Mortgage Brokers: Shock Your System or the Market Will Do It for You
EPM's Kenny Phillips Perspective on Broker Success
If you’re a loan officer looking to break out of a plateau, regain traction, or dominate the last months of the year, it’s time to stop relying on motivation and start holding yourself accountable.
In a shifting mortgage landscape, where technology, pricing, and products are increasingly commoditized, the difference-maker isn’t the lender you choose or how fast you close; it’s how you show up every single day.
In a refreshing conversation with Kenny Phillips, Chief Sales Officer of EPM, several truths were laid bare: if your business isn’t where you want it to be, it’s not the market, it’s your mindset, your habits, and your execution.
Let’s break down the high-performance blueprint that emerged from this conversation and how it applies to mortgage brokers and loan officers across the U.S.
Stop Waiting for the Market to Change. Shock Your Own System First
If your weekly habits haven’t changed, why would your results?
“You can’t be doing the same shit every week and expect a breakthrough.” – Kenny Phillips
The idea of "shocking your system" isn't motivational B.S. It’s about intentionally disrupting your routine before the market does it for you. Many loan officers are reactive, waiting for rates to drop, for volume to pick up, or for leads to magically appear.
The pros? They proactively change course before things slow down.
Action Step: Audit your daily routine. If your outreach, prospecting, and value delivery looks identical to six months ago, it’s time to flip the script. Try a new script, video strategy, or in-person play. Just do something different. And do it on purpose!
Features Are Commodities. Conversations Are Currency.
In today’s environment, nearly every lender offers the same menu: FHA, VA, conventional, fast turn times. None of that makes you stand out anymore.
What does set you apart? The conversation.
“Everyone has the same table stakes. What makes you different?” – Kenny Phillips
Kenny emphasized that sales success is less about having the best rate or program, and more about having the right conversation. That means understanding your referral partner or client on a personal level and speaking directly to their goals, pain points, or blind spots.
Action Step: Research your agent partners. Look at their social media. Find out how they present themselves, who their clients are, and what kind of content resonates with them. Then, customize your outreach. Ditch the generic scripts and lead with something insightful, educational, or even shocking.
Accountability > Motivation
Motivation fades. Life gets in the way. Kids, workouts, contracts, EMD deadlines—it’s a lot.
What keeps elite performers consistent? Accountability.
“It takes a special person to hold themselves accountable. Most people need someone to report to—someone to not let down.” – Kenny Phillips
Whether it’s a coach, a business partner, or a tight-knit accountability pod, having someone expecting results from you creates urgency and intention. If you’ve ever worked out harder because someone was waiting for you at 5:30 a.m., you already understand the principle.
Action Step: Join or create a weekly accountability group. It doesn’t need to be complicated. Set a 15-minute call with a fellow originator every Friday. Share your top goals. Report back. Repeat. And yes, this works best when your accountability partner has high standards too.
Set Boundaries…But Always Show Up
The #1 excuse we hear in the mortgage world?
“I’m just too busy.”
Busy is a lie we tell ourselves to justify procrastination or low-impact activities. The truth? Everyone’s busy. But high performers still make time for what moves them forward.
Kenny shared the importance of creating boundaries with clients and partners, not as a wall, but as a sign of professionalism and reliability.
Action Step: If you're unavailable at 7 p.m. for a phone call, set that expectation early but also provide a channel for support (e.g., “Text me any urgent questions and I’ll respond first thing.”) Showing up with clarity is better than being occasionally responsive with no structure.
Tell the Truth, Even When It’s Hard
Loan officers love to say they value “real talk”… until someone actually gives it to them.
“Did you have a problem with the truth or just the way it was said?” – Kenny Phillips
The takeaway here: the truth is uncomfortable, but growth depends on it. Whether it’s being told your pitch is flat, your follow-up is weak, or your pipeline isn’t enough, you’ve got to be willing to hear it. And more importantly, act on it.
Action Step: Ask someone you trust to give you blunt feedback. What’s one thing that’s holding you back? What’s one way you can immediately level up? Don’t defend. Just listen. Then execute.
Don’t Chase Rates! Build Real Relationships
Want to play the mortgage game at a high level? Then you need to realize it is about relationships, not transactions.
“If you’re just going with whoever is top of the pricing engine that day, you’re doing yourself a disservice.” – Kenny Phillips
Clients and referral partners are more likely to stick with you when they trust you, not when you’re .125% lower on rate. Similarly, lenders are more likely to go the extra mile, push files, escalate scenarios, or support you in a crunch when there’s a relationship behind the scenes.
Action Step: Deepen your lender relationships. Reach out to your AEs. Check in even when you don’t have a file in their system. Offer feedback. Share success stories. That rapport pays dividends when the pressure's on.
Deliver Value Before You Ask for Anything
Every LO wants more business. But fewer are willing to give value first.
Kenny gave the example of training sessions he runs for brokers to help them price smarter, structure cleaner, and win deals. The byproduct? Relationship equity and yes, loans follow.
Action Step: Host a short Zoom or coffee chat where you teach your agents something they didn’t know (e.g., how to quote borrower-paid scenarios, prep buyers in a high-rate market, etc.). The value you give in that moment will be remembered far more than a rate sheet.
The Wrap: High Performance Is a Decision, Not a Trait
You don’t need a new CRM. You don’t need a magic rate drop. You need a higher standard for yourself.
High performers don’t wait for better conditions. They create them.
Whether it’s shaking up your routine, finding an accountability partner, or simply choosing to show up with more intention—this is the blueprint to finish 2025 strong and enter 2026 with momentum.
And to quote Kenny one more time:
“You never reach the top of the mountain in our industry. You just keep climbing. And the ones who climb consistently? They win.”
Connect with Kenny on LinkedIn.
Join “The Call” every Tuesday at 11:30am EST. Hosted by 20/20 Vision For Success Coaching.