Getting licensed is the easy part. The hard part is turning a fresh licence into an actual pipeline. Here is a realistic 90 day plan for a new mortgage broker starting with zero clients.
Days 1 to 30: Foundation
Your first month is not about closing deals, it is about being ready when the first lead shows up. Get comfortable in your CRM and know exactly what happens from first contact to funded deal. Learn your lender panel, not every lender, just the five or six you will use most for typical Canadian borrowers. Set up your online presence: a simple website or landing page, a Google Business profile, and active LinkedIn and Instagram accounts. Tell everyone you know that you are now a licensed mortgage broker. This sounds obvious and most new brokers skip it out of awkwardness. Your first few deals almost always come from people who already know and trust you.
Days 31 to 60: First contacts
Start reaching out directly. Realtors are the highest value referral partners for a new broker since they see mortgage need constantly. Pick five to ten realtors you can realistically build a relationship with and offer something useful, like a rate update they can share with their clients or a quick pre approval turnaround. Past coworkers, gym contacts, and family friends who are renters or first time buyers are also worth a direct message. Aim for quality conversations over volume. Ten real conversations beat two hundred cold messages.
Days 61 to 90: First deals and repeatable habits
By now you should have a small number of active files. Focus on making each client experience excellent enough that they refer you without being asked. Ask every closed client directly if they know anyone else buying or refinancing soon, most will say yes if you ask. Build a simple weekly routine: a set number of outreach messages, one piece of content posted, and follow up with every past contact at a fixed interval. Consistency beats intensity for a new broker.
What actually moves the needle
Referral partnerships with realtors and financial planners. Being visibly active and responsive online. Fast, clear communication with clients during their first deal, since that experience is what gets repeated to friends and family. Picking a lane, like first time buyers or self employed borrowers, rather than trying to be everything to everyone in year one.
Support makes the difference
A new broker with strong back office support closes deals faster and with fewer mistakes than one figuring out compliance and underwriting alone. At A.I.M.I. Collective, new brokers get direct access to our compliance and underwriting team, a full DLC lender panel, and mentorship from brokers who have built their book from scratch.
If you are newly licensed or considering where to start your career, we are happy to talk through what the first year actually looks like.
Related reading
- How to choose a mortgage brokerage, 12 questions to ask
- What is B lending, the clients a bank will turn away
- Support for newly licensed brokers