Podcasts about QM

In dieser Folge, einer Aufzeichnung der Dental Late Night Show, dreht sich alles um den Einsatz von KI in der Denta1 Clinic. Christian Henrici und Dr. Stefan Helka sprechen gemeinsam mit Andreas Wutschka über die Hintergründe und Herausforderungen auf dem Weg zu einer datengetriebenen Zahnarztpraxis. Schwerpunkt der Episode ist die Datenbereinigung und Datenhygiene als essenzielle Voraussetzung, um KI sinnvoll in der Praxis einzusetzen. Ihr erfahrt, warum saubere und strukturierte Daten das eigentliche Grundkapital für zukünftige KI-Anwendungen sind, und erhaltet praktische Tipps, wie ihr selbst die Basis für erfolgreiche KI-Projekte legen könnt. Die Highlights Wir erläutern, warum Daten und nicht Modelle das entscheidende Asset sind. Es wird anschaulich, wie in der Denta 1 Clinic verschiedene Datensilos identifiziert, zusammengeführt und bereinigt werden, um eine robuste Datenbasis zu schaffen. Die Herausforderungen und Fallstricke bei der Datenvalidierung und Datenhygiene werden praxisnah dargestellt – inklusive Beispiele aus QM und Prozessdokumentationen. Ein Ausblick, wie die saubere Datenbasis der entscheidende Hebel für künftige Produktivitätssteigerungen durch KI in der Zahnarztpraxis sein wird. Praktische Tipps für Praxen, wie sie den ersten Schritt in Richtung KI-Readiness machen und warum der Weg zur KI im Fundament der eigenen Daten liegt. Shownotes Unsere Weiterbildungsmöglichkeiten:

This episode features Bobby Caldera and Jack Conway discussing the rise and importance of non-QM mortgage lending. They explore how non-QM expands financing options for diverse borrower profiles, the evolution of the market, and innovative products like DSCR loans that benefit real estate investors and borrowers nationwide.   Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind:  Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply   Investor Machine Marketing Partnership:  Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true 'white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com   Coaching with Mike Hambright:  Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike   Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a "mini-mastermind" with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming "Retreat", either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas "Big H Ranch"? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat   Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform!  Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/   New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club   —--------------------

6-02 Episode #260 #fb4tb Freedom 250 fails, AND funny, funny memes!0:10 Intros01:20 Depressing NEWSFreedom 250, Iraq fails, phone in your right hand - holds up stump—cop fails, 04:10 pancreatic cancer cells, cannabis nugs from Sonic, Jax, RFK killed mRNA vaccine research $, Peter Thiel flees to ARG, Popenoe eugenicist, Dobson - Dare to Care; 08:00 no vaccine religious exception; Bovino fascist con, Martin, before speech reposted Roman salute to Delaney Hall ICE, 10:00 slush fund blocked, Pulte in for Tulsi, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AND DNI at the same time! Graham Platner, 13:00 on no, sexting! 14:30 DJT combover buffaloMiller is uglyANIMAL closer 19:01 NEWS End19:05 Quiet Michael (QM) Round 1 1st Meme Every buddy get more gay and quickly Fab glitter GIF22:15 QM RND RD 122:30 Tiede (TD) round 130:32 TD Rd1 end—Professor X30:51 ES round 1 asset, sirens love them, archbishops, every cop, every fed, shut up ugly, Closer: Thiel is an addict40:15 end40:30 QM Round 2, 2A MCds42:55 end43:00 TD von Tiedes No. 2 comin at you. Pillsbury 54:09 end54:20 ES round 2 ingredients, Dip ahead, Jasachucettes1:00:39 end1:00:52 QM 3 end, last trampoline; I don't freak1:04:44 end1:04:55 TD no round 3...1:05:05 ES round 31:05:39 Chrome crashed! New tech problem #23409876! NEW TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES EVERY WEEK! robot dogscorpse bride1:16:10 end1:16:30 QM post with the MOST1:17:30 TD post with the MOST friend of the show, spaghetti and meatballs1:19:20 ES post with the MOST, Star Wars cantina band, Von Trap family, Nick Cannonhttps://www.youtube.com/c/FacebookfortheBlindFB4tB► COME to a LIVE recording every Tuesday at 9:00p CST (♫@8:00p)Follow the link below—RSVP by email, and then we send a Zoom link about an hour before the show!https://linktr.ee/fb4tb #FB4tB► Like & Subscribe! FB4tB YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/FacebookfortheBlindFB4tB► Subscribe to the FB4tB podcast HERE: https://bit.ly/3mINXct► Like FB4tB on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FB4TB► Follow FB4tB on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FB4tB_WasTaken► Check out another nifty visualizered FB4tB podcast episode here: https://youtu.be/9O9KVHScswUThank you for listening!#Listenable, #FB4tB, #Comedy, #memes, #TuesdayNight, #LIVE, #podcast, filmed before a live audience 6-02 (#260) Freedom 250 fails, roasts, AND funny, funny memes!

One out of every four loans in 2026 will be non-agency. Are you positioned to compete for all of them — or just three out of four? In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Tom Davis, Chief Sales Officer at Deephaven Mortgage, for a data-heavy, no-fluff conversation on where the non-QM and non-agency markets are headed, why the equity opportunity is generational, and what loan officers need to do right now to stay relevant. Tom brings a front-row view of what's actually happening across borrower demand, product innovation, and liquidity — and he doesn't sugarcoat what originators are leaving on the table by not having a full suite of non-agency products. In this episode: • Why non-QM is on pace to hit $150–180B in 2026 — an all-time record The $400–500B total non-agency market and why missing it means only accessing 75% of your opportunity • Who the non-QM borrower really is: self-employed, investor, credit event, foreign national — and why they're actually lower risk than you think • Why 30% of all 2025 transactions were investor deals — and what a full investor product suite looks like • The home equity opportunity: $35 trillion in equity, 80% of homeowners locked into sub-5% rates, and $600B in renovation originations projected for 2026 • HELOCs, closed-end seconds, and how Deephaven built a Jumbo HELOC up to $1M with alt-doc features • Why waiting for rates to drop is a losing strategy — and what LOs should be doing instead • How servicers are stealing your past clients at a 90% retention rate — and how equity products stop the bleed Connect is the California MBA's podcast where strategy, innovation, and leadership come together to shape the future of mortgage finance. Subscribe for new episodes featuring the voices driving the industry forward.

In this episode, mortgage and lending expert Ben Stef of Nexa Lending shares how creative and non-traditional financing solutions are helping real estate investors structure deals that traditional lenders often reject. He discusses DSCR loans, HELOC strategies, and non-QM lending options that allow investors to scale without relying on personal income verification. Ben also breaks down current market challenges, including rising rates, inventory constraints, and tightening lending guidelines, while highlighting how technology and AI are improving underwriting and loan processing efficiency.   Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind:  Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply   Investor Machine Marketing Partnership:  Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true 'white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com   Coaching with Mike Hambright:  Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike   Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a "mini-mastermind" with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming "Retreat", either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas "Big H Ranch"? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat   Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform!  Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/   New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club   —--------------------

In today's episode, we go through a primer on how current market gyrations are influencing prepayment speeds. Plus, Robbie sits down with Digital Risk's Kim Lanham for a discussion on how the Iran conflict and broader geopolitical uncertainty are influencing mortgage rates, borrower decision-making, servicing retention strategies, borrower assistance programs, and emerging credit and fraud risks across both Agency and non-QM lending. And we close by examining how nonfarm payrolls impact mortgage rates.Welcome to The Chrisman Commentary, your go-to daily mortgage news podcast, where industry insights meet expert analysis. Hosted by Robbie Chrisman, this podcast delivers the latest updates on mortgage rates, capital markets, and the forces shaping the housing finance landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just looking to stay informed, you'll get clear, concise breakdowns of market trends and economic shifts that impact the mortgage world.Thank you to FirstClose, which provides fintech solutions to HELOC and mortgage lenders nationwide. Their home equity lending platform accelerates the home equity lending process, reducing application to closing times from 45 days to less than ten. 

More Than a Rate: What a 20-Year Mortgage Banker Wants You to Know. Most people think getting a mortgage is simple. Find the lowest rate, sign the papers, and move in. But there's a whole lot more going on behind the scenes, and today's guest has been navigating it for over two decades.Jennifer Ceballos has been a full-time loan officer since 2006. She works with all types of borrowers and specializes in self-employed borrowers, investors, and first-time homebuyers. She is solutions-oriented, well-versed in non-QM loan products, and customer service is at the top of everything she does.In this conversation, we get into why rate shopping can cost you more than you think, what AI actually can and cannot do in the lending world, and why some of the best loan officers out there are part therapist, part financial coach.We also break down loan types most people have never heard of. DSCR loans. Bank statement loans. Fix and flip financing. A 0% interest bridge loan. Asset-based loans. No FICO score loans. If you think you can't qualify, you need to hear this episode before you give up.And if you don't qualify today, Jennifer is going to tell you exactly what to do until you do.Connect with Jennifer:

Wer schon einmal eine Begehung in der Praxis hatte, im Extrem unangekündigt, der weiß, wie wichtig ein professionelles Hygienemangement für die wirtschaftliche Existenz einer Praxis werden bzw. sein kann. Dass das Damoklesschwert einer Begehung allerdings nur einer von mehreren Faktoren ist, die aus unternehmerischer Sicht für ein gelebtes, professionelles und effizientes Hygienemanagement in der Praxis sprechen und dass QM nicht gleich Hygienemanagement ist, darüber spreche ich mit meinem Podcastgast Expertin für Hygienemanagement & QM in der Praxis, Kirsten Lötel. Viel Spaß beim Anhören.

In this insightful interview, mortgage expert Mike Perkins shares his extensive knowledge on credit repair, mortgage qualification strategies, and innovative approaches like combining music with mortgage education. Discover practical tips for improving credit scores, understanding automated underwriting, and navigating non-QM loans.   Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind:  Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply   Investor Machine Marketing Partnership:  Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true 'white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com   Coaching with Mike Hambright:  Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike   Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a "mini-mastermind" with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming "Retreat", either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas "Big H Ranch"? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat   Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform!  Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/   New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club   —--------------------

A major acquisition, a fast-growing corner of the lending world, and a reality check on commentary in UAD 3.6.Today, Hal and Jim sit down with Bill Waltenbaugh, Chief Appraiser at Nationwide Appraisal Network (now part of Stewart Valuation Intelligence), to unpack what this new chapter means for both appraisers and their clients. From the nuances of non-QM and private money lending, to the role of specialized forms like short-term rental reports, Bill offers a behind-the-scenes look at a segment of the industry that plays by a different rulebook.They also tackle the looming impact of UAD 3.6, and whether everyone will actually follow the script. Plus, they have a practical conversation on appraisal commentary: how to state what you need to, without saying too much.At The Appraisal Buzzcast, we host weekly episodes with leaders and experts in the appraisal industry about current events and relevant topics in our field. Subscribe and turn on notifications to catch our episode premieres every Wednesday!You can find the video version of this podcast at http://www.youtube.com/@TheAppraisalBuzzcast or head to https://appraisalbuzz.com for our breaking news and written articles. 

Who needs NSF? & then — Funny, funny memes!0:10 Intros1:25 Depressing NEWS10:34 ANIMAL closer11:41 NEWS End17:35 Brane Damage (BD) Round 119:00 end19:49 Quiet Michael (QM) Round 123:45 end24:00 ES round 130:30 end30:57 BD Round 237:40 end37:50 QM Round 242:10 end42:20 ES round 248:35 end49:00 BD Round 31:00:23 end1:00:27 QM round 3 1:04:00 end1:04:11 ES round 31:07:11 end1:07:30 BD post with the MOST1:07:20 QM post with the most1:08:48 ES post with the MOSThttps://www.youtube.com/c/FacebookfortheBlindFB4tB► COME to a LIVE recording every Tuesday at 7:30p CST (♫@7:00p)Follow the link below - RSVP by email, then we send a Zoom link about an hour before the show!https://linktr.ee/fb4tb #FB4tB► Like & Subscribe! FB4tB YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/FacebookfortheBlindFB4tB► Subscribe to the FB4tB podcast HERE: https://bit.ly/3mINXct► Like FB4tB on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FB4TB► Follow FB4tB on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FB4tB_WasTaken► Check out another nifty visualizered FB4tB podcast episode here: https://youtu.be/9O9KVHScswUThank you for listening!#Listenable, #FB4tB, #Comedy, #memes, #TuesdayNight, #LIVE, #podcast, filmed before a Live audience

ZUM INHALT Wenn Mitarbeitende Vorgaben nicht einhalten, liegt der Schluss oft nahe: Wir müssen es einfach noch besser erklären oder nochmal schulen. Genau das dachte auch ein QMB aus meinem Training – und hätte sich am liebsten gleich selbst ein Kommunikations- oder Didaktiktraining verordnet. Daraus wurde eine kollegiale Fallberatung, in der starke Fragen den Blick auf die Misere grundlegend verändert haben. In dieser Episode berichte ich davon - welcher konkrete Praxisfall dem Ganzen zugrunde lag - welche drei Fragen sich hier als besonders wirksam erwiesen haben und - was sich für den Fallgeber dadurch verschoben hat. Und wer zur eigenen Weiterbildung weiterforschen möchte: Eine kleine Reflexionshilfe zu Umsetzungs-Kompetenzen ist auch verlinkt. SHOWNOTES **Mehr zur Folge im Blog-Steckbrief** Zusammenfassung der wichtigen Kernaussagen, Hinweise und Fragen für die Praxis findest du im [Blog-Steckbrief zur Episode](https://susannepetersen.com/PC105-umsetzungsproblem-schulung-weiterbildung/) **Praxis-Check zur Standortbestimmung: Wie wirksam bist du in deiner Fachrolle**: Reflexions- und Orientierungshilfe für HSE-, QM- und andere Fachkräfte mit Führungsverantwortung zum kostenfreien Download (gegen Mailadresse); Bearbeitungsdauer ca. 10–15 Minuten; mit vier Kompetenzbereichen, Auswertung und Reflexionsfragen. [Mehr Info und Download](https://susannepetersen.com/lp-freebie-kompetenz-quick-check/) **Quellen & Verweise** Stephen R. Covey: Die 7 Wege zur Effektivität – insbesondere das Konzept von Einflussbereich und Betroffenheitskreis (Circle of Influence / Circle of Concern). **Kontakt zu mir: ** Als Fachkraft wirksamer werden? Lass uns schauen, wie ich helfen kann! Hier kommst du zum [Erstgespräch](https://susannepetersen.com/kontakt-und-termine/) Fragen oder Feedback? Immer gern! z.B. über Mail an info@susannepetersen.com Sind wir schon vernetzt? Gern über [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannepetersen/)

