In an industry often tied to the patchwork of the past, true institutional growth requires more than software updates. It needs a fundamental change. Today, Kind Lending, the national lending powerhouse founded by industry icon Glenn Stearns, announced a strategic partnership with CANDID to do just that: modernize its operational infrastructure for a new era of lending.
This move marks a definite departure from the industry’s reliance on disparate legacy technologies. By adopting a unified, scalable CANDID system, Kind Lending is moving to eliminate the “technical debt” that has long plagued the mortgage industry, replacing it with a platform that’s ready to move as fast as the organization’s national ambitions.
The end of the patchwork era
For years, mortgage lenders have faced a recurring problem: how to innovate without adding complexity. The result for many has been “dealer depression”—a plethora of disconnected tools that frustrate loan officers, confuse sales teams, and drive up the cost of each loan. This complexity often creates a “technical tax” on the organization, where more time is spent navigating systems than originating loans. In an environment characterized by margin compression and rapid market change, this tax is no longer sustainable.
Rather than a previous amendment, Kind Lending has chosen to rebuild for the following. This decision reflects a broader institutional philosophy that does not view technology as a peripheral support function, but as the central nervous system of the business.
“You cannot lead the next generation of lending with yesterday’s programs,” said the organization in a statement about the change. “If you know Kind Lending, you know that we have never had ‘business as usual.’ Founded by industry veteran Glenn Stearns, we’ve built our success on culture, talent, and a willingness to do what other lenders won’t. The collaboration with CANDID is a continuation of that thought – a bold step towards innovation and quality. “
A unified vision of performance
Together, CANDID and Kind Lending are redefining the tools of the modern borrower. By replacing legacy systems with a unified platform, the partnership streamlines core business workflows – from sales and recruiting to fulfillment. The focus is not just on the software itself, but on the speed of operation it allows in all departments.
The strategy focuses on three key pillars of the institution’s operation:
- Modern in measure: Lending Grace has adopted a foundation that empowers teams to make the most of their expertise rather than working for it. This ensures that as the company expands its footprint nationally, its infrastructure remains agile, not a bottleneck.
- Strategic integration: By transitioning from a separate vendor environment to a single, structured system, Genre Lending has achieved a level of operational clarity that is unusual in the national lending environment. This reduction in complexity allows the company to react more quickly to fluctuations in interest rates and consumer demands.
- Center alignment: The integration of TPO sales and recruitment creates a rare synergy between growth and performance. This ensures that talent entering the organization is quickly supported by a foundation built for high adoption and sustainable scale.
Driving real discovery
This collaboration represents more than technological development; it’s a complete change in the way Kind Lending works and scales. In a market where business technology is often bought but rarely fully implemented, Grace Lending is focused on driving real innovation. By simplifying and integrating their ecosystem, they are setting a new standard for what a technology-enabled lender looks like: fast, efficient, and cut from the barriers of the past.
The mortgage industry is currently in a crisis. As legacy systems fail to support the pace of modern lending, the signs of success are changing. Today, success is defined by integration, scale, and – most importantly – an organization’s ability to empower its people through simplification.
“This is about measurable growth,” said the CANDID team. “As the industry evolves, this partnership shows a clear path forward: easier scales, acquisitions fuel growth, and innovation. We are proud to provide the engine for Kind Lending’s next chapter of disruption.”
The way forward
The Kind Lending-CANDID partnership underscores the broader evolution taking place across the mortgage landscape. By prioritizing “fundamental change” over “patchwork fixes,” Grace Lending isn’t just surviving the current market cycle — it’s building the tools to lead the next one. This partnership serves as a blueprint for any C-suite executive looking to move their organization past the limitations of legacy debt and into a future of streamlined, technology-enabled work.
