Fintech Hunting

Hosted by Hosted By Michael Hammond

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Jun 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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June 10, 202624 min

AI Won’t Replace Relationships — But It Will Expose Who’s Been Faking Them | Fintech Hunting Podcast

What happens when borrowers stop Googling you and start asking AI who they should trust?In this heartfelt episode of The Fintech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond welcomes back industry thought leader, recruiting expert, media partner, taco aficionado, and dear friend Dalila Ramos for a real conversation about the future of visibility, trust, AI, and human connection in mortgage and financial services.Fresh off the Insellerate Experience Summit, Michael and Dalila unpack one of the biggest shifts facing the industry today: buyers, borrowers, lenders, and referral partners are no longer just searching for links. They are asking AI for answers. And if your brand, your expertise, or your company does not show up in those answers, you may become invisible before the conversation ever starts.But this episode is not just about AI.It is about the people behind the posts.The trust behind the transaction.The laughter, faith, friendships, tacos, car rides, conference moments, and real-life connections that technology can support — but never replace.Michael and Dalila explore:How AI search is changing borrower behaviorWhy GEO and AEO matter for loan officers, lenders, and mortgage technology companiesWhy “AI slop” is damaging trust and making brands sound the sameHow to use AI as a tool without losing your voiceWhy video, authenticity, and consistency are now trust signalsHow real relationships are built in the small, unpolished momentsWhy the winners will combine AI-powered visibility with genuine human connectionDalila shares a powerful reminder that the best content often comes from simply showing up as yourself — candid, consistent, imperfect, and human. Michael reinforces why the future belongs to those who can answer real questions clearly, build authority intentionally, and still care deeply about the people they serve.This is a conversation for every loan officer, mortgage executive, fintech founder, recruiter, marketer, and industry leader asking:How do I stay visible in an AI-driven world without losing what makes me human?Watch now and rethink what it really means to be found, trusted, and remembered.###Michael Hammond, Founder & CEO of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.

May 27, 202624 min

Mortgage Has an AI Problem Nobody Wants to Admit | Trish Maraski

Everyone in mortgage is talking about AI. Far fewer are asking the harder question:Are we using technology to create a better borrower experience—or just automating the same broken processes faster?In this episode of The Fintech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with Trish Maraski, Vice President of Product and Strategy at Moder, for a candid conversation about what innovation in mortgage should actually look like.After nearly three decades in the industry, Trish has seen technology cycles come and go. Her perspective is refreshingly direct: AI may make transformation faster and more accessible, but it cannot replace strategy, clean processes, good data, or the human judgment required to serve borrowers well.This conversation explores:Why automating a flawed process can create bigger problems, fasterWhere mortgage innovation is real—and where it is still just talkWhy the people closest to the work must be included in transformationHow lenders can use AI without losing the human experienceWhat still makes the mortgage industry deeply meaningfulThis is not a conversation about chasing the next technology trend.It is about whether mortgage leaders are willing to fix what is broken before AI exposes it.Watch now and decide: is your organization truly innovating—or simply automating?###Michael Hammond, Founder & CEO of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.

May 20, 202620 min

LinkedIn Isn’t Broken. It’s Deciding Who Still Matters. | Fintech Hunting Podcast

Why is LinkedIn showing you posts from two or three weeks ago?It feels frustrating. It feels outdated. It feels like the feed is broken.But what if LinkedIn is not broken at all?In this episode of the Fintech Hunting Podcast, Ashley Gravano turns the tables and interviews Michael Hammond for a timely, honest conversation about the shift happening on LinkedIn—and why mortgage, fintech, and financial services professionals need to pay attention.Michael explains why LinkedIn has moved from a feed built around recency to one increasingly shaped by relevance. That means the posts that keep getting surfaced are not always the newest. They are the ones LinkedIn believes still matter because people are engaging, saving, reposting, and spending time with them. This episode is a wake-up call for anyone using LinkedIn to build visibility, credibility, relationships, or pipeline.Because the real question is no longer:“Did I post today?”It is:“Did I create something worth resurfacing?”A big thank you to Ashley Gravano for hosting this episode, flipping the script, and leading such a genuine, curious, and timely conversation.Why LinkedIn is resurfacing older postsWhat the shift from recency to relevancy meansWhy surface-level content is losing powerHow deeper, more useful posts can keep gaining reachWhy saves, reposts, comments, and dwell time matterHow mortgage and fintech professionals should rethink LinkedInWhy your content strategy must build trust before the sales conversation ever startsIf you are a mortgage professional, fintech leader, vendor, loan officer, marketer, or executive trying to stay visible in a noisy market, this conversation will challenge how you think about LinkedIn.The future of visibility belongs to the people who create content with substance, clarity, and staying power.For more insights on AI, LinkedIn, mortgage marketing, fintech growth, and audience development, visit nexleveladvisors.com and explore the NexLevel Advisors Resource Center.Subscribe to the Fintech Hunting Podcast for conversations with the leaders, operators, and innovators shaping the future of mortgage, fintech, and financial services.In this episode, we cover:

