In this episode of Mortgage Tech Talks, host Tom Hall sits down with Rich Spence, President of Mortgage Centre Canada (part of the DLCG network), for a powerful deep dive into the past, present, and future of mortgage tech.

Rich shares:

• His origin story launching Nexxa, the first web-based CRM for brokers

• The mindset and grind that helped scale to 7,000+ users

• How DLCG and Velocity are future-proofing the mortgage industry

• Why emotional intelligence is just as important as AI

• And how consumer expectations are forcing innovation faster than ever

Whether you're a broker, lender, tech founder, or industry leader—this episode will challenge how you think about change, innovation, and what it really takes to stay relevant.

📍 Timestamps 00:00 – The future belongs to brokers who text 00:20 – The power of DLCG’s network and tech adoption 01:00 – Meet today’s guest: Rich Spence 02:00 – The untold origin story of Nexxa CRM 05:00 – How they scaled to 7,000 mortgage brokers 08:30 – Building software by hand—then hitting the phones 10:00 – What brokers can learn from DLCG's growth 14:00 – The evolution of Velocity and its rapid release cycle 18:00 – Why persistence and iteration drive tech success 21:00 – AI, cold calls, and the irreplaceable human touch 25:00 – How brokers need to adapt to Gen Z and tech trends 29:00 – What your clients expect (and how DLCG is building it) 34:00 – Why the right partnerships matter in 2025 and beyond

🔗 Connect with Rich Spence Instagram: @richspence3

LinkedIn: @richspence3

✅ If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe for more insights from top minds in mortgage and financial tech. 💬 Leave a comment sharing your favourite insight or takeaway.

#MortgageTech #DLCG #RichSpence #VelocityCRM #MortgageBroker #AIInMortgages #BrokerInnovation #CRM #MortgageIndustry #TechForBrokers

In this episode of Mortgage Tech Talks, Tom sits down with Karen Wilson — founder of Broker Complete and VP of Training & Operations at DLC Elite Team — to unpack what truly drives success in today’s mortgage industry: trust, accountability, community, and process efficiency.

Karen shares her journey from running a successful fitness business to becoming a leader in the mortgage world, drawing powerful lessons about relationship-building, creating accountability structures, and optimizing your business for long-term growth.

If you’re a broker looking to strengthen your client relationships, scale your business, and implement more effective systems — this conversation is packed with practical insights.

👉 Follow Karen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brokercomplete/

Timestamps:

00:00 – Why trust is the most valuable currency in today’s mortgage industry 01:11 – Welcome and intro: Who is Karen Wilson? 02:45 – Karen’s background in the fitness industry and transferable skills 05:19 – Rebranding from fitness to finance: The learning curve 08:06 – How accountability groups helped Karen scale her mortgage business 09:13 – Building an accountability call that delivers real industry value 11:30 – The "give, give, give, ask" principle for long-term relationship-building 14:36 – Why trust-building matters more than rates or speed 15:29 – Leveraging tech to scale personal connections 16:40 – Types of social media content that actually build trust 19:14 – Human, imperfect content vs polished posts 20:14 – Coaching agents to recognise when to seek help and training 22:00 – Mapping your client process from lead gen to post-close 25:28 – Customising your mortgage process to match your strengths 27:44 – Process first — then pick the right tech or team 29:18 – The wrong way to implement new tools — and how to avoid it 32:14 – Why free services often have low follow-through — and how accountability changes that 34:12 – Building a brokerage culture of high standards and high expectations 35:18 – The value of surrounding yourself with high achievers 37:05 – Recognising opportunities and relationships that move your business forward 39:22 – How to connect with Karen and learn more about Broker Complete and DLC Elite Team

In this episode of Mortgage Tech Talks, I’m pulling back the curtain on everything I’ve learned building BluMortgage—and what I’d do differently if I were starting from scratch today.

I’m walking you through how I’d think about: → Building a simple, addictive product → Structuring a freemium model → Leveraging referrals over paid ads → Using AI (the right way) → And why simplicity always wins

Whether you’re in mortgage tech or any kind of SaaS, this episode will give you a fresh framework to think about how to build and scale your next product.

👇 Full timestamps below — enjoy the episode and leave a comment if you’d take a different approach!

Timestamps: 00:00 — Why AI should not be forced into your product 01:00 — If I launched a new mortgage tech company today 02:10 — The 3 key lessons from building BluMortgage 04:00 — What should your product actually offer? 06:00 — How to make your product simple and addictive 09:00 — Why onboarding should feel as seamless as Facebook or TikTok 11:00 — How to improve your product without feature bloat 12:30 — Why simplicity is harder than complexity 14:00 — How I’d market the product (freemium + referrals) 15:45 — How to drive viral referrals inside your app 16:50 — Why trade shows and in-person events still matter 17:45 — The right way to use AI inside your company 19:20 — Final thoughts + a challenge for you

👍 If you enjoyed this episode, hit Subscribe for more weekly insights from the world of mortgage tech and SaaS.

