The Successful Adviser by James McCracken

Based in northern New South Wales just shy of the Queensland border, when COVID hit last year and borders were closed, for 8 weeks Jo Croft was unable to drive to her Brisbane office to see staff and clients.  They say necessity is the mother of invention, and Jo had to find a new way to keep the business running.  And do it fast. Suffice to say, Jo found a new level of leadership and decision mak...

Best by name, and by nature.  Right now, Kirsty Best from Living Home Loans is seeing the business achieve personal best settlement volumes, as she and her husband Andrew take full advantage of the booming property market.   Currently writing $6M / month with a view to doing more, Kirsty brings her life skills and financial acumen to fore to deliver a highly referable lending experience.   Moreove...

If you've ever had a husband, wife or significant other who has contributed to your business in a small or big way, you'll love this episode with Jo Violeta. Jo is the marketing manager at Violeta Finance.  By proxy of her husband Carl being the broker, Jo has focused on driving initiatives that have helped build Carl's profile, the brand presence and make a significant impact on client acquisitio...

Straight up, that headline is definitely correct, though it's one of a few titles Sarah Wells uses to describe how she delivers service. With a large portion of her clientele being medical professionals, Sarah has become their trusted advisor to give them the clarity, advice and confidence to achieve their goals.    Or, as Sarah calls them, to get the Unicorn or at the Zebra.   Moreover, in the co...

Many a broker has ventured into the 1-to-many business model, but they don't all come out alive. In this interview, Rose de Rossi shares how, in collaboration with her business partner Tracey Lea Gilbert, they have built a successful sub-aggregation group that expands their impact and grows their bottom line. And they aren't done just yet. As Rose candidly admits, they're very much in a growth pha...

In this interview, Caroline Jean-Baptiste talks about what it takes to be an active and involved mother while also operating a successful mortgage broking business.  Who says you can't have both! Having previously worked in the cruise liner industry, Caroline talks about how she made the transition into broking, and then into operating a successful broking business. With a legion of fans who advoc...

As a multi-award winning broker and perhaps one of the most respected brokers in the country, Peita Davies has seen a lot in her 17+ years in the industry. Transitioning from the dental industry, Peita shares how the core principles of great service have been the bedrock of building her business, reputation, and loyal customer base. With an entrepreneurial flare, Peita also talks about the various...

Starting his career as an accountant with LaTrobe Financial in rural Victoria, 20 years on, he is still working for LaTrobe, though his knowledge, skills, and experience have grown significantly over that time. These days, as Chief Lending Officer, the focus for Cory and his team is weighted heavily toward contributing to the success of their customers, you, the mortgage broker. Interestingly, in...

Jeremy Harper's journey in mortgage broking isn't your typical one.  Having established his business in Melbourne, Jeremy packed it up and took it to New York where he and his wife lived and worked for two years. While operating in the Big Apple, through a combination of opportunity and strategic insight  Jeremy chose to niche down and build his knowledge and reputation for providing specialist le...

The journey of Richard Bootle has certainly been an interesting one.  Born in rural New South Wales, Richard went onto boarding school and university in Sydney before a stint at a large corporate law firm.   It was during his time at the large law firm that Richard answered the calling to return to his family roots and operate a local law firm. But, what to do when there's already a law firm alrea...

As a long-time champion of the 3rd party channel, Aaron Milburn talks about his career, his love of helping brokers succeed, and his mission of educating consumers on their options so they never have to feel like there isn't hope to solve their financial challenges. Having worked in a number of 3rd party roles including state manager @ Bank West, Citi, and St George, Aaron has found his home at Pe...

After a 14-year career at Westpac, Andrew Larcombe decided to join the ranks of the broking industry, and 23+ years on, he has seen just about everything and achieved an extraordinary amount. When loans were easier to write, Andrew broke the company 3-months in a row, where he set a record of 84 loans in a single month.  Legend has it that record still exists to this day. With a knack for teaching...

