Fintech Hunting

In this powerful episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, Michael sits down with Christine Beckwith, Founder and CEO of 2020 Vision for Success, for a heartfelt and honest conversation about what it really takes to lead in a difficult mortgage market. Christine shares what she’s hearing from loan officers and production leaders across the country, why so many originators are approaching rate conversations the wrong way, and how mortgage professionals can stop “selling themselves into a corner” by becoming trusted advisors instead of transactional rate watchers. The conversation goes deeper than rates and refinance strategy. Christine opens up about personal hardship, leadership under pressure, the emotional weight many professionals are carrying right now, and why coaching is not a luxury in hard markets, but a lifeline. This episode is a reminder that in financial services, the greatest advantage is not just market knowledge. It is belief, clarity, empathy, and the courage to keep showing up. In this episode, you’ll learn:Why loan officers must stop leading with rate aloneHow to build trust by thinking like a true advisorWhat “believability” means in sales and marketingWhy waiting for the perfect refi boom is a losing strategyHow coaching helps professionals survive and grow in tough marketsWhat resilience looks like when business and life both get heavy This is a must-watch for loan officers, mortgage leaders, financial services professionals, and anyone navigating change, uncertainty, and growth.###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.

In this episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with Kortney Lane-Schafers of MMI (Mobility Market Intelligence) for a powerful conversation about where the mortgage industry is headed—and what still matters most as technology moves faster than ever.Yes, AI is changing the game.Yes, data is more available than ever.But here’s the deeper question:In a market driven by automation, what still creates trust, momentum, and real growth?Kortney shares how MMI One is helping mortgage professionals turn data into action—not just reports, dashboards, or noise, but real business decisions around recruiting, retention, market expansion, customer outreach, and borrower opportunity.This episode goes beyond product talk. It gets to the heart of what many leaders are wrestling with right now:How do you use mortgage data in a way that is actually useful?What role should AI play in relationship-driven industries?How can lenders, servicers, banks, and credit unions better activate their databases?Why do authentic human relationships still outperform transactional selling?What makes an industry experience memorable instead of forgettable?Kortney also shares her perspective on why connection still matters, why the best networking is never just about selling, and how thoughtful experiences can create lasting impact across the mortgage and fintech ecosystem.If you work in mortgage, fintech, lending, servicing, banking, credit unions, proptech, sales, recruiting, or growth strategy, this conversation will give you both practical insight and a meaningful reminder:Technology may accelerate business, but relationships still move it forward.Key takeaways from IMB and why optimism is returning to mortgage in 2026What MMI One is and how it unifies mortgage data, communications, and monitoringHow lenders can use data for market growth, recruiting, retention, and referral developmentWhy actionable data matters more than just having more dataHow mortgage teams can use triggers and insights to deliver the right message at the right timeThe growing role of AI, automation, CRM integration, and credit monitoringWhy live events, networking, and authentic connection still matter in a digital-first worldHow meaningful experiences build stronger business relationships in mortgage and fintechKortney Lane-Schafers is a respected voice in mortgage and fintech, known for her work at MMI, her leadership in building authentic industry relationships, and her ability to connect data, strategy, and people in a way that creates real impact.The mortgage industry does not need more noise.It needs more clarity.More intentionality.And more leaders who understand that the future belongs to the organizations that can blend data, AI, and human connection the right way.If that’s the future you’re building toward, this episode is for you.Connect with Kortney Lane-Schafers on LinkedInLearn more about MMI: MMI.ioSubscribe to FinTech Hunting for more conversations with the leaders shaping mortgage, fintech, AI, marketing, growth, and the future of financial services.In this episode, we cover:About Kortney Lane-Schafers Why this conversation matters.###Michael Hammond, Founder of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.

If networking feels awkward, forced, or transactional—this episode is your reset.In this FinTech Hunting Podcast episode, Michael Hammond sits down with Liz Short (mortgage industry strategist, “get-it-done” operator, and co-author of Rethink Everything You Know About Networking) to break down what actually works when you’re trying to grow your career, your influence, and your business in fintech, mortgage, and financial services.Liz shares why the best networking isn’t about leads—it’s about friendships, trust, and becoming the person people mention when you’re not in the room. Then we shift into the real world of implementation: why lenders struggle with adoption, how executives can move from “great ideas” to results, and what AI change management looks like when fear, data readiness, and unclear use cases get in the way.What you’ll learn in this episode:Why most people feel awkward networking (and how to push through it)The #1 mistake people make at conferences and trade shows (hint: “lead capture” energy)How to build a network that creates opportunities when you’re not lookingWhy execution fails inside organizations—and how outside perspective helpsLiz’s framework for AI adoption: vision → use case → data/process readinessThe truth about AI: it’s not magic—it amplifies what’s already brokenHow to lead change in mortgage/fintech with a people-first approachMentioned in the episode:Liz Short’s book: Rethink Everything You Know About NetworkingConferences: Michigan Mortgage Lenders Association Sales Conference and ICE ExperienceLiz’s work at Short Solutions helping lenders drive adoption and ROI from tech investmentsWho is Liz Short?Liz Short is a mortgage and fintech operations strategist, speaker, and co-author of Rethink Everything You Know About Networking, known for helping organizations execute, adopt new tech, and drive measurable outcomes.What is the best networking advice from this episode?Stop treating networking like a transaction. Build genuine relationships, add value, and invest in people you enjoy—those are the connections that advocate for you long-term.How should lenders approach AI adoption?Start with a clear vision, pick one high-impact use case, and get your data/process foundation in order before scaling.Chapters (optional)00:00 Intro + why Liz is the perfect guest01:10 Why Liz co-wrote Rethink Everything You Know About Networking03:20 Networking isn’t transactional—relationships win05:00 Why tech implementations fail (and how to fix adoption)09:30 Change management + psychology in mortgage orgs10:45 AI in lending: vision, use cases, and data readiness14:00 Conferences + where to find LizIf this episode helped you:✅ Subscribe for more fintech + mortgage leadership conversations💬 Comment: What part of networking (or AI adoption) feels hardest right now?🔗 Share with a leader who needs relationship-first growth###Michael Hammond, Founder of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.

