Small Talk with Big Thinkers #1: Carmen Barreda on Impact, Leadership & Serving the Latino Community

Small Talk with Big Thinkers #4: Leadership, Growth & Community Impact with Sheilla Lavadia

Welcome back to Small Talk with Big Thinkers, hosted by Loan Factory - the nation’s #1 mortgage broker.🎯 In this episode:In this episode of Small Talk with Big Thinkers, host Rafael Acosta sits down with Sheilla Lavadia, a dedicated loan officer professional whose success has been built on strong relationships, community involvement, and a commitment to helping families achieve their goals.Sheilla shares her personal journey, the lessons she has learned throughout her career, and the mindset that has helped her navigate challenges while continuing to grow professionally. The conversation explores leadership, personal development, client service, and the importance of creating opportunities through consistency and hard work."Success is built one relationship at a time, and every challenge is an opportunity to grow."🎙️ Host: Rafael Acosta – Loan Factory Advocate, Corporate Coach & Loan Officer🎧 Guest: Sheilla Lavadia – Sr. Loan Officer | Team Leader🏢 Presented by: LoanFactory.com📺 Show: Small Talk with Big ThinkersTimestamps:00:00 – Welcome & introduction to Sheilla Lavadia01:45 – From corporate America to the mortgage industry04:15 – Building a successful mortgage career through referrals08:10 – The habits that drive consistent production10:45 – Work-life balance, family, and defining success13:20 – Why systems and boundaries matter in business16:05 – Growing a team and mentoring loan officers18:45 – Building referral partnerships that last22:10 – Creating a business plan around your strengths23:25 – Social media, content creation & personal branding25:45 – Prospecting strategies that still work today28:00 – Choosing the right referral partners and relationships30:15 – Industry challenges, communication & professionalism32:20 – Why kindness and collaboration matter in lending34:15 – How to connect with Sheilla online35:40 – Final thoughts & closing message#SmallTalkWithBigThinkers #RealEstate #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #LoanFactory #MortgageIndustry #PersonalGrowth #BusinessSuccess #CommunityImpact #Homeownership✴️ 𝐖𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄 ✴️ ✴️ 𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐒➩ Compare our rates: www.loanfactory.com/quote ➩ Join our next webinar: www.loanfactory.com/loan-officer ➩ Email: recruiter@loanfactory.com===================================✴️ 𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀 - 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐔𝐒 𝐎𝐍:➩ YouTube: https://lenda.ly/lfytc ➩ Facebook LoanFactory: www.facebook.com/LoanFactoryHQ➩ Facebook Thuan Nguyen: www.facebook.com/ThuanBroker➩ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/17774093/➩ Instagram: www.instagram.com/loanfactoryhq/ ➩ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoanFactoryHQ ➩ Google Reviews: https://www.loanfactory.com/testimonials ===================================✴️ 𝐖𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐄𝐍𝐉𝐎𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐄!➩ Give us a Like and share it with your friends! ➩ Subscribe to our channel for more insightful content and stay up-to-date with the latest news➩ Subscribe now: https://lenda.ly/lfytc The content provided within this website is presented for information purposes only. This is not a commitment to lend or extend credit. Information and/or dates are subject to change without notice. All loans are subject to credit approval. Other restrictions may apply.

Small Talk with Big Thinkers #3: Why Suong Nguyen Doesn't Chase Every Client, and Still Wins Big

