Fintech Hunting

Hosted by Hosted By Michael Hammond

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309

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Oct 2026

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About the show

The podcast host will be Michael Hammond JD, CMT, keynote speaker, author and founder of NexLevel Advisors. Join Michael as he seeks out will tech visionaries, leading lenders, trailblazing executives, and other Financial influencers to bring you actionable insights and lead generation tactics all centered around industry greatness and success.

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October 28, 202615 min

Are we getting better at detecting mortgage fraud—or just making underwriters busier?

That's one of the questions that stayed with me after recording the latest episode of the Fintech Hunting Podcast with my good friend and returning guest, Richard Lombardi of ICE Mortgage Technology. I've always enjoyed my conversations with Richard. With more than 30 years of experience in data, analytics, and financial services, he brings tremendous knowledge to the table. But what I appreciate most is his ability to get beyond the technology and focus on the real challenges facing our industry. One topic that really caught my attention was something Richard calls "condition fatigue." Think about that for a moment. We've invested heavily in technology designed to detect fraud, reduce risk, and improve efficiency. But what happens when those same systems generate too many false positives, create unnecessary conditions, and leave underwriting teams spending valuable time investigating issues that may not actually be problems? At what point does the technology designed to protect us start getting in our way? And then there's AI. We're seeing incredible advancements in what technology can do, but as Richard and I discussed, AI is changing the game for both lenders and fraudsters. That raises some important questions about how we approach fraud prevention moving forward. What I really appreciated about this conversation was the focus on solving problems, not simply adding more technology. Because at the end of the day, there's an underwriter trying to make the right decision, a lender trying to manage risk, and a borrower waiting for answers. We can't lose sight of the people behind the process. Richard shares some fascinating perspectives on where mortgage fraud detection is headed and what lenders should be thinking about differently. I don't want to give away the entire conversation, but I will say this: It challenged me to think about whether we're measuring the right things when it comes to technology and efficiency. A sincere thank you to Richard for joining me again. These are the conversations I love having, and exactly why I enjoy hosting the Fintech Hunting Podcast. 🎧 If you're involved in mortgage lending, underwriting, risk management, or mortgage technology, I encourage you to listen. I think you'll find Richard's perspective well worth your time. ### Michael Hammond, Founder of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development. Powering mortgage marketing excellence.

October 7, 202612 min

62 Conversations. One Question: Where Is Mortgage Really Headed?

MBA Annual is almost here—and this year, we’re going bigger. Yes, we’re heading to Chicago to talk about AI, technology, profitability, innovation, marketing, and where the mortgage industry is headed. But more importantly, we’re going for the people. In this special pre-MBA Annual episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with his friend and media partner Dalila Ramos to share what they have planned for one of the biggest weeks of the year in mortgage. And it’s going to be a big one. On Monday, we’re bringing back the FinTech Hunting Podcast Pop-Up Studio—often copied, NEVER duplicated. This year, we’re taking it to another level. We’ll capture more than 60 conversations with executives, innovators, lenders, technology leaders, entrepreneurs, and some of the incredible people helping shape what comes next for mortgage. These aren't meant to be scripted sales pitches. We want real conversations. What are you seeing in the market? What are you worried about? What are you excited about? Is AI actually making a difference? Where are the opportunities? And what does this industry need to do differently? Then on Tuesday, Dalila is doing something especially meaningful: bringing loan officers into the conversation with a VIP LO Content Day. Because too often, the people closest to borrowers aren't in the rooms where some of the biggest industry conversations are happening. We want to help change that. We want to hear from the C-suite and the front lines. From industry veterans who have navigated difficult markets before and the next generation bringing fresh ideas to mortgage. And we don't want those conversations to stay inside a conference hall. If you're going to MBA Annual, come find us. Stop by. Say hello. Tell us what you're seeing. Share your story. Challenge our thinking. Let's have a real conversation. And if you can't make it to Chicago, follow the FinTech Hunting Podcast feed and follow Michael and Dalila on social media. We're going to bring the experience to you—sharing conversations, videos, insights, personalities, laughs, and perspectives throughout the week. Because behind all the conversations about AI, automation and technology, mortgage is still a relationship business. And sometimes the best ideas don't happen on a stage or inside a boardroom. They start when people sit down, listen to each other, and have a genuine conversation. That's what we’re going to Chicago to do. 62 conversations. Countless perspectives. One question: Where is mortgage really headed? Come be part of the conversation. We’ll see you in Chicago. ### Michael Hammond, Founder of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development. Powering mortgage marketing excellence.

