Why Indi Mortgage trusted its brokers to choose their own tools and what happened next
This article was produced in partnership with Lendesk.
Indi Mortgage didn’t get to $4.2 billion in annual funded volume by doing things the conventional way. Since its early days as the National Alliance of Independent Mortgage Brokers, the firm took a clear position: give brokers the freedom to build their business, and back them with strong infrastructure.
That commitment delivered results. In just five years, Indi grew from 94 to over 400 licensed brokers — a 325% increase — and multiplied its funded volume more than fivefold. The company’s recent rebrand in April 2024 is more than cosmetic. It reflects a sharpened focus on independence, performance, and smart partnerships.
One of those partnerships is with Finmo. Broker adoption took off naturally: when agents were free to choose their tech stack, many chose the digital mortgage platform built by Lendesk. Today, it plays a central role in supporting Indi’s national growth.
Designed for autonomy, ready for scale
Indi Mortgage’s new name might have been recently unveiled, but the identity behind it had been forming for years.
Indi’s story begins nearly two decades ago, when a group of brokers came together to form the National Alliance of Independent Mortgage Brokers. Over time, that alliance evolved into Axiom Mortgage Solutions, and then, finally, Indi -- short for independent. The goal wasn’t to disrupt the industry with new tech or reinvent the mortgage process. It was simpler than that: to support brokers who wanted to build on their own terms.
As Indi expanded, it faced a familiar set of challenges. Common hurdles such as onboarding brokers quickly, maintaining service quality, and giving agents room to operate their own way without losing operational consistency reared their heads.
For Indi, growth wasn’t just about bringing on more brokers, it meant supporting a wider range of experience levels, business models, and client volumes. Flexibility remained important, but Indi also needed systems that could carry the weight of a national operation.
Unlike many networks of its size, Indi didn’t standardize its tech stack from the top down. There was no company-wide rollout of mandatory software or rigid workflow tools. Brokers were encouraged to use what worked best for them. And that’s where Finmo has made a difference.
Top producers like Josh Tagg and Chad Wilson chose Finmo based on its performance, not pressure. They saw how it helped streamline compliance, reduce manual work, and offer clients a smooth application experience.
“The brokers who use Finmo weren’t directed to. They made that choice themselves, based on what worked best for them,” says Gord Appel, President and COO at Indi Mortgage. “That level of adoption says a lot.”
Finmo brought more than software. It delivered fast, accessible support, a borrower interface that felt clean and professional, and workflow automation that saved brokers time without cutting corners -- all major contributors to its popularity.
Turning growth into a system
Using Finmo, brokers reported saving hours on administrative tasks. Compliance became more streamlined. Clients had a smoother digital experience. And when questions came up, support was responsive and human.
This steady adoption came without friction. There were no internal campaigns or forced transitions. While many platforms market themselves to head offices, Finmo entered Indi through the front lines -- through the brokers who chose it one at a time, based on what helped them serve clients better.
For leadership, that insight was telling. If brokers are given real freedom, they’ll gravitate toward tools that help them grow. And when those tools deliver at scale, the business grows too.
Over the same period, Indi’s broker count rose by more than 300 percent, climbing from 94 to over 400. Funded volume followed, growing from $680 million in 2019 to more than $4.2 billion annually today. Just as important, broker satisfaction remained high -- thanks in part to systems that supported, rather than slowed, their day-to-day work.
For Lendesk, the parent company behind Finmo, that pattern isn’t surprising. While the platform is best known for its simplicity and ease of use, it was also built to support brokerages at scale. The company has since deepened its focus on enterprise support, reflecting the growing number of large networks like Indi that rely on it day to day.
Finmo and Lendesk see Indi as more than a client. They see the firm as proof that technology can support large brokerages without requiring them to compromise on independence.
“As Finmo evolved, so did our vision,” says Carter Zimmerman, President of Lendesk. “We started by helping brokers manage their day-to-day more efficiently and deliver a better client experience. As adoption grew, we saw brokerages using Finmo to streamline operations, improve compliance, and empower their brokers to do more
"Indi is a great example. Their brokers chose Finmo because it works, not because it was mandated. That kind of adoption is the best validation we could ask for. It shows that you can scale without losing what makes your brokerage unique.”
