Each
year,

HousingWire’s

Rising
Stars
award
recognizes
housing
professionals
ages
40
and
under
who
are
driving
measurable
results
across
mortgage,
real
estate
and
homebuilding.
But
the
real
story
often
unfolds
after
the
recognition
—
when
honorees
leverage
the
recognition
to
scale
teams,
refine
processes
and
deepen
their
industry
influence.

Ryan
Kearns,
managing
member
and
loan
originator
at

Kearns
Mortgage
Team
and
a
2025
Rising
Star,
exemplifies
that
momentum.
Since
being
named
to
the
list,
he
has
transitioned
from
hands-on
production
to
building
a
scalable
brokerage
model
focused
on
precision,
communication
and
trust.
As

nominations
for
the
2026
Rising
Stars
award
remain
open,
Kearns
shares
how
his
role
has
evolved,
the
initiatives
fueling
his
growth
and
the
qualities
he
believes
will
define
the
industry’s
next
generation
of
leaders.

HousingWire:
Since
being
named
a
Rising
Star,
how
has
your
role
or
career
evolved?
 

Ryan
Kearns:
Since
being
named
a
Rising
Star,
I
have
leaned
further
into
building
a
scalable
brokerage
that
delivers
a
high-touch
client
experience
without
sacrificing
speed
or
precision.
My
day
to
day
has
shifted
from
doing
every
file
to
leading
the
team,
tightening
workflows,
and
creating
consistent
standards
for
communication,
education
and
execution.
The
goal
is
the
same:
help
families
get
to
the
closing
table
with
clarity
and
confidence,
just
at
a
larger
scale.

HousingWire:
What
project,
initiative
or
achievement
are
you
most
excited
about
right
now?
 

RK:
I
am
most
excited
about
expanding
our
lead
rescue
work
with
referral
partners.
We
take
cold
or
stalled
buyer
leads,
reengage
them
and
turn
them
into
fully
qualified,
mortgage-ready
clients
that
get
handed
back
to
the
referring
partner.
It
is
a
simple
value
add
that
helps
partners
convert
more
of
what
they
already
paid
for
while
improving
the
consumer
experience.

HousingWire:
What
skills
or
experiences
have
been
most
critical
to
your
growth
in
the
housing
industry?
 

RK:
Two
things:
disciplined
execution
and
clear
communication.
Mortgage
is
complex
and
speed
matters,
but
trust
matters
more.
Being
able
to
structure
solutions
for
real
borrowers,
set
expectations
early
and
communicate
proactively
has
been
the
biggest
driver
of
both
client
outcomes
and
referral
growth.

HousingWire:
What
advice
would
you
give
to
professionals
early
in
their
careers
who
aspire
to
make
an
impact
in
mortgage,
real
estate
or
homebuilding?
 

RK:
Pick
one
lane
where
you
can
create
real
leverage,
such
as
a
niche,
a
process
or
a
partner
channel,
and
become
excellent
at
it
before
you
expand.
Focus
on
fundamentals:
responsiveness,
accuracy
and
follow-through.
Treat
every
relationship
like
a
long-term
asset.
The
best
careers
are
built
on
trust,
not
transactions.

HousingWire:
When
you
think
about
the
next
generation
of
Rising
Stars,
what
qualities
or
traits
do
you
think
set
future
leaders
apart?
 

RK:
Consistency,
ownership
and
the
ability
to
simplify
complexity
for
other
people.
Future
leaders
will
win
by
pairing
strong
execution
with
strong
communication,
and
by
building
systems
and
teams
that
raise
the
standard
for
the
client
experience,
even
in
challenging
markets.

Click
here
to
nominate
a
2026
Rising
Star.