The Way with Dino Katsiametis

Dino Katsiametis
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Mortgage strategy and mindset for advisors building something that lasts. The Way with Dino Katsiametis goes inside the businesses of the mortgage industry's top producers and operators — how they originate, how they retain clients, how they lead teams, and how they build companies worth owning. Guests have included Heather Lovier, COO of Rocket Companies; Dave Savage, founder of Mortgage Coach; Josh Mettle of NEO Home Loans; Wade Betz of Mpire Financial; and Anthony Casa. Every episode is a working session, not a highlight reel. Real systems, named tools, and the specific plays behind them — the gifting system that produces repeat closings, the referral partnerships that actually hold, the retention habits most advisors skip. Hosted by Dino Katsiametis, Founder & CEO of Ethos Lending. New episodes weekly. Free playbooks at DinoKatsiametis.com. #WhoCanWeServeToday

  1. 6d ago ·  Video

    The Portable Second Brain — Luke Shankula

    Send us Fan Mail Luke Shankula says it plain: "When someone says they're an expert at AI, they are a beginner at AI." Luke is the founder of Loans On Demand and the creator of Direct Authority AI. He has used AI every day since 2023. In this talk, Dino and Luke go deep on one big idea. How to build a portable second brain, so any AI you use knows you from the first message, and you can switch tools without losing a thing. Luke shows what goes in it. A soul file for who you are. A memory file. A now file for what you are working on. And an agent file the AI reads before it does anything else. He explains why you should never trust AI without checking it, and how to make one model challenge the other. You will also hear The Round, with his morning, his best buy under $500, what he says no to now, his favorite books and his ethos. Comment PORTABLE on any clip and we will send you the playbook. Books mentioned: Shoe Dog — Phil Knight https://amzn.to/4tbgebm · Psycho-Cybernetics — Maxwell Maltz https://amzn.to/3NUh9x6 · That Will Never Work — Marc Randolph https://link.amazon/B0aExr1Df · Little Black Stretchy Pants — Chip Wilson https://link.amazon/B0cHz7eSN Luke was also on Season 1. His first talk with Dino is here: https://www.dinokatsiametis.com/podcast/episode-47/ Views expressed are the individual's own and do not represent their employer. The Way with Dino Katsiametis https://DinoKatsiametis.com/podcast/s2e13-luke-shankula/ #WhoCanWeServeToday 00:00 Welcome 01:43 Luke is back 02:58 Who is Luke Shankula? 04:10 Doing the wrong things faster 04:51 AI maturity, like spiritual maturity 06:54 Dunning-Kruger and the peak of Mount Stupid 08:16 "I'm an expert at AI" means beginner 09:30 Stand on the shoulders of giants 10:16 Do not relegate your thinking to AI 10:46 Today's masterclass: the portable second brain 11:07 Why a second brain inside one app is a prison 12:45 What a second brain is 13:07 The Write Like Me interview 14:21 Making it portable: a folder on your desktop 14:52 Soul, memory and the now file 15:35 The agent file: read before everything else 17:00 Dino's two DNA documents 18:36 Desktop or Google Drive? 20:35 Which tool for which job 22:47 What about Perplexity? 25:35 Step one: let the AI interview you 27:20 Talk, don't type 28:00 What if your AI goes out of business? 29:30 Read everything before it goes out 31:01 Be more authentic than the machine 32:35 Do not trust AI 33:28 It doesn't know loans, but it knows marketing? 34:00 Let one model challenge the other 35:00 It doesn't care if it breaks 17 things 36:15 Put the rules in your second brain 40:40 Two use cases for mortgage advisors 41:55 Never put NPI or PII into a public model 44:40 A compliance plugin that travels with you 45:38 Stop using trigger terms 46:20 A brand kit that lives in your second brain 47:15 Recap emails from recorded calls 48:40 A video for every stage 50:27 Most client experiences are unremarkable 51:20 Never Lose a Customer Again 52:00 What makes a producer referable 53:00 Dino's disclosure videos 55:55 "My initial thought is I hate it" 57:00 Cloned voices 1:00:40 A pre-approval with a wow factor 1:02:00 What Direct Authority AI does 1:02:30 The four pillars: visible, partners, efficient, skilled 1:03:00 Context engineering, explained 1:04:10 Bring your soul into your content 1:06:00 There is no secret button for leads 1:07:15 How to find Luke 1:07:46 The Round begins 1:08:00 First move of the day 1:10:15 Call, text or DM? 1:11:07 Best money under $500 1:12:45 Who do you steal ideas from? 1:14:15 What Luke says no to now 1:14:50 The do-over: the sunk cost fallacy 1:15:40 What works that nobody is doing 1:16:55 What advisors think works but is trash 1:17:23 Favorite book 1:19:35 Luke's ethos 1:21:00 Luke's next chapter 1:22:00 Care, cultivate, close 1:23:05 These are humans 1:24:36 The free playbook Thanks for listening to "The Way With Dino Katsiametis"    For full show notes, links, and extra episode resources, visit dinokatsiametis.com. Follow Dino for weekly clips and mortgage leadership insights on instagram.com/dinokatsiametis | linkedin.com/in/dinokatsiametis Learn more about Ethos Lending at ethoslending.com.