May 6, 202613 min

Your Loan Officers Can’t Sell What They Can’t See | Non-Agency Lending’s Execution Gap

Most lenders say they have access to non-agency products.But access does not mean your loan officers can confidently sell them.In this episode of The Fintech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with Eloise Schmitz, CEO and Co-Founder of LoanNEX, to unpack one of the biggest hidden growth problems in mortgage lending today: lenders are missing qualified borrowers because their teams do not have the visibility, workflow, and execution certainty needed to compete in non-agency lending.This is not just a product problem.It is a confidence problem.It is a workflow problem.It is a revenue problem.Eloise explains why non-agency lending can no longer be treated like a side-door solution for unusual files. In a market where affordability is tight, rates remain elevated, and borrower profiles are changing, lenders need more than a long product menu. They need a clear way for loan officers to identify options, trust the pricing, explain the solution, and deliver what they promise.In this conversation, Michael and Eloise discuss:Why access alone is not a competitive advantageHow lenders unintentionally hide viable options from loan officersWhy “simple” product menus can actually create more frictionThe borrower segments lenders are missing in today’s marketWhy execution certainty matters more than everHow LoanNEX helps lenders create confidence in non-agency lendingWhy the future belongs to lenders who can make complex products easier to sellThe big takeaway:If your loan officers cannot see the right options, they cannot sell the right solutions.And in this market, that may be costing lenders more than they realize.Guest: Eloise Schmitz, CEO & Co-Founder, LoanNEXHost: Michael Hammond, The Fintech Hunting PodcastLearn more about LoanNEX:Contact: sales@loannex.comSubscribe to The Fintech Hunting Podcast for more conversations with the leaders, founders, and innovators shaping the future of mortgage, fintech, lending, and financial services.

April 29, 202618 min

Mortgage Lenders Can’t Rely on Trigger Leads Anymore. Here’s What Comes Next

Mortgage Lenders Can’t Rely on Trigger Leads Anymore. Here’s What Comes NextTrigger leads have been one of the mortgage industry’s favorite shortcuts.That shortcut is changing.In this episode of The Fintech Hunting Podcast, host Michael Hammond sits down with Katharine Loveland, SVP General Manager at Volly, to break down what the new trigger lead environment means for mortgage lenders, servicers, loan officers, and marketing leaders.For years, many lenders leaned on reactive marketing: trigger leads, batch emails, speed-to-phone tactics, and last-minute refinance outreach. But as trigger lead legislation reshapes the competitive landscape, lenders can no longer depend on buying access to borrowers at the moment they apply somewhere else.The lenders that win the next market cycle will be the ones that already own the relationship.Katharine explains why mortgage retention is no longer a nice-to-have — it is becoming one of the most important revenue strategies in lending. As refinance opportunities return, lenders need to know which borrowers are ready, who is at risk, what messages matter, and how to engage customers before competitors do.This conversation covers:Why trigger lead changes are forcing lenders to rethink growthWhy retention is now a strategic priority, not just a marketing taskHow lenders should prepare for the next refinance waveWhy borrower relationships need to be built before rates dropHow AI can help prioritize outreach and personalize engagementWhy portfolio intelligence matters more than generic campaignsWhat lenders can do now to protect past customers from competitorsHow marketing automation can support smarter borrower recaptureThe big takeaway: if your retention strategy starts when the borrower is already shopping, you are too late.Mortgage companies need to stop relying on shortcuts and start building a system that keeps them connected to borrowers throughout the entire homeownership journey.This episode is a must-watch for mortgage executives, loan officers, servicers, marketing leaders, fintech vendors, and anyone trying to build a smarter borrower engagement strategy in a changing market.Guest: Katharine Loveland, SVP General Manager, VollyHost: Michael Hammond, Founder & CEO of NexLevel Advisors and host of The Fintech Hunting PodcastLearn more about Volly: myvolly.comSubscribe to The Fintech Hunting Podcast for more conversations on mortgage technology, fintech innovation, AI, borrower retention, lending strategy, and the future of financial services.#MortgageMarketing #TriggerLeads #MortgageRetention #BorrowerRetention #MortgageTechnology #MortgageAI #AIinMortgage #MortgageLending #RefinanceStrategy #LoanOfficers #Fintech #FintechHunting #Volly###Michael Hammond, Founder & CEO of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.

