Building Your Loan Officer Brain—and Your Business

We all know the saying: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” But did you know that tackling hard tasks doesn’t just build character—it literally builds your brain?

That’s right. When you push yourself to do something challenging—like building relationships with realtors or handling objections—you’re not just improving your business skills.

You’re rewiring your brain to think smarter, act more confidently, and handle stress more effectively.

Let me explain.

The Science of Brain Building

Your brain is an incredible organ. When you take on something hard, it undergoes a process called neuroplasticity.

This is your brain’s ability to grow and adapt by creating new neural pathways.  (I always knew my master’s degree in Bio-Chemistry would help me some day…)

Think of it like a muscle: when you work out, your muscles tear and rebuild stronger. The same thing happens with your brain when you challenge it.

  • Handling Objections: Each time you respond to an objection like, “I already have a lender,” your brain learns to stay calm and think on its feet.

  • Building Realtor Relationships: Reaching out to agents, even when it’s uncomfortable, trains your brain to approach new situations with confidence.

The more you do these hard things, the easier they become—not just because you’re gaining skills, but because your brain is becoming stronger and more adaptable.

Ken’s Story: A Case Study in Brain Building

Let me tell you about Ken, one of our members.

When Ken started reaching out to real estate agents, he felt stuck. He dreaded the conversations and worried about rejection.

Every “no” felt like a punch to his confidence.

But instead of giving up, Ken leaned into the discomfort.

He saw it as a chance to grow—not just in his business, but in his mindset.

He started reaching out to agents regularly, practicing how to handle their objections.

At first, it was tough.

But with every conversation, his brain adapted. He got better at thinking on his feet, staying calm, and finding ways to connect with agents on a deeper level.

Fast forward a few months, and Ken was closing 8 more deals per month from realtor referrals alone.

More importantly, he gained a level of confidence that carried over into every part of his life.

That’s what happens when you embrace the hard stuff.

Why This Matters for You

Here’s the truth: The tasks that seem hardest—like building relationships with realtors or handling objections—are the ones that bring the most growth.

Each time you push through discomfort, you’re training your brain to:

  • Think creatively in high-pressure situations.
  • Handle rejection without losing confidence.
  • Stay focused and calm when things get tough.

And once you’ve built that mental strength, everything else in your business—and life—feels more manageable.

Ready to Build Your Brain and Your Business?

If you’re ready to take the leap and tackle the hard stuff, I’d love to invite you to a website walkthrough with me and my team.

I’ve created a system that not only helps you close more loans but also helps you build the mental tools to thrive in this business.

Schedule Your Walk Through Here

During the walkthrough, we’ll show you:

  • How to strengthen your skills with proven strategies.
  • Tools designed to help you conquer hard tasks with ease.
  • A supportive community that keeps you moving forward.

Click here to schedule your walkthrough now.

The Best Time to Start Is Now

Don’t wait for the hard tasks to get easier—they never will. But the good news is, you will get stronger.

Your brain will adapt. And soon, the things that felt impossible will become second nature.

Take the first step today. Schedule your walkthrough and see how we can help you not only grow your business but build the mindset to take on anything that comes your way.

Schedule Your Walkthrough Here

P.S. Remember, growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone. Let’s start building that stronger, more confident version of you today. Click here to get started.

Don’t Let Shoppers Keep You Up at Night – Let’s Talk

I came across a story the other day on a Facebook group. A loan officer was stressing over a prospect quoting a super-low rate from another company.

They were looking for scripts to reel the borrower back in, but here’s the thing: by the time they’re shopping, it’s often too late for a script to work. This kind of stuff can drive you nuts, right?

Here’s my take: it’s all about the first conversation you have with them. (Don’t worry—I’ve got a killer script for that below!) But before that, let’s talk strategy.

I’ve found that for every 4 leads, we close 1 loan. My team and I have closed tens of thousands of loans (literally), so this formula has proven itself.

