Laugh, Lend, and Eat is where business meets banter. Hosted by Fobby Naghmi the show explores mortgage lending, leadership, fintech, and sales—with a side of humor and food talk.
Known for his ability to ask candid, thought-provoking questions, Fobby creates a space where guests open up and real insights shine through. It's smart, relaxed, and made for professionals who want to grow, lead, and laugh along the way.
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High Tech, High Touch: Dale Vermillion's Formula for Winning in the 2026 Mortgage Market
Season 7
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 • Duration 46:08
In this high-tech mortgage world we live in, we forget how important the human touch is. In true form, Dale reminds us that we need to not only survive 2026 but to move forward with our business.
43 years in the mortgage industry. Rates at 17.5% when he started. Still closing 30+ loans a month.
Dale Vermillion has seen every market cycle there is — and his message for 2026 loan officers is simple: stop blaming the market and start building the habits that actually move the needle.
In this episode of Laugh, Lend & Eat, one of the most respected mortgage coaches and trainers in the country breaks down what separates the top 30% of loan officers — who did 71.5% of all mortgage production in 2025 — from everyone else fighting over the scraps.
What we cover:
Mortgage mindset and mental toughness for loan officers in a high-rate environment
Why high-tech without high-touch is killing your mortgage pipeline
The "1 sale a day" formula that gets loan officers to 15 closings a month
Mortgage sales tips: the Friday seed call and Monday status call that convert pre-approvals into contracts
How top-producing loan officers prospect realtors and build referral partnerships
Mortgage lead generation, follow-up strategies, and pipeline management
Time blocking and productivity for mortgage professionals
Why the bottom 30% of LOs is treating origination like a gig job — and how to break out
Mortgage recruiting trends and what the 2026 market really looks like
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro & Welcome00:30 - Industry News with James Clyman (The Mortgage Scoop)01:00 - Rocket Mortgage vs. UWM $100M Lawsuit Breakdown03:00 - Could UWM Have a "Countrywide Moment"?05:30 - UWM Pricing Strategy & Wholesale Market Impact07:00 - Rate Predictions: Will the Fed Hike in 2026?08:45 - Mortgage Tech M&A — What's Coming in the Next 6-9 Months09:45 - Lower.com: Ambitious Play or Overreach?11:10 - Welcome Dale Vermillion | Mortgage Champions13:00 - 43 Years in the Industry: What Dale Has Seen14:00 - If Rate Mattered, I Wouldn't Be Here — Mindset Reset16:00 - Attitudes & Actions: The Two Things That Make All the Difference17:30 - The Data: Top 30% Did 71.5% of All Volume in 202519:25 - The 3 Types of People: Make It Happen, Watch It Happen, What Happened20:00 - How to Shift Your Mindset Starting Tomorrow22:00 - What Top Producers Actually Do Differently23:00 - The System Behind Mortgage Champions' Results24:00 - Why Most LOs Fail: No Process, No Plan25:00 - Stop Talking About How Bad the Market Is26:00 - The Bottom 30%: Hard Truths from Dale28:00 - High Tech vs. High Touch: The Biggest Problem in the Industry29:00 - "If You Want to Convert, You Have to Converse"30:50 - The "1 Sale a Day" Formula: How to Close 15 Loans a Month33:00 - The #1 Miss: No Follow-Up34:00 - Plan Your Follow-Up or It Won't Happen34:40 - The Friday Seed Call & Monday Status Call System36:00 - Why COVID Changed the LO Mindset (And Not for the Better)37:50 - Work Smarter: 50 Hours Max, Maximum Output38:00 - The Phone Is Your Biggest Distraction39:00 - Email Pop-Ups: The 12-Second Focus Killer40:00 - Time Blocking for Mortgage Professionals42:00 - Priority-Based Mindset: Fund Your Life First43:00 - Pain Is the Only Teacher for Some People44:00 - How to Reach Dale Vermillion45:00 - Outro & Where to Find Us
"If you want to convert, you have to converse." — Dale Vermillion
🎙️ Hosted by Fobby Naghmi, SVP at AnnieMac Home Mortgage, and Justin Neal, MBA of Summit Mortgage Corporation🔔 Subscribe for weekly mortgage industry insights, loan officer training, and leadership content👍 Like and share if this helped you
Your Thoughts Are Not You, But Your AI Thinks They Are
Season 7
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 • Duration 58:01
We've had meditation teachers, psychologists, nutritionists, and a psychic on this show trying to fix what's wrong with mortgage people. None of it worked. So this time we went deeper.
