I Love Mortgage Brokering

665: The $20 Gift That Closed a $2M Deal - Scott Peckford

What if the secret to unforgettable client and partner relationships is how (and when) you give—not what you spend?
In this episode, I break down how to give referral and client gifts that actually land. Not the generic gift basket or logo mug—but thoughtful, timely gestures that create real emotional impact.
Inspired by a story of one realtor’s donut drop that led to a $1M+ client, we dive into how to make your gifts hit different—plus what to avoid if you want your gesture to be remembered, not ignored.
What We Will Cover:
Specific, Unexpected, and Timely – The 3 rules that turn a generic gift into a powerful impression.
The Donut Story – How one agent used a podcast, a donut shop, and perfect timing to win a dream client.
Giftology Principles – What the best givers do differently—and why it’s not about spending more.
What Not to Do – The 3 most common gift mistakes brokers make (and how to avoid them).
Real Broker Examples – A $20 Hawaii book and a pair of fuzzy handcuffs—why they worked, and what they teach.
Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/scottpeckford/
I Love Mortgage Brokering: www.ilovemortgagebrokering.com
Find out more about BRX Mortgage: www.whybrx.com
Subscribe to my 3-2-1 Thursday Email
I Love Mortgage Brokering is in partnership with Ownwell. 
To see how top brokers are keeping clients engaged and generating leads from their database, visit ownwell.ca/scott.

664: From Beer Sales to $10M in Mortgages: The System That Changed Everything - Thom Brow

How do you go from zero to $10 million in funded mortgages in your first year—without a database, brand, or past clients?
Thom Brow left a successful career in craft beer sales and started fresh as a mortgage broker. One year later, he’s built a $10M business from scratch— powered by focused prospecting, referral presentations, and his own custom-built AI tools.
If you're early in your career or need to get traction fast, Thom’s approach will give you a clear roadmap (and a reality check).
We’ll cover:
Turning Cold into Closed – How 50 referral presentations led to 25 active partners and $10M in volume.
Winning with Focus – Why Thom breaks his day into quarters—and always protects a dedicated prospecting block.
Practicing Like a Pro – The AI “driving range” that helped him conquer cold calling.
Scaling Smart – Why action beats perfection, and busy work always comes last.
Building Better Tools – How Thom created his own GPTs to write emails, sharpen messaging, and train for live calls.
To connect with Thom, check out the links below:
Instagram
Facebook
https://www.brxmortgage.com/agent/thom-brow
 
Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/scottpeckford/
I Love Mortgage Brokering: www.ilovemortgagebrokering.com
Find out more about BRX Mortgage: www.whybrx.com
Subscribe to my 3-2-1 Thursday Email
I Love Mortgage Brokering is in partnership with Ownwell. 
To see how top brokers are keeping clients engaged and generating leads from their database, visit ownwell.ca/scott.

663: Why This Top Banker Walked Away from a 6-Figure Bonus - Justin Chausse

What would happen if you stopped building someone else’s brand—and started building your own?
Justin Chausse went from running a landscaping business, to funding 185 files a year at a bank, to building a thriving mortgage business as a broker. In this episode, he shares why he left the bank (despite a six-figure signing bonus offer), how he overcame the fear of going independent, and what he learned about earning more by doing less.If you're a bank specialist or self-sourcing mortgage pro thinking about the broker world, this one’s a must-listen.
What We Cover:
Self-Sourcing Success – Why Justin's 70% self-sourced business made him realize he didn’t need the bank.
Doing Less, Earning More – How he replaced 185 bank files with 60 broker files—and made more money.
Profit for Clients, Not Shareholders – The freedom to put clients first without red tape or handcuffs.
Choosing Your Own Tools – How being a broker gave him control over the client experience and back-end tech.
Keep It Simple – Why most new brokers get overwhelmed, and how focusing on conversations builds a stronger business.
To connect with Justin, check out the links below:
Instagram
chaussemortgages.ca
 
Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/scottpeckford/
I Love Mortgage Brokering: www.ilovemortgagebrokering.com
Find out more about BRX Mortgage: www.whybrx.com
Subscribe to my 3-2-1 Thursday Email
I Love Mortgage Brokering is in partnership with Ownwell. 
To see how top brokers are keeping clients engaged and generating leads from their database, visit ownwell.ca/scott.

