Mortgage broker podcasts / For brokers and the industry

Lending Thoughts

Bekim Merdita

Interviews with industry experts aimed at helping Canadian brokers become better mortgage professionals; host is an executive at Rocket Mortgage Canada.

Status: inactive · Rocket Mortgage Canada (host is EVP)

YouTube channel: 34 subscribers · 11.2K views · 86 videosPublic YouTube figures as of 2026-10-29; subscriber counts are rounded by YouTube.

Episodes

Apr 2, 202538 min
21: Lessons Learned From Rocket Mortgage Canada’s Journey with Rocket Mortgage Canada's Chris Colasanti
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is again joined by Chris Colasanti. Chris is a founding team member of Rocket Mortgage Canada and the VP of Strategy & Analytics and Rocket Pro at Rocket Mortgage Canada from Windsor, Ontario. A graduate of the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics, Chris has brought an innovative and energetic demeanor as well as a passion for technology and data driven decision making to Rocket Mortgage Canada since 2020. Chris is here to discuss: → Why it's so hard to start a lender in Canada, including: Canada'
Mar 26, 202535 min
20: Building a Culture of Continuous Improvements with Rocket Mortgage Canada's Kyle Dionne
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Kyle Dionne. Kyle is the Senior Director of Brokerage & Lender Operations at Rocket Mortgage Canada. Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, he also attended the University of Windsor, where he achieved an honours degree in Labour Studies & Sociology, and eventually got a Bachelor of Education. Kyle and his family then moved to England, where he spent a decade teaching, before returning home to Windsor in the summer of 2020. Kyle is a dynamic and results-driven senior leader, specializing in
Mar 19, 202540 min
19: Turning Family Values Into Business Success with Pineapple's Shubha Dasgupta
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Shubha Dasgupta. Shubha is the Co-Founder, President, & CEO of Toronto-based Pineapple, a leading mortgage industry disruptor. Since joining the mortgage industry in 2008, Shubha has focused on leveraging technology while prioritizing customer experience to transform the sector. As an award-winning executive, his unique vision and expertise have been instrumental in building and growing Pineapple, which boasts over 700 brokers in its network today. Shubha is also a philanthropic leader who ac
Mar 5, 202545 min
18: Living Life By Design, Not Default with MCAP's Megan McDonald
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on Youtube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Megan McDonald. An industry legend, Megan is the Sr. Vice-President of Single Family Sales at MCAP from Vancouver, BC. MCAP is Canada’s largest independent mortgage financing company, with annual sales exceeding $20 billion and over $150 billion in Mortgages Under Administration (MUA). Since joining MCAP in 2006, Megan’s transformative leadership has led to innovations in coaching, culture, and customer experience. Currently, Megan is charged with driving the growth of the flagship brands through
Feb 26, 202539 min
17: The Gift of Perspective from a “Cancer Thriver” with Collective Mortgage Group's Christine Buemann
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on Youtube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Christine Buemann. Christine is a Mortgage Broker and also a Co-Founder & Co-Owner of The Collective Mortgage Group from Prince George, BC. Christine started her mortgage journey in 2010 at 24-years-old, priding herself on making her clients' well-being her utmost priority. Since 2022, Christine has also been a "cancer thriver", and candidly shares her courageous journey with the world. The Collective Mortgage Group is a boutique brokerage designed for experienced Brokers to maintain their au
Feb 19, 202535 min
16: Innovating in Canada’s Real Estate Industry with Wahi's Benjy Katchen
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on Youtube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Benjy Katchen. Benjy is the Co-Founder & CEO of Wahi Real Estate from Toronto, Ontario. Previously revolutionizing the banking sector at President's Choice Financial and Founding Oaken Financial at HomeTrust, Benjy brings 20 years of experience in creating customer-centric digital solutions to Wahi, a digital real estate platform & brokerage that helps consumers have a better experience when searching and buying a property. Wahi is the winner of multiple awards including Canadian Business
Feb 12, 202533 min
15: Mortgage Insurance Isn’t a Fee, It’s the Pathway to Homeownership with Sagen's Ivy Budisavljevic
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on Youtube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Ivy Budisavljevic. Ivy is the Vice-President of Business Development at Sagen, Canada’s largest private mortgage insurance provider. Over the past 15 years, Ivy has worked her way up from summer intern to Sagen’s Sales Leadership Team, and is now responsible for developing strategies that will drive prudent market share growth and develop a sustainable competitive advantage. In addition, Ivy is also the Secretary on the Executive Board of Directors at Mortgage Professionals Canada (MPC), a non-pr
