EP 68: From Lending to Tech & Back Again: Lawrence Schwartz on Playing the Long Game

In this episode of Mortgage Tech Talks, Tom sits down with Lawrence Schwartz—Co-Founder of Mortgage Automator and now back in the lending game with Golden Bell Capital.

They dive into:

• Why trade shows are massively undervalued

• The behind-the-scenes story of how Mortgage Automator was built (and sold)

• Balancing lending with tech startup life

• How great partners made all the difference

• Why Lawrence walked away from "early retirement" to get back into lending

Whether you’re a broker, lender, or aspiring fintech founder, this episode is packed with wisdom, real talk, and some hard-earned lessons from one of the industry’s best.

 

Connect with Lawrence: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-schwartz-13611529/ 

 

🎙 Hosted by Tom Hall | Powered by BluMortgage

#mortgagebrokers #mortgagetechnology #realestateinvesting #fintech #entrepreneurship #MortgageAutomator

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⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Why Trade Shows Are Basically Free
01:11 – Meet Lawrence Schwartz: Co-Founder of Mortgage Automator
02:37 – What Mortgage Automator Was Built For
04:11 – Funny Sales Funnel Story (Oops!)
06:58 – No Perfect Software Exists (Here’s Why That’s Okay)
07:17 – The “Secret Sauce” Behind Mortgage Automator’s Success
08:46 – Real-Time Product Feedback from Lenders
10:08 – Learning from Client Rejections
11:18 – Growing Trade Show Presence Over Time
13:16 – Why You Always Go to Trade Shows
15:28 – Early Signs That Mortgage Automator Was Taking Off
16:35 – Building a Sales Team That Could Sell Without You
18:47 – Balancing Lending and Tech in the Early Days
20:48 – COVID and the Pivot to Full-Time Software
22:07 – The Power of the Right Business Partners
25:06 – Returning to Lending After the Exit
27:08 – Realizations After “Retirement”
29:02 – Why Lawrence Didn’t Spend a Dime After Selling
31:14 – The Lending Philosophy at Golden Bell Capital
33:23 – What Types of Deals Golden Bell Does
36:40 – Why Simplicity & Speed Still Win
38:36 – The Reason They Only Lend in the GTA
39:53 – Final Thoughts: Send Us One Good Deal
40:28 – Where to Find Lawrence