Tag: leadership training

I Couldn’t Say My Best Friend’s Name…

May 12, 2025

When I was a kid going through school, I had a speech impediment.
I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t talk like the other kids.

Every week, I’d get pulled out of class and taken to a special room where a kind teacher used flashcards to help me learn how to talk.

I’ll never forget her encouragement, support, and kindness.

What pushed me to keep trying wasn’t just the lessons—
It was one of my good friends, Rory.

See, I couldn’t say his name.

And as a kid, that hit me hard.
I wanted to say his name like everyone else.
I wanted to call out to my buddy without feeling different.

So I practiced.
I worked at it.
And one day… I finally started to overcome this handicap!

I’ll never forget the day I said “Rory” the right way—
And could do it on demand from that day forward.

And now… here’s the rest of the story.

That little boy with the speech problem?

He grew up to make his living by speaking.
How ironic is that!!

Today, I talk with loan officers.
I lead masterminds.
I teach to tens of thousands every month.
I coach. I do podcasts.
And it’s led to building a business that’s brought in tens of millions of dollars—and continues to do that today.

All because I kept going—


Even when it was awkward. Even when it was uncomfortable.
I pushed through the fear, with the help of my mentor, that special teacher.

I share this with you to encourage you to keep on keep’n on.

So here’s my question to you:
What’s the thing you’ve been avoiding?

The one you know deep down would grow your business—or even your life…


If you just leaned into it?

• Making calls?
• Following up?
• Doing the uncomfortable?
• Starting conversations with referral partners?

We all have our “Rory moment.”

And your breakthrough might be waiting on the other side of it.

You’ve got this.

A Smart Question from One of Our Alliance Members (You’ll Want to Hear This One)

May 5, 2025

I got a great text the other day from one of our Alliance members, Glenn Siaumau.

I wanted to share it with you, not just because it was a smart question, but because it opened the door to a BIG opportunity that most loan officers overlook.

Here’s what Glenn texted me:

“Carl, good morning. A member of my church is the CEO of the Postal Credit Union here. What is a good approach for her? What type of business should I be looking for from a credit union?”

Great question, right?

Here’s what I shared with him:

“Hey [CEO’s Name],
Hope you’re doing great! I was thinking—it might be helpful for your credit union to have a trusted mortgage partner you can lean on when your members are looking for home loans.

What we’ve seen is that when members call the big banks for a mortgage, they often end up moving over their car loans, credit cards, or even checking accounts.

I help credit unions protect those relationships by giving your members great mortgage service, without ever trying to take any of your other business.

If you’re open to it, I’d love to have a quick chat and see if there’s a way I can help you all out.”

Here’s what I want you to know:
This is one of the biggest no-brainers for credit union leaders, but most of them don’t even realize this is a problem.

They’re focused on taking care of their members day to day, and they don’t see that when a member calls a big bank for a mortgage, it could cost them the whole relationship.

Unless you reach out and show them how you can help protect that member base… they may never know the risk, or the solution you bring to the table.

You’re not taking anything away from them—you’re helping them keep what they’ve already earned. And when they see that, you instantly become a hero.

So here’s your takeaway:

**Credit unions can be an incredible referral source**and the opportunity is wide open. Most loan officers never ask.Sooooo…

Call the credit union managers or CEOs in your area, reach out. Use the message above, adjust it for your style, and have a quick chat. You might just open the door to a powerful long-term referral relationship.

I’ve closed hundreds of loans using this one little trick.

Just a quick note to help out… because that’s how all this works!

You’re not behind — you’re just getting started 

April 28, 2025

I wish someone had told me early on: 

Just because it feels slow right now… doesn’t mean you’re failing. 
It might just mean you’re still building. 

I remember a moment in 2010-ish — scrolling through the all new social media thing, thinking: “Am I the only one not crushing it?” 

Everyone else was posting wins… 
Top producer awards, closing pics, jumbo checks… 

And me? 
– Some ghosting pre-approvals 
– Several of my deals unraveling 
– A pipeline that looked more like a headache pool 

Right when I was about to call it a day, I got a text from a past client: 

“Thanks again. I was painting my daughter’s room today and thought about how you helped make this possible.” 

That changed everything. 
 
Here’s what I remind myself now: 

1. Social media is a filter, not a fact. 
Everyone’s showing the highlight reel. 
No one’s posting canceled contracts or rate shoppers. 

