The Mortgage Rainmaker Podcast

What’s the point of building a successful mortgage business if you don’t have a life left to enjoy it?
Hey there, Rainmakers!
My good friend Tasha Hastings has spent 13 years building something so many loan officers want: a thriving mortgage business that doesn’t own her. She’s a top producer, a wife, a present mom of three, and a leader who has been incredibly intentional about protecting what matters most.
In this episode, we talk about taking over the business her mom built, going all in on a builder relationship when the demands felt relentless, and staying true to the fundamentals when the market got hard. Tasha is proof that you don’t have to chase every shiny object to grow. Sometimes the answer is to keep showing up, serve people incredibly well, and play the long game.
Key insights:
Build your business around the life you actually want to live.
Great communication and relentless follow-up still win in every market.
Leadership means protecting your team publicly and coaching them privately.
The boring disciplines are often the exact things that make you extraordinary.
You don’t need endless referral partners when you deeply serve the right ones.

PLUS:
If you're ready to stop waiting for business and start creating it, join me for my FREE Sales Attack Challenge, starting Tuesday, August 26. I'll give you the exact system, trackers, scripts, and live coaching my team uses to create consistent momentum. This is a live-only experience—no recordings will be available.
Save your spot now at ShaylaGifford.com - before registration closes!
Guest links:
Website:
https://branches.guildmortgage.com/nv/sparks/tasha-hastings-403-rrnse.html
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/secordhastingsteam
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/secordhastingsteam
Are you ready to make it rain? Let’s do this!
Submit a question: https://kprpwoltlbp.typeform.com/to/WC24kOIK
Take my Sales Archetype Quiz: https://quiz.shaylagiffordcoaching.com/
Nominate someone to be on the podcast: https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/

Connect with Shayla:
https://www.instagram.com/shaygiff/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayla-gifford-3019396/

Show Links:
https://shaylagifford.com/
https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/
https://shaylagifford.com/catalyst/

Guild Mortgage:
https://www.guildmortgage.com/

What happens when a brand-new loan officer stops overthinking and starts running the plays?
Hey there, Rainmakers!
Jannette Gomez left a 13-year career as a dental hygienist because she knew she was capable of more. Just 14 months into the mortgage business, she closed a $4 million month by staying hungry, asking for help, and doing the work most people avoid.
In this episode, we break down exactly where her business came from: open houses, cold calls, and the 10-10-10 strategy that became her biggest source of closed loans. This is proof that you don’t need years of experience to create momentum—you need the right support, a willingness to learn, and the discipline to actually run the plays.
Key Insights
Consistency beats complexity when you are building from zero.
Open houses can create relationships that compound into real business.
The 10-10-10 strategy turns your existing network into warm opportunities.
One introduction can create an entire chain of referrals.
You do not have to know everything to win. You have to run the plays.

Are you ready to make it rain? Let’s do this
Guest links:
Guild Mortgage:
https://branches.guildmortgage.com/nv/reno/jannette-gomez-800-rrjgom.html?__cf_chl_tk=P78bIE.nE.zun_tXs9Y1Avfnvuj4bRy527JKv4AAKIE-1784813196-1.0.1.1-KgL74bhxKSd2G4_k8tfCXo3IIkZSVQbLSRYwnfIi2_w!
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/jannettegomez_/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/jannette.bak.7/
If you liked what you heard, leave me a five-star review and tell me what hit home for you!
PLUS—if you’re done chasing the next shiny idea and want real, proven strategies that actually move the needle, then it’s time to join my free weekly newsletter, Rainmaker Insider.
Every week, I share one key lesson from my billion-dollar career in mortgage lending—from sales psychology and leadership to mindset and systems that create true freedom. No fluff. Just real-world insights that help you close more deals and lead with confidence.
Subscribe now at shaylagifford.com and start leading like the Rainmaker you’re meant to be!

Submit a question: https://kprpwoltlbp.typeform.com/to/WC24kOIK
Take my Sales Archetype Quiz: https://quiz.shaylagiffordcoaching.com/
Nominate someone to be on the podcast: https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/

Connect with Shayla:
https://www.instagram.com/shaygiff/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayla-gifford-3019396/

Show Links:
https://shaylagifford.com/
https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/
https://shaylagifford.com/catalyst/

Guild Mortgage:
https://www.guildmortgage.com/

Hey there, Rainmakers!
Mike Bertarelli walked away from consumer direct after closing $125 million in production and stepped into retail with zero referral relationships and no magic bucket of leads.
Three years later, he closed 111 loans for $33 million in production and built a team of seven loan officers.
In this episode, Mike and I break down what actually drove that growth: going all in, building confidence before you have all the proof, staying relentlessly visible, and turning every transaction into an opportunity to build your network.
Because nobody is coming to hand you the business you want. You have to stop hesitating, believe you are the right person for the job, and go take your shot.
Key insights:
The difference between players and pretenders is the space between idea and execution.
Every transaction creates an opportunity to earn your next referral relationship.
Confidence starts with believing you are capable and that you care more!
Consistent communication can become your competitive advantage.
You do not need permission to grow faster than anyone expects.
Define what going all in looks like, then give it everything you have.

Are you ready to make it rain? Let’s do this!
Guest links:
Website
https://naf.com/mikebertarelli
Instagram:
instagram.com/mikebertarelli
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/michael.bertarelli/
If you liked what you heard, leave me a five-star review and tell me what hit home for you!
PLUS—if you’re done chasing the next shiny idea and want real, proven strategies that actually move the needle, then it’s time to join my free weekly newsletter, Rainmaker Insider.
Every week, I share one key lesson from my billion-dollar career in mortgage lending—from sales psychology and leadership to mindset and systems that create true freedom. No fluff. Just real-world insights that help you close more deals and lead with confidence.
Subscribe now at shaylagifford.com and start leading like the Rainmaker you’re meant to be!