In this episode of Laugh, Lend & Eat, Fobby and Justin sit down with a married couple who may be the most interesting pair in any industry — Dr. Saloumeh DeGood, licensed clinical psychologist and President of the Sufi Psychology Association, and Andrew DeGood, co-founder and CEO of Ask Bob AI, the mortgage industry's leading AI knowledge platform.
One studies the soul. One builds AI for loan officers. They go home to the same house. The conversation that followed was one of the most unexpected, honest, and genuinely useful episodes we've ever recorded.
🔑 WHAT WE COVER:
✅ What Sufism actually is — in plain language, for a loan officer in Ohio✅ Why your thoughts are not you — and how that unlocks everything✅ The "As a Man Thinketh" debate — Saloumeh vs. James Allen✅ What AI fundamentally gets wrong about human beings✅ Why trauma and creativity are linked — and what that means for AI✅ The Narcissus problem: why talking to ChatGPT can become an echo chamber✅ Andrew's vision: the LO who needs nothing more than an iPhone to run their business✅ Why the loan officers who communicate always win — and AI just 10Xs that gap✅ Can AI replace a psychologist? Saloumeh's honest answer✅ How to survive the mortgage industry with your soul intact
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 — Intro & LinkedIn jail (the F-bomb story)03:00 — Spirit Airlines, gas prices & Fobby's RICO charge08:30 — Wedding anniversary reveal — Malibu, Tampa & two ceremonies12:30 — What is Sufism? The plain language breakdown17:00 — The "bag" of gathered experiences — how the brain actually works20:00 — Andrew: how Sufism changed how he runs his business21:30 — The dinner table: AI + Sufism under the same roof24:00 — What AI gets wrong about human beings28:00 — Trauma, creativity, and what AI can never replicate34:00 — The Narcissus moment — ChatGPT, Saloumeh's dog, and echo chambers38:30 — "Your thoughts are not you" vs. As a Man Thinketh43:00 — The brain has one goal: preserve calories44:30 — Guardrails, heroin, and cages — Andrew's AGI thought experiment48:00 — Ask Bob AI: what's next (CRUD, MCP, the text-message LO)51:00 — Will AI replace psychologists? Saloumeh's real answer53:30 — Andrew's vision: the AI version of Saloumeh56:30 — The close: AI is the brain. Sufism is the heart. You need both.
Nobody is Coming to Save You: The Maria Quattrone Story
Season 7
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 • Duration 01:00:23
Nobody is coming to save you. The sooner you accept that, the faster everything changes.
Maria Quattrone has been in real estate for over 30 years. 10,000 YouTube subscribers. 2,800+ videos. A book of business that rings before she picks up the phone. And it all started with a 10-year-old girl, two bus tokens, and a two-mile run through Philadelphia.
In this episode of Laugh, Lend & Eat, Maria sits down with Fobby Naghmi and co-host Justin Neal for one of the most honest conversations we've ever had on this show — about victim mentality, ownership, personal brand, paying your dues, and what it actually takes to build something that lasts.
If you're in mortgage, real estate, or any commission-based business, this one will hit home.
