The Mortgage Rainmaker Podcast

Want to grow your mortgage business without cold calling real estate agents?
Hey there, Rainmakers!
In part two with Oleg Tkach, we break down a powerful mortgage lead generation strategy that helped him scale from $150M to $240M — with nearly a third of his production coming from outside his home state.
This episode is about mastering realtor referrals through intentional agent programming.
We unpack how loan officers can land one real estate agent per day using a simple Zoom presentation, how to resell your current agents to increase volume, and why being overly “relational” can actually limit your mortgage business growth.
This isn’t about chasing agents. It’s about building a repeatable system that generates referrals consistently.
If you’re a loan officer ready to scale, expand beyond your local market, and win more real estate agents without cold calling — this episode gives you the blueprint.
Key Insights
Mortgage lead generation is the core job of every loan officer.
You only need one new agent meeting per day to scale your business.
Reselling your current real estate agents can instantly increase referrals.
Emotion limits growth. Systems create scale.
Transactional clarity builds stronger realtor referral partnerships.
Agents are everywhere. Lower the bar. It’s just a quick Zoom.

Are you ready to make it rain? Let’s do this!
Check out the Blog here: https://shaylagifford.com//mortgage-lead-generation-strategy-oleg-tkach//
Guest Links:
NFM Lending:
https://nfmlending.com/loanoriginator/oleg-tkach/
Oleg on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/oleg-tkach-1905b820/
Oleg on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@olegtkachlending

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!

Connect with Shayla:
Shayla on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/shaygiff/

Shayla on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayla-gifford-3019396/

Show Links:
Shayla's Website:
https://shaylagifford.com/

The Mortgage Rainmaker Podcast:
https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/

The Catalyst Coaching Community:
https://shaylagifford.com/catalyst/

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

You don’t need a better strategy. You don’t need to ‘crack the code’.
You just need one thing.
Hey there, Rainmakers!
Kristin Dail didn’t discover some revolutionary mortgage strategy to jump from $60M to $112M in production. She didn’t unlock a hidden lead source. She didn’t reinvent herself.
In this conversation, we break down the exact shift that took her from coasting at $60M… to $82M… to $112M in a highly competitive jumbo market in Dallas. Spoiler: the turning point wasn’t information. It was execution.
If you’ve been telling yourself you need something new before you grow — this episode will lovingly call you out.
Because the truth is you already know what to do. The question is… are you going to do it – consistently?
Key Insights:
Consistency multiplies volume in any market cycle.
High conversion comes from connection, not complexity.
Speaking and providing value builds leverage with realtors.
Wake-up moments only matter if they lead to execution.
Discipline creates momentum. Momentum creates growth.

Guest Links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristin.dail/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristindail/
Rate: https://www.rate.com/loan-officers/kristin-dail-488313

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!

Connect with Shayla:
Shayla on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/shaygiff/

Shayla on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayla-gifford-3019396/

Show Links:
Shayla's Website:
https://shaylagifford.com/

The Mortgage Rainmaker Podcast:
https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/

The Catalyst Coaching Community:
https://shaylagifford.com/catalyst/

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

Hard seasons don’t stop you — they reveal who you’re becoming.
Stephanie Johnston’s story is one of leadership under pressure. A 20-year loan officer, former collegiate athlete, and mom of three, she faced a brutal market shift, a major production drop, and a second breast cancer diagnosis while caring for a newborn. She fell from #1 to $63M — then chose to rise.
In this episode, Stephanie shares how she entered the builder space, rebuilt trust one relationship at a time, and climbed back to close 309 transactions for $138M. This is about standards, commitment, and showing up when it’s hardest.
Key Insights
Business is earned one relationship at a time
The builder space demands discipline, clarity, and availability
Commitment creates confidence
Hard seasons reveal your standards
Leadership shows up when it would be easier to step back

Guest Links
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniejohnstonmortgage/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/stephmortgage

Website:
https://www.sfmc.com/loan-officer/stephaniejohnston/

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!

Connect with Shayla:
Shayla on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/shaygiff/

Shayla on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayla-gifford-3019396/

Show Links:
Shayla's Website:
https://shaylagifford.com/

The Mortgage Rainmaker Podcast:
https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/

The Catalyst Coaching Community:
https://shaylagifford.com/catalyst/

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

What if abundance in mortgage wasn’t about working longer or harder?
In this episode, I sit down with Frank Ruzicka, a 39-year producing loan officer who has built a business that doesn’t panic when markets shift or rates spike. Frank isn’t chasing trends. He’s built something durable — rooted in relationships, trust, coaching, and a deep belief that abundance beats scarcity every single time.
We talk about what it really takes to stop living in Groundhog Day as a loan officer. From stepping away for two full weeks without his business falling apart, to building an investor niche through relationships, to staying coachable and hungry in every season — this conversation is about creating a mortgage career that supports your life, not consumes it.
If you’re tired of rebuilding every cycle, reacting to rates, or running on fumes, this episode will challenge you to think differently about leverage, longevity, and what true mortgage abundance actually looks like.
Key Insights
Abundance is built when you trust your systems and relationships instead of operating from fear.
Relationships compound over time and protect you through every market cycle.
Niches don’t create success. Commitment and consistency inside the niche do.
Coaching keeps you relevant, grounded, and growing in every season of your career.
A sustainable mortgage business should give you freedom, not anxiety.
Are you ready to make it rain? Let’s do this!

Guest Links:
Frank on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankruzicka/

Frank on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/frank.ruzicka/?hl=en

Frank at Guild Mortgage:
https://branches.guildmortgage.com/mo/chesterfield/francis-ruzicka-122-cnfr.html

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!

Connect with Shayla:
Shayla on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/shaygiff/

Shayla on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayla-gifford-3019396/

Show Links:
Shayla's Website:
https://shaylagifford.com/

The Mortgage Rainmaker Podcast:
https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/

The Catalyst Coaching Community:
https://shaylagifford.com/catalyst/

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

You don’t need more tools or tactics. You need to master these 3 skills — and execute.
Hey there, Rainmakers!
I love salespeople. I love entrepreneurs. I love people willing to bet on themselves for a limitless future. And I also know this truth — when we get stuck, drift, or stall, it’s almost always because of fear or overwhelm.
This market can feel chaotic. Rates move. Buyers freeze. Everyone wants your attention, your content, your responsiveness. And suddenly you’re trying to be a marketer, a technician, a prospector, and everything in between. In this episode, I bring you back to simplicity — the kind that creates control instead of burnout.
I break down the three skill sets every Rainmaker must master to grow in any market. These are the fundamentals that took me from reactive chaos to intentional momentum — and they still work today. When you focus here, everything else starts to fall into place.
Key Insights
Booking the appointment is the first priority and the gateway to growth.
Every face-to-face conversation is an interview you must intentionally win.
Great meetings require preparation, structure, and purpose.
Losing deals usually means the interview was never truly won.
Momentum dies when there is no clearly defined next step.
Proactive chaos beats reactive chaos every single time.
Two hours a day of intentional green time can change everything.

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!

Connect with Shayla:
Shayla on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/shaygiff/

Shayla on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayla-gifford-3019396/

Show Links:
Shayla's Website:
https://shaylagifford.com/

The Mortgage Rainmaker Podcast:
https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/

The Catalyst Coaching Community:
https://shaylagifford.com/catalyst/

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