The Journey from Olympian to Mortgage Leader

Brian, welcome to show. What's up, Jeff? Welcome to Nashville. I had to fly to Nashville to get you on the show Well, I'll say it's easier with three kids and traveling. They come to Nashville We'll book it out and we're gonna make it happen. This actually has been a long time coming this conversation Because obviously we've been in the mortgage space seeing each other crossing paths for many years as a matter of fact I remember years ago. I don't know if you remember you and I were both at movement for a period of time and There was a there was a I think in a movement event or something, but we're in the same hotel I don't know if you remember that and and I saw you walking across the lobby Which I did not come out and say hi to you at that time, so I apologize Oh, I'm the feeling you know the good thing is I don't remember much sometimes It's like I don't I do remember the events and that's being together right right anyways It's been a long time coming you've got a book published since then conversations with Kovie That's what we're happening today conversations So obviously coming out here on the plane. I was able to do some prep but For those who may not be familiar with you or what do you want to tell the listeners about who Brian is? What's y'all about? Oh, man? I'm gonna start with them a family man Okay married 22 years next month. We got three amazing kids Especially their old of 17 start in the college journey We got Davis our 15-year-old and then Henry's our eight-year-old about to be nine and so with Nicole And I always share this journey is you know We met right after I'd finished my pro soccer days And so I played college and that was my life up until then and I found my way into not being able to get a job And so I fell into consumer finance with Wells Fargo financial and then fell in love with my friends went to buy homes I wanted to buy a house I had no idea how to do it and I was gonna figure out how to do that So now I say I'm able to help people create Net worth and wealth through real estate and through making smart investments in those two decades Plus that I've learned lessons. How do I help them do that and mortgages the tool real estate the tool But also just fully looking at how do you help people win at life? Yeah, and I think that's that's the game we all want. Yeah, I know We're gonna talk more about that because I was you know and following you and your content on social media You know, I don't know if you do this, but you try and get an assessment of you know What's somebody about right like what is their main thing? And I see that you clearly lead with like leadership You know understanding like I have written down here if you don't mind I'm gonna reference my notes for today's conversation routines habits and best practices of the top 1% So that's gonna be kind of like a headline We we probably go back to during this conversation, but I thought it would be interesting because You know, maybe you I don't know if you feel like you've told the story too much about your soccer days But when I heard it I was like no I want to bring this to the surface because I think it's part of like what who you are You know what I mean? So I have written down that you were a former pro soccer player and former US Olympic team member Which this is a shocking hello like tell us about that man That is the Olympics are happening right now. Yeah as we're doing this Yeah, so I was fortunate at the U 15 there's national team just like U 15 U 16 U 17 like all these different ages Yeah, basically bring in the best players from across the country Okay, and I lived in Memphis and so it was a few of us that we got invited to the pool right you make your state team Then your state team you go right 12 states. They picked the best players from those states Yeah, I was fortunate enough at an early age. I got picked up. They saw some talent And I mean well, I realized through that journey. I needed one get more physically fit Which is part of why my mindset you'll see me share what I do is yeah One of the things I need to work on wasn't necessarily my soccer game Mm-hmm. It was being physically fit. It was my mindset It's I was fortunate enough to go on and you'll see the Olympics. You'll see these are under 23 Right, you're gonna have younger players, right? I was able to make the pool in the squad I did not make the final team to go on and so it's lessons in life of right There's always another level. Mm-hmm. You're always striving for something I look back those days to be able to make those teams and to be part of that and to be exposed to greatness and even the pro rankings Like it's one thing to make college the percentages. Yeah, or low. Yep people actually get to go to college I was able to play all four years captain our last two years and I and things that share people to go It's why I'm so fascinated and still curious about leadership Mm-hmm. Because as a captain of a soccer team with new players coming The seniors graduating like how do you bring people together? Yeah, I just I love that aspect And I just took what I learned in team sports and now apply to business so did you get a scholarship for soccer in for college? Okay Okay, is that so you said you made what was the the different levels? The final team right you made a certain level and then unfortunately didn't make the next one Olympic team was I wanted not make the final roster final roster to get to go there There's Olympic team that you see now. Yeah, yeah, but you also see like the US men's national team and there's the the junior squads We would call them right there's the senior squad. You'll