TIMESTAMPS00:00 — Intro & selfie culture with Justin02:46 — Federal Reserve holds rates & what it actually means for your mortgage05:00 — Why the Fed cutting rates doesn't affect your mortgage rate07:00 — Meet Maria Quattrone14:00 — Personal brand, content creation & the compound effect19:00 — Building trust from a distance through social media24:00 — Victim mentality — what it is and how to spot it in yourself25:00 — Everybody gets a trophy. The kids were keeping score anyway.26:28 — The bus token story — where Maria's fight mentality was born29:47 — "The only reason you didn't do it is because you chose not to"31:00 — Our business is about choice management32:50 — The bathroom panic attack and the bad career decision36:00 — How Maria built her book of business from scratch43:36 — Paying your dues — the beeper, the payphone, Sunday dinner46:00 — Expires, cancels and repositioning — Maria's secret weapon55:44 — Maria's speaking journey and Level Up Atlanta57:19 — How to connect with Maria Q
🔑 IN THIS EPISODE✅ Why victim mentality is killing your production✅ The difference between a goal and a commitment✅ How Maria built a 30-year book of business through coaching and consistency✅ What paying your dues actually looks like — before smartphones existed✅ Why personal brand is the long game nobody wants to play✅ The compound effect of showing up every single day
Meet the Recruiters '26
Season 7
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 • Duration 50:31
Most mortgage professionals don't know they could be forced to move with zero warning.Every year, we bring in the best recruiters in the mortgage industry for one unfiltered conversation — and this episode delivered. Andi Arroyo of CONVERT, Noah Zimmerman of Z-Talent, and co-host Justin Neal joined Fobby Naghmi on Laugh, Lend & Eat for 50 minutes of real talk on mortgage recruiting, what loan officers are getting wrong, what companies are hiding, and why most recruiters are playing the game backwards.If you're a loan officer, a mortgage recruiter, or a lending company trying to grow, this episode is for you.🔑 IN THIS EPISODE✅ Why loan officers should stop hanging up on recruiters✅ The "Achilles heel" conversation every honest recruiter should have✅ How to secret shop a company before you sign✅ Why leading with comp is the #1 recruiting mistake✅ The difference between convincing and aligning✅ Why the best hires take years — not weeks🕐 TIMESTAMPS00:00 — Intro & dance moves (don't skip)03:00 — Fobby's RICO story & why lawsuits hurt the little guy05:12 — The new credit score changes & what LOs should do07:00 — Meet the recruiters: Andi, Noah & Justin19:55 — How social media builds trust before the conversation starts21:09 — "You don't have them" — Andi's reframe on candidates going dark23:12 — Noah's pizza table story & the real weight of a career move25:00 — The fishing line analogy — when to let them run27:00 — Why producing managers struggle to recruit42:41 — What companies are doing wrong43:00 — Rapid fire: one mistake companies make when recruiting44:55 — What loan officers should demand but never ask for45:13 — Get a lawyer before you sign anything47:20 — Justin's wife's voicemail & the power of persistence47:56 — Stop convincing. Start aligning.49:55 — Final thoughts & how to connect with the guests📲 CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTSAndi Arroyo — convertrecruiting.comNoah Zimmerman — ztalent.orgJustin Neal — Summit Mortgage Corporation🎙️ ABOUT LAUGH, LEND & EATLaugh, Lend & Eat is the mortgage industry podcast that doesn't take itself too seriously — but takes the business seriously. Hosted by Fobby Naghmi, SVP at AnnieMac Home Mortgage, and co-host Justin Neal. New episodes every week.
What Loan Officers Are Getting Wrong Right Now (And It’s Costing Them Deals) | Christine Beckwith
Season 7
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 • Duration 55:06
If you think rates are the reason your business is slow… you’re already losing.This episode pulls no punches.In this conversation with Christine Beckwith, we break down the uncomfortable truth most loan officers don’t want to hear:👉 It’s not the market👉 It’s not the leads👉 It’s not even the ratesIt’s the conversations you’re having… and the ones you’re avoiding.We go deep into:Why talking about rates is killing your dealsThe real reason borrowers aren’t moving forwardWhat top producers are doing differently right nowHow to reposition yourself as a financial advisor (not a rate quote machine)The mindset gap that’s quietly destroying productionWhy most loan officers won’t be ready when rates dropThis isn’t theory.This is what’s actually happening in the field.If you’re a loan officer, branch manager, or leader trying to figure out why things feel harder than they should… this episode will hit.Hard.Subscribe to Laugh, Lend & Eat for more real conversations on what’s actually working in this market.⏱️ Timestamps0:00 – Intro + News + Banter with Justin Neal4:30 – Market talk: What borrowers are really asking6:15 – Why “Can you beat this rate?” is the wrong question8:30 – Christine Beckwith joins the show9:15 – It’s not about the rate… it’s about financial positioning11:45 – Why most borrowers won’t qualify when rates drop14:30 – The conversation loan officers SHOULD be having16:10 – Industry problem: Activity vs the right conversations18:00 – Why “work harder” advice is failing loan officers19:20 – Realtor strategy: Open houses + standing out differently
What CMOs Won't Say in Front of Their CEO
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 • Duration 55:37
Is mortgage marketing actually broken — or is the real problem leadership?