In dieser Folge spricht Arno Langbehn mit Dr. Damian Klimke (Experte und Business Developer bei Taxy.io) darüber, wie KI-Tools im Lebensmittelrecht sowie in Qualitätsmanagement und Qualitätssicherung sinnvoll eingesetzt werden können. Im Zentrum stehen die grundlegende Funktionsweise von KI, der Unterschied zwischen offenen und geschlossenen Systemen – insbesondere beim Datenschutz – sowie konkrete Tipps für bessere Prompts und zuverlässigere Ergebnisse. Dr. Klimke erklärt, warum Halluzinationen entstehen, wie sich fehlerhafte Antworten erkennen lassen und warum die Zukunft in proaktiven, agentischen KI-Lösungen liegt. Eine praxisnahe Einordnung für alle, die KI verantwortungsvoll im regulatorischen Umfeld einsetzen möchten. Die wichtigsten Themen dieser Folge: Funktionsweise von KI: Wie neuronale Netze menschliches Denken kopieren und Antworten auf Basis von Wahrscheinlichkeiten „erraten". Datenschutz & Systemwahl: Warum offene Modelle aus Nutzereingaben lernen – und was das für vertrauliche Unternehmensdaten bedeutet (inklusive des Currywurst-/Wolfsburg-Beispiels). Agentisierung statt „eierlegende Wollmilchsau": Warum spezialisierte, auf Nischen fokussierte KI-Systeme bessere Ergebnisse liefern als generische Allround-Tools. Prompting richtig lernen: Sachverhalte statt Schlagworte, viel Kontext („wie mit einem dreijährigen Kind sprechen") und der Tipp, die KI den Auftrag erst zusammenfassen zu lassen. Halluzinationen erkennen: Warum in offenen Systemen erfundene Gesetze wie eine „Marzipanverordnung" auftauchen und wie Quellenprüfung vor Fehlentscheidungen schützt. Zukunftsausblick: Proaktive KI als Sparringspartner und „Vorarbeiter" in Produktions- und QS-Workflows. Timestamps für Schnellhörer: 01:30 – Taxy.io: Künstliche Intelligenz und Fachwissen vereinen. 02:32 – Wie funktionieren KI-Tools? Neuronale Netze und Wahrscheinlichkeiten. 06:04 – Datenschutz als Knackpunkt: offene vs. geschlossene KI-Modelle. 08:09 – Das Currywurst-Beispiel aus Wolfsburg: Wenn KI ungewollt Zusammenhänge herstellt. 11:49 – Agentisierung & Nischenfokus: Warum spezialisierte KI bessere Ergebnisse liefert. 14:33 – Prompting-Tipps: Mit der KI sprechen wie mit einem dreijährigen Kind. 17:02 – Die häufigsten Fehler beim Prompting: Schlagworte, Rechtschreibung, zu hohe Erwartungen. 22:02 – Wie prüfe ich KI-Antworten richtig? Das Gütekriterium Quelle. 23:48 – Halluzinationen: Erfundene „Marzipanverordnungen" und wie man sie erkennt. 26:12 – Blick in die Zukunft: Proaktive KI-Agenten im QS-Workflow. 31:51 – Drei Vorteile zum Mitnehmen – KI als Sparringspartner. Unser Experte: Dr. Damian Klimke Experte und Business Developer bei Taxy.io GmbH Jülicher Straße 72a, 52070 Aachen E-Mail: klimke@taxy.io

In this episode of the Loan Officer Podcast, host Dustin Owen sits down with Mike Pearson from AD Mortgage to explore a range of lending opportunities specifically designed for non-U.S. citizens. During their conversation, Mike provides an in-depth breakdown of three key loan types that are available to this unique and often underserved segment of borrowers: foreign national loans, ITIN (I-10) loans, and non-QM loans for visa holders. Mike takes the time to explain the specific documentation requirements for each loan category, including what types of identification, proof of income, and residency status are needed to qualify. He also discusses typical down payment expectations, highlighting how these may differ from conventional loans, and outlines the loan-to-value (LTV) guidelines that borrowers and loan officers should keep in mind. Throughout the episode, the conversation emphasizes the important point that legally present borrowers who may not meet the criteria for conventional financing still have a variety of viable mortgage options available to them through AD Mortgage. Mike shares practical advice and real-world examples to illustrate how these loan products can help non-U.S. citizens achieve homeownership or invest in real estate within the United States. Additionally, Mike encourages loan officers and realtors to proactively embrace this growing and often overlooked market segment, rather than turning away clients simply because they do not fit the traditional borrower profile. By understanding and utilizing these specialized loan programs, industry professionals can better serve their communities, expand their business, and help more clients realize their dreams of homeownership.   Loan officer looking for a new place to call home?

Mortgage decisions don't fail because people lack motivation. They fail because buyers and sellers don't get a clear plan early enough and the transaction turns into a stress test. Gary sits down with Mark McGoldrick, Executive Vice President of Howard Hanna Mortgage, to explain how an integrated real estate ecosystem and an in-house lending platform can turn uncertainty into a controlled, well-communicated closing.We talk about what actually improves the client experience: early pre-qualification conversations, coaching around credit scores and interest rates, strategies for appraisal gaps, and coordinated communication across mortgage, title, and insurance. Mark also shares the numbers behind the story, including transparent experience scores (4.94 from consumers and 4.97 from agent partners) and what those comments reveal about reducing buyer anxiety and protecting the trust agents transfer when they make a referral.From there, we dig into practical mortgage programs that help real people move: first-time homebuyer programs, down payment assistance options, VA loans that too many veterans still miss, and why FHA could get even more attractive as policy shifts. We cover seller solutions like buy before you sell, plus smart trade-offs like paying down high-interest debt versus rolling everything into the next purchase. Mark also breaks down the “second look” mortgage quote program, non-QM lending for self-employed borrowers and investors (including DSCR loans), a loyalty refinance benefit, and a 2026 mortgage rate outlook shaped by labor markets, central bank signals, and geopolitical energy shocks.If you're a real estate agent, loan officer, buyer, or seller who wants more certainty and fewer surprises, this is a practical playbook. Subscribe, share this with someone feeling stuck, and leave a review with the one question you want answered next.

ZUM INHALT Warum Fachwissen allein oft nicht reicht Wenn interne Expert:innen über Weiterbildung nachdenken, landen sie schnell bei Normen, Methoden, Tools oder Fachwissen. Das ist alles wichtig und nützlich. Aber gleichzeitig greift es oft zu kurz. Was hilft? Eine Sache scheint viele meiner Kund:innen und ihre Wirksamkeit zu bewegen. Eine Klientin hat mich neulich wieder die Spur gebracht, weil sie aus einer Unternehmer-Familie stammt. Im Coaching haben wir intensiv dazu gearbeitet. In meiner Zusammenfassung erfährst du, - welche Aspekte (oder Kompetenzen) das unternehmerische Denken für sie so wertvoll machen - wie sie sich ganz konkret im Verhalten und im Alltag zeigen - warum sie so wirksam sind und - was du daraus für deine eigene Praxis mitnehmen kannst. ... wenn du willst. SHOWNOTES **Mehr zur Folge im Blog-Steckbrief** Zusammenfassung der wichtigen Kernaussagen, Hinweise und Fragen für die Praxis findest du im [Blog-Steckbrief zur Episode](https://susannepetersen.com/podcast-104-unternehmerisches-denken-die-unterschaetzte-kompetenz/) **Kontakt zu mir: ** Als Fachkraft wirksamer werden? Lass uns austauschen, wie ich helfen kann! Hier kommst du zum [Erstgespräch](https://susannepetersen.com/kontakt-und-termine/) Fragen oder Feedback? Immer gern! z.B. über Mail an info@susannepetersen.com Sind wir schon vernetzt? Gern über [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannepetersen/)

Most loan officers are still competing in the same traditional space, while missing a massive wave of opportunity already sitting in their database. In this episode, Steve sits down with Tom Davis to unpack the growing non-QM, second lien, and investor lending space, and why it's becoming one of the biggest opportunities in today's market.You'll learn:Why traditional lending alone is limiting your production How non-QM and investor deals are unlocking new revenue streams The role of equity in creating repeat opportunities How to position yourself as a solution-based advisor Where to find deals most loan officers overlook This isn't about learning another product, it's about expanding who you can serve and capturing opportunities others are missing.If you want to start tapping into this opportunity, connect directly with Tom Davis at tdavis@deephavenmortgage.com or visit deephavenmortgage.com to learn more.

Most loan officers are still competing in the same traditional space, while missing a massive wave of opportunity already sitting in their database. In this episode, Steve sits down with Tom Davis to unpack the growing non-QM, second lien, and investor lending space, and why it's becoming one of the biggest opportunities in today's market.You'll learn:Why traditional lending alone is limiting your production How non-QM and investor deals are unlocking new revenue streams The role of equity in creating repeat opportunities How to position yourself as a solution-based advisor Where to find deals most loan officers overlook This isn't about learning another product, it's about expanding who you can serve and capturing opportunities others are missing.If you want to start tapping into this opportunity, connect directly with Tom Davis at tdavis@deephavenmortgage.com or visit deephavenmortgage.com to learn more.

In this episode, Clarence Ferguson from Cross Country Mortgage shares insights on non-QM lending, how it opens doors for real estate investors, and the importance of understanding unconventional financing options.   Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind:  Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply   Investor Machine Marketing Partnership:  Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true 'white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com   Coaching with Mike Hambright:  Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike   Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a "mini-mastermind" with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming "Retreat", either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas "Big H Ranch"? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat   Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform!  Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/   New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club   —--------------------

#193 Rückstände & Kontaminanten: Auf was aktuell zu achten ist Inhalt: Rückstände und Kontaminanten dominieren die Meldungen im RASFF – doch wie bleibt man im betrieblichen Alltag wirklich auf dem aktuellen Stand? In dieser Folge teilt Dr. Norbert Kolb, Experte im Qualitätsmanagement mit über 30 Jahren Erfahrung in Lieferantenaudits, sein praxiserprobtes Wissen. Er erklärt, welche Informationsquellen unverzichtbar sind, wie der rechtliche Rahmen zu verstehen ist und wie Unternehmen Wareneingangskontrolle, Supply Chain Management und Lieferantenaudits so aufstellen, dass Risiken frühzeitig erkannt und minimiert werden. Diese Folge ist ein Ausschnitt aus einem Webinar der BEHR'S Akademie. Die wichtigsten Themen dieser Folge Informationsquellen strukturiert nutzen: Wer im Unternehmen wertet welche Quellen wie oft aus? EFSA, BfR, Verbände, beauftragte Laboratorien, RASFF und das EU Knowledge Center for Global Food and Nutrition Security liefern wertvolle Frühwarnsignale – wenn sie regelmäßig und systematisch gesichtet werden. Rechtlicher Rahmen im Überblick: Die EU-Kontaminantenverordnung 2023/915 wurde allein 2025 dreimal geändert. Dazu kommen Einzelverordnungen (z. B. für Ochratoxin und Cadmium) sowie regelmäßig aktualisierte Rückstandshöchstmengen (MRLs). Nur die jeweils gültige Fassung zählt. Rückstand vs. Kontaminante – ein wichtiger Unterschied: Ein Rückstand entsteht durch aktive Anwendung (Pflanzenschutzmittel, Biozide wie BAC/DDAC – geregelt in der Verordnung 396). Eine Kontaminante gelangt unbeabsichtigt ins Produkt (z. B. Mykotoxine durch Schimmelpilze). Bei Kontaminanten gilt das ALARA-Prinzip: so niedrig wie vernünftigerweise möglich. Proaktiv vorgehen – Trends früh erkennen: EFSA-Studien kündigen spätere Rechtsänderungen an. Das Beispiel Acetamiprid zeigt es: Nach toxikologischen Betrachtungen der EFSA (2024) folgten 2025 gleich zwei MRL-Anpassungen. Wer EFSA-Newsroom und Funding & Tender Portal im Blick behält, ist frühzeitig informiert. Wareneingangskontrolle und Monitoring als Kreislauf: Gefahrenanalyse, Risikobewertung und Monitoringplan müssen dynamisch sein und sich gegenseitig aktualisieren – auf Basis gesetzlicher Änderungen und eigener Erkenntnisse. Verpackungsmittel werden dabei häufig unterschätzt: Auch über sie können Pflanzenschutzmittelrückstände und Weichmacher ins Produkt gelangen. Lieferantenaudits professionell planen und durchführen: Gute Auditplanung umfasst Zeitplan, Unterlieferanten, Dienstleister, Logistik und – bei internationalen Reisen – Visum, Kultur und Reiserücktrittsoptionen. Abweichungen werden direkt vor Ort besprochen und schriftlich dokumentiert. Kundenanfragen souverän managen: Anfragen des Handels zu Rückständen und Kontaminanten ernst nehmen, datenbasiert und sachlich antworten, Termine zuverlässig einhalten oder Änderungen kommunizieren. Alles schriftlich festhalten. Timestamps für Schnellhörer 00:37 – Einleitung: Vorstellung von Dr. Norbert Kolb und seiner Expertise 02:10 – Informationsquellen: Wer wertet was aus – und wie oft? 03:44 – Die EFSA-Webseite als Frühwarnsystem für kommende Rechtsänderungen 06:34 – EU-Kontaminantenverordnung 2023/915: häufige Änderungen im Blick behalten 07:59 – Rückstand vs. Kontaminante: Definitionen und ALARA-Prinzip 09:51 – Rapid Alert Meldungen (RASFF): tägliches Handwerkszeug im QM 10:45 – Mykotoxine und ihre Abbauprodukte: EU Knowledge Center als Informationsquelle 14:28 – Supply Chain Management: Gefahrenanalyse, Risikobewertung, Monitoringplan 14:57 – Verpackungsmittel als unterschätzte Gefahrenquelle 16:18 – Umgang mit Kundenanfragen: strukturiert, datenbasiert, schriftlich 19:39 – Lieferantenaudits: Planung, Durchführung und Nachbereitung aus 30 Jahren Praxis Unser Experte Dr. Norbert Kolb Experte für Qualitätsmanagement, Lieferantenaudits & Rückstände/Kontaminanten Viele Jahre tätig bei der Worlée Naturprodukte GmbH; Mitglied in deutschen und europäischen Industrieverbänden mit Leitungsfunktionen; heute weltweit als Berater und Auditor tätig. E-Mail: Norbert_Kolb@web.de