662: The Business Plan That Fits on a Sticky Note

What if your 15-page business plan is doing more harm than good?
In this episode, I break down why traditional business plans fail—and what to do instead. I share the “Plan Like Bezos” approach we teach in our workshops, including how to build a flexible, focused 12-month strategy that fits on a single sticky note.
If you’ve ever written a business plan and never looked at it again, this episode will show you a smarter way to plan, act, and grow.
In this episode, we’ll cover:
Why Most Business Plans Fail – The flaw in trying to plan 12 months out with incomplete info.
The Flywheel Model – How high-performing companies (like Amazon) use this approach to create real momentum.
My Personal Flywheel – A behind-the-scenes look at how we use content, coaching, and client stories to drive growth.
Sticky Note Simplicity – Why a clear, focused plan beats a bloated one every time.
The Debt Monkey Mistake – A story about building a business on spreadsheets instead of systems—and what I learned from it.
The world changes fast. Your business plan should be flexible, focused, and easy to act on. Build a flywheel—not a binder.
Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/scottpeckford/
I Love Mortgage Brokering: www.ilovemortgagebrokering.com
Find out more about BRX Mortgage: www.whybrx.com
Subscribe to my 3-2-1 Thursday Email
I Love Mortgage Brokering is in partnership with Ownwell. 
To see how top brokers are keeping clients engaged and generating leads from their database, visit ownwell.ca/scott.

661: How to Fund 200+ Mortgages from a Van - Sara Keller

What if you could build a thriving mortgage business without being tied to your desk—or even your address?
 
This is a repost from episode 544, where I sat down with Sara Keller from Guild Mortgage, who funds over 200 mortgages a year while living and working on the road in her van.
 
We break down how she told her referral partners, the tech stack that keeps her business humming from anywhere, and how she continues to grow a referral-based business while chasing adventure.
 
If you’ve ever wondered whether you can build a business that fits your life—not the other way around—this episode will show you how.
What We Cover:
Breaking the News – How Sara told her referral partners she was hitting the road—and why they supported her.
Growing Referrals While Traveling – The strategies that keep her pipeline full while living on the road.
Essential Tech Stack – Tools she uses daily, including how Starlink changed her business.
Communication Systems – Her Monday call routine and Thursday update emails that keep clients and partners connected.
Balancing Work and Adventure – The realities of van life while running a high-volume mortgage business.
You don’t have to choose between freedom and success. With the right systems and mindset, you can have both.
👉 Grab the “200+ Mortgages From a Van Cheat Sheet” from this episode to see the exact tools and tactics Sara uses.
Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/scottpeckford/
I Love Mortgage Brokering: www.ilovemortgagebrokering.com
Find out more about BRX Mortgage: www.whybrx.com
Subscribe to my 3-2-1 Thursday Email
I Love Mortgage Brokering is in partnership with Ownwell. 
To see how top brokers are keeping clients engaged and generating leads from their database, visit ownwell.ca/scott.

660: 5 Ways To Break Into the Mortgage Business

What if there’s a better way to grow your mortgage career—one that fits your strengths, not just what others are doing?
 
In this episode, I break down the five distinct paths I’ve seen brokers use to build successful mortgage businesses. Each path comes with its own pros, cons, and hidden traps, and choosing the right one can save you years of wasted effort.
We’ll cover:
Banker to Broker – Why learning at the bank can be a great start, and what challenges arise when you finally have a full “golf bag” of lenders.
Sales-Only Lead Gen Shops – How high-volume sales roles sharpen your closing skills, but why you’ll need to learn marketing to succeed solo.
Assistant to Broker – The pros of deep underwriting knowledge, and the big hurdle: building sales skills to generate your own business.
Ad-Based Entry – The rarest (and toughest) path, requiring mastery of paid ads and conversion systems to create a scalable lead flow.
Referral-Based Business – The most sustainable and scalable path, leveraging your network and partnerships to build a high-quality, high-conversion pipeline.
Every path can work—but each requires different skills and mindsets to thrive. Choose the one that aligns with your strengths, and commit to mastering the gaps.
 
Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/scottpeckford/
I Love Mortgage Brokering: www.ilovemortgagebrokering.com
Find out more about BRX Mortgage: www.whybrx.com
Subscribe to my 3-2-1 Thursday Email
I Love Mortgage Brokering is in partnership with Ownwell. 
To see how top brokers are keeping clients engaged and generating leads from their database, visit ownwell.ca/scott.
 

659: The Mortgage Broker Who Built His Own AI Tools - Richard de Chevigny

What if the smartest way to grow your mortgage business isn’t hiring more people—but building better tools and better habits?
In this episode, I talk with Richard De Chevigny—a mortgage broker who built his own AI-powered systems to automate follow-ups, generate content, and show clients smarter mortgage comparisons. But this isn’t just a tech story.
Richard also shares his personal transformation—from burnout, divorce, and job-hopping to building a life and business with clarity, resilience, and impact. Whether you’re struggling with time, tech, or mental bandwidth, this conversation shows what’s possible when you take ownership and build intentionally.
We’ll cover:
Custom Mortgage Tools That Sell – How Richard built his own calculator to help clients compare total cost, not just rate.
Automated Follow-Up Systems – How AI agents help him trigger timely check-ins and uncover new savings opportunities.
AI-Driven Content That Converts – His workflow using ChatGPT and Trello to batch, repurpose, and schedule content.
Mindset + Systems = Freedom – Why becoming “bulletproof” means working on both your backend and your belief system.
How to Start Small with AI – Richard’s advice for brokers who feel behind but want to take their first step into automation.
You don’t need to hire a huge team to scale. You need systems that work for you—and the discipline to keep showing up and building. Richard’s story proves both are possible.
To connect with Richard, check out the links below:InstagramFacebookLinkedInhttps://www.richardd.ca/
 
Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/scottpeckford/
I Love Mortgage Brokering: www.ilovemortgagebrokering.com
Find out more about BRX Mortgage: www.whybrx.com
Subscribe to my 3-2-1 Thursday Email
I Love Mortgage Brokering is in partnership with Ownwell. 
To see how top brokers are keeping clients engaged and generating leads from their database, visit ownwell.ca.

