Broker Ideas Group

Visibility is the name of the game.

Getting out there, talking to people, networking, being strategically active across offline and online… selling yourself and your business.

Consistently.

That’s the #1 game you need to play.

Mortgage broking is the task you do once you sell yourself and win the client.

Therefore mortgage broking… is the #2 game.

Yet, most mortgage brokers spend 80-90% of their time doing mortgage broking, and only 10-20% of the time getting out there.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, I expose why many brokers are hiding behind the laptop (instead of getting out there) and the psychology of why visibility wins over experience or expertise. I share why digital is actually much harder than old-school, and the overreliance on technology, automations and software is damaging your lead flow and client experience.

Most brokers are what I call “variety store brokers”.

A bit like a $2 shop or department store.

You can walk inside and get pretty much anything.

Everything is ok, but nothing is special.

Access to resi, commercial, asset finance, SMSF, insurance and more.

Helping first home buyers, investors, PAYG, self-employed, and more.

Now to most brokers this sounds great, to be able to help everyone.

But there’s a problem (actually multiple problems and challenges with this).

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, I outline these problems, how they affect every area of a mortgage business, and what brokers should do instead.

For those who are more advanced and/or want to become the one-stop-shop and do it properly, I share the 4 main points you need to be successful.

If you don’t have 3-4 key referral partners each sending you at least one qualified referral every week, that results in at least $5m per month in settled loans… then you are doing referral partners wrong.

I’ve been helping brokers for over 16 years, and it’s a fact that most brokers don’t have true key referral partners… they just have a bunch of people in their network who they know.

Who they catch up with, go for coffee and lunch, and spend time in meetings with good intentions and promises… but no real action.

That real estate agent, accountant or financial planner who says they’d love to work together and send referrals… but hasn’t… and probably never will.

The bad news is that it’s not their fault… it’s yours.

You failed to win them over properly and drive the relationship forward.

The good news is you can fix it with existing partners, get them referring, or you can start fresh from scratch if your current referral partners don’t make the grade (they are not all created equal and you can 100% fire them).

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, I tell you exactly what’s going on with your referral partners, why it’s happening, and how to think about fixing it. Instead of wasting time on coffee meetings, I’ll give you the 6 things you should do instead to build serious referral partnerships.

At every mortgage industry event, you’ll hear discussions about building a team.

You’ll hear everyone talking about hiring a loan processor, outsourcing and offshoring, hiring a credit analyst (or parabroker), client services manager, perhaps a marketing person… and of course hiring loan writers or brokers.

That’s fine, but the problem is it’s one-dimensional… and results in slow growth and bottlenecks in a mortgage business.

I’ve been a solo operator as a broker and in business. I’ve also had a team of two dozen staff (in Australia and overseas), with a full stack that allowed me to step away from the business for 6-months with very little input.

I’ve worked with solo brokers, and brokers with teams of brokers / credit / admin / ops, etc. Most of them scratching their heads wondering why they are working so hard and not growing as quickly as they want, despite the team in place.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, I make you aware of the Supported Broker Trap and how to avoid or escape it. I reveal the 5 biggest Team Flaws I see in mortgage businesses, plus the “If This Then” secrets to improve your thinking on Team Design.

We all want to get our clients amazing results.

The problem is, the biggest challenge in all of that, is often the clients themselves!

As a broker, you know that a client who takes action and follows through will get a better deal and save more money, buy that new home sooner, acquire an investment property, and so on.

i.e. they’ll get the result they want!

But… many clients still drag their heels, delay things, don’t get the docs back, forget things, don’t follow through… and ultimately fail to get the result they want.

Frustrating… and borderline ridiculous… right!!!

No, it’s just human nature.

Enter the solution… Client Hypnosis.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, I share what Client Hypnosis is and how it will help you and your clients get better and faster outcomes (with less stress and overwhelm, and without having to follow-up and hound your client a thousand times)… by doing the exact opposite to what most brokers are doing.

If your mortgage business relies on the trail income to pay all expenses and be profitable… this is lazy and poor business practice.

In fact, you might have a cash haemorrhaging business and not be aware of it.

Unfortunately the financial literacy of many brokers is not up to scratch.

I’ve seen it.

The percentage of brokers who don’t know their numbers, key drivers, KPI’s, profit… is scary.

The percentage of brokers who run their business by taking revenue in, paying bills, and the rest is left for them… with no finger on the pulse of projections, cash, profit… essentially relying on their accountant and looking at a P&L once a quarter or year… is scary.

The amount of brokers, with teams, writing $5-15m per month, that don’t realise they aren’t really making any money (i.e. their business isn’t viable, or would be better off closing the doors and just collecting trail)... is scary.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, I talk about money maths. Covering the concept of a Trail Book Management business vs a New Loan Writing business, and why each must be standalone profitable. I share why volume and number of deals is an irrelevant method of keeping score and success (and the only two metrics that really matter). Finally, the 5 things you need to do to take control of your money and future.

UPDATE: Starting this month you may have already noticed something different about the podcast.

After over 200 episodes alongside the man, the myth, the legend… Mr Ash Playsted… after loads of insights, discussions and laughs… we’ve decided to go our separate ways in business and part ways as great friends.

I’m excited to continue the podcast solo… bringing you a new flavour… with the latest insights and strategies from my work with ambitious brokers and high performing mortgage businesses. I think you’ll enjoy it… and I know your business will thank you for it.

So, keep listening… and let’s get into it.

Enjoy.

Every broker reading this, is losing deals, money and profit… guaranteed.

Why?

Because leads and clients are dropping off. They get stuck, stalled or ‘go cold’ during the process. Brokers often don’t even realise this is happening.

Poor conversions… think it’s normal.

Loads of AIP’s that don’t go anywhere or have to be reworked… think it’s normal.

Losing deals at the 11th hour to lender retention teams… think it’s normal.

Making matters worse, I see brokers actively trying to improve their process and system… thinking it’s improving and making a difference… but it’s actually making things worse!

The result is a lot of work being done and not getting paid.

Not cool.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, I talk through our Flow Maximisation tool, including the 12 Workflow Sins you need to avoid… to stop losing deals, doing work and not getting the reward for it.

UPDATE: Starting this month you may have noticed something different about the podcast.

After over 200 episodes alongside the man, the myth, the legend… Mr Ash Playsted… after loads of insights, discussions and laughs… we’ve decided to go our separate ways in business and part ways as great friends.

I’m excited to continue the podcast solo… bringing you a new flavour… with the latest insights and strategies from my work with ambitious brokers and high performing mortgage businesses. I think you’ll enjoy it… and I know your business will thank you for it.

So, keep listening… and let’s get into it.

Enjoy.

Marketing is the one thing I get asked about the most… unfortunately.

I say unfortunately because it’s the #1 thing most brokers think will solve their problems, but it’s usually the last thing that actually will.

It’s the single biggest waste of time and money I see in the industry.

Time and money spent on websites, digital marketing, social media, content, newsletters, and the list goes on and on.

Marketing itself isn’t a waste of time and money. Far from it. It’s the way brokers (and mortgage business owners) approach it that’s wasteful and wrong.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, I share why all marketing is not created equal; there’s what makes you feel good, and there’s what works. If you’d prefer to stop wasting your time and money, I suggest you listen in.

UPDATE: Starting this month you’ll notice something different about the podcast.

After over 200 episodes alongside the man, the myth, the legend… Mr Ash Playsted… after loads of insights, discussions and laughs… we’ve decided to go our separate ways in business and part ways as great friends.

I’m excited to continue the podcast solo… bringing you a new flavour… with the latest insights and strategies from my work with ambitious brokers and high performing mortgage businesses. I think you’ll enjoy it… and I know your business will thank you for it.

So, keep listening… and let’s get into it.

Enjoy.

If I only had 7 minutes to share the most important secrets to success as a mortgage broker and business owner… what would I say?

Well I gave myself the challenge.

Look back over my 20 years in this industry and the 200+ episodes of this podcast (over 70 hours of content!) and start the clock.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, I go through 7 key insights from reviewing everything and running it through my filter of working with ambitious and successful brokers right now.

UPDATE: Starting this month you’ll notice something different about the podcast.

After over 200 episodes alongside the man, the myth, the legend… Mr Ash Playsted… after loads of insights, discussions and laughs… we’ve decided to go our separate ways in business and part ways as great friends.

I’m excited to continue the podcast solo… bringing you a new flavour… with the latest insights and strategies from my work with ambitious brokers and high performing mortgage businesses. I think you’ll enjoy it… and I know your business will thank you for it.

So, keep listening… and let’s get into it.

Enjoy.

Olympian’s don’t spend their lives training and preparing to win a Silver or Bronze.

They go for the maximum result.

They go for Gold.

Most mortgage business owners, on the other hand, spend their lives building and operating their businesses… without a specific result in mind.

They just want to help people and earn a living.

Very few actually think about the End Game… let alone maximising it (and bringing it forward).

Contrary to popular misguided opinions these days…

The whole point of business is to make money.

And that money drives the life you want.

Now you can certainly have a purpose driven business that delivers amazing outcomes for clients and makes a difference in the community, and you can have fun with your team along the way… but…

Your #1 priority should be driving towards a goal, an End Game, that “gold medal” result (which in business is passive income and asset value creation).

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, we discuss this concept of defining your End Game and introduce key strategies in The Earnings Matrix and The Multiplier Matrix. Whether your ideal End Game is 1-year or 10-years away, you need to understand this now.

A lot of our clients are using acquisitions as a strategy in their mortgage businesses.

We help them think clearly, make the right decisions, and maximise the opportunities.

Many mergers and acquisitions are ill thought out, and leave a lot of money on the table due to incomplete strategies and under-resourced businesses.

There are two different types to consider:

Trail book acquisition - simply buying a client list and trail income.

Mortgage business acquisition - more complex involving purchase of a client list and trail income, but also systems, key staff, referral partnerships, branding, offices and so on.

Both can be used effectively, depending on the desired outcome.

Both require the right strategy and tactics to make them worthwhile.

If you don’t have a sound strategy (and reason) to acquire loan books and/or businesses, you can quickly have your head under water… physically stretched for time and also financially.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, we discuss the key factors to consider in this space.

Do you want to get off the tools?

Work more ‘on’ your business rather than ‘in’ it?

I hear this like a broken record.

A throw away statement.

Often from brokers who have no intention or desire to do it.

Being a mortgage broker, helping clients and writing loans… is easy.

And most brokers love it.

Building and operating a mortgage business… is hard.

And most brokers hate it (or aren’t good at it).

I find it bizarre that most are trying to run away from the very thing they are good at and enjoy… and towards something that is tough, a completely different skill set, and something they will not enjoy.

So, instead of following the masses, the first question to ask is:

Why get off the tools? (a seemingly simple, but deep and complex question)

And then second, if the decision and goal is to remove yourself from writing loans, the question becomes:

How to get off the tools? (a simple solution, but deep and complex tactics)

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, we discuss the concept and desire for getting off the tools properly, so you can ask yourself the right questions, make the right decisions, and then act with clarity and intent (and not do something you’ll regret!).

Bigger is not always better; it’s what you do with it that counts.

So they say.

This could be the most crass or cliche way to start an email ever.

But, there’s an appropriate analogy here for a mortgage business.

I assure you.

Because in business…

Bigger is not always better; it’s the profit and value creation that counts.

But unfortunately… most brokers focus on the wrong things:

Growing a bigger business and team.
Writing more and more loans.
Winning awards and following passion projects.
Adding technology, complexity and moving parts.
Digital marketing and social media.
Often to the detriment of making a profit and/or creating value.

In fact.

A lot of brokers, even the “successful” ones (I put successful in quote marks because the industry rewards the wrong things, measuring success incorrectly):

Don’t know what a profitable mortgage business looks like.
Don’t even know if their business is profitable or not.
Don’t understand their end-game or purpose (income vs value).
Don’t have the right model to suit their goals.
Don’t look at their numbers or focus on making money.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, we discuss the concept of having a profitable mortgage business model, and the dangers of being caught (or stuck) in the middle.

This week's episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration is special.

I have a ninja business-building guest with me, taking the seat of Ash for the week.

This episode is for the serious mortgage business builders.

A behind the scenes look at how our business grew by 500% in the space of a couple of years, and simultaneously went from almost full reliance on me to virtually zero reliance on me.

This is not a one-off case study either.

We’ve helped a number of mortgage brokers achieve similar levels of success through our 10X advice and coaching program.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, meet the business system genius behind the growth of BIG, and learn smarter and easier ways to develop your business, build systems and lead a high-performance team.

I am giving you permission to work less and earn more.

Now let’s take a step back… because it’s not that simple.

I’ve worked with hundreds of brokers over the last 15 years.

Some who are just making ends meet, to those making seven-figures a year (in personal income, not settlement commissions / revenue).

You want to know the common thread, that is consistent among brokers, regardless of how much they earn?

They all keep working hard, full-time hours, Monday to Friday, 9-5… and more.

Many sit at the desk all day, even when there is no work to do, or they are completely unproductive.

And then there’s some, too many in fact, that think it’s ok (or expected) to work nights, weekends and holidays.

Let me tell you that both of these situations are B.S.

Don’t settle for it.

This episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration runs deep on our society and mindset. Don’t skip it. We discuss the unconscious “need for 9-5”, linking being busy to being valuable, and how most brokers have an outdated belief system that is stopping them from working less and earning more.

There are levels of how hands-off you can go in business.

From zero, i.e. you are responsible for everything!

To completely, i.e. you are responsible for nothing.

Most brokers want to end up somewhere in between.

They love what they do.

But they want flexibility to have a life, travel and follow passion projects.

I’ve personally been at both ends of the spectrum. Having a business that was essentially “all me” and also a business that ran independently of me. Both have pros and cons for sure.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, we discuss the different levels of systemisation (we call it Go Hands-Off), how to think about them and progress through the ranks. Note this month is all about systems, but it runs deeper than that, which you’ll find out when you listen in.

Building systems, processes, workflows, automations and so on is a MUST in business.

I know that.

You know that.

Even the guy down the street… who is not in business… knows that.

Because without systems you have a mess… fly by the seat of your pants... business.

The problem I see working with brokers, is the definition of systems, and the extent and depth of their installation… is vague and half-baked.

Take an easy example.

Brokers with little-to-no systems, they know this and know they need to do something about it… which is a good thing. Because if they stop working, everything stops.

Here’s where it gets tricky and dangerous.

Brokers who do have a lot of systems in their business, think their systems are really good and are kicking goals, but in reality it’s primary school level at best. If they stop working, some things keep working because of a support team in place, but many things stop and break without them.

A lot of brokers have a basic system for the loan process, but have virtually no systems for lead generation, referrals, partnership nurture, marketing, admin, HR, team performance, client care, reporting, and so on.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, we discuss the purpose of systems and the various levels of ‘system achievement’ needed to go from solo broker to true business owner that is not required in any way.

As a mortgage broker and business owner, you can focus on two types of value.

Now Value and Future Value.

You also have the choice of how to invest your time (a finite resource) each day.

Most invest all their time on Now Value tasks; such as generating new business, writing loans, nurturing referral partners, client care, working with support team, and so on.

A focus on Now Value means you have a job, not a business. If you stop working, your business and income stops (or is greatly reduced). Now Value is about creating an income from your effort now and forever.

The fundamental purpose of business is to build Future Value, and I’m not talking about building your trail book, that’s very limited in thinking and one-dimensional.

Future Value is doing something today that will make tomorrow easier, or even better, something you no longer have to do. Future Value is about creating an income (and asset) that doesn’t require your effort in the future to generate it.

If you prioritise business building, and Future Value, you will result in income generation and asset creation that is independent of you and your time.

If you fail to prioritise business building, and keep chasing Now Value, you will be locked in having to trade your time and energy for money indefinitely.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, we discuss this in more detail and share why you should switch your focus to business building and Future Value, but doing it smart so you continue to generate a solid income (Now Value).

There are many common mistakes brokers make when building a team.

And it makes business hard, annoying, and frustrating.

In fact a lot of brokers end up thinking it’d be easier to just go solo and do everything themselves! But we all know that’s not a real business of course… that’s just a job.

So we need a team.

And if we do it right, it can be easy, fun and lucrative.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, we discuss the key mistakes to avoid when it comes to team building and team management. These are hidden mistakes brokers don’t even know about, so this is a guaranteed eye-opener.

What’s the one person all brokers should hire… but virtually none do?

Is it a loan processor? No.

Is it a parabroker? No.

Is it another broker? No.

Is it a CSM? No.

Is it a virtual assistant, or a marketing person, or an office manager?

No. No. No.

It’s actually not what you think, which is why almost nobody does this.

I’d argue that it’s impossible to have an efficient, high-performing team without ‘this person’.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, we discuss the trap most brokers fall into when hiring people, and share the smarter hiring strategy that will accelerate results.

Grow your mortgage business.

Build your mortgage business.

Scale your mortgage business.

You’ve gotta build a business!

…says who???

Forget what everyone else is saying, doing, or telling you to do.

The fact is…

You don’t have to do anything.

The forgotten (and crucial) question is…

Should you build a business or not?

And the answer isn’t always yes.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, we discuss the situations where brokers should build a business and where they should take a different approach to reach their financial and life goals. Building a business isn’t for everyone, and it’s not always the smartest and fastest path to success.

Building a team is easy.

Any broker can hire people.

But keeping a team long-term, high-performing, happy and sustainable… and have them treat your business like their own… is a completely different story.

There are a number of strategies required to achieve this. To create stars (or A players) in a mortgage business.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, we discuss our Team Advancement strategy that keeps A-players happy and performing for years and years. This same strategy also creates the highest level of efficiency and profit.

Being seen as a micro-celebrity is a good thing for business.

A customer choosing a mortgage broker will… all other things being equal... gravitate to the person who has a higher level of (real or perceived) celebrity.

The definition of ‘celebrity’ here is complex and there’s psychology behind it, a good reason to listen to this episode in full where we unpack it.

In short… building celebrity status is definitely something you should consider (for you and your business).

And there are two main ways to achieve it.

Earn and Manufacture.

One takes years (or decades), the other takes a simple decision and only days… if you know how.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, learn the secrets of manufacturing celebrity and the huge benefits to your business, your clients and you personally.

Should you invest the time and resources to enter awards?

You might think the answer is a straightforward Yes or No.

But it’s not.

Because it takes a fair chunk of time to submit entries in all the industry (and non industry) awards, you want to make sure you are doing it for the right reasons.

And personal recognition, a trophy and a night out at an awards ceremony… isn’t one of them.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, learn how to consider awards from a strategic business perspective. Why you should consider entering (or not), how to maximise your chances of winning, and what to do if you are a finalist or winner.

I currently live in Melbourne, Australia.

It’s winter.

And everyone wears black.

It’s kinda dull, boring and depressing.

But… I’m not here to critique the fashion choices of an entire city.

Afterall, I do wear my fair share of black clothing.

Now… I notice a similar trend in the mortgage industry.

Everyone looks and sounds the same.

Following and copying one another.

Also kinda dull and boring.

To succeed in business and as a mortgage broker, you want to go out and see what everyone else is doing… and then do something different… often the opposite.

Wear white when everyone is wearing black.

In business… standing out and being unique is the name of the game.

Boring, beige and plain vanilla is not.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, learn why most people don’t do this and why they prefer to blend in. Discover how to get comfortable with standing out and why the marketplace rewards those who do.

Public speaking is one of the most valuable things you can do in business.

Why?

1:MANY

The fact you can connect with, educate, inspire and motivate a group of people… all at the same time… is a scale gamechanger (think efficiency, conversions, profit and more).

What’s even better is it can actually be fun, once you flip your approach and mindset.

I used to be the shyest kid in school and the last person you would think to put their hand up to speak in front of a room… let alone become good at it.

While I still don’t consider myself a good (i.e. professional level) public speaker, it hasn’t stopped me from learning how to have fun and make millions of dollars doing it.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, learn why you should consider public speaking opportunities (linked to generating business of course), how to change your mindset and enjoy it, and of course the big one… learn what you should talk about and say.

Today marks the first day of the new financial year, at least in Australia.

So what should you do to start strong?

First, you should have started at least 3-months ago, but we’ll skip that since we don’t have a time machine handy.

What you’ll want to consider are three things.

Your clients: how are you pre-empting and supporting them around this time?
Your partners: what are they working on and what’s important to them and their clients, and how can you support all that?
Your business: what results did your business achieve the previous 6-12 months, what would you like to achieve in the coming year… and how will you reward your team for their performance and incentivise them into the next year?

The EOFY can feel like an arbitrary line in the sand, but there’s actually a number of things smart operators are doing at this time.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, learn how to prepare, plan and maximise this time of year… it’s not too late.

The world is obsessed with technology.

The mortgage industry is obsessed too.

Conversations centre around using technology, the latest and greatest CRM, chatbots and AI, video meetings, systems, process flows, automations, social media, digital marketing and more.

The fintech sector is buzzing with 1001 things to make business and life easier.

All valid and valuable topics by the way. Lots of useful products and solutions. No argument there.

But there is a problem with this.

In fact there are two problems.

First, the use of technology to avoid actually doing the work. For example, wanting ton use digital marketing and have hot, qualified leads magically appear… rather than going out, talking to people, building partnerships and selling yourself.

Second, the use of technology as a replacement for what works. For example, building a successful mortgage business off the back of networking, partnerships and business development… then replacing that in favour of building a digital marketing strategy.

We see both of these happening all the time, even with experienced and successful operators.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, learn why technology is great and cannot be overlooked… but also why traditional tactics are just as great, cannot be overlooked, and often work better than the new shiny objects being chased.

Direct Messaging is actually not new.

SMS has been around for 25 years.

Messenger and WhatsApp have been around for 15 years.

What is new… is how people are using these communication channels.

The game has changed.

And the problem is… most brokers have been left behind.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, learn how and when to use different communication channels with your prospects, clients and partners… to meet them where they are at… play the game effectively… and maximise your results.

Hyper-engaged clients are more secure and refer more.

This means they make brokers a lot more money and make a mortgage business a lot more valuable.

Problem is… most don’t put the effort and resources into creating a hyper-engaged community.

They do the basics, at best.

A monthly newsletter, social media activity, interest rate updates and annual reviews.. which doesn’t cut it.

Not even close.

The solution is a content and connection ecosystem. Delivered online and offline. That is unique and meaningful. Designed to take a specific audience on a specific journey towards a specific outcome.

There are around 17,000 brokers in Australia right now, and I can count on one hand the businesses I’ve seen do this well.

The ones that do are absolutely crushing it.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, learn how any mortgage business can create hyper-engaged clients, resulting in less churn, more referrals, more profit and more value for the business and clients.

Mortgages are boring.

And mortgage brokers are being boring.

Because they talk about mortgages.

Let that sink in for a minute.

Now I’m not trying to be pointlessly rude or knock people down just to cause a stir. I’m simply stating a fact because I see it over and over everywhere I look.

Generic. Corporate. Boring.

And I want to help.

If brokers want to engage people (online, offline, anywhere!) they need to have the right message and they need to be the right messenger.

And all brokers should want engagement.

Because without it, they have no customers and no business.

So it’s kind of important.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, learn how to take a boring topic (mortgages) and turn it into an engaging message that is real, relatable and consistent. Discover how to show up as a clear and confident messenger, leading and motivating people to take action.

For a real life case study in personal productivity, tactics and hacks, mindset and performance… we look no further than the man and co-host himself, Ash Playsted.

Over the last few episodes we’ve covered specifics like The Energy Map, the Magic Minute and Mental Fartlek strategies, and Elements of Peak Performance. Go back to those episodes if you missed them.

But where did all this come from? Where did it start? A personal endeavour (or obsession, at least a very positive and productive one!) that started many moons and hundreds of books, courses and experiments ago… that has resulted in a high level of self-awareness and success in business and life.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, you’ll learn what started this journey for Ash, why it’s been so important, the key learnings along the way… and what he’d do if he started all over again. Don’t miss it.

Do you know what Peak Performance actually means?

If you’re guessing things like:

Being super productive.
Writing loads of loans.
Running fast or lifting max weights.
Being the best you can be.

Then you’re not wrong.

Performing at your peak = winning, achieving, maximising.