In this episode, Dan Deppen breaks down the biggest takeaways from the 2026 Squad Up Summit—one of the largest real estate investing conferences in the country. With over 2,700 attendees and insights from top entrepreneurs, this recap covers what's actually working right now in creative finance and real estate investing. You'll learn how investors are adapting to changing market conditions, where new opportunities are emerging, and how tools like AI are beginning to transform underwriting, operations, and deal flow. Dan also shares real-world insights from his own business, including scaling Call The Underwriter, buying notes, and evaluating new opportunities like tax overages. What You'll Learn: How to adapt your investing strategy to shifting market conditions The rise of AI agents in real estate and underwriting Why non-QM lending and seller finance are growing What tax overages are and how investors are monetizing them Key business principles: lead generation, underwriting, funding, management, and scaling Hiring lessons and how to avoid costly team mistakes Why some strategies (like Airbnb) are struggling—and what's replacing them Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & overview of Squad Up Summit 02:00 – Key speakers and major themes 04:00 – AI in real estate (agents, automation, bookkeeping) 07:00 – Building scalable systems (including CTU chatbot) 08:30 – Tax overages explained (real example) 14:00 – Emerging strategies: RV parks, co-living, affordability 15:00 – The 5-step framework for building a real estate business 17:00 – Adapting to market conditions (non-QM, seller finance) 18:30 – Investor mindset mistakes (self-imposed limits) 20:00 – Hiring and scaling lessons 22:00 – Final takeaways & current deals   Call The Underwriter Register for the weekly Call The Underwriter onboarding call, every Thursday at 12 ET

This talk was given by Nikki Mirghafori on 2026.03.16 at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA. ******* Video of this talk is available at: https://www.youtube.com/live/ARL_da7w-qM?si=NAoK11AEOqrxRkpc&t=1890. ******* For more talks like this, visit AudioDharma.org ******* If you have enjoyed this talk, please consider supporting AudioDharma with a donation at https://www.audiodharma.org/donate/. ******* This talk is licensed by a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License

This talk was given by Nikki Mirghafori on 2026.03.16 at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA. ******* Video of this talk is available at: https://www.youtube.com/live/ARL_da7w-qM?si=H1xoaTt_56Mvvhhb. ******* For more talks like this, visit AudioDharma.org ******* If you have enjoyed this talk, please consider supporting AudioDharma with a donation at https://www.audiodharma.org/donate/. ******* This talk is licensed by a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License

Welcome to The Chrisman Commentary, your go-to daily mortgage news podcast, where industry insights meet expert analysis. Hosted by Robbie Chrisman, this podcast delivers the latest updates on mortgage rates, capital markets, and the forces shaping the housing finance landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just looking to stay informed, you'll get clear, concise breakdowns of market trends and economic shifts that impact the mortgage world.In today's episode, we go through some industry mailbag questions that made their way to my inbox this week. Plus, Robbie sits down with Logan Finance's Paul Jones for a discussion on how brokers avoid common self-employed borrower mistakes and simplify the process from application to closing to make non-QM accessible and efficient. And we close by looking at personal consumption expenditures (PCE).Today's podcast is brought to you by Floify, an industry-leading point of sale platform. Dynamic Apps 2.0 — an AI- powered enhancement lets lenders tailor application flows by loan type, including HELOC, construction, ag, non-QM and more. Borrowers see only the right questions, the right sections and are sent the right disclosures from the start. The result? Higher completion rates, less operational back-and-forth and specialty lending without the one-size-fits-all compromise. Discover more at www.floify.com — and see Dynamic Apps 2.0 in action at ICE Experience, March 15–18 in booth 713.

Welcome to The Chrisman Commentary, your go-to daily mortgage news podcast, where industry insights meet expert analysis. Hosted by Robbie Chrisman, this podcast delivers the latest updates on mortgage rates, capital markets, and the forces shaping the housing finance landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just looking to stay informed, you'll get clear, concise breakdowns of market trends and economic shifts that impact the mortgage world.In today's episode, we go through how the HUD False Claims "Monster" may not actually be slayed. Plus, Robbie sits down with Consumer Data Industry Association's Dan Smith for a discussion on the debate over eliminating tri-merge credit reporting centers, and whether shifting to a single bureau would truly improve affordability or instead introduce systemic risk. And we close by looking at how the U.S. government is financing the Iran war.Today's podcast is brought to you by Floify, an industry-leading point of sale platform. Dynamic Apps 2.0 — an AI- powered enhancement lets lenders tailor application flows by loan type, including HELOC, construction, ag, non-QM and more. Borrowers see only the right questions, the right sections and are sent the right disclosures from the start. The result? Higher completion rates, less operational back-and-forth and specialty lending without the one-size-fits-all compromise. Discover more at www.floify.com — and see Dynamic Apps 2.0 in action at ICE Experience, March 15–18 in booth 713.

Welcome to The Chrisman Commentary, your go-to daily mortgage news podcast, where industry insights meet expert analysis. Hosted by Robbie Chrisman, this podcast delivers the latest updates on mortgage rates, capital markets, and the forces shaping the housing finance landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just looking to stay informed, you'll get clear, concise breakdowns of market trends and economic shifts that impact the mortgage world.In today's episode, we go through how prepayment characteristics are shifting with mortgage rate movement. Plus, Robbie sits down with Floify's Jason Mapes for a discussion on automating tasks like data extraction, document validation, and 1003 completion within the POS, enabling lenders to deliver faster, cleaner, and more compliant loan files without introducing risky borrower-facing AI interactions. And we close by looking at the latest inflation data and how it's moving bond markets.Today's podcast is brought to you by Floify, an industry-leading point of sale platform. Dynamic Apps 2.0 — an AI- powered enhancement lets lenders tailor application flows by loan type, including HELOC, construction, ag, non-QM and more. Borrowers see only the right questions, the right sections and are sent the right disclosures from the start. The result? Higher completion rates, less operational back-and-forth and specialty lending without the one-size-fits-all compromise. Discover more at www.floify.com — and see Dynamic Apps 2.0 in action at ICE Experience, March 15–18 in booth 713.

Welcome to our monthly feature Learn With A Lender with Austin Clarence. In this episode, Austin discusses what the recent drop in 30‑year fixed rates below 6% really means for buyers. Austin describes how to use the new FHA loan limit as a pricing strategy, and why non-QM and DSCR loans are game-changers for self‑employed buyers and investors. Last, Austin also shares his concept of “ghost buyers”, people who could qualify but don't realize it, and gives agents practical ways to turn this hidden group into closed deals. Subscribe to Austin's newsletter by sending an email to aclarence@nexalending.com. If you'd prefer to watch this interview, click here to view on YouTube! Austin Clarence can be reached at +1 650-906-2376 and aclarence@nexalending.com This episode is brought to you by Real Geeks and Courted.io.

Welcome to The Chrisman Commentary, your go-to daily mortgage news podcast, where industry insights meet expert analysis. Hosted by Robbie Chrisman, this podcast delivers the latest updates on mortgage rates, capital markets, and the forces shaping the housing finance landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just looking to stay informed, you'll get clear, concise breakdowns of market trends and economic shifts that impact the mortgage world.In today's episode, we go through how the prices of various asset classes are evolving with the conflict in the Middle East. Plus, Robbie sits down with eRESI's Lisa Schreiber for a discussion on the evolution in the non-QM space, how correspondent lenders are growing their non-QM business, and what the future holds for lenders considering entering the market. And we close by looking at the how President Trump's words are manipulating markets.Today's podcast is brought to you by Floify, an industry-leading point of sale platform. Dynamic Apps 2.0 — an AI- powered enhancement lets lenders tailor application flows by loan type, including HELOC, construction, ag, non-QM and more. Borrowers see only the right questions, the right sections and are sent the right disclosures from the start. The result? Higher completion rates, less operational back-and-forth and specialty lending without the one-size-fits-all compromise. Discover more at www.floify.com — and see Dynamic Apps 2.0 in action at ICE Experience, March 15–18 in booth 713.

Welcome to The Chrisman Commentary, your go-to daily mortgage news podcast, where industry insights meet expert analysis. Hosted by Robbie Chrisman, this podcast delivers the latest updates on mortgage rates, capital markets, and the forces shaping the housing finance landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just looking to stay informed, you'll get clear, concise breakdowns of market trends and economic shifts that impact the mortgage world.In today's episode, we go through what investors are watching as the war in Iran enters a longer phase. Plus, Robbie sits down with Rocket's Austin Niemiec for a discussion on the three-year strategic alliance with Compass aimed at expanding home listing inventory to create a significantly enhanced and affordable home buying and selling experience for American families. And we close by looking at the evolving expectations for borrowers as mortgage rates bounce around.Today's podcast is brought to you by Floify, an industry-leading point of sale platform. Dynamic Apps 2.0 — an AI- powered enhancement lets lenders tailor application flows by loan type, including HELOC, construction, ag, non-QM and more. Borrowers see only the right questions, the right sections and are sent the right disclosures from the start. The result? Higher completion rates, less operational back-and-forth and specialty lending without the one-size-fits-all compromise. Discover more at www.floify.com — and see Dynamic Apps 2.0 in action at ICE Experience, March 15–18 in booth 713.

Herzlich willkommen zum Praxis Erfolg Podcast der Walla Consulting GmbH! Mein Name ist Esther, ich bin Strategieberaterin, und heute sprechen wir über eine Rolle, die in vielen Zahnarztpraxen noch immer massiv unterschätzt wird: die Praxismanagerin. Ich erlebe täglich, wie engagierte Praxisinhaber versuchen, alles gleichzeitig zu stemmen: Patienten behandeln, Personal führen, das QM verwalten und die Zahlen kontrollieren. Das Ergebnis ist oft eine totale Überlastung. In dieser Folge erkläre ich Ihnen, warum eine fähige PM kein reiner Kostenfaktor ist, sondern die wichtigste Investition in Ihr stressfreies und wirtschaftlich erfolgreiches Leben. Egal, ob Sie eine Einbehandler Praxis führen oder ein großes Team leiten – eine professionelle organisatorische Leitung ist die Voraussetzung für echtes Wachstum und mehr Lebensqualität. Möchten Sie das Potenzial Ihrer Praxis voll ausschöpfen? Sichern Sie sich ein unverbindliches Erstgespräch und lassen Sie uns gemeinsam schauen, wer in Ihrem Team das Zeug zur Praxismanagerin hat. Jetzt Termin buchen: https://www.svenwalla.de/praxismanagement

Welcome to The Chrisman Commentary, your go-to daily mortgage news podcast, where industry insights meet expert analysis. Hosted by Robbie Chrisman, this podcast delivers the latest updates on mortgage rates, capital markets, and the forces shaping the housing finance landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just looking to stay informed, you'll get clear, concise breakdowns of market trends and economic shifts that impact the mortgage world.In today's episode, we look at the latest talking points in the world of credit. Plus, Robbie sits down with Depth's Lindsey Neal for a discussion on modern relationship management, marketing, and PR strategies in the mortgage industry. And we close by looking at Redwood Trust's first non-QM deal.This week's podcasts are sponsored by Feewise, which turns mortgage compliance from bottleneck to business accelerator. Handle all the complexities involved with establishing TRID compliant fees and disclosures, achieve sign off, and deliver packages to your consumers for review or signature.