see that go to the World Cup. Yeah It doesn't understand the difference is you have all this like basically preparation of the younger players right hoping one day That they'll make the senior squad, which is the one that you see the middle of the World Cup So do you watch a lot of soccer still yourself? I don't think it's a lot people probably say that every day a lot Every day. Yeah, yeah, I would say in the average American If you come into our house, there is a high probability I'm watching soccer really yeah Do you have a favorite team international or so I support Nashville here? Yeah, but I've always been a Manchester United fan just from the 90s and the days that were there It's been a rough ride through some years our daughter loves liverpool, which is fascinating Mm-hmm, and then you threw in my brother laws a huge arsenal fan So you might watch this premier league. Yeah, it's usually my favorite the fights ensue It's just hard not to love them, but then you go okay There's the Bundesliga right and you can watch all these leagues sockers everywhere, but I've poured in since we're here in Nashville That's my course local. So it's interesting. Did you watch the the Beckham documentary on Netflix? Of course a few times a few times It's it's funny. I watched that and it's really probably the most I've ever gotten educated about soccer if you will from that angle But I have to say you know some people would say that I have a man crush on David Beckham now You know You wouldn't be alone in that. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Right. I mean come on now. Yeah, dude's cool But anyway, the point being is it gave me this huge appreciation for soccer that I had never had before His story. I don't know what do you say because you know, there's a little bit of um I know we're off a sidetrack right now, but I just think it's an interesting conversation because you're one who's got experience How would you rank him as a player? For me you look at what he overcame and he was the most loved player the most hated player all within Everything he's done and then I look at what he's done outside of his playing days and to me What's your legacy after you've played and going and doing the inner Miami coming to MLS and having that for thought to go I'm going to open a team one day and he's brought messy to the United States like You can't arguably you can't say there's not been a bigger event That's had a ripple effect and you look at the players he's bringing in their top of the league right now of their Conference and so look at Beckham and go how can you be the one that falls down as the most hated player for your country? Yeah, and yet you rise up when you know everyone in your country once you Not to play yeah, not to succeed Yeah, and he rose through it then you go what has he done breaking cultural boundaries outside of soccer to me Outside of the game right because arguably he's one of the best players for England He scored one of the most epic goals to keep them alive. Yep, but you look what he's done off the field Yeah, to me that's the complete package that I'm so impressed by and there's a lot of lessons in there We'll probably continue to double tap on that but to your point about the whole mint most hated I don't think I've I know of another example in sports where the Fans so to speak right were so vocal and brutal like if anybody's listen is you have not seen That documentary that is a lesson in as you just illustrated overcoming like being as low I think as you could possibly be imagine being in a mortgage business and all your referral partners hate you Right all your customers hate you and then I don't hate you But they're actually posting about you that you suck online on social media And if you walk into an office building at a remax, they're all shouting saying you suck go home Yeah, like how do you come back from that man and your own team and your own team taking the red card And then then you know blaming him however people want to frame that up You go your own team doesn't want you to come back. They're going like are you Wrist to us like do we want like we don't know what to do with you right and yet he just continued and talked about he's crazy And that's what blew me away about watching does I'm like hold that guy's just so Resilient and it must have been you saw it in there like how dark those moments word yet What do you think of what what was it refresh my memory and what brought him back what won the crowd back over and the team back over when he scored The epic free kick towards the end ascending one through in the woke up So after the red card that was the big catastrophic piece And then you'll hear bend it like back on the move right and all that and his free kicks were one that now people mimic and they learned But he was really a pioneer in that of like the way he was able to hit the ball over and curve over a wall and score And when he scored that everyone Wow now we love him again You know I mean it's the heroes journey that we all go through heroes journey exactly It's such an amazing documentary you all should watch it because there's a lot of lessons in life and business and all that kind of stuff So anyway, I could I could talk about it for the next 30 minutes, but all right, let's get let's correlate that actually Because I have written down I believe this might be something that you said the correlations from sports to business are everywhere And it's how you lead what do you mean by that? So I think for most people they've played some organized sport, right? It doesn't mean you have to play professional or somebody like little league like my my experience may