But… that’s only half the story.

When we talk about Peak Performance, we are actually talking about Resilience. Being able to withstand the ups and downs of business and life. Being able to mentally bounce back fast. Being able to stay calm, focused, and make smart decisions. Being in strong physical and financial shape.

Being at your peak is the ability to actively manage yourself and your business in the moment… not just about the outcome of winning, achieving and maximising.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, you’ll learn the 3 elements of peak performance and how you can start training (in each of the 3 areas) to be at your peak, to be resilient, to weather the ups and downs.

Here are two fast, easy and powerful productivity hacks you can use right now.

Magic Minute… you can learn and start doing instantly, today. It’ll help you break free from the noise and busy-ness of your day and help you switch gears and focus… instantly… in just one minute… anytime you need.

Use this for your next client or partner meeting and notice the difference.

Mental Fartlek… you can also learn and start doing instantly, today. It’ll help you harness the power of interval training, working with the limitations of your brain, to challenge yourself and get more done in a shorter amount of time.

Yes, this has a funny name (show your kids!) and is counterintuitive… but it actually works. Try it.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, you’ll learn how to use Magic Minute and Mental Fartlek in your daily business and life for maximum productivity and fun. Try them both.

Energy is like time, you only have a fixed amount of it.

So use it wisely.

Most don’t.

They follow the normal (and outdated) model followed by schools, workplaces, corporates and other businesses. Show up during set times (usually Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm) and try to pack in and get as much done as possible (maybe with some breaks thrown in throughout the day).

Productivity and getting stuff done is not about how many hours you glue yourself to the chair. It’s about understanding when you should allocate time for various tasks and breaks.

And for most people, sitting there all day, every day, between 9am and 5pm… Monday to Friday… is not the best solution. Not by far.

Instead you need to understand The Energy Map, customise it for you, and build your schedule around that. It’s relatively simple when you know how.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, you’ll learn what The Energy Map is and why it’s the smartest time management and productivity strategy you can use. When you get this right, you’ll be in flow, getting things done, with less fluff (i.e. getting more done with less time).

Do you want to know how to win the client every single time?

(and have them actually convert into a settled deal and not fall off the radar)

Before you do any work. Before you invest time and effort. Before you give them the solution or answer.

There’s a way to win clients…

Without talking about loans, rates or deals.

The answer is NOT:

Selling the dream (or the sizzle).
Selling the promise of fast and easy.
Selling the cheapest rate or best deal.

There’s a framework we follow (and teach our mortgage broker members) during the first part of our Trusted Advisor process called the Triage. What you do during Triage will either win or lose the client.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, you’ll learn exactly what you should be selling during your first conversation… to win the business before you’ve done any work… and make the loan, the rate and the deal irrelevant.

There are two methods you can use to build rapport and trust.

One is being a friend, which is how most brokers do it. Be friendly, pat the dog, have coffee, help them, be available anytime… write their loan… send a hamper on settlement and ask for a Google review.

Good right?

No, not really.

Brokers default to this “friend-zone” approach because they think (or have been taught) that “being nice” is what the client wants. But often it will actually lose you business, make your workflow inefficient, and cost you time and money.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, you’ll learn the other approach using our Trusted Advisor framework, that will instantly put you in the “pro-zone” and win you the business over any “friend-zone” brokers or bankers any day of the week.

McDonald’s made the “Do you want fries with that?” upsell famous.

Business owners and mortgage brokers have copied and continued in this vein for years… decades… trying to offer additional products and services after the sale of their core product or service.

Mortgage brokers help with home loans… and then try to ask “Do you want fries with that?” Adding on insurance, financial planning, accounting, car loans and the like. Most don’t do very well with it… because it’s not natural and stinks of sales.

Good thing there’s a better way. It's what McDonald’s are doing now too. In fact they’ve been doing it for years. It’s what we teach our members as part of our Trusted Advisor framework.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, you’ll learn a more powerful way to sell additional products and services without having to sell at all. This is 100% designed to help your clients, not just your bottom line.

All client meetings (we call them Strategy Sessions) should follow this simple 3-step format:

Now → Goal → Bridge

Most brokers don’t use this format. They just follow their nose based on what the client says and wants. Which is wrong.

We help our members install this as part of our Trusted Advisor framework.

When you get this right… conversions skyrocket… referrals multiply… loan time cycle reduces (i.e you get paid faster) and more.

Great brokers naturally do this, but they don’t understand how to systemise, document and train others to do it as good as them. So they are perpetually locked-in to being the key broker running rinse-and-repeat meetings all day.

Pays well. But it’s boring and not sustainable or saleable.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, you’ll learn how we approach Strategy Sessions and use the 3-step format for maximum impact.

Do you know what your customers really want from a mortgage broker?

The best deal (rate, fees, etc)... expert knowledge or advice… help selecting and applying for a loan… friendly and convenient service… fast turnaround times?

No.

That’s not it.

Sure… your customers do want all those things… but there’s one bigger thing they are looking for (and despite what the title says, it’s not “the truth”).

And if you don’t give it to them… they will 100% go find another broker who can.

What is it?

You’ll have to listen to this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, to learn the missing piece.

This month has been all about key partnerships.

Every broker knows they are the backbone of a successful mortgage business, but unfortunately, most aren’t doing it very well… and not getting the results (referral flow) they want.

The past few weeks on the Mortgage Broker Acceleration podcast, we’ve shared some key insights and strategies to help in this space. This week, we have a case study episode with our strategic advisor, Ash Playsted, and it’s split into two parts.

Part 1

How Ash personally wrote over 1,000 loans, without sharing any commission, from just a small key group of referral partners.

Part 2

How Ash built referral partnerships on a national scale, from the ground up, including the pros and cons of chasing the “big fish”.

Should you share commissions with your referral partners?

The short answer is… it depends.

More importantly, and the thing most brokers get wrong, is that the default starting position… should always be a hard and fast “No”.

Unfortunately, most brokers default to offering a share of commission in order to win partnerships, which is a big mistake, and leads to an array of future problems.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, you’ll learn the important things to consider when it comes to sharing commissions; when to do it, when not to do it, how to do it, and how to deal with partners who ask.

Almost all mortgage brokers approach referral partners wrong.

Meeting for coffees and lunches… promising the world, the best rates, the best service, to help with even the trickiest deals… offering a share of commissions to win them over… to be “given a chance” to prove themselves.

Like a needy kid sucking up to their parents, begging for an ice cream. It’s not a good interaction. It’s annoying and cringe-worthy. No wonder most parents say “No” to the ice cream.

Most referral partners say “No” to brokers. You probably don’t even realise it’s a “No” because they won’t directly say it. Instead they will meet up, play along, string you along, make excuses and not follow through, sending no referrals. Sound familiar?

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, you’ll learn why this is a mindset and positioning problem, including the wrong and right mindset to approach (and win) referral partners. Essentially you have to do the exact opposite of what you’re currently doing.

If you have referral partners but they are not sending you direct referrals every single week… then sorry to say you have been “friendzoned”.

This is bad. You are not here to make friends.

You are a broker and in business to make money by helping people and writing loans. To achieve this you need people to talk to, people to help, people who need a loan.

If your so-called referral partners aren’t sending you referrals every week… then you are literally wasting your time, energy and money.

The reality is if you are currently in this situation, it’s 100% your fault. The good news is you 100% have the ability to fix it.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, you’ll learn how to escape the referral partner “friendzone”… and even better… avoid it from the start. If you want to know how to forge fun and fruitful referral relationships, this is for you.

Want to know exactly what James did as a mortgage broker to generate leads and write millions in loans each month from his 3rd bedroom, with no staff, without having to see clients, and take 3 months holiday a year?

Want to know how he then generated hundreds (actually probably in the thousands) of leads for other mortgage brokers using paid advertising on social media?

Want to know the strategies James uses in his current business to generate hundreds (actually thousands) of leads and sell millions of dollars in business services (that actually help brokers and make them many times more than what they paid)?

Well, that’s exactly what this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration is about. A case study with James Veigli in the firing line, and Ash Playsted asking the questions.

Everything shared is 100% relevant to all brokers out there. James says he’s not a magician, he just learnt and worked hard to figure out what works. You have the chance to do the same.

An interesting thing about the mortgage industry is that it’s both a highly technical profession as well as a highly personal profession.

That means to be successful you need to be a great technician (i.e. credit analyst), understand how to do the numbers, structure the deals and provide solutions to clients.

Plus…

To be successful you also need to know how to market and sell yourself (i.e. sales person). Because being a great technician is useless if you have nobody to help.

Enter the problem. The elephant in the room.

Many brokers are not willing (this could be for many reasons) to do what’s required to market and sell themselves to generate enquiries. Many just don’t know how.

Unfortunately, many brokers enter this industry without knowing this reality. It’s not their fault. Many also continue and struggle, writing barely any volume, oblivious to or avoiding this reality.

If you are afraid (or are unwilling) to go out and sell yourself, then you should either not be a broker, or you should go and be a loan writer in a mortgage business that feeds you leads.

Sounds a little harsh, but we see far too many square pegs in round holes, going through unnecessary hardship.

It’s time to consider who you really are? And is this industry right for you?

Have a listen to this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, where James and Ash discuss the reality that if you want to be a successful mortgage broker… then you actually have to become a successful marketer and seller of mortgages.

This one will hit home for sure.

Every broker wants more quality leads.

Even those who don’t currently want more because they are too busy, when things quieten down or they want to scale up, will need a consistent lead generation strategy too.

Leads make business go around.

They are the oxygen. But… do you know how to breathe? Sure, you ‘are’ breathing right now, but do you really understand how it’s working?

It’s the same with leads. Brokers ‘are’ getting leads in the door, but they often have no idea how or why it’s happening… other than knowing they do a good job and people talk and refer. The problem is they have little to no control over it.

When times are booming, good brokers are busting at the seems automatically. Too much business! But when times are flat, the same good brokers have their volume drop off and don’t know how to get it back.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James and Ash talk about the most powerful, effective and market-proof strategy you can use to generate all the (quality) leads you’ll ever need.

It’s probably not what you think it is either.

Digital marketing is the minefield of all minefields!

When it comes to your website, social media, content, video marketing, advertising, emails and more… there are 1001 tools, services, consultants and providers to choose from… all promising the world.

So what should you do?

What should you NOT do?

It’s tough as a broker and business owner. So much conflicting (and often biased) information. Things are not always as they seem.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James and Ash talk about all things digital marketing. They know a thing or two, having made many millions for their businesses and clients, directly using digital marketing strategies.

They talk about the three stages of digital marketing (from being a ‘beginner’ to the ‘next’ phase and ultimately being a ‘ninja’) and which you should focus on in your business. It’s quite likely you’re getting this wrong right now.

There’s a lot in this.

The secret to growing your loan volume and growing your mortgage business… is actually to NOT focus on doing these things directly.

Instead, a focus on greater community presence and client impact is the key.

We call this The Impact Zone.

The concept is simple. When you make a bigger impact, you will enjoy more opportunities in your business. It’s the ultimate lead-generation tool.

It takes time and skill to build. It’s a bigger picture, longer-term play. But the rewards in terms of personal satisfaction and business growth are massive.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James and Ash discuss how to make the transition from an expert product provider to a true expert authority and financial educator.

Every day brokers are spreading the word about what they do. They want to help people and build a successful business for themselves.

So much time and effort is spent posting and sharing online, talking to networks, and meeting with potential clients.

But they don’t realise they are unknowingly limiting their results, their impact and business valuation by focusing on the wrong thing.

It’s not what they’re doing that’s the problem… it’s what they’re saying.

In this week’s episode of the Mortgage Broker Acceleration podcast, James Veigli and Ash Playsted unpack the three levels of communication brokers use with their prospects and clients. You’ll learn how speaking at the ‘top of the pyramid’ will transform your results.

Brokers who are willing to change how they talk with their prospects, partners and clients will stand out in the market and build clients for life.

The Key Questions

Why is it important to change your focus with clients and how you talk about your business?
How does this mortgage industry lag (compared to other industries) present a significant opportunity for brokers who take action?
How can brokers balance writing loans today while making these changes, to build a stronger business tomorrow?

What You’ll Discover

The three levels of communication - and what you should be doing in your business.
The importance of specialisation in crafting relevant messaging.
How to level up your content and education to attract more clients and boost your business value.

As brokers, it's easy to think more clients equals more money but this isn’t necessarily the case.

Specialisation is where it’s at.

When you specialise, you attract more clients, your process is simpler and your revenue and profit increase exponentially.

By zeroing in on a niche you’re passionate about, you very quickly become the expert.

In this week's episode of the Mortgage Broker Acceleration Podcast James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss how specialisation is all about creating a business that's focused, efficient, and driven by purpose.

When your business changes lives, success follows naturally.

The Key Questions

How does being a specialist broker lead to earning more and working less?
What challenges do brokers face when considering specialisation, and how can they be overcome?
How does passion and purpose tie into selecting a niche for specialisation?

What You’ll Discover

How to transition from the 'solve every problem' approach to specialisation (4:05)
Understanding the significant impact of specialisation on business efficiency (11:24)
Why it’s important to zoom into deeper, more focused market segments (14:52)

You’ve probably heard about the 10,000-hour rule—the idea that mastery in anything needs 10,000 hours of practice.

But what if there's more to being an expert than just the clock?

Let's explore a new approach.

We know that clients want experts, not jacks-of-all-trades. So, it's time for brokers to shine in their niche rather than trying to be all things to all clients.

Tune in to this week's Mortgage Broker Acceleration podcast, where Ash Playsted and James Veigli explore the difference between technical expertise and perceived expertise.

We discuss the importance of self-belief, confidence, and how these qualities can make you a standout expert in the industry.

The bottom line? Balancing technical skills with a killer perception game is the secret to making your mark as a broker.

The Key Questions

Is technical expertise or perceived expertise more crucial in the mortgage broking business?
How can brokers position themselves as experts?
What strategies can brokers employ to cultivate a perception of expertise?

What You’ll Discover

Why brokers often focus on technical skills and how this can have a negative impact on business (0:30)
How having confidence in client interactions can ensure better results (7:52)
What success really means and how team expertise matter (13:37)

Happy New Year.

We hope you had a fantastic break and managed to relax, recharge and are ready to tackle 2024.

For brokers, now is the time to lay the groundwork for a successful year ahead.

So, how can you reach your goals and stay on top of the mortgage industry's shifts?

Tune in to the first 2024 episode of the Mortgage Broker Acceleration Podcast with James Veigli and Ash Playsted. We're diving into upcoming trends and forecasts, discussing market expansions, industry changes, and strategies to thrive amidst it all.

Remember, a clear roadmap leads to success…

The Key Questions

What trends are anticipated in the mortgage industry for 2024?
What are the potential strategies for mortgage brokers to maximise their businesses?
How can brokers prepare for future market changes and shifts?

What You’ll Discover

A rise in broker market share and how this will create more opportunities (0:35)
How brokers can build a substantial businesses by focusing on systems, processes, and nurturing a growth-oriented mindset (6:08)
The significance of customised coaching and guidance aligned with individual goals and the importance of steering clear of generic industry advice (13:01)

Wow, 2023 was quite a ride. Reflecting back, there's a ton to celebrate...

Our members hit it out of the park, achieving their dream business visions, snagging awards, and some even made more money while working less. That's the sweet spot, right?

Let's not forget the incredible Mr. Rob Barton who rowed solo from Australia to Africa, breaking a world record along the way!

And we scored BIG too, nabbing two MFAA awards—the Professional Development Award and the Support Service Provider Award. Proud moment, for sure.

Catch the last Mortgage Broker Acceleration podcast episode of the year, join James Veigli and Ash Playsted as they reflect on the year's wins and share why it's crucial to glance back before diving into the new year.

And most importantly, Merry Christmas listeners! We hope you take time for yourself, practice self-care, and look forward to a promising 2024.

The Key Questions

Why is it important to reflect on the past year's successes and failures?
What mindset shift is necessary to embrace challenges as learning opportunities?
What's the secret to balancing past accomplishments with setting future goals?

What You’ll Discover

The importance of reflection to acknowledge personal growth and lessons learned from both successes and failures. (2:05)
James and Ash’s personal and business highlights of 2023 (9:45)
A simple end of year self-reflection exercise (13:00)

Brokers often work with every type of client, simply because “that's just how it's done."

There is a more efficient way, yet 99% of brokers don't do it.

Why? The fear of missing out.

The thought of saying no to a potential client raises eyebrows. How could turning away business possibly support growth?

Focusing on your ideal client might feel like stepping out of your comfort zone, but here's the thing… When you focus on your ideal clients, the work becomes easier and faster.

In this week’s episode of the Mortgage Broker Acceleration podcast, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the concept of identifying your ideal client and the pivotal role of niche selection in business growth.

The Key Questions

Why is identifying an ideal client crucial?
How can focusing on your ideal client increase efficiency and effectiveness?
What strategies can be employed to gradually transition to an ideal client without risking existing client relationships?

What You’ll Discover

The main reason most brokers don’t adopt a niche-focused strategy (1:31)
How established brokers can transition into a niche strategy without risking existing business commitments (3:16)
How focusing on your ideal client ensures easier client interactions, streamlined processes, and a better service (6:46)

Brokers know lead generation is key—no leads, no deals, right? But there's a phase often overlooked: the gap between pre-approval and full approval.

What if we told you, this is where the real magic happens.

That it’s not just about getting pre-approval and stepping back, it's about actively guiding clients until they purchase their property.

In this week’s episode of the Mortgage Broker Acceleration podcast James Veigli and Ash Playsted delve into this often-neglected phase, shedding light on the power of supporting clients beyond pre-approval and boosting conversion rates.

Tune in for actionable insights and strategies.

The Key Questions

What are the risks of leaving clients unsupported during the pre-approval and full approval stage?
What is the CARE model and how does this boost conversions?
Why is it crucial to master this stage and become the broker of choice?

What You’ll Discover

Learn why the period between pre-approval and full approval is important and how you can actively support clients to ensure better outcomes. (0:23)
Delve into the CARE model and how it forms the backbone of tailored workflows designed to cater specifically to clients' needs. (3:01)
Explore methods to guide clients through their journey and accelerate conversions. (15:32)

If you're serious about crushing it in business, personal growth isn't an option; it's a must. Picture it this way… your business growth is shackled to your own development.

Brokers who get this, who dive into continuous learning and accept there's always room for improvement, become the gritty, adaptable leaders that rise to the top.

In this week’s episode of the Mortgage Broker Acceleration podcast, James Veigli and Ash Playsted dive into the case study of “Billy Bob” whose goal was to restore balance to his life and have structure in his business.

Little did he know… there was massive untapped potential waiting for him – something he never thought possible.

Tune in to explore the heart of entrepreneurial resilience.

The Key Questions

What mindset shifts are required to go from broker to successful business owner?
How do you realise when there is more you need to learn?
What’s the connection between continuous personal growth and sustained business growth?

What You’ll Discover

Learn to overcome tough challenges for personal and business growth (2:10)
Find out how being receptive and coachable fuels your success (7:19)
The key components that set the stage for a robust succession plan (14.21)

Standing out as a broker can be a challenge. Knowing how to set yourself apart from everyone else talking about the same rates and lenders is crucial.

We've cracked the code on a game-changing process that transforms how brokers win trust and seal the deal.

In this latest episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted spill the beans on how brokers can shine as experts and build relationships that keep clients coming back for more.

Discover the strategic approach that goes beyond simply getting the best deal… and become a trusted financial partner that provides a smooth, value-packed client journey.

The Key Questions

How can mortgage brokers differentiate themselves in a competitive landscape?
What strategies can brokers employ to win clients without focusing solely on rates and lenders?
What are the crucial steps in a client presentation that lead to successful conversion?

What You'll Discover

The four-step process to differentiate yourself from other brokers and win client trust effectively (2:57)
How to use smart questions to establish yourself as the expert (6:45)
How your role as a broker goes beyond simply ‘getting the best deal’ to become a trusted financial partner (14:38)

In a digital world, having a solid content marketing strategy is like having a secret sauce for success.

Content isn't just words on a screen—it's what gets people interested, builds connections, and helps businesses grow.

In this episode of the Mortgage Broker Acceleration podcast, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about how balancing quality content and staying consistent is key to business success.

Discover what you need to elevate content from generic information that sounds like every other broker… to compelling, authentic narratives that build genuine connections with your ideal clients.

Plus, learn the most effective strategies for integrating content into a broader marketing strategy that helps you attract, connect and convert with ease.

The Key Questions

What defines content marketing, and how does it intersect with traditional marketing?
How do quality and quantity impact the success of content marketing efforts?
Why is authenticity crucial in content creation for audience engagement?
How does content marketing contribute to strategic brand positioning?

What You'll Discover

The nuanced definition and differentiation of content marketing (0:08)
The delicate balance between quality and quantity in content creation (5:34)
The pivotal role of authenticity in engaging an audience (11:25)
Strategies for leveraging content marketing within a broader brand strategy (19:04)

Brokers who operate with a "watchmaker" mindset tend to be the central figures in their businesses, with every process, problem, and task relying on their direct involvement.

This limits scalability because the broker becomes the bottleneck for decision-making and problem-solving.

The "beekeeper" mindset, on the other hand, focuses on creating a self-sustaining environment which ensures the business can continue to operate effectively, even if the broker steps away temporarily or focuses on strategic aspects.

In this episode of the Mortgage Broker Acceleration podcast, James Veigli and Ash Playsted unpack the “watchmaker” and “beekeeper” analogy and the importance of shifting your mindset to foster independent problem-solving and creating a self-sustaining business environment.

The Key Questions

What is the importance of extracting expertise from your team's head? (0:34)
How can brokers shift their mindset to a beekeeper mentality? (1:08)
Why is it important to continuously extract expertise and adapt as your business grows? (16:35)

What You’ll Discover

The significance of mindset shifts in business management (0:34)
A strategy to empower your team with independent problem-solving skills. (1:08)
An approach to creating an environment where your business can run efficiently without heavy dependence on individuals. (5:44)
The importance of continuous adaptation as your business grows. (16:35)

Building a successful mortgage business goes beyond a predetermined playbook.

It demands strategic thinking, systems development, and leadership skills not typically offered by franchise or licence models.

In this episode of the Mortgage Broker Acceleration podcast, James Veigli and Ash Playsted present a compelling case study featuring dynamic duo, Max and Mary. Their journey showcases how they transformed into effective business leaders, significantly boosting their business's volume and profitability in just 3 years!

Max and Mary's path from aspiring brokers to thriving business owners offers valuable lessons on leadership development, the importance of clear roles in partnerships and the impact of strategic mentorship in achieving business growth and true work-life balance.

The Key Questions

What challenges do brokers face when transitioning from being sole operators to effective business owners? (2:20)
How can business partnerships be optimised for success, and what roles should each party play? (11:15)
What key strategies can brokers employ to scale their businesses while maintaining profitability and work-life balance? (15:30)

What You’ll Discover

Key components for success beyond franchise models (5:40)
The significance of clear roles within a dynamic duo (11:00)
Essential elements for evolution from chaos to clarity (12:00)
How to create a thriving business culture (15:40)
The one thing brokers need to ensure continued business success (18:00)

Halloween is just around the corner. As kids and parents prepare to dress up, knock on doors, and ask for candy, brokers should get ready to pick up some lessons from these trick-or-treaters. At the same time, take special note of the houses that do get knocked on. Why? Because they’ve got a lot to teach you about what to do as a broker. That is, ask for candy, you get candy. Make it clear that you’re open for business and people will come knocking.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share important lessons for brokers right in time for Halloween. Tune in to find out the best Halloween secrets you can use to grow your business.

The Key Questions

What can brokers learn from kids who go trick-or-treating on Halloween? (2:01)
Why do brokers need to be bolder when asking for what they want? (5:30)
Does transparency matter when asking for referrals? (8:57)
How can brokers make it clear that they’re open for business? (12:10)

What You’ll Discover

The best practices brokers can learn from Halloween trick-or-treaters (2:43)
How brokers can be more insistent on getting what they want from clients & partners (6:52)
The difference between asking consistently and demanding what you want as a broker (10:24)
The amount of effort it actually takes for brokers to get referrals (12:35)

It’s typical for brokers to get lost in a mountain of tasks. But before you burn yet another midnight oil, take a moment to ask yourself: Is this bringing you closer to your goals? If not, it might be time to pause, reflect, and assess your situation. What is it that you truly want to achieve as a mortgage broker? And what should you be doing to reach your ultimate goals?