Welcome back to Small Talk with Big Thinkers, hosted by Loan Factory - the nation’s #1 mortgage broker.🎯 In this episode:In this episode of Small Talk with Big Thinkers, host Rafael Acosta sits down with Suong Nguyen, a top-producing Loan Officer whose success story is built on resilience, consistency, and a commitment to serving her community.Originally from Vietnam with a background in banking, Suong shares her journey of rebuilding her career in the United States, navigating a new industry, and becoming one of the most trusted mortgage professionals in her market.From generating referrals and leveraging social media to building a powerful personal brand, Suong reveals the habits, mindset, and strategies that helped her consistently close over 100 loans a year while creating lasting relationships with clients and referral partners."Flowers don't compete with other flowers. They just bloom." - Suong Nguyen🎙️ Host: Rafael Acosta - Loan Factory Advocate, Corporate Coach & Loan Officer🎧 Guest: Suong Nguyen - Top-Producing Loan Officer🏢 Presented by: LoanFactory.com📺 Show: Small Talk with Big Thinkers#SmallTalkWithBigThinkers [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/smalltalkwithbigthinkers] #LoanFactory [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/loanfactory] #MortgageIndustry [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/mortgageindustry] #LoanOfficer [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/loanofficer] #PersonalBranding [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/personalbranding] #MortgageSuccess [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/mortgagesuccess] #RealEstate [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/realestate] #TopProducer [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/topproducer]✴️ 𝐖𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄 ✴️ ✴️ 𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐒➩ Compare our rates: www.loanfactory.com/quote ➩ Join our next webinar: www.loanfactory.com/loan-officer ➩ Email: recruiter@loanfactory.com===================================✴️ 𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀 - 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐔𝐒 𝐎𝐍:➩ YouTube: https://lenda.ly/lfytc [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbWZXMHg1UzNjVEo0LXdUYmJkTEdyWGRnazM3QXxBQ3Jtc0tuSDl1djh6Q1dnZnVWbG9GbEJrUlVXckhBU3BjMy1rNFhxYnYwUEJIcTMtamp1YTBsNGhOY3F4SWk1bG8yaVdyX0lHaXRvMXhaX25LY0VaX29nWlBObnZmVmdmTzhXRFZINmkwa1dvNjdINk9fa2R6VQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Flenda.ly%2Flfytc&v=NnvN52Y79kA] ➩ Facebook LoanFactory: www.facebook.com/LoanFactoryHQ➩ Facebook Thuan Nguyen: www.facebook.com/ThuanBroker➩ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/17774093/➩ Instagram: www.instagram.com/loanfactoryhq/ ➩ Twitter:   / loanfactoryhq   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbWUydXF5dmR0QngxbVFReU5MMVdra3lYSzJpZ3xBQ3Jtc0trWGxCTDBUUmtoTlBVeUpnaThkVG00QjVWaEVMaEhtVXhoaC1obThEWktQM2NJZkRGUnRGRjBoc3RWQWpFSjV0NWphY3ItRm12V2VQeGJqUGNlSmJ1NmVoSkpHcHVtWXpPSFRlV0hoSVdNUEN4alNmQQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FLoanFactoryHQ&v=NnvN52Y79kA] ➩ Google Reviews: https://www.loanfactory.com/testimonials [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa0YySnZibzJYWDFsNXVycXBKS0plUmdHTUFaUXxBQ3Jtc0trd29uUlByamozRXd2MUtLdV84ZjE3Z3I0SFVnRU5YbnlMc25wcnoydTUwVktsRHU5QWlwQTBVc0hPbmhCWDFlaGZLQ1NEY0cwbGhvTF9id1JWNmhyaTRzUmxBRjk2ZEJsZmpMQk5nUVYwcXJFRVRuUQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.loanfactory.com%2Ftestimonials&v=NnvN52Y79kA] ===================================✴️ 𝐖𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐄𝐍𝐉𝐎𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐄!➩ Give us a Like and share it with your friends! ➩ Subscribe to our channel for more insightful content and stay up-to-date with the latest news➩ Subscribe now: https://lenda.ly/lfytc [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa1hSeVdEZjlVV204aEJQRnUwMnVKQjRlQUJqd3xBQ3Jtc0trRnVVV2FTMVhEbG43aUJtSlJNbTZwRXdSZDJxYmxLMF91RGNMX3Q0b016MFloREdhcTlCY0dlYktMQ3pnS2VsTDgtOGE5ZS00QVZaLVp2MFRmUlhuQ1Rmd2NlUEdqeDFZdm5kcHkyTjdYR1g4Wm1oWQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Flenda.ly%2Flfytc&v=NnvN52Y79kA] The content provided within this website is presented for information purposes only. This is not a commitment to lend or extend credit. Information and/or dates are subject to change without notice. All loans are subject to credit approval. Other restrictions may apply.

Small Talk with Big Thinkers #2: From Trucking to Real Estate & Mortgages | Kyle Wegg’s Journey