Feb 5, 202532 min
14: How to Gain a Massive Competitive Advantage with Tango Financial's Dean Larson
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on Youtube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Dean Larson. Dean is the President & CEO at Tango Financial, a progressive, technology focused, coast-to-coast mortgage brokerage group. In addition, Dean is also in the private mortgage space as a Founder and Director of Northern Alliance Trust, a residential mortgage income fund, and Shelter Lending, an alternative mortgage lender. With over 25 years of experience in the finance and technology sectors, Dean has a proven track record of leading innovative teams and implementing strategic ini
Jan 29, 202537 min
13: How to Build a Mortgage Company With $50 at a Coffee Shop with Indi Mortgage's Gord Appel
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on Youtube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Gord Appel. Gord is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Indi Mortgage, formerly Axiom Mortgage Solutions, from Calgary, Alberta. Being in sales his whole life, everything from door-to-door vacuum sales to retail electronics, Gord was able to develop the soft skills that have become a major key to his success. Gord has been in mortgages for 20 years now, and running Indi Mortgage for the last five and a half with his business partner, Gord Ross, and their silent partner, Tanya Appel, and has beco
Jan 22, 202536 min
12: The Movement from Banker to Broker with Super Mortgage Man Joe Bondy
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on Youtube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Joe Bondy. Joe is an award-winning Mortgage Broker and the Co-Founder of Super Mortgage Team from Windsor, Ontario. Joe has been in the mortgage industry for 22 years. Growing up on a farm, he learned invaluable lessons about sales, entrepreneurship, and hard work that would later become the foundation of his success. After spending 18 years at banks as a Mortgage Specialist with BMO & RBC, Joe decided he wanted more freedom for himself and his clients, and decided to take the plunge, become
Jan 15, 202536 min
11: How to Find “A-Players” for Your Business with Rocket Mortgage Canada's Chris Colasanti
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Chris Colasanti. Chris is a founding team member of Rocket Mortgage Canada and the VP of Strategy & Analytics and Rocket Pro at Rocket Mortgage Canada from Windsor, Ontario. Rocket Pro is a lending team dedicated to helping broker grow. A graduate of the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics, Chris has brought an innovative and energetic demeanor as well as a passion for technology and data driven decision making to Rocket Mortgage Canada since 2020. Chris is here to discuss: → Buildin
Jan 8, 202532 min
10: Why AI is the Ketchup to Your CRM Fries with BluMortgage's Tom Hall
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Tom Hall. Tom is the Co-Founder & Co-CEO of BluMortgage from Toronto, Ontario, one of the top independent CRMs for mortgage brokers in Canada. Used by 3 of the top 5 brokers in the country and over $11.5B in mortgage volume managed annually, BluMortgage is leading the transition from a historically manual-process to a digital-first experience for agents and their customers, and was named one of the Globe & Mail's Top Growing Companies in 2024. Tom is also the host of the Mortgage Tech Tal
Dec 20, 202440 min
9: How Great Property Data Saves Everyone Time and Money with Scott Larter
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Scott Larter. Scott is the VP of Business Development at OPTA Information Intelligence, and is also the VP of Data Solution Sales at FCT (First Canadian Title). OPTA and FCT entered a partnership in 2020 to focus on building data products for the mortgage industry, amassing a database of 18 million residential and 7 million commercial properties across Canada. In 2024, Scott became the Co-Founder and CEO of BrokerBot, a lead conversion and customer engagement solution with monthly real estate mar
Dec 11, 202427 min
8: Creating Scalable Business Systems with Rocket Pro's Brendan Woodfull
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Brendan Woodfull. Brendan is the Divisional VP of Sales for Rocket Pro, a Division of Rocket Mortgage Canada. Rocket Pro is a team dedicated to helping broker partners submit deals to the Rocket Mortgage Canada lending channel. A former NCAA athlete who has worked for Rocket Mortgage in both Canada and the US, Brendan uses his experiences to partner with mortgage agents and brokers from across the country. Brendan is here to discuss: → His journey to and within the NCAA playing soccer, the impact
Dec 4, 202434 min
7: Funding Mortgages in 24 Hours with FundMore.ai's Chris Grimes
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Chris Grimes. Chris is the Co-Founder & CEO of FundMore.ai, and has worked in the financial industry for 20 years. Gaining experience in wealth management, credit lending, and mortgage origination, he is passionate about advancing the mortgage industry through technology and forward-thinking initiatives. FundMore.ai is an automated underwriting system that uses machine learning to streamline the pre-funding process for loans. The mission? To make home-ownership more accessible. Chris is here
