How To Win When The Economy Tightens

In this episode of the Intentional Leadership Podcast, host Graham Youtsey sits down with Christopher Hussain, founder of RealKey and one of the few mortgage professionals ever licensed in all 50 states. Christopher shares his journey from stumbling into mortgage banking during college to becoming the top loan originator in the country and eventually building multiple companies across FinTech, PropTech, and InsurTech. He opens up about navigating the housing crash, the grit required to survive in a volatile industry, and how his tech-forward mindset led him to create RealKey’s smart deal room—an innovation years ahead of its time. Graham and Christopher dive deep into the realities of fundraising, why most entrepreneurs fail due to weak sales and marketing foundations, how founders can avoid “amateur hour” when pitching investors, and why capital efficiency matters more today than ever. Christopher also discusses the decision to pause RealKey, what the market is missing about mortgage tech, and where he sees his career moving next. This honest and insightful conversation highlights resilience, innovation, and leadership—plus a few personal stories about fatherhood, humor, and the mindset needed to thrive through adversity.

TIMESTAMPS

02:48 – Building a Paperless Mortgage Brokerage
04:43 – Childhood Hustle and Entrepreneurial Mindset
06:06 – Surviving the Housing Market Crash
07:06 – Bridging Technology and Mortgage Operations
09:09 – Fundraising and the Battery Incubator Experience
10:58 – What Investors Actually Look For
14:24 – Why Most Startups Fail at Sales and Marketing
21:45 – The RealKey Deal Room Innovation
30:31 – The Decision to Pause RealKey


Connect with Christopher
  / christopherhussain  
https://www.realkey.com/