September 30, 202620 min

Mortgage AI Exposed: The 2 Out of 3 Opportunities Lenders Miss | Josh Friend

TITLE: Mortgage AI Exposed: The 2 Out of 3 Opportunities Lenders Miss | Josh Friend DESCRIPTION: What if mortgage lenders don’t need more leads? What if the bigger problem is that they’re failing to convert the opportunities they already have? In this episode of The FinTech Hunting Podcast , Michael Hammond sits down with Josh Friend, CEO and Founder of Insellerate , to separate AI hype from AI reality—and examine what massive amounts of mortgage data are revealing about sales, conversion, borrower engagement, and the future of lending. One finding should get every mortgage executive’s attention: lenders may be capturing only about one-third of the potential mortgage transactions already in front of them. That raises a much more important question than “How do we generate more leads?” Why are so many existing opportunities being missed—and can AI help lenders capture them? Michael and Josh explore: • Why much of what is being marketed as “AI” may simply be existing technology with a new label • The question every mortgage executive should ask an AI vendor before buying • How AI can analyze sales conversations, objections, response times, and follow-up behavior • What top-producing loan officers do differently—and how AI can turn those behaviors into a repeatable playbook • Why improving conversion could create more growth than simply buying additional leads • How purpose-built LLMs could change the economics and security of enterprise AI • Why mortgage CRMs are evolving from systems of record into systems of intelligence • How a “golden record” can connect fragmented borrower data across the mortgage ecosystem • What happens when AI can tell a loan officer who to call, why to call them, and what action to take next This conversation goes beyond chatbots, automated emails, and AI features. It’s about a much larger shift: using AI to redesign how a mortgage company identifies opportunities, makes decisions, engages borrowers, and converts business. Because there is a major difference between buying AI and actually becoming an AI-powered lender . If you’re a mortgage CEO, lending executive, fintech leader, sales leader, or technology provider trying to understand where AI can create measurable business value, this is a conversation you’ll want to watch. ▶️ Watch the full episode with Josh Friend and discover where lenders may be leaving their biggest growth opportunity on the table. Subscribe to The FinTech Hunting Podcast for conversations with the executives, founders, and innovators shaping the future of mortgage, fintech, and financial services. ### Michael Hammond, Founder of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development. Powering mortgage marketing excellence.

September 23, 202618 min

Mortgage rates are rising again—but the opportunity in mortgage lending isn’t disappearing. It’s moving.

Mortgage rates are rising again—but the opportunity in mortgage lending isn’t disappearing. It’s moving. In this episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with Eloise Schmitz, CEO of LoanNEX , to unpack what the latest shifts in DSCR, non-agency lending, investment-property loans, home equity and second liens are telling us about where the mortgage market may be heading next. But the bigger story may be what lenders aren't seeing. Eloise explains why product visibility matters, where friction still exists between loan officers, secondary marketing teams and investors, and how pricing, eligibility, locks and exception management can become part of a more connected mortgage workflow. One statistic should get the industry's attention: Eloise says investors can see roughly 30–40% of volume handled on an exception basis. That creates an interesting question: What can all those exceptions tell us about borrower demand, missed opportunities and where the market is moving next? Michael and Eloise also discuss how better analytics can reveal: • Where mortgage volume is shifting • Where lenders may be missing opportunities • How credit premiums are changing • Why investors compete differently across the credit spectrum • How lenders can give loan officers broader product access and greater confidence If you're a mortgage lender, secondary marketing leader, capital markets professional, mortgage executive or fintech provider trying to understand where opportunity exists in a changing rate environment, this conversation is for you. Watch the full episode and decide for yourself: Is your organization seeing the entire mortgage market—or only the part your current technology allows you to see? Subscribe to the FinTech Hunting Podcast for conversations with the executives and innovators shaping mortgage, fintech and financial services. ### Michael Hammond, Founder of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development. Powering mortgage marketing excellence.

