Confidential Briefing — Prepared for Nikkie Bickham
Nikkie,
We Heard You.
The VisionEarn $1,000,000 through branch volume, production, revenue & profits — while working smarter & having a leadership team support you every step of the way.You asked the hard questions. You demanded details. That tells us everything we need to know about you — and exactly why you belong here. Below is every answer, laid out with the transparency you deserve.
Financial Clarity
Your concern about costs hitting the P&L is valid. Here is exactly how it works — no ambiguity.
"Sign-on bonuses will impact my P&L and pricing."
Corporate pays and covers any sign-on bonus for anyone you hire who produces over $10 million a year. APM has a formula for this — and it does not hit your P&L. Period. This comes from the corporate growth budget, not your branch.
"401K employer contributions will eat into my margins."
Corporate covers the employer portion of 401K for all employees. This is a company-level benefit that does not hit your branch P&L. Your people get the benefit. You don't absorb the cost.
100%
P&L Ownership
Full control by Nikkie
$345
Per-File Fee
The only branch cost
$0
401K Impact on P&L
Corporate absorbs
$0
Sign-On Impact on P&L
Corporate absorbs
100% P&L Ownership by Nikkie
Full margin control. Full pricing authority. Your branch, your rules.
"I cannot afford for anything to impact pricing at any point."
At Element, you own 100% of your P&L with 100% margin control. You can be as aggressive as you need to be to win deals and earn profits. There is no corporate overhead eating into your pricing power.
Sign-on bonuses and corporate-covered costs will never impact your pricing or rate sheets. The division covers its growth from branch profits, the $345 per-file fee, and performance bonuses from corporate. None of that touches your margin.
Your rate sheets stay clean. Your competitiveness stays intact. You set the strategy. That is a structural guarantee, not a handshake promise.
APM's Margin Protection
Dustin Sheppard is the CEO and your business partner. He personally protects the margin structure. APM's margin will never change — this is foundational to how Element operates. You have full authority over your pricing strategy.
Your Current Obligations — Covered
We understand you have existing commitments. We are not asking you to walk away from them unprotected.
"I have $160K on a 3-year contract, my processor has a $12,500 clawback, and there are production-based waiver conditions. I may need to just wait it out."
You do not need to wait. Element will provide a $200,000 payout on a 3-year deal — structured to cover your $160,000 existing obligation and your processor's $12,500 clawback. That is a clean break with room to spare.
We are investing in you because we believe in what you bring to the table. This is not about buying a seat — it is about removing the barriers so you can start building immediately.
Element Payout
$03-year structure
Your Contract Covered
$0Existing obligation
Processor Covered
$0Clawback resolved
P&L Transparency
You said details are important to you — that is how you are built. We respect that. Here is the full picture.
"I need to know there are no surprises with the P&L and I can cost-effectively manage it the way I expect."
There are zero hidden fees. This is not a talking point — it is a structural commitment. Here is the complete cost picture:
| Item | Hits Your P&L? |
|---|---|
| Element per-file fee | $345/file |
| Sign-on bonuses | No — Corporate |
| 401K employer match | No — Corporate |
| APM margin changes | Never changes |
| Hidden fees | Zero |
You are 100% P&L owner. Element takes $345 per file — that is it. No surprises, no moving targets. Dustin grew up in this business and knows how important this is. He protects it personally.
Product Suite
You asked: "Are all the products in house or brokered?" Here is the complete breakdown.
If it has four walls & a roof, we fund it.
APM is a Top 10 IMB nationally — there is virtually no product we do not have.
"One time close, renovation, reverse, non-QM, and all the cookie cutter deals — all offered and done well in house?"
One-Time Close (1XC)
In-House
Extremely strong — one of our best products
Renovation (203k FHA & Conv)
In-House
FHA & Conventional in-house. VA Renovation brokered.
Reverse Mortgage
In-House
Dedicated reverse division within Element
Non-QM
In-House
4 dedicated investors for Non-QM products
Conforming / Conventional
In-House + Strategic Brokering
In-house primary. Broker 30-40% of 780+ FICO to Loan Store & PennyMac for 25 BPS better pricing + dedicated pods.
Government & DPA
In-House
Strong government lending + in-house down payment assistance program
Operations & Due Diligence
You said you are not wanting to make a move just to be disappointed again. We take that seriously.
8.5/10
Operations rating — and improving
"I need more details on operations and due diligence. I need to know operations will run the way I expect and there are not any surprises."
Here is what makes Element's operations different — and why your deals will close:
Elementary — Live Office Hours
Dedicated office hours with our Head of Ops and Head of Underwriting, 4 days a week. This is designed to convert every lead to close.
Element Exception Desk
Reviewed 30 minutes every single day for issues from contract to close. Nothing falls through the cracks.
