About Us
OUR MISSION
We help Coloradans borrow smarter, build equity on purpose, and grow through Real Estate. Every loan type, every life stage.
WHY WE’RE DIFFERENT
We’re true Mortgage Brokers. We shop your loan across dozens of lenders so that you don’t have to. Founded by Colorado’s longest running independent broker shop.
Why EquityPath?
We're advisors, not loan sales people.
We believe financing should be a strategy, not a sales pitch. Our job is to educate you, explain your options, and help you make the decision that's best for your long-term financial goals.
Independent mortgage brokerage with the power of competition.
Unlike banks that offer only their own products, we leverage a carefully curated network of more than 80 lenders. That competition helps us find financing solutions tailored to your unique situation.
We build and tell your story to lenders.
Every borrower has a story, and not every lender sees it the same way. We package your financial picture to highlight your strengths and present your application to the lenders most likely to offer favorable terms.
Personalized financing strategies.
No two borrowers are alike. Whether you're buying a home, investing in real estate, growing a business, or planning for retirement, we'll help you choose a lending strategy designed specifically for your goals.
Access to 80+ carefully selected lending partners.
From conventional mortgages to specialized financing, our extensive lender network gives you access to solutions that many banks simply can't offer—all through one trusted advisor.
Honest advice, even if it means sending you to another lender.
Your success means more to us than closing another loan. If another lender or financing option is genuinely the better fit, we'll tell you and help point you in the right direction.
Residential, commercial, SBA, investment, and agricultural financing under one roof.
Whether you're financing a home, expanding a business, purchasing investment property, or acquiring farmland, EquityPath offers a comprehensive range of lending solutions to support every stage of your financial journey.
Chris Lawhead
Founder, Equity First Lending
Chris Lawhead is a mortgage advisor, investment lender, and real estate investor with over 20 years of experience helping clients make smarter financing decisions. As an agricultural (AG), multifamily, and short-term rental (STR) investor and lender, he brings a unique, real-world perspective across residential, commercial, and land-based opportunities.
Having personally invested in and advised on real estate transactions totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, Chris operates as more than a loan originator—he’s a strategic partner in the deal. He actively uses the same loan products he recommends, giving him firsthand insight into how they perform in real-world scenarios, not just on paper.
His approach is simple: the loan is not the goal—the outcome is. Chris works with homeowners, investors, and business owners to structure financing that supports long-term wealth, liquidity, and flexibility. Whether it’s optimizing leverage, timing a refinance, or navigating complex deal structures, he focuses on what actually moves the needle.
Known for cutting through noise and simplifying complex decisions, Chris helps clients move forward with clarity and confidence. He believes the right loan—structured correctly—can be one of the most powerful tools for building wealth.
At Equity First Lending, Chris combines real-world investing experience with modern lending strategy to deliver one thing: financing that works.
Bryan Emmett
Founder, Excel Mortgage Brokers
Bryan Emmett is the founder of Excel Mortgage Brokers, Colorado’s largest and longest-standing true mortgage brokerage. Over the course of his career, he and his team have originated more than $1 billion in loans—built on one thing: getting the details right.
Bryan is known as a true “mortgage nerd”, in the best sense of the word. His depth of knowledge around guidelines, structuring, and loan strategy is what separates him. When deals get complex, he’s the one people turn to to make them work.
He’s not chasing volume, he’s focused on precision. Every loan is approached with intention, built to perform, and structured to actually serve the client long after closing.
Highly respected across Colorado by clients, partners, and peers alike, Bryan has built Excel Mortgage Brokers into a platform known for clarity, consistency, and solutions.
Denver Metro +1 (720) 730-9081
Northern Colorado +1 (970) 999-1368
Email: [email protected]
Location: “Rooted in Colorado”