Welcome back to Small Talk with Big Thinkers, hosted by Loan Factory – the nation’s #1 mortgage broker.In this episode, Rafael Acosta sits down with Kyle Wegg, an entrepreneur whose journey spans trucking, international business ventures, real estate investing, and the mortgage industry.🎯 In this episode:Kyle shares how he built multiple businesses from scratch, took risks across different industries, and eventually found his path in real estate investing and mortgage lending. From running a freight brokerage business in California to exploring business opportunities overseas, Kyle explains how adaptability, persistence, and an entrepreneurial mindset shaped his career.He also dives into how real estate investing changed his financial outlook, why he transitioned into DSCR and investment property lending, and how becoming a mortgage broker opened new opportunities to help investors structure smarter deals.Throughout the conversation, Kyle talks about overcoming setbacks, learning through experience, and why taking action is often more important than having everything figured out from the start.If you're an entrepreneur, loan officer, real estate investor, or someone looking for inspiration to pivot into new opportunities, this episode is packed with practical insights and real-life lessons.“Success comes from being willing to learn, adapt, and keep moving forward even when the path isn’t clear.”🎙️ Host: Rafael Acosta – Loan Factory Advocate, Corporate Coach & Loan Officer🎧 Guest: Kyle Wegg – Entrepreneur, Real Estate Investor & Mortgage Professional🏢 Presented by: LoanFactory.com📺 Show: Small Talk with Big Thinkers #MLOCareer #WebinarAlert #Allinoneplatform #joinusnow #loanfactory ✴️ 𝐖𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄 ✴️ ✴️ 𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐒➩ Compare our rates: www.loanfactory.com/quote ➩ Join our next webinar: www.loanfactory.com/loan-officer ➩ Email: recruiter@loanfactory.com===================================✴️ 𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀 - 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐔𝐒 𝐎𝐍:➩ YouTube: https://lenda.ly/lfytc ➩ Facebook LoanFactory: www.facebook.com/LoanFactoryHQ➩ Facebook Thuan Nguyen: www.facebook.com/ThuanBroker➩ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/17774093/➩ Instagram: www.instagram.com/loanfactoryhq/ ➩ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoanFactoryHQ ➩ Google Reviews: https://www.loanfactory.com/testimonials ===================================✴️ 𝐖𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐄𝐍𝐉𝐎𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐄!➩ Give us a Like and share it with your friends! ➩ Subscribe to our channel for more insightful content and stay up-to-date with the latest news➩ Subscribe now: https://lenda.ly/lfytc The content provided within this website is presented for information purposes only. This is not a commitment to lend or extend credit. Information and/or dates are subject to change without notice. All loans are subject to credit approval. Other restrictions may apply.

Small Talk with Big Thinkers #1: Carmen Barreda on Impact, Leadership & Serving the Latino Community

Welcome to the first episode of Small Talk with Big Thinkers 🎙️Hosted by Rafael Acosta, this series brings real conversations with industry leaders who are making a real impact.In this episode, Rafael sits down with Carmen Barreda, broker and co-owner of CMC Realty powered by ERA, to talk about leadership, community impact, entrepreneurship, and the future of real estate.Carmen shares her inspiring journey from helping her mom during COVID to becoming a brokerage owner serving the Latino community in Atlanta.💡 In this episode, we cover:• How Carmen got started in real estate• Building a Latina-owned family brokerage• Supporting and training new agents• The power of social media & community trust• Why impact matters more than transactions• AI in real estate and what the future looks likeThis episode is packed with real stories, real lessons, and real inspiration.👉 Subscribe and turn on notifications for new episodes twice a month.#loanfactory [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/loanfactory] #MLOCareer [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/mlocareer] #WebinarAlert [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/webinaralert] #Allinoneplatform [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/allinoneplatform] #joinusnow [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/joinusnow] ______________________________________________________________✴️ 𝐖𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄 ✴️ ✴️ 𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐒➩ Compare our rates: www.loanfactory.com/quote ➩ Join our next webinar: www.loanfactory.com/loan-officer ➩ Email: recruiter@loanfactory.com===================================✴️ 𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀 - 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐔𝐒 𝐎𝐍:➩ YouTube: https://lenda.ly/lfytc [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGZyWS1lZHVHMGVEd3owaFRmMzFhMXVSMnA2QXxBQ3Jtc0tsaFpDYzdybzZhRzdzMjhhM1g4ZlNFUkNVWUJJRm5XQTJseDhWMWlHVV9RRXE4Z2pWU0VWbG5FYndRVmFneVR0SlJyVVM5bU1HRm5JbXp3Q2JESEJkdFJCUmQ4YmtNaW9GT2dHd3lIb3dQVDdPY1lnYw&q=https%3A%2F%2Flenda.ly%2Flfytc&v=bbNkoMM7ayA] ➩ Facebook LoanFactory: www.facebook.com/LoanFactoryHQ➩ Facebook Thuan Nguyen: www.facebook.com/ThuanBroker➩ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/17774093/➩ Instagram: www.instagram.com/loanfactoryhq/ ➩ Twitter:   / loanfactoryhq   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbDNPQWNiM2hva2hFTXJwZ2NVQ3hDWUtRSGttd3xBQ3Jtc0tuN0FkOEJzaFJhTnhBT0t4RXVWSnFndjhFeEFfbDlCdkY2a1laeTRiNVhsdTVlOHd5bTF4enRQY0lTYTFXai1oakZfeXBIVkVxd2hZQTVOWF9BTEozTFBPUktRUU56WnprdmRvSGxEaXVpcWJZV0duQQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FLoanFactoryHQ&v=bbNkoMM7ayA] ➩ Google Reviews: https://www.loanfactory.com/testimonials [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa0JkZzByRmt2UkRFYXQwVU9WZ1M0VzBjUVhmQXxBQ3Jtc0trX2lwc0tLMmFrQ3lmMkpSaHVhbnd3RE9pVXByNUtpY2RCNjQwNHVxcF9TSzZZUlZPR2d2LUxzaWdyckxjbGtqbnd4SXJrdl81cmRaTUlBOUoyQnE4R2c0QXZTTUdQaER2dkpQVmo0ME4xbHJsUnNhNA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.loanfactory.com%2Ftestimonials&v=bbNkoMM7ayA] ===================================✴️ 𝐖𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐄𝐍𝐉𝐎𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐄!➩ Give us a Like and share it with your friends! ➩ Subscribe to our channel for more insightful content and stay up-to-date with the latest news➩ Subscribe now: https://lenda.ly/lfytc [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbl93UEx0T3VmSVYzZjVLVkdqSEE5Zm9EY0toUXxBQ3Jtc0trU19SdDdrMGxuUTdYR0lRdGR4d1dnRmpoblNCcDVHUElackNHekpQdVY1SENqOHBfMlFsUXBHQXdwejRXSlFqR0FXYWQwdVNRd1ZkS0wwcXlkSkE0TVlDTjAwa0hKeDAzaUNDM1hYTnF5eHA3T0NGUQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Flenda.ly%2Flfytc&v=bbNkoMM7ayA] The content provided within this website is presented for information purposes only. This is not a commitment to lend or extend credit. Information and/or dates are subject to change without notice. All loans are subject to credit approval. Other restrictions may apply.