not be your experience What I can share with you though is the collegiate and pro experience that's in business as well Like you start somewhere and then through time For some people it takes them longer to learn the lessons that are there one of the biggest ones for me has always been consistency Doesn't matter what you're doing what sport you're in you have to realize that consistency wins Right, I know we're at the greatness factory. So coach bird always talks about this is long obedience in the same direction Now I've changed that over the past few years Listen to one of my mentors, Andy Frazella says aggressive patience So you take long obedience in the same direction. So that's the patience side But aggressive patience means you're going to take actions outside of your comfort zone outside of your bubble every day And you're going to push the limits of what's possible Imagine if we hadn't done that in mortgage I want to take more because we know that language. Yeah, what if we hadn't innovated on products technology How we actually do business virtually now What if we had not innovated on that and we were still trying to do business like we did 20 years ago Yeah, I don't think we'd be successful. I know I know I wouldn't I look at our team And so I say sports and business correlate because you have to be a great team player You have to be coachable The best people I've worked with and I always look at myself to go am I being coachable? Because the people that are coachable will listen to feedback and realize even if someone Gives you feedback you may not agree with it hurts your feelings. Mm-hmm. If you haven't received that in life You will yeah Are you listening with the lesson is? Are you willing to take Feedback from people to learn and grow and growth is painful. Mm-hmm always equated to working out You break down your muscles. You're lifting weights. You're doing things. You're breaking down your muscles to rebuild them Yeah, which the rebuilding is then the nutrition the recovery what you do after you're stretching right all of that Well, what are you doing in business today to grow? That's outside of your comfort zone making sales calls showing up on social and then what are you doing to recover? Are you auditing the film? Yeah, that's a great point there. So many people don't Audit the film or you know role play and you know as that example It makes me think of that quote by Nick Sabin you may know it better than I I think I only remember half of it where like you know good players want to be coach great players want to be corrected I think something like that similar to that. Yeah, and you'll also go on to say great players don't tolerate Low standards. Yeah, yeah, so All right, so we're an interesting time in the mortgage business, right It's you know Low inventory high interest rates affordability is an issue of transactions are down You what's what's your what's your role at revolution mortgage executive vice president? Okay So you're working a lot with are you interacting with the loan officers the guys and gals on the on the streets? Daily basis those the leaders attracting talent in when they come in making sure they're successful They're on P&L so there's this other side of running a business while you're originating loans. Yeah, doing business development. So what What's the vibe you're getting you know We're in a different spot and I'll share this post today, right? So you're recording that that shared to everybody is you know last quarter We did 822 million right congratulations. Yeah, it's amazing. That's the team In the last year we did you know 1.65 billion, right? I mean we have this massive growth But I tribute that to it's a few things. It's hiring the right people knowing who's your company built for I think a lot of companies in the mortgage space are guilty of this. I've been guilty You hire anybody based on the production You don't hire based on characteristics and skill sets right think about sports again This is another sports analogy. Why it's always go back to this is a great sports team like I may be a great player for this team I fit in their system You put me on another team you move me over to a different league I am no longer as effective as I was right doesn't mean I'm a bad player It just means I don't fit. Yeah, so I look at the success we're having is because we've hired the right people We put them in the right environment and structure To help them be successful. Yeah, and the better we tell our story and have a clearer vision The more people can go that's for me or that's not for me What is the environment to be successful for you know an originator in today's world and is everybody right for that environment? Well, that's good. So it revolution or just in general Um, yeah, let's just I mean it layers over revolution, right? So yeah in general. What do you think is the right? Environment because I often get the question maybe you do as well people hit me up And they're like, hey, man, I'm looking for a change or something, right? And so by the way the first the first thing I say I think you'll appreciate this and this came out of for me personally my time at movement with Casey being at the helm The first thing I advise people to look at when there's considering a changes leadership Right, so how would you advise anybody considering a change in this market? What should they look for? I think the leadership matters because it's the direction of the company Yeah Or so you need to find alignment there, but you also need to realize this Leadership over time their vision for the company could change. Yeah, so you need to understand where they're going Ask the