  2. Oct 19 ·  Video

    The Anatomy of a Viral Reel — Amir Syed

    Send us Fan Mail Amir Syed says it plain: “If my own wife is swiping, everybody’s swiping.” Amir is the co-founder and CEO of GO! Coaching. He grew his Instagram from 45,000 to 80,000 followers in 35 days. In this talk, Dino and Amir go deep on one big idea. How to build a reel that people watch to the end. Amir shares the parts of a reel. The hook. The re-hook. The early call to action. And the ending. He tells why you should give people crayons, not calculus. And he says why your visibility has to match your ability. You will also hear The Round, with his ethos, his morning, what he would do over, his favorite books, and his Million Dollar Drop plan. Comment ANATOMY on any clip and we will send you the playbook. Books mentioned: Never Split the Difference — Chris Voss https://amzn.to/4kefQVz Amir was also on Season 1. His first talk with Dino is here: https://www.dinokatsiametis.com/podcast/amir-syed-coached-to-a-billion/ Views expressed are the individual’s own and do not represent their employer. The Way with Dino Katsiametis https://DinoKatsiametis.com/podcast/s2e12-amir-syed/ #WhoCanWeServeToday 00:00 Welcome 02:23 Today's masterclass: the anatomy of a viral reel 03:26 Can anyone really go viral? 06:44 Nobody is watching as closely as you think 11:10 Agency, resourcefulness and perseverance 14:51 Climb the mountain one base camp at a time 17:09 Never break the chain 18:10 The 30-year interest-only loan officer 20:35 Why your spouse has to be on board 23:25 Why Instagram, and why now? 25:43 Fame is the greatest arbitrage 28:28 Let's get into the sauce 29:47 The day my wife swiped my reel 31:04 The three hooks 34:07 Tension, surprise, pain, curiosity 34:46 The re-hook 38:43 Hook, re-hook, early CTA 40:21 Crayons, not calculus 40:44 CTA versus CTC 42:46 Social media is business media 45:10 Why long form lives on YouTube 46:02 Two ways to write a call to action 47:22 Your bio is your business card 50:04 Own your audience 52:03 Fame in action 58:06 Your visibility must match your ability 59:44 Why this is not optional 1:02:38 The Round begins 1:04:08 Amir's morning routine 1:07:07 Ideas in the shower 1:09:32 What Amir would do over 1:10:28 What advisors do that does not work 1:12:05 Don't just say AI 1:13:20 Players and playbooks 1:15:00 The first-time buyer question 1:17:00 Why Zoom beats the phone 1:18:52 When a borrower says they can get a better rate 1:19:51 Favorite book 1:22:36 The Million Dollar Drop 1:33:49 The free playbook Thanks for listening to "The Way With Dino Katsiametis"    For full show notes, links, and extra episode resources, visit dinokatsiametis.com. Follow Dino for weekly clips and mortgage leadership insights on instagram.com/dinokatsiametis | linkedin.com/in/dinokatsiametis Learn more about Ethos Lending at ethoslending.com.