Nov 27, 202438 min
6: Why a Great Real Estate Process is Like "The Bear" with Deeded's Reuven Gorsht
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Reuven Gorsht. Reuven is the Founder & CEO of Deeded from Toronto, Ontario, who's an entrepreneur with a passion for solving big, challenging problems. Reuven has helped transform and evolve multi-billion dollar corporations into new business models, products, and paradigms, and also built a very successful startup from the ground up. Deeded is a technology platform that provides a virtual real estate and mortgage closing experience, whose mission it is to make real estate transactions fricti
Nov 20, 202435 min
5: Professionalism Over Politeness with Rocket Mortgage Canada's Alex Meloche
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Alex Meloche. Alex is the Divisional VP of Sales at Rocket Mortgage Canada. He has been with the company since May of 2020. Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario and coming from a big family, Alex picked up strong communication and story-telling skills from a young age, and has parlayed that into a very successful career in sales. With a professional life spanning the past 2 decades in industries such as debt and legal collections, dental, office & furniture, and now mortgages, Alex has continu
Nov 13, 202436 min
4: Building Lasting Referral Relationships with 8Twelve Mortgage's Gary Fooks
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on Youtube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Gary Fooks. Gary is the Co-Founder & CEO of both 8Twelve Mortgage & 8Twelve Financial Technologies from Toronto, Ontario, who stumbled across the mortgage industry at the end of 2014. From working on Wall Street to scaling sales organizations with technology, it only took Gary 3 years to hit $100M in yearly mortgage volume, with 99% of it coming from referrals. Gary parlayed that success into Co-Founding 8Twelve Mortgage in 2018, leveraging technology and automation to implement his prove
Nov 6, 202437 min
3: Leading Your Tribe with Tribe Financial’s Frances Hinojosa
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on Youtube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Frances Hinojosa. Frances is the Co-Founder, Principal Broker, and CEO of Tribe Financial Group from Oakville, Ontario, who's won numerous accolades over her 30 years in the mortgage industry. A seasoned leader whose career spans from starting in the bank to running a firm and her own practice, Frances has always been a trusted resource for mortgage advice, sitting on many advisory boards, including MPC, and been featured across all forms of media, including the Globe and Mail and CP24. Possessin
Oct 30, 202430 min
2: Launching & Learning with BRX Mortgage & ILMBs Scott Peckford
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on Youtube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In this episode, Bekim is joined by Scott Peckford. Scott is the Founder and CEO of BRX Mortgage and both the I Love Mortgage Brokering Podcast and Facebook Group from Kelowna, BC. Being in the mortgage industry since 2006, Scott has never been scared to take risks and try new things. He's also built multiple successful businesses including the VIP Club and the 10 Loans a Month Training Academy, and is one of the most influential people in the Canadian mortgage industry. Scott is here to discuss: → Scott's journey in the mortgage i
Oct 23, 202431 min
1: Why Building a Mortgage Business is Like Building a Tesla with Rocket Mortgage Canada President Hash Aboulhosn
WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on Youtube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION In the inaugural episode, Bekim is joined by Hash Aboulhosn. Hash is the President and Co-Founder of Rocket Mortgage Canada from Vancouver, BC, which originally launched as Edison Financial in 2020. Edison Financial rebranded to Rocket Mortgage Canada on August 8, 2022, doing business under the brand Rocket Mortgage™️ throughout the country. The company’s mission is to simplify the home loan process, just as sister company under the Rocket Companies (NYSE: RKT), Rocket Mortgage, LLC, has done successfully in the U.S. Hash is here t
Oct 16, 20241 min
Lending Thoughts Podcast Trailer
Welcome to the Lending Thoughts podcast, a Canadian Mortgage Broker’s top source for timely, industry-leading insights to help you become a better mortgage professional. Join Bekim Merdita, a trusted name in mortgages and the EVP of Rocket Mortgage Canada, as he hosts conversations with industry experts and leaders to keep you informed on the latest and greatest in the Canadian mortgage landscape. Let the Lending Thoughts podcast be your guide to growing your tactics, expertise, and ultimately, your business, in this highly competitive mortgage market. *** CONNECT WITH THE SHOW 🎙️ Lending Tho

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Directory compiled 2026-10-28. Details come from public listings and the show’s own feed.