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share their personal stories on how they became more focused on their business. They also talk about why success is not about having an endless to-do list and what brokers should be doing instead. Tune in to find out how you can work towards reaching your goals.

The Key Questions

How can brokers get a clear focus on their goals? (2:31)
How should brokers work towards their ideal life? (8:59)
Is coaching really important for brokers? (12:29)
What should brokers do to reach their goals? (14:49)

What You’ll Discover

It’s what you don’t do that matters most (1:03)
What to do daily to achieve your desired outcomes (3:46)
The biggest challenge brokers face that they don’t realise (7:15)
What brokers actually face when simplifying their processes (11:23)

The concept of leadership has drastically changed over the past years. From having a “follow me” attitude, leaders must now become the hardest workers so they’ll get the best results. And instead of being the boss, they should be working to make their team and clients happy. This is true, especially in the broking industry, where collaboration is of utmost importance to become successful.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about the changes in leadership styles over the years. They emphasise the importance of leaders being team players to become more productive and reach goals faster. Tune in to learn the benefits of this shift.

The Key Questions

Is it enough for brokers to expect their teams to do their best and be their best? (5:37)
Should brokers base their happiness on their client’s happiness? (8:41)
What should brokers do to have happier clients and better outcomes? (12:21)
How can brokers and their team be truly happy? (18:28)

What You’ll Discover

The old-school style of leadership (3:28)
The #1 desire most mortgage brokers have (6:58)
What leadership is really about (13:44)
What’s at the heart of good leadership (15:31)

Do people really know what you do as a mortgage broker? If you talk to your closest friends, loved ones, and even your referral partners, can they accurately describe what you do? The reality is that most people don’t know the full extent of a mortgage broker’s job. And this is something you must effectively communicate to make your broking business grow.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted zone in on the value of demystifying the role of mortgage brokers. They share a simple and practical way for brokers to show their true value to others so they can help more clients. Tune in to find out how you can apply this to your mortgage broking business.

The Key Questions

Do people really know what mortgage brokers do? (00:57)
How can mortgage brokers let people know what they do? (8:51)
How can brokers attract more clients to their business? (10:23)
What should brokers do to get referrals? (17:56)

What You’ll Discover

Why brokers have to keep reminding people what they do (4:05)
Why the broker is like the conductor of the orchestra (7:34)
One very dangerous thing to do in business (13:55)
How to avoid getting tangled up in the complex stuff that you do (16:08)

In an industry that often spotlights massive wins, big numbers, and a huge team, there’s something I need to remind you: Success can be different from one person to another. What may qualify as success to you might not be the same for another broker. This is crucial for you to understand so you can avoid feeling lost, unmotivated, and unhappy.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share the story of one of their clients who redefined what success meant for him. They talked about how the team helped the client realise what kind of success he really wanted. They also discussed the steps they took to guide him toward that path. Tune in to discover their client’s amazing story and how you can find your own version of success in this industry.

The Key Questions

What should brokers start to aim for when building a broking business? (5:25)
Do brokers really need to exit their business? (8:32)
How can brokers use their free time to grow their business? (16:41)
What should brokers do to attain ideal business and ideal life? (21:20)

What You’ll Discover

Why you don’t always have to have a big goal (3:53)
If there’s a one-size-fits-all strategy in the broking business (9:54)
The very first step to being a successful mortgage broker (14:21)
The one thing that brokers often underestimate in business (17:44)

Love it or hate it, one thing is for sure: Your mortgage broker business needs social media. While it may be plagued with fake news or sensational stories that you want nothing to do with... it is also filled with prospects that can turn into your valuable clients! That’s why you need to be smart about using social media for your mortgage broking business.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted reveal their personal love-hate relationship with social media. They also share how they use it to scale their business. Tune in to find out how to make the most out of social media today.

The Key Questions

Do brokers have to love social media? (2:13)
How can brokers use social media for their mortgage broking business? (5:56)
Do brokers really need to go on social media? (9:11)
How can brokers avoid getting distracted by social media? (12:32)

What You’ll Discover

The typical broker’s love-hate relationship with social media (00:48)
Why your broking business needs social media (4:26)
The multi-point validation strategy (7:10)
Why you need to separate your personal and business social media (10:09)

The mortgage broking industry is known to be serious. And brokers are stereotyped as intense people who only wear three-piece suits. But guess what? It doesn’t have to be that way! You can insert humour and a little bit of fun every day in your broking business. After all, it’s no longer the 1950s! Even if you start to be more of yourself, your clients will trust you—as long as you get the job done, of course.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about why the mortgage broking industry should not be serious all the time. They emphasise the importance of authenticity in gaining the trust and confidence of clients. Tune in to find out how your mortgage broking business can be more fun starting today!

The Key Questions

How can brokers make their mortgage broking businesses fun? (3:13)
Why do most mortgage brokers feel they need to be serious? (9:55)
How can brokers ensure that their clients will still trust them if they let loose? (15:01)
What makes clients choose a certain broker over another? (15:20)

What You’ll Discover

Why the default for most brokers is to be serious (5:18)
A perfect example of why brokers should have fun in business (7:35)
Why you can be who you are (11:21)
How to make your business fun for you (16:19)

Distractions are an inevitable part of a broker’s life. And they pose significant challenges, especially in our hyper-connected world. But if you want to make a name for yourself, you must learn how to get rid of distractions. Otherwise, it’ll slow down your progress, making it difficult for you to reach your goals and remain productive and more profitable every single year.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted openly share their personal experiences with distractions. They explore the common reasons why business owners—including brokers—frequently succumb to distractions. And, more importantly, how they managed to overcome them. Tune in to find out how you can do it, too.

The Key Questions

How can brokers remove distractions in their mortgage broking business? (12:29)
What are some common sources of distractions for brokers? (16:10)
Should brokers master multitasking? (20:01)
How can brokers ensure that their team members are not distracted? (25:26)

What You’ll Discover

The dark side of productivity (2:54)
The big challenge with distraction (14:25)
Why unread notifications are elevating your stress levels (18:55)
The Tim Tam Strategy (22:59)

Artificial intelligence is taking the world by storm. And you might be wondering... how would this affect the mortgage broking industry? Would it mean that brokers would soon be jobless? Far from it. After all, the mortgage broking industry is based on trust. And trust relies on basic human connection, something that AI—no matter how much they develop—can never achieve.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk more about their predictions on AI and how it would reshape the mortgage broking industry. They also share valuable advice on how brokers can navigate this ever changing world. Tune in to find out what the AI revolution means for mortgage brokers.

The Key Questions

How will technology affect the mortgage broking industry? (13:13)
Is there a future for mortgage brokers amidst the ongoing AI revolution? (16:53)
Will clients still prefer human mortgage brokers over AI? (23:30)
Can brokers rely on AI for coaching? (29:30)

What You’ll Discover

The evolving role of mortgage brokers (9:42)
Future-proofing your mortgage broking business (18:30)
The value of trust and belief in the broking industry (20:23)
Why it matters that everyone is different (31:19)

Have you ever participated in an expo? We’re talking about those big networking events filled with people who are interested in buying property. If you haven’t done so, now’s the time to seriously consider joining one. Especially if you want your broking business to thrive. But here’s the thing: Simply joining an expo doesn’t really do anything. And having the best booth or having the best collaterals won’t get you anywhere if you don’t have the right strategy in place.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about the real value of joining expos for mortgage brokers. They also share personal anecdotes as to how their first expos went. Tune in to discover how you can leverage expos to grow your broking business.

The Key Questions

Who should you attract for your mortgage broking business? (3:20)
What should brokers do to attract new clients? (4:25)
Is it worth it to join an expo? (11:27)
Where else can brokers find prospects aside from expos? (18:03)

What You’ll Discover

Why you must be clear about the outcome you want to achieve out of doing expos (5:17)
The 3 goals you should be targeting if you’re attending an expo (10:07)
Why you need to talk to other exhibitors (14:13)
One thing you must NOT do at expos (16:21)

Partnerships can make or break your business. But we’re not talking about spouses or significant others. Rather, it’s about business partners—those who have a say in the day-to-day operations of your mortgage business. With the right partner, your mortgage broking business will definitely thrive. After all, you’ll have someone to do the parts of the business you don’t want so you can focus on what you do best.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted define what it means to have the right partner for your business using the analogy of the dynamic duo, Batman and Robin. They describe what it means to be a Batman or a Robin for a broking business. And they also share examples of how such perfect partnerships can help the business grow. Tune in to find out more.

The Key Questions

Why should brokers think of having a business partner? (4:34)
How do you know if you’re the business person or the broker person in your business? (6:03)
What’s the secret sauce that makes dynamic duos work so well? (11:28)
Why do dynamic duos sometimes fall apart? (16:24)

What You’ll Discover

The dynamic duo of Batman and Robin in the broking industry (2:59)
The big mistake brokers commit when forming a dynamic duo (7:57)
Understand what your Robin really needs to do (13:28)
Why you can’t have a Batman and Batman (16:54)

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest, how optimised are your workflows? You see, having an optimised workflow is essential for a growing mortgage broking business. In fact, we daresay it’s crucial for any growing business in any industry! When you optimise your workflows, you streamline your broking business’s processes. And this makes it faster and easier for you to take out a loan—with the most favourable conditions—for your clients.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted detail exactly what you need to do in order to optimise the workflows for your mortgage broking business. They also share a better way of setting benchmarks and KPIs. Tune in to learn more.

The Key Questions

How can brokers know if they’re optimising their workflows enough? (1:38)
How many minutes or hours should a loan take to go through a broker’s business system? (3:19)
Why should brokers optimise my workflow? (5:20)
How can brokers create a culture of improvement and learning with their team? (17:16)

What You’ll Discover

The two things we’re optimising for in a mortgage broking business (6:37)
The best way to set benchmarks for your workflows (10:00)
Why you shouldn’t forget about the bigger picture (14:49)
How to map out your workflow (16:23)

What does true success look like for you? For us, true success means you have options. You have the option to have enough money in the bank, have a loan volume that’s a cut above the rest, and even chase your dreams and do what you love. And the good news is... this level of success is possible for a broker like you!

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share the inspirational story of two mortgage business partners who managed to become truly successful. Tune in to find out what this meant for them and what they had to do to reach such an amazing goal.

The Key Questions

Why should brokers start focusing on business systems and marketing systems in their broking business? (3:56)
What does true success mean in a broking business? (10:16)
Why should brokers start working with a business coach? (15:18)
What do brokers need to do to have a truly successful mortgage broking business? (18:16)

What You’ll Discover

How brokers can avoid being fixed to one specific outcome (5:37)
Why there is power in having options to do what you want (7:18)
Why building a business that works with or without you doesn't mean you're giving up what you love (12:16)
The true value of working with a business coach (13:31)

Jeff Bezos. Bill Gates. Tony Robbins. These are just some of the most successful men of today. But aside from their massive wealth and fame, one thing they have in common is that they all had a coach. In particular, a coach to help them develop critical thinking in everything they do so they can achieve so much. But the thing is... Critical thinking needs external output for it to be effective.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about the importance of critical thinking for mortgage broker businesses. They also reveal that brokers could develop this crucial life skill and explain how to make it happen. Tune in to find out more.

The Key Questions

Can brokers do critical thinking by themselves? (1:20)
Why is coaching so important? (2:29)
How can critical thinking help brokers stand out? (11:53)
What makes critical thinking so important for growing a broking business? (12:50)

What You’ll Discover

The key definition of critical thinking (2:26)
Why brokers can’t get a 360 view of their broking business by themselves (3:48)
Critical thinking is in short supply in the world (5:37)
Why ideas and advice will only get you so far (8:23)

One thing I can’t stress enough is this: Mortgage brokers need to STOP working for free. Now, it can sound pretty scary to start charging clients even before you managed to purchase a property for them. But that’s actually normal. After all, you do exert a considerable amount of time, effort, and resources to help them even before you strike a deal, right?

That’s why in this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted teach how mortgage broker businesses can stop working for free and start benefiting from their hard work. They also talk about coming up with a premium offer that’ll make it easy for clients to understand why you have to get paid for your broking services. Tune in to learn more.

The Key Questions

How should brokers reframe the word “free”? (2:51)
What should you be charging for as a mortgage broker? (6:10)
What’s the impression clients get when you put a value on your time? (11:34)
How can brokers manage their time and their team’s time? (16:26)

What You’ll Discover

The big fear of charging fees (1:40)
The bank is not paying you for doing the work (4:30)
Why you should provide value in everything you do (14:03)
One thing constant in the mortgage broking industry (17:44)

There are two things that can make traditional brainstorming sessions ineffective: the rigid schedule and how it can sometimes feel forced. Most often than not, breakthroughs happen during our unstructured time. That’s why a lot of people would swear they thought of a cool idea during a hot shower. And there is a way for you to make these breakthroughs happen without fail.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about the value of having fun with your team. They explain why scheduling unstructured fun time with your team is vital for brokers. And they also share personal anecdotes as to how this simple strategy worked for them. Tune in to find out more.

The Key Questions

How long does it take the typical broker to switch on Holiday Mode? (1:37)
Can brokers manufacture “magic” when it comes to generating ideas? (5:22)
Should brokers blend socialising and friendship with work? (8:04)
How should brokers log their ideas during informal brainstorming sessions? (13:19)

What You’ll Discover

Why it takes time for the magic to emerge when brainstorming (3:16)
Ash’s experience with a unique but effective brainstorming session (4:22)
Why you shouldn’t force people to come up with ideas (10:32)
The importance of going out and having fun with your team (11:43)

500 clients are all you need. No, seriously. If you want to build a successful mortgage broking business, all you need is to aim to help 500 clients. But this doesn’t happen overnight. It’s something you can achieve over the next couple of years. And take note that it’s not about bringing in 500 clients to close 500 deals. Rather, it’s about helping these 500 people as best as you can. That’s the secret sauce to success.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share why it’s so crucial for brokers like you to aim to help 500 clients in your broking business. They also talk about how committing to help more people will significantly motivate your team to do their best. Tune in to learn more.

The Key Questions

Should volume really be a measure of success for mortgage brokers? (7:01)
Why should brokers aim to help 500 clients? (10:41)
How can brokers attract, retain, and motivate their teams to stay focused? (13:29)
How can brokers find 500 clients? (15:43)

What You’ll Discover

Why you should shift your goal towards helping people (4:28)
Money is the byproduct of helping more people (8:27)
Mortgage broking is not about writing as many deals as possible (12:42)
Wanting to help a lot of people is not mutually exclusive with being ambitious (14:42)

What’s your goal for starting a mortgage broking business? Is it to achieve financial freedom? Is it to be able to go on vacations anytime? Is it to be able to dedicate yourself to a noble cause? No matter your reason, the only way to achieve your goals is if you commit to making your business super profitable and optimised—to the point where you can afford to step back and go on your next big adventure.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share the inspirational story of a powerhouse couple they coached to success. Initially, the couple’s only goal was to have more time on their hands. But now that they are able to go beyond 5x their volumes, they can set their sights on an even bigger goal: advocate sustainability. Tune in to find out more about the couple’s journey.

The Key Questions

What comes after obtaining financial freedom through mortgage broking? (2:55)
Can brokers afford to pursue social justice causes (4:09)
How can brokers let go of doing everything themselves in their broking business? (14:07)
When does a coaching relationship end? (19:14)

What You’ll Discover

Why a sustainable business must suit your personality (9:14)
The best way to deal with a leaky bucket of leads (11:46)
Win key partnerships by doing one thing in particular (15:58)
The reality of coaching relationships (17:43)

Most brokers know how crucial systems are for the stability and growth of their broking business. The problem is, a lot of them still go about it the wrong way. They seek magic bullets, a one-size-fits-all plan to get their business up and running. Some even switch tech so often to find the one that “works.” But here’s the thing: Building systems is all about context.

And in this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted teach how mortgage broker businesses can start building systems that will actually work for them. They also talk more about the importance of building systems for the survival of broking businesses. Tune in to learn more.

The Key Questions

Why should brokers prioritise building systems for their broking business? (1:24)
Can brokers just hire an expert to build systems for their mortgage broker business? (8:19)
How can brokers assess context when building systems for their broking business? (11:43)
If there was just one correct way to build a broking business, what would it be? (13:51)

What You’ll Discover

The “Frankenstein’s Monster” model (2:58)
Building systems is boring (4:48)
Why you don’t have to overcomplicate things (15:52)
A common mistake many brokers make in fixing their systems (17:13)

Will AI be the death of the mortgage broking industry? If you’ve been following the exponential development of AI, language models, and machine learning, then this question is probably in your head quite a lot. While we cannot truly predict the future, there are two things that we’re sure of. One, AI is here to stay and it’ll get better and better from here on out. Two, the process of buying a property for various reasons is complex. It entails more than just looking for the “best” or “cheapest” deal out there.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss how the developments in AI technology will affect the mortgage broking industry. They also share their thoughts on the industry’s future prospects with the advent of AI. Tune in to find out how mortgage brokers should proceed with AI taking the world by storm.

The Key Questions

Will AI be the death of mortgage brokers? (4:47)
How can AI help mortgage broking businesses? (6:20)
How can ChatGPT and other language models help a broking business? (8:21)
What are the limitations of AI for the broking industry? (10:00)

What You’ll Discover

Why technology is a constant (4:04)
People will always know the difference between AI and real human interaction (5:35)
Chat GPT is an evolution of search engines (7:26)
Why people still need expert brokers to ask the right questions (9:15)

How do you know when you’ve made it? Is it when you’ve earned a significant amount of money in your broking business? Perhaps when you no longer have to work hard in your business? Or maybe when you’ve turned your broking business into a multinational corporation? Any and all of your answers are correct. But the truth is... There’s more to success than meets the eye. After all, money and time freedom aren’t the only important things in life.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share what “making it” meant for them. Ash also shared a personal story of the first time he felt like he “made it.” They also give practical advice to mortgage brokers who believe that they have already made it. Tune in to learn more.

The Key Questions

Should brokers adopt a mindset of “making it”? (3:47)
What’s the trap brokers can fall into when it comes to the idea of “making it?” (6:04)
What are the three levels of success? (9:53)
Is it okay if brokers haven’t made it yet? (14:00)

What You’ll Discover

Why a lot of brokers mistakenly believe they have already made it (4:59)
The first step of the ladder of success (6:48)
One fact about a broker’s definition of success (7:54)
The existential challenge of success (11:54)

Did you know that having a star performer in your broking business could be dangerous? It’s especially true if this star performer is...YOU. See, a business built on a star performer creates a culture of dependency. While having a star performer may give your business a boost, it can also hold you back and lead to unmotivated team members. Or worse, it can burn you out.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share the inspirational story of one of their clients who had this very issue. She became a stressed-out star performer who desperately needed help with balancing her workload while ensuring her broking business continues to operate at a high level. Tune in to find out how they helped her.

The Key Questions

What does external success look like? (4:04)
How do brokers escape the trap of “hard work = success”? (8:09)
How can brokers fix their broking business’s culture? (10:02)
Why is it wrong to build a business around a star performer? (13:00)

What You’ll Discover

The problem with just aiming for numbers (5:34)
Why your biggest problem will come camouflaged as your biggest temptation (6:41)
Our definition of success (7:24)
The quarterback syndrome (12:21)

There’s one trap that many mortgage brokers end up falling into as soon as they start a business. And that is: Hiring their staff way too late. They believe that the only reason they need to hire is to solve their problem of feeling overwhelmed. But here’s the truth: Hiring people to save you from drowning in work won’t cut it. In fact, it can even do more harm than good.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about what happens when mortgage brokers hire too late. They also discuss the concept of drowning and how mortgage brokers can avoid this feeling as they pursue success. Tune in to discover the only right time to hire people in your broking business.

The Key Questions

What happens if I hire too late? (2:03)
How can I avoid hiring too late? (9:18)
Why are most brokers hiring too late? (17:00)
Why does backfill hiring not work? (19:37)

What You’ll Discover

The default hiring strategy for most brokers (4:36)
The most dangerous kind of person to have in a broking business (6:32)
The true goal of hiring new team members (11:52)
How banks hire staff and why you need to do the opposite (18:04)

Do you hate networking? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. Many mortgage brokers hesitate to go to networking events because they’re introverts. Now, there’s nothing inherently wrong with that. However, networking is an essential part of doing business because it helps you tap more people to become potential clients, collaborators, and even team members.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share what mortgage brokers need to do to start effectively networking even if they are introverts. They also share sample scenarios to prove their point. Tune in to find out how to expand your network the right way.

The Key Questions

Why do many brokers hate networking? (1:21)
How can I enjoy networking events? (6:32)
How can I stop sounding salesy during networking events? (10:44)
What is the common thread that brings people together? (14:47)

What You’ll Discover

The true purpose of networking for mortgage brokers (3:38)
A trick to effective networking (5:22)
Why you need to stop selling yourself in networking events (8:17)
An ingenious way to put yourself in the right rooms (10:05)

Marketing should not be left to chance. After all, it’s an important part of doing business. Do it right and you have the chance to double—and maybe even triple—your client base. But do it wrong and a lot of money goes down the drain. Unfortunately, not a lot of mortgage brokers know how to do their marketing right. This is especially true since the widespread belief is brokers need to be everything to be everybody.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain what a successful marketing strategy looks like for a mortgage broking business. They also share tips on how brokers can avoid wasting too much money on marketing. Tune in to find out more.

The Key Questions

Why do many brokers waste money on marketing? (2:32)
What should I do to improve my marketing efforts as a broker? (4:02)
How can I tailor-fit my marketing for my ideal clients? (12:47)
Should brokers start working with a marketing agency? (15:01)

What You’ll Discover

The wrong approach to marketing (1:56)
The old-school mentality mortgage brokers are holding onto (7:27)
Why specialisation gives you superpowers (8:20)
A thinking exercise for mortgage brokers (15:45)

Being a mortgage broker is not as easy as it sounds. After all, your job is not just to find the cheapest deal for your clients—successful mortgage brokers do more than just that. To give you a hint on what it is, start reflecting on what it means to obtain a mortgage. How much money is involved? How many hours of thinking is necessary to ensure you’ll make the right decision about it?

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted unravel the true reason why people need mortgage brokers. They also discuss the importance of trust in every broker-client relationship. Tune in to find out more.

The Key Questions

Why do people use brokers? (1:22)
Why is getting the “best” deal wrong? (7:22)
What is the real reason people use brokers? (9:06)
What should brokers start doing differently? (17:01)

What You’ll Discover

Why about 1% of loans are settled through proprietary channels (3:00)
The cheapest deal mindset (4:23)
The similarities between obtaining a mortgage and getting an operation (6:59)
The importance of trust in the broking business (12:48)

Having a team to help you manage and grow your broking business is one of the best decisions you can ever make. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. After the tedious hiring process, there’s one more step you need to take: Helping your staff to motivate themselves. You need to find ways to ensure your team members are motivated enough to work independently towards a common goal.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share the inspirational story of one of their clients. Now that he’s transitioning from being a broker to becoming a broking business owner, he sought help on how to make sure his staff stays motivated to produce the best results for their clients. Tune in to find out how he did it.

The Key Questions

How do I motivate my staff? (12:26)
Why is it so hard to motivate my team? (16:23)
How can I build a broking business that’s super successful with or without me? (17:48)
How do I work on myself? (18:42)

What You’ll Discover

Why you might need to take a bit of a plateau in your business (5:17)
The unintended consequence of scaling up (6:30)
The default management style for most mortgage brokers (7:47)
The wrong way to motivate people (15:08)

Every broker has big ambitions for their team. Each year, they jot down what they want to achieve, such as bigger revenue, more clients served, and better overall performance. But there is a danger when they start being too unrealistic about their goals, their team, and themselves. They become too focused on their desired outcome that they fail to determine if it’s even realistic for their current capacity.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about the dangers of being too unrealistic. They share why many mortgage brokers fall into this trap and what they should do to prevent it. Tune in to find out more.