#MortgageTech #SaaSBusiness #FinTech #BluMortgage #AIInBusiness

In this episode of Mortgage Tech Talks, Tom breaks down the biggest shifts happening in Canada's mortgage technology landscape — from major lender-platform disconnections to what AI could mean for the future of mortgage app development.

We cover:

• Why top lenders are cutting ties with major tech platforms

• Real examples of platform incentives (like free trips) and their long-term strategy

• A powerful update from Ben Salami (Canadian Mortgage App) and why his coding approach is a game-changer

• The potential of AI tools like ChatGPT to empower non-coders to build game-changing tools

If you're a mortgage professional, lender, tech builder, or just love staying ahead of the curve in this space—this one’s for you.

👇 Timestamps 00:00 – Can ChatGPT turn mortgage pros into coders? 00:44 – Welcome to the episode + key themes 04:25 – Platform economics: Why lenders are switching highways 05:34 – Exclusive partnerships: Not new, but more aggressive 06:12 – Could this fracture the marketplace model? 07:27 – Will brokers be forced into multiple portals? 08:04 – Industry-wide implications: are platforms losing value? 08:37 – M3 VIP trip strategy breakdown 09:26 – Platform incentives: the “free dry cleaning” analogy 10:47 – Boss, Uber, and network effects 12:01 – More users = more leverage with lenders 13:04 – Ben Salami’s new CMA feature release 13:58 – Scenario planning tools for mortgage brokers 14:40 – Comparing fixed vs. variable + lender options 15:34 – Why Ben's speed in building is his superpower 16:46 – Iteration cycles: 1 week vs 10 minutes 17:25 – How AI might democratize fast iterations 18:26 – Final thoughts + call to share

🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more weekly insights on mortgage tech, tools, and trends.

#mortgagetechnology #mortgagebroker #canadianmortgage #mortgageplatforms

If your brokerage went under tomorrow—would your business survive?

In this episode of Mortgage Tech Talks, Tom breaks down a powerful video from Ron Butler that’s making waves across the mortgage industry. From ownership of your domain and CRM to warning signs your brokerage might be in financial trouble, this episode is a wake-up call for brokers in Canada.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Why every broker must own their domain, inbox, and CRM 01:21 – Welcome to Mortgage Tech Talks 01:42 – Ron Butler’s video breakdown: What happens if your brokerage collapses? 03:08 – The danger of relying on your brokerage for commission payments 05:23 – Signs your brokerage might be in financial trouble 06:07 – How to protect your business before it’s too late 06:43 – The tech barriers that keep brokers stuck 07:01 – 3 things your brokerage might control that you need to own 08:00 – Step-by-step: how to get your tech stack independent 10:02 – Mortgage payment surge projections 11:53 – Why inflation rising again could be a disaster 13:21 – Who are mortgage tech platforms really built for? 14:03 – The 4 audiences mortgage tech must serve 15:23 – The trade-offs platforms make to keep lenders happy 15:42 – Shoutout to Scarlett Jo Factory: Canadian Mortgage Award wins 16:19 – BluMortgage wins at the Mortgage Awards of Excellence 17:02 – What this award means for the BluMortgage team 17:39 – Final thoughts and viewer call-to-action 28:34 – BONUS: Recap of the tech ownership framework for brokers

Whether you’re a new broker or a seasoned pro, this episode gives you practical advice to bulletproof your business—and insights on how the industry is evolving in real time.

#mortgagebroker #mortgagetech #canadianmortgages #realestatecanada #mortgageadvice

Let me know if you'd like a shorter version for Spotify or LinkedIn as well.

In this episode of Mortgage Tech Talks, Tom dives deep into one of the most practical AI tools available to mortgage brokers today: AI-powered note-taking bots.

You’ll learn how tools like Fathom, Fireflies, and Otter are transforming how brokers run client meetings, track follow-ups, and stay compliant — all while saving time and improving client service. Tom breaks down the exact features that make these tools game-changers, how to integrate them with your CRM for max efficiency, and which platform fits your workflow best.

If you're a mortgage broker, financial advisor, or service-based professional running multiple meetings per week — this tech is a no-brainer.

🔧 Want to automate your notes, track commitments, and improve compliance? Start here.

