Should a Mortgage Brokerage Go Public?
Use Stock Options to Recruit and Scale

How Public Listing + Stock Options Can Help You Build a National Mortgage Platform


Most mortgage professionals think going public is only for large corporations or tech startups. They’re wrong.


Going public can be a game-changing strategy for independent mortgage brokerages who want to scale fast, recruit top originators, and build a national brand—without raising much outside capital or giving up control.


If you run a profitable mortgage company and want to compete with the biggest lenders in the country, a public listing—combined with a structured stock option plan—can unlock tools your competitors don’t even know exist.


Why Go Public as a Mortgage Company?

It's Not Just About Raising Capital

The biggest advantage of going public isn't the capital raise.  It's the ability to issue stock and stock options to loan officers and business development reps—turning your company into a platform where originators are also owners.

This strategy allows you to:

  • Recruit top-performing LOs with equity incentives (not just better splits)
  • Retain talent longer by offering vesting stock options
  • Build culture and loyalty through shared ownership
  • Compete nationally with confidence, even without VC backing

You’ve seen real estate brokerages like EXP Realty grow into multi-billion-dollar companies using equity to build national sales teams. The same playbook applies here—just tailored to the mortgage world.

And unlike signing bonuses, equity doesn't come out of your pocket. It comes from future value you're building together.


How It Works

  1. We take your mortgage company public, typically through a direct listing (not an IPO), which is simpler, faster, and less expensive.
  2. We create a 409A-compliant stock option plan, allowing you to grant options to loan officers, managers, and key hires based on performance.
  3. We use stock options as a recruiting weapon, offering producers a reason to switch to your platform and stay.
  4. You scale organically, fueled by agent equity ownership, not expensive advertising or endless comp wars.
  5. You tell a story the market can believe in—scaling a high-margin, asset-light business through people, not capital.

Real-World Proof: We’ve Done This Before

Years before real estate firms started using stock to recruit agents, our founder launched a mortgage brokerage, took it public, and scaled from scratch to:

  • $80 million in closed loan volume
  • $2.3 million in revenue
  • 125 employees
  • In less than 12 months

It was built using this exact playbook—stock options to recruit originators, motivate the team, and create a shared sense of ownership.

Since then, he’s helped take 17 companies public, including mortgage and non-mortgage firms, and built over $8 billion in aggregate shareholder value.

You don’t need to imagine this strategy—it already exists. You just haven’t seen it applied to your space.


What It Costs

Going public isn’t as expensive—or as complicated—as you might think.

Most of our clients spend about $20,000 to start the process. That covers:

  • Structuring the right entity
  • Preparing early-stage compliance docs
  • Initial listing strategy and setup


After listing, you can use investor capital to fund operations, expansion, or simply enhance credibility—depending on your goals. But the core value is being able to issue stock options.


Who This Is Right For

If you:

  • Own or run a profitable mortgage brokerage
  • Want to recruit hundreds of loan officers over the next 2–3 years
  • Are tired of competing only on comp plans
  • Believe in building long-term enterprise value, not just chasing this month’s volume

…then this model is for you.

You need the right structure, legal setup, and advisory support to execute it.


The Outcome: Build a $100M+ Mortgage Brand

With a well-executed public listing and equity plan:

  • You’ll attract originators who want to own, not just earn
  • You’ll retain producers longer and reduce churn
  • You’ll build a trusted, transparent brand that commands higher valuations


In fact, we believe a profitable brokerage can grow into a $100M+ public company within 3–5 years using this strategy—no acquisitions necessary.


Want to Explore This Further?

If you’re ready to think bigger and move faster, we’d love to talk.

Our founder has taken four of his own companies public and advised over a dozen others. He’s been a partner at a major investment banking firm, a sell-side analyst, and a buy-side investor. He knows how to take a private business public—and use that structure to scale.

Let’s explore whether your mortgage company is a good candidate.