Success Secrets from a Top 1% Originator

Shayla Gifford, who closed 770 loans for $213M in 2020 while managing a team remotely from abroad, shares the mindset, structure, and relationship habits that separate high-volume originators from the pack. She covers common LO blocks (worthiness issues, lack of structure, transactional thinking), the pre-approval appointment as the highest-leverage activity, and how to build lasting realtor loyalty. Best for LOs who are busy but not intentional — grinding without a system.

Takeaways you can run this week

• Book a structured 1-hour pre-approval appointment (Zoom counts) for every single borrower before issuing a letter — stop issuing letters over the phone. Use that hour to: (1) vet all file issues upfront and give the client a written action plan, (2) edify the referring agent extensively to the buyer, and (3) ask the client for referrals to both your business and the agent's business.
• Set specific pre-approval appointment windows and communicate them to your referral partners: 'I meet clients Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday — one morning slot and three afternoon slots each day. If you need someone who answers at 2:15 every day personally, I'm not your fit — but here's what you do get.' Then hold that boundary.
• When first meeting a new agent, ask two questions: 'What do you love about loan officers you've worked with?' and 'If you could be a loan officer for a day, what would you change?' Listen and take notes. Use what you hear to articulate your specific process as the solution to their stated pain points.
• To expose your own blocks, ask yourself: 'What would I have to do to close $1M in commission this year?' Notice every objection and fear that surfaces — those are your real blocks, not market conditions.
• Encourage agents in ways their own brokerages don't: when an agent gets a listing or contract accepted, call them and celebrate it loudly and specifically. ('Have you been jumping around your living room? Because I'm jumping for you.') This costs nothing and creates loyalty most LOs never build.
• Take the CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) assessment, identify your top 5, then rewrite your value proposition to realtors and borrowers using the language of those strengths — not generic LO claims.

The playbook

1. 1. Before issuing any pre-approval letter, require the borrower to book a 1-hour appointment (in person or Zoom).
2. 2. In the appointment: review full file, identify all issues upfront, give the client a written action plan with specific homework.
3. 3. Edify the referring agent to the buyer — explain why they are lucky to have that agent, what makes that agent exceptional.
4. 4. Ask the client for referrals to your business and to the agent's business before the meeting ends.
5. 5. Contact the listing agent proactively on any deal with known issues — don't wait until 2 days before closing.
6. 6. Coordinate with the buyer's agent on closing date strategy: aim for mid-month closings (e.g., Wednesday mid-month) rather than end-of-month to reduce stress and increase on-time close rate.
7. 7. Communicate your process to referral partners so they trust the system, not just you personally — the goal is McDonald's-level process trust.

Worth quoting

“The best loan officer doesn't always win. It's the person that knows their strengths and can communicate those to serve the most people.”

“People choose you because they like you, but they stick with you because of your process.”

Best for

LOs who are doing solid volume but are fully transactional — no structure, no intentional referral strategy, and no clear value proposition beyond 'I'll get it done.'