September 16, 202621 min

AI Is Coming for Mortgage. But Are Lenders Automating the Wrong Things?

Everyone in mortgage is talking about AI. But what happens when you put powerful AI on top of a broken process? You don’t necessarily create transformation. You may just make the problem faster. In this episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast , Michael Hammond sits down with Ruth Lee and Eric Kujala of ICE Mortgage Technology for a candid conversation about artificial intelligence, automation, mortgage technology, operational efficiency, and what real transformation in lending actually requires. The conversation challenges one of the biggest assumptions in mortgage technology today: More technology does not automatically mean better outcomes. After years of investment in platforms, automation, and digital transformation, the cost to originate remains stubbornly high. So the real question is not: “What can we automate?” It’s: “What should we automate—and what needs to be rethought first?” Ruth and Eric unpack why lenders need to understand how work is actually being done before applying AI, why automating a flawed workflow can amplify risk, and where AI may create its biggest opportunity: putting the right information in front of the right person at the right moment. They also explore what AI could mean for loan officers, processors, underwriters, closers, and mortgage executives as the industry moves from experimentation to real-world adoption. This is not another conversation about AI hype. It is a conversation about where AI actually creates value, where it can create new problems, and what mortgage leaders need to get right before moving faster. If you are a mortgage executive, lender, fintech leader, mortgage technology provider, operations leader, or anyone responsible for digital transformation, this episode will challenge how you think about the next phase of AI in lending. Watch the full episode to hear why the biggest AI mistake in mortgage may not be moving too slowly—but automating the wrong things too quickly. ### Michael Hammond, Founder of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development. Powering mortgage marketing excellence.

September 2, 202621 min

Fewer Touches. Faster Underwriting. More Capacity. | Naren Krishna, Balerion AI

What if lenders could identify issues before a loan ever reaches underwriting—and give underwriters more time to focus on the decisions that actually require their expertise? That’s the opportunity Naren Krishna and the team at Balerion AI are bringing to the mortgage industry. In this episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with Naren, CEO and Co-Founder of Balerion AI, for a fascinating look at how purpose-built AI is changing mortgage manufacturing—not by removing the people who understand lending, but by giving them better intelligence earlier in the process. Naren calls it “intelligence before underwriting.” The concept is powerful: analyze the loan earlier, surface what needs attention, clear what doesn’t, and give every person in the process the information they need to make better decisions faster. The potential impact: • Fewer unnecessary touches on every loan • Faster analysis and underwriting • Better-quality files entering underwriting • Greater operational capacity without simply adding more people • Less manual “stare and compare” work • Faster movement through the manufacturing process • More time for experienced mortgage professionals to focus on exceptions, judgment, and the borrower And this isn’t just a vision for the future. Naren shares how Balerion has worked with lenders on complex mortgage workflows—including non-QM lending with extensive investor overlays—to bring AI into real production environments and deliver meaningful operational results. He also explains how AI can quickly surface the condition of a loan, identify what deserves attention, and help teams understand what may already be cleared before an underwriter ever begins their review. But one of the most important parts of the conversation is how Balerion is combining advanced AI with something technology alone can’t replace: decades of real mortgage and underwriting experience. The goal isn’t simply to teach AI how to read guidelines. It’s to combine technology, historical loan data, lender expertise, and human judgment to help mortgage organizations make better decisions at scale. Michael and Naren also explore what this could mean across retail lending, correspondent lending, quality control, investor workflows, and the broader future of mortgage manufacturing. If you’re a mortgage executive, operations leader, underwriter, technologist, lender, or industry innovator trying to understand what practical, production-ready AI can actually do for mortgage operations, this is an episode you’ll want to watch through to the end. Because the most exciting story about AI in mortgage isn’t replacing great people. It’s giving great people better intelligence, earlier in the process. 🎙️ FinTech Hunting Podcast Hosted by Michael Hammond ### Michael Hammond, Founder of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.