In this candid and relieving interview Jeremy Fisher of 1st Street Financial, we cover a number of topics pertaining to personal success, business development, and contributing back to the community. You may know Jeremy as having been ranked # 1 broker in the MPA Top 100 list with a settlement volume of $320 million.  But as Jeremy readily admits, that's when organising a deal required less admin...

Hailing from the small country town of Orbost, Robert Trewin has built a renowned and trusted reputation across Victoria's East Gippsland as a mortgage broker of choice, and of latter years,  the mortgage broking business of choice. With a background in lending, Rob made the leap at a time when only 20% of home loans originated from the broker channel. Armed with a fervent commitment to delivering...

In this candid, straightforward interview, Peter White, Managing Director of FBAA, talks about his legacy, how far the industry has come and what's in store for the months and years ahead. It will come as no surprise that Peter, just like the brokers he represents, is extremely passionate about the industry and furthering the broker cause. This is absolutely evidenced through the continued lobbyin...

As someone who has been at the raw end of a property spruiker, I can say with absolute certainty that it does make a difference who consumers and investors get their advice from. Get it wrong, and you're stuck with an expensive lemon.   Get it right, and it can be a building block to creating financial security.   In this episode, Richard Crabb, managing director of Aspire Property Network shares...

As a stalwart of the Canberra mortgage broking scene, Gerard Heffernan is well known and respected by clients and peers alike. Having joined forces with his brother Bernard in 2015, their business hasn't looked back. And, like many a bespoke brokerage, Gerard and Bernie understand intimately the need to provide personalised service and advice according to the needs of every client. It's with this...

In this interview with Liz Wilson, we focused the conversation far more on culture, people, leadership and systems.   Like all mortgage brokers, Liz has needed to embrace the change of recent time so she and her team can remain relevant to their clients and continue to deliver outstanding levels of service. What interesting to hear is Liz's mindset and openness to personal change, growth and think...

With a love of people, processes and numbers, though Cathy Brown started life as an accountant, she has found her calling as a mortgage broker. From the early days of smashing out long hours and driving all over town, Cathy has restructured her business to fit around her life all while leveraging processes, technology and an off-shore team to deliver exceptional client outcomes. Like many a broker...

In today's interview, you're going to hear from Ilse Strauss, a leadership consultant and advisor for people who want to ensure there is alignment between their values and their business. In this interview, you'll hear Ilse share specific insights into how having clarity of your value can and does make it easier to operate your business in a way that feels authentic for each person. The reason for...

Some brokers go quietly about their business, making an impact where it matters most - with the outcomes and relationships they have with clients. This is certainly true for Kelly Cameron, the entrepreneurial director of Get Real Finance.   At age 30, Kelly sold her first brokerage and 'retired' from the workforce, though boredom, the need to be challenged and passion for making a difference soon...

In this interview, Aaron Christie-David pulls back the curtain on some of the business processes and optimisation techniques that are helping him and his team operate an efficient and productive brokerage that delivers a smooth lending experience for their astute clientele.   As a marketer turned broker, Aaron has a keen eye for the small details that help influence consumer perception of him and...

When Otto Dargan started his mortgage broking journey, he had a modest vision of having 3 staff members and to service a local client base. But, while trekking in Nepal, he broadened his horizons in more ways than one.  With a more worldly view, he came back to Australia inspired about what else was possible. With the newfound energy, he started experimenting with his business, and though not all...

Hearing Hannah Nguyen's story will be aspirational for many - and rightly so.  She is shooting the lights out with her volumes, though she is far from resting on her laurels. Currently writing around $86 M with a goal of $100M (and then $150M), Hannah and her team operate with precision and structure to enable deals to flow smoothly through their well-oiled machine without every task being reliant...

Luke Howes is the typical story of an 'overnight success' 15 years in the making.   Better known as the founder of bankstatements.com.au, in our interview, Luke gives us the back story that brought us his fantastic innovation that now provides value for thousands of brokers and tens of thousands of clients alike. Immersed in the entrepreneurial world for the better part of his working life, Luke r...