questions and always ask people's yeah, what's your endgame with this like what is your vision over the next year or five years Ten years and you need to understand that can't articulate it That lack of clarity is going to create a lot of bumps in the road So if they say here's your cards at the bricks Here's your laptop and good look at them. That's our vision. Nothing leadership matters there More importantly, this is where most people lose sight of this is I think your local leadership who you spend the most time with It's like when they say the five people you spend the most time with out of that's probably one or two Who you spend the most time with and that's where operations matters in this world because a lot of people in mortgage today Forget yes, selling is important. Yes building relationships important But if you don't have the right team and the right alignment I mean how many times have I heard someone say you've heard it? Well, this process fantastic best processor ever You give them to another team and they're like I mean, I don't like the way that he or she works like this. This isn't for me So find what works for you and I believe people need to be more entrepreneurial based Gone are the days of your company's going to help you get leads They're going to provide everything for you that you're going to rely on your company for you to be successful You have to realize this is an entrepreneurial journey You're the CEO of your business wherever you fit into that loan officer branch manager whatever your role is Are you approaching as if you're the CEO do you make decisions based on that whether it's pricing marketing how you show up on social What's the opportunity cost of you not making the calls that are there are you learning your products and programs are you a true pro And I hear this today actually talking to a real estate agent on the way over here referral I sent and she was telling about how bad the communication was with another lender and so I said They're flipping the customer to us. She was I couldn't get a callback for two and three days In this market Jeff in this market a loan officer won't call back with updates Well, I would venture to guess they don't come back with updates because it's bad news Well now we determine that within two hours and by the way, we're not going to be able to do the loan But imagine people not working on their skills if you were an athlete and you didn't improve from your freshman year to your senior year How many colleges would pick you up? Doesn't happen and we don't look at our journey and our career as if every year is a building block to get better Where do you need to get better? You have to take that self-assessment and be aware and then put people around you right environment right support and get better Yeah, you mentioned I think you said something to the effect of I brought up revolution mortgage and right What should people be looking for did you say something like you know that might not be the best example You're talking about it. We're like what's different. I think you were alluded to something about what's different at revolution So ours is a complete P&O model which means you're you're an owner of your business right so the branch leaders the people over there Very different, but I'll tell you we are very collaborative and everybody's in house You don't outsource things so it means you have to great relationships with people And I'll get it too is Eliminating the layers that have been traditional and retail and other organizations means need to be self-sufficient Right in the sense of that and so our environment we provide you with the tools and resources But we're also not a micro managing like many banks will do. Yeah, is there very much like just it's I came up in it So I can say the contrast is there The people that thrive in our world Want to be successful. They want the best they demand the best from us to give them everything from compliance marketing Operations everything they need to win with product program But they realize the person making the call and building the relationship Is the loan officer in the street. Yeah, okay, so I'm going to read a quote to you If I may by our mutual friend Renee Rodriguez. Oh, yeah, and if Renee is listening shout out Here's what Renee said Everyone needs a Brian Kovie in their life someone who not only believes in you but also is consistently pushing you to grow He leads by example and all he does which is my favorite part about him I have never seen a better relationship builder in all my years Hmm It's pretty humbling from a guy that I consider a mentor and has helped me Break through some barriers myself. Yeah, right? Right, I he sounds like you went through his various advanced amplify and all that Same as well. I think I can remember crying from the front of the room three times Again and the amp con you know going back again, and you surround yourself people like that because every time I spent on Renee I learned something and I feel better as a result. Yeah, you improve you level up Yes, you gain a little bit more knowledge. Maybe a little bit more I think you gain a little bit more understanding about yourself. Okay, let's go here a little more understanding about yourself So you can feel more comfortable in your place in the world We think about that. I think that's part of what amplify is is understanding who are you? And he starts from a place of what makes you unique. Yeah, I think a lot of people struggle with that I struggle with it at first like yeah What does make me you know? Well, I'm I unique And then when you start to own that I mean very much like I know we're talking about