September 2, 202621 min

Fewer Touches. Faster Underwriting. More Capacity. | Naren Krishna, Balerion AI

What if lenders could identify issues before a loan ever reaches underwriting —and give underwriters more time to focus on the decisions that actually require their expertise? That’s the opportunity Naren Krishna and the team at Balerion AI are bringing to the mortgage industry. In this episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast , Michael Hammond sits down with Naren, CEO and Co-Founder of Balerion AI, for a fascinating look at how purpose-built AI is changing mortgage manufacturing—not by removing the people who understand lending, but by giving them better intelligence earlier in the process. Naren calls it “intelligence before underwriting.” The concept is powerful: analyze the loan earlier, surface what needs attention, clear what doesn’t, and give every person in the process the information they need to make better decisions faster. The potential impact: • Fewer unnecessary touches on every loan • Faster analysis and underwriting • Better-quality files entering underwriting • Greater operational capacity without simply adding more people • Less manual “stare and compare” work • Faster movement through the manufacturing process • More time for experienced mortgage professionals to focus on exceptions, judgment, and the borrower And this isn’t just a vision for the future. Naren shares how Balerion has worked with lenders on complex mortgage workflows—including non-QM lending with extensive investor overlays—to bring AI into real production environments and deliver meaningful operational results. He also explains how AI can quickly surface the condition of a loan, identify what deserves attention, and help teams understand what may already be cleared before an underwriter ever begins their review. But one of the most important parts of the conversation is how Balerion is combining advanced AI with something technology alone can’t replace: decades of real mortgage and underwriting experience. The goal isn’t simply to teach AI how to read guidelines. It’s to combine technology, historical loan data, lender expertise, and human judgment to help mortgage organizations make better decisions at scale. Michael and Naren also explore what this could mean across retail lending, correspondent lending, quality control, investor workflows, and the broader future of mortgage manufacturing. If you’re a mortgage executive, operations leader, underwriter, technologist, lender, or industry innovator trying to understand what practical, production-ready AI can actually do for mortgage operations, this is an episode you’ll want to watch through to the end. Because the most exciting story about AI in mortgage isn’t replacing great people. It’s giving great people better intelligence, earlier in the process. 🎙️ FinTech Hunting Podcast Hosted by Michael Hammond ### Michael Hammond, Founder of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.

August 26, 202621 min

You Bought the AI. So Where’s the ROI? | The Mortgage AI Adoption Problem

ou bought the AI. You implemented the technology. So why isn’t the ROI showing up? In this episode of The FinTech Hunting Podcast , Michael Hammond sits down with Suha Beidas Zehl, CMB, CEO of Z Technologies , for a candid conversation about one of the biggest challenges facing mortgage and financial services leaders today: turning AI investment into actual business results. The technology may no longer be the biggest obstacle. Adoption, leadership, data, governance, and organizational readiness are. Michael and Suha explore why some companies are moving from AI experimentation to measurable outcomes while others are still struggling to get employees to use the tools they already purchased. Why buying AI doesn’t automatically create ROI Why AI adoption may be a bigger challenge than AI capability The question leaders should ask before choosing an AI use case Why bad processes and poor data can undermine AI investments How small, measurable wins can accelerate adoption Why employee education and leadership matter more as AI advances How governance and organizational readiness will separate AI leaders from laggards One of the biggest takeaways: The competitive advantage may not come from having access to AI. It will come from knowing how to use it across the organization. Instead of asking, “What can AI do?” leaders may need to start with a better question: “What business problem are we trying to solve—and should AI be the solution?” If you lead a mortgage lender, fintech company, mortgage technology provider, operations team, or AI initiative, this conversation will challenge you to look beyond the tools and think harder about what actually creates transformation. 🎙️ Guest: Suha Beidas Zehl, CMB | CEO, Z Technologies 🎙️ Host: Michael Hammond | Founder & CEO, NexLevel Advisors 🎧 Podcast: The FinTech Hunting Podcast 00:00 — Welcome Suha Beidas Zehl 00:58 — What mortgage leaders are asking about AI 01:52 — The AI adoption and ROI problem 04:13 — Stop asking what AI can do 05:13 — Why AI isn’t just an IT initiative 06:40 — Where companies are seeing real AI progress 07:10 — Data, quick wins and building trust 08:58 — Why employee adoption determines ROI 10:14 — Doing more with the same 11:59 — Productivity, quality and AI slop 13:07 — Preparing leaders for 2030 14:37 — Keeping AI transformation human-centered 16:01 — From AI experiments to business outcomes 17:19 — Finding the right AI use cases 18:50 — Governance and organizational readiness 20:20 — Connect with Suha Subscribe to The FinTech Hunting Podcast for conversations with the executives and innovators shaping the future of mortgage, fintech, AI, and financial services. ### Michael Hammond, Founder of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.