  3. Oct 12 ·  Video

    Mortgage Advisors: Send the Right Signals — Steve Saxton

    Send us Fan Mail Steve Saxton says it plain: “It means that you’re niching down so that the person looking for you can find you.” Steve is the founder of Christian Roberts Mortgage in Utah. He does jumbo loans for self-employed borrowers. In this talk, Dino and Steve go deep on one big idea. Send the right signals, so Google and AI know who you are. Steve shares how he turns one closed loan into a blog post. He tells how a voice memo gets a Google review. And he says why every borrower needs one point of contact. You will also hear what he says no to now, his favorite book, and his Million Dollar Drop plan. Comment SIGNALS on any clip and we will send you the playbook. Books mentioned: Can’t Hurt Me — David Goggins https://link.amazon/B02kHj9R5 Views expressed are the individual’s own and do not represent their employer. The Way with Dino Katsiametis https://DinoKatsiametis.com/podcast/s2e11-steve-saxton/ #WhoCanWeServeToday 00:00 Welcome 01:58 What is your ethos? 06:02 The loan he wrote for free 17:27 Never downgrade your lifestyle 18:38 Who is Steve Saxton? 20:40 What would Steve teach in a masterclass? 22:34 From the Yellow Pages to AI 25:58 Get painfully specific 29:42 Niching down does not mean losing loans 30:44 Turn one closing into a blog post 32:03 AI does not know who you are 34:16 The voice memo that gets Google reviews 36:28 From loan officer to mortgage advisor 38:14 One point of contact 47:54 One story, many platforms 57:33 Why Steve posts on social media 1:00:18 They can smell your commission breath 1:04:38 Start with the end 1:05:29 The Round begins 1:11:31 What Steve says no to now 1:14:20 The best question to ask a borrower 1:16:40 Favorite book 1:17:04 The Million Dollar Drop 1:22:05 The free playbook Thanks for listening to "The Way With Dino Katsiametis"    For full show notes, links, and extra episode resources, visit dinokatsiametis.com. Follow Dino for weekly clips and mortgage leadership insights on instagram.com/dinokatsiametis | linkedin.com/in/dinokatsiametis Learn more about Ethos Lending at ethoslending.com.

  4. Oct 5 ·  Video

    Loan Officers: Diagnose Before You Prescribe — Kayla Kallander

    Send us Fan Mail Kayla Kallander says it plain: "Prescription without diagnosis is malpractice." Kayla is a mortgage loan officer at First International Bank & Trust in Fargo, North Dakota. In this talk, Dino and Kayla go deep on one big idea. Ask better questions before you give any answer. Kayla shares how she slows down to speed up. She tells why buyers open up when you ask what scares them. And she shows why one rate on a page is never the whole story. You will also hear her favorite book, her Million Dollar Drop plan, and a few words about her four rescue dogs. Comment DIAGNOSE on any clip and we will send you the playbook. Books mentioned: Unreasonable Hospitality — Will Guidara Views expressed are the individual's own and do not represent their employer. The Way with Dino Katsiametis https://DinoKatsiametis.com/podcast/s2e10-kayla-kallander/ #WhoCanWeServeToday 00:00 Welcome 02:22 What is your ethos? 11:48 Unreasonable Hospitality and feeling understood 13:57 Slow down to speed up 17:37 How Kayla stays 99% self-sourced 21:40 The 15-minute discovery call 23:31 "Wait, there is more than one rate?" 1:04:21 The Round begins 1:11:11 The best question to ask a borrower 1:12:42 Favorite book 1:18:06 The Million Dollar Drop 1:24:55 The free playbook Thanks for listening to "The Way With Dino Katsiametis"    For full show notes, links, and extra episode resources, visit dinokatsiametis.com. Follow Dino for weekly clips and mortgage leadership insights on instagram.com/dinokatsiametis | linkedin.com/in/dinokatsiametis Learn more about Ethos Lending at ethoslending.com.

