What All Mortgage Brokers Can Do to Grow Their Businesses

Becoming America’s #1 VA Loan Originator doesn’t happen overnight—it takes dedication, strategy, and a true passion for helping others. Patton Gade, UMortgage’s National Director of Military Lending and the Scotsman Guide’s #1 VA Originator in 2023 knows this better than anyone. Recently, Patton sat down with Carl White, host of the Scotsman Guide’s Loan Originators’ Edge podcast, to share the key strategies behind his success as a leading VA originator. At the heart of Patton’s approach is a clear priority: building authentic, lasting relationships with his clients. This philosophy was woven throughout his conversation with Carl and stands as the main driver behind his success. When asked about the importance of connection in the mortgage industry, Patton said “It’s more than just putting people on an email or in a drip campaign. You've got to make sure that when you're talking to them initially, they know that you're around for the long haul. When rates drop or when they’re ready to buy again, they need to trust that you’re the person who will take care of them and answer their needs.” But building these relationships isn’t something you can rush. For Patton, it often begins with finding common ground—especially within the tight-knit military community he’s a part of. When he got his start in the mortgage industry working at a call center, Patton found the most success when he had a military member or veteran on the other line. “I’m a veteran, and I like to talk to veterans. [When working for the call center] I would spend 15-20 minutes on the phone talking to clients about their experience in the military and the commonalities we shared before we ever got to talking about mortgages. While a shared background can help foster these connections, Patton shared one piece of advice that all mortgage professionals can follow: prioritize genuine care for your clients and their long-term financial well-being. “The key to mortgage comes down to, “what are you in this business for?” Are you in this business to make a lot of money or are you in this business to serve others?” continued Patton. “If you’re in this business to serve others and you do things with their best interests in mind, that’s going to come across in everything you do. “That’s where we should be as an industry. That’s where you can really set yourself apart. Do this job the right way and people will see that. Focus on the customer and how you can help them with everything you do and everything else will take care of itself.” For more insights from Patton, listen to the full episode of The Loan Originators’ Edge with Carl White.