For more than 20 years, Michael Vrlaku has built his mortgage business by embracing new technology. From CRM systems to workflow automation, he has always looked for ways to make his business more efficient.

But one challenge remained difficult to solve: consistently creating video.

Like many mortgage professionals, Michael had no shortage of expertise to share. What he lacked was the time to record, edit, and publish videos whilst managing clients and growing the business.

'One thing I knew early on, whether it was AI or an AI avatar, was that technology is going to get to a point where it's unavoidable,' Michael said.

Rather than waiting for AI video to become mainstream, Michael wanted to get ahead of it.

'The reason I found HeyGen was really just looking for a way to automate what I need to do,' he said.

He started using HeyGen more than two years ago, making AI video part of his daily workflow long before the latest generation of avatars arrived.

Today, that early investment allows Michael to consistently create videos that would previously have required hours of filming and editing.

Turning video creation into a repeatable routine

For Michael, the biggest advantage of HeyGen isn’t replacing people. It’s replacing production time.

One recent promotional video looked as though it had taken a full production crew, multiple takes, and extensive editing. In reality, Michael spent only a few minutes reviewing the finished result.

'My team made it. They sent me a script, I said what the purpose was, they put it into HeyGen, and it comes out like that,' he said.

Without AI, producing the same content would have been a completely different project.

'Think about how long that would take someone to do. That's a full-day project to get ready to go out there, have someone videoing, how many different edits and takes, then post-production,' Michael said.

Instead of treating video as a special project, Michael has built it into the regular rhythm of his business. A virtual assistant manages much of the production, whilst Michael provides direction and reviews the final output.

The result is a workflow that produces consistent content without demanding hours spent behind the camera.

Scaling content across every customer touchpoint

Rather than creating videos only for social media, Michael has woven AI video throughout his entire marketing strategy.

His weekly routines now include video market updates, video newsletters, one-on-one customer communications, and personalised follow-up messages.

He’s also expanding the way he collaborates with estate agents.

Whenever a new listing comes on the market, Michael plans to create videos alongside the listing agent that explain both the property and its financing options.

'Every time we get a listing, let’s do a video together,' he said. 'I could put myself in the listing video and say, “This is a beautiful 4,000-square-foot home. This is what the mortgage looks like.”'

He’s also experimenting with automated thank-you videos.

After speaking with a prospective client, AI can generate a personalised follow-up that summarises the conversation and reinforces next steps, helping create a stronger relationship without requiring another recording session.

For Michael, these workflows turn video from an occasional marketing tactic into an integrated part of the customer experience.

Focusing on substance rather than production

As AI video continues improving, Michael believes the technology itself is becoming less important than the value of the content.

'I think the quality is really the substance of what we're putting out, not necessarily the audio or video,' he said. 'HeyGen delivers great quality, but it really allows us to focus on what's most important, and that's the substance.'

That philosophy also shapes his advice for professionals just getting started. Rather than waiting for perfect workflows or perfect videos, he encourages people to start simply.

'What has worked over centuries is just doing it,' he said. 'Put it into your workflow.'

Over time, Michael has continued refining his approach by recording audio in his own voice, capturing avatars in different environments whilst travelling, and experimenting with new features as they’re released.

But he believes consistency matters far more than perfection. For professionals who worry about whether AI-generated content feels authentic, Michael offers a straightforward perspective.

'It is you,' he said. 'It's just the digital version of yourself. You're putting out another version of yourself to be able to provide more content to your clients and audience on a more consistent basis.'

For Michael, HeyGen aren’t replacing the human side of the business. It’s making it possible to share his expertise more consistently, reach more people, and spend less time producing content and more time serving clients