The Key Questions

How can brokers stop being unrealistic with themselves and their teams? (1:18)
What does being ‘unrealistic’ really mean? (2:54)
What can brokers do to start understanding their capacity? (12:39)
How can brokers dial back expectations in their broking business? (17:57)

What You’ll Discover

The problem with being too unrealistic about your mortgage broking business (5:10)
The reason many brokers are unrealistic about their team (8:22)
Why it’s crucial to learn to help yourself first (11:24)
One of the real drivers of change (15:01)

Systems and workflows are part and parcel of doing business. This is especially true for mortgage brokers who are starting to build their own broking businesses. But here’s something that most brokers don’t know: systems and workflows should not be one-dimensional. In fact, to fully utilise the benefits of creating your own processes, you must learn and practice the four-dimensional workflows in your broking business.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss what the four-dimensional workflows are. They also explain why they are necessary to help brokers create a mortgage broking business that runs with or without them. Tune in to learn how these four-dimensional workflows work.

The Key Questions

What happens when brokers start to build workflows and systems? (5:11)
What can brokers do to consistently deliver world-class client experience? (7:46)
What are 4-dimensional workflows every mortgage broker should master? (14:06)
How can brokers improve their workflows? (18:01)

What You’ll Discover

The importance of systems and workflows for building a mortgage broking business (1:36)
The danger of thinking about systems in one dimension (6:21)
A wrong approach to scaling your mortgage broker business (13:09)
The value of accurate execution for mortgage brokers (15:17)

Accountability. This is like a magic elixir that allows business owners, especially brokers, to get things done and progress towards their goals. While there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to driving accountability in the business, there are two game-changing ways that brokers can stay accountable to themselves.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted unravel the mysteries of accountability. They also discuss how mortgage brokers can use their power to maximise their growth. Tune in to learn how to use the power of accountability to unlock your full potential.

The Key Questions

Why should a broker want to create massive accountability? (1:28)
What drives accountability? (2:48)
Why is goal-setting a distraction? (6:01)
What do I do if I cannot trust my own discipline? (20:17)

What You’ll Discover

The misconception about accountability (2:04)
The big chasm between our desires and following through and how to bridge the gap (4:02)
Two ways to create game-changing accountability (11:04)
The value of making a financial commitment to your mortgage broking business (15:27)

One of the most dangerous things that could happen to mortgage brokers is cruising aimlessly. Unfortunately, many fall into this trap because they think that they could sit back and relax after a few years of working hard. They fail to realise how problematic this way of thinking is for their broking business’s bottom line.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share the inspirational story of their client. He’s been working on autopilot as a mortgage broker until he finally decided that enough was enough. Today, that client is now hitting $10+M per month. Tune in to discover what he did to level up his mortgage broking business.

The Key Questions

How do I start growing a real mortgage broker business? (4:00)
Why are 8 out of 10 mortgage brokers low-earners? (15:02)
How can brokers manage opportunities that they generate in their business? (17:13)
How can mortgage brokers start a strategic partnership? (19:28)

What You’ll Discover

The problem with “living off your own fat” (4:33)
The two kinds of cruising in a mortgage broker business (10:24)
The beauty of getting a strategic partner for a broking business (19:21)
What building a real business is all about (21:39)

When people think of sales, most of them picture a pushy salesperson who’s desperate to get customers. In reality, selling is about delivering value and providing good business to clients. But why are some brokers still so afraid of selling?

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about the idea of the natural-born salesperson. They dive into why some brokers are afraid of selling and why this can hold them back. They also share some useful tips on how brokers can overcome their fear of sales. Tune in and learn how to unlock the power of selling confidently.

The Key Questions

How can brokers integrate their values and personality into sales? (2:04)
Why do some brokers struggle to become good salespeople? (5:24)
What can brokers do to become more confident in selling? (13:19)
How can brokers develop a better mindset about sales? (20:47)

What You’ll Discover

Why brokers shouldn’t pretend to be someone they’re not (3:34)
The secret to becoming a good salesperson (10:25)
The importance of systematising weaknesses (14:10)
3 steps for brokers to overcome the fear of selling (25:18)

There has always been a lot of talk about diversification in the mortgage broking industry – whether it’s diversifying for different loan types or client types. But the truth is, diversification doesn’t always benefit brokers. In fact, it can even cause more harm to their business.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted tackle the controversial topic of diversification in mortgage broking. They reveal who actually gains when brokers decide to diversify. And they also chart the possible consequences of diversifying at the wrong time and what brokers can do instead. Tune in to hear James and Ash’s take on diversifying.

The Key Questions

What misconceptions about diversifying do brokers encounter? (07:08)
Where should brokers get advice on running a broking business? (08:48)
What problem do most brokers overlook? (11:04)
When does diversifying bolster mortgage broking businesses? (13:04)

What You’ll Discover

Reasons not to buy into diversifying (04:26)
Questions brokers must ask before deciding to diversify (06:24)
Advice on diversification from the hosts’ lived experiences (13:52)
How to analyse the potential for diversification (16:00)

Business owners today – including brokers – have easy access to hiring offshore employees. But there are differing opinions on whether or not these employees should communicate with clients. The right answer? Often, it comes down to knowing when and how to maximise client relationships.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the different biases involving overseas employees. They outline the benefits of allowing clients to connect with overseas team members and when doing so is most effective. Tune in to find out more about how to do it right.

The Key Questions

What are the beliefs around offshore teams connecting with clients? (2:05)
Where does the aversion to telemarketers come from? (06:55)
How do successful brokers exhibit stability? (08:21)
What should brokers focus on to ensure good relationships with clients? (18:47)

What You’ll Discover

Are clients really concerned about who sells them your service (04:29)
An essential sales process feature that builds enduring client relationships (07:27)
A business approach to elevate your expertise and authority (13:56)
The self-fulfilling prophecy effective brokers should avoid (17:13)

Every broker has a different starting point. They have their own backstory, and different goals and expectations. There are no particular criteria or level of momentum needed before diving in and building a great mortgage broking business. The important thing is to set the right plan from day one.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share the inspirational story of their client. He used to work for a brokerage firm but went out on his own to build a successful business. Today, that client is now having $10M in months. Tune in to find out what they did to start and grow their business.

The Key Questions

What do you need to start your own business as a broker? (4:10)
How can brokers make $10M from their mortgage broking business? (8:15)
Are you doing enough to keep good people in your team? (12:38)
How do brokers ensure the success of their partnerships? (17:21)

What You’ll Discover

The right time to become a mortgage broking business owner (5:34)
The importance of cash flow management (9:28)
What relationships to focus on when starting a mortgage broking business (15:15)
One factor that separates the best brokers from the rest (18:08)

Monopoly, checkers, or chess - which games did you play growing up? What is your ideal vacation location? If you suddenly come across or inherit a million dollars, how would you make use of it? And what piece of advice would you give your 17-year-old self?

In this special edition of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted play the question roulette for the second time. They take turns answering interesting questions thrown at them by a randomised question generator. But they also ask each other a profound question about themselves. Tune in for some playful banter and a dose of thoughtful introspection about life and living it to the fullest.

The Key Questions

If you could get rid of one disease in the world, what would that be? (3:58)
What’s your ideal way to completely go off-grid? (14:45)
What one piece of advice would you give your younger self? (20:22)
Why should one take time off from time to time? (22:09)

What You’ll Discover

One way to have a massive impact on the world (7:28)
Where Ash spent the first 16 summers of his life (12:01)
The importance of having a mentor (23:19)
The most important piece of advice they can ever give anybody (26:25)

Customer behaviour has evolved over the last couple of years. These days, most people watch and listen to videos. After all, videos are quick, concise, and informational. So, why shouldn’t brokers leverage videos in their business to create newsletters? There are a lot of benefits video newsletters offer, after all.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted encourage brokers to start using video newsletters. They explain how valuable videos can be in a mortgage broking business. And they also mention some of the benefits of video newsletters and give several tips on how to create one. Tune in to find out more.

The Key Questions

What is a video newsletter? (1:24)
Why should brokers leverage videos in their business? (3:24)
What are the key benefits of video newsletters? (8:35)
What is the major obstacle that brokers face when creating video newsletters? (16:33)

What You’ll Discover

The big reason why mortgage brokers have to leverage video newsletters in their business (5:45)
How video newsletters trump traditional newsletters (6:27)
Valuable tips on creating video newsletters people will watch (13: 46)
One simple process to create video newsletters (20:30)

Asking clients and other professionals for referrals. It makes the typical mortgage broker feel awkward. Since they’re afraid they come across as salesy and repulsive when they do so, they can only hope that they get referred to other people after doing a great job with clients. But in reality, if you don’t ask, you won’t get as many referrals as you should.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted stress the need for mortgage brokers to ask for referrals. They explain why most brokers are afraid to ask for referrals and the mindset shift they must have to overcome this fear. And they also reveal two frameworks brokers can use to effectively ask for referrals. Tune in to discover how to build a system that’ll make people refer you more.

The Key Questions

Why should mortgage brokers ask for referrals? (3:30)
Why are brokers afraid of asking for referrals? (5:00)
Why must brokers have a repeatable, systemised process for referrals? (15:30)
In what ways should mortgage brokers ask for referrals? (17:45)

What You’ll Discover

The mediocre referral strategy employed by 90% of mortgage brokers (1:27)
The mindset shift every broker must have about asking for referrals (8:10)
Two effective frameworks to ask clients for referrals (11:27)
What asking for referrals actually is (16:00)

The ultimate dream of the average broker is to build a successful mortgage broking business that operates without them. This way, they can afford to step out of the business, spend quality time with their families, and do things they wish to do without worrying about what’ll happen to their business.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share an inspirational case study. They tell the story of a client who has built a self-sufficient business and is taking the whole year off to see the world with their family. Tune in to find out what they did to build a business that works without them.

The Key Questions

How can a mortgage broker make their business run by itself? (12:16)
Why is it difficult for businesses to be self-reliant even though they have a large team? (13:49)
What do brokers need to build a broking business that works without them? (17:18)
Why must brokers be open-minded to coaching? (21:38)

What You’ll Discover

An inspirational story of a successful broker who plans to take the year off to see the world while his business runs itself (2:21)
The qualities of a business culture that makes a business self-sufficient (15:40)
The reason most businesses fall apart when the owner is absent (16:15)
One fundamental requirement to build a self-sufficient mortgage broking practice (18:58)

As you go through life, you’ll be influenced by many things and people. Unfortunately, some of these influences are bad for your growth, even though they may not appear so to you. The good news is you can become invulnerable to those influences and thrive despite their presence. It just takes hard work and a mindset shift.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted warn their listeners about bad influences. They name possible sources of such influences and possible good intentions behind them. Finally, they reveal how to deal with bad influences and nullify their impact on a broker’s personal life and business. Tune in to find out how.

The Key Questions

What are the possible sources of bad influences? (2:02)
How can brokers identify bad influences in their lives? (6:02)
Who should brokers take advice from? (15:10)
Can brokers be a bad influence on themselves? (16:02)

What You’ll Discover

What most people don’t realise about bad influences (4:01)
The bulletproof mindset (8:30)
Two things you need to achieve success irrespective of the influence around you (10:23)
How to overcome bad influences (18:45)

Contrary to popular belief, the difference between success and failure isn’t massive – it can be quite small. So, if you’ve been failing at something for a long time, that doesn’t mean you’re far from success. You just need the right conditions, timing, and help to achieve your goals.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted get clear on the difference between failure and success. They talk about the importance of knowing what success looks like and one requirement to achieving it. They also discuss the need to have a well-documented decision-making framework and the benefits it brings. Tune in to find out more.

The Key Questions

What is the difference between success and failure? (1:50)
What do mortgage brokers need to turn failure into success? (11:16)
Why do brokers need to have a documented decision-making framework? (16:03)
What are the distractions that can prevent brokers from being successful? (19:01)

What You’ll Discover

The importance of knowing what success looks like for you (5:54)
A key reason why you should never give up (7:31)
What true coaching looks like (12:40)
The core benefits of having a documented decision-making framework (20:51)

A lot of mortgage brokers see themselves as hustlers. While there’s nothing wrong with the hustling mentality, there’s more to success than just working hard. And if you don’t put the right things in place, your efforts will amount to nothing.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted encourage listeners to change their mindset towards hustling. They mention that hustling has both good and bad sides. And breaking free from the hustling mindset will make it easier for a broker to forge their path towards success. Tune in to find out more.

The Key Questions

Should mortgage brokers have a hustling spirit? (3:26)
What type of mindset should a broker have when it comes to building a business? (6:42)
Why do brokers feel like they need to hustle? (10:37)
How can brokers break free from the hustling mindset? (15:00)

What You’ll Discover

The truth about hustling (2:03)
One necessary requirement for successfully hustling (4:28)
Why hustling can become a dangerous addiction (11:56)
The limiting mindset most brokers hold on to (18:19)

These days, mortgage brokers often imitate their more successful counterparts. For instance, they model their business after these elite brokers’, hoping to achieve the kind of success that those at the top achieved. The problem is that a lot of them are copying these people blindly. And as a result, they’re not achieving the results that they desire.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted speak extensively on the act of being copycats in the mortgage broking space. They identify the danger of copying others and what brokers need to watch out for when modelling their business after that of successful brokers. Tune in to discover what brokers should do instead.

The Key Questions

To what extent should brokers model their business after that of more successful brokers? (2:37)
What are the two important things to consider when towing the path of successful brokers? (5:16)
What do you need to successfully emulate prosperous brokers? (12:20)
What should you really do to turbocharge your success? (16:40)

What You’ll Discover

The danger in copying successful mortgage brokers. (4:35)
The big role customisation plays in modelling your operation after that of successful brokers’ (7:25)
Misconceptions about modelling successful brokers (15:32)
Two critical pieces of the copycat problem that most people miss (16:10)

Many mortgage brokers are curious about what the new year will bring. They want to know the industry trends that will be dominant and the economic indicators that will affect the industry. Having this information could be vital to their success in the new year.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted predict what will happen to the mortgage broking industry in 2023. They forecast what interest rates will be in the new year and how they will affect brokers. They also tell listeners what to focus on and reveal one guaranteed way to be successful in the upcoming year. Tune in to find out what 2023 holds for mortgage brokers.

The Key Questions

Will interest rates continue to rise in 2023 or stabilise? (4:28)
What does 2023 hold for homebuyers? (7:17)
What should mortgage brokers focus on in 2023 for better profitability? (14:35)
How will digitisation affect mortgage brokers in 2023? (17:36)

What You’ll Discover

A handy recommendation for property owners for 2023 (5:18)
One guaranteed way to be successful in the upcoming year (8:42)
The theory of abundance (11:12)
The big change for 2023 (13:28)

There’s a saying that goes, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” And this saying is also true for mortgage brokers. After working hard, you need to take enough time off to replace – not recharge – your batteries. Because without taking proper time off, you’ll become less efficient.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted urge listeners to replace their batteries at periodic intervals. They explain what it means to do this and how it differs from recharging one’s batteries. They also mention the benefits brokers will gain when they learn to replace their batteries regularly. Tune in to find out more.

The Key Questions

What does it mean to replace one’s batteries? (03:48)
What is the difference between recharging one’s batteries and replacing them? (04:55)
What dangers exist when brokers rely on recharging their batteries instead of replacing them? (08:40)
What are the benefits of replacing one’s batteries? (13:10)

What You’ll Discover

The major reason most brokers find it difficult to replace their batteries (07:48)
The scientific truth about replacing one’s batteries (09:15)
The ideal conditions that make it possible to replace one’s batteries (12:00)
One little exercise that’ll help brokers replace their batteries (14:00)

Giving is an apt business and life strategy. That’s because you are more likely to receive when you give. But in the mortgage broking industry, gifts need certain attributes to have the desired impact. Otherwise, you’re just ticking a box. You won’t wow the receiver or improve your relationship with them.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted encourage listeners to imbibe the habit of giving. They explain what giving is actually all about and identify what makes a gift meaningful and impactful. Then, they give listeners a blueprint to give great gifts to others. Tune in to master the art of giving.

The Key Questions

What is giving actually all about? (04:33)
What makes a gift valuable? (07:45)
How can brokers master the art of giving? (10:00)
What form of gifts do people value the most? (12:20)

What You’ll Discover

Why a 20-year-old gift still impresses Ash today (02:38)
The difference between a true gift vs one that just ticks the box (06:25)
Anatomy of the best type of gift (08:39)
The blueprint of giving great gifts (16:52)

For brokers to retain more clients and get more referrals, one crucial key is to keep in touch with their database. And to do that, many of them automate this process. While there’s nothing wrong with this approach, putting an actual person - a client concierge - behind this process yields gargantuan benefits.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the benefits of hiring a client services manager. Also referred to as a client concierge, this person proactively manages a database for the benefit of a mortgage broking business. Tune in to find out when, why, and if it’s time for you to hire a client concierge.

The Key Questions

Who is a client concierge? (1:05)
When is the right time to hire a client concierge? (8:07)
Why must mortgage brokers keep in touch with clients? (13:41)
Should you do client reviews yourself or hire a client concierge? (19:09)

What You’ll Discover

3 big benefits of investing in a client concierge (4:30)
How a broker hired a client concierge and generated an extra $5 million in loans (10:49)
The fastest way to generate opportunities for your practice in a productive way (16:05)
One valuable tip on connecting with clients and keeping them happy (22:20)

Word of mouth carries a lot of weight in the mortgage broking space. Not only does it form the core of many successful businesses, you can even build a thriving operation based on referrals alone. This makes forming productive referral relationships important. But you must also avoid the mistakes other brokers often make when forming those partnerships.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted reveal common mistakes brokers make when forming referral relationships. They talk about the assumptions and misconceptions behind failed referral partnerships. And they reveal what makes such relationships blossom. Tune in to learn more.

The Key Questions

What is the difference between a promising contact and a referral partner? (4:01)
What devastating assumptions should brokers avoid when forming referral partnerships? (7:50)
Why must brokers not overpromise to referral partners? (18:12)
How can you build referral relationships based on conviction? (26:41)

What You’ll Discover

Common misconceptions about referral partnerships (3:04)
The 3 ideal answers to questions from referral partners on deliverables (15:20)
The key ingredient that makes a referral partnership blossom (19:20)
The biggest mistake brokers make when it comes to their referral partners (21:26)

Letting go of certain aspects of your mortgage broking business could be challenging. However, if you don’t let go, you’ll be holding your business back. You’ll hinder it from experiencing true growth and you’ll be under constant stress.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted dive into the art of letting go of certain areas of the business so that it can grow. They reveal why some mortgage brokers find it hard to let go and how to avoid that. Tune in to discover how you can loosen your hold on your business and achieve growth.

The Key Questions

Why do brokers find it hard to let go of control in their broking business? (4:57)
What does letting go actually mean? (7:09)
What must mortgage brokers do to change their broking business for the better (13:35)
What do most mortgage brokers need to grow their broking business? (19:06)

What You’ll Discover

The wrong time for brokers to let go (2:16)
What letting go isn’t (9:00)
The key relationship between a broker’s mental state and the health of their business (12:56)
Ways for brokers to let go so that their business can grow (15:11)

Simplification is the hallmark of a successful broking business. Because when processes are streamlined and simplified, they’re easy to follow and execute. This helps everyone involved in the business – mortgage brokers included – avoid unnecessary complexities and complications. It also reduces stress and promotes growth.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted encourage mortgage brokers to embrace simplicity and streamline their processes. They explain how listeners can do this and also mention several benefits it brings. Tune in to learn what those are.

The Key Questions

Why do mortgage brokers find it difficult to streamline and simplify their business operations? (1:50)
What are the dangers of building a business without keeping simplification in mind? (6:00)
How do brokers end up with complicated systems that stress them? (8:10)
How can brokers reduce the complexity in their broking businesses? (11:26)

What You’ll Discover

The crucial role streamlining and simplification plays in helping mortgage brokers actualise their life’s dreams (3:20)
The 80-20 rule (10:15)
One easy way listeners can simplify their lives and businesses (13:34)
How coaching helps business owners to streamline and simplify their operations (17:03)

The average mortgage broker doesn't think they need a coach. So, they tend to a hire coach only when things break down in their broking business. This mentality is prevalent in the industry... and the truth is that it limits the growth and development of many mortgage brokers.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted speak about the importance of coaching for mortgage brokers. They explain what coaching actually is and discuss how it differs from teaching. They also reveal the benefits of good coaching and why every business owner needs a coach. Tune in to find out more.

The Key Questions

Why do most mortgage brokers shy from coaching until they run into problems they can’t solve? (3:42)
What is the difference between teaching and coaching? (4:50)
Why does every business owner need a coach? (6:41)
Should you dump your coach after making significant business progress? (12:12)

What You’ll Discover

The general mindset about coaching that’s wrong (1:55)
The best time to hire a coach (9:35)
What good coaching should deliver (15:21)
What coaching is and isn’t (18:10)

Setting clear goals is instrumental to the growth of a mortgage broking business. But what’s more important is for brokers to have clearly defined paths toward those goals. Because until you lock in the next step in your processes, growth phase, and other areas of your operation, you won’t achieve your business’s goals.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the importance of locking in what comes next in your business operations. They also reveal the benefits you and your business stand to gain when you “lock in next”. Tune in to find out more.

The Key Questions

Why is knowing what comes next fundamental to your success as a broker? (1:41)
Why should you “lock in next” when dealing with partnerships? (6:15)
How can you “lock in next”? (12:43)
What is “lock in next” NOT about? (20:00)

What You’ll Discover

The importance of taking your employees along with you in business (3:09)
Two major problems you solve when you have a clear idea of what comes next in your business processes and operation (8:00)
How locking in next can help you lessen your clients’ worries (13:56)
The challenge you must overcome to gain confidence and get more out of others (17:32)

The most important hire in a broking business is probably someone mortgage brokers don’t expect. But correctly and promptly hiring this person will help catapult your broking business to greater heights. Not only will this person save you a lot of time and money but they will also save you a lot of drama when it comes to managing your broking business.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted reveal who is the most important hire in a mortgage broking business – and you’ll be surprised. They also talk about why these hires truly matter. Tune in to learn more.

The Key Questions

Who is the most important hire in a broking business? (4:13)
What happens when you make a mistake in hiring the most important hire in a broking business? (6:15)
When should brokers hire their most important hire? (9:46)
How can brokers compensate their most important hires? (14:55)

What You’ll Discover

The one thing that often seems invaluable in a broking business but makes certain clients go faster (3:57)
Understanding the role of the most important hire in a broking business (7:57)
The role of the most important hire in a broking business (14:16)
Why brokers should be the “architect” of their house (16:53)

Everyone is on social media. But how exactly should mortgage brokers show up on social media? Is it necessary for you to go all-out? Should you hire an agency or build a dedicated in house team to help you out with your social media?

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the impact of social media marketing on mortgage brokers. They also expound on the biggest problems of brokers when it comes to social media. And lastly, they reveal a crucial piece of advice brokers need to know about social media management. Tune in to find out what it is.

The Key Questions

Why does social media marketing matter for mortgage brokers? (1:52)
What should be your strategic intent for social media? (5:29)
What is the biggest problem of mortgage brokers on social media? (10:26)
How do brokers create/buy leads on social media? (16:28)

What You’ll Discover

The reality of implementing social media strategies (2:26)
The three levels of social media marketing (7:27)
Our advice for 99% of mortgage brokers on social media (14:07)
How mortgage brokers can dominate social media (15:01)

There’s a false expectation that changing aggregators will allow mortgage brokers to become more successful. It’s true that reliable aggregators can do a lot to help a mortgage broker business succeed. But they are not the solution to growing a broking business.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the importance of aggregators. They also reveal what is the real solution that will help mortgage brokers build successful broking businesses. Tune in to find out what it is.

