In this man on the street interview, we talk with Michael Iuculano, known as Hard Money Mike, a top alternative lender and founder of MJI Capital. Michael shares how he built a hard money operation that closes deals in days, not weeks, and reveals the systems behind a 24-year, $2B+ lending track record.

In this Episode we cover:

Why hard money is not one size fits all and how Mike picks quality deals outside the traditional bank box

- The mindset shift brokers need to thrive in hard money lending
- Why trust, speed, and creativity matter more than ever in 2025’s lending market
- How a robust referral pipeline and persistent marketing drove 2,000+ loans and inbound leads
- The future outlook for hard money and how brokers can position themselves now
- How his team qualifies borrowers by looking for reasons to kill a deal to save time and avoid bad fits

📲 Follow Hard Money Mike:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hardmoneymichael
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-iuculano
Website: https://mjicapital.com

#hardmoney #hardmoneylending #realestateinvesting #realestate #privatelending #mortgagebroker #realestatelending #investmentproperty #realestateinvestor #podcast

In this episode of Local Leverage, hosted by Mark Hockridge, we sit down with Wade Betz, the "No-Fluff Mortgage Coach" and one of the top mortgage brokers in the country. Wade transitioned from old-school sales tactics to a modern, client-centric approach - and now generates 65% of his business from past clients every single year.

Wade shares his insights on:

✅ How to stand out in a saturated mortgage market
✅ Building a mortgage business with 65% repeat clients
✅ Referral systems that generate consistent leads
✅ Why sales activity tracking is the #1 driver of income
✅ How to future-proof your mortgage business from AI disruption

If you're a mortgage professional or anyone in the mortgage, this episode is packed with game-changing insights you won’t want to miss!

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:
🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-leverage/id1795083813
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/69MV8neMEaenwPp2HmUTdb
🎧 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/95353ab5-ae11-488e-a6cc-1de91aadfee1/local-leverage

📺 Watch More Episodes:
🔗 Checkout More Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAcwlSorbjF_2y1a-zelJIuMvHJJdqDEa

📲 Follow Local Leverage:
🌐 Website https://www.propertyradar.com/learn/l...
📸 Instagram: / localleverage_ig
📘 Facebook: / localleveragepodcast

📲 Follow Mark Hockridge:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-hockridge/
🔗 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/markhockridge/

📲 Follow Wade Betz:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wadebetz/
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wadebetz/
🌐 Website: https://www.betterwithwade.com
🌐 Join Wade’s Team: https://www.betterwithwade.com/partners

📲 Follow The Betz Team:
🌐 Website: https://www.betterwithwade.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterwithwade
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BetterWithWade

#mortgagebroker
#loanofficertips
#referralstrategy
#clientretention
#realestatemarketing
#homebuyertips
#repeatbusiness
#mortgagestrategy
#financialadvice
#localbusinessgrowth
#referralmarketing
#mortgagebusiness
#homeloantips
#mortgagecoach
#realestategrowth

In this episode of Local Leverage, hosted by Mark Hockridge, we sit down with Ben Allgeyer, a foreclosure investor and founder of a lean, high-volume real estate operation.

Ben transitioned from working broad lead lists and chasing volume to focusing exclusively on pre-foreclosure leads pulled directly from county records, where he’s now closing four deals per week,

Ben shares insights on:

✅ How to pull pre-foreclosure data daily - straight from the source
✅ Building empathetic seller conversations that convert
✅ How to handle complex title, multiple liens, and short sale opportunities
✅ Using automation and AI to manage leads and auctions at scale

If you're a real estate investor, wholesaler, or local business owner looking to close more deals without bloated marketing, this episode is packed with tactical insight you won’t want to miss!

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:
🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-leverage/id1795083813
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/69MV8neMEaenwPp2HmUTdb
🎧 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/95353ab5-ae11-488e-a6cc-1de91aadfee1/local-leverage

📺 Watch More Episodes:
🔗 Checkout More Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAcwlSorbjF_2y1a-zelJIuMvHJJdqDEa

📲 Follow Local Leverage:
🌐 Website https://www.propertyradar.com/learn/l...
📸 Instagram: / localleverage_ig
📘 Facebook: / localleveragepodcast

📲 Follow Mark Hockridge:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-hockridge/
🔗 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/markhockridge/

📺 Watch More Episodes:
🔗 Checkout More Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAcwlSorbjF_2y1a-zelJIuMvHJJdqDEa

📲 Follow Ben:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebenallgeyer/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ben.allgeyer.9

#ForeclosureInvesting
#PreForeclosureDeals
#RealEstateInvesting
#OffMarketDeals
#DistressedProperties
#InvestorsMindset
#AutomationInBusiness
#LocalLeveragePodcast