Ep #54: Stop Talking and Take Action With Jen Du Plessis

Jen Du Plessis breaks down the mindset and systems that helped her fund over a billion dollars in loans, covering priority management, the Finder/Minder/Grinder role framework, and how to move from being 'on demand' to 'in demand.' LOs who feel reactive, scattered, or stuck under five loans a month will get the most from this episode.

Takeaways you can run this week

• Identify your '12 Apostles': list 12 referral partners (not necessarily all realtors — include financial planners, divorce attorneys, networking contacts) who can realistically send one deal per month. Write their names down this week and cut your prospecting focus to this group.
• Use this exact script when an agent calls at a bad time: 'I'm about to walk into a meeting. Can I call you back between 3 and 5 when I'm in front of my computer and can dedicate 100% of my attention to serving you?' Practice it before your next busy day.
• When an agent asks for a pre-approval letter urgently, respond with: 'Great — when do you need it?' Most will say Tuesday. Stop treating every request as a five-alarm fire.
• Audit your calendar: if Monday or Tuesday has white space, fill it before the week starts. Pre-schedule your three role 'intervals' — Finder time (prospecting/relationship-building), Minder time (loan-in-process oversight), Grinder time (database, follow-up calls) — in separate blocks, never back-to-back.
• Apply Jen's 'Trifecta of Triumph' to every marketing activity: only do it if you (1) genuinely like it, (2) are actually good at it, and (3) it makes economic sense. Drop broker opens, networking events, or any activity that fails all three tests.
• Diversify referral sources into the financial sector: schedule one introductory meeting this month with a financial planner, divorce attorney, or CPA. Lead with a shared language around ROI, effective interest rates, and optimal use of funds — not rate sheets.

The playbook

1. Step 1 — Define your role today: Are you a Finder (bringing in business), Minder (managing the loan experience), or Grinder (database/events/appointments)? List which hat you wear and when.
2. Step 2 — Block intervals by role: Assign specific time windows on your calendar for each role. Never switch roles mid-block.
3. Step 3 — Build your offensive communication system: At every loan milestone, make the outbound call before anyone asks. If a realtor or client has to call you for a status update, you've lost.
4. Step 4 — Select your 12 Apostles: Identify 12 people with the capacity to refer at least one deal per month. Define the characteristics you require (full-time, structured, not chaotic) and use those to filter new partners.
5. Step 5 — Interview referral partners, don't pitch them: In every agent meeting, determine if YOU want to work with them, not just whether they'll work with you. Ask how their process works before describing yours.
6. Step 6 — Implement immediately after any training: After any seminar, podcast, or coaching session, block 30–60 minutes that same day to implement one idea before the momentum fades.

Worth quoting

“If somebody calls and wants a status, we've lost. We have lost.”

“Are you a 7-1 or 10-1 loan officer? Have you been in the business 10 years, one year at a time?”

Best for

LOs who are busy but not productive — stuck reacting to agents and clients all day instead of running a structured, proactive business.