidence and capability. Chris shares the heart behind Vetted VA, why education should focus on understanding over memorization, and how to navigate market cycles without losing your footing. Key Takeaways: ...

Episode 51: Infrastructure, Relentless Sales, and Building What Scales Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager, and featuring special guest Michelle Berman-Mikel, author of The Black Line and creator of Beyond the Method This episode brings a powerful guest to the table for a deep-dive discussion on accountability, structure and what it truly means to be relentless in this industry. Broker Buzz – Navigating non-QM files with gaps in rental ...

Ever feel like a great processor is the secret weapon you’re missing? In this episode, Molly Meeker sits down with Kathy Dey, Director of Operations at Apex Processors, for a straight talk conversation about the power of partnership between loan officers and processors. Kathy brings over 30 years of mortgage experience, from telemarketing second mortgages in the ‘90s to running a team of 60+ elite processors today. She pulls back the curtain on what really makes a loan team click: clear commun...

Episode 243 Host: Marc Summers (AIME’s Founding President) Guest: Brian Yampolsky (Owner and Founder of Orion Mortgage Corporation) Marc is joined this week by Brian Yampolsky, a 34-year veteran of the industry who has built a thriving brokerage on relationship-based referrals and consistent, thoughtful execution. From surviving market shifts to refining the client experience, Brian shares the practical strategies that have sustained his business for decades. Key Takeaways: Why a relationsh...

Episode 50: Basel III, Capital Rules, and What It Means for Brokers Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager Episode 50 marks an important milestone for the Broker Power-Up podcast, and instead of shifting focus inward, Jonathon and Tommy turn their attention to an issue that has the potential to significantly impact the broker community. Broker Buzz – Breaking down the proposed Basel III mortgage capital rules and how they could affect ...

Episode 49: The 20-Year Strategy, Sharper Hustle, and Getting Back on Track Hosted by Jonathon Haddad, AIME’s Chairman & CEO, and Tommy Golightly, AIME’s Marketing Manager Broker Buzz – Proving child support payments when funds are distributed through state-issued debit cards and the paying party is uncooperative. – Best practices when working with third-party processors and why a structured intake form prevents confusion. – How to exclude temporary medical leave from 1099 income calculatio...