This episode of The FinTech Hunting Podcast delivers a no-fluff, high-impact breakdown of what mortgage professionals need to know to stay competitive in today's rapidly evolving market.Host Michael Hammond is joined by Eloise Schmitz, CEO and Co-Founder of LoanNEX, for an expert analysis on the forces reshaping mortgage lending in 2026 — from non-agency momentum and pricing execution to investor eligibility and tech-driven innovation.If you're in lending, capital markets, or fintech, this isn't just another industry update — it's your playbook for the year ahead.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Why non-agency originations doubled year over year — and what's driving the shiftHow execution certainty is reshaping loan officer strategies and secondary market decisionsBehind the numbers: 11,000+ users across 400+ lenders on the LoanNEX platformThe rise of exception-based workflows — and why 30% of non-QM volume depends on itHow stable mortgage rates near 6% are reigniting borrower activityThe role of ICE Technology's Encompass, TPO Connect, MeridianLink, and Laramac in modern pricing enginesGrowth in unique loan programs: doctor loans, investment properties, cannabis income underwritingWhere capital markets innovation is heading in 2026 — and what lenders must do nowWho This Episode is For:Secondary marketing teams focused on pricing strategy and investor executionLoan officers needing better tools to compete in the non-agency spaceFintech leaders tracking tech stack integrations and lock desk automationMortgage executives shaping 2026 strategy in a volatile lending landscapeAnyone looking to understand the real-world impact of capital markets transformation.“Execution certainty isn't just a pricing tool. It's a market differentiator.”— Eloise Schmitz, CEO, LoanNEXStay informed. Get ahead.This is your insider view of what's next in mortgage lending.Learn more at: https://loannex.com

In this episode of Connect by California MBA, host Paul Gigliotti sits down with Vik Kasparin from Rams Mortgage Capital for an in-depth look at the secondary mortgage market. Rams specializes in mortgage asset valuation, training, advisory services, and whole loan trading—focusing on post-closing strategies for lenders, banks, and portfolio holders. They help market and sell specialized assets including non-agency jumbo, non-QM, second homes, bridge loans, and select agency products with arbitrage potential. Key highlights from the conversation: - How falling rates and supply/demand imbalances are driving buyer appetite in 2026 - Growing demand from insurance companies and asset funds pushing yields tighter (agency, jumbo, non-QM) - Holistic valuation methods: models + real-time trading desk insights to price prepay penalties, compare to Treasuries, and support warehouse bank mark-to-market - Why many lenders mistakenly expect par pricing—and how lower-coupon loans often trade in the 90s or 80s - The rise of non-QM and specialized loan trading (including scratch-and-dent paper) Whether you're in origination, secondary sales, risk management, or investing in mortgage assets—this episode delivers practical insights from one of the industry's major whole loan traders. Thanks to our 2026 President's Council sponsors: Amerome, Consolidated Analytics/loanDNA, CMG Financial, FundingShield, Guild Mortgage, Rocket Mortgage, Weiner Brodzky Kinder, and Western Alliance Bank. Subscribe for more mortgage industry interviews, market updates, and expert discussions from California MBA! #SecondaryMortgageMarket #NonQM #WholeLoanTrading #MortgageValuation #MortgageIndustry #NonAgencyLoans #RamsCapital

In this inaugural episode of Leapfrog CX Strategies longform interviews, host Dave Michaels discusses with Vasili Triant, CEO of UJET, the evolving landscape of customer experience (CX) technology. Vasily shares insights from his extensive career, spanning companies like Shoretel, Serenova, and Cisco, before taking the helm at UJET.**Key Discussion Points:**- **Industry Background:** Vasily's journey through various tech companies, highlighting the transition from on-premise solutions to cloud-based services. He reflects on his time at Shoretel as a formative experience, noting the company's significant growth and eventual impact of the cloud transition. Serenova is recalled as a company with potential that faced a challenging path.- **UJET's Evolution:** Vasily discusses his role in UJET's growth, including navigating fundraising rounds and his recent promotion to CEO. He touches upon the company's strategic pivot towards AI-driven CX transformation, emphasizing the integration of conversational analytics and virtual agent capabilities.- **AI in CX:** The conversation delves into the impact of AI on the contact center industry. While acknowledging the excitement around virtual agents, Vasily expresses a nuanced view, suggesting that while AI enhances efficiency, the human element and personalized customer experience remain crucial. He cautions against an overreliance on automation as a sole cost-saving measure, advocating for a balanced approach that leverages AI for proactive and efficient customer engagement.- **The Google Partnership:** Vasily elaborates on UJET's strategic partnership with Google, discussing how it has influenced the company's go-to-market strategy and product development roadmap. He highlights the symbiotic nature of the relationship and the potential for future collaboration, particularly in leveraging Google's reach to drive AI adoption in CX.- **Workforce Management (WFM) and Quality Management (QM):** The discussion addresses the acquisition of Authority, a WFM/QM solutions provider. Vasily explains the rationale behind the acquisition, emphasizing the strategic importance of integrating these capabilities to offer a more comprehensive CX solution. He differentiates between the evolving QM space, which he believes is ripe for AI disruption, and the more established WFM market.- **Future Outlook:** Vasily shares his vision for UJET, focusing on continued innovation in AI-powered CX solutions, strategic partnerships, and expanding into new markets, including a growing presence in Portugal. He expresses a passion for genuinely transforming customer experiences by leveraging technology to create more proactive, efficient, and personalized interactions.This episode provides a deep dive into the strategies and vision driving a key player in the CX technology sector.

Our co-heads of Securitized Products Jay Bacow and James Egan explain why recent U.S. government measures won't change much the outlook for mortgage rates, home prices and sales this year.Read more insights from Morgan Stanley.----- Transcript -----Jay Bacow: Jim Egan, I see you sitting across from me wearing a quarter zip. As old things become new again, my teenager would think that is trendy. James Egan: I think this is one of, if not the first, times in my life that a teenager has thought I was trendy, including back when I was a teenager. Jay Bacow: Well, as captain of the chess team in high school, I was never trendy. But Jim… Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. I'm Jay Bacow, co-head of Securitized Products Research at Morgan Stanley. James Egan: And I'm Jim Egan, the other co-head of Securitized Products Research at Morgan Stanley. Today, we're here to talk about some of the programs that are being announced and their implications for the mortgage and U.S. housing markets. It's Tuesday, January 20th at 10am in New York. Now, Jay, there have been a lot of announcements from this administration. Some of them focused on affordability, some of them focused on the mortgage market, some of them focused on the housing market. But I think one of them that had the biggest impact, at least in terms of trading sessions immediately following, was a $200 billion buy program from the GSEs. Can you talk to us a little bit about that program? Jay Bacow: Sure. As you mentioned, President Trump announced that there would be a $200 billion purchase of mortgages, which later was confirmed by FHFA director Bill Pulte, to be purchased by Fannie and Freddie. Now, we would highlight putting this $200 billion number in context. The market was probably expecting the GSEs to buy about a hundred billion dollars of mortgages this year. So, this is maybe an incremental a hundred billion dollars more. The mortgage market round numbers is a $10 trillion market, so in the scope of the size of the market, it's not huge. However, we're only forecasting about [$]175 billion of growth in the mortgage market this year, so this is the GSEs buying more than net issuance. It's also similar in size to the Fed balance sheet runoff, which is something that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant mentioned in his comments last week. And so, the initial impact of this announcement was reasonably meaningful. Mortgage spreads tightened about 15 basis points and headline mortgage rates rallied to below 6 precent for the first time since 2022 on some mortgage measures. James Egan: Alright, so we had a 15 basis point rally almost immediately upon announcement of this program. That took us, I believe, through your bull case for agency mortgages in our 2026 outlook. So, what's next here? Jay Bacow: Well, we have a lot of questions about what is next. There's a lot of things that we're still waiting information on. But we think the initial move has sort of been fully priced in. We don't know the pace of the buying. We don't know if the purchases are going to be outright – like the Fed's purchase programs were. Or purchased and hedging the duration – like historically, the GSEs portfolios have been managed. We don't know how the $200 billion of mortgages will be funded. The way we're kind of thinking about this is if the program is just – and this is a podcast, not a video cast but I'm putting air quotes around just – $200 billion, it is probably priced in and then maybe and then some. However, if the purchases are front loaded or the purchases are increased, or maybe this purchase program indicates possible changes to the composition of the Fed's balance sheet, then there could be further moves in spreads and in mortgage rates.But Jim, what does this mean to the mortgage market writ large? James Egan: Right. So, when we think about what you're talking about, a 15 basis point move in mortgage rates, and we take that into the housing market, the first order implication is on affordability. And this is a move in the right direction, but it is small from a magnitude perspective. You mentioned mortgage rates getting below 6 percent for the first time since 2022. When we think about this in the context of our expectations for 2026, we already had the mortgage rate getting to about 5.75 in the back half of this year. This would take that forecast down to about 5.6 percent. That has a very modest upward implication for our purchase volume forecast, but I want to emphasize the modest piece. We're talking about [$]4.23 million was our original existing home sales forecast. This could take it to [$] 4.25 [million], maybe as high as [$]4.3 [million] with some media effect layered in. But any growth in demand, when we think about the home price side of the equation, we think we'll be met with additional listings. So, it really doesn't change our home price forecast for 2026, which was plus 2 percent. So very modest, slightly upward risk to some of our forecasts. And as we've been saying, when we think about U.S. housing in 2026, the risk to our modest growth forecasts, 3 percent growth in sales, 2 percent growth in home prices. The risk has always been to the upside. That could be because demand responds more to a 5 percent handle in mortgage rates than we're expecting. Or because you get more and more of these programs from the administration. So, on that note, Jay, what else do we think can be done here? Jay Bacow: I mean, there are a lot of potential things that could be done, which could be helpful on the margin or not, depending on how far they are willing to think about the possibilities. Some of the easier changes to make would be changes to the loan level pricing adjustments and the guaranteed fees, and mortgage insurance premiums, which would lower the cost in the roughly 10 to 15 basis points. There are some other changes that could be put through which we think from a legal side which would be much more difficult to make retroactive. That would be either allowing you to take your mortgage with you to the next house, which is what we call portability. Or allowing you to transfer your mortgage to the new home buyer, which is what we call assumability. We think it's extremely difficult to make that retroactive, but that could have some larger impacts, if that were to go through. Now, Jim, speaking of other impacts, mortgages spreads have tightened 15 basis points. What does that do to some of the other sectors that you cover? James Egan: Right. We do think there is a portfolio channel effect here that could be good for risk assets broader than just the agency mortgage space, even though that is clearly the primary impact of that $200 billion buying program. Securitized credit, we think is one of the clear beneficiaries of that tightening, given the relationships it has to agency mortgages. The non-QM mortgage market in particular – one that we're looking at for positive tailwinds as a result of this. Jay Bacow: All right, so we got a big announcement. We got a pretty quick market move after that, and now we're waiting to see what the next steps are. Likely going to have a marginal impact on housing activity, but we got to keep our ears and our eyes open to see what else might come. Jim, always great talking to you. James Egan: Pleasure talking to you too, Jay. And to all of you regular listeners, thank you for adding us to your playlist. Let us know what you think wherever you get this podcast and share Thoughts on the Market with a friend or colleague today. Jay Bacow: Go smash that subscribe button.*** Disclaimer ***James Egan: It's a shame it's not a video podcast. What a great cardigan.

Send us a textEver feel like the housing market is a maze with moving walls? We brought together a 20-year realtor who treats every purchase like an investment and a lender who rebuilt his playbook around non-QM lending to show exactly how buyers, sellers, and investors can win right now. No fluff—just the strategies that still close in a high-rate, low-fit inventory environment.We break down the real dynamics behind “high but not the highest” rates, why inventory feels wrong for most budgets, and how buyer hesitation often kills good deals. You'll hear how remote work and 1099 income changed underwriting, why DSCR, bank statement, and 1099 loans matter, and how to structure tough files using grants and seller credits without smoke and mirrors. If you've wondered whether to wait for rates to dip, we map the tradeoffs: when financing costs fall, demand and prices usually rise. Renting remains 100% interest; ownership gives options—refinance later, sell, or rent out your home if life shifts.We also get tactical. Learn the duplex house-hack that boosts buying power on day one, the exact steps for clean documentation and fewer last-minute surprises, and the simple process upgrades—like group-text introductions and a short video walkthrough of the closing disclosure—that reduce anxiety and speed up closings. For agents, it's a masterclass in fundamentals and staying in your lane; for lenders, a reminder to own cash-to-close clarity and communicate early. For renters and first-time buyers, it's a clear path from fear to a plan.If you're serious about real estate in 2026—buying, selling, investing, or staying sharp as a pro—this conversation gives you the mindset and the tools. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs the nudge, and leave a review with your biggest question—we may feature it next. Quote Cards for SocialMark Jones