brand builders before we start I was like when you own your uniqueness Then that uniqueness allows you to serve people and and Roy shares this quote I love and he talks about You're most powerfully positioned to serve the person you once were So when you understand who you are uniquely you're uniquely qualified because experiences and life events and what you've done To go help the people they're in the spot that you once were Yeah, I like that. So how does that play out for you that particular quote leadership It's why my when I moved out of production I have said and it's it's the coach in me. I mean look when I couldn't get a job. I was coaching soccer Right when I was playing soccer. I was still coaching for fun. I still coach like it's how I'm wired like it I love it. I think it's who God designed me to be in the sense of Coaches do it for the passion. I mean how many times have I volunteered to coach just because it's free And I just go I love the potential and people Especially youth athletes that don't see it yet And I know in my life all it takes is one coach It's true true. That's a good point After agree with that as well can take one person to make a shift in your life one word one conversation Yeah, it changes you Back to this quote from Renee. I've never seen a better relationship builder in all my years What would you share with loan officers who are listening right now, you know We know this is particularly with referral partners and you know clients It's a relationship relationship connection business. Any advice or tips that you would want to provide on you know How do you create those relationships? So I'll use one Dave Meltzer share this with me so I can't take credit but Every time you get a chance to talk to somebody Be more interested Than interesting. Mm-hmm. We're all guilty. Long as we think we have the best thing ever and we want to sell sell sell We want to tell that realtor how great we are What I found when you ask questions if you don't know how to do this well you need to learn it because it is a skill For most of us were wired to tell people about who we are, but yeah Imagine being so interested about that real estate agent financial plan or builder whoever it is that you know so much about them That when it comes time where you go you know what I think I can help you Well, I've listened for 20 minutes 30 minutes. Whatever it is 10 minutes even if you listen well Yes, the right questions They've told you what their problems are and what they're looking for right and then you're able to say You know, it sounds like you have a problem that I can help you with And I think most loan officers come from a standpoint of how much do we sell rate product program people even sell service So like speed Well, if I'm on the other side of that Are those my criteria to choose you right haven't even asked yeah Susuptions Phil Jones says this one of our friends right I always say It's malpractice like we're we're giving people The prescription without doing any diagnosis what's I mean any jokes Imagine walking in the doctor's office and like hey, you know what Jeff you just need this right I'm not even gonna ask you what your symptoms are or anything that's there But you know what I've just been seeing this going around like I'm just gonna give you this medicine This is gonna fix you and cure you This is how loan officers show up today in the lower percentile. Yeah, the best build personal brands They show up and they're consistent and they build relationships I believe this is word ubiquitous that I was taught years and years ago You need to show up where your client show up where customers potentially could find you and being ubiquitous as showing up as your true self Educating and forming showing what you do inside the office outside the office testimonials proof Like who are you? Because I think Just making calls like we were all taught to do early in our career No longer can get you the access to build relationships because I think about this if the average person a day I think it's some two hours three hours on social media Well, they're there shouldn't I be there and I think about that is engaging comments It doesn't even mean your posts Building relationships what Renee's speaking to is something that I did very tactically that I'll give someone Is I have a top 25 and they're people that I want to have deeper relationships with okay And I will intentionally go in and I will comment on their posts And I will get so curious and intrigued out what's going on their life right So if I haven't seen you in three months, but I followed what you're doing I know what's happening with your daughter. I know where she's going. I know what you're doing in your business I know where you've traveled to Don't you think that make a better conversation when I see you next yeah I mean, I think about as I sit here and listen to you You know when I'm looking at my notes and preparing for this podcast You know like as we said at the opener you and I've known each other from a distance right we could run into each other at Advanced and share stages or whatnot But I don't know a lot about Brian right so I had to prep and you know dig in and want to know more about Brian Because it makes for a better conversation and it makes me really curious Um, and I think doing it just now Yeah, yeah exactly right and I think that's like in the context of like if you're meeting with referral partners Or you can do this easier with referral partners than consumers typically But yeah, do a little research right look them up and find out. Oh, you know like this dude played soccer at a high level And uh as a matter of fact tell me