658: 4 Insights from Coaching Motivated Rookies

What if being new to the business is actually your biggest advantage?
In this episode, I share four key insights from coaching some of the most motivated rookies in our brokerage. These brokers are finding ways to win—even in a tough market—not because they know everything, but because they take action and stay coachable.
From beating out seasoned brokers, to booking realtor meetings that actually convert, to using AI to level up faster—this episode is packed with tactical plays you can use right now.
What We Cover:
Don’t Let Experience Intimidate You – Why being newer sometimes means you see solutions seasoned brokers miss.
Business Over Friendship – How a 15-minute value-driven conversation turned “I’ve got 6 brokers” into a deal.
Open House Prospecting That Works – A tweak to the goody-bag strategy that gets you two realtor contacts, not one.
AI as a Force Multiplier – Tools like Fyxer.ai and Plaud.ai that help you close more deals and prep smarter.
ChatGPT as Your Scripting Coach – How one broker uses it to sharpen his objection handling—and why it works.
You don’t need to be the most experienced broker—you need to be the most resourceful. And that’s exactly what these rookies are doing.
Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/scottpeckford/
I Love Mortgage Brokering: www.ilovemortgagebrokering.com
Find out more about BRX Mortgage: www.whybrx.com
Subscribe to my 3-2-1 Thursday Email
I Love Mortgage Brokering is in partnership with Ownwell. 
To see how top brokers are keeping clients engaged and generating leads from their database, visit ownwell.ca.

657: How This Broker Slashed His Hours—Not His Pay - Dominique Gonthier

What if the real power move in your mortgage business isn’t scaling up—but stepping back?
In this episode, I sit down with Dominique Gonthier—a former military officer turned mortgage broker who built a business funding 250 deals a year, then deliberately cut that number in half to focus on family, fitness, and freedom. We dive into how he transitioned from realtor to broker, built an efficient team, and now takes entire weeks off to work on his business instead of always in it.
If you’re grinding nonstop and feel like growth comes at the cost of your personal life, Dominique’s story will give you a new model.
In this episode, we’ll cover:
Starting Strong – How Dominique hit 85 files in his first year after transitioning from real estate and military service.
Scaling Back to Move Forward – Why he chose to drop from 250 to 100 files annually—and is happier and more profitable.
Running Lean with Tech – How he uses Zoho CRM and a focused team to stay efficient without burnout.
Owning His Time – The “no-meeting” weeks and time-blocking tactics that give him control over his calendar.
Getting Loyal Clients Without Ads – How contests, reviews, and value-driven advice fuel a 90% referral business.
To connect with Dominique, check out the links below:
FacebookYouTubehttps://www.bonsaisf.com/https://linktr.ee/domgonthier
Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/scottpeckford/
I Love Mortgage Brokering: www.ilovemortgagebrokering.com
Find out more about BRX Mortgage: www.whybrx.com
Subscribe to my 3-2-1 Thursday Email
I Love Mortgage Brokering is in partnership with Ownwell. 
To see how top brokers are keeping clients engaged and generating leads from their database, visit ownwell.ca.

656: Why Giving Your Clients More Choice Is Killing Your Sales

What if offering more options is actually hurting your conversions?
In this episode, I dive into the psychology of choice overload—and how it’s quietly costing mortgage brokers deals every week.
We love to say we offer clients choice. But when people are overwhelmed, they freeze. I’ll walk through the science behind it, plus three ways this shows up in your business (and how to fix it). If you’ve ever lost a client who seemed “interested but unsure,” this is probably why.
We’ll cover:
Too Many Options, No Decisions – Why clients don’t want a menu—they want a clear recommendation.
Creating Choices Where None Exist – How to reframe hard conversations so clients feel empowered, not confused.
Clarity in Communication – Why having too many contact channels leads to dropped balls and frustrated clients.
The Power of a Smart Discovery Call – How asking the right questions early prevents lost deals later.
Set Expectations, Own the Process – How to guide your client through a decision—without overwhelming them.
Your job isn’t to offer every option—it’s to narrow choices, guide decisions, and create clarity. Less confusion = more conversions.
 
Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/scottpeckford/
I Love Mortgage Brokering: www.ilovemortgagebrokering.com
Find out more about BRX Mortgage: www.whybrx.com
Subscribe to my 3-2-1 Thursday Email
I Love Mortgage Brokering is in partnership with Ownwell. 
To see how top brokers are keeping clients engaged and generating leads from their database, visit ownwell.ca.