What happens when a VR agency stops leading with compliance—and starts leading with trust? In this episode of Manager Minute, Carol Pankow sits down with Lea Dias, Director of the Hawaii Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, to talk about rebuilding an agency from the inside out. Facing high vacancies, low morale, and years of monitoring pressure, Lea chose a different path—one grounded in listening, kindness, and belief in her people. The result? ✔ Renewed staff engagement ✔ Stronger community partnerships ✔ Improved employment outcomes ✔ A culture moving from survival to purpose This is a powerful reminder that real change doesn't start with spreadsheets—it starts with people.   Listen Here   Full Transcript   Lea: I'm proud when I see my staff here at the administration level, thinking less about what the staff are doing wrong and focusing more on how can we help them, getting resources to help them, reaching out directly to help them. People talk a lot about rapid engagement and forget that ongoing part rapid and ongoing engagement. If you focus on culture first, the numbers I believe will follow. And if you focus only on numbers, the culture will crumble.   {Music} Intro Voice: Manager Minute, brought to you by the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center. Conversations powered by VR. One manager at a time, one minute at a time. Here is your host, Carol Pankow.   Carol: Well, welcome to the manager minute. Joining me in the studio today is Lea Dias, director of the Hawaii Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Lea recently participated in a panel at the fall CSAVR Conference, sharing Hawaii's journey to improving employment outcomes and what she calls their secret sauce. So how are things going in Hawaii?   Lea: Oh gosh, a lot better now that the shutdown is over. And we got a couple of our grants came through recently. And so that's all good. I think a lot of people think, oh, Hawaii, it's Paradise, right?   Carol: Yes.   Lea: But we have the same sort of issues I think, that many other agencies do. But things are getting better in Hawaii. I'll say that.   Carol: That is awesome to hear. It's so good to see you again. Oh my gosh.   Lea: you too.   Carol: So for years, Hawaii has faced real challenges, including declining employment outcomes, significant work tied to addressing findings from an RSA monitoring report. In fact, you all were monitored the same year I was when I was still with Minnesota Blind back in 2019. And so I remember having a bond with you guys.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: Because we were all going through it together.   Lea: Yes.   Carol: Now, I know when you stepped into the director role following the former director's retirement, you really brought this stabilizing, steady calmness that the agency really needed. And under your leadership, the team is rebuilding momentum, strengthening systems and really seeing some meaningful progress in the work being done across the islands. So today we're just going to explore that journey. What's changed, what's working and what other states can learn from your experience. So let's dig in.   Lea: Okay.   Carol: Can you start by sharing your journey with Hawaii VR and what led you into the director role?   Lea: Sure, Carol. Well, first of all, aloha, and thank you for having me. I have been with Hawaii Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, we're a combined agency, by the way, for over 30 years. And I started off about 34 years ago as an entry level VR counselor at the general site of our agency. And then in 2000, I moved over to become the supervisor of field services at our Ho'opono, which is our services for the blind branch. And Then I stayed there for a while. I then assumed the role of director of our New Visions Structured Discovery Orientation Center, and eventually I became the administrator of Blind Services, and I was honored to serve in that role until about July of 2023. So the majority of my career so far was spent at home. And I learned so much there, you know, working for a blind agency beyond what I got from my master's degree and all that. I learned so much about consumer empowerment. And, you know, the real dramatic changes that vocational rehabilitation can make in people's lives. So anyway, when the former Hawaii VR administrator left pretty abruptly, our agency was in a tough place. We had a vacancy rate of over 40%, I want to say close to 45% and rising low morale. We had that heavy corrective action plan you talked about from RSA and many staff were feeling really overwhelmed. So initially I stepped in as a temporary assignment just because I care so much about our agency. I love this profession. I care about the people we serve, and I wanted to do what I could to help stabilize and restore hope. And also, I had several staff approach me and ask me to do it, and that meant a lot to me. So I decided to apply after that. And I've been official in this job just a little over two and a half years, since July 2023.   Carol: That has gone really quickly.   Lea: Yes it has.   Carol: Well, and when you said bringing kind of that stabilizing calmness, everybody talks about that. You've been credited with doing that. How did you approach leading through that uncertainty and kind of rebuilding trust.   Lea: Oh gosh. Well, thank you for the compliment. But when I stepped in we were struggling across the board. And I know because I was part of that. Right. Coming from within the agency, we had declining successful employment outcomes way down. And a lot of the outcomes we had, they weren't really careers. In many cases, we had something like 77% of eligible participants leaving us before they even got to the point of IPE.   Carol: Wow!   Lea: Which is really atrocious. Super high vacancies. And because of those super high vacancies, we had counselors having to cover other counselors caseloads. So people were really burned out, overwhelmed. And because we had been working since 2019 to resolve that corrective action plan with RSA, and we had been so focused on that, staff were, I think, drowning in compliance tasks. And not that compliance isn't important because it is, of course, but there was a lot of blaming and overcorrecting in my opinion, and I think the human side of VR had been kind of pushed aside. When I was preparing for my speech for CSAVR, I kind of asked the line staff, I told them what I was going to be doing and asked them what they thought. And one counselor really summed up for me how it was by saying, just quote, we were all just Surviving.   Carol: Oh.   Lea: That's kind of pretty much where it was.   Carol: That's quite a statement.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: it really is. And I know I worked with your team too throughout that.   Lea: Mhm.   Carol: You know, when we were trying to work on getting corrective actions done and just kind of redoing policies over and over and fifth iteration, sixth iteration.   Lea: Right.   Carol: Oh my gosh. It was.   Lea: Right.   Carol: It was a lot. And you lose that sense of, you know, you lose the sense of the people and the reason you're all there. I can completely understand that being in the midst of that.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: I know at CSAVR the whole panel was talking about the secret sauce. What do you think has been the biggest impact so far for your agency?   Lea: Well, I focused on listening first and staff told me they felt hurt and they had felt mistrusted and they had felt disrespected. They talked about too many barriers to getting their work done. And, you know, I believed them because like I said, I know.   Carol: Yeah.   Lea: So I developed a pretty tight group of folks on my leadership team up here who I knew I could trust really implicitly to help me, you know, listen to people struggle with and overcome these barriers for our staff and our consumers. And this tight group of people, they shared my vision for the agency and my philosophy of the purpose of this great program called vocational rehabilitation. So we opened up leadership meetings. I decided to bring in frontline supervisors rather than just the people in the quote unquote, ivory tower, and line staff at all levels into our conversations. I really emphasize transparency and consistency and kindness and respect for ourselves. I demanded it to each other and to our consumers, because I really had to rebuild safety and rebuild trust. In the beginning because of the way our agency had been. When I would open up the floor, you know, for people to talk, it was crickets. People just didn't want to speak up. All of that to say, I think there's really to me and I think I said this at CSAVR, I don't think there's really a secret sauce, to be honest. We've made many improvements, but we still have a long way to go, particularly with our data collection and data analysis and reporting are performance measures. Still need a lot of work and my staff and I are learning together. I guess you could say our secret sauce is trust plus autonomy, plus removing barriers and trying to find a way to yes for our consumers and for our staff.   There's lots of little examples, you know, based on feedback that we got from our staff, we started allowing counselors to close their own cases. They weren't allowed to do that, as a result of the reaction to the corrective action plan. I would say we eliminated some things that were outdated or unnecessary, like some financial needs testing language. I stopped the communicating via solely via memo. All communication via memo. Training via memo. I mean, that kind of stuff just doesn't work. It's a good backup, but you can't rely on just written stuff.   Carol: No.   Lea: I cut out what I saw as unnecessary multi-layers of approvals for things as simple as a payment for a service to a consumer would have to come all the way up to the administrator's level if it was, I think, over $2,500. And I was like, this is ridiculous. We really started making a culture shift, I think, from compliance first to people first from distrust, mistrust, and I would say custodialism to communicating my belief, you know, in the skills and judgment of our people tried to make it a less intimidating environment where people could speak their truths and make suggestions for improvements because, you know, like I mentioned, I'm a leader, but I'm also a leader who in a lot of ways has been where they've been. And I know the power of what we can achieve when we all work together and I really believe all those things. I think all those little examples and more have really helped to make a difference.   Carol: I love that because you can always sense your authenticity. Always. I remember meeting you way back, you know, with NCSAB, and we would do work together on committees and all of that good stuff. And it's like, oh my gosh, I always just thought you were amazing because you truly, you walk the talk that you say and people believe you, you know, you're believable. And I think that trust you've put in your people. I could see a difference when we were out there, even last year as a TA center and came for a visit, there was just a whole different sense with that whole group. It was really nice to see. I can just tell. I mean, I can tell from the outside, having seen you all before in meetings where, you know, things were it just felt more chaotic and people didn't feel free to speak. And now you can just see everybody's faces. I mean, it was just their whole affect was so much better.   Lea: Oh, thank you. Thank you for your kindness. That makes me so happy to hear that. I see it, too. But it, I'm always questioning. Is it enough? Am I doing enough? There's still so much to do. But you gotta start somewhere.   Carol: Well, you have to start somewhere.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: I think you've done an incredible job with that.   Lea: Ahh.   Carol:  What do you feel like? Maybe. What progress are you most proud of? Or. And what maybe lessons would help other agencies because other people are going through this. You are not the only one in the entire, you know, system here. It is all over the country.   Lea: Yeah. Well, I mean, closing out that corrective action plan was a huge milestone. Very proud of that, especially after so many years. So it took from 2019 till just earlier this year, 2025 for us to finally, you know, get out from under that so that we can focus on other things. But we didn't do it alone. You know, like you mentioned, Doctor Chaz Compton, Chaz and you and the entire VRTAC QM team were really instrumental in helping us get there, and you guys really walked alongside us with empathy and clarity and unwavering support. Even with the time difference and, you know, being an ocean away. I mean, you guys were always there. And, you know, after I assumed this role, you know, Doctor Compton visited us twice so far for in-person, all staff meetings. So I brought in all staff, not just counselors, not just rehab teachers, everybody on staff for in-person sessions. Zoom is great for a lot of things, but sometimes you need everyone there in person for kind of a call to action, you know what I mean?   Carol: Yeah.   Lea: Anyway, those sessions that we had together with Chaz were, I think, really helped us along in this transformation. His ability to connect with staff and reframe challenges helped us ignite what we're calling our Reimagine and Renew initiative. I also want to acknowledge you, Carol, you know, your leadership at the VRTAC QM and the way, you know, you mentioned you and your team guided our agency and you helped us see this journey not as a series of failures, which is how we felt, but really an opportunity more so for growth and renewal. So what am I most proud of? I am most proud when I see our line staff coming up with these fantastic suggestions and being willing to talk to me about it, and then acting on those where we can and making those changes.   I am proud that I see in so many of them, their passion reigniting. I'm proud that many of them don't just see this as a drudgery, kind of 9 to 5 case manager job sitting in front of a computer all day. They're out in the community a lot more now, engaging with consumers, engaging with other agency partners. And when I say engaging with consumers, things like evenings and weekends, graduations, award ceremonies, things like that might seem like a small thing to some, but I know those consumers remember and they appreciate that and their families. I'm proud when I see my staff here at the administration level thinking less about what the staff are doing wrong and focusing more on how can we help them, getting resources to help them, reaching out directly to help them. I see a lot less finger pointing in both directions, because I know when I was on the line, I'd be like those people in administration and administration, people going, are those people on the line? They don't. I see a lot less of a lot less of that. And I'm really pleased that a lot of our partners in the community are ready to talk to us again. I think a lot of those relationships, for various reasons, had been pretty badly damaged, and that's actually been a big part of my job, too, is rebuilding those relationships. So I would say the biggest lesson for other states is this you can't transform an agency just through compliance tasks alone. You need trusted partners, you need honest conversations, and you really need a willingness to go to the mat to rebuild your agency culture, like from the inside out.   Carol: That is really good advice.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: I always think in this role it takes a village. Like when you were talking about assistance from the QM. And I know when we come alongside any state agency, we always refer to it like we. We always feel like we're part of you.   Lea: You are.   Carol: You know, even in the when we're meeting with staff and staff, it's like, okay, this is what we're going to do next, or...   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: ...let's work on this. And we always feel like we just become another we're another staff like in the group to help facilitate whatever getting done. And so.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: That has been so fun and really fun to see. Like your people embracing all of it. You just see such a difference. It really is pretty incredible.   Lea: Yeah. And I want to be really clear. It's not about me. It's not. It's the village. It's everybody together that is making progress. And I think things are looking up.   Carol: But you did make it possible because you open the space and it takes time. Like you said, people at first weren't really willing to talk because there'd been a long time where you couldn't talk about it.   Lea: Yeah, yeah.   Carol: You know, you couldn't bring things up. I remember the whole finger pointing back and forth all the time. People were like, oh, people in Central office. They don't know what's going on out here.   Lea: Yeah, yeah. And it still happens sometimes, you know, I get it, but not, not as much as before.   Carol: Not like before, No, but it takes that. And that took you really coming in and opening up the space. And it's a time factor. Like look at you've been doing it over two years now. Probably another lesson would be it doesn't go quick. Like it takes time to do this and repairing relationships.   Lea: Yes.   Carol: That's a time factor. They've got to trust you and over and over see what you're doing.   Lea: Yeah. And this is probably bad advice, but forget the work life balance thing. For me, it's like I'm at home thinking about this stuff. Like, what can I do? You know what I mean?   Carol: I know I used to sleep, I'd sleep with a pad of paper by my bed, because I'd often wake up in the middle of the night and be like, I'd have an idea, and I'd write it down because I didn't want to lose it for the morning. And then I'd come in. I'd be like, I was thinking last night, and staff would be like, oh my God, you had your pad of paper by the bed?   Lea: Yep, I talked to Siri. Siri, take a note.   Carol: Yes!   Lea: yes.   Carol: Oh, that's so funny. What strategies do you think just a little bit on your, you know, the employment outcomes. And you've done better with those. Chaz was super jazzed about that.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: What strategies do you think contributed most to those improvements you've had in your employment outcomes?   Lea: I've been thinking about this. I think our internal strategies, people talk a lot about rapid engagement and forget that ongoing part, rapid and ongoing engagement. Talking, you know, just like a broken record, talking with staff about that and the importance of that. And I'm seeing that happening more like I mentioned with those evenings, weekends being out in the field.   Carol: Yeah.   Lea: Streamlining processes, as I mentioned, empowering our counselors and trusting them to do their jobs. I think those were all essential. But and of course, the partnership and the help that we got from the TAC-QM, helping us look at our systems with fresh eyes and supporting us in building some sustainable, long term solutions so that external guidance also gave us confidence and helped accelerate our progress. So with all of those pieces kind of working together, some of our results have really improved dramatically. So you mentioned our successful closures. So between program year 23 and program year 24 our successful closures more than tripled. Okay.   Carol: Amazing.   Lea: The numbers are the numbers are small okay. Compared to like New York or something. But you know, in prog ram year 23 we had 30 closures. In program 24 we had 107.   Carol: That is awesome.   Lea: So yeah, I think that's pretty cool. I'm talking some of them are real careers, too, to real success story.   Carol: Oh, I love that.   Lea: That whole thing with the attrition before IPE has dropped really sharply. University of Hawaii at Manoa. They do a consumer satisfaction survey right for clients post closure, and we had the highest return rates ever and the highest levels of satisfaction ever, according to the university Hawaii, who's been doing these surveys for us. And then just some other stats to throw at you. But from program year 23 to 24, we saw our applications increase by 55%. That's applications for services. Determinations of eligibility increased by 59%, IPE development went up by 52%, and our vacancy rate for our staff has dropped to about 30 something percent. It's still high, but it's a lot lower than it was, and it's continuing to drop. And I've been able to fill some really key leadership positions where we had lost some very good people over those tumultuous years. So yeah, I hope I answered your question, but it's I think it's a lot of factors.   Carol: You did. It's been amazing though. And you look at that. I love that those kind of family sustaining wages, people in careers. That was always super important to me. I didn't want to just, you know, jobs and food, filth and flowers. Although people can do, you know, there are people that do want those jobs, but that isn't the only job that's out there.   Lea: Right. And that thinking long term.   Carol: Yeah.   Lea: You know, Chaz did training with us too. I'm thinking long term, like nurse's aide.  Or have you thought about nurse? Let's see. What are the differences here.   Carol: right.   Lea: Yeah, I like that.   Carol: Chaz is great at that. Bring it all.   Lea: Yeah.   Carol: Oh my gosh. Good for you though. Look at I think that just shows the power of when staff are trusted and they're feeling really good about their work and they're you're all in alignment on the same mission. You can really make huge things happen and including impacting your vacancy rate for employees, because I know you were much higher. I mean, it felt like you were like at 50% or something. So to have it even down to 30 is better.   Lea: Yeah. I'm also looking at revising our CSPD requirements because they're super high right now. And of course, I believe in the master's degree and the CRC and all that, but I think there's some room for us to loosen that up just a bit, still be in line with federal regulations. But that's another thing that I've heard from staff.   Carol: Yeah, that's a good idea. And there's probably a lot of people we could connect you with. Other states have done something similar to...   Lea: Yes.   Carol: ...kind of create space and layers and ways for people to get in and all of that.   Lea: Yes. Now is a good time because of the Unified State Plan is coming.   Carol: Yes. Perfect timing.   Lea: Yes.   Carol: Good pitch to make. It's like take advantage of that state plan. Time to make those changes.   Lea: Yes.   Carol: So what kind of advice would you have for other VR directors navigating tough challenges based on this experience? Do you have any other things you could offer your colleagues across the country? Because we got a lot of new people in, and there's a lot of really tough situations happening everywhere. You had quite a lot on your plate. So is there any other kind of things that could help them?   Lea: Gosh. Well, I would say start by listening. Trust your staff. They already know what the barriers are. Trust yourself. Listen to your consumers. Your consumer organizations encourage, expect, I should say, rapid and ongoing engagement with our consumers. Help them to dream big and to think long term. Find a way to say yes wherever possible. Give our consumers all the skills and confidence that they need to really achieve their life goals. Celebrate wins, even the small ones. Be a broken record if you have to. Keep your mission visible. And just remember, if you focus on culture first, the numbers I believe will follow. And if you focus only on numbers, the culture will crumble.   Carol: Really good advice.   Lea: Yeah, there's just no task too big when it's done together.   Carol: Oh, Lea, look at you go.   Lea: Ahh.   Carol: you made it all happen. Oh my God.!   Lea: Oh, stop it, I'm gonna cry.   Carol: Nah, you've been great. It's so fun to talk to you. I know chaz said at the conference people were crying when you had talked. There were so many people crying and coming up to you and really feeling so engaged and energized.   Lea: And I was surprised how many people came up because I thought our story was going to be like the worst in the whole, you know, all VR. And I had people coming up kind of, yeah, sharing that they had gone or they are going through a similar situation and, people, can I hug you?   Carol: Oh yeah.   Lea: And I was like, oh sure. You know. So no, I, I'm, I'm so humbled and honored that you even asked me to speak here because although I know we've made as a team some progress, we still have a way to go. But we're going to get there.   Carol: Yeah. See I just want other people to hear your message of hope and positivity, because I think we have a lot of directors feeling pretty, pretty sad right now. I'm pretty tough there in some pretty tough spots. And it you kind of you get that all internalized. I know from being a director too. Boy, it's hard to kind of pull out of all of that when you have just all of this piled on top of you, right? And it's hard to see sort of the light at the end of the tunnel. But your, your vision and just your whole message of really the hope and, and living into that mission and really the trust and all the things you've done, you've been doing the right things. And I think other people need to hear it. So I appreciate you doing this so much.   Lea: Oh, thank you so much again. Thank you.   Carol: Well, so I wish you much continued success. Thanks for your time. I hope you have a great day. Thank you.   Lea: Thank you, thank you.   {Music} Outro Voice: Conversations powered by VR. One manager at a time. One minute at a time. Brought to you by the VRTAC. Catch all of our podcast episodes by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for listening.