About half of the leads are approvable, and we close around 50% of those.

The rest? They either decide not to move forward or they shop around.

Instead of chasing shoppers like herding cats, we focus on what actually works: Getting More High-Quality Referred Leads.

We’ve developed 4 proven strategies to do just that—zero cold calling, no gimmicks, just solid, actionable tactics. And I’d love to share them with you on a quick Zoom call… for free.

Schedule your “Lead Getting” call here

Now, about that script for shoppers: use it before they start shopping. Here’s what it sounds like:

“Ok Bob and Sue, based on our conversation, it looks like your monthly payment will be $[insert], with a down payment of $[insert], and total funds to close at $[insert]. If I can deliver on those numbers, will you commit to me being your lender so my team and I can get started to ensure we close on time?”

If they say yes, they’re in.

If not, you’ve identified a shopper and saved yourself a ton of time.

But here’s the kicker: even with the best scripts, the real key is getting more referred leads.

Let’s connect and talk about how to get more of those high-quality referrals.

You’ll never let one deal going sideways ruffle your feathers again when you’ve got a steady flow of leads.

Book your free strategy call now: www.GetMoreLoans.com

Let’s make this easy and profitable for you. Can’t wait to chat!

28 Value Propositions That We Use

Of course we all know that the quickest, easiest, and most dependable way to get more closings is simply to “ask for the business”.

It just seems the stumbling block for most is, that they feel “weird” about asking for the business, so they never actually do it.

The real issue is, that most struggle with feeling “worthy” of asking for the business.  Like they have to do something first or juggle a bunch of bowling balls and rubber chickens to impress everybody first, then they feel worthy of asking for referrals….

So there are all kinds of shiny whistles and “widgets’ being offered to LOs, that “If you do this, then referral partners will like you and refer to you”.

The problem with those things, is most of them take a lot of effort and time…

….Time that you could be spending doing actual loan-getting activity.  Instead, most of these things have you “getting ready” to do actual loan-getting activity as opposed to actually “doing” loan-getting activity. 

See the difference?

“Getting ready” is a colossal waste of time, money, and effort; all while actually not directly producing borrower leads / referrals.

Worse, when we do all that extra (and not necessary) “getting ready” activity, resulting in no new loans, it poisons our minds into thinking that we did a bunch of activity, spent a lot of time doing it, perhaps spent a bunch of money, but nothing actually happened, thus there is no need for me to do any more work as it won’t actually result in new loans. 

Nothing could be further from the truth.  

We just simply have to do some of the “right” activity…

… all while avoiding the “getting ready” or “busy” work… which will actually hurt your production because it keeps you from the “right” activity.

Now, I’m not saying all “widgets” are a waste of time and energy.

I use a select few in my mortgage branch, and my loan officers use some very effectively too.

I put together a list of 28 value propositions (some are widgets, most aren’t) .. that actually result in more closings for us, with very very little wasted energy (if any at all).

Going over these easy value propositions is what I am talking to my loan officers about this week.

These all make it very easy to ask for, and actually GET MORE referrals in a very cool way.

… Which results in more loans for us… A LOT MORE!


Talk soon.

Carl White

PS.  Want me to hook you up with the best activities that we are doing as “value propositions”?
(the ones that actually work… duh)

Go Here and tell me what you are currently doing now, and I’ll hook you up with a customized 1 on 1 call, just like I do with my private coaching clients…. For free ☺

We’ll go over the best value propositions for you to use, to make all this so much easier. 

This will be a very good use of your time.

What to Say Over the Holidays…

It’s often the small things we say that have the power to change everything for someone.

A year ago, I heard Ron Howard, the very successful Hollywood director, share a story from when he was just six years old and playing Opie on The Andy Griffith Show.

A simple, casual comment made to him at that time changed EVERYTHING.

One week, Bert Lahr (who played the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz) was a guest star on The Andy Griffith Show.

