How Data-Driven Prospecting Is Reshaping Consumer Direct Lending

Insights from Tim Slevin on the David Lykken Podcast

Note: This article is based on a podcast episode airing today December 19th, featuring Tim Slevin, CEO of The Share Group, in conversation with mortgage industry veteran David Lykken. The discussion dives deep into consumer direct lending, data quality, and how originators can build predictable pipelines in a volatile market.

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Consumer Direct Is Back. But It Looks Very Different Now.

Consumer direct lending is experiencing a resurgence, largely driven by one core motivation: cost control.

As David Lykken points out early in the conversation, loan officers and mortgage companies can no longer rely solely on traditional referral channels like realtors and builders. Rising competition, margin compression, and changing borrower behavior are forcing originators to take ownership of their own funnels.

But here’s the catch.

Many professionals tried consumer direct years ago and walked away frustrated. The data was weak. The leads were expensive. The process felt chaotic.

According to Tim Slevin, that experience doesn’t mean consumer direct failed. It means the underlying data and systems weren’t ready yet.

Today, they are.

Tim Slevin’s Foundation: Why Data Became the Core Advantage

Tim’s perspective on data is not accidental.

He studied direct marketing at the University of Missouri Kansas City in one of the first four-year programs dedicated entirely to the discipline. His professors included legends like Bob Stone, widely regarded as one of the architects of modern direct mail and data-driven marketing.

That early exposure shaped a simple belief Tim still holds today:

Data, when structured correctly, shortens the distance between effort and results.

After decades working across healthcare, real estate, and financial services, Tim brought that philosophy to The Share Group, an Omaha-based data science company now supporting more than 10,000 real estate professionals and an expanding number of mortgage lenders nationwide.

The Three Data Pillars That Make Leads Predictable

One of the most important insights from the podcast is Tim’s breakdown of what actually constitutes “good data.”

Most lead providers rely on fragments. The Share Group focuses on alignment.

According to Tim, effective prospecting requires three data sets working together:

1. Consumer Data

This includes up to 500 data elements per individual, such as:

• Household structure
• Lifestyle indicators
• Financial and purchasing signals
• Length of residence
• Demographic patterns

This layer answers the most basic question:
Who is this person and where do they actually live?

2. Mortgage Data

Mortgage files add clarity around:

• Origination date
• Loan amount
• Interest rate
• Rate type
• Lien position
• Lender of record

This allows lenders to identify refinance, HELOC, reverse mortgage, or purchase opportunities with far more precision.

3. Property Data

Property-level data includes:

• Year built
• Square footage
• Lot size
• Structure type
• Ownership history

When these three layers are aligned, the data becomes actionable. Without all three, even large lists turn into guesswork.

Why Most Lead Systems Break Down Over Time

Tim makes a clear distinction between lists and databases.

• A list is something you buy, use once, and discard.
• A database is something you continuously refine.

One of the biggest problems in prospecting is data decay. People move. Phones change. Households evolve.

That’s why The Share Group rebuilds and reconciles its data every 90 days, ensuring consumer, mortgage, and property records stay aligned.

This approach eliminates what Tim calls “data chaos,” where professionals layer outdated lists on top of each other until no one trusts the numbers anymore.

From Raw Data to High-Probability Targeting

Data alone is not the advantage. Interpretation is.

Tim explains how lenders can reverse-engineer their own success by analyzing past transactions:

• Take 24 to 36 months of closed deals
• Match them to enriched consumer data
• Identify patterns that positively influence conversion
• Rank prospects by likelihood to respond and convert

What once took weeks can now be done in a single day.

The result is not more leads.
It’s fewer, better conversations.

Most originators cannot realistically market to more than the top 10 to 20 percent of available prospects anyway. Data science simply ensures those efforts are focused on the right people.

Why Subscriptions Work for Vendors, Not Buyers

One of the most candid moments in the podcast comes when Tim addresses subscriptions.

Subscriptions guarantee revenue for providers. They do not guarantee results for buyers.

The Share Group took a different approach:

• No subscriptions
• No monthly lock-ins
• No pressure to download leads before you’re ready

Instead, users purchase lead credits into a wallet and download data only when they plan to use it. This ensures freshness and flexibility.

Even more notable is the phone accuracy policy.

If a phone number is verifiably bad, the credits are returned. No disputes. No finger-pointing.

That structure shifts risk away from the buyer and forces accountability on the data provider.

Scaling Outreach Without Burning Out

Prospecting fatigue is real.

Tim outlines how modern teams reduce exhaustion while increasing volume:

• Predictive dialers eliminate manual dialing
• Automation ensures reps only speak with live contacts
• AI-assisted workflows reduce friction between conversations

The math becomes simple:

• A few quality conversations per day
• Consistent follow-up
• Predictable lead flow over time

This applies not just to large call centers, but to individual loan officers willing to invest a few hundred dollars per month in tools and infrastructure.

Angel AI and the Role of Human-Led Automation

A key portion of the discussion focuses on Angel AI, a platform Tim frequently references.

The distinction matters.

Angel AI uses real, U.S.-based humans supported by technology, not synthetic voice bots. This keeps outreach compliant while dramatically increasing scale.

Tim outlines three tiers of outreach:

1. You, the producer, speaking directly to prospects
2. Trained team members executing your message
3. AI-assisted human calling to build awareness and consent

When combined with high-quality data, this layered approach allows originators to grow their sphere of influence far beyond people they’ve personally met.

Macro vs Micro Metrics: Predicting Income Before It Happens

One of the most practical takeaways from the episode is Tim’s explanation of macro and micro metrics.

The goal is simple:
Predict future income based on daily activity, not hope.

That means tracking:

• Dials
• Contacts
• Conversations
• Leads
• Appointments
• Closings

Once those ratios are understood, production becomes predictable.

Skill improves. Conversion improves. Confidence follows.

The Bigger Picture

David Lykken, who has spent decades buying and analyzing consumer data, makes a strong statement near the end of the conversation:

He has never seen data this rich, accessible, and affordable.

That combination is what makes consumer direct viable again, not just for enterprise lenders, but for individual originators willing to think like operators.

Final Thoughts

Consumer direct is no longer about blasting lists and hoping for the best.

It’s about:

• Clean data
• Continuous refinement
• Controlled experimentation
• Measured activity

When those elements come together, prospecting stops feeling reactive and starts becoming strategic.

Want to Learn More?

• Explore the data marketplace: https://shop.theshare.group
• Learn more about The Share Group: https://www.theshare.group
• Contact Tim Slevin directly: tim@theshare.group
• Subscribe to David Lykken's Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LykkenOnLending