Jonathan Reiner is interviewed by Yuval Boger and describes his path from condensed-matter physics to leading the Product Solutions team at Quantum Machines. They discuss the rising complexity of quantum control, customer trends toward fidelity, low-latency compute, and automated calibration, as well as QM's products such as QUA, Qualibrate, and OPX-NIC for error-correction workflows. Jonathan shares insights on scaling control electronics, the skills needed to operate quantum computers, and his preference for spin qubits. The conversation concludes with a discussion of IP protection practices.

Richard Gearhart and Elizabeth Gearhart, co-hosts of Passage to Profit Show interview entrepreneur, success coach, author and keynote speaker, Saahil Mehta, Brady Sticker from ChurchCandy Marketing and mortgage expert Tom Wragg. Mountaineer and executive coach Saahil Mehta challenges the hustle-at-all-costs mindset and explains why money, fame, and nonstop ambition often lead to burnout, regret, and broken relationships. Through his powerful “Seven Summits” framework, Sahil shows entrepreneurs how to redefine success on their own terms, protect what truly matters, and make smarter decisions without sacrificing health, family, or sanity. Read more at: https://www.saahilmehta.com/ Brady Sticker is an entrepreneur, marketing expert, podcaster, and the founder of ChurchCandy Marketing, a marketing agency specializing in getting churches new church guests and helping Pastors grow their ministries. He's also the bestselling author of Launch Big: The Complete Digital Marketing Guide for Church Planters. Read more at: https://bradysticker.com/ and at https://churchcandy.com/ Mortgage expert, Tom Wragg from loanDepot is a passionate mortgage originator with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Tom specializes in Jumbo loans and non-QM lending for self-employed clients, and he takes pride in presenting a full suite of mortgage options, including Conforming, FHA, VA, Reverse Mortgages, and Renovation Lending. Read more at: https://www.loandepot.com/loan-officers/twragg Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur, a startup, an inventor, an innovator, a small business or just starting your entrepreneurial journey, tune into Passage to Profit Show for compelling discussions, real-life examples, and expert advice on entrepreneurship, intellectual property, trademarks and more. Visit https://passagetoprofitshow.com/ for the latest updates and episodes. Chapters (00:00:00) - Podcast Review(00:00:48) - Passage to Profit(00:02:19) - What are the Common Mistakes First Time Entrepreneurs Make?(00:03:46) - STILL BUSY: The mistakes of entrepreneurs(00:05:05) - 3 Mistakes First-Time Entrepreneurs Should Avoid(00:07:44) - Sahil Mehta: Success(00:11:15) - 7 Summits to Success(00:13:06) - 7 Summits of Life(00:16:24) - 7 Summits of Important Things in Your Life(00:18:33) - 7 Summits(00:22:19) - Car Shield(00:23:29) - Better Health Insurance for You(00:24:29) - Clutter in Your Head(00:29:34) - In the Elevator With Rich People(00:30:23) - In the Elevator With Coaches: Accountability(00:32:58) - AI In Business(00:35:40) - ChatGPT and the Future of Legal Research(00:38:17) - Divorce and Credit Card Debt Relief(00:41:08) - Disney, OpenAI: Intellectual Property News(00:44:53) - Church Candy(00:47:37) - How to Get People to Attend Your Church(00:49:27) - How to start a new church with digital marketing(00:51:40) - How to Reach Out to People Through Social Media(00:53:16) - Marketing for Your Business(00:55:05) - How to Build a Facebook Ad With AI(00:57:21) - Church Plants: Behind the Scenes(00:59:02) - What Does a Mortgage Originator Do?(01:00:47) - Holding Yourself Accountable(01:02:45) - Mortgage market: Interest rates and availability of funds(01:04:51) - Homebuyers and Affordability(01:06:13) - Mortgage Underwriting: Building Trust With Prospects(01:08:45) - How to Help a Self-Employed Person Buy a Home(01:14:21) - Mortgage Depot(01:16:43) - Secrets of the Entrepreneurial Mind(01:17:58) - How to Get Stuck in Your Business(01:19:09) - Tom Rag(01:21:40) - Passage to Profit

Dan and Steve discussed the launch of "Call the Mortgage Guy," an extension of "Call the Underwriter" that focuses on non-QM loans. Steve explained that non-QM loans cater to borrowers who don't meet traditional mortgage criteria, such as self-employed individuals and those with non-traditional income, similar to seller finance borrowers. Dan noted the growing popularity of non-QM loans, which have increased from 1-2% to over 8% of the mortgage market in the last 2 years, as lenders target underserved markets. The expansion into mortgage brokering, enabled by mortgage licensing in states like Colorado, Texas, and Florida, aims to address this growing demand. For more info on underwriting seller finance loans or get started on a deal go to www.calltheunderwriter.com For for non-QM loans in TX, FL and CO go to www.callthemortgageguy.com  

Welcome to The Chrisman Commentary, your go-to daily mortgage news podcast, where industry insights meet expert analysis. Hosted by Robbie Chrisman, this podcast delivers the latest updates on mortgage rates, capital markets, and the forces shaping the housing finance landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just looking to stay informed, you'll get clear, concise breakdowns of market trends and economic shifts that impact the mortgage world.In today's episode, we provide in depth reaction to the UWM TWO merger. Plus, Robbie sits down with Foundation Mortgage's Sam Bjelac for a discussion on the third-party origination and non-QM spaces evolution and expectations as we close out 2025 and enter 2026. And we close by reviewing what the latest PCE reports say about inflation.Thanks to the Refi Recapture Engine from LO Autopilot. Lenders lose ~80% of recapture business. Their plug & play Refi Recapture Engine triples recapture volume. It runs nonstop, analyzes every loan, creates personalized quotes and sends them directly to borrowers, and delivers refi-ready borrowers to your LOs on a silver platter. 

Join D.O. as he sits down with Optimal Blue executive Mike Vough to pull back the curtain on how mortgage interest rates are really set in today's industry. This episode is a must-watch for loan originators, mortgage brokers, homebuyers, and real estate agents who want to truly understand the mysteries behind the secondary mortgage market—including rate locks, hedging, pricing engines, and the latest trends in non-QM lending. You'll learn why rates move independently of the Fed, how lenders use hedge strategies, and get actionable insights on the future of mortgage rates. If you're in the mortgage space and want to better advise your clients and grow your business, this is the episode for you.

Nancy Mueller Handal, Chief Investment Officer of Insurance Asset Management at Bayview Asset Management, shares her insights on how insurers can pursue alpha through residential loans and asset-based finance. With extensive experience in structured credit, Nancy explains why residential whole loans can be a strong fit for insurance portfolios when managed with discipline and precision. She discusses the capital efficiency of the asset class, the appeal of agency-eligible and non-QM loans, and the role of thoughtful underwriting in mitigating risk.   The discussion also covers the evolution of the residential credit market, the importance of robust data and infrastructure, and the risks that come with layered credit and valuation gaps. Nancy outlines how Bayview's platform approaches sourcing and portfolio construction at scale, and why residential loans can provide diversification and long-term value when approached with a careful, insurer-aligned strategy.