April 22, 202619 min

AI Is Coming to You or Coming for You | Jim Deitch on Mortgage Disruption | FinTech Hunting Podcast

AI is no longer a future topic in mortgage lending. It is the force separating the companies that adapt from the ones that get outpaced.In this episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with Jim Deitch, Co-Founder and CEO of Tera Verde, to talk about the hard truth facing mortgage leaders right now:AI is either coming to you or coming for you.This is not a surface-level conversation about shiny tools or hype.Jim breaks down what AI disruption really means for the mortgage industry, why speed matters more than ever, how weak workflows get exposed faster, and why leaders who fail to rethink process, profitability, and customer experience will lose ground to competitors who do. The episode centers on AI as a present-day competitive force in lending, not a distant trend. You’ll hear a sharp conversation on:why AI is changing how mortgage companies competewhy faster technology does not fix broken operationshow AI can improve decision-making, customer experience, and efficiencywhat lenders need to rethink before the market shifts againwhy leadership mindset may be the real differentiator in the next era of mortgage lendingJim is also the author of Disruptive AI, a book that challenges leaders to decide whether AI will become their advantage or their threat. Even better, proceeds from the book support MBA Open Doors, which helps families with critically ill children make mortgage or rent payments while caring for their child. Buy Jim Deitch’s book, Disruptive AI:https://www.amazon.com/Disruptive-AI-Its-Coming-You/dp/B0GQJSPFNZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1Z0NTK4W0GGCN&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6-fbC0ndpzRiQP0l4Kt9ulq4MvyEHSoVbnzuGUbFXUU.xY1TZsZORFYsBrOFM_KBsYWkxagOfWQ93qUeLhKHYuE&dib_tag=se&keywords=james+deitch+books+AI+Disruptor&qid=1776691616&sprefix=james+deitch+books+ai+disrupto%2Caps%2C106&sr=8-1If you work in mortgage lending, fintech, financial services, digital mortgage, or AI strategy, this episode will challenge how you think about growth, competition, and the future of lending.Subscribe for more conversations on mortgage AI, fintech innovation, lending strategy, digital transformation, and the leaders shaping the future of financial services.#MortgageAI #JimDeitch #FinTechHuntingPodcast #MortgageLending #Fintech #ArtificialIntelligence #DigitalMortgage #LendingInnovation #FinancialServices

April 15, 202620 min

Everyone Is Selling AI to Mortgage Lenders—Almost Nobody Is Solving the Real Problem | Michael Vandi

AI is everywhere in mortgage right now. Results are not.In this episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with Michael Vandi, CEO of Addy AI, for a direct conversation about the growing gap between AI hype and real execution in mortgage and fintech.Why are lenders hearing endless AI pitches but still struggling to create meaningful operational change? Why are so many tools impressive in a demo but disappointing in the real world? And what actually has to happen for AI to improve workflows, reduce friction, and create real business value?This episode breaks down:Why AI fatigue is growing in mortgage and fintechWhy most AI solutions fail inside real lending environmentsWhat lenders actually need from automation todayWhere AI can create leverage in loan setup and underwritingWhy workflow-specific execution matters more than flashy softwareWhat separates true innovation from vendor hypeIf you work in mortgage, lending, banking, fintech, or AI, this is a conversation about what is really changing, what is not, and where the biggest opportunity is being missed.Subscribe to FinTech Hunting for conversations with the leaders building the future of financial services, mortgage technology, AI, and digital transformation.#FinTechHunting #MortgageAI #FintechPodcast #Lending #MortgageTechnology #ArtificialIntelligence #Underwriting #Automation #FinancialServices #AddyAI

April 8, 202619 min

AI in mortgage, agentic AI, loan officers, lender adoption, compliance, and cost to originate.

What does the future of mortgage lending look like when AI acts less like software and more like a true team member?In this episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with Athan Zhang, Co-Founder of Copperlane, to talk about how agentic AI is changing the mortgage industry. From proactive borrower engagement and document review to condition clearing, compliance guardrails, and 24/7 support, Athan shares how Copperlane is helping lenders rethink productivity, efficiency, and the role of the loan officer. This conversation covers:What agentic AI actually means in mortgageHow an AI loan officer can support borrowers and lendersWhy AI should enhance the human side of lending, not replace itThe real reasons many lenders are still slow to adopt AIHow to think about compliance, safety, and trust in AI systemsWhy lowering the cost to originate is now mission-criticalHow lenders can use AI to create a more scalable, flexible growth model Athan also explains why the lenders waiting on the sidelines may fall behind, and why the winners in this next chapter of mortgage will be the ones who learn how to combine human connection with AI-driven execution. If you are a:mortgage lenderlending executiveloan officerfintech leadermortgage operations leaderAI-curious industry professionalthis episode is for you.Connect with Copperlane:Website: copperlane.aiRequest a demo directly on their siteEmail: athan@copperlane.aiAbout FinTech Hunting PodcastFinTech Hunting features conversations with leading voices in mortgage, fintech, sales, growth, and innovation—focused on the ideas and technologies shaping the future of the industry.#MortgageAI #FintechHunting #MortgageLending #AthanZhang #Copperlane #LoanOfficer #MortgageTechnology #AgenticAI #ArtificialIntelligence #LendingInnovation #MortgageIndustry #FintechPodcast###Michael Hammond, Founder & CEO of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.