Your team is sitting on closed loans… and doesn’t even know it.In this episode, Josh Friend (CEO & Founder of Insellerate) explains how Aithena listens to 100% of your calls, surfaces the moments that win or lose deals, and predicts who’s likely to close in the next 60 days—so your loan officers stop chasing dead ends and start closing more loans.If you lead mortgage sales, lending ops, call centers, or revenue teams, this is the AI episode that cuts through the hype—because it’s not a shiny tool. It’s real work getting done: call reviews, coaching, prioritization, and smarter follow-up.Automates call reviews by jumping straight to the critical moment (objection, missed step, buying signal)Gives managers 10 coachable moments in 20 minutes instead of wasting 20 minutes on one full callApplies a deal likelihood score so reps know who to call today vs. who to nurtureDetects borrower intent using patterns learned from 1M+ conversationsHelps reps stay confident and effective by prioritizing higher-probability borrowers firstTurns scattered conversations into a repeatable, coachable system that scalesWhen call volume spikes and rates shift, most teams can’t tell the difference between:“Not ready”and“Ready to close—just not with you yet.”Aithena helps you find the borrowers who are most likely to act soon—before they close somewhere else.FAQ'sWhat is Aithena?Aithena is an AI platform from Insellerate that reviews calls, scores conversations, and delivers coaching + lead prioritization based on borrower intent.How does Aithena help close more loans?It identifies high-intent borrowers, surfaces objections and missed moments, improves coaching speed, and focuses reps on the leads most likely to close soon.Who should use Aithena?Mortgage and lending organizations, call centers, and revenue teams that want better call performance, faster coaching, and smarter follow-up.Email Josh: [email protected]:00 Welcome + Josh Friend returns0:40 Why most AI projects fail ROI2:10 Aithena: AI call reviews + coaching moments4:00 100% call coverage and better insights5:20 Predictive lead scoring + borrower intent9:00 Sales confidence and performance11:10 Vibe coding + building faster with AI19:20 Events + how to connect21:30 Wrap-up###Michael Hammond, Founder of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.

What if the biggest obstacle to faster closings isn’t underwriting… it’s title?In this episode of Fintech Hunting, host Michael Hammond sits down with Meghan (Megan) F. Askin, Director of Lending Services at AFX Research, to unpack what’s really changing in the title space in 2026—and why the future isn’t “AI replaces humans,” but AI + humans in the loop.Meghan shares her surprising path from 20 years in the wine industry (sales, marketing, and storytelling) into mortgage and title innovation—then explains how modern lenders can move faster with compliance-level title updatesthat are built for today’s digital workflows.Why title data is uniquely hard (hint: 3,600+ recording venues and zero standardization)What “human + AI hybrid” really looks like in real production workflowsHow AFX delivers structured title data (including JSON via integration) to make reports truly usableWhy structured, usable data matters more than “more data”How same-day title updates can reduce friction, shorten cycle times, and support smarter funding decisionsMeghan’s practical approach to LinkedIn storytelling that builds trust before you ever meet in personSpeed matters. But in title, trust matters more. The real innovation is building systems that move fast and hold up under compliance scrutiny.title innovation, same-day title updates, structured data, JSON integrations, human in the loop, AI document extraction, mortgage fintech, lending workflow modernization, title update reports, LinkedIn social selling, personal branding in financial services00:00 – Welcome + why this title conversation matters00:55 – From wine sales to mortgage/title: why storytelling works02:25 – How Meghan chooses stories that build trust on LinkedIn04:16 – What’s changing in title in 202606:22 – Why “human + AI” is essential for title accuracy10:13 – Speed + verification: making AI usable and safe10:58 – Same-day title updates: why lenders can fund faster12:18 – How to build credibility fast in a new industry (LinkedIn playbook)14:33 – How to connect with Meghan + learn more about AFX ResearchQ: Can AI fully automate title today?A: Not end-to-end. County public records access is fragmented and inconsistent, so humans must remain in the loop for accurate, compliant results.Q: Why is title still slow in many workflows?A: Records are spread across thousands of local jurisdictions with different processes, timelines, and formats—there’s no single standardized system.Q: What does “structured data” mean in title?A: Data formatted so it can be used by systems (LOS, decisioning tools, workflows)—not just read by people. This episode covers why JSON delivery matters.Q: How do same-day title updates help lenders?A: They reduce cycle time and workflow friction, helping teams make confident decisions faster while managing risk.In this conversation, you’ll learn:A quote-worthy idea from this episode:Key topics (for AI search + viewer skimming)Chapters / TimestampsFAQs (Answer Engine Optimization)###Michael Hammond is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.