The 100M Loan Officer

Introduction

Before we begin it’s important to understand what this guide is and isn’t. It isn’t a set of ads, scripts and tactics to generate leads for your business…or at least it won’t seem that way to you at first.

This content is for someone who’s already generating solid origination business but finds him/herself frustrated at a plateau in production and needs to know how to start that next journey to higher levels of production.

You see, that’s where I found myself many years ago. I had plateaued out at a production level many get stuck at and frankly, many get very comfortable at and have good productive careers from, but it wasn’t enough for me.

You’ll hear my story as you make your way through the guide. And it’s really just that…a guide. Mostly a guide to some areas you may need to employ some different thinking in.

Here’s the thing…the same level of thinking that’s gotten you to where you’re at today won’t take you to $100m and beyond. To do different you must think different.

There is very little original thought in this guide. What I mean is that most of this are things I’ve learned from others along the way.

The last thing I’ll say by way of introduction is that none of this stuff is theory. I’m not some coach who can’t do so I coach. I’ve done this stuff and it’s not on trial. It works and it’s important.

If you do what I’ve done, you’ll likely have the results you are seeking.

Chapter 1:

The Most Important Question!

 Why do I want to reach $100 million per year in production? 

Dream, Mission, Purpose, the big “Why”… whatever you call it, the drive to do something great (and let’s be clear, producing $100,000,000 in closed loan volume per year is something great) requires having something that motivates you beyond just showing up and working hard.

I’ll admit, initially, for me, it was simply a desire to compete with others I saw doing more than I was. I remember the top producer at my first mortgage job. He wasn’t what we’d now call a mega-producer, but he was the top dog in our branch, and he didn’t let anyone forget it! My competitive nature was definitely stirred. Just starting out in the mortgage business with no training, I didn’t even know there was a “t” in mortgage. But my driving force was to outproduce him.

So, I dug in and started working—working hard. No one was going to outwork me. I’d just left the US Navy as a Naval Aviator, and that military work ethic was kicking in.

Hard work alone got me just so far, though. As I learned the business on the technical mortgage side, it also became clear that I’d need some sales training. And that changed everything for me. I met LOs from around the country who were doing big numbers, and I discovered they weren’t much different from me…they just did different things…they thought differently, and it showed up in their results.

One more thing about them: they didn’t really have any unique ideas. They simply took what worked for others and adapted it to their businesses. It seemed like a winning formula to me too, so that’s exactly what I did. They were also more than happy to help me and even celebrated my success alongside theirs.

If you don’t have people like that in your life, you need to find some!

That initial drive to achieve served me well for the first four or five years, but then I plateaued at about $25 million a year… back then, around 8–10 deals a month. It was then that I realized that, to succeed long-term in this business, I had to get out of the business of “selling mortgages.” That’s right—if you’re out there selling mortgages, you’re setting yourself up for a roller-coaster career, with cycles of boom and bust totally dictated by market conditions.

For me, the shift came in how I approached client consultations. I called it, “Breaking the Code on Value.” You see, when I first started attending sales conferences, I’d hear people talk about “value” and about how rates and fees are not value. This confused me, because it seemed we were all selling a commodity; outside of being available 24/7 and making sure everything went smoothly, the price was a big component of the value…probably the biggest component!

But when I finally broke the code on value, everything changed. I began to approach mortgages from a financial planning perspective and started consulting with my borrowers in a way that created real impact and real value. More about that later.

That’s when my desire to do $100 million a year and more kicked in. The reason—or my “why”—was suddenly simple and natural: I wanted to have a generational impact on the families I served, and I wanted to serve a lot of them! That was it. Think about it: can you have a generational impact on a family by simply selling them a mortgage? Nope—you have to see yourself as much more than that and be much more than that to your customer. Doing so can change the course of your career.

Action:

To start your journey toward $100 million in production, take a few moments to clarify your own purpose and driving force. Here are some action steps to get you focused and ready for what’s next:

1. Write Down Your "Why"
   Spend 10 minutes writing down why you want to reach $100 million in production. Be specific. Ask yourself questions like:
• • What impact do I want to have on my clients?
  • What personal goals will this achievement fulfill?
  • How will my life and business change when I reach this level?
2. Visualize the Long-Term Impact
   Think about how achieving $100 million will affect not only your career but also the lives of the clients you serve. Imagine the generational impact you can create. Write down the specific outcomes you envision.
3. Identify Role Models and Mentors
   List three people who have already achieved what you want to accomplish. What qualities, habits, or systems have they used to get there? If you don’t know anyone personally, look for books, interviews, or online resources from top producers.
4. Create a "Why" Reminder
   Turn your "why" into a visual or written reminder. This could be a vision board, a sticky note on your computer, or even an alert on your phone. Place it somewhere visible to keep your goal top-of-mind every day.
5. Commit to Consistency
   Success at this level requires a consistent commitment. Decide on one habit or action you can start today that aligns with your goals—whether it's reaching out to one new potential referral partner daily, studying top producers’ methods, or setting aside time each week for skill-building.