Submit a question: https://kprpwoltlbp.typeform.com/to/WC24kOIK
Take my Sales Archetype Quiz: https://quiz.shaylagiffordcoaching.com/
Nominate someone to be on the podcast: https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/

Connect with Shayla:
https://www.instagram.com/shaygiff/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayla-gifford-3019396/

Show Links:
https://shaylagifford.com/
https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/
https://shaylagifford.com/catalyst/

Guild Mortgage:
https://www.guildmortgage.com/

What do the best loan officers do when business gets harder? They don't wait for opportunity. They learn how to create it.
Hey there, Rainmakers!
Every loan officer goes through seasons where business feels harder than it should. Markets shift. Buyers hesitate. Referral partners get quieter. This conversation isn't about pretending those seasons don't exist—it's about learning how the best Rainmakers continue creating opportunity anyway.
I'm joined by Laura Witte, Georgia's #1 female loan originator and one of the top 1% of mortgage originators in the country. Over the past 25 years, she's built a 100% referral-based business, closed more than $1 billion in career loan volume, and stayed true to one mission: helping more families achieve homeownership.
Laura shares the beliefs, habits, and practical strategies that helped her rise from an underdog with no formal education to one of the mortgage industry's most respected leaders. If you're ready to stop waiting for the market to change and start creating opportunities of your own, this episode is for you.
Key Insights
Create opportunity by seeing possibilities others overlook.
Diversify your pipeline instead of waiting on one source of business.
Your beliefs shape your actions—and ultimately your results.
Build relationships through generosity, trust, and consistent service.
The best Rainmakers don't wait for opportunity. They create it.

Are you ready to make it rain? Let's do this!
Guest links:
Truth and Lending:
https://www.truthandlending.com/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/truthandlending/
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-sosa-rocha-witte-1852a32/
If you liked what you heard, leave me a five-star review and tell me what hit home for you!
PLUS—if you’re done chasing the next shiny idea and want real, proven strategies that actually move the needle, then it’s time to join my free weekly newsletter, Rainmaker Insider.
Every week, I share one key lesson from my billion-dollar career in mortgage lending—from sales psychology and leadership to mindset and systems that create true freedom. No fluff. Just real-world insights that help you close more deals and lead with confidence.
Subscribe now at shaylagifford.com and start leading like the Rainmaker you’re meant to be!

Submit a question: https://kprpwoltlbp.typeform.com/to/WC24kOIK
Take my Sales Archetype Quiz: https://quiz.shaylagiffordcoaching.com/
Nominate someone to be on the podcast: https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/

Connect with Shayla:
https://www.instagram.com/shaygiff/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayla-gifford-3019396/

Show Links:
https://shaylagifford.com/
https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/
https://shaylagifford.com/catalyst/

Guild Mortgage:
https://www.guildmortgage.com/

What if the reason your marketing isn't working has nothing to do with how or what you post... and everything to do with the feeling you're creating?
Hey there, Rainmakers!
When most loan officers think about marketing, they jump straight to social media, videos, newsletters, or the next shiny strategy they saw at a conference. I've been there too. In fact, my natural instinct is to move fast, execute immediately, and build the airplane in the air. But over the last six years, one person has continually challenged me to slow down, think deeper, and create with intention.
In this episode, I sit down with my Senior District Marketing Manager, Laura Cane—the brilliant mind behind Catalyst, this podcast, our website, and so much of the experience you've come to know from my brand. Laura shares what she calls the Experience Equation, a simple framework that has completely transformed how I think about marketing, leadership, and creating meaningful connections.
Whether you're launching a podcast, teaching classes, building a networking group, or simply trying to become more visible online, this conversation will help you stop chasing everyone else's ideas and start building a brand that truly reflects who you are. Because great marketing isn't about being everywhere. It's about creating an experience people never forget.
Key Insights:
Marketing isn't about creating content. It's about creating a feeling.
Every memorable brand begins with intentional design before it ever reaches visibility.
Ask yourself who you're serving, why you're serving them, and how you want them to feel before you launch anything.
Urgency creates inconsistency. Clarity creates confidence.
If your marketing doesn't feel authentic to you, you won't stay consistent long enough to see results.
The strongest relationships are built between the big moments through thoughtful follow-up and consistent communication.

Guest Links:
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauracmacleod/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/lauracmacleod/
Are you ready to make it rain? Let's do this!
If you liked what you heard, leave me a five-star review and tell me what hit home for you!
PLUS—if you’re done chasing the next shiny idea and want real, proven strategies that actually move the needle, then it’s time to join my free weekly newsletter, Rainmaker Insider.
Every week, I share one key lesson from my billion-dollar career in mortgage lending—from sales psychology and leadership to mindset and systems that create true freedom. No fluff. Just real-world insights that help you close more deals and lead with confidence.
Subscribe now at shaylagifford.com and start leading like the Rainmaker you’re meant to be!

Submit a question: https://kprpwoltlbp.typeform.com/to/WC24kOIK
Take my Sales Archetype Quiz: https://quiz.shaylagiffordcoaching.com/
Nominate someone to be on the podcast: https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/

Connect with Shayla:
https://www.instagram.com/shaygiff/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayla-gifford-3019396/

Show Links:
https://shaylagifford.com/
https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/
https://shaylagifford.com/catalyst/

Guild Mortgage:
https://www.guildmortgage.com/