Fintech Hunting

Most lenders say they have access to non-agency products.But access does not mean your loan officers can confidently sell them.In this episode of The Fintech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with Eloise Schmitz, CEO and Co-Founder of LoanNEX, to unpack one of the biggest hidden growth problems in mortgage lending today: lenders are missing qualified borrowers because their teams do not have the visibility, workflow, and execution certainty needed to compete in non-agency lending.This is not just a product problem.It is a confidence problem.It is a workflow problem.It is a revenue problem.Eloise explains why non-agency lending can no longer be treated like a side-door solution for unusual files. In a market where affordability is tight, rates remain elevated, and borrower profiles are changing, lenders need more than a long product menu. They need a clear way for loan officers to identify options, trust the pricing, explain the solution, and deliver what they promise.In this conversation, Michael and Eloise discuss:Why access alone is not a competitive advantageHow lenders unintentionally hide viable options from loan officersWhy “simple” product menus can actually create more frictionThe borrower segments lenders are missing in today’s marketWhy execution certainty matters more than everHow LoanNEX helps lenders create confidence in non-agency lendingWhy the future belongs to lenders who can make complex products easier to sellThe big takeaway:If your loan officers cannot see the right options, they cannot sell the right solutions.And in this market, that may be costing lenders more than they realize.Guest: Eloise Schmitz, CEO & Co-Founder, LoanNEXHost: Michael Hammond, The Fintech Hunting PodcastLearn more about LoanNEX:Contact: [email protected] to The Fintech Hunting Podcast for more conversations with the leaders, founders, and innovators shaping the future of mortgage, fintech, lending, and financial services.

Mortgage Lenders Can’t Rely on Trigger Leads Anymore. Here’s What Comes NextTrigger leads have been one of the mortgage industry’s favorite shortcuts.That shortcut is changing.In this episode of The Fintech Hunting Podcast, host Michael Hammond sits down with Katharine Loveland, SVP General Manager at Volly, to break down what the new trigger lead environment means for mortgage lenders, servicers, loan officers, and marketing leaders.For years, many lenders leaned on reactive marketing: trigger leads, batch emails, speed-to-phone tactics, and last-minute refinance outreach. But as trigger lead legislation reshapes the competitive landscape, lenders can no longer depend on buying access to borrowers at the moment they apply somewhere else.The lenders that win the next market cycle will be the ones that already own the relationship.Katharine explains why mortgage retention is no longer a nice-to-have — it is becoming one of the most important revenue strategies in lending. As refinance opportunities return, lenders need to know which borrowers are ready, who is at risk, what messages matter, and how to engage customers before competitors do.This conversation covers:Why trigger lead changes are forcing lenders to rethink growthWhy retention is now a strategic priority, not just a marketing taskHow lenders should prepare for the next refinance waveWhy borrower relationships need to be built before rates dropHow AI can help prioritize outreach and personalize engagementWhy portfolio intelligence matters more than generic campaignsWhat lenders can do now to protect past customers from competitorsHow marketing automation can support smarter borrower recaptureThe big takeaway: if your retention strategy starts when the borrower is already shopping, you are too late.Mortgage companies need to stop relying on shortcuts and start building a system that keeps them connected to borrowers throughout the entire homeownership journey.This episode is a must-watch for mortgage executives, loan officers, servicers, marketing leaders, fintech vendors, and anyone trying to build a smarter borrower engagement strategy in a changing market.Guest: Katharine Loveland, SVP General Manager, VollyHost: Michael Hammond, Founder & CEO of NexLevel Advisors and host of The Fintech Hunting PodcastLearn more about Volly: myvolly.comSubscribe to The Fintech Hunting Podcast for more conversations on mortgage technology, fintech innovation, AI, borrower retention, lending strategy, and the future of financial services.#MortgageMarketing #TriggerLeads #MortgageRetention #BorrowerRetention #MortgageTechnology #MortgageAI #AIinMortgage #MortgageLending #RefinanceStrategy #LoanOfficers #Fintech #FintechHunting #Volly###Michael Hammond, Founder & CEO of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.

