Industry Leader Insights: Why 97% of Entrepreneurs Are Betting on Partnerships

New EY research reveals that 97% of established U.S. entrepreneurs pursued strategic partnerships during 2025 or 2026, while growth remained their number-one priority. So what can reverse mortgage professionals learn from them? In this Industry Leader Insights, HECM World publisher and Reverse Focus President Andrew Montesi explores how successful entrepreneurs are pursuing growth without bloat — using partnerships, AI, better data and greater leverage rather than simply adding more leads, technology, people and cost. Andrew looks at: Why strategic partnerships have become a core growth strategy What the 97% finding means for reverse mortgage loan officers Why genuine partnerships go far beyond asking for referrals How trust can create measurable commercial value Why entrepreneurs are becoming more selective about AI and technology The data and visibility problem holding partnership networks back How reverse mortgage professionals can create more value from the relationships and opportunities they already have For an industry built around education, trust and professional relationships, the lesson is clear: scale doesn’t always come from owning or adding more. Sometimes it comes from connecting what you already have much more effectively. Read the EY research: https://www.ey.com/en_us/entrepreneurship/ey-entrepreneur-insights-survey Visit HECM World for more reverse mortgage news, insights and industry analysis. https://hecmworld.com/2026/08/17/industry-leader-insights-why-97-of-entrepreneurs-are-betting-on-partnerships-and-what-reverse-mortgage-professionals-can-learn/