On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey gets a peek at the bright future of the wholesale channel, as he’s joined by Jason Kindler & Aaron Bacus, Broker Owners of First Coast Mortgage Funding. As Broker Owners of First Coast Mortgage Funding, Jason and Aaron bring two different approaches, skill sets, and backgrounds to their brokerage that creates a sum of strengths greater than the sum of their parts; Jason has strengths in processes and working with builders, and Aaron with relationship building to creating new leads. Together, First Coast Mortgage Funding has grown into an incredibly successful and efficient machine. Both Jason and Aaron have incredible advice for retail LOs and wholesale brokers new to the wholesale channel. The levels of freedom they have as brokers in wholesale has granted them the opportunity to forge their own systems & processes to a point that their speed competes with the fastest retail lenders, while still remaining able to maintain the service, consideration, and human element that brokers are known for. They break down and make the case for why the wholesale channel is the way of the future for industry workers and borrowers alike. Aaron breaks it down simply: “At this point, I’d be concerned for you if you're not a broker. While loan officers are still going to be needed in the future, there's no question that their margins will shrink. There's no doubt that it’s happening now for technology shoppers. And if you don't have control, at least to see what's going on and have some sort of participation in that, I would be concerned. What are retail LOs going to do when rates are raised? They have no control over that. And that’s why we're very optimistic for the broker from the entrepreneurial local business standpoint. We're serving the local people. That's our value add. We're accountable to that realtor and that borrower that lives down the street to make sure that their loan closes.” Key Points: 2:26 Starting Out in a Lead-Based Business 13:54 Misconceptions about Wholesale, and The Freedom of Choice 22:37 Collaboration in Wholesale vs. Competition in Retail 30:42 Wholesale Control and Organic Process Building 40:39 Advice to Retail & New LOs & the Bright Future of Wholesale This episode is sponsored by Windsor Mortgage