Fobby sits down with two of the sharpest fractional CMOs in the mortgage space, Bri Lees and Lauren Dobie, to have the conversation most internal marketing teams can't have in front of their CEO.
They get into:
→ Why most mortgage marketing is still stuck in 1989
→ Company brand vs. loan officer brand — who wins borrower trust?
→ Why marketing departments are set up to fail before they even start
→ What loan officers are getting wrong on social media
→ The one thing Movement Mortgage figured out that no one else has
→ What a real marketing infrastructure inside a lender actually looks like
Plus: Nexa's residual income play, the Blend CEO controversy, trigger leads, and Justin's flyers. 🚨
70% of your cost problem isn’t the market… it’s you.
Season 7
Wednesday, April 1, 2026 • Duration 54:10
While you're blaming the market… others are quietly winning.
So what do they see that you don’t?
In this episode of Laugh, Lend & Eat, I sit down with Melissa Langdale, Founder & CEO of Praxis, to break down one of the hardest truths in the mortgage industry right now:
👉 It’s not the market
👉 It’s not the rates
👉 It’s not the volume
It’s how you’re running your business.
We get into:
Why the mortgage process was never rebuilt — only layered over
How lenders are spending millions on tech… and getting less efficient
Where AI is misunderstood — and how it will actually expose you
The real reason cost to originate keeps rising
The difference between reactive vs proactive prospecting
If you’re a loan officer, branch manager, or leader trying to grow in this market…
This episode might make you uncomfortable.
But it will also make you better.
Recruit the Loan Officer | Mortgage Recruiting Game Show
Tuesday, March 17, 2026 • Duration 49:11
What happens when you turn mortgage recruiting into a game show?
In this episode of Laugh, Lend & Eat, we take a real-world recruiting conversation and flip it into a live, unscripted challenge:
Can a recruiter successfully recruit a loan officer… on the spot?
No scripts. No prep. Just raw, real interaction.
And what unfolds highlights one of the biggest problems in the mortgage industry today.
Mortgage recruiting strategies that actually work (and don’t)
Why most loan officer recruiting conversations fail
The biggest mistakes recruiters make when pitching compensation, rates, and benefits
How to recruit loan officers in today’s competitive mortgage market
The psychology behind why loan officers switch companies
Leadership and communication gaps in mortgage recruiting
Real talk on mortgage industry culture and hiring practices
Most mortgage recruiting fails because it feels like a pitch.
Top recruiters don’t lead with:
compensation plans
basis points
rates
They lead with understanding.
Because loan officers don’t leave companies for better pitches… They leave for better alignment.
If you are:
a loan officer
a branch manager
a mortgage recruiter
a sales leader in the mortgage industry
This episode will give you a fresh perspective on what actually works in recruiting today.
Laugh, Lend & Eat is a mortgage industry podcast focused on real conversations around leadership, recruiting, sales, and growth.
The Mortgage Industry Doesn’t Have a Product Problem. It Has a Trust Problem.
Season 7
Tuesday, March 10, 2026 • Duration 49:12
What if the biggest challenge facing the mortgage industry isn’t rates, guidelines, or loan products—but trust?
In this episode of Laugh, Lend & Eat, Fobby Naghmi sits down with Kristin Messerli, Executive Director of FirstHome IQ, to unpack the growing trust and knowledge gap between the mortgage industry and the next generation of homebuyers.