In this episode of Manager Minute, host Carol Pankow welcomes Dr. Chaz Compton and Dr. Meera Adya, co-directors of the new National Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center (NVRTAC). They discuss how the Center builds on decades of innovation in vocational rehabilitation (VR) to unify training, evaluation, and technology that strengthen state VR agencies across the nation. Partnering with The George Washington University, the National Disability Institute, CSAVR, YesLMS, Case Review Solutions, SaraWorks, and Intellitech, the NVRTAC delivers comprehensive technical assistance to enhance performance, fiscal management, and employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Key initiatives include AI-driven tools such as SaraWorks and Case Amplify, designed to reduce administrative burdens and capture real-world impact. The team is also launching leadership and fiscal talent development programs, expanding recruitment and retention efforts, and embedding continuous evaluation across all initiatives. Their goal is to achieve measurable outcomes, real change, and a stronger, more efficient VR system serving individuals with disabilities.   Listen Here   Full Transcript:   {Music} Chaz: Right now, not ten years from now, but right today, we have the capacity to. Turn our administrative burden into an AI driven function that alleviates that burden.   Meera: Input is getting provided at the beginning and the middle at the end all over again. It really is that measurable and real change and ongoing calibration towards that is our North star.   Chaz: And having actual measurable outcome improvements. So simple as that.   Carol: That sounds good. How about you? What do you think?   Meera: Nothing to add. Measurable outcomes. Real change. Drop the mic.   Carol: Boom! I love it.   {Music} Intro Voice: Manager Minute, brought to you by the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center. Conversations powered by VR. One manager at a time, one minute at a time. Here is your host, Carol Pankow.   Carol: Well, welcome to the Manager Minute. Joining me in the studio today are my close colleagues, doctor Chaz Compton and Doctor Meera Adya, Co-project directors of the new National Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center, or VRTAC for short. So woohoo you guys! I'm so excited to have you here. How are things going Chaz?   Chaz: Wonderful. Very busy and very happy to be here. Thank you.   Carol: Excellent. How about you, Meera? How's it going?   Meera: Pretty good.   Carol: Awesome. Well, glad to have you both. I just want to give a little bit of history for our listeners. The Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Centers have a long and rich history rooted in the Rehabilitation Act itself. And from the very beginning, the act recognized that helping individuals with disabilities achieve meaningful employment requires more than just funding. It requires a system of continuous learning, innovation and improvement. And that's why the Rehabilitation Services Administration has long invested in national technical assistance centers to strengthen state VR agencies, build staff capacity and ensure programs stay aligned with evolving regulations, Relations, research and best practices, and over the years, these centers from the early TACE centers to WINTAC and the QM and QE and AIVR TAC and all the things, and now the new NBR tech have become the backbone of progress in our field, helping translate policy into practice and ensuring that the promise of the Rehabilitation Act remains strong for the next generation. So let's dig in. Gang, can you tell our listeners a little bit about yourselves and your journey into VR? And, Chaz, I'm going to kick it to you first.   Chaz: Okay. Gosh, it's been 40 years now. Hard to believe. I started with a community rehab program 40 years ago this year.   Carol: Wow.   Chaz: A few years later, I moved into the public VR program in California. I was a counselor, a supervisor, and then a district administrator and got my doctorate degree at San Diego State University and moved over and directed the TA Center 15 years ago, and then the WINTAC and then the VRTAC-QM and now the what we call the VR TAC, the national VRTAC.   Carol: That is awesome. I did not realize it was 40 whole years. Chaz, I think we're pretty close in age to each other.   Chaz: It's been a while.   Carol: Meera, how about you? How'd you get your journey into this world?   Meera: Well, my work has always been at the intersection of empiricism and law and policy. So I'm a researcher and evaluator. I've done projects looking at how people with disabilities can be successful in workplaces and communities, thinking about inter work and the VR system. More specifically, I became engaged first as a partner, leading the program evaluation for Interworks Wintech centre. And then Chaz convinced me to come to Interworks continue doing what I was doing by taking the lead on the program evaluation for the VR, QM, and then our portfolio at Interworks has grown. Now there are several disability innovation grants and customized employment projects in addition to the TAC that we are leading the evaluation on. And Chaz then offered me the opportunity to continue growing my work, and here I am as the co-director of the center as a whole, and I'm honored and thrilled to support Chaz and our team. Take the work with VR and its partners forward to improve outcomes for people with disabilities.   Carol: I love it Meera, and you're a good addition, and we're really happy to have you as the Co-project director, too. So what is the overarching purpose of our new VR TAC?   Chaz: It is to provide technical assistance and training that will help VR agencies and their partners improve service delivery and increase the quantity and quality of employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities being served by VR program and their partners. Our major focus areas include helping agencies effectively manage the program, the performance of the program, the fiscal side of the program and their resources, and helping them identify and implement effective employment strategies and practices that accomplish the overarching goal of helping improve outcomes and service delivery. That's the big picture.   Carol: It is cool because it's like soup to nuts. I think sometimes, you know, the previous TAC, you know, they had very kind of more specific focus. And then with the QM and like QE too, you know, it expanded. But now we've got the whole shebang in one place.   Chaz: Mhm.   Carol: Very fun. Meera do you have anything you wanted to add to that?   Meera: Sure. I was just thinking about all the work that Chaz has been doing, the messages he sends us and how we've come together and so far trying to put it into an encapsulation. I've been coming up with one team or his words, but I think just such a good representation and you'll see that now in our messaging going forward, but also a yes. And we don't say no. We find a way to work together and is so what, what is the measurable change that's going to result from the work we do? I think you're going to see that over the next five years constantly coming up.   Carol: Yeah, I like that, Meera. You got to keep us grounded in that. About the so what? So what we can do lots of activities. But so what about them? And I see, Chaz, you're smiling at me because, you know, I'm an activity person. And it's like, but what's the benefit from what we did? So how does the new TAC build on the work in the lessons that were learned from all the previous work?   Chaz: Well, to say we've learned some lessons along the way, especially in the last ten years, would be an understatement. There have been the implementation of WIOA and all of the requirements associated with that, living through all of the implementation with agencies, helping them respond to that effectively, looking at the demographic shift in the field to youth, where now the majority of the people we serve are 24 years of age or younger. Looking at going into and out of Covid and how that changed service delivery, how the fiscal landscape of the program changed accordingly, how we have seen the pendulum shift fiscally from one side to the other and now back again. All of that has helped inform, I think, the development of our technical assistance and the training and the way we go into this new center. So we have just a bunch of lived experience, if you will, along with agencies. So what they have gone through, we have gone through with them, and I think we can help them successfully navigate the future. And while at the same time responding to the challenges that they face right now. So all of that, I think, really has laid an important foundation for the VRTAC and the work we're going to be doing with agencies.   Carol: I think you hit the nail with that. I think about all the last five years, even the work I've done and our team has done and how deep we got in with agencies like it felt like we were part. I often talk when I'm in at agency, I talk about we like I'm part of them because you're enmeshed in everything they're doing and their systems and their people and their meetings and all of their things. You become so ingrained with them. It really helped you to get such a clear picture of what was happening and helps really get maybe at the root of some of the issues and to develop that work fundamentally so that the seeds we laid could really grow and germinate and keep going forever and keep growing and growing and growing. So it isn't just a one shot. We did a little quick training and we're out of there. It really became such a deep lesson. Meera, how about for you with that lessons learned? I'm sure evaluation wise there are things you were thinking about as well.   Meera: Oh, absolutely. We have all of our past evaluation reports and findings, and we can keep looking at those. And I certainly keep bringing them up whenever it strikes me that there's a relevant point that comes forward again. And you can see with the way that Chaz has put together these innovative partners and projects, a continuation of the successful approaches and partnerships as well, and just a laser focus on measurable change that evolution and improvement and lessons learned is just baked into the center. As a research and evaluator, I know firsthand how the knowledge translation pipeline takes time, but it can take less time when you work directly with stakeholders from the beginning, and that's what's happening with us. Chaz has always taken evaluation seriously, woven it into the very fabric of the work. Stakeholders are the partners. They hold us accountable. We continuously are learning what's working. Pivot when needs must.   Carol: Well said Meera. Thank you for that. What current challenges do you guys see in the VR system that make a unified national TA center so important right now?   Chaz: To say that efficiency, accountability and improved outcomes are important would be an understatement. And this is not a new focus, of course. I mean, you have to go back to the movement of the Rehabilitation Act under the Workforce Investment Act of 1988, which was really an attempt to improve efficiency and refrain from duplication of services and improve outcomes and all that stuff. And that focus has just grown and grown,   Carol: right.   Chaz: and so a unified center is I mean, it really is helpful to ensure that everything is administrated under one center that we're focused on, you know, whether it's focused on improving performance, like on the performance measures, like improving an agency's ability to manage their fiscal resources or implement employment strategies like, say, customized employment, a unified center can address all of these aspects together, holistically, understand how they interact with each other and an agency. Instead of having 2 or 3 different entities trying to work together with a VR program differently, with different ways of doing business, ways of interacting all that. So it just is a very efficient, I hope. Anyway, an enhanced holistic way of working with an agency. Ultimately, I believe that will contribute to increasing the likelihood of positive outcomes.   Carol: I like the part with the employment being in with us now. Not that employment wasn't in our mind, but it was distant because we'd always put it like we, you know, we're referring folks over to the Q2E, but now with it all integrated, it really does kind of front and center. You're thinking about the fiscal things that my group is working at and how our impact is helping the program, maybe for stability or whatever may be going on, does impact the employment outcomes in the end, and the funds that are available and whether people go on an order or not, you know, all those kind of things. So I like that having it all together, it's a little closer, at least in my head. Meera, did you have any thoughts about that one as well?   Meera: I echo everything you both have said. The unified voice. Central voice. This center has always been a supportive voice. It is always on, always available, and that continues to be really needed. That is something we've heard in the evaluation interviews and feedback that we've received is that folks really appreciate being able to just call, get someone on the other end, get an answer right away, send an email, hear back right away. The responsiveness and the targeted information that they need has been phenomenal. And so looking forward to that continuing. And now across the whole range and spectrum of what technical assistance is needed. As you both have said, It's a time of, you know, as was said, significant change requirements may be shifting again, a laser focus on efficiency and effectiveness of work, which is right. And, you know, in the broader context, we're seeing significant disruption in the work world. And the future of work has been talked about. The future of work is here today. It's the today of how we work. And agencies need help navigating all of that with their customers. There's a lot for our stakeholders and our partners to navigate. I think we've seen from the evaluation feedback, this is where our team under Chaz really excels. It just brings together the many. It brings together the a lot. It goes to the heart of it and meets it on the grant.   Carol: Yeah. You lead into my next question about the partners on the grant because we have a deep bench. I mean, I felt like we had really phenomenal folks on the QM grant. But when I look at the partners you all have brought together for this, and we're on our first meetings and you've got, you know, 30 people in the Hollywood Squares instead of a dozen or so. It's a cool bunch, and people with such interesting expertise. So Chaz, who are the partners on our grant?   Chaz: Our biggest and primary partner is the George Washington University. We've been partners with them for really since national centers were funded. They were part of the WINTAC, part of the QM, and now we'll be a obviously a critical part of the VR TAC Every single one of them is a doer. Their hands are have their hands have gotten dirty and providing like literally in the trenches to just like our own staff at work Institute at San Diego State. We just have been, practically speaking, teammates for a very long time. We know each other well, we work together well, and we're very confident in each other's work. GW a big, huge partner of ours. Then there's the National Disability Institute, which is also a longtime partner of ours. They'll be helping with the employment strategies component of things and just are a very well respected, nationally known institute that is really has some super interesting and helpful information and resources and knowledge along with the rest of the team. Of course, many of our listeners will know. Yes LMS, we're working with Linda and her team this time around, expanding our available training resources to users out there. CSAVR of course, is another long time partner. Everybody knows them. Sara Works is a partner of ours as well. Sara Works has been a partner again since the WINTAC days and, you know, has done all kinds of work with us in terms of developing Sara, the AI program to help act as an assistant to VR programs, communication tool and so on. Then we have Case Review Solutions. It's just a new partner of ours this time around focused on quality assurance, case reviews, contract monitoring. So another use of software and technology to basically provide solutions to VR programs. And another new partner this time around in Intellitech, which has created a program called Case Amplify, which is an AI driven system, which we'll talk about here in a few minutes, but we're really excited about this one as well, because it provides an opportunity for agencies to see how things could potentially be different and more effective into the future. So those are our primary partners, yeah.   Carol: yeah. It's exciting. It's a cool group of people I really was thrilled to see in the very secret proposal that you would not share with us before we went in, and then you see what all the things are that are going to happen. You are always known, though, Chaz, for being the guy. You have those little fun projects that become part of the grant that you know, live on and people are able to carry out and they've created really cool things. This proposal with the exciting AI initiatives, can you share what tools like Case, Amplify and Sara Works are going to mean for state VR agencies?   Chaz: Absolutely. And I think it's important for folks to understand the why. Right. Like, why are these it's not just because they're fun and they are super fun. You're right. But there really is a reason behind developing these projects. And the primary reason is as agencies have implemented Wioa and this kind of goes back to lessons learned, right? We know that the data elements for, for instance, for the 911 and just the recording processes and all of the administrative responsibilities associated with being in compliance with the law and the regulations is a burden. It's a struggle, and especially in a period of time where recruitment and retention has been a challenge across the country. You know, when you lose people and they're the ones responsible for gathering and reporting this data, IT becomes a real challenge on everybody else. And I honestly, in my heart of hearts, believe that embracing advanced technology is the way out of this. It's the way to effectively respond to it. It's not by hiring more people to do administrative stuff, although that would be wonderful. But, you know, we're in this situation for a reason. And now we have right now, not ten years from now, but right today we have the capacity to turn our administrative burden into an AI driven function that alleviates that burden from VR staff. And that's what the why is behind this? Why are we doing this? Because we want agencies to see and participate. If you know, if they're able and willing in these projects to see what the impact could be. Now, of course, we don't know, for instance, what the impact will fully be. We have a vision for it. But part of what this is is an experiment, right? It's a pilot, if you will, to make sure that we can see how it works. So the idea is that and I'll take Sara because Sara's been around for a while now. A lot of agencies know Sara. They know what's possible. Several of them use the program. Now, in our case, like under the VR tech, we're going to be using Sara to do something for pre-employment transition services that we haven't done yet. Now we're ten years. 11 years. Well, I guess ten years really post implementation 2016 was the full implementation. So we're approaching the ten year mark. And while we focused on implementing projects and tracking and reporting and down to the individual consumer level and all that good stuff. Making sure costs are allowable, that people are spending their 15%, all that good stuff. What we haven't done a very good job of yet is evaluating the impact of those services on individuals themselves. Like how has it impacted them? What does it mean in terms of their future employability or future involvement in post-secondary Ed or whatever it is we're trying to determine? And so using Sara specifically to communicate and gather information with students or former students on the impact of periods, and then analyzing that data and showing the impact, that's really where we're zeroed in on this project for Sara Works. Case Amplify, well let me go to CRS. So Case Review Solutions is a new software program developed by two of our former colleagues in the WINTAC and the QM, Rachel Anderson and Brittany McIvor. So they know right? Like what is it about the review system, the case review process, the process, the quality assurance process that is lacking the internal control process, right? How do we fix that or help fix it anyway? Or help states analyze where the deficiencies are and then give them information real time quickly along multiple levels to help them address it so that it's not a consistent finding and monitoring reviews so that they're on top of the changes that they need to make. So again, it's another technology solution to a challenge facing agencies. And they're also developing a contract monitoring tool that's going to be available later on in the project. That will help states monitor another big one. Right. We hear all the time is we're not sure like whether those contracts are doing what they should be doing and the quality of service delivery and all that stuff. So that's going to help with that. Case Amplify is a AI program that Intellitech has developed. It's so exciting to talk about how this could potentially change. And I mean really change the way that VR staff are gathering and populating information into the case through case management system. Ultimately, it has the capacity ultimately to make the process hands free. That is, you can talk to an individual, and this system is listening and gathering information and populating all over into the CMS important data elements, summarizing meetings. And believe it or not, like if it does what we really want it to do, it's going to actually fill in the 911 data elements automatically based on these conversations at critical points along the pathway.   Carol: That's a game changer for people that alone with those what, 400 elements like that is a game changer.   Chaz: Yeah, I could not be more excited about this one than I am. I just think it's going to be revolutionary. You know, it's still in its development phase fully. It's still going to be kind of an experiment with agencies and how it integrates into their existing CMS. But that's part of why we call it a pilot, because it's supposed to be a way to kind of see if things work the way we want it to work.   Carol: It's so cool. I am really excited. I'm also excited about the whole evaluation part of projects because I long thought, you know, when I was back in Minnesota blind and we were getting all those funds spent on students and I'm like, we're getting at these kids earlier. I just knew in my heart of hearts like, this is going to make such a difference in their trajectory is going forward and employment, they're going to start better. They're going to start better in college because they're going to have all this exposure to things they had not had any exposure to. Finally, the time we get at being able to measure, is that really coming true? I mean, I believe it to be true, but it'll be nice to actually quantify it and go, yeah, this is what's happening for people. And we can see the real difference. And that investment that Congress had said all those years ago, we're going to invest in these kids. And they did it for a reason. And now the proof is going to be in the pudding with the results. I love it. So, Chaz, one of your goals was to strengthen the workforce. So tell us a little bit about the VR Fiscal Talent Accelerator and NRLI, the National Rehabilitation Leadership Institute.   Chaz: Yeah. Great. So most people know NRLI. They've heard about it in the past and or even many participated. I remember at one point a few years ago at a conference, Steve Wooderson said, hey, how many people here have gone to NRLI. And I swear, three quarters of the room raised their hand. So it's over 20 years old now, and it's a training program specifically targeted at the executive leadership level, staff of the VR program and preparing them over a year long process where we meet in person for a week, four weeks out of the year, three times in San Diego, one time in Washington, DC. And there's coaching and training contacts that go on throughout the course of the year in a cohort model. So that is supported by the VRTAC this time around. So that's kind of our primary executive leadership training tool. Then we're developing something new this time around. For those of you who are listening, who are familiar with the management concepts training that was part of the QM, that was the VR grants management certificate program that we developed as part of that center. This time around, we are specifically zeroing in on the fiscal folks in VR and preparing a kind of like, nearly like program for them, where we'll use the same cohort model. I'm not certain of all the details yet, but obviously, Carol, you'll be a super important part of that one. And we'll provide an opportunity for fiscal staff in VR agencies who some obviously like every other position turnover at times. And when they do turnover, if they take the knowledge with them and nobody's coming behind them, it can be really challenging. So the Fiscal Talent Accelerator program will be a way to help them understand all of the responsibilities right under fiscal responsibilities in the VR grant, helping them really manage those resources and effectively so that the agency has both not just in compliance, but has the resources available to serve as many folks as possible.   Carol: Absolutely. Yeah. I'm super excited about all of these projects. We've got a lot of work ahead. I know also, we had started spending some time under the QM addressing, you know, the recruitment and retention issues and leadership development and such. So how do you see that kind of expanding in the new grant?   Chaz: Well, it's definitely expanding. And so we're very excited about that because we know clearly that recruitment and retention especially was a just a real, real issue in the last five years. So we had a recruitment and retention pilot under the QM that worked with four states. And we have some really helpful tools and toolkits developed as a result of that. That's on the QM site now, will be brought forward under the VRTAC, but more importantly will be going into phase two from that process under the VRTAC, looking again at implementing those strategies and practices for recruitment and retention with other agencies, tracking the impact of that over time, and expanding the scope of that. John Walsh was really helpful in leading that effort under the QM, and he'll be doing that again. Also, we're developing onboarding resources for VR programs this time around, helping agencies kind of identify both what to include and giving them actual stuff and resources to include in an onboarding program for VR staff. We're moving beyond just the executive level of training for nearly into mid-level management and supervisory training. Training specifically targeted at those groups, which I think will be really helpful and certainly very needed and engaging in succession planning processes with agencies, both strategic planning and succession planning understanding the two of them are clearly linked, but giving agencies some real strategies and practices on how to develop a succession plan and implement that, so that we're not faced with this sort of mass exodus of institutional knowledge. When people both retire or resign and we're like, oh no, what do we do now? Right. So hopefully we're intending to create resources, training tools to help agencies address that proactively.   Carol: And we have some really awesome staff on this grant. This time around too, that can help. Our bench is deeper. You know, even in this area that are going to be able to help do that. So definitely. Meera, you have something you want to throw in there. I didn't forget you.   Meera: Oh I don't think so. Chaz covered all the practices and new projects really well.   Carol: Okay, Meera, I want you to tackle this one about the evaluation and data driving that ongoing improvement coming forward. Do you have thoughts about that? How's that going to look?   Meera: Sure. I think I spoke to this a little bit earlier, but to pick up from that thread, I mean, that is something we are consistently doing. We have multiple channels and approaches that monitor the work and the change that are taking place. We have custom built apps and tools that our IT group has created, so we can make sure that we're setting up plans and staying on track with the agencies and the work that we're doing with them. And we have stakeholders, partners, customers, all of whom can provide feedback in different ways. We meet regularly to discuss what we are hearing and what we are seeing. Formally speaking, we have two reports that are compiled and shared broadly, internally and with stakeholders. We hold meetings, review the findings, and consider recommendations by taking that report apart and into little bite, but continuously throughout the year. We're not waiting for those big report moments. Evaluation Group has been woven into the work we do. They are a part of all the regular meetings that are taking place for the center, and input is getting provided at the beginning and the middle at the end, all over again. It really is that measurable and real change and ongoing calibration towards that is our North star. That will continue to be so.   Carol: Led by the awesome you, which will be great.   Chaz: Exactly.   Carol: My final question to you too what will success look like for the VRTAC over the next five years. And Chaz, I'll ask you first.   Chaz: Well, it will be demonstrably changing for the better outcomes in the VR program and service delivery. It will be serving individuals with the kind of commitment to meeting their individual needs and wants and desires and employment factors, and agencies operating efficiently and effectively and having actual measurable outcome improvements. So simple as that.   Carol: That sounds good. Meera, how about you? What do you think?   Meera: Nothing to add. He stole it right there at the end. Measurable outcomes. Real change. Drop the mic.   Carol: Boom! I love it. So, how do people find you?   Chaz: Our website will be VRTAC or just VRTAC.org. We have the site kind of really in its shell form right now. We're developing it. Give us a couple of months to get it fully going, but if you need to reach us, you can certainly contact any of us through the channels that you would normally reach us through the VRTAC-QM. Can send an email to me or to you or anybody else on the team. And at this point, I think most agencies are able to reach us in whatever way they want. But soon the website will be up and running and they can get us there or any number of ways.   Carol: Awesome. Well, I sure appreciate both joining me this morning. It was super cool. And we can check back in in a couple years too and go like, woo, where are things now? It'll be fun to report on some more successes. So thank you both. Have a great day.   Chaz: Thanks, Carol. Appreciate you having us.   Meera: Thank you.   Outro Voice: Conversations powered by VR. One manager at a time. One minute at a time. Brought to you by the VRTAC. Catch all of our podcast episodes by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for listening.