if this is correct you were a base player at your church is that correct? Yeah Got a few hidden talent out there Do you still hit the base or what I do my daughter is actually our oldest or 17 year old show and to learn that and so Yes, we got a four-string one of my older ones. I'm like I'm gonna I'm gonna teach you that but that was for me early on in life That was the creative side of me. I'm a left-handed guy. So I have this creative side that same here Yeah, yeah, and and base for me. I mean thank goodness my parents. I'm never forget They went and got me a little small amp and a bass and I still keep up with my bass teacher Neil Bowen shout out to him If he's ever listening he does listen to the shows that I'm on Niels doing these videos lately and I'm watching who he is and where he is in his life But I ran into him. I don't think my coincident whatsoever at a music shop really and I'm in there and he's just playing and I'm like mesmerized like How do you do this? How did you play that and he's like oh man? I teach lessons? I was probably 12 years old He's probably 20, you know at that point and he would teach bass lessons and he learned from the great victor Wooten if he Somebody keeps up with bass They look like in the flood tones. He's like literally one of the greatest bass players ever He was learning from him in Nashville So he had a great teacher, but I share a lot with people like if you want to get graded anything You go and you learn from a teacher. Tell you grow Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's why we do these podcasts, right? So we we learn from others And then hopefully bring that message to a larger audience the bass that's interesting and then you have a daughter who's playing the bass Yeah, so I've got seen as we connect on family mine my two boys if you're listening 22 and 20 one was the lead singer in his College band up at Cal Poly slow band band called magnolia Which is now disbanded because I graduated, but and the other one is actually in music production So that's why the whole conversation around like rap and all that jazz and you know Introducing me to all these you'll see he's like as a matter of fact I always like to give him a shout out. He did my bumper music on the podcast the intro That people listen to so anyway keep it going Jackson and now he's doing some video editing for me But yeah, it's cool to involve the kids right in the creative endeavors. That's right um All right, so back to the conversation around The correlation between sports and business last glance at my notes here. I don't want to I don't want to overlook I mean just the fact that you right were able to compete for being on the Olympic team says a lot but Right, let's just grab the notes here Right a role when you were freshman captain honors all four years you set multiple records. You were a goalie I was a goalkeeper. Okay goalkeepers that's a correct. Yeah, sorry. He came goalkeeper. Yeah, some people caught goalie But yeah, all right. Yeah, that's layman call it a goal. That's right So you said multiple records including saves in a single game shutouts in a row and minutes with no goals allowed What could you do? It's a baller Yeah, I told you about my freshman year started off on a highlight reel of like we had five games in a row and we didn't give up a goal Wow, and it was yeah, apparently some record right and you're not you don't play for the record People that play at that level understand like you're playing to win every minute never game And I remember the newscast came out and they're interviewing all of us there And it was wild. I'm like how old are you at this time? So I was 18 going into 18 when you're banging these records. Yeah, and I just turned 19 actually going into my freshman year That's awesome That's awesome. Yeah, really cool. I tell you this is I came in and fought for that spot was not promised right coming in as a freshman Deutiful for you had to fight for and I fought so hard And I tell you this is part of who I am is one of the training sessions We would train in Memphis. So obviously the humidity the heat in August And I trained so hard one of the days in the afternoon. I passed out Literally and they took me inside got two IVs Yeah, and I was cramping everywhere a full body cramp you've never experienced it. I don't advise it But I share that story with people because what are you willing to get? What you want and in my life there's been times like that where I was willing to put it all on the line So again, I hearken back to the whole Beckham story and I'm thinking back to like how old was he when he signed that contract with his coach It's like 15 or something. Oh, yeah, he was super young. Yeah. Yeah. We're Manchester United signed originally like incredibly young so You watch that you watch this this guy Beckham his dad's just you know It's kind of like the Tiger Woods thing bring in the kid up right along the ways So where does that come for you though? Where does that competitive spirit get instilled is that nature and nurture like can you identify that? Well, I was fortunate my dad's a psychologist also the minister You know as a pastor and all of that always think about like he was the first one early on like playing at Christ Methodist Day School like that was our chair. So he was a soccer player. No, not at all. Okay, which is which is the craziest story He's a basketball player. Huh one of my other loves was basketball the clearly my height like at some point I did a U all the way through about 13 or 14 years old and in soccer took off That's when I made like the national team pool and they kind of pulled me I'm like I think soccer is going