Episode 390

full
Published on:

23rd Oct 2025

Mastering Team Building in the Mortgage Industry

In this episode, we dive deep into how to build, hire, and grow an effective mortgage team with guest expert Irene Duford, a veteran in the mortgage industry who has coached over 1,000 loan officers, team leads, and branch managers.

You’ll learn when to start hiring, what your first role should be, how to define the job before you put up the ad, and exactly how to leverage personality profiling tools like the DISC assessment to avoid the costliest hiring mistakes.

The conversation starts with the common pain point: loan officers trying to “do it all” alone, juggling lead generation, underwriting, processing, and closingwhich leads to burnout, inconsistent pipelines, and stalled growth. Irene explains that once you’re closing around five loans a month, it’s time to seriously think about adding support.

Key takeaways for this episode:

  1. Know when to hire – Once your team is doing ~5 loans/month and you’re wearing too many hats, it's time to hire.
  2. Define the role first – A clear job description, process, and expectations reduce hiring drag and frustration.
  3. Use behavioral profiling – Tools like DISC, and values assessments help match candidates to roles and avoid costly hiring mistakes.

Whether you’re a solo loan officer looking to build your first team or a branch manager ready to optimize your hiring process and team structure, this episode is packed with actionable advice on hiring the right person, building systems, and creating a high‑performing mortgage team.

Connect with Irene on LinkedIn

Follow Irene on Instagram

Want to double your Realtor referrals without chasing, cold-calling, or paying for leads?

See how Travis Newton grew his production by $40 million!

Check Out myAgent Classes Here


Connect With Geoff

📸 Connect on Instagram

💼 Connect on LinkedIn

📹 Subscribe on YouTube

SAY THANKS

💜  Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

Show artwork for Mortgage Marketing Radio

About the Podcast

Mortgage Marketing Radio
Podcast by Mortgage Marketing Institute
The #1 podcast for Mortgage Loan Originators looking to grow their business, save time, and make more money. Host Geoff Zimpfer interviews top-producing Mortgage Originators, social media influencers, and industry executives to bring you real-world advice, proven strategies, and insider insights. Tune in for expert tips on lead generation, building agent partnerships, mastering social media, and leveraging the latest marketing tools to dominate your market.

About your host

Profile picture for Geoff Zimpfer

Geoff Zimpfer

Geoff Zimpfer is a former national sales trainer with Tony Robbins and has been in the real estate industry since 2003. As a mortgage originator he consistently ranked among the top 5% in production nationwide. After ten years in production Geoff accepted a position as a National Sales Trainer with a top ten direct lender. He’s the host of the highly rated podcast Mortgage Marketing Radio, celebrating its fifth year and surpassing 500,000 downloads. He’s the author of two books; Instant Referrals for Mortgage Professionals and his most recent book is Disrupt or Die: How to Survive and Thrive the Digital Real Estate Shift.