The Key Questions

Why are some mortgage brokers not able to grow their business? (4:10)
How can brokers find better aggregators? (8:13)
What happens if brokers seek guidance from someone connected to an aggregator (12:25)
What’s the danger of changing aggregators too often? (14:18)

What You’ll Discover

Changing aggregators doesn’t make a broker better at building a business (2:42)
The solution brokers need if they want to build their broking business (5:29)
The first step brokers need to take to stop getting stuck in their business (11:06)
Where brokers should really put their faith in (16:47)

Business networking groups have existed for as long as we can remember. Knowing how to spot and take advantage of opportunities in such groups can help mortgage brokers grow their business in more ways than one. So, have you mastered the art of effectively leveraging networking groups?

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the two main categories of networking groups and how their differences affect the way a broker can leverage them. Also, they talk about how you can create and leverage your own networking group. Tune in to learn more.

The Key Questions

What are business networking groups? (1:09)
How can brokers leverage intentional networking groups (10:01)
Can a broker build their own networking group? (12:52)
What should be a broker’s bigger strategy? (19:32)

What You’ll Discover

The two main categories of networking groups brokers can be part of (3:17)
The reason why brokers join incidental networking groups (4:40)
The bigger opportunity for brokers when they join intentional networking groups (11:11)
Where brokers should start to scale their business (20:59)

Exceptional customer service is among the most crucial parts of doing business— especially for mortgage brokers. But did you know that you don’t have to be glued to your phone all day to provide this?

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss how mortgage brokers can deliver true customer service by using the metaphor of a surgeon. They also reveal what task brokers should NOT be doing. Tune in to find out more.

The Key Questions

What are the similarities between surgeons and mortgage brokers? (2:51)
What is the only thing customers want out of mortgage brokers? (10:17)
What do customers really want? (12:27)
How can mortgage brokers stop answering phone calls? (16:44)

What You’ll Discover

The evolution of broker professionalism in Australia (7:08)
What customers do NOT want (9:07)
The misconception when it comes to delivering exceptional customer service (12:02)
The wrong way to build a broking business (13:34)

Landing a big partnership sounds like a smart thing to do. After all, it promises plenty of opportunities for growth and development. But at the same time, this partnership could drown your mortgage broking practice if you’re not well prepared for it.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted tell listeners what they should know about landing big partnerships. They expound on the dangers that such relationships could bring and how to leverage them to their advantage. Tune in to discover how to make big partnerships work for you.

The Key Questions

Is chasing after big partnerships a smart thing to do? (2:11)
How should you approach big partnerships? (4:47)
Why do some big partnerships fail to be fruitful? (11:33)
Should you chase after national partnerships now? (16:05)

What You’ll Discover

The dangers of landing big partnerships (6:28)
The importance of having a contingency plan (8:35)
The ideal way to handle national partnerships (13:56)
Why saying no to big partnerships could be the best course of action (17:27)

Sir Donald Bradman is an Australian cricketing legend who has an average test batting of 99.94. That’s an incredible record that no one has ever matched. But how did he do it? The key is that he’s passionate, driven and always practising his moves. It’s the same thing with brokers. Without those qualities, your mortgage broking business won’t excel.

In this landmark episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about the legend of Sir Donald Bradman and what broking business owners can learn from him. They discuss the evolution of the mortgage broking industry and what listeners can expect in the future. Tune in to find out how to prepare your broking business for the future and excel.

The Key Questions

Who is Sir Donald Bradman and what makes him special? (2:20)
What has changed in the mortgage broking industry over the last decade? (13:00)
How can you replicate successes like Sir Bradman’s? (15:07)
What does the future hold for the mortgage broking industry? (34:06)

What You’ll Discover

Two qualities that can make you a winner like Sir Donald Bradman (7:22)
The important role of a coach in the success of the modern-day mortgage broker (22:45)
The most common question that both new and experienced brokers always ask (and the answer to it) (27:00)
How brokers can prepare for the future (39:04)

One mistake you can make as a broking business owner is to think you need a branded office because you’ve grown bigger. Now, this doesn’t mean that getting physical offices is a wrong move. Rather, it’s that you should get a physical office only if you absolutely need it. Otherwise, that office will be just an expensive filing cabinet.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted engage in a nuanced discussion about a broker’s need for an office. They talk about the pros and cons of having a physical office and reveal factors to consider before getting one. Tune in to find out the main criterion determining whether you need an office or not for your broking business.

The Key Questions

What factors determine if you need an office? (2:25)
Does having a physical office with a branded banner help you write more loans? (11:00)
When do you actually need an office? (12:27)
Should you get an office because your operations have gotten bigger? (14:26)

What You’ll Discover

How your team’s structure affect your need for an office (4:00)
The #1 reason to have a physical office (9:00)
Three key questions to ask yourself before deciding if you need an office (10:10)
The reality of having a physical office (15:47)

Many brokers today are only interested in the high-level, exciting stuff in their broking business. There’s nothing wrong with this. But if without building a solid foundation first brick by brick, that business will crumble.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the importance of building a mortgage broking business from the ground up. They also expound on the importance of having a clear vision. Also, they reveal one requirement that increases a broker’s chances of building a broking business successfully. Tune in to find out what it is.

The Key Questions

What differentiates a successful, hardworking broker from a failing one? (2:25)
What role does a clear vision play in building a successful mortgage broking agency? (6:10)
Why should you build your broking business brick by brick? (10:03)
What will happen if you fail to build a solid foundation for your broking business? (13:30)

What You’ll Discover

A key 10x growth principle for mortgage brokers (1:10)
The ideal mentality to have when creating your business vision (8:04)
One requirement for building a successful broking business (11:45)
The connection between the big picture and building a broking business brick by brick (14:40)

I often see mortgage brokers spending money on ventures that end up bringing them little or no returns. And it's because those ventures appear shiny and alluring to them. And in the end, it fails to meet up to expectations, so they end up wasting their money.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the main reasons why brokers waste money in business. They talk about what will prevent mortgage brokers from wasting their money and what constitutes a good bargain. Tune in to find out what you need to do to stop wasting money in your mortgage broking business.

The Key Questions

Why do brokers end up wasting money in their mortgage broking business? (1:47)
How do you know if it’s the right time for you to spend money on marketing? (7:20)
How would you know if you got a good bargain on a business purchase? (10:32)
Can you determine if you’ll likely be wasting money on a venture? (11:44)

What You’ll Discover

What you need to have to avoid wasting your money (4:16)
The question that’ll determine if you’re a money waster or not (5:23)
The fastest way to waste $10,000 (9:43)
The mindset to have if you’ve wasted money on a venture that yielded no return (14:11)

The way we communicate has evolved significantly over the last decade. Our communication has become more visual. That’s why using videos can help brokers communicate better and more efficiently with their clients and even their staff. Not to mention help them achieve better outcomes for their mortgage broking business.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why brokers should start leveraging videos in their daily operations. They mention different ways of doing so and the real advantage video messages have over text messages and emails. Tune in to find out how you can use videos to get better results for your mortgage broking business.

The Key Questions

Why should you use videos in your mortgage broking business’s operations? (05:01)
What are the chances of people watching personal videos you send to them? (11:00)
Can you use videos to nurture clients? (12:15)
How can you systemise the creation and sending of videos to your clients and team members? (13:35)

What You’ll Discover

The different areas in your daily operations where you can use videos to make a great impact (2:26)
Some examples of how to utilise videos in a mortgage broking business (7:11)
How to use videos to onboard and educate your clients (9:14)
How to overcome fear and anxiety when sending out videos (17:50)

Gone are the days when serving clients is all about doing the basics, like writing loans and closing transactions. Today, mortgage brokers need to do more. That’s why you need to constantly improve your knowledge, your skills, and your competence to deliver the best possible outcomes for your clients.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about why listeners have to be a “better broker” today. They explain what this means and how a “better broker” operates. They also reveal what limits your competence as a mortgage broker. Tune in to find out what you must do to become a better broker.

The Key Questions

Why must you be a better broker? (1:33)
What does it mean to be a “better broker”? (3:57)
How would you know if you’re already a better broker? (5:09)
What can you do to be a better broker? (12:22)

What You’ll Discover

What determines the competence of your mortgage broking business’s systems and operations (2:14)
How a mortgage broker’s inexperience can be fatal for their clients (4:49)
The evolution of the mortgage broking industry and what you need to do to stay on top today (9:56)
The distinction between a successful broker and a successful business owner (14:13)

For most mortgage brokers, connecting and building relationships with other professionals is easy. What’s not easy is ensuring those relationships are beneficial to them, especially when it comes to getting referrals. That means you have to be strategic about who you form referral relationships with. Otherwise, it’ll be all for naught.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playstead discuss who mortgage brokers should form strategic relationships with – is it the agent of a professional services firm? Or is it the director? Tune in now to find out the answer and discover what to do if a big organisation wants to form a partnership with your mortgage broking business.

The Key Questions

Who is the ideal strategic partner for brokers - the agent or the director of a professional services firm? (3:00)
What should you consider before building relationships with an agent or a director of a professional services firm? (8:45)
What is the main requirement to make strategic partnerships with agents flourish? (13:20)
How can you position yourself to get more referrals from your strategic partners? (15:00)

What You’ll Discover

The first step to take when forming strategic partnerships with other professionals (1:52)
The referral relationships that will explode your operations (4:05)
3 reasons why budding mortgage brokers shouldn’t approach directors for a referral relationship (6:50)
The smart thing to do when a large organisation shows interest in forming a partnership with your mortgage broking business (16: 20)

So many mortgage brokers post generic content on social media. Not to mention they send generic emails to both their current and prospective clients. But sadly, clients don’t really engage with such content. What they often engage with is ultrapersonalised content.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playstead talk about the importance of ultrapersonalisation. They explain what it truly means, outline its benefits, and explain how brokers can give their audience ultrapersonalised content. Tune in now to find out how ultrapersonalisation can help 10x your results.

The Key Questions

What is ultrapersonalisation? (2:01)
How can you give your prospects ultrapersonalised content that’ll engage them? (5:40)
What are the benefits of serving ultrapersonalised content to your audience over generic posts? (12:40)
How do you distinguish ultrapersonalised content from generic content? (17:25)

What You’ll Discover

The mistake that 90% of mortgage brokers make that you must avoid (4:33)
How to uncover the identity and needs of your ideal audience (7:46)
One exercise to determine how your brand should look and feel, as well as the tone of your social media content (14:35)
The secret to making ultrapersonalisation work for you (15:21)

Mortgage brokers are expected to provide excellent service. But it shouldn’t result from the client making all the decisions throughout the process. As the expert, brokers should be the trusted advisors who can lead clients toward the right solution – it’s not the other way around.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the problem with giving clients what they want. They encourage brokers to take control of the client conversations and ask the right questions. Tune in to discover how to adapt to this mindset shift. It will change your mortgage broking business and make you stand out in the industry.

The Key Questions

Why should mortgage brokers not give in to client demands? (1:24)
How can brokers pitch themselves as trusted advisors? (8:15)
What can brokers do to take control of client conversations? (10:15)
What should brokers say to first-time clients? (14:37)

What You’ll Discover

The problem with clients having too much information (5:36)
The power of asking the right questions (9:23)
Ash’s pivotal mindset shift about client interactions (10:17)
The #1 question that brokers should ask all their clients (17:26)

The reality is that some mortgage brokers come into the industry fully armed with a strong background in digital marketing. But they are the exception. Most brokers are likely to have started out their online marketing by tinkering on social media. Doing this basic approach is helpful... but it’s not enough to create mastery of the online world.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss how to master the online world. They explain why mortgage brokers need a clear online strategy for their business. Tune in so you can learn about the best ways to establish an online presence that can help you attract the right clients.

The Key Questions

Why do mortgage brokers need an online strategy? (4:09)
What are the basic elements of building an online presence? (7:17)
Why is it not enough to only tinker with social media? (11:21)
How does an online strategy fit within a mortgage broking business’s overall vision? (18:34)

What You’ll Discover

The difference between online and in-person marketing strategies (1:33)
The importance of being visible online (5:08)
5 levels of online mastery to build a successful lead flow (8:42)
Specific strategies for social media platforms (23:00)

Too many mortgage brokers fall into the trap of saying yes to everything. They make themselves available to clients almost 24/7 – when their phone rings, they answer. That’s why they eventually end up getting burnt out and the quality of their service suffers with it.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss why mortgage brokers shouldn’t always be available to clients. They offer the best method for changing their “yes mindset” and structuring their client process. Tune in to learn how you can start saying no to more work while building bigger capacities for your broking business.

The Key Questions

Why are mortgage brokers always working? (2:14)
What does a top adviser look like today? (9:41)
How can mortgage brokers increase their credibility? (14:21)
Why is saying no essential for a mortgage broker? (18:45)

What You’ll Discover

The right mindset that mortgage brokers need to develop (5:09)
How to properly structure the client process (10:32)
How to become more in-demand in the mortgage industry (12:44)
The problem with having too much ambition (20:26)

Most mortgage brokers think that giving their clients what they ask is enough to create a great customer experience. But the little things matter more than they realise. Sometimes, the best way to wow clients is to tug at their feelings and give them something truly unique.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about how listeners can create wow moments. They encourage mortgage brokers to find unexpected ways to create memorable experiences for their clients. Tune in to discover how you can tap into your clients’ emotions so you can wow them beyond their expectations.

The Key Questions

Why is it essential to wow your clients? (2:19)
How can wow moments be integrated into the client care system? (4:24)
What is the difference between a settlement gift and a wow moment? (13:45)
What is the process for planning out wow moments? (18:37)

What You’ll Discover

The evolution of wow moments within the mortgage broking industry (5:31)
Different ways to personalize customer experiences (8:03)
How to understand your target market (9:41)
The benefits of using technology to wow clients (12:28)

Modern marketing trends often overcomplicate things. In practice, however, a lead funnel is a simple concept. It's a predetermined sequence of actions that are presented to potential customers, like booking an appointment or sharing their contact details. And at the end of the day, the #1 lead funnel that all mortgage brokers must have is actually super simple.

This episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration is all about going back to the basics of digital marketing. James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain how any broker – no matter how tech unsavvy – can get their foundations right. Tune in to master the basics of digital strategy and set yourself up for more advanced approaches.

The Key Questions

What is a lead funnel? (1:18)
What’s the #1 lead funnel that all mortgage brokers should have? (6:50)
Do you need complicated software or tech know-how to be effective? (10:35)
How can you take your digital marketing strategy one step further? (12:57)

What You’ll Discover

How digital marketers overcomplicate things (3:18)
The McDonald’s analogy (5:30)
A shocking statistic about mortgage brokers today (7:48)
A simple hack that you can implement immediately (9:13)

In this digital-centric day and age, it’s easier than ever for mortgage brokers to overlook local communities. This isn’t to say that internet-focused marketing efforts don’t work. Rather, many brokers are missing the opportunity to complement and augment them. There’s much to gain from incorporating traditional networking and face-to-face interactions.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted focus on why local communities matter. They explain why brokers must be prepared to invest time and effort in their respective local communities. Tune in to discover how you can tap into the DNA of your local neighbourhood, suburb, town, or city.

The Key Questions

Are offline and online approaches to marketing mutually exclusive? (1:30)
Can big brands and businesses afford to ignore local communities? (4:27)
How can brokers start getting involved with your local community? (8:00)
Does investing so much time in face-to-face interactions actually pay off? (15:42)

What You’ll Discover

Ash’s observations of the local dynamic in a town outside Melbourne (2:32)
A walk-the-street strategy vs. digital strategy (13:25)
The 3 golden rules to mortgage broking (17:32)
One way to set yourself apart from the competition in our post-COVID environment (21:51)

There’s a key difference between being a mortgage broker and being the owner of a broking business. As a business owner, your mission is to put yourself out of a job. That means you should build your business for you, not around you. And you should be doing this from day one.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain how you can do this. They unpack their "Business in a Box'' mindset, which aims to systemise everything so it doesn't rely on anybody – including you. Tune in to learn how you can achieve this nirvana of business and mortgage broking.

The Key Questions

What is the “Business in a Box” mindset? (1:28)
When is the right time to systemise? (3:07)
How do you get started with a “Business in a Box” mindset? (7:36)
Does the “Business in a Box” mindset help you grow your team? (14:11)

What You’ll Discover

A common stumbling block for many mortgage broking business owners (10:02)
The importance of proper documentation (15:20)
The number one driver of business value and freedom (15:57)
What you achieve by putting yourself out of a job (21:04)

There’s too many followers in the industry. Too many mortgage brokers simply latch on to someone else's strategy and follow them blindly. And in most cases, that doesn’t work out well for them. While there are common benchmarks and best practices, customisation – not copying – is the way to go.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why it pays to stand out. They encourage mortgage brokers to step out into the role of an industry leader. Tune in to discover how you can set yourself apart from your colleagues and competitors by taking on the mantle of leadership.

The Key Questions

How do you start to transition from follower to leader? (3:20)
What does leadership mean when you’re an introvert? (4:11)
What does leadership look like in the 21st century? (10:15)
Why is customisation necessary for mortgage brokers? (12:34)

What You’ll Discover

What happens when you stop hiding behind your laptop (6:57)
The limitations of relying on the internet for leads (8:39)
Ash’s eureka moment about leadership (16:42)
The difference between leading and following (17:50)

As mortgage brokers, we all have a set of personal hang-ups that are holding us back. Whether we realise it or not, these internal setbacks are compromising our progress. They affect our conversion rates and the quality of referrals we attract. What’s more, they inevitably limit how quickly and effectively our business grows.

This episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration focuses on achieving a successful mindset transformation. Ash Playsted shares five harsh and less well-known secrets of life with James Veigli and their listeners. Tune to learn how to overcome the common hang-ups that are keeping many of us from achieving our true potential.

The Key Questions

Who holds the most responsibility for holding us back? (0:47)
Are we aware of our own potential? (1:08)
Can you outperform your own self-image? (2:33)
Do we hold an accurate view of our past experiences? (3:02)

What You’ll Discover

Internal vs. external influences on our thoughts and feelings (1:36)
The logic behind Ash’s personal mantra (1:44)
The common problem of cognitive bias (3:32)
The first steps to transforming your mindset (5:08)

Today, clients are no longer looking for just a loan. Rather, the loan itself is the ticket to an open-ended discussion about their life goals and financial aspirations. That’s why mortgage brokers need a team of experts they can call on to provide more value to their customers. To be precise, they need a dream team of reliable accountants, real estate agents and lawyers.

This episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration focuses on how brokers can build their dream partner team. James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain how having a dream team goes beyond the familiar idea of having a network of referral partners. Tune in to learn how you elevate your client experience with the power of teamwork.

The Key Questions

Who should be part of your dream partner team? (1:21)
How does your dream partner team affect your client retention rate? (4:55)
How does having a dream partner team help you generate referrals? (10:36)
What are the financial benefits of having a dream partner team? (12:57)

What You’ll Discover

The importance of adding value to your client experience (3:09)
Getting a loan vs. the bigger picture (6:32)
The hub and spokes model (8:10)
The first steps to building your dream partner team (17:59)

Many mortgage brokers are at least vaguely aware that customer testimonials are useful. However, they often lack a systematic approach to collecting and using them. At best, they have an ad-hoc approach to incorporating testimonials in their marketing efforts. But this approach puts their businesses at a disadvantage from the start.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted focus on why testimonials matter. They share how brokers can develop an effective strategy to feed testimonials into a digital ecosystem. Tune in to discover many practical and cost-effective tips that will take your marketing to the next level.

The Key Questions

Why do testimonials matter? (1:23)
How can testimonials circumvent marketing fatigue? (3:45)
When should you ask a customer for a testimonial? (6:28)
Should you ask each client for multiple testimonials? (16:42)

What You’ll Discover

The different ways to capitalise on digital testimonials (2:34)
A systematic approach to collecting testimonials (5:16)
The importance of having positive testimonials on third-party platforms (9:17)
The 3 major platforms to start with when collecting testimonials (14:40)

Should mortgage brokers build demand first and then grow their team? Or should they grow their team first in anticipation of getting more leads down the line? For most brokers, the answer is obvious: They want to see enough money in the bank before they hire more people.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain the upsides and downsides of this approach. They also discuss how the “team first, demand later” approach can be effective. Tune in to encounter a more rational and forward-looking approach to managing risk and uncertainty.

The Key Questions

What are the pros and cons of the “demand first, team later” strategy? (4:19)
Why is building a business about risk management and not risk avoidance? (6:50)
What’s the biggest danger of committing to the “demand first, team later” strategy? (10:10)
Why is business debt a powerful motivator? (16:59)

What You’ll Discover

The importance of planning at least 3 months ahead (1:20)
The counterintuitive logic of “team first, demand later” (5:42)
The pitfalls of reacting intuitively to fear and uncertainty (12:38)
The most important elements of being prepared for future risks (17:31)

Today, all mortgage brokers are expected to be really good at what they do. Customers have become more sophisticated, while referral partners have become more aware. As a result, being good at what you do can’t be your calling card any longer. You need a mindset shift when it comes to marketing yourself.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted unpack what this mindset shift means. They explore how brokers can lean into the unique aspects of their personality and business to make themselves stand out. Tune in to ensure you don’t become a best-kept secret – the amazing broker that nobody knows about.

The Key Questions

What’s the mortgage broker’s #1 responsibility? (2:36)
How can a broker stand out? (6:44)
Why doesn’t the “I’m really good at what I do” marketing strategy work anymore? (7:15)
Does it really pay to be proactive? (16:37)

What You’ll Discover

The café analogy (3:16)
The false assumption that many brokers make (8:02)
John Simon’s 3 golden rules to mortgage broking (14:30)
A simple yet effective challenge to get you started in becoming the next successful broker (17:51)

Many new mortgage brokers understandably lack confidence and conviction in their abilities. After all, they can’t claim to possess a wealth of professional knowledge and experience just yet. But does that mean that new brokers can’t really compete with their more seasoned counterparts?

This episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration explains why this isn’t the case. James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss how new brokers can hit the ground running as “instant experts”. However, they are definitely not advising new brokers to “fake it until they make it.” Instead, it’s all about positioning yourself as the best broker you can be in your client’s eyes.

The Key Questions

What tips and tricks do new mortgage brokers need to succeed? (2:33)
What makes potential clients place their trust in a mortgage broker? (6:36)
Do you have to be the most knowledgeable mortgage broker to succeed? (10:00)
Who do clients ultimately choose to deal with? (12:50)

What You’ll Discover

Why positioning matters (3:11)
The key mindset shift that new mortgage brokers need to achieve (7:46)
Why asking clients smart questions helps to establish a broker’s expertise (15:25)
The problem with the “fake it until you make it” approach (20:29)

Many people who come into mortgage broking set their sights on a particular target income. And with hard work and perseverance, some brokers eventually hit their target. However, this often comes at the price - their life and freedom. Furthermore, this kind of tunnel vision prevents them from envisioning and achieving other kinds of success.

This episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration explores the four stages of mortgage broker success. James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why we should rethink and reimagine our understanding of success. Tune in to learn how to build a mortgage broking business that we should all be aspiring towards.

The Key Questions

Why do many mortgage brokers have an outdated understanding of success? (1:58)
Why do so many brokers stop at the first two stages of success? (5:05)
What does it take to break into stage 3? (8:57)
What does it mean to achieve stage 4 of success in mortgage broking? (16:44)

What You’ll Discover

The percentage of brokers that are stuck in stages 1 and 2 (3:40)
The ultimate level of success (20:22)
The mortgage broking industry’s future direction (23:40)
The next steps that mortgage brokers at stages 1-3 can take to move forward (25:19)

Most brokers invest major effort into finding new potential customers and converting them. As a result, they often overlook the need to nurture their existing clients. And when a client perceives their broker's indifference, there's little to stop them from jumping ship.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss how brokers can protect their “herd”. They explain why brokers can’t afford to be indifferent or complacent when it comes to looking after existing clients. Tune in to discover practical and effective ways to cultivate long and enduring relationships with your clients.