Drawing from the FirstHome IQ Impact Report, Kristin shares eye-opening research about how Millennials and Gen Z approach homeownership—and why many are delaying one of the most important financial decisions of their lives.
The conversation explores why today’s buyers feel overwhelmed by financial information, why so few trust industry professionals to guide them, and why the future of mortgage professionals may depend less on selling loans and more on educating and advocating for consumers.
They also discuss Kristin’s work bringing mortgage professionals to Washington through industry advocacy efforts, and why loan officers may play a critical role in shaping housing policy and rebuilding confidence in homeownership.
If the industry wants to reach the next generation of buyers, it may need to rethink what it means to be a trusted advisor.
In This Episode
Why the mortgage industry is facing a growing trust crisis
The surprising financial literacy gap among younger buyers
Why information overload causes people to delay buying homes
The difference between selling mortgages and educating consumers
Why loan officers may need to become community educators
Most mortgage companies are making the same leadership mistake — and it’s costing them millions.
In this episode of Laugh, Lend & Eat, we flipped the script and let the guests, Gabe Gillen, Wes Costello, and our favorite mortgage comic, Justin Neal, ask the questions in a segment we call Ask Fobby Anything. What followed was a mix of hard truths, leadership lessons, recruiting insights, and a few unexpected personal stories along the way.
We dive into a controversial topic many companies avoid: why top producers don’t automatically make great branch managers. The skill set that makes someone elite at production is often the opposite of what’s required to build and lead a team.
But that’s just the start.
We also unpack the recruiting strategy that actually works — making the candidate the hero of the story, not the company or the recruiter. It’s a simple shift that changes everything when you're trying to attract the right talent.
Along the way, we explore a deeper leadership question: What’s more dangerous in business — fear or ego? The answer might surprise you.
And because this is Laugh, Lend & Eat, the conversation also wanders into favorite foods, podcasts, movies you can’t stop watching, and what happens when you suddenly realize how much work your spouse actually does when you’re running the household alone.
This episode is part leadership conversation, part industry therapy session, and part unscripted fun.
📲 CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTS:Dr. Saloumeh DeGood — drdgood.com | @sufipsychologyAndrew DeGood — askbobai.com | Andrew D. Goode on LinkedIn
ABOUT LAUGH, LEND & EAT:
The mortgage industry podcast that doesn't take itself too seriously — but takes the business seriously. Hosted by Fobby Naghmi, SVP at AnnieMac Home Mortgage, and co-host Justin Neal of Summit Mortgage Corporation. New episodes every week.
🎙️ ABOUT LAUGH, LEND & EATLaugh, Lend & Eat is the mortgage industry podcast that doesn't take itself too seriously — but takes the business seriously. Hosted by Fobby Naghmi, SVP at AnnieMac Home Mortgage, and co-host Justin Neal of Summit Mortgage Corporation. New episodes every week.
The role mortgage professionals can play in housing advocacy and policy
Key Takeaways
Trust is the real barrier.
Many younger consumers don’t lack motivation to buy homes—they lack confidence in who to trust for guidance.
Financial literacy is missing.
A large percentage of Millennials and Gen Z never received meaningful education about mortgages or homeownership before entering the housing market.
Education builds business.
Mortgage professionals who lead with clear, simple financial education can build stronger relationships and long-term referral networks.
Advocacy matters.
Loan officers who engage in housing policy conversations can help ensure lawmakers understand the real barriers borrowers face. Sign up here: https://www.firsthomeiq.com/mbaadvocacy
About the Guest
Kristin Messerli is the Executive Director of FirstHome IQ, a nonprofit focused on improving financial literacy and empowering the next generation of homebuyers. She is widely recognized for her research on Millennial and Gen Z homebuyer behavior and works with lenders and industry leaders to rebuild trust through education and community engagement.
Connect With Laugh, Lend & Eat
Follow the show for more conversations with leaders across mortgage, real estate, and financial services who are shaping the future of the industry.
If you're a loan officer, branch manager, recruiter, or sales leader, there’s something here that will make you think differently about growth, leadership, and the stories we tell ourselves in business.
🎧 Listen to the full episode of Ask Fobby Anything now.
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