2. Progress is quieter than you think. 
The follow-up you made when you didn’t feel like it? 
The coffee meeting you almost canceled? 
That’s what winning looks like. 

3. You don’t need to beat anyone but yesterday’s version of you. 
If you made one more call… showed up more focused… 
You’re ahead. 
 
You’re not behind. You’re just early in your story. 
Keep going. 

My dirty job

April 21, 2025

When I was 14, I spent my summers working in the tobacco fields of Pleasant Garden, North Carolina. 

Now, if you’ve never been in a tobacco field in July, let me paint the picture… 

It all starts at 4:30 am (I still wake up about that time every day) 
In the field by 5:30 am. 
 
It’s 95 degrees by 10 a.m. 
 
The humidity… it felt like I was wearing it within the first 30 mins.  
And that black gum from the stalks? It’ll stain your hands for days. 

I was hot, tired, itchy, and smelled like the inside of a barn. 
And to be honest… I felt like quitting… often! 

But I showed up and did the deed day after day anyway. 
Because that’s what you did. 

Nobody was coming to save you. Nobody was handing out shortcuts. 
You just did the work. 

Day after day. Row after row. 

I remember one particular hot afternoon, I dropped to my knees and asked God, “Please tell me you have a better plan for me; tell me I’m learning something here…” 
 
Turns out… He did have a better plan for me. 
And I did learn something in those hot fields. 

Years later, I found my way into the mortgage world. 
But at first? 
Man, it felt just like those tobacco fields. 

Waking up early. Making uncomfortable calls. 
Getting rejected. Sweating through your shirt. 
And doing it all over again the next day. 

But here’s the twist… 

Most people quit when it’s hard. 
But, see, I had a little secret from those tobacco fields: 
Hard wasn’t new to me. 

See, I learned something in those rows that they didn’t teach in school: 
The ones who keep showing up – even when it’s not fun, sexy, or easy – those are the ones who win. 

And now… 
 
Because of that hard work… 
We built a mortgage business that runs with freedom and flexibility. 
 
Because of that hard work… 
We built a training company that helps thousands of loan officers every week, many of whom are going through their own “tobacco field” right now. 

If that’s you, I just want to say this: 

You’re not alone. 
You’re not broken. 
You’re just in the middle of the row. 

Keep showing up. 
The harvest is coming.

A Lesson About Time

April 14, 2025

Not too long ago, my longtime friend Dean Jackson shared something with me that really stuck. 

(If you don’t know Dean—he’s a brilliant trainer in the real estate agent space and has one of the sharpest minds I’ve ever come across when it comes to productivity and marketing.) 

He said: 
“It’s not that people don’t have time. It’s that they’re losing the battle between being proactive and reactive.” 

Man… that hit home. 

You see, a lot of folks I talk to say the same thing: 
“I just don’t have time for everything.” 

But here’s the truth—you DO have time. 
The trick is learning how to spot the Reactive Activators that are hijacking your day. 

Here are the four big ones Dean shared with me years ago. 

1. Email 
How do most people start their day? Checking email. 
But your inbox is a to-do list that other people wrote for you—and it’s hooked up to the internet, which means the rabbit hole is real. 

2. Your phone 
We carry them 24/7. Which means we’re always one buzz away from getting pulled into fire drills and distractions. That puts you in reactive mode fast. 

3. Other people 
People walking by your desk. Quick chats. “Got a sec?” 
All well-meaning… but they can easily take you off track from what really matters. 

4. Your own thoughts 
This one’s sneaky. You remember to call someone… which leads to another task… then another… and before you know it, your whole plan for the day has drifted off course. 

But here’s the good news: 

Once you see these triggers for what they are, you can start building a little buffer around them. You can protect your time and take control of your day. 

And when that happens? 

You stop feeling overwhelmed. You start getting the right things done. 
And yeah… turns out you do have time for everything. 

Thanks, Dean, for this golden nugget. 
And to you reading this—I hope it helps you the way it helped me. 

Hey, if you’re looking to take a real step forward in your business—away from overwhelm and into clarity—I’d love for you to join me at my next Mastermind Retreat.  
 
It’s a small, invite-only gathering at my office where we work together to build out the exact plan top-producing loan officers are using right now to grow. 
 
Check out the details here: www.MasterMindRetreats.com