59 | How I Turned Social Media Into $45M in Mortgage Volume with Kayla Tarabay

What if the only thing standing between you and your next level… is the courage to show up differently?Hey there, Rainmakers!This conversation lit me up. I sat down with Kayla Tarabay, and her story is proof that grit, perspective, and bold action will always outperform fear. At 18 years old, she adopted her two-year-old niece and became a single mom overnight. No excuses. No victim mindset. Just, “It’s not no. It’s let’s go.”Fast forward to today—three and a half years in the mortgage business, $12M her first year, $27M her second, Presidents Club, and she’s gunning for $45M. But what really blew me away wasn’t the volume. It was how she built it. No begging agents for coffee. No cold, awkward pitches. She built relationships the modern way—through collaboration, social media, open houses, and showing up with value before ever asking for business.Kayla breaks down exactly how she used open houses to pre-approve buyers on the spot, how tagging every partner in social posts multiplied her visibility, and why authenticity beats follower count every single time.This episode is about belief. It’s about perspective. It’s about choosing leadership over limitation. And it’s about understanding that energy moves people.Key InsightsEnthusiasm is the most powerful sales tool you will ever have.Your past hardship can become your greatest positioning advantage.Stop proving value to people who don’t value you.Open houses are gold when you show up as a partner, not a vendor.You don’t need thousands of followers. You need consistency and authenticity.PLUS!If you’re tired of overthinking your marketing, if you want something simple that actually works, come hang with us at the 'Mortgage Marketing for Rainmakers' event in Nashville, Friday April 10th!For just $300, you’ll learn the exact strategies top producers use to generate business, in just one to two hours a week, in a high-impact, one day workshop.Seats are limited to just 125 people — grab your spot now, before it sells out.Small room. Big impact. Don’t miss it.Guest links:Kayla on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylatarabayKayla on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayla_homemortgageKayla on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kayla.tarabayKayla on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kayla_homemortgageIf you liked what you heard, leave me a five-star review and tell me what hit home for you!PLUS—if you’re done chasing the next shiny idea and want real, proven strategies that actually move the needle, then it’s time to join my free weekly newsletter, Rainmaker Insider.Every week, I share one key lesson from my billion-dollar career in mortgage lending—from sales psychology and leadership to mindset and systems that create true freedom. No fluff. Just real-world insights that help you close more deals and lead with confidence.Subscribe now at shaylagifford.com and start leading like the Rainmaker you’re meant to be!Submit a question: https://kprpwoltlbp.typeform.com/to/WC24kOIKTake my Sales Archetype Quiz: https://quiz.shaylagiffordcoaching.com/Nominate someone to be on the podcast: https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/Connect with Shayla:https://www.instagram.com/shaygiff/https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayla-gifford-3019396/Show Links:https://shaylagifford.com/https://shaylagifford.com/podcast/https://shaylagifford.com/catalyst/Guild Mortgage:https://www.guildmortgage.com/