to be my jam right grow up in Memphis You realize very quickly. You're like there's some great basketball players Don't know that I was going to be one of them that wasn't but the hand-eye coordination taught me how to be a great goalkeeper And I sure like is like my my dad was the one that was out there just shooting baskets shooting baskets Even though he was in a soccer player. I was on the field now. I have a really cool side story of one of our first coaches You've probably heard of the name paylay Yeah, thanks so so paylay wasn't my coach, but Paul wrote junior he should look him up one of the good American footballers Yeah, they got to play with paylay. He was in Memphis His kids went to Christmouth at his day school So he came out and he's kind of helping and I have these memories are like we were super young right like five six years old And I think somewhere within there between my dad and my mom was always a hard worker my older brother was five years older And I would chase the older brother I'm sorry if you have an older sibling, you know what I'm talking about you want to play with them It doesn't matter that they're 10 years old and you're five you're like dude. I'm running with them right and you get your butt kicked And then you just keep competing and so I think it was in birth through that And I loved basketball and soccer were my main sports But I even tried football for a few years because I'm like Man like I just I want to hit. I want to run It's always been for me is Just to compete I think I think it's God's gift So it's kind of in your DNA a little bit that compete it was and it's nurtured over time I think it is when you're around the right coaches One of my all-time favorite soccer coaches Richard played for the Polish national team Came to the States and he was a goalkeeper for them, right? So I had this mentor right there with me in the training sessions were crazy like we did summer assaults in the concrete We would dive over trash cans now share things with people and they go It's like child abuse. No We loved it. Yeah, it made us who are and he produced probably three four professional level goalkeepers Within a 10-year period and you go Okay, there's something to that we did things that were very unorthodox almost equate it to like mr. Miyagi Yeah, it was so strange that people go what are you doing? But yet he continually produced these great products and people yeah, that's really cool Yeah, so you're very fortunate lucky right some would say To have those influences at a young age what you do with it. Oh, I say as how many people did he coach? They didn't True true. It's like you know the seeds right sometimes they fall on fertile ground sometimes thorny ground, right That's very very interesting. Wow Name of your podcast is finding your competitive edge is that correct? It is all right. How long have you been doing it? So we started right before covid. Oh, okay, so four years. Yeah, and we had started at a couple of in-person interviews And then Renee of course was one of the first ones that that we did virtually when everything locked down And so we're 100 Wow, really 40 150. Yeah, still just jamming through and it's evolved over. Yeah. Oh, yeah, always wow. That's fantastic, man So if people want to tune in we're gonna put links in the show notes defining your competitive edge right? I'll link to your book conversations with covid how to win at life no matter where you are now Okay, so here we are pretty much a six month mark of 2024. We're gonna, you know, we're heading into the rest of this year Arguably we're seeing some some relief on interest rates coming up What are you back to your team over there at revolution mortgage? any kind of Directional advice coaching for people to a finish strong be build that That runway of momentum for 2025. Oh, I love this question. This is One that I've been talking to our team about. I've been sharing on some shows. I've gone is is from Trent Shelton And so give him credit for this is protect your perspective There's a perspective and we're heading into a really noisy season with political warfare that's happening Just call I mean doesn't matter what side you're on what you are gonna vote like that's up to you But what I say to people is Most right now don't have a strong enough mindset to protect their perspective What I mean by that is they're letting all this outside noise it could be there's not enough listings Rates are still high Maybe it'll get better in six months, and so they're gonna wait You know what there's the election season so you know, it's just it's not in my favor or you know Just I don't have the products I need to win. You know our rates are just out of whack today in this week and maybe I need to go to this company Like maybe that's gonna be my silver bullet Your perspective is your choice Or repeat that your perspective is your choice When you have a strong mindset you get to choose this is what I believe and this is why I believe it That's how you show up. I always say this to loan officers If your perspective is the market sucks everything's hard. I can't get anything done How many people want to work with you? Right, it's very few and they wonder why real estate agents financial planners They wonder why people don't work with them And always say it's like back to Renee's quote is like one of the things that I I've really leaned in on I wasn't a gift was being positive and protecting my perspective of I have a dose of reality But also think about what could be what if what if I made these extra 10 calls today or this week? What if I think I'm pretty good that I could build some relationships. I could get a lead