What if the idea that tech puts your employees out of a job was a myth? What if effective automation and digitization actually allows employers to mobilize their people to more engaging, rewarding jobs that require more complexity and ownership?

There are few feelings more rewarding than hearing from a prospect “So-and-so highly recommends you.” That’s because it’s earned.

So now it’s 2022. And it looks a little like…2020. And a little like 2021. Only not. In fact, if 2020 and 2021 have taught us anything, it’s that we really don’t know what 2022 will bring. Right now, all signs point to yet another year of uncertainty, volatility and turmoil.

2022 will be a bit of a different year for the mortgage industry. A good year, but one that likely looks a little different than the past two or three. A lot of good may come from that, in fact.

While nobody enjoys cutting expenses from a human perspective—especially when the expenses in question are, in fact, human, it also gives us cause to review how our industry views its people—how far it’s come and perhaps how much change might be in the offing. The loan officer (LO) is a great example.

We recently got an email promoting the MBA’s yearly Technology Solutions Conference & Expo (taking place April 11 – 14 in Las Vegas). This is a great show which we at LodeStar try to attend annually. We do produce an online closing cost calculator, after all. But, in most years, we probably wouldn’t have much to say about the show until during or after.

We live in a society and work in an industry that celebrates hard work, self-sacrifice and dedication to one’s business, brand or craft. All noble ideals, to be sure. Yet sometimes, if we’re honest about it, it also seems like we expect life to be run like a marathon.

Well, it’s that time of year again. And while, like you, we’re all really busy—especially as 2021 draws to a close—we’re grateful that the Thanksgiving holiday forces us to slow down and reflect. As a society, we don’t do that well or really even make it easy to do. But we think it’s something we could all use a bit more of. So let’s start by being grateful that we have an opportunity to be….well, grateful!

Even though it hasn’t been 2020 in terms of seismic change, 2021 has been another roller coaster of a year (and yes, we’re going to start referring to 2021 from the rearview mirror—2022 will only be about six weeks away by the time you read this!). We’ve talked enough about all the different factors, trends and changes which have shaken the “just another day at the office” mentality.