AI is no longer a future topic in mortgage lending. It is the force separating the companies that adapt from the ones that get outpaced.In this episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with Jim Deitch, Co-Founder and CEO of Tera Verde, to talk about the hard truth facing mortgage leaders right now:AI is either coming to you or coming for you.This is not a surface-level conversation about shiny tools or hype.Jim breaks down what AI disruption really means for the mortgage industry, why speed matters more than ever, how weak workflows get exposed faster, and why leaders who fail to rethink process, profitability, and customer experience will lose ground to competitors who do. The episode centers on AI as a present-day competitive force in lending, not a distant trend. You’ll hear a sharp conversation on:why AI is changing how mortgage companies competewhy faster technology does not fix broken operationshow AI can improve decision-making, customer experience, and efficiencywhat lenders need to rethink before the market shifts againwhy leadership mindset may be the real differentiator in the next era of mortgage lendingJim is also the author of Disruptive AI, a book that challenges leaders to decide whether AI will become their advantage or their threat. Even better, proceeds from the book support MBA Open Doors, which helps families with critically ill children make mortgage or rent payments while caring for their child. Buy Jim Deitch’s book, Disruptive AI:https://www.amazon.com/Disruptive-AI-Its-Coming-You/dp/B0GQJSPFNZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1Z0NTK4W0GGCN&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6-fbC0ndpzRiQP0l4Kt9ulq4MvyEHSoVbnzuGUbFXUU.xY1TZsZORFYsBrOFM_KBsYWkxagOfWQ93qUeLhKHYuE&dib_tag=se&keywords=james+deitch+books+AI+Disruptor&qid=1776691616&sprefix=james+deitch+books+ai+disrupto%2Caps%2C106&sr=8-1If you work in mortgage lending, fintech, financial services, digital mortgage, or AI strategy, this episode will challenge how you think about growth, competition, and the future of lending.Subscribe for more conversations on mortgage AI, fintech innovation, lending strategy, digital transformation, and the leaders shaping the future of financial services.#MortgageAI #JimDeitch #FinTechHuntingPodcast #MortgageLending #Fintech #ArtificialIntelligence #DigitalMortgage #LendingInnovation #FinancialServices

AI is everywhere in mortgage right now. Results are not.In this episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with Michael Vandi, CEO of Addy AI, for a direct conversation about the growing gap between AI hype and real execution in mortgage and fintech.Why are lenders hearing endless AI pitches but still struggling to create meaningful operational change? Why are so many tools impressive in a demo but disappointing in the real world? And what actually has to happen for AI to improve workflows, reduce friction, and create real business value?This episode breaks down:Why AI fatigue is growing in mortgage and fintechWhy most AI solutions fail inside real lending environmentsWhat lenders actually need from automation todayWhere AI can create leverage in loan setup and underwritingWhy workflow-specific execution matters more than flashy softwareWhat separates true innovation from vendor hypeIf you work in mortgage, lending, banking, fintech, or AI, this is a conversation about what is really changing, what is not, and where the biggest opportunity is being missed.Subscribe to FinTech Hunting for conversations with the leaders building the future of financial services, mortgage technology, AI, and digital transformation.#FinTechHunting #MortgageAI #FintechPodcast #Lending #MortgageTechnology #ArtificialIntelligence #Underwriting #Automation #FinancialServices #AddyAI

What does the future of mortgage lending look like when AI acts less like software and more like a true team member?In this episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with Athan Zhang, Co-Founder of Copperlane, to talk about how agentic AI is changing the mortgage industry. From proactive borrower engagement and document review to condition clearing, compliance guardrails, and 24/7 support, Athan shares how Copperlane is helping lenders rethink productivity, efficiency, and the role of the loan officer. This conversation covers:What agentic AI actually means in mortgageHow an AI loan officer can support borrowers and lendersWhy AI should enhance the human side of lending, not replace itThe real reasons many lenders are still slow to adopt AIHow to think about compliance, safety, and trust in AI systemsWhy lowering the cost to originate is now mission-criticalHow lenders can use AI to create a more scalable, flexible growth model Athan also explains why the lenders waiting on the sidelines may fall behind, and why the winners in this next chapter of mortgage will be the ones who learn how to combine human connection with AI-driven execution. If you are a:mortgage lenderlending executiveloan officerfintech leadermortgage operations leaderAI-curious industry professionalthis episode is for you.Connect with Copperlane:Website: copperlane.aiRequest a demo directly on their siteEmail: [email protected] FinTech Hunting PodcastFinTech Hunting features conversations with leading voices in mortgage, fintech, sales, growth, and innovation—focused on the ideas and technologies shaping the future of the industry.#MortgageAI #FintechHunting #MortgageLending #AthanZhang #Copperlane #LoanOfficer #MortgageTechnology #AgenticAI #ArtificialIntelligence #LendingInnovation #MortgageIndustry #FintechPodcast###Michael Hammond, Founder & CEO of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.