Like practically all well-established brokers, it comes as no surprise that Belinda Caesar’s core marketing strategy is elevating her clients into raving fans so they can spread the good word. Having founded her business in Melbourne, Belinda has since moved to Cairns to enjoy a very different lifestyle, which was evidenced by the 90% local humidity on the day of our interview. Alas, I digress, as more impressive is Belinda’s intent to over-service her clients, through education, connections to her professional network and ongoing communication to ensure clients are supported as part of a comprehensive customer-journey support model introduced into her business. As always, we cover a few topics including how Belinda manages her time and the gifts that her clients give her to express their gratitude for the great work she does. Impressively, Belinda has a mindset of abundance around sharing her knowledge as well as being lifelong learning so she can continue to grow herself and in doing so, continue to grow her business. If you would like to connect with Belinda, visit her website, go to the contact page and drop her a note or send her an email.

The Successful Adviser

Belinda Caesar is Growing Her Business through Organic Referrals

Quite literally, one of Australia’s first ever brokers, over the past 30+ years Marco Meloni has seen it all. That said, it comes as little surprise that his secrets to success aren’t really secrets at all. Be responsive, give great advice, deliver results and care for your clients. These are just some of the insights Marco shared during our interview. Moreover, we also touch on how Marco, who is entering the twilight of his career can plan a gradual exit from his business in a way that makes it easier for their book to be taken over, clients to be looked after, and of course, appropriately remunerated on the asset and reputation he has built. As always, I hope this interview educates and inspires you to continue on your journey. And, if you would like to connect with Marco, he has generously offered his open-door policy for anyone in his neck of the woods (Leederville, WA), or you can ring the office on 08 9201 0999 and tee up a chat.

How and why Marco Meloni became one of the first brokers in Australia

Bianca Patterson exhibits all the hallmarks you’d expect of a high performing broker. Strong conviction in her value proposition Willingness to invest in people and resources Places high value on her time Is clear on the people she wants to work with And it comes as no surprise that over the past 10 years, her brokerage has been growing based almost entirely on referrals from highly satisfied clients. Right now, Bianca has arrived at what most of us would define as ‘successful in business and is thinking about the next chapter of her business, her life. Specifically, with a great flow of lead, clients and revenue, Bianca is thinking about how to slowly replace herself so she can retire by age 40 and have her team take on even more of the day-to-day responsibilities. That doesn’t mean she’ll give it all up.  Retirement is about giving herself choice and options as to how and where she spends her time. And why? So she can realise the next level of her own personal journey - and expand her impact on society.   I think you will enjoy this episode immensely. If you want to connect with her, you can reach her on LinkedIn.

How Bianca Patterson Plans to Retire by age 40, and What She Will Do Instead

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 making that caused her to empower and support her staff to take more ownership over their roles and the outcomes being delivered to clients. Like many a broker, Jo has embraced technology to operate remotely, which has proved to be a game-changer.  She is saving around 9 hours per week in commuting, which is time that can be spent on better servicing clients, operating the business and quality of life. Moreover, despite the challenges, Jo’s volumes have grown year on year, and there are no signs of slowing down. In this interview some of the topics we cover include: Leveraging technology to provides operational efficiencies and operate remotely Strategies for being a more effective business owner and manager for staff who are interstate How to do an effective succession plan for the business How to build a trusted local reputation in a ‘greenfields site’ And what Jo would do differently next time if she was to start all over again If you want to connect with Jo, you can reach her on her Facebook business page or via Instagram.  

How covid helped Jo Croft reduce office hours and grow her volumes

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.   Moreover, Kirsty is part of a growing wave of women in finance who want to support, inspire and encourage other women to pursue a career and achieve what they’re worth.   In this interview some of the topics we cover include:   Niching strategies and who they say yes, no or maybe to Instilling confidence into your team to create loyalty and productivity Tools for automating and managing task and deal flow Having a productive and profitable husband-wife working relationship  And encouraging the ongoing representation, participation and growth of women in finance   If you want to connect with Kirsty, you can drop her an email or reach her on Facebook.

How Kirsty Best is Inspiring her Clients, Staff and Peers alike

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 acquisition. Moreover, Jo’s experience is inspiring insofar as she has, like many before her, learned on the fly and put on a marketing hat even though she readily admits it wasn’t her background prior. In this interview some of the topics we cover include: Key strategies that have worked for their brokerage and be extrapolated across most broking businesses How Jo accelerated her learning through short courses and investing in her own development A marketing mistake that is funny and easily avoidable How Jo and Carl have made their working relationship prosper while also protecting the sanctity of their ‘home life’ How Jo helped Carl go from the ‘secret’ that most people hadn’t heard of to a trusted professional who people sought out   And, Jo also runs her own podcast called Dream Home Podcast. If you want to connect with her, you can email her or drop her a message on Facebook or Instagram.

How Jo Violeta is the Driving Force Behind an Award-Winning Brokerage

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 conversation with Sarah, topics we touch on include:   How she frames up a consultation to put her clients completely at ease Fee for service and value-based-pricing Strategies to capitalise on a niche  And the 2% rule around how to help a client expand what they think is possible for them to achieve   If you would like to reach out and continue the conversation with Sarah, you can email her, call on on 0411 725 525, or connect on LinkedIn.  Run a More Efficient, Referable & Profitable Broking Business :   Watch this free training so you can run a more efficient, referable and profitable broking business.  

