In this powerful episode of The Leadership Toolkit, host Mike Phillips sits down with John Donnelly, Executive Director at Service First Mortgage Company (SFMC) and a high-performance sales leader known for building elite mortgage teams with clarity, trust, and consistent execution.

John shares his incredible leadership journey — from weathering economic headwinds in the mortgage industry to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro as a personal mission of reinvention. Learn how returning to the basics, staying teachable, and leading with intention can fuel both personal growth and professional success.

🧰 Tools of the Trade: Top Takeaways You Can Use

✅ Going back to the basics: why human connection still wins

✅ Engagement over activity: using social media with purpose

✅ Why staying teachable keeps leaders relevant

✅ How to protect your time and build high-value relationships

✅ “You lose inspiration if you wait” — the power of taking action and setting audacious goals

Whether you're leading a team, building a business, or climbing your own personal mountain, this episode is packed with practical insights and leadership fire you don’t want to miss!

Contact Information:
John Donnelly

Email: JDonnelly@sfmc.com

Linkedin: Linkedin.com/in/TheJohnDonnelly

Web: https://sfmc.com/playbig

Mike Phillips

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠mike@TheLeadershipToolkit.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin.com/in/LeadTheTeam⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠@LeadershipTLT⁠

YouTube: ⁠YouTube.com/@MikePhillips

Credits:

Hosted by Mike Phillips

Produced by The Leadership Toolkit Team

Guest: John Donnelly, High-Performance Sales Leader, Mortgage Lender, and Kilimanjaro Conqueror

Watch more episodes of The Leadership Toolkit at: https://spotify.TheLeadershipToolkit.com

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on this show are solely those of the guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the host, producers, or any affiliated parties. The host and production team make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information discussed by guests on the show. Listener discretion is advised.

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