While Andy Griffith and Don Knotts (Barney) were shooting a scene, Bert and little Ron were just off-camera, watching.

At the end of the scene, Bert leaned over to Ron and said, “Ronny, I see how you watch the cameraman and the angles of the shots. You’re going to grow up to be a famous director someday.”

Ron shared that something shifted in his thinking at that moment.

That single comment sparked a dream, and he decided he wanted to move beyond acting and into directing.

All from a simple 15-second conversation.

Bert likely forgot about it shortly after, but Ron never did.

Ron went on to direct over 24 movies, including Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, and How The Grinch Stole Christmas (with Jim Carrey), entertaining millions of people worldwide.

This story reminds me of the power our words hold during the holidays—and really, any time of year.

Everyday conversations, even those that seem small and insignificant to us, can have a lasting, life-changing impact on someone else.

This can be used for good or bad, so let’s make a conscious effort to ensure our words are positive, encouraging, and kind, especially during the holidays.

What seems like a “nothing” conversation to us could become a pivotal moment for someone else.

And now, Bert’s simple 15-second conversation is being shared again here, hopefully continuing to inspire and impact even more people today as you read this.

So, 50 or 60 years from now, what conversation of yours will someone be sharing?

Let’s make it one that has a positive impact—not one they reflect on during a tough counseling session.

Here’s my challenge to you: Take a moment today to share a kind word, encouragement, or appreciation with someone—whether it’s a client, colleague, or loved one.

You have the power to create a lasting impact with just a few thoughtful words.

Let’s make this holiday season one of connection, kindness, and inspiration. I believe in you, and I’m grateful for the positive impact you’re making.

How to close more of your “leads”

When people struggle with lead conversion, or “closing leads into loans”, it’s often because of one simple mistake…

The loan officer doesn’t actually have a “true” lead.

You see, there is a major difference between an internet “lead” and a true REFERRED lead… Huge difference.

See, 98% of the time (literally), an internet lead that the LO either buys for themselves or worse, buys and gives to an agent thinking they are “bringing something of value”, they are actually making their life and their agent business worse… worse with useless clutter.

It’s totally not their fault, but…

…Beginning and low-producing LOs fall into the trap of thinking that in time they will actually convert the internet leads into closings…

But the reality is…

There’s practically nothing you can do to convince anybody of anything… unless they already want it, and 98% of the time, internet leads don’t “want it”.

You can’t wrestle your leads down until they give in, can you?

The only thing you CAN do is to find out who already wants what you have.

In other words…

You can’t turn someone into a 5-star prospect, but you can discover who already IS one.

And you can do this simply by using the following five-step criteria…

Number 1: They’re willing to engage in a dialogue…

Number 2: They’re friendly and cooperative when you talk with them…

Number 3: They know what they want…

Number 4: They know when they want it…

And number 5: They want YOU to help them.

Which is much much much more likely with referred leads than with internet leads.

But here’s the thing…

All five of these steps have to be true in order for you to be working with an ideal client.

You can’t skip ahead. And you can’t artificially speed the process up.

So instead of being focused on short-term results of trying to convert internet leads…

Think of it as a long-term investment. Something you’re willing to spend your time on…

Which is getting REFERRED Leads

You patiently educate and motivate prospective referral partners… week after week…

Until they convince themselves that referring to you is the right thing to do.

And make no mistake. It’s always until THEY convince THEMSELVES.

Because you can’t wrestle anyone into using you as their lender.

So…

Step 1:  Focus on getting to know people who are already talking to your ideal client.

Step 2:  Have conversations with those people and simply ask for referrals.

The end.

(Everything else is clutter and unnecessary work that is designed to keep you “busy” but not productive)

When you are ready to copy how we epically and successfully do Step 1 and Step 2…

Meet me here and I’ll give you the same exact demo that our top producers get in The Alliance.

Loan Officer Freedom