From the barbershop to the browser: Jeremy Davis on culture, community and digital momentum

HousingWire’s Allison LaForgia sits down with Jeremy Davis, President of Mortgage at Southern Bancorp and a recent HousingWire Vanguard honoree, to explore his innovative “From the Barbershop to the Browser” model. Jeremy shares how building culture and community translates into real-world results and digital engagement that doesn’t feel like spam. 

This conversation explores practical applications including key proof points that demonstrate the effectiveness of this model. This conversation highlights how Jeremy’s approach translates into tangible outcomes for loan officers, processors and leaders, including proof that the model works. He also shares actionable leadership advice, inspiring executives to build culture-driven, digitally savvy teams that can thrive in today’s mortgage landscape. 

“We earned it by making trust a system instead of a slogan,” Davis said. “We’ve built an internal culture to maximize our market outreach, focusing on community institutions of trust — places like barbershops, pulpits, and corner stores — where business happens as a byproduct of relationships. The results have been clear: production growth, market segment growth, and stronger community engagement.”

The inspiration for that approach is deeply personal. “I come from a diverse family and a low-income community,” Davis explained. “I spent many years of my childhood in public housing, and I saw firsthand how a community lending a hand up can make a real difference. My grandfather, Paw Bill, used to take me to a barbershop with him all the time — even though he was bald,” he said with a smile. “We’d be there for hours, and I saw people help each other, give advice, and rally around one another. That made a lasting impression on me.”

That memory would later become the foundation for Davis’s modern outreach strategy. “From the barbershop to the browser is a philosophy of translating old-school community outreach to a modern digital housing industry,” he said. “First, we embed ourselves in those community institutions of trust and listen. Then, we take what we learn and create short, plain-language educational content — from how to buy your first house, to understanding credit or down payment assistance, to shopping for a mortgage. Then we translate that into digital content that educates, not sells.”

When asked how Southern Bancorp keeps the message authentic and not overly promotional, Davis said it comes down to personalization and empathy. “We focus on two philosophies: personalization and answers over ads,” he explained. “After every community event, we follow up with digital content that addresses the questions and concerns we heard directly from people. It shows the community that we’re listening and that we’re here for the long haul.”

That authenticity also drives internal buy-in. “Every member of our wolf pack — that’s what we call our team — should care about customer acquisition,” Davis said. “Loan officers get warm introductions from trusted partners, processors get cleaner files and better-informed borrowers, and leaders get less firefighting and more time for coaching and development. The buy-in comes because it works.”

For Davis, culture is both the foundation and the differentiator. “We call ourselves the wolf pack because we hunt together, protect each other, and know that no one succeeds alone,” he said. “Our leadership team is diverse — across backgrounds and generations — but united in one mission: connecting community to business and expanding homeownership access.”

When asked if the model truly delivers measurable business results, Davis didn’t hesitate. “Can I bring receipts? Absolutely,” he said. “We’ve seen outstanding production growth, double-digit increases in rural markets, and over 40% growth in first-time homebuyer business. And the pride of the pack — we haven’t lost a producing loan officer in over two years. That’s culture.”

Davis closed with advice for other leaders hoping to build meaningful, lasting change: “Start in places of real trust, where people already live. Listen first. Teach with respect. Build teams that reflect your market. Be authentic, not performative. Be transformational, not transactional. That’s what communities need from us — and that’s what culture really means.”