Ep 150: How To Know When to Hire Your First Assistant

Dan Anchetta shares exactly how and why he hired his first full-time assistant in year three, how he structured her role (processing + LOA duties), and the workflow that took him from a feast-or-famine cycle to 8-15 closings per month. Best for LOs stuck in the originate-process-originate loop who know they need help but haven't pulled the trigger.

Takeaways you can run this week

• Use the DISC profile before hiring anyone: Dan (high-D) paired with a high-SC assistant who complements his weaknesses. Run your own profile free at TonyRobbins.com/disc, then require candidates to complete it before any interview.
• If you have a processor you've already worked with, approach your manager about converting that person into a dedicated LOA. Dan pulled his processor from a shared team pool — her existing file knowledge eliminated months of onboarding.
• Delegate everything behind the curtain; own every client-facing call. Dan's assistant handles income calculations, pre-approval letters, ordering appraisals, coordinating title, and compliance flyers — but every client communication comes from Dan directly or via his email.
• Run a daily pipeline review call with your assistant (even 10 minutes) plus a bi-weekly in-person or coffee meeting to handle strategic items: new marketing initiatives, process changes, and pipeline management.
• On every listing-agent transaction where you hold the buyer side, tell the listing agent upfront: 'I'm going to knock this out of the park, and at the end I'm going to ask if I've done enough to be considered as a potential partner for your buyers.' Sets the expectation immediately and opens the door without being transactional.
• Send a post-close email that covers three things: thank-you, what happens next (servicing transfer notice), and a single review request. Dan reports roughly 50% adoption — link to Google, Facebook, or Reach150 and let the client choose.

The playbook

1. 1. Phone call / needs analysis — style match conversation; tell rate shoppers upfront you're not the cheapest option.
2. 2. Send needs list; take application by phone or online link based on client preference; aim for face-to-face when possible.
3. 3. Hand document package to assistant; she runs income calculations, identifies exactly what's needed, and sends LO a trimmed needs list.
4. 4. Assistant drives all backend: pre-approval letters, appraisal orders, title coordination, financing flyers for agent open houses.
5. 5. LO handles all client-facing calls and emails (even condition requests come from LO to client); assistant communicates externally only via LO's email.
6. 6. Daily pipeline check-in call between LO and assistant; bi-weekly face-to-face for strategy.
7. 7. At close: send post-close email with servicing heads-up + review request (Google / Facebook / Reach150).

Worth quoting

“Only do the things that only you can do.”

“When I allow myself to be authentic and vulnerable with people, it attracts them to you.”

Best for

LOs doing 2-4 loans a month solo who are stuck in the originate-process loop and are ready to hire their first assistant but don't know how to structure the role.