  5. Sep 28 ·  Video

    Referral Gravity: How Loan Officers Get Chosen Without Chasing with Brady Thomas

    Send us Fan Mail Brady Thomas moved 3,000 miles away from his business, and it grew. His personal production went from $124 million to $179 million, up 45% in a year, while he worked out of a basement in Boston and his clients and agents were in Oakland. He calls the system referral gravity: the right agents send you the right loans without you asking. In this episode he walks Dino through all three pillars. Transactional clarity, which is naming the one problem you want to be known for. Authority, which is being trusted before you are needed: a point of view, two email lists on two clocks, and a thousand five-star reviews earned by asking at every closing. And operational excellence, which is delivering every time as volume grows. Along the way: why a niche is a sign and not a fence, the $250 charity donation that replaced every closing gift, the Times Square test for your inbox, and the second conversation he added after rates jumped. Then in The Round: the one question he asks every borrower, the AI tool he cannot live without, and what he says to the client who has talked to seven lenders. He also answers the Million Dollar Drop: new state, no clients, no agents. He would run the same playbook. Brady Thomas is a producing Branch Manager at LaSalle Mortgage in Oakland, California, and has ranked among the top 100 originators in the country over a 16-year career. Comment GRAVITY on any clip and we will send you the playbook. Books mentioned: Key Person of Influence — Daniel Priestley The Way with Dino Katsiametis https://DinoKatsiametis.com/podcast/s2e09-brady-thomas/ #WhoCanWeServeToday 00:00 Meet Brady Thomas 02:34 Sixteen years in Oakland, and a move to Boston 06:08 What is referral gravity? 10:49 Pillar one: clarity and the Two Home Tango 14:37 A sign, not a fence 17:14 Pillar two: authority and a point of view 19:13 Two newsletters on two clocks 22:25 How he got 1,000 five-star reviews 23:50 $250 to charity at every closing 26:01 Where the business comes from 30:27 Inside a team of eight 33:04 Your office is in Times Square 34:20 Pillar three: operational excellence 41:43 Staying with the client after closing 47:03 "I couldn't cold call either" 48:54 The Round: lightning questions 54:22 The AI tool that changed how he works 59:13 "I can get a better rate somewhere else" 1:05:03 Favorite book, his ethos, and the Million Dollar Drop 1:12:12 Consistency: 700 posts later Thanks for listening to "The Way With Dino Katsiametis"    For full show notes, links, and extra episode resources, visit dinokatsiametis.com. Follow Dino for weekly clips and mortgage leadership insights on instagram.com/dinokatsiametis | linkedin.com/in/dinokatsiametis Learn more about Ethos Lending at ethoslending.com.

  6. Sep 21 ·  Video

    The Consultation That Makes Loan Officers Unshoppable with Sosi Avila

    Send us Fan Mail Most loan officers try to win a client in the first three minutes. Sosi Avila runs a 30-minute first meeting, and he says it is the reason he closes almost everyone he talks to. In this episode Sosi opens his consultation slide by slide and walks Dino through what he says, in what order, and why. He explains the one question he asks before anything else, why the phrase "walking into equity" is a myth, how a VIP pre-approval makes a financed offer read like cash and closes in 15 to 17 days, and the doorbell camera trick that gets an offer in the seller's inbox before the buyer gets home. Then in The Round: why he gives every consultation on video, why he says relationship is last place, and what the right answer is when a client asks for a better rate. He also answers the Million Dollar Drop: no database, no network, one unfamiliar city. His plan has three targets and one of them is a CPA. Sosi Avila is a $100 million producer and the President of Mamba Capital Lending. This is his second time on The Way. Comment CONSULT on any clip and we will send you the playbook. Books mentioned: $100M Offers — Alex Hormozi The Way with Dino Katsiametis https://DinoKatsiametis.com/podcast/s2e08-sosi-avila/ #WhoCanWeServeToday 00:00 Cold open  01:37 Welcome back, Sosi Avila  03:50 The one thing he does differently 05:33 Eight planning meetings, one consultation  09:38 Three parts: engage, options, decide  12:48 Setting the objective of the call  15:23 What's your learning style?  16:56 Handing the client the scoreboard  18:44 The market as a story with dates  28:32 Building one scenario live  30:43 The walking into equity myth  33:50 Temporary buydowns  37:20 Regular pre-approval or VIP  39:50 The Ferrari and the doorbell camera  46:19 Slow down so you can speed up  48:36 The Round  01:05:32 Favorite book  01:07:10 The Million Dollar Drop  01:13:36 People sleep on stories 01:17:00 Close Thanks for listening to "The Way With Dino Katsiametis"    For full show notes, links, and extra episode resources, visit dinokatsiametis.com. Follow Dino for weekly clips and mortgage leadership insights on instagram.com/dinokatsiametis | linkedin.com/in/dinokatsiametis Learn more about Ethos Lending at ethoslending.com.

