Episode 3

Being where your audience is with Clayton Collins

One of the youngest and most-influential leaders in the space, Clayton Collins seized his opportunity to shape the mortgage, real estate, and fintech landscapes as the CEO of HousingWire Media just a few short years ago.

Since assuming his role in 2016, Clayton expanded a team of just 14 reporters in Houston to a 50+ person company spread across the United States that publishes four media brands (HousingWire, RealTrends, Reverse Mortgage Daily, and FinLedger), hosts some of the industry’s most up-and-coming events and conferences, and produces a suite of podcasts and other media.

Clayton is a veritable expert on modern communication, inclusive leadership, and the shifting landscapes of mortgage, real estate, and fintech.

In this Episode

Dale and Clayton discuss…

The importance, as a leader, of becoming a masterful communicator who is capable of cultivating your organization’s environment and managing upstream and downstream relationships
The modern-day water cooler and how leaders can find the right medium and message for every audience they serve
Real estate trends and the impact demographics are having and will continue to have on homebuyer demand
Disruptive forces entering the industry and new players competing for marketshare within mortgage and related spaces
Finding balance between the demands of a career and personal desires for growth, happiness, and purposeful living

Soundbites

“You don't want to stress people out about the things that they don't need to worry about, but understand the things that they need to know—the things they need to know to do their job well.” — Clayton Collins

“It gets difficult to juggle all the different places and styles that we communicate in nowadays, but it's extremely important to be where the audience is.” — Clayton Collins

“If we stay siloed, I'm really concerned about our industry's ability to continue forward with the leaders that are in place today….There are very few markets and very few segments of our economy where the profit potential is as large as housing. That puts a massive bullseye on our industry's back.” — Clayton Collins

“We're at historically low rates! Just because they're not 2.65, because they're three, three and a half, whatever the heck they are—I don't even care. I don't even watch them every day….Money has never been cheaper to buy homes, to buy businesses, whatever the heck you’re buying. Rates are low right now.” — Clayton Collins