Learning by Doing: How a Marine Reshaped Onboarding at NewDay USA

When Lionel Marshall joined NewDay USA in 2021, he did not pass the SAFE MLO exam on his first try. Nationally, about 45% of test-takers fall short the first time they sit for the federally required exam to become a licensed mortgage officer, but at a company where passing was the gate to advancement, the setback stuck with him. "It made me nervous," Marshall told Employee Benefit News. He kept training on his own, passed a month later, earned a series of sales promotions, and in 2024 became NewDay USA's VP of training. From that seat, he set out to rebuild the new-hire experience he had once struggled through.

A first-generation college graduate, Marshall earned an industrial engineering degree from West Virginia University while serving nearly nine years as a Marine Corps infantryman. He brought that engineer's eye for process, and a Marine's instinct for practical training, to the way NewDay USA develops talent through its in-house program, NewDay USA University.

Boots on the Ground

Marshall's first move was to flip the sequence. Instead of opening with a multiweek test-prep class, new hires now spend their first three months on the phones, reaching out to prospective customers and handing those conversations to licensed team members as they progress. A revised compensation model pays a small commission on each transfer, so new employees start earning and contributing from day one. The approach comes straight from the practical training Marshall relied on in the Marines: do the work until it clicks.

"It's structured; we create value, we have repetition, and we have accountability that's not just taught in a classroom. It gives you clear expectations and allows you to build and execute on everything you're learning," Marshall said.

A Runway, Not a Cram Session

The hands-on phase is only the beginning. Over the next two months, each new hire works with an assigned mentor who teaches the principles of the mortgage business, another practice Marshall carried over from the Marine Corps. By the time employees sit for the SAFE MLO exam, they have spent roughly five months immersed in the work, the vocabulary, and the day-to-day reality of the job. NewDay USA reports that new hires who complete the program now pass the exam at a 100% companywide rate.

"It gives people more confidence and lets them understand the job they're going to be doing, and it allows people to actually feel like they're winning," Marshall said.

A Clear Path to Advance

Borrowing again from the military, NewDay USA spells out exactly what it takes to reach the next level, so employees can see their path forward from the start.

"Being able to see that as a young, driven college graduate really helped out our business," Marshall said.

A Team That Wins Together

Marshall has also worked to build a culture where people pull for one another. New-hire groups start their first week with a beach workout near the company's West Palm Beach office, and weekly basketball games, pickleball tournaments, and other activities keep the team connected. Inside the office, results are posted daily and wins are celebrated, and anyone who is struggling can ask a colleague to listen in on a call and share pointers.

"Everyone listens," Marshall said. "It probably gives you a little bit of anxiety the first time, but everyone is there to help each other. It goes to real-time feedback. If anyone gets behind, they can always pull someone aside and say 'Hey, will you listen to my call? What am I doing wrong?' It allows them to get better."

That sense of belonging, Marshall says, is what keeps people invested for the long haul, especially younger employees.

"If they feel like they belong, that right there changes the trajectory of their career," he said.

Build Your Career at NewDay USA

For Marshall, the payoff is bigger than a pass rate. It is a team that knows the business, supports one another, and is built to serve Veterans for the long run. He has used his own VA home loan benefit to buy his first home, and has helped hundreds of Veteran families do the same. If you want to build a career on that kind of foundation, explore open roles at NewDay USA.