📍 TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Why handwritten notes still matter — and how AI note-takers complement them 01:11 – What are AI meeting bots and how do they work? 02:00 – How AI agents join your Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams calls 03:20 – Full transcript + meeting summary explained 04:45 – Custom summaries using frameworks like BANT 06:45 – Creating post-call checklists from AI takeaways 08:10 – How AI bots assist with training and coaching new team members 09:30 – Turning meeting snippets into internal learning playlists 11:00 – Using AI transcripts inside your CRM for deeper client tracking 12:10 – Unlocking call analytics and sales insights 13:10 – Automating tasks from AI takeaways directly into your workflow 14:00 – Compliance benefits of full transcripts 15:14 – Tool breakdown: Fathom vs. Fireflies vs. Otter 17:00 – When to use each tool (Zoom meetings, mobile recordings, integrations) 19:11 – Final thoughts + why these tools may become essential in your tech stack

✅ Keywords: mortgage broker technology, AI note taker, Fathom vs Otter vs Fireflies, best note-taking app for mortgage brokers, CRM integration, meeting productivity tools, compliance tools for brokers, AI meeting summaries, automate meeting notes

🔔 Like what you heard? Subscribe to Mortgage Tech Talks and share this episode with one colleague who needs to hear it. Your referrals help us grow—one listener at a time.

#mortgagebroker #aitechnology #productivitytools #fintech #mortgagetech

In this episode of Mortgage Tech Talks, we pull back the curtain on a multi-million dollar secret most mortgage brokers never think about: your deal submission platform isn’t really free—and the reason why explains almost everything happening in the mortgage tech world today.

You’ll learn how lenders fund the systems you use, how that affects your brokerage’s software decisions, and what the future might look like in an AI-driven world.

Whether you're a broker, lender, or tech enthusiast—this is the episode that connects all the dots.

0:00 – Smaller brokerages building their own tech “pipes” 0:48 – Welcome + Why this hidden dynamic explains everything 1:36 – The “free” software myth: Who’s really paying? 2:58 – Let’s talk numbers: $95M–$155M annually 4:07 – Breaking down the $315B broker channel 5:20 – How much Velocity earns from lender fees 6:09 – The per-broker revenue reality 7:52 – What platforms are making off your volume 8:36 – How Filogix built the original network and fee model 10:11 – “The house with pipes” analogy explained 12:09 – How Velocity and Finmo gained traction 13:10 – Did Filogix enable their competition? 14:03 – The honey pot is leaking—market share is shifting 15:02 – Why big networks are launching their own platforms 16:24 – New revenue streams and tighter software control 17:40 – Why platforms are stacking on free tools (CRM, payroll, AML) 19:24 – What happens if lenders stop paying the fees? 20:20 – The rise of AI agents and platform-free futures 21:36 – Why brokers need to own their process 22:26 – The risk of misaligned incentives 23:09 – Wrap-up: why this matters more than ever

#mortgagetech #mortgagebroker #fintech #mortgageindustry #mortgageautomation

In this episode of Mortgage Tech Talks, Tom dives into the future of Canadian housing—and shares a bold theory: government-built homes might just become a new asset class.

He also breaks down the latest in mortgage tech innovation, including a deep review of Pineapple Plus, the all-in-one platform making waves in the broker space. Plus, he covers big leadership moves in the mortgage industry and what they could mean for tech adoption across brokerages.

Whether you're a mortgage broker, industry insider, or just want to stay ahead of what's next in real estate, this episode is packed with insight.

📌 Timestamps:

00:00 – Will government-built homes become a new asset class? 01:09 – Intro & today’s episode overview 02:08 – Pineapple Plus platform: first impressions 04:05 – Key features: CRM, client applications, centralized underwriting 05:19 – Google Drive integration + seamless doc management 05:56 – The paradox of “all-in-one” mortgage systems 07:48 – Simplicity vs. complexity in mortgage software 08:07 – Industry update: Chris Turcotte moves from Centum to TMA 09:18 – Why better tech is influencing brokerage leadership 10:20 – The rise of Velocity and brokerage-led tech tools 11:04 – “Championship teams” vs. “family” in company culture 12:12 – New leadership at Centum: Adrian Schulz steps up 13:14 – Mortgage Monitor: tech tools that analyze your book 14:34 – Will Adrian's promotion help or slow tech innovation at Centum? 14:53 – Political lens: Liberal housing plan & market impact 16:13 – Why 500,000 government-built homes might shift the asset landscape 17:52 – How a new asset class could protect home equity + create opportunity 18:25 – Final thoughts: what it all means for mortgage professionals 19:16 – Closing remarks + comments welcome

💡 Like this episode? Subscribe and comment your thoughts on government-built housing or all-in-one tech platforms for brokers. Your feedback helps shape future discussions!

#mortgagebroker #realestatecanada #mortgagetech #canadianhousing #mortgagepodcast #realestateinvesting #brokerlife