Cold Calls = Closed Deals, and this episode proves it.

Mel & KJ sit down with top-producing lender Doug Smith of Smith Lending for a sharp, hilarious, no-excuses breakdown of the one habit agents avoid the most… and the one that actually grows a business: picking up the phone.

Doug shares how he went from answering phones as a receptionist to building a multi–million dollar lending company rooted in consistency, relationships, follow-up, and actually doing the work. From his early industry days to his current life of kids, cows, and closings on 40 acres — this episode is packed with real strategy and real talk.

We dig into: • Cold calling and why agents run from the phone • The follow-up muscle (and why yours is weak) • Why your CRM isn’t the problem • Calendaring like a top producer • The difference between “busy” and “productive” • How Doug built a referral-driven business from scratch • Life, family, boundaries, and taking calls next to the cows • Market noise vs. real-world reality

If you’ve been feeling stuck, unmotivated, disorganized, or overwhelmed — this one will snap you out of it.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Cold calling still works — most people just refuse to do it.
• Busy does not mean productive.
• Consistency beats talent every time.
• Follow-up isn’t annoying; disappearing is.
• Simple systems outperform complicated ones.
• Your calendar predicts your paycheck.
• Market predictions don’t matter if you’re not making calls.

GUEST BIO — DOUG SMITH

Doug Smith is the founder of Smith Lending, a high-performance, relationship-driven mortgage company based in Florida. Starting as a receptionist in 2012, Doug learned the lending world from the inside out and now runs a referral-first business closing nearly 200 loans in 14 months. Known for elite communication, relentless follow-up, and straight-up hustle, Doug brings clarity, simplicity, and realness to an industry full of noise.

LINKS & MENTIONS

Guest

Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/thedouglassmith/ Website — https://www.smithlending.com

Host

@NotSubtle.Seen Listen Anywhere — https://rss.com/podcasts/not-subtle-seen-podcast/