The Key Questions

How much effort are we investing in keeping and nurturing existing clients? (6:24)
What’s the biggest reason for a client to leave their mortgage broker for another one? (6:51)
Why don’t most brokers do more to protect their herd? (10:52)
What’s the number one secret to happy and long-lasting broker-client relationships? (18:04)

What You’ll Discover

The farm analogy (0:57)
Why the mortgage broker is like a “shepherd” (13:54)
The two essential and difficult things that brokers need to do to protect their herd (15:32)
Investing in existing clients and partners vs. prospects (21:32)

Most brokers associate marketing with ads, brands, business cards, flyers, logos, and websites. Now, all these marketing activities may indeed be valuable to your business. But they’re not the most effective ways to generate business. And the real definition of marketing is anything brokers do in the market that will generate business – not just these activities.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted focus on marketing that actually works. Tune in to know the most effective ways to get the most bang for your marketing buck. You’ll discover how to generate leads and referrals for your broking business and propel sustainable business growth.

The Key Questions

If you could only spend $1,000 on marketing, what would you spend it on? (3:37)
Why can’t mortgage brokers simply emulate the marketing tactics of the Nikes and Cokes of the world? (8:28)
What is emotional direct response marketing (EDR)? (11:19)
What’s the easiest way of developing your marketing strategy? (17:26)

What You’ll Discover

The common misconceptions that mortgage brokers have about marketing (1:19)
The preconditions for common marketing methods to work (10:18)
When it comes to marketing, treat others as you would have them treat you (21:15)
The three things to consider for every marketing activity (23:52)

Pancakes or waffles? Mountains or the ocean? If you could have any superpower, what would it be? What is one of the great values that guides your life? What have you created that you’re most proud of?

Curious about all these questions? This special episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration takes on an entirely different format. James Veigli and Ash Playsted find themselves at the mercy of a randomised question generator. They take turns answering random questions – some are fun and light-hearted while others are deeper and more profound. Tune in for some humorous banter and a dose of thoughtful introspection.

The Key Questions

What is one of the greatest values that guides your life? (7:45)
What have you created that you’re most proud of? (11:11)
Who inspires you to be better? (16:35)
What's something you wish you'd figured out sooner? (21:56)

What You’ll Discover

James’s “peaceful” approach towards innovation and disruption in the workplace (8:48)
The importance of finding inspiration from within (17:02)
Why the idea of running a one-man mortgage broking business is misleading (22:16)
The often-overlooked power of great coaching (22:46)

Many mortgage brokers get annual reviews all wrong. They make the mistake of creating the impression that annual reviews are an optional, ad-hoc service. Part of the problem lies in the fact that many brokers are too busy because their mortgage broking businesses are under systemised. Hence, they try to squeeze in the annual review at the very last minute.

Annual reviews should actually be an integral and systematic part of the client experience. And this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration is all about how brokers can get it right. James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why annual reviews matter and every single customer should have one. Tune in to learn how to bake the annual review into your client experience.

The Key Questions

Why do so many brokers get annual reviews all wrong? (1:39)
Why should mortgage brokers emulate dentists? (4:52)
Does every single customer need an annual review? (10:04)
Can you consider annual reviews as “extra work”? (10:59)

What You’ll Discover

The importance of a systemised approach to annual reviews (7:11)
The difference between an annual review and an interest rate review (12:19)
How to get started with annual reviews (13:38)
What your business gains from a mindset shift about annual reviews (17:36)

Over time, most mortgage brokers will establish contact with a variety of referral partners. They can be accountants, real estate agents, or financial planners. However, many of these referral partners will typically become “cold” (or even dead) at some point. What can you do to fire them back up and revitalise your referral flow?

This episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration is all about reigniting cold referral partners. James Veigli and Ash Playsted share many practical and actionable tips in their discussion. The ultimate goal is for brokers to build successful and mutually-beneficial long-term relationships. Tune in to rethink your approach to this essential driver of mortgage broking business growth.

The Key Questions

Should you try to reignite all your referral partners? (5:40)
What are the laser-targeted approach and the machine-gun approach and which one works better? (8:07)
How should you reach out to “cold” referral partners? (12:23)
How do you know if a prospective referral partner is dependable? (18:10)

What You’ll Discover

The 3 tiers of referral partners (2:58)
The wrong and right way to target referral partners (8:38)
Why being able to free up time is crucial for mortgage broking business owners (13:43)
Why you shouldn’t try to build a relationship with a referral partner by force (21:35)

Many brokers are great technicians, but not-so-great public speakers. This is why using webinars is an excellent strategy for mortgage broking businesses. Webinars allow brokers to communicate within their comfort zone while accessing a much wider audience. Also, webinars are cost- and time-efficient – a genuine asset for busy brokers.

In this episode Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain how brokers can make the most of webinars. They share how webinars can be used to better position yourself, get you more referrals, and improve your client retention rate. Tune in to learn how to turn webinars into a powerful engine for mortgage broking business growth.

The Key Questions

Do webinars work for introverts? (5:04)
Why are webinar metrics important? (6:34)
Should you run webinars for your mortgage broking business's existing clients? (12:26)
What should your webinars focus on? (23:00)

What You’ll Discover

How webinars maximise the use of your limited time (2:48)
The key difference between webinars and live public speaking (7:31)
The utility of webinars in our knowledge economy (9:09)
The three types of webinars (11:03)

Good mortgage brokers have always treated clients as more than a transaction. And today, it’s more important than ever to do just that and be perceived as a trusted adviser, not a transaction-based broker. That’s how top-performing brokers build deeper and longer relationships with their clients.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted unpack the new paradigm. Tune in to discover why your mortgage broking business ultimately goes far beyond the mortgages you write. You’ll also discover how to make your brand ethos resonate within every part of your business. That’s how you can distinguish yourself in a crowded 21st -century market.

The Key Questions

Why do good brokers go beyond the transaction-based approach? (3:57)
Do you need to rethink your business brand and voice? (9:24)
How do clients make emotion-based decisions? (13:00)
Why did your clients ultimately decide to place their trust in you? (14:34)

What You’ll Discover

The key changes in the mortgage industry today (1:20)
Why the client’s journey goes beyond the mortgage itself (2:02)
Being a trusted advisor vs. simply writing deals (5:40)
A practical recommendation to help you set your business apart (17:37)

What makes a popular burger joint stand out amongst its many, many competitors? It doesn’t just offer customers the "meat" and the "bun". Instead, it’s invested in a proprietary secret sauce. Truth is, the same logic applies to mortgage brokers. The idea here is to find innovative ways to distinguish yourself from the crowd.

This episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration focuses on how brokers can create their own secret sauce. James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain how brokers can take the boring, routine stuff and make it interesting. Tune in to discover practical and creative ways to set your mortgage broking business apart.

The Key Questions

Why is systemising actually sexy? (2:50)
Why should you look at your mortgage broking business from a customer’s perspective? (4:19)
What do your clients hate? (8:13)
What should your secret sauce achieve for your mortgage broking business? (18:37)

What You’ll Discover

The language of the broker vs. the language of the customer (11:57)
How to differentiate your business through personalisation (14:13)
The car analogy (15:25)
The burger analogy (21:09)

Many cash flow-poor brokers make the mistake of buying leads as a last resort. Since they often lack effective processes to convert those leads, they fail to make a return on their investment. Remember that at the end of the day, there’s no point in paying for leads you can’t convert. But this doesn’t mean that brokers should never pay for leads. So, there’s really no one-size-fits-all approach here.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss when brokers should buy leads. Tune in to learn how paying for leads can be part of an effective business strategy – if your business meets specific criteria.

The Key Questions

Why should brokers be aware of the ‘shiny object syndrome’ when considering buying leads? (2:50)
When is it a good idea to buy leads? (7:57)
Why is it that two companies who purchase leads of the same quality can still end up with different results? (9:40)
What’s the caveat to making bought leads a part of your growth strategy? (18:10)

What You’ll Discover

The common mistake that many struggling brokers make (3:35)
The preconditions your business needs to meet before buying leads (5:14)
What buying leads can and cannot do for your business (19:40)
What you shouldn’t do when making your decision to buy leads (21:43)

You don’t create a content ecosystem for your mortgage broking business by just sending out emails and posting on social media. A content ecosystem is more like an elaborate spiderweb. It’s highly strategized, with multiple anchor points and subpoints. And everything is interconnected to serve a core purpose – catching prey. This means your content ecosystem is designed to attract and convert clients.

In this episode Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share many practical tips about it. Their discussion focuses on how brokers can create their own well-functioning content ecosystems. Tune in to learn how to generate high-quality content that stands out from your competitors in a cost- and time-efficient manner.

The Key Questions

What does a content ecosystem do for your business? (2:29)
What constitutes good content? (6:36)
Why do you need your content to go beyond you and your expertise? (9:16)
What do people want from your content? (11:41)

What You’ll Discover

The spiderweb analogy (5:13)
A time-saving tip for content creation (13:01)
The importance of putting yourself in your consumers’ shoes (14:01)
How to tap into the power of storytelling (16:06)

How much should a mortgage broking business owner pay their staff? And how much should brokers pay themselves? Unfortunately, many brokers turn to generic answers (usually a pay range) when faced with these questions. But these generic numbers don’t take a business’s specific context into account.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the answers to these questions. Instead of providing cookie-cutter solutions, they encourage brokers to think contextually. Tune in to learn how to rethink your broking business’s compensation philosophy and structure.

The Key Questions

Why does the cookie-cutter approach to compensation not work? (3:20)
Is money the top priority for your employees? (6:21)
Should you pay a hired broker salary and/or commission? (8:12)
Why is the money in your broking business’s bank account not yours? (14:20)

What You’ll Discover

How to think about the salaries you offer for specific job positions (2:47)
The importance of having a business succession plan (10:03)
Approaching your finances as a business owner vs. self-employed person (16:06)
Why brokers shouldn’t pay themselves last (17:15)

Are you familiar with the Theory of Constraints? This management framework posits that there is always one weak point in any system or machine. And until that specific constraint is fixed, that system cannot achieve significant progress.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted apply this theory to mortgage brokers. Tune in to learn how to find the point of constraint in your mortgage broking business (it may even be yourself). You’ll also discover practical tips on overcoming common psychological and managerial constraints. That’s how you can unlock your ability to achieve continuous business growth.

The Key Questions

How does the Theory of Constraints apply to mortgage broking businesses? (1:44)
Why do many brokers find it difficult to identify their point of constraint? (3:04)
How many brokers end up becoming their own constraint? (8:40)
How should brokers fix the points of constraint in their mortgage broking businesses? (14:36)

What You’ll Discover

The two weakest links that Ash and James often see (5:22)
Why getting your system process workflow right is crucial (7:23)
The critical difference between being a creator and being a doer (9:59)
Three important areas that you should focus on (11:57)

The mortgage broking industry has gone through a few phases. There was phase 1.0 during the pre-internet era, then phase 2.0 after it. The industry only entered into phase 3.0 in the past 1-2 years. And brokers who aren’t aware of what’s to come are at risk of being outcompeted.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted unpack the implications of phase 3.0. They take stock of how far the industry has come and where it seems to be headed. Tune in to understand how brokers need to adapt to the transition that’s already underway.

The Key Questions

What’s the only real differentiator between brokers today? (9:20)
Why should brokers create efficient and systematic businesses? (11:14)
What’s the mindset that brokers need to thrive in the future of this industry? (14:40)
Does the industry need to change? (16:18)

What You’ll Discover

What mortgage broking 1.0 was like (1:47)
How banks drove the transformation that created mortgage broking 2.0 (4:26)
What brokers need to do to prepare for the transition to mortgage broking 3.0 (9:50)
What’s right for the customer vs. what’s right for the business owner (19:44)

Brokers always have deals to seal, money to make, and deadlines to meet. Under that avalanche of work, stress, and pressure, it’s very easy to lose track of their ‘why’. And when brokers lose track of their inner motivation, it’s very easy for the overwhelm to overwhelm.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss why the broker’s ‘why’ is so important. Tune in to dive deep into your core and reconnect with your inner drivers (hint: it’s not the money). It’s the key to achieving sustainable and enduring success in this industry.

The Key Questions

How do you find your ‘why’? (1:55)
Does your ‘why’ change and evolve over time? (2:52)
What happens when you start stripping away the layers of the ‘onion’? (6:12)
Why is ‘the why’ important? (11:34)

What You’ll Discover

Why the broker’s ‘why’ often gets buried (4:04)
A critical question that all brokers should ask themself (13:00)
How the fight-or-flight response influences our decisions (14:49)
A simple tip to help you dive deep into your ‘why’ (18:34)

As the year draws to an end, many brokers think of their plans and ambitions for 2022. This is the time for making lists and new year’s resolutions. However, many brokers unfortunately set goals that are too narrowly defined by numerical targets. For example, hitting a specific income bracket or signing a specific number of loans.

In episode 63 of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss how brokers should rethink their approach to goal-setting. Tune in to learn how to make the most of the holiday season... and be fully prepared for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

The Key Questions

What should brokers get philosophical about during the holidays? (9:35)
How should brokers rethink their end-of-year goal-setting? (11:47)
Should brokers also work on their personal growth? (15:47)
What is the act-as-if method and how can brokers use it? (16:09)

What You’ll Discover

The importance of switching off (1:45)
A hidden upside to 9-to-5 employment (and how entrepreneurs can recreate it) (7:40)
The common but counterproductive tendency to catastrophise (17:40)
Some practical tips for brain and mindset training (19:36)

Goal-setting is an important aspect of every business. Unfortunately, many brokers often set goals in a thoughtless and careless manner. This leads them to eventually abandon them (as with many New Year’s Resolutions). Or they stubbornly insist on sticking to an old goal long after it becomes counterproductive.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about goal-setting. They explain why brokers need a new approach to goal-setting. Tune in to learn why this is crucial for your long-term business success. You’ll also discover practical tips on setting effective goals, sticking to them, and pivoting when necessary.

The Key Questions

Why is the common approach to New Year’s Resolutions problematic? (1:44)
Is a dogmatic approach to goal-setting dangerous? (3:23)
Does the wrong approach to goal-setting achieve anything? (4:49)
What happens if we don’t achieve the goals we set? (6:46)

What You’ll Discover

How our limiting beliefs influence our goal-setting process (6:14)
The main challenge in implementing the one-touch system (10:06)
Neuroscientific tips on brain training (13:08)
The transformative impact of setting a vision for your business (18:18)

What business lessons can brokers learn from Santa Claus? Most kids are taught to believe that Santa rewards ‘niceness’, not naughtiness. Likewise, many brokers believe that they will be rewarded for being ‘good’. If they have good intentions and a good work ethic, their business will succeed, right?

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why this mindset is a myth. While being well-intentioned and hardworking is great, it isn’t enough to create a successful business. Tune in to learn which traits, tendencies, and mindsets ultimately get rewarded in this industry.

The Key Questions

What is the huge myth that influences many brokers in the industry? (4:25)
How does the core mindset from the Santa myth carry over into our professional lives? (8:23)
How can brokers transition from magical to practical thinking? (9:00)
What happens after brokers realise that ‘Santa’ isn’t real? (9:30)

What You’ll Discover

Why Santa is much more than a fantasy for most children (1:49)
The myth of the free and independent broker (5:05)
The myths vs. facts of being a mortgage broker (6:44)
Why the business world doesn’t operate according to the logic of the Santa myth (7:21)

Brokers today have a plethora of tech solutions that promise to enhance efficiency and profitability. In many cases, it makes total sense to reap the time savings they provide. However, many brokers indiscriminately jump on tech solutions to solve their immediate problems.

In episode 60 of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the ideal approach to technology. They explain why brokers need to approach it strategically. As paper babies in an increasingly digital world, they are well aware of technology’s pros and cons. Tune in to learn how to make sure that all the tech you invest in ultimately works for you and your business.

The Key Questions

Is technology causing younger brokers to lose sight of the bigger picture? (6:34)
What are the mistakes that brokers make when trying to implement new tech solutions? (8:34)
What should tech-savvy brokers look out for when choosing tech solutions? (13:24)
What should brokers take into consideration when investing in tech solutions? (18:15)

What You’ll Discover

How the idea of technology being the solution for everything can be dangerous (3:14)
The analogy of being a kid in a candy store (7:02)
How sales/people brokers and business/tech brokers should approach technology (10:24)
A tip for all-rounded brokers who are good with people and technology (15:56)

Many brokers don’t have a clear sense of where their business is – or where it’s going. It’s almost as if they’re walking around with a blindfold on. That’s why it’s so easy for them to step into the metaphorical quicksand of this industry. Their mortgage business starts to slowly sink... And by the time they realise it, it’s often too late.

In episode 59 of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the best way for brokers to break free of this quicksand. Tune in to discover practical tips and strategies that will help you turn a sinking business around.

The Key Questions

How can brokers escape the metaphorical quicksand? (4:56)
How do you know if you are actually trapped in quicksand? (8:49)
What is the biggest problem that most brokers face? (12:41)
How can brokers stay clear of the quicksand? (17:17)

What You’ll Discover

The quicksand analogy (1:26)
Why the instinctive tendency to panic is counterproductive (5:35)
The two common mindsets that get brokers stuck (16:41)
The mountaineering analogy (17:51)

Everyone knows that technology is essential to a successful 21st century mortgage broking business. But there is always a danger of going overboard with high tech solutions. If you’re not clear about what your mortgage broking business really needs, you’ll end up with Frankenstein’s monster of expensive tech solutions you hardly use.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why you should start with pen and paper when it comes to tech. Tune in to learn how to create an effective roadmap for your business – and incorporate all the technology you need.

The Key Questions

What is the common tech-related mistake that most brokers make? (1:11)
How can you resist the shiny object syndrome? (6:07)
Do you need to go to the drawing board when thinking about technology? (6:55)
Should your business vision come before your tech investments? (10:25)

What You’ll Discover

Why the presumption that technology will solve all your problems is dangerous (4:09)
Why many brokers only use 50% of the tech solutions they pay for (5:05)
The old adage that still applies to brokers today (12:29)
The old-school yet transformative power of using pen and paper (14:07)

Many brokers dream of having a successful mortgage broking business that doesn’t require much of their time. However, most still struggle to enjoy the lifestyle and freedom they want. How do you grow a successful mortgage broking business that doesn’t require you to be so deeply involved in it?

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain how you can achieve this elusive goal. They use Sam as a case study. He’s the ‘one-touch broker’ who just needs to hold a 15-minute phone call with a prospective client. But how does he do it? Tune in to find out and learn how to replicate the one-touch system in your business.

The Key Questions

What is a one-touch broker? (2:25)
Is there a “miracle cure” that will ensure you get your desired outcome? (8:53)
What are the two crucial traits brokers need to have? (11:09)
Do competent brokers really need only 10-15 minutes to secure a prospective client? (18:22)

What You’ll Discover

The 3 things that a one-touch broker does (6:33)
The main challenge in implementing the one-touch system (10:06)
The secret sauce to becoming a one-touch broker (10:40)
The important difference between coaching and doing (15:46)

Getting referrals is the lifeblood of a good mortgage business. Whether you are a brand new or experienced broker, you’ll encounter many opportunities to connect with potential partners. But how can you make the most out of each of them?

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why brokers should actively and deliberately seek out referral opportunities. They discuss the importance of treating everyone like a potential referral partner, even if not every connection will lead to a referral partnership. Tune in to learn all about the mindset shift and practical strategies you need to open more doors.

The Key Questions

How can we get referral partners from our loan process? (5:27)
How can we get partners from our existing contacts and networks? (8:45)
Do you need a clear process for getting referral partners? (13:36)
Why do you need a 180° mindset shift towards connection building? (15:17)

What You’ll Discover

Why you should capitalise on normal, everyday conversations about mortgages (9:18)
How to use warm connection statements (16:15)
How to overcome that big initial hurdle in making a new connection (18:11)
What happens when you take “commission breath” out of the discussion (21:22)

What do you make of brokers who are life partners and business partners? It’s actually quite common for a broker’s partner to become more and more involved in the business over time. It's the reason why there are many life-and-business-partner teams out there. Naturally, there are many pros and cons to this common arrangement.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the common mistakes and missteps that broker couples make – and what they should do instead. Tune in to learn how to make living and working with your partner in your mortgage broking business work for you.

The Key Questions

Why is it crucial to have clear mutual expectations? (7:37)
Why should you have a clear separation between work and life? (14:30)
What is the difference between a partner being a formal vs. informal part of the business? (11:49)
Why is having a bigger purpose behind the partnership important? (18:33)

What You’ll Discover

A major mistake that many brokers make (5:44)
How to think about the business as having a frontstage and backstage environment (9:48)
How to empower your partner in their business role (13:13)
The importance of discussing your end game (16:36)

When you think of working with accountants, do you think of running in the other direction? It is true that you need a different mindset when working with accountants. However, they can be a reliable source of regular referrals – IF you have the right mindset and strategy.

In episode 54 of Mortgage Broker Acceleration James Veigli and Ash Playsted help brokers put themselves in an accountant’s shoes. They break down the key differences between real estate agents and accountants. Tune in to discover practical tips that will help you create invaluable long-term relationships with accountants.

The Key Questions

What’s the difference between having accountants and real estate agents as referral partners? (2:42)
How can we add value to an accountant’s clients? (7:57)
How can you create strategic long-term partnerships with accountants? (10:42)
Why do you have to be proactive when working with accountants as referral partners (14:57)

What You’ll Discover

Why accountants are generally uncomfortable with referring their clients for a mortgage (8:54)
The importance of having a clear value proposition (12:39)
How to share the commission (16:30)
The 3 things you should do when working with accountants (25:36)

Do you know what happens when brokers get too busy? Many of them will simply throw more staff at the problem. They might hire extra loan writers or more admin staff, for example, to try to keep up with their mortgage business.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why this is a completely wrong approach. They use Cory, a broker who successfully scaled his business (from $1.8 to $7.2 million) in only 8 months as an informative case study. Tune in to learn all about the simple yet typically underutilised magic formula to business growth.

The Key Questions

What is the magic sauce for growing your business? (3:43)
Why does the value of your business depends on your systems, technology and workflows?(12:02)
Why is it very difficult to scale your business by simply hiring more staff? (16:01)
Do you need a critical mindset shift to scale your business? (17:18)

What You’ll Discover

The simple secret to Cory’s phenomenal success (2:04)
The biggest mistake that busy brokers make (10:59)
Why brokers need to abandon perfectionism (17:54)
What to do after acknowledging that you don’t have all the answers (23:03)

Often, brokers put a lot of effort into being friendly and likeable. And while likability is important, many brokers actually make the mistake of trying to be too nice. Some customers might respond positively to this, but it ultimately doesn’t help their mortgage business as a whole.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted address misguided ideas about niceness. They do not claim, however, that brokers should be rude or difficult to work with. Rather, they argue that brokers should focus on establishing their authority, expertise, and experience. Tune in to discover how to rethink your conversations and engagements with your clients.

The Key Questions

What’s the difference between being nice and being authoritative? (2:49)
How should you approach the sales process and conversation? (6:56)
Why should brokers take the lead? (7:28)
Does coming from a position of authority and experience improve your conversion rate? (13:27)

What You’ll Discover

Why being reactive is counterproductive (4:34)
The problem with the sales mentality (5:51)
The dog owner analogy (9:18)
Transforming your business with the onion analogy (21:13)

Many experienced and hardworking brokers out there will get stuck at one point or another. Yes, they’re constantly busy and preoccupied with their business, but they just can’t take things to the next level. They often experiment with various “solutions”, but these ultimately don’t produce the desired effect.

This episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration focuses on what seasoned brokers need to do to get unstuck. Ash Playsted puts James Veigli under the grill, prompting him to reflect on this enduring problem from his experience as a broker and a coach. Tune in to learn how to break free from stagnation and regain that momentum.

The Key Questions

Which is more important: mindset or capability? (8:55)
What is the most important thing that experienced brokers who feel stuck need to know? (16:17)
Why do so many brokers feel stuck? (21:47)
What is the biggest opportunity and challenge in the industry right now? (29:37)

What You’ll Discover

How James unpacked the sales and meeting process as a young broker (6:09)
What James would do differently if he was starting his career now (13:31)
The ironic relationship that many people have with money (32:26)
The people that James credits for his success (35:46)

"It can’t be that simple, right?" This mentality is possibly the biggest obstacle that most brokers face. After all, they often believe that they need a complex formula to make their mortgage business more successful. So, they try to implement random strategies and advice, only to overcomplicate things.

