Content Library

After serving the longest presidency in the Mortgage Bankers Association of New Jersey’s history, Matthew VanFossen reflects on his achievements, including increased engagement and revitalized events. Host LaDonna Lockard and VanFossen emphasize the importance of young professionals entering the mortgage industry to ensure continued growth. VanFossen highlights standout sessions from the recent conference, praising emerging leaders and regional collaboration as keys to the association's success.

In this energizing edition of Max Convos, LaDonna chats with Matthew Blackmer, VP of Business Development at West Capital Lending, about the power of presence, visibility, and authentic leadership. Matthew shares actionable insights on building influence and business by simply showing up and being yourself. He also reflects on the importance of LGBTQIA+ representation and trust in the mortgage industry.

Dylan Latour, founder of Inkpress Digital, discusses his evolving role in shaping content strategies for CEOs, founders, and loan officers in the mortgage space with LaDonna. He explores the power of LinkedIn for professional storytelling and emphasizes the importance of authenticity, especially during Pride Month. Dylan’s advice bridges leadership, representation, and industry innovation.

What started as a passion for financial education turned into First Home IQ—a platform giving mortgage pros the tools to educate and inspire first-time buyers. In this interview, Kristen Messerli shares how she’s helping reshape the conversation around down payments, affordability, and outreach through content, quizzes, and community.

In this mid-year update, RETR CEO Steven Wynands and host LaDonna Lockard discuss the slow data rollout from regulatory bodies, surprising surges in new MLO and real estate licenses, and what these shifts signal for the housing market. With sales forecasts being revised downward, they explore how industry professionals can still find opportunity. The conversation emphasizes proactive

Maximum Acceleration is officially now MaxClass and I’m thrilled to announce our new name and look!

Over the past year, our small but mighty team has been working around the clock to create courses we know our students will love and the 5-star reviews you all have been leaving us speak for themselves.

I can’t wait to share everything we’ve been working on as well as some exciting updates regarding our online CE offerings that are coming very soon (including some incredible discounts so be sure to keep an eye out), but until then, you can find us teaching live classes at one of these events.

Our new name is just the beginning. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us and I can’t wait to continue to take it to the max with all of you!

I'm so proud to be able to support women in the mortgage industry through the Mortgage Women Leadership Council.

I truly love being a member of the MWLC, as well as an advisory board member. We have big goals for what we want to see out of this group so if you haven't already, I hope you'll consider joining the council and support the other incredible, like-minded women within the mortgage industry.

It's totally free to you with the code "MAXCLASS" and I can assure you that the trajectory of what we can accomplish together will improve greatly with each new member.

Big news, friends! I'm beyond excited to share that Max Class is the official education provider for the Originator Connect Network in 2025! That means at every Originator Connect event across the country, you’ll have the chance to renew your NMLS license for FREE—and I’ll be there to help you level up your business.

If you've never been to an Originator Connect Network event, let me tell you—you're missing out. It’s where the best in the industry come together to learn, network, and get ahead. And now, thanks to this partnership, you can knock out your CE while you're there, on the house. No stress, no last-minute scrambling. Just show up, learn, and leave with everything you need to stay compliant and stay competitive.

So, check out the 2025 event lineup at OriginatorConnectNetwork.com, find a show near you, and come say hi. I can’t wait to meet you, share some game-changing strategies, and make sure you’re set up for success. See you there! 🚀