Breaking Free from Bureaucracy
Brett Beckett thought he had landed his dream job. With a degree in aerospace engineering, he secured a prestigious engineering position working on the F-35, envisioning a future of innovation and high-stakes problem-solving. Instead, he found himself buried under layers of bureaucracy, where progress crawled and red tape strangled real change. Every decision required multiple approvals, and instead of solving problems, he was navigating a system that seemed designed to resist efficiency.
Frustrated and craving a faster-moving environment, Brett turned to a family member for advice—one that led him somewhere unexpected: title and escrow.
What started as a temporary escape became a passion.
Thrown into the deep end, Brett quickly realized that while title had its inefficiencies, they were fixable. Unlike aerospace, where slow-moving regulations dictated the pace of innovation, title was ripe for optimization, automation, and streamlined processes. His engineering mindset kicked in, and what was meant to be a detour became the foundation for a career reshaping how title companies operate.
Today, as VP of Business Operations and Finance at Independence Title, Brett has built a reputation as a relentless innovator. From configuring ResWare by hand to developing automation strategies that cut inefficiencies, he has one goal:
To help title companies do more with less—without losing the human touch.
The Evolution of Title Tech
The title and escrow industry has seen seismic shifts over the past decade. Before TRID regulations, the title production software (TPS) market was fragmented, with numerous providers catering to agencies of all sizes. But when TRID tightened compliance requirements, many of the smaller platforms couldn’t keep up. The result?
A wave of consolidation that left three dominant players: ResWare, RamQuest, and SoftPro.
While this shift brought stability and efficiency, Brett believes the industry is at yet another inflection point. New TPS options are emerging, offering title companies more flexibility than ever before. While consolidation laid the foundation for modernization, this new era of competition could push innovation even further.
“The next decade will be about customization,” Brett predicts. “Companies want more control, more integrations, and more intelligent automation. The solutions that deliver that will win.”
Automating the Busywork to Elevate Service
Despite his tech-forward approach, Brett is quick to emphasize that title and escrow is, at its core, a service industry.
“The product we sell is trust,” he says. “Empowering our teams to be the best service providers is where the real value is.”
The problem? Too much of a title professional’s day is consumed by administrative tasks—responding to emails, manually inputting data, and retrieving documents.
Brett envisions a future where AI eliminates the busywork, allowing staff to focus on what they do best: solving complex title issues and building strong client relationships.
His vision? An AI-powered assistant embedded into TPS platforms—a system that reads emails, pulls relevant file information, and generates draft responses. Instead of spending minutes (or hours) composing messages, title professionals could review and send replies in seconds.
“If 80% of every transaction follows the same predictable patterns, why aren’t we automating more of it?” Brett asks. “The goal isn’t to replace people—it’s to free them up to do what really matters.”
The Next Frontier: AI in Underwriting and Search
Beyond email automation, Brett sees immense potential in AI-assisted title search and underwriting. Some companies are racing toward fully automated title commitments, but he believes the smarter approach is AI-assisted examination.
“I don’t think AI should replace title searches,” he explains. “But it can absolutely help examiners move faster and more accurately.”
By working alongside human examiners, AI could flag potential issues, suggest curative measures, and generate draft commitments—allowing underwriters to focus on high-level decision-making instead of manual reviews.
Staying Sharp: The Cross-Industry Edge
Brett’s obsession with optimization and efficiency isn’t confined to his job—it extends to his reading habits. A connoisseur of books on psychology, business strategy, and behavioral economics, he credits much of his success to thought leaders like Malcolm Gladwell, Walter Isaacson, and Robert Cialdini.
“The best ideas often come from outside your own industry,” he says. “The ability to take lessons from psychology, marketing, or even aerospace engineering and apply them to title and escrow—that’s what keeps me excited about what’s next.”
The Future: More Automated, More Personalized
Looking ahead, Brett envisions an industry where AI and automation handle the repetitive clerical work, allowing title professionals to return to a more personalized, service-driven approach.
“We’re going to see a shift where title professionals spend less time on paperwork and more time being trusted advisors,” he says. “That’s where the real opportunity is.”
In his personal life, Brett has already seen how AI-driven digital marketing personalizes consumer interactions—particularly in Ameragave, an agave spirits business that he recently launched. He believes title will undergo a similar transformation, where AI-driven communication delivers personalized client experiences instead of generic email templates.
From configuring TPS platforms to envisioning a future where AI streamlines workflows while preserving human relationships, Brett is leading the charge toward a smarter, more efficient title industry.
And with his engineering mindset and relentless drive for optimization, one thing is clear:
The workflow nerd is just getting started.
The Growth & Scale Report is published by CloseSimple, and explores strategies for growth and tools for scaling your title or escrow company. The report emphasizes the art of balancing growth and scale, with a focus on personal and organizational success stories. It aims to share insights from industry leaders who have navigated these challenges, providing a platform for broader conversations in the business landscape.