July 29, 202624 min

MISMO’s Warning: Mortgage AI Can’t Go Ungoverned

Mortgage AI is already inside lender workflows, vendor platforms and employee tools. But if a regulator, investor or business partner asked where AI is being used, who owns the risk and how those decisions are governed—could your organization provide a clear answer? In this episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with Brian Vieaux, President of MISMO, to examine the growing gap between AI adoption and responsible AI governance in the mortgage industry. They discuss: Why lenders need an inventory of every AI use case How “shadow AI” enters organizations without leadership approval Who is accountable when a technology vendor uses AI Why existing fair lending and compliance obligations still apply How MISMO FRAME helps organizations assess and govern AI risk Why standardized mortgage data is critical to reliable AI What lenders should ask before adopting an AI-powered solution How MISMO’s new governance certifications could shape the industry MISMO FRAME—the Framework for Responsible Use of AI in the Mortgage Ecosystem—is designed to help mortgage companies move beyond vague AI policies and build practical governance around real use cases, risks and responsibilities. The uncomfortable truth is that waiting for new AI regulations is not a strategy. AI is already being used, and organizations will still be responsible for the outcomes. Watch the full conversation to learn how mortgage lenders, technology providers and industry leaders can adopt AI without losing control of accountability, compliance or trust. What is the biggest AI risk facing the mortgage industry right now: shadow AI, poor data, weak vendor oversight or lack of executive ownership? Subscribe to the FinTech Hunting Podcast for candid conversations with the leaders shaping mortgage technology, fintech, artificial intelligence and the future of financial services.

July 22, 202618 min

Michael Hammond, Founder of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.

AI-Powered vs. AI-Native: What Mortgage Lenders Need to Know YouTube Description What is the difference between AI-powered mortgage technology and an AI-native mortgage platform—and does that distinction actually matter to lenders? In this episode of the Fintech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with Brianna Lin, co-founder of Copperlane AI, to examine what AI-native mortgage origination looks like in practice. AI-powered technology typically adds AI capabilities to an existing software product. AI-native technology places AI at the center of the workflow. But the label alone means nothing unless the technology can solve real operational problems, protect borrower information, support human judgment, and improve the mortgage experience. Brianna shares what Copperlane has learned from working directly with lenders and explains how AI can help mortgage professionals reduce repetitive administrative work while giving loan officers more time to focus on borrowers, relationships, and revenue-generating activity. In this conversation, you will learn: What separates AI-powered from AI-native mortgage technology Which parts of mortgage origination are most ready for automation Why AI cannot repair a fundamentally broken workflow Where automation should stop and human oversight should begin How lenders can evaluate AI beyond time savings Why audit trails, security, compliance, and borrower-data protection matter How to build employee trust and manage AI adoption Which internal AI use cases lenders should evaluate first What questions lenders should ask before selecting an AI technology partner The biggest question is not whether AI is coming to mortgage. It is whether lenders will use it to automate outdated processes—or rethink how work gets done. This episode is for mortgage executives, operations leaders, technology teams, loan officers, and anyone responsible for evaluating or implementing AI in mortgage origination. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:34 Brianna Lin’s path into mortgage technology 02:24 What mortgage origination is ready to reimagine 03:53 AI-powered versus AI-native technology 06:04 Why AI cannot fix a broken workflow 07:06 Where automation should end 09:42 Measuring AI beyond time savings 11:45 Change management and employee trust 13:49 The best first AI use cases for lenders 15:59 How AI can change the loan officer’s work 17:29 Connecting with Brianna and Copperlane Subscribe to the Fintech Hunting Podcast for candid conversations with the founders, executives, and innovators shaping the future of mortgage, fintech, financial services, and artificial intelligence. ### Michael Hammond, Founder of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.