April 1, 202625 min

Are Loan Officers Selling Themselves Into a Corner? Christine Beckwith on Trust, Rates & Resilience

In this powerful episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, Michael sits down with Christine Beckwith, Founder and CEO of 2020 Vision for Success, for a heartfelt and honest conversation about what it really takes to lead in a difficult mortgage market. Christine shares what she’s hearing from loan officers and production leaders across the country, why so many originators are approaching rate conversations the wrong way, and how mortgage professionals can stop “selling themselves into a corner” by becoming trusted advisors instead of transactional rate watchers. The conversation goes deeper than rates and refinance strategy. Christine opens up about personal hardship, leadership under pressure, the emotional weight many professionals are carrying right now, and why coaching is not a luxury in hard markets, but a lifeline. This episode is a reminder that in financial services, the greatest advantage is not just market knowledge. It is belief, clarity, empathy, and the courage to keep showing up. In this episode, you’ll learn:Why loan officers must stop leading with rate aloneHow to build trust by thinking like a true advisorWhat “believability” means in sales and marketingWhy waiting for the perfect refi boom is a losing strategyHow coaching helps professionals survive and grow in tough marketsWhat resilience looks like when business and life both get heavy This is a must-watch for loan officers, mortgage leaders, financial services professionals, and anyone navigating change, uncertainty, and growth.###Michael Hammond, Founder & CEO of NexLevel Advisors, is the leading fractional CMO in mortgage and mortgage technology, specializing in AI-powered growth strategy and audience development.

March 11, 202615 min

Why Relationships Still Win in Mortgage Tech | Kortney Lane-Schafers on MMI, Data, AI & Growth

In this episode of the FinTech Hunting Podcast, Michael Hammond sits down with Kortney Lane-Schafers of MMI (Mobility Market Intelligence) for a powerful conversation about where the mortgage industry is headed—and what still matters most as technology moves faster than ever.Yes, AI is changing the game.Yes, data is more available than ever.But here’s the deeper question:In a market driven by automation, what still creates trust, momentum, and real growth?Kortney shares how MMI One is helping mortgage professionals turn data into action—not just reports, dashboards, or noise, but real business decisions around recruiting, retention, market expansion, customer outreach, and borrower opportunity.This episode goes beyond product talk. It gets to the heart of what many leaders are wrestling with right now:How do you use mortgage data in a way that is actually useful?What role should AI play in relationship-driven industries?How can lenders, servicers, banks, and credit unions better activate their databases?Why do authentic human relationships still outperform transactional selling?What makes an industry experience memorable instead of forgettable?Kortney also shares her perspective on why connection still matters, why the best networking is never just about selling, and how thoughtful experiences can create lasting impact across the mortgage and fintech ecosystem.If you work in mortgage, fintech, lending, servicing, banking, credit unions, proptech, sales, recruiting, or growth strategy, this conversation will give you both practical insight and a meaningful reminder:Technology may accelerate business, but relationships still move it forward.Key takeaways from IMB and why optimism is returning to mortgage in 2026What MMI One is and how it unifies mortgage data, communications, and monitoringHow lenders can use data for market growth, recruiting, retention, and referral developmentWhy actionable data matters more than just having more dataHow mortgage teams can use triggers and insights to deliver the right message at the right timeThe growing role of AI, automation, CRM integration, and credit monitoringWhy live events, networking, and authentic connection still matter in a digital-first worldHow meaningful experiences build stronger business relationships in mortgage and fintechKortney Lane-Schafers is a respected voice in mortgage and fintech, known for her work at MMI, her leadership in building authentic industry relationships, and her ability to connect data, strategy, and people in a way that creates real impact.The mortgage industry does not need more noise.It needs more clarity.More intentionality.And more leaders who understand that the future belongs to the organizations that can blend data, AI, and human connection the right way.If that’s the future you’re building toward, this episode is for you.Connect with Kortney Lane-Schafers on LinkedInLearn more about MMI: MMI.ioSubscribe to FinTech Hunting for more conversations with the leaders shaping mortgage, fintech, AI, marketing, growth, and the future of financial services.In this episode, we cover:About Kortney Lane-Schafers Why this conversation matters.###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.