However, the truth is that there is no secret to business success. Most brokers already know how to achieve success but fail to implement it. In episode 50 of Mortgage Broker Acceleration James Veigli and Ash Playsted return to this core problem as they recap the high points from previous episodes. Tune in to focus on the simple fundamentals of success – and tune out all the noise out there.

The Key Questions

Why do brokers tend to seek out complexity unnecessarily? (9:49)
How do you take action and get the work done? (11:23)
How do you bridge the gap between knowing and doing? (13:13)
How can you overcome the biggest obstacle that most brokers face? (16:04)

What You’ll Discover

The machine gun vs. sniper analogy (14:45)
Why it’s so important to figure out your motivations for building a business (17:24)
The success trap (19:01)
The importance of safeguarding your mental health (20:24)

Many brokers feel trapped inside their business. This might be because they can’t afford to take time away from work. And even when they do go on holiday, their work follows them through their phone or laptop. Or, it could be because they don’t enjoy all the aspects of running their business.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss how brokers can escape from this trap. The key is to build a mortgage business that can run with or without you. Tune in to learn what you need to do to make that happen.

The Key Questions

Why do many brokers feel trapped? (5:16)
How can you create a reliable inflow of opportunities? (8:24)
What are the two things you need to recognise to execute your business plan? (11:25)
How can brokers reverse engineer their own version of success? (14:43)

What You’ll Discover

Simon: a case study of success (2:25)
How to get started on systemization (7:32)
The final test for a successful broker business (13:03)
Why bigger numbers are not the ultimate goal (16:41)

The more successful you are, the more stress you will encounter. And your ability to manage the higher stress levels will make or break you as a broker. Unfortunately, many high-flying brokers get crushed by the weight of their hard-earned success.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted detail the mindset shift you need to manage the stress of success. They discuss the psychological and practical steps brokers can take to anticipate and address challenges, fix them, and move forward. Tune in to discover how stress can be an opportunity, rather than something to be avoided.

The Key Questions

Why does business growth lead to more stress? (2:04)
Why should you pursue your own vision of success? (3:48)
How can you define your own version of success? (9:01)
Can you anticipate and reduce stress as a business owner? (13:23)

What You’ll Discover

The counterintuitive nature of success as a broker (5:25)
The symptoms of stress and success (10:58)
The journey of building a successful business and the surprises along the way (14:49)
The mindset shift you need to manage stress (16:25)

Many people think that success as a broker depends on technical know-how. While technical capability is certainly important, it’s your mindset that’s most crucial. Your ability to align your goals and actions with your true nature as a person accounts for 80% of your success.

As such, this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration takes on a more introspective and philosophical track. James Veigli puts Ash Playsted under the grill, prompting him to reflect on his transition from broker to coach. Tune in to James and Ash’s wide-ranging discussion to discover how you can accelerate your personal growth – and your professional success.

The Key Questions

Which is more important to success, mindset or capability? (7:53)
What is the mindset that brokers need for success? (11:26)
How should brokers manage the stress that comes with our profession? (17:23)
Why do brokers need a great coach? (25:31)

What You’ll Discover

Ash’s backstory and how he became a broker (1:58)
What most people don’t know about Ash (5:58)
How Ash’s vision of success changed throughout his career (13:17)
What Ash would do differently if he could start again (24:24)

It’s intuitive to think of a weakness as a liability. A tennis player with a weak backhand, for example, would naturally worry that his opponent will exploit his weakness. He must play to his strengths and work on his weak points. Otherwise, he will be wiped off the court.

Many brokers carry over a similar mindset to business, which unfortunately puts them into an entrepreneurial trap. In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why a fundamental mindset shift is required. Tune in to discover why brokers don’t need to worry about their weaknesses (and what they should be doing instead).

The Key Questions

What is the entrepreneurial trap? (3:06)
Is it true that brokers don’t need to be good at everything to build a successful business? (4:39)
What are the differences between being a player vs. being a captain vs. being a coach? (8:10)
Why is individual specialisation important? (13:07)

What You’ll Discover

The sports vs. business comparison (0:48)
The childish vs. adult approach to business (9:47)
Being a good player in a great team vs. being a great individual player (12:10)
What to do with your weaknesses (16:19)

"To grow your business, what is it that you need the most?" When asked this question, most brokers would say "Well, I need more business. I need more leads." This does make sense since more leads generally mean more customers and more loans.

The catch is that most brokers are already too busy. So, their biggest problem is their inability to handle more leads, not the lack of leads and customers. In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain the psychological and logistical breakthroughs that brokers need to escape this predicament.

The Key Questions

Why brokers don’t typically need to focus on finding more customers? (7:50)
Why should brokers focus on strategy, structure, and systems? (10:50)
How do you bridge the gap between knowledge and implementation? (15:30)
How can brokers get the accountability, direction, and guidance they need? (17:12)

What You’ll Discover

The shortcuts that brokers take when they are overworked (6:16)
The problem with having the typical mindset towards lead generation (8:33)
A case study of a broker who went from $3M to $15M in 19 months (13:10)
The importance of the metaphorical mechanic (19:55)

What’s the biggest trap that most entrepreneurs fall into? The answer is, it’s the belief that if you know best, you should do everything yourself. This is not a productive mindset for a mortgage business owner. Unfortunately, it is very common among brokers.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why you should embrace a mindset shift. They also discuss what it really means to be a business owner. Tune in to discover what it takes to build a sustainable mortgage business from scratch – from a managerial, organisational, and personal perspective.

The Key Questions

What is the best way to start a business from scratch? (0:55)
How do you go beyond the first phase of building a mortgage business? (3:59)
How should you negotiate conflicts between business growth and organisational aspirations? (8:27)
Why is business growth dependent on good partnerships? (15:26)

What You’ll Discover

Effective hiring practices for brokers (5:10)
The yin and yang of the broker business (10:05)
The great trap of entrepreneurship (12:50)
The driver vs. the mechanic (13:22)

Too many brokers simply lack structure in their businesses. And without structure, you can work as much as 50 hours a week and yet only write one loan. Structure may seem like the enemy of freedom, but this is far from reality.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why having structure in a mortgage business matters so much. They discuss practical strategies for brokers to create the structure they need to enjoy true freedom. Whether you’re a seasoned or new broker, tune in to optimise your business efficiency, growth, peace of mind, and mental health.

The Key Questions

How should you structure your day? (1:23)
What are the costs and downsides of having no structure? (4:11)
Why is having structure a precondition for achieving freedom? (9:49)
How do you hold yourself accountable to your structure? (15:59)

What You’ll Discover

Why time blocking is so important (3:12)
The paradox of freedom for mortgage brokers (6:08)
The prison analogy (8:06)
How to cultivate daily success habits that work for you (10:54)

Many brokers are hungry to succeed. When they say yes to everything, however, they end up taking two steps backward. They end up being overwhelmed, overworked and burnt out instead of achieving their goals. At the end of the day, no one benefits from this logic of sacrifice.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why you shouldn’t sacrifice your mental health for your business. They explain the connections between the personal (mental health) and the organisational (business health). Tune in to discover useful and practical suggestions for smart and sustainable business growth.

The Key Questions

Does a happier business equate to a happier life? (2:44)
What is a healthy business? (3:57)
Can you reform a chaotic and uncontrollable business? (5:12)
Why should brokers not say yes to everything? (13:10)

What You’ll Discover

Controlling your business vs. being controlled by it (5:56)
The three Ps of creating a healthy business (6:44)
The importance of having a plan that makes sense to you (10:52)
The power of the three As: aim, aware, act (25:27)

Anything done poorly is a waste of time. And social media – despite all the hype – is not an exception to the rule. Without an effective strategy, your investments in marketing through social media will turn out to be a big and shiny but relatively useless project.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain how you can ensure that your investments in marketing through social media are helpful (rather than wasteful). With the right approach, you can get amazing results for your business while optimising your time.

The Key Questions

How do you set good boundaries for daily social media usage? (5:16)
What is the best way to approach social media advertising? (10:42)
How can you strategically approach marketing on social media on a daily basis? (12:11)
How do you align social media with your business vision and strategy? (14:43)

What You’ll Discover

The dot-com bubble of the late 90s vs. the ongoing social media craze (1:29)
The paradox of social media for businesses (2:41)
Social media’s addictive power (8:07)
Scrolling on social media vs. using it to grow your business (9:04)

Many brokers don't have any systems at all. And if they do, those systems are often outdated, archaic, slow, and not really working. This might be because most brokers come from a sales or entrepreneurial background. Thus, the concept of building a system seems alien and overwhelming.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain the shortcut to building an effective system for your mortgage business. It doesn’t require you to have a technical background, but it does involve some time and planning. Tune in to learn how to systemize your business smoothly and effectively.

The Key Questions

Why are brokers generally bad at building systems? (0:47)
How should you start systemising? (10:00)
Why should you record your daily activities? (12:56)
Why do you need to adopt the brick-by-brick mindset? (22:05)

What You’ll Discover

Why you need to connect your business plan to your operation manual (4:52)
The systems-related mental roadblock that many brokers have (8:39)
The simple, bottom-up approach vs. the complex approach (14:19)
Two key systemising principles (20:25)

When it comes to benchmarks, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Triages, strategy, submission, settlement, dollar size, revenue... These are all important metrics for brokers.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted argue that there is one ultimate benchmark. And you can only achieve it once the other benchmarks are locked in place. Tune in to discover what that benchmark is and learn how to identify what it looks like for you and your business.

The Key Questions

Are glory numbers the be-all-and-end-all? (2:17)
What is the ultimate benchmark and why is it so? (9:07)
How do you use your ultimate benchmark to reverse engineer your daily priorities? (12:43)
What are the most important functions in your business? (24:05)

What You’ll Discover

An overview of the different benchmarks (0:51)
The myth that how hard you work is the main factor that determines how much money you make (11:25)
The three rules that lead to success in the mortgage business (17:45)
What work-life balance looks like for different people (25:22)

Most brokers are taught to live and die by the “yes mentality”. But that mentality results in a scattergun approach. Because when you say yes to everything, you fail to prioritise. You fail to optimise your time and energy.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why saying no is so important. This may seem counterintuitive, but it’s the key to your health and success. You need to say no to everything that’s not aligned with your particular goal or vision. Tune in to learn how you can apply that wisdom in your day-to-day life.

The Key Questions

What’s wrong with the “yes mentality”? (1:49)
How does the wisdom of saying no apply in your everyday life? (5:05)
When is saying yes a good idea, and when is it a distraction? (7:30)
Is saying yes to everything related to the one-stop-shop mentality? (19:56)

What You’ll Discover

A powerful lesson that illustrates the importance of saying no (9:36)
The importance of closing skills (15:53)
What brokers can learn from doctors, dentists, and accountants (27:42)
Specialization vs diversification (32:14)

Our contemporary hustle culture pushes us to try to accomplish everything by yesterday. That’s well and good in the short term... but it usually leads to burnout. If it’s not already causing health problems, it will happen down the line.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain how you can break free from this toxic mentality. After all, you don’t want to be constantly busy for the sake of being busy. Discover how you can expend the minimum amount of energy to achieve your goals as quickly as possible.

The Key Questions

Why do we fall victim to the myths about hustling and being busy? (5:19)
Why shouldn’t you say yes to everything? (12:03)
How do you protect your personal time (13:26)
How can we focus, invest, and conserve our energy? (18:53)

What You’ll Discover

Blocks of intensity vs. rest times: a useful analogy from boxing matches (2:45)
How to use Pareto’s Law in your daily life (7:41)
Useful life habits and daily rituals to optimise your energy (21:26)
Alternatives to the 9-to-5 workday (29:03)

Do you believe in overnight success? While success stories are inspiring, they are actually only the tip of the iceberg. And there’s a danger of overlooking the 80-90% of the iceberg that lies beneath the surface.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why brokers need to move beyond false expectations of overnight success. They talk about why it’s great to be inspired by such successes but people need to look beyond that and have reality checks. You’ll also discover the key to lasting success.

The Key Questions

What’s wrong with the idea of overnight success? (2:13)
How should we define success in the mortgage industry? (2:24)
Is there a danger in aiming for success in a short period of time? (5:44)
What is the difference between realistic vs. unrealistic expectations for new brokers? (8:29)

What You’ll Discover

How the iceberg analogy relates to overnight success (1:35)
Why the mortgage industry differs from other industries (7:35)
How Ash achieved success (and why you can do it, too) (12:35)
Why it’s important to read beyond the headlines (15:14)

When is the perfect time to hire a new employee for your business? Most people tend to wait until the very last minute. That is, they only hire somebody new when they’re really busy. But if you do that, you’ll be too busy to execute the recruiting and training process properly.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted make a case for hiring sooner rather than later. They also get specific on when is the best time to hire someone what you need to watch out for. Tune in to discover why it ultimately pays to be proactive, not reactive.

The Key Questions

When do you make your first or next hire? (1:08)
What are the challenges involved when hiring early? (4:19)
Is hiring someone a business cost or an investment? (7:55)
How do you know if you’re going to need somebody in the near future? (9:18)

What You’ll Discover

Why the standard corporate mindset is flawed (2:14)
The difference between emergency and non-emergency hires (4:07)
The critical distinction between a forward-thinking vs reactive mindset (5:03)
The wave analogy: how your business activity is like the ocean (5:20)

Far too many mortgage professionals take pride in being a martyr. A martyr to their business, their clients, and to being busy. This psychology of martyrdom justifies being constantly overworked and doing everything you can for your clients. It even makes it seem saintly to sacrifice your work-life balance.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted challenge the common tendency to equate perpetual busyness to productivity. They also discuss why the mindset of being productive equals success is false. Learn why it is actually healthier to prioritise yourself over your clients and your mortgage business.

The Key Questions

Isn’t working hard a virtue? (2:29)
Is this simply a question of working smart vs working hard? (5:10)
How can we find a better definition of productivity? (8:04)
What are the limits to a broker’s job, duties, and responsibilities? (12:31)

What You’ll Discover

The three issues with martyrdom (1:40)
How martyrdom gets formed (3:29)
What you really need to become an effective business owner (7:18)
Why some clients are beyond helping (10:41)
How you can avoid becoming a martyr (13:34)

"Why should I deal with you and not someone else?" The truth is that rate-shopping cold leads who do their homework pose a great challenge to brokers. And to get them as clients, you might be tempted to lower your prices to convert these savvy bargain hunters. But there’s a better way...

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted teach you how you can turn the tables around. The fact is, you can tip the power balance in your favour. Discover how to turn a conversation about rate-shopping into a showcase of your value and convert cold leads.

The Key Questions

How can you change a rate-focused conversation? (4:17)
What can you do to demonstrate your expertise? (11:48)
How do you convert clients who think they know exactly what they want? (8:12)
What can you do to make an instantaneous intervention in the way the conversation is going? (10:29)

What You’ll Discover

How to deal with clients who have done all their homework (1:29)
The condition that will make clients buy based on price
The two things that clients are really looking for (8:36)
CRL: an acronym that helps you remain in control (18:56)

It’s great to embrace high tech innovations! After all, you can really improve on speed, efficiency and scale by bringing new technologies on board. But you don’t want to let it happen at the cost of making your business seem robotic and impersonal. At the end of the day, this is still a people-focused business.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explore how you can actually have the best of both worlds. Discover how you can set yourself apart from your tech-savvy peers by keeping the old school hacks alive.

The Key Questions

What do we mean by ‘new school’? (3:43)
What does ‘old school’ primarily refer to? (4:39)
How do you combine old school and new school hacks to grow your business? (26:06)
Which school is the fastest path to success? (28:10)

What You’ll Discover

The danger of focusing on new school hacks (5:22)
A crucial mistake people make when using new school strategies (6:48)
Two winning old school hacks (16:11)
Three secret hacks to grow your business (18:31)

The unicorn trap is a cautionary tale, not a success story. You’re caught in the trap when you start believing in your own (mythical) brilliance. You think that you’re the only one who can do what you do - no one can do it at the same level as you. And because of this, you fail to systemise and delegate.

Sounds familiar?

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain how the unicorn mindset turns your business into a one-man show. Tune in to learn why everyone must escape the unicorn trap — and how.

The Key Questions

What is the unicorn trap? (1:58)
Do you have a unicorn business? (13:26)
How do you become a true business owner and not a unicorn? (16:24)
How do you escape the trap? (18:34)

What You’ll Discover

Two ways to know if you are a unicorn (7:14)
The unicorn example (and what made him a unicorn) (10:21)
Why you can’t be a one-man or one-woman band (14:36)
Why people stay stuck in the unicorn trap (24:41)

Being a mortgage professional can be a liberating path to professional and financial freedom. But it can also be a long and lonesome journey. Your friends and family may not understand what you do at all. And you might feel disconnected and isolated, even if you have several people working for you.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share practical and powerful ways to keep loneliness at bay — in a way that enhances your mental health and bottom line!

The Key Questions

Is there really nobody that understands you? (4:58)
What’s the key reason why mortgage professionals experience loneliness? (6:36)
Why do mortgage professionals feel lonelier than other professionals? (8:22)
What’s the biggest solution to loneliness? (11:24)

What You’ll Discover

The paradox of freedom and loneliness in the mortgage industry (2:19)
Two reasons why mortgage brokers can have a lonely life (7:25)
The difference between physical and mental loneliness (13:41)
A game-changing solution to overcoming loneliness (17:34)

Many brokers aim to become a kind of ‘mortgage professor’ - someone with the most knowledge. But the fact is, clients don’t really look for the broker with the most expertise and experience. Instead, they’re looking for someone with a personality. Someone who’s put themselves out there as an accessible expert. In other words: a mortgage celebrity.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why being a celebrity is a more powerful marketing tool than being a professor. Tune in to learn how to raise your profile, visibility, and marketability in your area.

The Key Questions

Are you a mortgage professor? (1:15)
Who is a mortgage celebrity? (5:00)
How do you build up your celebrity status? (9:16)
Why should you become a celebrity rather than a professor? (21:10)

What You’ll Discover

What you need to be more than being the number one mortgage broker technician (1:56)
The reason why clients prefer celebrities over professors (3:59)
The most powerful marketing tool you can use (8:38)
Three things you can do to build up your celebrity status (12:39)
The myth of becoming a niche or micro specialist (and its role in your celebrity status) (15:45)

As brokers, most of us network and socialise with other mortgage brokers on a regular basis. That’s a good thing and a bad thing. It can be bad because when you’re inside the proverbial jar, you can’t read the label outside. And that means you can miss out on the big picture. More than that, you run the risk of being unable to innovate because you’re inside an echo chamber.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explore how you can get outside the jar. Discover how stepping outside of your usual professional circle can lead you to moments of absolute blinding clarity.

The Key Questions

How do you know if you’re stuck inside the jar? (2:04)
What happens when you stay inside the jar? (7:59)
Why do you need to get outside the jar? (13:24)
What are some easy ways to get blinding clarity? (11:48)

What You’ll Discover

The importance of having an external view on your business (7:23)
An unlikely way to get blinding clarity (9:15)
The only way to get outside the jar (11:10)
The two benefits of getting external validation (17:13)
Why businesses fail even if they have the “recipe for success” (20:00)

Over the past several years, the mortgage industry has experienced massive changes. It’s become more professional and more technologically advanced than ever before. But while some view the changes as an opportunity, many brokers believe they pose a threat to their mortgage businesses.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the history and the future of the mortgage industry. They talk about how technology like AI will impact the industry, and they share ideas about how mortgage brokers can adapt and ensure they’ll benefit from the changes to come.

The Key Questions

What are the key technological solutions that’ll revolutionize the industry that are already out there? (9:35)
What’s the one thing that technology will never be able to replace? (12:34)
What should brokers do to take advantage of the available technology? (18:23)
What’s the key to building a business that runs with or without you? (25:37)

What You’ll Discover

The state of professionalization of the mortgage industry (3:06)
The impact of AI on the mortgage industry (11:06)
The #1 thing brokers need to do to avoid getting pushed out of the market by AI (12:55)
The three steps to embracing change (22:27)

Success is simple. But it’s human nature to overcomplicate things. As humans, we tend to attach our value to our level of productivity. It’s why many mortgage brokers define productivity with how busy they are. As a result of that mindset, they keep adding new, unnecessary things to their businesses that don’t help their growth.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the problem of complexity. They talk about why so many mortgage brokers fail to build efficient businesses and end up being overworked. And they also share the key steps you need to take to simplify your business and get more freedom.

The Key Questions

Why is it so hard to build a simple (i.e. successful) mortgage business? (4:23)
How do you beat complexity and build a simple yet successful business? (7:32)
What mindset shift do you need to stop overcomplicating your business? (10:21)
How do you make better business decisions (and avoid adding complexity)? (16:19)

What You’ll Discover

The #1 reason why mortgage brokers keep overcomplicating their business (5:43)
The secret behind some of the most successful business models (11:18)
The key elements of a successful mortgage business (14:54)
Why having an external partner can help your business (18:09)

“I don’t need help. I can do everything myself!” It’s an all-too-familiar line for many mortgage brokers. The problem is, they sometimes become so proud that they’re unwilling to consider making changes when their business actually needs it. But the truth is, trying to do everything yourself costs you time and money. And if you’re unable to outsource any work, you’re not building a business - you’re building yourself a high-paying job.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss one of the biggest traps mortgage brokers fall into – the pride trap. They talk about why it’s so easy to fall into it (especially if you’re a successful broker) and share some great tips and mindset shift ideas that’ll help you escape the trap.

The Key Questions

What is a pride trap and what makes it so dangerous? (1:33)
Why is it so hard to escape the pride trap? (13:27)
How do you approach pride the “healthy” way? (16:36)
What are the three steps to escaping (or avoiding) the pride trap? (19:33)

What You’ll Discover

The good and bad sides of pride in business (5:04)
The mindset you need to succeed in business (and overcome the pride trap) (10:22)
How you can start escaping the pride trap right now (14:34)
The #1 reason why successful people struggle with the pride trap the most (17:45)

So many people preach about the crucial role of daily success habits to take you from where you are to where you want to be. Unfortunately, they don’t teach the answer to this important question - what are the specific habits you need to make it happen for YOU?

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted take a different approach to answer this question. Instead of telling you the habits you must follow, they tell you how they created their own daily success habits - so you can figure out your own list.

The Key Questions

How do your daily success habits affect your transformation process - moving from having a job to having a business? (3:52)
Why can’t people stick to these habits, even if they know it’ll lead to success? (6:44)
Is there a framework that’ll define your daily success habits? (17:22)
How can you prevent your personal and business life from competing against each other? (22:17)

What You’ll Discover

Two words that should define your daily success habits (7:27)
The mindset shift that helps you identify the habits that lead to your success (13:35)
The role of happiness in ensuring the success of your mortgage business (15:05)
How to reverse-engineer your vision of a perfect future (19:12)

LinkedIn is a powerful social media platform to build your network. It offers a lot of opportunities to make connections and build relationships. Unfortunately, not all mortgage brokers use it to their advantage, mostly because they don’t know how to... But that’s about to change.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted explain why LinkedIn is the best networking platform on the planet. They uncover important truths about this platform and discuss the various benefits of using it - and how you can use it to widen the reach of your mortgage business.

The Key Questions

What’s the biggest opportunity that LinkedIn can offer to mortgage businesses? (3:16)
How do you build an audience of potential client prospects on LinkedIn? (5:31)
What’s the best strategy to get thousands of connections on LinkedIn? (20:24)
How do you convert and take all your connections to the next level? (28:45)

What You’ll Discover

The power of LinkedIn and how mortgage brokers can use it (1:24)
Branding benefits of using LinkedIn (4:17)
The best platform that allows speed networking (8:00)
Dos and don’ts of using LinkedIn (11:58)
The importance of having a social media strategy to network on LinkedIn (19:00)
How to build quality connections on the platform (22:12)

Cross-selling in your mortgage business is a very bad idea. It’s a tricky strategy. And to make it work, you must know how and when to apply it. Unfortunately, some mortgage brokers want to diversify early on in their business by cross-selling. And if you’re one of them... Know that there’s an alternative that offers better results.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the drawbacks of cross-selling and why integrated selling is the best way to diversify your mortgage business to increase revenue.

