What happens when a mortgage recruiter with an MBA also happens to be a stand-up comedian? You get lessons in persistence, humor, and resilience that every loan officer, recruiter, and leader can relate to.
In this episode, I sit down with Justin Neal, MBA — VP of Recruiting at Summit Mortgage Corp. Justin blends his professional career in mortgage recruiting with a passion for comedy, and the overlap is more powerful (and entertaining) than you might expect. From handling ghosting to navigating rejection, Justin shares why adaptability and likability matter as much in recruiting as they do on stage.
👉 What you’ll hear in this episode:
The funny side of persistence — including Justin’s joke about using a burner phone just to get a candidate to pick up.
Ghosting in business — why it’s unnecessary, and how a simple “check back later” can go a long way.
Comedy and recruiting parallels — hustle, resilience, thick skin, and the importance of making people laugh.
Notable Quotes:
"Being likable goes a long way — on stage, in recruiting, and in loan officering." – Justin Neal (00:08:11)
"If you bomb, you’re gonna bomb — and you just gotta get back up again and go after the next one." – Justin Neal (00:10:09)
"Thirty-one years in the mortgage business, this is the first time a candidate has ever called me first." – Fobby Naghmi (00:14:12)
"Ghosting… it’s not necessary, right? People can just say, ‘Hey Justin, I’m gonna stay where I’m at. Let’s stay in touch. Give me a call in 6 months.’" – Fobby Naghmi (00:13:13)
From laughs to lessons, this episode is about more than recruiting or comedy — it’s about the art of connecting with people.
🔗 Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: Justin Neal, MBA – VP of Recruiting at Summit Mortgage