Episode 37
With – Ken Perry
Ken Perry on Leadership, Confidence, and Building a Mortgage Career That Survives Any Market
The Way Podcast with Dino Katsiametis
Guest: Ken Perry, Founder & President of Knowledge Coop
Industry: Mortgage, Lending, Leadership, Education
Topics: Mortgage Market Cycles, Confidence, Coaching vs Therapy, Systems, AI, Knowledge Coop
Episode Summary
In this episode of The Way Podcast, Dino Katsiametis sits down with Ken Perry, founder of Knowledge Coop and one of the most respected educators in the mortgage industry.
Ken shares hard-earned lessons from more than two decades in lending, leadership, and education — including how to survive market crashes, avoid identity-driven burnout, and build systems that scale through every cycle.
This conversation goes far beyond tactics. It explores confidence through knowledge, the danger of misplaced attribution in both good and bad markets, and why most mortgage professionals struggle not because of the market — but because they were never prepared for volatility.
If you want to build a sustainable mortgage career, lead with confidence, and stay grounded regardless of market conditions, this episode is essential.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Identity, Confidence, and Leadership (00:00–05:30)
⦁ Why self-worth should never be tied to production numbers
⦁ How strong leaders separate identity from performance
⦁ Playing to strengths while building teams to support weaknesses
ADHD, Strengths, and Entrepreneurship (05:30–12:45)
⦁ Why ADHD is common among entrepreneurs and CEOs
⦁ Turning distraction into creativity and vision
⦁ Why ideas without execution always fail
Therapy vs Coaching for Mortgage Professionals (12:45–22:00)
⦁ The difference between emotional healing and strategic growth
⦁ Why leaders need both therapy and executive coaching
⦁ Navigating layoffs, failure, and criticism as a business owner
Mortgage Market Cycles and Misplaced Attribution (22:00–33:00)
⦁ Why market booms create false confidence
⦁ Why crashes feel personal — and shouldn’t
⦁ How to stay emotionally steady in volatile mortgage markets
⦁ Why “normal” never exists in lending
Preparing for the Next Market Shift (33:00–46:30)
⦁ Why knowledge is the ultimate competitive advantage
⦁ How lack of confidence always traces back to lack of preparation
⦁ Studying guidelines, products, and scenarios before you need them
Systems, Scale, and Sustainable Production (46:30–58:30)
⦁ Why systems — not hustle — determine loan volume
⦁ The “kitchen capacity” analogy for mortgage businesses
⦁ Fixing operations before production accelerates
⦁ Why top producers obsess over process, not effort
Lead Generation vs Referral-Based Businesses (58:30–1:12:00)
⦁ The real truth about purchasing mortgage leads
⦁ When lead generation works — and when it doesn’t
⦁ Treating your mortgage career like a real business
⦁ Why relationships still outperform transactions
What Is Knowledge Coop? (1:12:00–1:20:30)
⦁ How Knowledge Coop supports mortgage education at scale
⦁ Training, intranet, internal communication, and AI tools
⦁ Why internal knowledge systems drive long-term success
Favorite Books and Life Philosophy (1:20:30–1:27:00)
⦁ Why Ecclesiastes shapes Ken’s worldview
⦁ Why Love Is the Killer App defines his approach to business
⦁ Long-term thinking, humility, and perspective
How Ken Would Make $1M as a Loan Officer Today (1:27:00–1:36:00)
⦁ Why education leads to trust — and trust leads to business
⦁ Becoming the expert your market actually needs
⦁ Teaching, speaking, and leading instead of selling
AI, the Future, and Why Ignoring It Is Risky (1:36:00–End)
⦁ Where AI actually creates leverage in mortgage and business
⦁ Why “I tried AI once” is a dangerous mindset
⦁ Ethical concerns, parenting, and long-term implications of AI
Books Mentioned in This Episode
Love Is the Killer App — Tim Sanders
A leadership and business classic focused on trust, relationships, and long-term success
About Ken Perry
Ken Perry is the Founder and President of Knowledge Coop, a mortgage education and technology platform used by lenders nationwide. He is a nationally recognized speaker, educator, and advocate for knowledge-driven confidence in the mortgage industry.
⦁ Instagram: ⦁ @adhdceo
⦁ Company: ⦁ Knowledge Coop
Final Takeaway
Mortgage success isn’t about avoiding highs and lows — it’s about preparing for them.
Knowledge builds confidence.
Confidence builds trust.
Trust builds careers that last.
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