On today's sponsored episode, HousingWire president and returning Power House host Clayton Collins sits down with Jennifer McGuinness, the CEO of Pivot Financial. With her extensive Wall Street background and her experience at Deutsche Bank, CoreVest, and WinWater, Jennifer brings unparalleled expertise to today's conversation about non-QM products and the future of mortgage securitization Clayton and Jennifer dive deep into product diversification strategies, the importance of prudent underwriting, and the innovative securitization framework that Pivot is developing to level the playing field for small and mid-sized lenders. They also tackle persistent non-QM misconceptions, explore the untapped potential of first and second lien HELOCs, and discuss how VantageScore 4.0 could reshape credit evaluation. Here's what you'll learn: Why non-QM products are essential for lender survival in today's market, not risky subprime lending How first lien HELOCs can serve as game-changing cash management tools for borrowers The real story behind VantageScore vs. FICO and what bond markets aren't telling you Pivot's revolutionary securitization framework could democratize liquidity for smaller lenders Why product innovation — not just rates and asset prices — holds the key to housing affordability Related to this episode:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jennifer McGuinness | LinkedIn Pivot Financial Pivot Financial | LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HousingWire | YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Enjoy the episode! The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire president Diego Sanchez every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they're differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I sit down with 24-year-old powerhouse Cameron Burke, and let me tell you — this guy is the real deal. With over $85M in retail sales, $8M+ in personal real estate holdings, and a team of 8 agents under his belt, Cameron has built a real estate empire using creative finance strategies — and he's just getting started. He opens up about his rough upbringing, how he started flipping cars and fridges in high school, and how his drive and hustle turned into a thriving business in Oklahoma City. We talk about everything from lease options, non-QM loans, and scaling with systems, to building a replicable model for agents and investors alike. Cameron drops wisdom on intrinsic motivation, mentorship, leadership, and even his philosophy on dopamine, discipline, and avoiding burnout. It's one of the most honest, raw, and inspiring episodes we've ever done. About Cameron: Cameron Burke is a 24-year-old real estate entrepreneur, investor, and founder of Creative Homes Group based in Oklahoma City. By age 24, he had closed over $85 million in retail real estate sales, built a personal portfolio exceeding $8 million in holdings, and led a team of 8+ agents specializing in creative finance, lease options, and non-QM deals. Known for his hands-on leadership, strategic marketing, and meteoric rise from humble beginnings, Cameron is quickly becoming a national voice in innovative real estate investing. He also runs a fast-growing YouTube channel sharing insights for agents, investors, and aspiring entrepreneurs. Connect with Cameron Burke YouTube: @CameronBurkeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/c.burkeFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/CameronBurkeCreative Homes Group: https://www.creativehomesgroup.com About Justin: After investing in real estate for over 18 years and almost 3000 deals done, Justin has created a business that generates 7 figures in active income through wholesaling and fix and flipping as well as accumulating millions of dollars of rental properties including 5 apartment buildings, 50+ single family homes, and 1 storage facility Justins longevity in real estate is due to his ability to look around the corners, adapt to changing markets, perfecting Raising private capital, and focusing on lead generation which allows him to not just wholesale and fix & flip, but also accumulate wealth through long term holds. His success in real estate led him to start The Entrepreneur DNA podcast and The Science Of Flipping podcast and education company, and REI LIVE where he's actively doing deals with members. He has coached and mentored thousands of aspiring and active investors over the last decade. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof • • LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Chrisman Commentary Daily Mortgage News Podcast delivers timely insights for mortgage lenders, loan officers, capital markets professionals, and anyone curious about the mortgage and housing industry. Hosted by industry expert Robbie Chrisman, each weekday episode breaks down mortgage rates, lending news, housing market trends, capital markets activity, and regulatory updates with insightful analysis, expert perspectives, and conversations with top professionals from across the mortgage industry. Stay informed, gain actionable insights, and keep up with developments in mortgage banking and housing finance. Learn more at www.chrismancommentary.com.In today's episode, we go through the latest tariff news and other government happenings as they pertain to the mortgage industry. Plus, Robbie sits down with Angel Oak's Tom Hutchens for a discussion on the impact of the Fed's rate cuts on mortgage activity and the potential for increased demand for non-QM products like HELOCs. And today brings the latest inflation reading in the form of Fed-favorite PCE.This week's podcasts are sponsored by BeSmartee, the most innovative mortgage technology platform for banks, credit unions, and non-bank mortgage lenders. 

Shante Duffy recently joined the Call The Underwriter team! In this podcast episode, Dan sits down with Shante Duffy to talk about her journey in real estate investing and loan servicing. From starting as an administrative assistant to managing assets, Shante shares how her career has evolved and what inspired her to join Dan's team to learn the underwriting process. Together, they dive into the key differences between loan origination and servicing—touching on compliance, borrower interactions, and the challenges of managing loans throughout their lifecycle. Shante also reflects on her experiences in the note investing space and looks ahead to exciting plans for team growth, including expansion into non-QM lending and licensing in new states. Want to create your own seller-financed notes? MAKE SURE YOUR NOTES ARE SELLABLE, VALUABLE, AND COMPLIANT: https://calltheunderwriter.com/ Are you Ready to work with Dan to learn how to invest in notes yourself? COMPREHENSIVE NOTE BUYING COURSE: https://www.notelaunchpad.com  

As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe In this episode, I speak with Frederic Schuller, an award-winning theoretical physicist and professor, who insists the undergrad tale of energy sloshing between kinetic and potential is just talk unless the math says so. Borrowing Port-Hamiltonian thinking, he's building probability ports to pull measurement talk into actual quantum formalism—no change to QM, just sharper math. He also flips gravity: start from the matter action and construct the compatible gravitational dynamics—Maxwell in, Einstein–Hilbert out. And if nature ever breaks our current causal picture, the scheme points to richer structures (and the gravity to match)—a modest idea, pushed hard. Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e Timestamps: - 00:00 - Deriving Einstein from Maxwell Alone - 05:55 - Why Energy Doesn't Flow in Quantum Systems - 11:45 - How Modest Ideas Lead to Spacetime Revolution - 19:00 - Matter Dynamics Dictate Spacetime Geometry - 24:03 - Maxwell to Einstein-Hilbert Action - 31:00 - If Light Rays Split in Vacuum Then Einstein is Wrong - 38:04 - When Your Theory is Wrong - 46:10 - From Propositional Logic to Differential Geometry - 54:00 - Never Use Motivating Examples - 1:02:00 - Why Only Active Researchers Should Teach - 1:09:40 - High Demands as Greatest Motivator - 1:16:00 - Is Gravity a Force? - 1:27:00 - Academic Freedom vs Bureaucratic Science - 1:38:00 - Why String Theory Didn't Feel Right - 1:46:05 - Formal vs Conceptual Understanding - 1:54:10 - Master Any Subject: Check Every Equal Sign - 2:04:00 - The Drama of Blackboard Teaching - 2:13:15 - Why Physical Presence Matters in Universities Links Mentioned: - Frederic's Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations - Frederic's Lectures: https://www.youtube.com/@FredericSchuller - Frederic's Bio: https://people.utwente.nl/f.p.schuller - General Relativity Lecture Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist - Quantum Harmonic Oscillator [Lecture]: https://youtu.be/s3I_MGfGm-w - Constructive Gravity [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2003.09726 - Geometry Of Manifolds [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/hep-th/0508170 - Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/7oWip00iXbo - Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/sGm505TFMbU - All Possible Paths [TOE]: https://youtu.be/XcY3ZtgYis0 - Neil Turok [TOE]: https://youtu.be/ZUp9x44N3uE - Space-Time Structure [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Space-Time-Structure-Cambridge-Science-Classics/dp/0521315204 - Greg Chaitin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/PoEuav8G6sY - Ivette Fuentes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/cUj2TcZSlZc - Ted Jacobson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8 - Eva Miranda [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6XyMepn-AZo - Jonathan Oppenheim [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6Z_p3viqW1g - String Theory Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY - Sabine Hossenfelder [TOE]: https://youtu.be/E3y-Z0pgupg - Leonard Susskind [TOE]: https://youtu.be/2p_Hlm6aCok - What Is Energy? [TOE]: https://youtu.be/hQk9GLZ0Fms - Claudia De Rham [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ve_Mpd6dGv8 SUPPORT: - Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join - Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 SOCIALS: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt - Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Guests do not pay to appear. Theories of Everything receives revenue solely from viewer donations, platform ads, and clearly labelled sponsors; no guest or associated entity has ever given compensation, directly or through intermediaries. #science Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Harris speaks with David Deutsch about quantum physics and current events. They discuss the “many-worlds” interpretation of QM, Schrödinger's cat, constructor theory,  quantum computing and whether it will ever be practically possible, recent developments in AI, the prospects of artificial super-intelligence, the alignment problem, antisemitism and the historical persecution of Jews, misconceptions about Israel, the future of the Jews in Israel and the West, and other topics. If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe. Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That's why Sam Harris created the Waking Up app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life's most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of meditation and explores the theory behind it.