  7. Sep 14 ·  Video

    The 5 Rituals That Keep Loan Officers From Burning Out with Michael Decker

    Send us Fan Mail Michael Decker thinks burnout in this business is misdiagnosed. Not a talent problem. Not a volume problem. A rhythm problem. Michael is EVP & Director of Sales at Great Plains Bank Home Lending and hosts the podcast Winning Publicly, Losing Privately. In this episode he lays out the five rituals he runs every week — morning, pre-work, pre-leave, nightly, and Sunday night. None of them cost anything. His phrase for it: fancy fails, simple scales. Also in this episode: why Sunday night decides the week, the referral move that beats any follow-up text, and The Round — fifteen questions, no prep, the first time we have run it. Free playbook: https://DinoKatsiametis.com/five-rituals/ Michael: linkedin.com/in/michaeldeckerstw Views expressed are the individual's own and do not represent their employer. 00:00 | Cold open 00:20 | Meet Michael Decker 04:20 | $500 million a year — and a billion with 30 loan officers 05:30 | The industry rewards sales when it should reward leadership 09:25 | Winning publicly, losing privately 17:45 | Burnout isn't a talent problem. It's a rhythm problem. 20:54 | The five rituals, named 22:00 | Ritual 1 — The morning ritual 27:05 | Ritual 2 — The pre-work ritual 29:15 | Ritual 3 — The pre-leave ritual, and the boots at the back door 37:20 | Ritual 4 — The nightly ritual 40:30 | Ritual 5 — The Sunday night ritual 44:50 | JAM sessions — just another million 46:55 | THE ROUND — 15 questions, no prep 1:03:20 | The Million Dollar Drop Thanks for listening to "The Way With Dino Katsiametis"    For full show notes, links, and extra episode resources, visit dinokatsiametis.com. Follow Dino for weekly clips and mortgage leadership insights on instagram.com/dinokatsiametis | linkedin.com/in/dinokatsiametis Learn more about Ethos Lending at ethoslending.com.

  8. Sep 7 ·  Video

    Loan Officers: Why Best Known Beats Best with Arjun Dhingra

    Send us Fan Mail Grey Goose is not the best vodka. It is not even close. But it is the one people name, and it is the one that wins. That is Arjun Dhingra's whole argument, and he has been making it for eight years: best known beats best, ten out of ten times. In this episode Arjun breaks down why loan officers who are genuinely good at the job keep losing business to people who are simply easier to remember. Opportunity is visibility multiplied by value, and a zero on either side zeroes the whole thing. He covers what to post and how often, why marketing to everyone connects with no one, the hundred-dollar camera setup that looks like five thousand, and why he thinks the phrase "loan officer" is costing the industry its respect. He also answers the Million Dollar Drop: no database, no network, no name recognition, one unfamiliar city. What he does on day one is not what most people would guess. Arjun is the founder of LFG Society and LFG Energy, and hosts the LFG Energy Podcast, which debuted at number 12 on Apple's Careers list. He is also a two-time TaeKwon-Do world champion. Get the free playbook, Best Known Beats Best: https://dinokatsiametis.com/best-known-beats-best/ #WhoCanWeServeToday 00:00 Visibility times value — the whole idea in one line 00:12 Dino's intro, recorded after the conversation 05:02 A family business, San Francisco, and a jumbo market 11:00 Selling to agents who do not like you yet 15:33 "I forgot you're in loans" — the worst thing a friend can say 19:40 Three a week, and violently consistent 24:11 You will suck. It will be cringe. 28:20 Market to everyone, connect with no one — pick a tribe 32:30 Where the audience actually is 34:41 The $100 setup that looks like $5,000 38:40 Best known beats best — the Grey Goose story 41:00 You control 100% of your visibility 47:22 Stop calling yourself a loan officer — the three proficiencies 52:23 Split my Zillow leads — what the asks reveal 57:02 Be the person your clients call first 1:04:41 Favorite book: The Alchemist 1:05:43 The Million Dollar Drop 1:07:22 The digital mayor of Columbus 1:10:21 Take your jacket off — twenty comments a day 1:19:00 Where to find Arjun Thanks for listening to "The Way With Dino Katsiametis"    For full show notes, links, and extra episode resources, visit dinokatsiametis.com. Follow Dino for weekly clips and mortgage leadership insights on instagram.com/dinokatsiametis | linkedin.com/in/dinokatsiametis Learn more about Ethos Lending at ethoslending.com.

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4.8
out of 5
22 Ratings

About

Mortgage strategy and mindset for advisors building something that lasts. The Way with Dino Katsiametis goes inside the businesses of the mortgage industry's top producers and operators — how they originate, how they retain clients, how they lead teams, and how they build companies worth owning. Guests have included Heather Lovier, COO of Rocket Companies; Dave Savage, founder of Mortgage Coach; Josh Mettle of NEO Home Loans; Wade Betz of Mpire Financial; and Anthony Casa. Every episode is a working session, not a highlight reel. Real systems, named tools, and the specific plays behind them — the gifting system that produces repeat closings, the referral partnerships that actually hold, the retention habits most advisors skip. Hosted by Dino Katsiametis, Founder & CEO of Ethos Lending. New episodes weekly. Free playbooks at DinoKatsiametis.com. #WhoCanWeServeToday

Information

  • Creator
    Dino Katsiametis
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    77
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Way with Dino Katsiametis
  • Show Website
    The Way with Dino Katsiametis

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