Full Credit Decision Authority
Only 5 divisions at APM have full credit decision-making authority. Element is one of them. Your files get decided here, not sent to a queue.
VP of Sales in Production
PJ Crescenzo runs Element's $150M top-performing branch and is actively involved in production. Leadership here is not theoretical — they are in the trenches.
"You have my word your deals will get closed."
"What does onboarding look like? What specific operational support exists?"
Onboarding Experience
Onboarding with our Chief of Staff and Integration LP will be — at worst case — a B+ experience. Transition is never easy, but you will have a daily point of contact to expedite your time in seat.
Operational Team
- Brooke Grover — Pipeline Manager. The best processor on the team. Incredible at navigating complex scenarios.
- Head of Underwriting — Was APM's best underwriter before joining Element in November 2025. Divisional-level authority.
- Two Dedicated Closers — Focused exclusively on Element transactions.
Currently 60% independent, 40% dependent on APM. By end of 2026, the goal is 95% independent — and key hires like you are how we get there.
The Leadership Behind Element
An extremely involved leadership team with direct access at every level.
Dustin Sheppard
CEO & Business Partner
Protects the margin structure. Direct access. Your business partner, not a distant executive.
Evan Miller
President
20-year mortgage veteran. Ironman athlete. Oversees vision, direction, and long-term growth of Element.
PJ Crescenzo
VP of Sales
National 40 Under 40. Top 1% LO (2024 & 2025). Runs the $150M top-performing branch while leading sales strategy.
Joe Waldherr
Chief of Staff
Fortune 100 background. Leads onboarding, retention, and ensures the people-first culture scales.
Brooke Grover
Operations Manager
The backbone of loan operations. Expert pipeline manager. Known for navigating complex scenarios flawlessly.
Daniel DuVall
Head of Strategic Growth
Leads expansion into new markets and develops top-tier talent within existing locations.
What Sets Element Apart
Elementary
Live office hours with ops & underwriting leadership, 4 days/week
Credit Authority
One of only 5 APM divisions with full credit decision-making power
CEO Access
Direct line to Dustin Sheppard — your business partner, not a figurehead
Involved Leadership
Every leader is in production or operations — no ivory tower management
Why Element Is Different
Beyond addressing your concerns — here is what makes this platform unlike anything else in the market.
Present Leadership
Not a corporate ladder — a round table
The mortgage industry is never perfect — no one will tell you otherwise. But at Element, you have 4-5 high-level leaders who are fully committed to making this the best lending platform in the United States. These are not figureheads collecting a paycheck. They are operators, producers, and builders who are in the trenches every single day.
4-5
Senior leaders actively present
$150M
VP of Sales running top performing branch
Daily
Exception desk review cadence
Direct
CEO access — no gatekeepers
There is nothing you cannot do at Element. On top of a full suite of residential products, you have access to commercial lending, private lending, and reverse mortgage solutions — all under one roof. And backing it all, APM operates as a bank with 50+ wholesale outlets to broker through when it makes sense for the borrower.
This is not a company where you have to turn borrowers away because the product does not exist. If it has four walls and a roof, you fund it.
Diversified Credit Box
Every product. Every borrower. One platform.
Life Integration
Winning at work & winning at home
The entire company runs on the Run / Reflect schedule — one week to focus ON your business, one week to work IN your business. This is not a slogan on a poster. It is the operational rhythm of every person at Element.
Winning at work and losing at home is not winning. Here, you can do both. Element was built by people who believe that sustainable success means showing up fully in every area of your life — not just the office.
Focus ON your business — strategy, growth, pipeline development, and client acquisition.
Work IN your business — process loans, serve clients, refine operations, and recharge.
The Numbers Speak
Real performance. Real results. Here is what Element delivered in February 2026.
$0M
February 2026 Funded Volume
A single month of production across the Element division — and growing.
0 Days
Contract to Close — Nationwide
Speed matters. Element closes faster than the industry average — consistently.
Top 10
IMB Nationally (APM)
Backed by one of the largest independent mortgage banks in the country.
Don't Take Our Word. Take Theirs.
"After being with my previous company 9 years... Making the move to Element Mortgage was the best move I ever could have made."
$70M Producer
Element Mortgage
References
Speak directly with people who have made the move.
Adam Hammond
Alabama Branch Manager
Alabama
Terri Hatfield
FL Top Producer
Florida
Zach Starnes
Top Producer
Element Mortgage
Stevin Ozir
DBA Branch Manager (Avia Lending)
Element Mortgage
The Details Are Here.
The Decision Is Yours.
You asked for transparency. You asked for details. You asked for proof that this would be different. We hope this briefing demonstrates that Element does not just talk about these values — we build our entire operation around them.
$200K
Contract Buyout
$345
Per-File Fee
#9
Top Mortgage Co.
5.0
Rating (1000+ Reviews)