The Key Questions

What is integrated selling? (8:52)
When is the right time to do integrated selling? (12:08)
How can “mastering the business methodology” help your mortgage business scale? (14:28)
What’s the best way to deliver irresistible propositions to potential referral partners? (18:23)

What You’ll Discover

Different ways cross-selling dilutes your expertise as a mortgage broker (3:37)
The dangers of having a One-Stop-Shop business model (5:33)
The ONLY way to make cross-selling work in a mortgage business (8:34)
Three things you need to master to do integrated selling (12:07)
The benefits of having integrated selling solutions (17:30)

Some mortgage brokers use knowledge as an excuse for inaction. They hide behind their need to learn more to delay taking action, as they fear the risks associated with it. But the reality is that too much knowledge without implementation will do you more harm than good.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted focus on the difference between knowing and doing. They discuss why you need to find the balance between the two and how you can bridge the gap so you can start applying what you know and get better results.

The Key Questions

How do you go from gaining knowledge to getting better results? (1:13)
How can you measure if more knowledge will be useful to you? (13:35)
What does it take to change your mindset and overcome the fear of the unknown? (16:53)
When is the right time to either sit back or take action? (18:07)

What You’ll Discover

Why continuous knowledge without improved results is useless (1:03)
The subtle difference between knowing and doing (6:45)
The foundation of most successful mortgage brokers (11:19)
A key element to finally push yourself from knowing to more doing (16:08)
The importance of getting the right guidance (23:45)

“The leads are no good. They waste my time!” Many brokers believe that the only reason they can’t convert leads has to do with quality… but they could not be more wrong! The reality is, there's a difference between a warm and a cold prospect (based on the lead source) and you must treat them differently if you want to convert. Otherwise you'll get frustrated, lose time and miss opportunities worth thousands of dollars.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss some of the secrets of effective lead conversion. They talk about the importance of intent and share tips for positioning yourself as an expert and boosting your conversion.

The Key Questions

Why do most brokers fail to close online leads? (3:45)
Why do most brokers approach lead generation all wrong? (10:49)
How do you take control of the conversation with your lead? (14:43)
How can you multiply your conversion exponentially? (16:49)

What You’ll Discover

The importance of intent (5:11)
The secret to success in lead generation (7:49)
The lead generation opportunity many brokers miss (12:56)
The #1 thing you need to do when dealing with online leads (18:34)

“I don’t have time!” How often do you say this to yourself? But the thing is, there’s no such excuse as no time – we all have the same 24 hours in a day. Why then do some brokers struggle and barely get anything done, while others are crushing it, writing 20 – 30 loans a month… and still taking time off?

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss one of the “mysteries of life” – the lack of time. They talk about why some brokers can do 5x the work of others… and share great insights that can help you escape the “lack of time” trap.

The Key Questions

What are some of the reasons for poor time management? (2:34)
Why is the constant lack of time similar to an addiction? (8:01)
How is prioritisation vital to your business? (12:29)
How do you start shifting your mindset and get more done? (15:05)

What You’ll Discover

The #1 cause of procrastination (4:46)
The time loop (and why it’s killing your business) (6:02)
The steps to escaping the trap of “being busy” (13:15)
The two things that’ll help you avoid distractions (16:38)

Amongst all the shiny objects, online marketing is right at the top of the pile. Online “gurus” and courses have made it seem so easy that many brokers believe it to be the holy grail of lead generation. The problem is… it’s FAR from easy! Often, online marketing is just another distraction that takes brokers away from proven methods that can grow their business. And many of them end up wasting 10s of 1000s of dollars on ads with little or no results!

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the traps of online marketing. They talk about why, most of the time, it’s a waste of money – and what you should do before you even think about online marketing.

The Key Questions

Why do so many mortgage brokers flock to paid advertising? (5:10)
How do you make mortgage marketing work? (12:03)
What makes mortgage marketing so attractive to brokers? (14:28)
When should you start investing in online marketing? (15:52)

What You’ll Discover

The ultimate reason why you shouldn’t be running your ads (2:13)
The #1 question to ask yourself before you hire a specialist (6:22)
The strategies to use instead of mortgage marketing (8:13)
A better way to spend your advertising money (10:23)

Many mortgage brokers believe turning off their phone and email might seem like the dumbest thing to do. In fact, most pride themselves on being available at the drop of a hat! They also keep worrying that if they switch off their phones and emails, they’ll lose business and their referral partners will ditch them… but will they, really?

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the false idea that mortgage brokers should always be available to their clients – and what can happen when you finally get rid of distractions.

The Key Questions

Why does being available affect your productivity? (4:11)
Why do some brokers do more volume working less? (12:29)
How can you respond to contacts effectively? (14:12)
How do you start reducing your availability without feeling bad about it? (16:55)

What You’ll Discover

Why It’s OK to turn off the phone (2:41)
The mindset that’ll help you keep your phone off (5:16)
A trick that’ll make your clients want you more (7:13)
The fallacy of multitasking (10:53)

Client referrals: the average broker is missing far more than they are getting! Thankfully, you don’t need any fancy ninja sales scripts to generate more referrals. And if you know what you’re doing, closing referrals is easier than you think and can boost your profits significantly!

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about the science (and secrets) of getting client referrals. You’ll hear the most common mistakes that prevent brokers from getting more referrals – as well as discover the exact strategy that can ensure you get a stable flow of new referrals coming in.

The Key Questions

What can motivate your client to refer people to you? (6:01)
Why are most brokers missing out on referrals? (11:07)
How do you increase your chances that clients will fall in love with your work? (15:44)
Why do clients forget about you? (21:21)

What You’ll Discover

The psychology behind asking for referrals. (5:37)
The three things you need to do to start getting more client referrals. (9:43)
The truth about staying in contact with your clients. (14:59)
The frame that you want to set to build a fruitful relationship with your clients. (17:37)

Should you start hiring people remotely? Almost all the brokers that we work with either consider working with a virtual team. Or, at least, in the process of doing so. This doesn’t surprise us one bit! Because thanks to all the tools we now have at our disposal, working remotely is easier than ever before. But it’s not the only reason why you should start building a virtual team.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the idea of building a virtual team. They talk about the biggest mistakes you can make when creating one, and explain why they believe that matching virtual teams with the right structure and systems is the best formula for building your mortgage business.

The Key Questions

What are the different types of virtual teams? (3:08)
How can an overseas team benefit your local employees? (5:53)
Why is it easier to find people for your team than most brokers think? (7:09)
Why is hiring people overseas not enough for you to benefit from having a virtual team? (10:25)
How do you ensure that your virtual team is a success? (18:11)
How can you train your virtual team remotely? (23:44)

What You’ll Discover

The financial benefits of running a virtual team. (2:05)
The #1 thing you need to make sure people can do the work. (7:37)
Why most brokers fail when hiring new employees, local and virtual. (12:58)
Common mistakes when communicating with virtual teams. (18:50)

There's a big myth in the mortgage industry that if you charge fees you will lose business to your competitors. "Why should a client pay your fee if they can get help elsewhere for free" - is the default argument. But it's not as simple as that. In fact, charging fees can actually increase demand for your business - if you position it correctly.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the right (and wrong) ways to go about adding fees for your advice and services. Listen in to learn how to position yourself, add fees, and get paid as a true professional.

The Key Questions

Why is the commission NOT your fee? (2:29)
Why do most brokers hesitate to charge fees? (3:41)
How do you justify your fees? (7:17)
How do you explain to your prospects why you’re charging fees? (15:56)
What do you say when prospects tell you that anyone can get them a loan? (22:15)

What You’ll Discover

The types of fees most brokers charge. (1:50)
The #1 fear that’s stopping brokers from charging fees. (6:54)
The mindset you need to start charging fees. (14:54)
The true outcome that you want to offer your clients. (21:29)
The exact process of finding your value. (25:17)

Don't quit when things get hard! The truth is, when growing a mortgage business and team, it will actually get harder before it gets easier. Growing a team creates more work and challenges, but when it's working well you reap the benefits. Unfortunately, many mortgage brokers give up and miss all the rewards.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about the RED and GREEN zones in business, and why you need to expect tough challenges and overcome them, if you want to succeed in growing a business.

The Key Questions

Why do things get harder before they get easier? (3:11)
Why do people give up when things get harder? (3:49)
Why do so many brokers find it hard to build a business? (12:00)
What are the main things you should focus on to increase your chances of success? (16:20)

What You’ll Discover

The truth about change and why it’s hard. (2:16)
What to look out for when you commit to change and grow. (5:22)
The tipping point – what it is and why it’s important. (8:57)
The mindset you need to have to succeed. (11:17)
A common problem most business brokers face when growing. (18:39)

In the mortgage industry, a deal coming in equals money and opportunity. As a result, many brokers struggle to say 'No'. They keep saying 'Yes' to everyone and everything. With this, they quickly go over their capacity. They start to get stressed, the quality of their work goes down, and, sooner or later, they burn out.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the topic of sustainable capacity – and why you have to stop saying yes to every deal that comes your way!

The Key Questions

What’s the #1 thing mortgage brokers fail to do? (4:37)
What really happens the moment you say yes to a prospective client? (10:22)
Why is it beneficial to slow down when working with clients? (16:30)
How can you take back control of your time? (19:25)

What You’ll Discover

Why most brokers believe saying yes is the right thing to do. (3:43)
The dirty word of the mortgage industry. (5:55)
The #1 thing you need to start building sustainable capacity. (7:29)
The mindset change needed for a long and prosperous mortgage career. (12:52)

Technology can be a game-changer. It allows you to automate things, saving time and money, and it improves client experiences. But overusing technology, at the wrong time and place, when relationships should be the focus, can damage your mortgage business and ruin opportunities.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the influence of technology on the mortgage industry and how to successfully build a business using the right mix of technology and relationships.

The Key Questions

What are some common mistakes that brokers make when using technology? (5:34)
What do people really want from you? (9:01)
Is too much technology actually a good thing? (14:25)
How do you compete against big businesses in the tech era? (19:10)

What You’ll Discover

The #1 reason why technology won’t substitute relationships and experience. (4:21)
How to approach technology and make it beneficial to your business. (8:28)
The most valuable currency of the future. (17:12)
The truth about generating leads in a tech world. (20:37)

What looks like a great mortgage business success on the outside, isn’t always that good on the inside. Many of the so-called 'top brokers' who rake in huge commissions are often tired, stressed and overworked. To keep up, they work 60 – 80 hours a week. What’s worse, they don’t even realise they are in a trap. And it’s a trap that often leads to burnout.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the success trap, why it’s so common in the mortgage industry, and how to get out of it.

The Key Questions

What is the success trap? (2:17)
What should you look out for in the mortgage industry itself? (7:12)
Why is it so hard to escape the success trap? (13:14)
What are some other things you need to be careful about? (21:37)

What You’ll Discover

Why it’s so easy to fall into the success trap. (01:12)
The mindset you need to change. (03:54)
The #1 reason why you’re in the success trap. (10:23)
The steps to getting out of the success trap. (17:54)

You can’t build a successful mortgage business alone. You need to build a team filled with ambitious, hard-working people. The problem is, it’s not uncommon for team to leave or move on, knocking you back to square one. The good news is, there are things you can do to prevent most of them from leaving.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the reasons why so many businesses struggle to keep good people. And more importantly, how to make sure they’ll stay in your business and help you grow it.

The Key Questions

What’s the most common reason why good employees leave? (2:57)
What should you do before you start hiring staff? (9:20)
What do good, ambitious employees really want from you? (12:42)
Why can’t you build systems to suit your team’s personality? (17:40)

What You’ll Discover

The #1 mistake business owners make that causes people to leave. (05:16)
The importance of culture and opportunities in keeping good people. (12:04)
The truth about expectations. (16:20)
How to build effective systems inside your business. (18:25)

Only around 5% of brokers who enter this industry have the skill set required to run and build a mortgage business. The other 95% have spent so much time as employees, they come with an employee mindset. As a result, instead of enjoying all the freedom this business can offer, they soon start treating their new venture the only way they know: as a job.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about the ‘job trap’. You’ll hear about the mistakes people make when they transition from employment and why. And, most importantly, you’ll discover what to do to enjoy the freedom this industry can give you!

The Key Questions

Why the thing that you enjoy the most about this business can 'kill' you? (2:59)
Why do mortgage brokers fall into the job trap? (4:31)
Why most never escape the job trap? (7:14)
What’s the #1 way to avoid the job trap altogether? (17:19)

What You’ll Discover

The approach you need to take to build a real business instead of a job. (9:59)
The mindset shift needed to escape the trap. (13:50)
The question you need to ask yourself every single day. (17:53)
The decision you need to make to be successful. (19:10)

Mortgage brokers around the world are falling prey to Shiny Object Syndrome. The attitude of chasing the latest and greatest product, training, technology or service, that is going to magically solve all their problems. The problem is... IT DOESN'T.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted dissect this problem to help brokers understand why it's holding them back, then provide simple and effective solutions to help combat and keep Shiny Object Syndrome at bay.

Are you ready to take on this problem? What are you waiting for? Let James and Ash show you the way!

The Key Questions

What is Shiny Object Syndrome? (1:00)
How do you get past it? (3:46)
What decision should I be making? (12:11)
What's the secret? (24:04)

What You’ll Learn

Mortgage brokers require a creative process to get up and running. (1:19)
Shiny Object Syndrome is not something that disappears, it's always there. (4:00)
Why it's very hard to pull yourself out of the search for shiny objects. (6:00)
There is no level of achievement and success that removes you from the need for external guidance. It's just different guidance at different times in your business. (13:52)

If all you have to win clients over is a cheap rate, you are fighting a losing battle, because there will always be someone cheaper. You will become a replaceable commodity.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share why this was the go-to strategy in the past, and why it no longer helps mortgage brokers at present. They share how brokers need to step up from being a simple order-taker and transform themselves into a trusted advisor.

Are you ready to elevate your game from being a mortgage broker into a trusted advisor and grow your business? Let James and Ash guide you on that journey.

The Key Questions

What are you (broker) going to do for me (client)? (10:11)
How do you switch the conversation to where you want to go? (10:28)
How do I actually activate the trusted advisor? (13:10)
How do I turn more people into customers? (25:11)

What You’ll Learn

Why brokers who continue to compete on rates, fees, and lenders, will lose. (0:56)
In the absence of good advice, people will default to a better deal. (4:48)
Most mortgage brokers get word-of-mouth and referrals. (7:24)
Switching from being an order-taker to being a trusted adviser. (11:12)

Most mortgage brokers approach partnerships with real estate agents in the wrong way. This results in a lot of effort, coffee meetings, follow-up, attending open homes and more - but without the referrals to show for it.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the secret to building long-term, profitable partnerships with real estate agents. You’ll hear about the common mistakes, as well as ideas for how to win real estate agents over.

If you want to know how to forge key partnerships with real estate agents who will send you referrals consistently, listen in to James and Ash now.

The Key Questions

How do you find those select-few real estate agents? (6:18)
Why not try to maintain 20 or 30 relationships? (07:59)
What do you do to win real estate agents over? (12:12)
Why shouldn’t you work with anyone just because they can give you business? (14:19)

What You’ll Discover

How Ash built one successful mortgage business with just a handful of real estate agents. (3:50)
The secret to making real estate agents want to work with you. (7:00)
The truth about relationships with referral partners. (11:33)
The biggest mistake mortgage brokers make when approaching real estate agents. (13:49)

Mortgage brokers are often stuck in the trap of doing $1 tasks, and it's holding them back from earning more money and spending more time on the tasks they enjoy most. The problem is, the industry teaches brokers to do this, and many never escape the $1 trap.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted reveal why mortgage brokers are approaching their job and business wrong, and are often stuck in an administration rut. It takes a mindset shift and a business focus to break out.

If you want to escape the $1 task trap and become a highly-paid mortgage expert, let James and Ash show you how!

The Key Questions

Why do so many mortgage professionals fail to offload low-value work? (5:51)
Why do some mortgage brokers feel the need to do $1 tasks? (9:05)
What happens when you stop doing $1 tasks? (11:16)
How to identify $1 tasks and re-assign them to your team effectively? (16:00)

What You’ll Discover

The two main categories of tasks a mortgage broker does. (2:13)
The Holy Grail of the mortgage broking industry. (3:24)
The #1 reason why mortgage brokers can’t stop doing $1 tasks. (7:39)
A common mistake people make when trying to delegate. (19:11)

No we are not crazy! Turning away leads can really double (or more) your mortgage business. This sounds counterintuitive to what brokers think, because the standard strategy is to cast the net far and wide and get as many clients as possible. However, this results in a lot of mortgage brokers not having enough time in the day and becoming inefficient.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted talk about a controversial approach to growing your business. They reveal the benefits of choosing a niche market. They share how this can help mortgage businesses attract better customers and more referrals.

Are you ready to turn away leads and grow your business? Let James and Ash inspire you with this episode.

The Key Questions

If someone rings up tomorrow with a million-dollar home loan or a massive commercial transaction or a car loan, why should I turn that away? (5:13)
Why would you chase a commercial deal when it doesn't feed into your objectives? (9:25)
Why do you think a lot of mortgage brokers don't seem to get this? (10:18)
Why not have relationships with other specialists that you can send these non-core clients? (12:54)

What You’ll Learn

If you turn away leads, you will double your business. (0:52)
If you help with everything, you become an expert of nothing. (3:12)
Diversify, but only at the right time. Never as a way to make more money to fill the gaps that you should be making from home loans. (18:42)
If you are trying to go after everybody, you get nobody. (21:46)

Every mortgage broker wants $1,000,000+ deals. You get paid a lot more for the same work. But attracting these larger clients and deals requires a different strategy, because these clients are different. You have to show up differently.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted discuss the secrets to attracting $1,000,000 deals. How to think about these clients, who they are and what they want, and how you need to position yourself so they take you seriously (and don't just see you as another dime-a-dozen mortgage broker).

If you want to get bigger deals across your desk more often, join James and Ash and learn how to show up like an Expert Authority.

The Key Questions:

Who can afford a $1 million+ deal? (2:04)
What type of mortgage broker are seven-figure clients attracted to? (4:28)
Why do seven-figure clients want more than just the best deal? (10:04)
How to position yourself to attract high-value clients. (16:40)

What You’ll Discover:

The truth about $1 million+ mortgage clients. (2:44)
The best source of seven-figure deals. (5:33)
The mindset you need to attract $1 million+ deals. (7:04)
The mistakes mortgage brokers make when looking for referral partners, and how to avoid them. (15:36)

A sausage factory is pretty simple. It takes raw materials and puts them in at one end and a consistent product (sausages) comes out the other end, over and over again. In a mortgage business, we take this concept to help brokers build a team and delivery process, that gets consistent results as efficiently as possible.

In this episode of Mortgage Broker Acceleration, James Veigli and Ash Playsted share the analogy of how building a sausage factory can be likened to how mortgage brokers need to set up their business. They share tips on how to efficiently run and manage your mortgage business without sacrificing a lot of time.

If you want to start running your mortgage business more efficiently, let James and Ash show you how!

The Key Questions:

What is a sausage factory? (1:37)
What does that look like in stages or steps or segments? (2:02)
What do we need to start doing to chop this job up? (9:59)
What's the first thing that takes the most amount of time? (10:09)

What You’ll Learn:

Building your sausage factory is one of the most important things that mortgage brokers need to do. (1:05)
If you're good at what you do, you'll find that you're boxed in doing everything. (4:21)
What we call the success trap. (8:37)
The way to build value in a business is by replicating what you do. (15:50)

Podcast

All episodes.

VISIBILITY WINS: Stop Hiding Behind The Laptop. Master Old-School First, Then Online. Consistency Is King.

VARIETY STORE BROKER: The Cheapness In One-Stop-Shop. Everything Good, But Nothing Special.

PARTNER CHEAT CODE: Coffees Are A Waste Of Time. Do This Instead. It's NOT You, But It Is 100% What You DO.

TEAM DESIGN: Avoid (Or Escape) The Supported Broker Trap. Common Team Flaws Exposed. If-This-Then Secrets.

CLIENT HYPNOSIS: Get More Valuable & Faster Outcomes For Clients. Reduce Stress & Overwhelm.

MONEY MATHS: Mortgage Businesses Are Blindly Going Backwards Financially. The Dangers Of Relying On Trail.

FLOW MAXIMISER: Stop Losing Deals, Doing Work & Not Getting Paid. Solve For Conversions And Client Experience.

MARKETING: Getting Results Is Hard. Brokers Keep Using The Wrong Strategies. Stop Wasting Time & Money.

70 HOURS > 7 MINS: The Fastest Digest In History. Our Most Powerful Insights & Strategies From 200+ Episodes.

CASE STUDY: Maximising Your End Game

Merging and Acquiring Mortgage Businesses

Getting Off The Tools

Profitable Mortgage Business Model

CASE STUDY: How "Clare" transformed a business from dependent to independent (and grew revenue 5x)

Permission To Work Less, Earn More

The Full Hands-Off Business

Systems Engineering For Dummies

Why Prioritise Business Building

CASE STUDY: Learn From These Mistakes Brokers Make When Building Team

The One Person All Brokers Should Hire (But Virtually None Do)

To Build Or Not To Build? (The Forgotten Question)

Team Advancement (Creating Stars)

CASE STUDY: Building Celebrity Status

Entering, Winning And Leveraging Awards

Wear White When Everyone Wears Black

Public Speaking (Is Not Worse Than Dying!)

How To Start The New Financial Year Like A Pro

CASE STUDY: Good Old Fashion Tactics Still Work (And Actually Work Better Than New Ones)

The New World Of Direct Messaging

Hyper-Engaged Clients

The Message And The Messenger

CASE STUDY: A Deep-Dive Obsession With Personal Productivity (Getting More Done With Less)

3 Elements Of Peak Performance

Magic Minute And Mental Fartlek

The Energy Map

CASE STUDY: Making The Loan, The Rate, The Deal... Irrelevant... And Winning The Client Everytime.

Friend-Zone VS Pro-Zone

How To Cross-Sell, Up-Sell, Side-Sell... Without Selling!

3 Steps To Master Client Meetings

What Customers Really Want (The Truth)

CASE STUDY: How "Ash" Built National Partnerships And Wrote Over 1,000 Loans

Should I Share Commissions With Partners?

The Correct Mindset For Approaching Referral Partners

Referral Partner "Friendzone": How To Avoid Or Escape

CASE STUDY: How "James" Generates Hundreds Of Leads

If You Are Afraid To Market And Sell Yourself, You Should Not Be A Broker

How To Generate All The (Quality) Leads You'll Ever Need

Digital Marketing: Websites, Funnels, Social Media, Etc (Million-Dollar Lessons From An Insider)

CASE STUDY: "Sarah" Is Using This Secret To Greater Community Presence, Loan Volume and Client Impact

Don't Sell Mortgages: Do This Instead

The Specialist Broker (Be Valued. Earn More. Work Less.)

10,000 Hours To Become An Expert? Here's A Faster Way

2024 Predictions: What To Do. What Not To Do.

A Wrap And Bow On 2023

Your Ideal Client

Pre-Approval Conversion Accelerator

CASE STUDY: The Inside Story Behind Multiple Award Winner "Billy Bob's" Success

Win The Client Presentation

The Quality + Quantity Of Content Marketing

Extracting Expertise (Yourself + Others)

CASE STUDY: How "Max & Mary" Used Their Differences To Triple Volume And Become True Business Leaders

Ask For Candy. Get Candy. Halloween Secrets For Business.

It's What You DON'T Do That Matters Most

Happy Team = Happy Business = Happy You

Do People Really Know What You Do?

CASE STUDY: Why "Jimmy" Is Happier With Less. A Lesson For All Gunning For The Top.

The Love-Hate Of Social Media

Mortgage Broking Doesn't Have To Be Boring!

How To Remove Distractions Once And For All

The Future Past

Expo And Trade Show Marketing: Do And Don'ts

Batman & Robin: The Secret Of The Dynamic Duo

Optimising Workflow

CASE STUDY: How "Rob & Steve" Sold Their Mortgage Business For Millions

Critical Thinking Is Impossible If You Do It Alone

Stop Working For Free

Cigars, Whiskey And Breakthroughs

500 Clients