Archive for the ‘Field Trip’ Category
It was a whirlwind of content. A battery of speakers and presentations. Non-stop networking. Late nights, early mornings…..and it was fantastic.
The 1st annual Mortgage Revolution in Atlanta was a complete breath of fresh air – loan originators getting back-to-basics with one goal in mind: rehabilitating and changing a battered industry. In the end the 300 loan originators 
from across the country came together in a collective “group-think” that was an absolute honor to be a part of.
As for me, the takeaways and epiphanies could fill volumes. No tricks, new gimmicks, or radical implementation strategies… just overall themes and ideas on how to be a better mortgage professional. How to truly improve the way I do business – the soul behind our business.
My personal highlights…
Meeting the giants of our industry; people like Sue Woodard, Jim McMahan, Khai McBride, and Dave Savage.
Meeting mortgage professionals who I’ve followed for some time; people like Rene Rodriguez, Jason Klaskin, Chris Brown, Mark Madsen, and Ed Conarchy.
The incredible networking that took place each night after dinner. Frankly, these conversations and connections were worth the trip alone.
Finally, the privilege of getting to know two of my co-workers better. This time was filled with great insight, strategic planning, and most of all…laughs. It meant the world to me to hang out with these two folks – frankly my #1 highlight of the trip.
So where does this leave us? The industry is still hurting. Loans are still tough. However, with a renewed focus on getting better – on being better – we’ll be able to come out on the other side part of a healthy, thriving industry.
—–
Nick Mallory is an active loan officer in Portland, Oregon. Have any questions or comments about this post? Visit the contact page and drop Nick a line.
This weekend I’ll be heading to the first annual Mortgage Revolution conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Mortgage Revolution is a 3-day (Jan. 10-12) non-profit mortgage conference developed to bring originators together for the purpose of education, networking, and change (check out their site here).
Some of the industry’s top speakers will be discussing new guideline changes and regulations, along with advanced concepts like tech, web 2.0, and social media. At the very least it’ll be a great place to hear new ideas, and what other lenders are doing around the country to work through a difficult transition period in the industry.
Aside from that it will be my first conference…so I’m especially fired up. Here’s what you can expect from me:
If I hear something great, or learn something new, I’ll blog on it. Check back often.
I’ll be giving updates on Twitter throughout the conference (follow me @lendingjournal).
Above everything else I hope to meet some cool people, spread the word about The Lending Journal, and have a great time.
Stay tuned…