How Sarah Wells became the Financial Psychologist for Medicos

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 phase and looking to bring on more brokers on the west coast, and in the east. Moreover, in the conversation with Rose, topics we touch on include: Proactive means to manage communication and relationships with a business partner Standards of minimum performance and expectations their broker  Strategies to optimising deal submission in the new BID environment Protecting and respecting your personal time so that you can enjoy the journey, not just the destination   If you would like to reach out and continue the conversation with Rose, you can email her, call on on 0411 181 938, or connect on Facebook.    Run a More Efficient, Referable & Profitable Broking Business : Watch this free training so you can run a more efficient, referable and profitable broking business.  

How Rose de Rossi co-built a successful and respected sub-ag group

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 advocate for her service, Caroline earns plenty of referrals, which is coupled with a host of marketing activities that have built her reputation as a legitimate expert in finance. This includes using LinkedIn to generate new enquiries - a strategy Caroline has been using with a high degree of success. In our interview, Caroline also touches on tech tools, building a team, and strategies for streamlining the lodgement process. If you want to connect with Caroline, you can do so right here.   Double Your Settlements: Watch this free training so you can double your settlement volumes with structure and consistency.

How Caroline Jean- Baptiste Built a Successful Broking Business While Enjoying A Great Life

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 business models she has deployed over the years to grow the business while also having a team of great people whom she can lead, inspire and contribute to career success. If I was to describe Peita in a word, it’d be “integrity”.  No pretension, easy to get along with, and incredibly straightforward.   It’s no wonder the bulk of her business is repeat and referral. I hope you enjoy learning about Peita’s journey and taking away some insights you can apply to your business.   And, if you want to reach out to Peita, you can reach her here. Double Your Settlements: Watch this free training so you can double your settlement volumes with structure and consistency.  

How Peita Davies Has Built A Trusted Reputation and Award-Winning Broking Business

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 line with Cory’s progress, LaTrobe too has extended its service offering from a ‘specialist’ lender to a suite of options to accommodate the various scenarios and clients whom they help. With a mantra of “make a difference” and “others before self”, LaTrobe’s business values and culture are reinforced monthly by celebrating and recognising team members who live and breathe these values to deliver service and outcomes for brokers and their clients. Cory also shares some sage and generational advice that he learned from his grandfather and father, which was “do more than you’ve been asked to do and don’t ask anything more for that”.  He also shared this nugget from CEO Greg O’Neill of “doing things right and small things matter.” If you want to connect with Cory you can reach him via his LinkedIn profile.

How Cory Bannister is Making a Difference to the Mortgage Broking Industry

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 lending solutions for ex-pats. Now back in Australia and operating out of Sydney, the bulk of the loans that Jeremy writes are for professional ex-pats who want a person they can trust to make the deal work. Combined with his degree and a previous career in accounting, Jeremy gives his clients a professional advisory service which earns him referrals and repeats business. In this interview, you will hear Jeremy talk about some of the decisions he made that have contributed to the continued and ongoing growth of his business. If you want to connect with Jeremy, you can visit his website here.

How Jeremy Harper Narrowed his Target Market to Write More Deals

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 already established in your local town?  Buy them out.  And it was with this acquisition strategy that LawLab has become the nation’s largest conveyancing firm. As Richard readily admits though, it’s one thing to buy a company’s client list or infrastructure.  It’s quite another to ‘buy the people’, which is why integrating one business culture into another is not as simple as it might sound. In this interview, Richard also discusses how their business has invested heavily in building innovative technology that enables them to scale up the service offering without a substantial increase in operating overheads or impact on service levels. If you’ve thought about buying a book, partnering with others, or considering strategies to growing your broking business, I think you’ll find this interview inspiring and insightful. Double Your Settlements: Watch this free training so you can double your settlement volumes with structure and consistency.

How Richard Bootle Built the Largest Conveyancing Firm in Australia

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 Pepper. Knowing the value brokers bring to each client, Aaron continues to advocate for how brokers can make a profound and lasting difference at a time when clients might be at their most vulnerable and needing hope, guidance, and a solution to help them move forward. Knowing the responsibilities of executive leadership can sometimes take a toll on people, Aaron clearly has a balanced approach to managing his day to day commitments while continuing to be an active father and husband. As Aaron says, “I don’t shout at the rain”, meaning he doesn’t invest energy into things he can’t control.  He also likes to keep things simple and in perspective.  It is with this attitude, that Pepper is providing a suite of lending options to accommodate ‘prime’ all way through to ‘specialist’ lending. With a pragmatic, yet passionate approach to serving the industry, I hope you enjoy Aaron’s journey and his advocacy for the broker channel. If you would like to continue the conversation with Aaron, you can reach him on 0438416882 or via Aaron’s LinkedIn profile.

How Aaron Milburn is Championing The Broker Cause

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, Andrew’s broking business has evolved over the years to incorporate a structured mentoring program given his passion for helping new-to-industry brokers. Moreover, like many high achieving brokers, for years Andrew unconsciously associated ‘success’ with the number of submissions he wrote.  That all changed though the moment he survived a new-death car accident.   This challenge and the ensuing rehabilitation forced Andrew to reconsider how he operated his business and what his priorities were.  That isn’t to suggest that his road to recovery has been easy, but it has given him the opportunity to redefine success as something that comes within and how we can make a more valuable contribution to his mentees. I hope you find this an inspiring and rewarding podcast, and if you would like to connect with Andrew, you can do so via his Morbanx website and LinkedIn profile.   Double Your Settlements: Watch this free training so you can double your settlement volumes with structure and consistency.

How Andrew Larcombe Is Shifting From High Performer To High Contributor

The Successful Adviser is created for mortgage and finance professional who want to become the preeminent adviser to their clients. James McCracken interviews some of the most successful advisers, influencers and suppliers in the mortgage and finance industry to share expert insights and real-life stories so you can achieve your goals and enjoy more success in your business.

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The Successful Adviser

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