Mortgage lenders are investing millions in marketing technology, yet a staggering percentage of those tools go underused or completely idle. In this episode of Lykken on Lending, David Lykken sits down with James Duncan, Founder and Chief Marketing Strategist at Caelum Advisors, to unpack why MarTech adoption breaks down and what executives can do about it. Drawing from his experience leading marketing at Thrive Mortgage and Lower, James shares practical frameworks for auditing tech stacks, improving engagement, aligning tools with strategy, and turning marketing technology from “dead weight” into a true revenue driver. This conversation is a must-listen for mortgage leaders serious about maximizing ROI, reducing waste, and building a high-performing marketing ecosystem.
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James Duncan is the Founder and Chief Marketing Strategist at Caelum Advisers, a consultancy that works with mortgage lenders and financial brands. He helps leadership teams decide who they want to reach, what they need to say, and which channels should carry that message in their daily activity.
After a very full career in sales and marketing, including leading the Marketing divisions for notable mortgage companies like Thrive Mortgage and Lower for the last decade, James launched Caelum Advisers in April of 2025.
His work ranges from brand positioning and messaging to campaign planning, content and scripting for sales teams, recruiting support, and mapping out revenue operations. James is also known for his practical approach to marketing technology, including his TechCheck-7 framework that helps lenders find the gaps in their tech stack and fix them.
Clients rely on him for direct feedback, clear language, and roadmaps their teams can pick up and put to work right away.