The Journey from Olympian to Mortgage Leader

Brian Covey draws on his background as a former pro soccer player and US Olympic team pool member to talk leadership, relationship-building, and mindset for mortgage professionals navigating a tough market. He shares frameworks for protecting your perspective, shifting from self-centered to service-centered selling, and using deliberate daily practice to outpace competitors. Best for LOs who feel stuck in a slow market and need both a mindset reset and concrete daily habits.

Takeaways you can run this week

• Build a 'Top 25' relationship list of referral partners and key contacts. Each week, go into their social profiles and leave genuine, specific comments on their posts so that when you meet in person you can reference their daughter's college search, their recent trip, or their business news — making every conversation warmer and more memorable.
• Before every agent or builder meeting, spend 10 minutes researching them on LinkedIn and social media. Open the meeting by asking questions about their business goals and financial plan — aim to listen for at least 10-20 minutes before mentioning your products or services.
• Stop diagnosing after you've written the prescription. Audit your last five prospect calls: did you ask about their situation before pitching rate, speed, or service? If not, rewrite your opening with 3 diagnostic questions (e.g., 'What's your biggest challenge finding the right property right now?' or 'What's most important to you in choosing a lender?').
• Pick ONE skill — social media content, AI tools, database follow-up, newsletter writing, or conversion scripts — and spend 30 minutes daily on it for 90 days. Set a calendar block labeled 'Competitive Edge Training' starting today.
• When taking a loan application, deliberately slow down. Treat every borrower as if they are your only call that day. Go deep enough that they leave thinking, 'This is my mortgage person for life — I'm referring everyone here.' Measure this by asking yourself after each call: 'Would this person text a friend my name tonight?'
• When evaluating a company change, ask two specific questions of leadership: (1) 'What is your vision for the company in 1, 5, and 10 years?' and (2) 'Who will I spend the most time with operationally day-to-day?' If they can't answer both clearly, walk away.

The playbook

1. 1. Protect your perspective daily — consciously reject market-doom narratives (rate complaints, election noise, low inventory excuses) and reframe with 'what if' questions: 'What if I made 10 extra calls this week?'
2. 2. Shift from self-centered to service-centered — before any sales interaction, ask yourself: 'Am I thinking about my commission, or am I looking for a problem I can solve?'
3. 3. Be more interested than interesting — in every meeting, ask questions and listen before you ever mention your value proposition.
4. 4. Maintain a Top 25 list — identify 25 people you want deeper relationships with, follow their social activity consistently, and engage with specific, personal comments weekly.
5. 5. Train 30 minutes daily on one chosen skill for 90 days — then assess where you are versus your competition.

Worth quoting

“Your perspective is your choice.”

“Service centered is a game you can't lose.”

Best for

LOs who are technically capable but losing referral partners and deals because they pitch before they listen and have no intentional system for deepening key relationships.