I could help someone I could solve a problem And I think that's where people stumble so protect your perspective The other is I'll give Rory credit for this because you know I always start I was like I learned from the best and then I figured how it works for our team Rory shared this at Niels event We all need to take a real hard look are we Self-focused and self-centered or we service centered and service centered And the difference between these is if you're self-centered you're going to know because you're thinking about your commission You're thinking about you know I got to go out there and I just got to go get another lead and I just got to go do this Service centered is a game you can't lose You show up looking for people that might have a problem that you can help you ask questions to uncover What's really going on beneath the surface you slow down to build relationships and when you're service centered And you ask questions you're not jumping to sell You're actually solving problems that people already have and then you show up And think about in your own life like Jeff I know this for me is like when I had a problem when I was clear on it and someone showed up and asked me questions I go hey, what's going on Brian? How are you doing with this how are you doing with that and then I covered a problem They said maybe you thought about this How much better is that come across versus hey, you know what now's the time to refinance rates have dropped a little bit I think it's phenomenal time you should just go refinance. It's a great time to buy guys like rates are relatively historically low You see the difference what we say and how we say it is there the last one Just kind of put a bow on it is I think people underestimate what they can actually accomplish by training and I just use the sports piece If you were to train every day Even 30 minutes. Let's just Give everybody at the 30 minutes that you got great at something could be social media marketing could be your content Strett it could be writing if you want to do newsletters It could be you work on your database. It could be follow up with your customers in a way that is unique You got great at something for 30 minutes Maybe it's with AI today It's be real like a lot happening in that space. What if you got great at that in a month? Where would you be? 90 days where where would you be If you spent that many hours becoming great you think you'd be better than your competition Yeah, because I know my competition isn't doing that right maybe the top 1% right right that's where people underestimate 90 days If you really want to be somewhere different You have to look back 90 days But you can start today wherever you are and get great at that one thing that's going to move your business forward I love that man. Those are two big takeaways. I have from that which is slow down to build relationships And you know Where can you take 30 minutes a day to get great at something? Yeah, or get better and improve and there's I think that's the other thing that We can get that competitive advantage in we can be better at like if we talk about transactions are down Well, we need to get better at conversions right we need to get better at building business or tracking business All those things so where is pick that one to three things in your business that can move the needle for you Right just conversations as well building relationships. I love the fact I'm going to double tap on that whole slow down to build relationships thing Because you know how people just come in they come rushing in right with their script and let's go 1003 and boom boom boom boom All right, here's your prescription Well, here's here's what I'm saying is some people are still operating at the speed at which we were busy in 2020 in 2021 And they're treating people that way and they rush them on and off even when you're taking an application Are you slowing down because the reality is that maybe the one customer you talked to that day For a lot of loan officers it is right one a day Imagine if you went so deep with them that they loved you and they already where they did something or not said Jeff is my guy like if I have mortgage questions that anyone asked me about a mortgage Solution question problem. I'm going to refer them to Jeff. We don't go deep enough with that such a good point I think that's a good thing to put a cap on this conversation Go deeper slow down to build relationships pick one thing you can get better at 30 minutes a day, right Get around other people who can help level you up Just like today. So for people who want to connect with you Where do you suggest the best place for them to go? New revamped website man shut out to our team bread and the crew there www.brinecovy.com. It's got the book. It's got the podcast. It's got a new coaching group that we're launching It's got everything about revolution mortgage Lot of great resources. It's everything from even you know 10x health. I share some my health journey So if you're into that stuff. I put everything on there Jeff. Just in a way that I go man What do people ask me about what are the things that I've been learning over the last 10 plus years? And so the site it's got it all hit us up if something's resonated We'll link that up in the show notes as well as LinkedIn because you also do some great content on LinkedIn as well So we'll link it all up in the show notes Brian. This has been awesome. I'm glad we've made time for it Dude, thanks for coming to Nashville. This has been awesome Yeah, my pleasure you know to do people if you're listening you like the show leave us a review All right, we'll see you on the next one