The Mortgage Mindset #10: From Zero to $51M in 3 Years | Anne Nguyen’s Social Media Strategy

Welcome back to Mortgage Mindset, hosted by Loan Factory - the nation’s #1 mortgage broker.In this episode, Rafael Acosta sits down with Anne Nguyen, a Loan Factory loan officer who went from knowing nothing about mortgages to closing over $51 million in loan volume and 100+ loans in 2025 - all within just three years in the industry.🎯 In this episode:Anne shares how she started from scratch without formal mentorship and learned the mortgage business step by step. Through persistence, client education, and consistent social media presence, she built a thriving pipeline and quickly became a top producer. She explains why focusing on quality over quantity helped her stand out, how she spends most of her time strategizing with clients to structure the best deals, and why educating buyers is often more powerful than selling rates.She also dives into the social media strategies that helped grow her visibility - from sharing success stories and mortgage tips to highlighting realtor partners and building trust with first-time buyers online.If you're a new loan officer, real estate professional, or someone looking to grow in the mortgage industry, this episode offers practical insight into building momentum and long-term success.“Success in this business isn’t about knowing everything on day one - it’s about learning fast, staying consistent, and showing up for your clients.”🎙️ Host: Rafael Acosta – Loan Factory Advocate, Corporate Coach & Loan Officer🎧 Guest: Anne Nguyen – Loan Officer at Loan Factory🏢 Presented by: LoanFactory.com📺 Show: The Mortgage Mindset PodcastTimestamps:00:00 – Intro & welcome02:15 – Anne’s journey into the mortgage industry06:40 – Learning the business without mentorship11:10 – Building confidence and closing the first deals16:30 – Why quality matters more than quantity21:00 – Social media strategies for loan officers26:20 – Educating clients vs. selling rates30:45 – Advice for new loan officers33:10 – Final thoughts & closing remarks#MortgageMindset #LoanFactory #MortgagePodcast #LoanOfficerLife #MortgageCareer #SocialMediaStrategy #RealEstateTips #MortgageIndustryIf this episode helped you, like, subscribe, and share to support the show. 🙌===================================✴️ 𝐖𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄 ✴️ ✴️ 𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐒 ➩ Join our next webinar: Loanfactory.com/loan-officer ✴️ 𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀 - 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐔𝐒 𝐎𝐍:➩ Facebook LoanFactory: facebook.com/LoanFactoryHQ➩ LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/company/17774093/➩ Instagram: instagram.com/loanfactoryhq/ ➩ X/ Twitter: X.com/LoanFactoryUS➩ Google Reviews: g.page/r/CSWSj0wuwQUmEAI/review===================================✴️ 𝐖𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐄𝐍𝐉𝐎𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐄!➩ Give us a Like and share it with your friends! ➩ Subscribe to our channel for more insightful content and stay up-to-date with the latest news➩ Subscribe now: youtube.com/ ⁨@loanfactoryhq⁩ The content provided within this website is presented for information purposes only. This is not a commitment to lend or extend credit. Information and/or dates are subject to change without notice. All loans are subject to credit approval. Other restrictions may apply.