Josh Friend is redefining what artificial intelligence can achieve in mortgage lending. As chief executive officer of Insellerate, Friend leads the development of Aithena, an AI platform that equips lenders with real-time sales intelligence, predictive lead scoring and performance coaching. In just one year, Aithena has delivered measurable impact across leading lenders—helping Agave Home Loans, Cross Country Mortgage and Ladera Lending achieve a 9x ROI, 89% loan closure prediction accuracy and a 38% productivity gain. Recognized as the Top Demo Winner at the 2025 Digital Mortgage Conference, Aithena is rapidly becoming an essential driver of operational efficiency and loan officer performance.
Under Friend’s leadership, Aithena has evolved into a comprehensive, agentic AI platform that integrates lead management, coaching and engagement. Its dynamic lead scoring identifies which prospects are most likely to close, allowing teams to focus time and resources effectively. Real-time coaching provides call-level insights into empathy, tone and borrower intent, while behavioral analysis reveals risk factors and missed opportunities.
Friend’s team has also pioneered voice AI capable of scheduling, qualifying and following up on loans autonomously across phone, SMS and email. These intelligent agents understand mortgage logic—handling complex workflows like lock expirations and appraisal windows—while enabling loan officers to focus on relationship building.
A former top-producing loan officer himself, Friend blends domain expertise with product innovation. His leadership has transformed Aithena from an automation tool into a full-scale performance engine, proving that AI can meaningfully enhance human decision-making and drive measurable business growth across modern mortgage lending.
Name:
Josh Friend
Title:
Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Company Name:
Insellerate
