Broker Bulletin
Broker Bulletin is your go-to podcast for tips, stories, and insights straight from the heart of Australia’s broking industry. It’s all about keeping you ahead of the game in a market that’s always on the move. Each week, we chat with guest brokers, industry leaders, and area experts who tackle the big challenges facing broking and share some of the real opportunities on offer. From celebrating wins to dishing out practical advice, each episode will give you the guidance you need to make the most of your broking journey. Whether you’re on the road, at the gym, or...
The real cost of non-compliance (and why compliance-by-design works)
The real cost of non-compliance (and why compliance-by-design works)
Investigation volumes are at record highs. Lenders are suspending accreditations fast, and the fraud behind it is getting harder to spot.
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, LMG Chief Risk Officer Luke Jarmaine sits down with Mel Cooney, LMG's Manager of Broker Compliance Consulting, to break down what's really driving the current wave of investigations and how brokers can protect themselves without adding hours to their week.
In this episode, you'll hear:
Why "the lender didn't ask for it" won't protect your...
The AI mistakes that can put your accreditation at risk — and the safeguards every broker needs
Your cyber insurance won't save you from a phishing link. Neither will an ISO 27001 certificate. So what will?
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, Mel Cooney sits down with LMG's Group Chief Risk Officer Luke Jarmaine to unpack the real risks brokers are facing as AI adoption accelerates across the network, and what to actually do about it.
In this episode, you'll hear:
How not to lose an accreditation over an AI note-taking tool
The truth about what cyber insurance does and doesn't cover
The phishing scam that compromised b...
Nine systems down to one: how these brokers built smarter, not harder (Kayla Smith & Kristina Siegert)
The two-minute phone call that could save your business: inside My Lending Co's compliance-first growth story
Nine systems to complete one deal. A security scare sorted from the school pick-up line. And a broker note lenders keep thanking them for.
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, LMG's Luke Jarmaine and Mel Cooney sit down with Kayla Smith and Kristina Siegert, who built My Lending Co from scratch 18 months ago in Brisbane, to talk compliance, systems, AI and the real cost of getting security wrong.
In this episode, you'll hear:
Why compliance...
How to grow your brokerage without burning out
How do you grow a brokerage without becoming the bottleneck? Growing isn’t usually the hard part.
Letting go is.
This week on Broker Bulletin, Mel Griffin sits down with Liz Zaki, Managing Director of OneSite Finance, to unpack the systems, habits and mindset shifts that helped her build a successful brokerage over 23 years. Without losing the personal service her clients know her for.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
The simple four-stage workflow that helped Liz scale her team
How to know when it's time to delegate
Why s...
Why smart investors are about to pivot to commercial
Rate cuts, sticky inflation, and a federal budget that just rewrote the rules on negative gearing, CGT and SMSF lending.
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, Clare George from LMG Commercial catches up with Vanessa Rader, Head of Research at Ray White. Together, they unpack why that gap is about to send serious investor capital pivoting into commercial, and where the opportunities are already emerging.
In this episode, you'll hear:
Why new negative gearing policy is pushing investors toward commercial
How the SMSF residential borrowing ban could release commercial demand
<...The good, the bad and the ugly of the biggest tax shake-up in a decade
The federal budget breakdown to find opportunities for brokers following fundamental changes to capital gains tax (CGT), negative gearing and the scrapping of residential SMSF lending.
Loan Market Business Owner Blake Chandler and Thinktank's Head of Partnerships and Distribution, Joel Harrison, cut through the noise on this week's episode of Broker Bulletin.
What you’ll take away:
Why residential SMSF is being scrapped, and what to do before the cutoff Is negative gearing dead? not even close. The truth behind the headlines. Exclusively for brokers. The Thinktank story: 20 years, $10 billion under management, and why they...Why going niche was Caroline’s boldest (and best) business move
Caroline Mundey was told that narrowing her focus was a risky move. She did it anyway, and it paid off.
Having lived through the instability of renting as a single parent, Caroline knows firsthand what it means to feel financially vulnerable. That experience gave her a clear direction on who she wants to help and Tevey Loans was born.
In the latest Broker Bulletin, LMG’s Erin Manhood sits down with the business owner to unpack how she turned her experience into a sharply defined niche and the unexpected benefits that came with it.
Yo...
Are 20% deposits dead? Or is high LVR lending really too risky?
High LVR: super high cost, complicated, high risk, only for first home buyers. Sound familiar?
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, Kath Persoglia sits down with Mario Emmanuel, Co-Founder of Skip by LMG, to debate the realities of high LVR lending and the current sentiment in the market around these products.
Busting the myths around 98% LVR lending, Mario shares some real client stories, from a finance professional earning close to $1 million who chose a 98% LVR loan over selling her investments, to a family who went from a $1.1 million budget to $1.3 million without finding extra cash...
Why I tell my brokers to beat me (and why I’ll never let them)
Jason Wylie has always been a high performer. But writing big numbers was never the actual goal.
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, the Director and Principal Broker at Loan Market Capital sits down with Alberto Gorgioski and gets candid about what building a business really looks like from the inside: the hires that changed everything, the leadership lessons that took years to land, and why culture will always beat volume when it comes to the long game.
His real goal? Building a company so well known, so trusted, and so good to work for...
Chartered Accountant-turned-trusted Broker: how Sue Vuong wins complex deals
Most brokers shy away from complex scenarios. Sue Vuong has built her whole career on them.
A chartered accountant turned mortgage broker, Sue has built her Perth-based business on the clients others turn away: the self-employed, the complex, the ones who've already heard no.
In the latest Broker Bulletin, Loan Market Chief Marketing Officer Angela Tracey sits down with Sue to unpack the mindset, systems, and real-world wins behind a broker who's built her whole reputation on being the trusted advisor in the room.
What you’ll takeaway:
Your brokerage is leaking profit — and you probably don't know where
Most brokers look at gross revenue and think they're on track. MK says that's exactly the problem.
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, LMG's Denya Dean sits down with Michael Karpathakis, National Head of Business Performance at LMG, discussing what it takes to run a profitable, scalable broker business. No fluff. Just numbers, frameworks, and real examples. Including how one business stripped $470k from its P&L while still growing at 1.5x.
If you've ever said "I think we're doing okay" without actually checking the numbers, this one is for you.
In this...
Inside the next growth chapter of a $150 million market leader
George Massouridis, Founder and CEO of Mortgage Navigators in Sydney, has built something that most brokers only dream about; a business with real longevity, a team that stays, and a growth strategy that’s just getting started.
In the latest Broker Bulletin, LMG's Grace Ormsby sits down with George to find out what nearly 27 years in the industry has taught him, as he embarks on a new era of growth.
In this episode, you'll hear:
The lender that made trust lending simple (and cheaper than you think)
Most brokers hear "trust lending" and brace for complexity.
Laura Waters, Head of Residential at Podium Money, sits down with Raj Kapoor from Apollo to strip back the confusion around non-trading trust and company lending. From succession planning families to sophisticated investors, trust structures are on the rise and brokers need to be positioning themselves now.
In this episode, you'll hear:
Why Apollo's simple trust policy could change how you approach these deals The one thing Laura says every broker must do before a client buys in a trust How Apollo cut trust lending ra...Diana quit her banking job in COVID, started a brokerage and grew it 200% in 12 months. Here's how.
Most brokers know social media matters. Very few actually make it work.
Diana Hemmad went from posting "dodgy" videos to building a community of almost 12,000 Instagram followers driving significant leads through her pipeline and simultaneously scaling her team from two to seven in a year.
In this episode, LMG's Natalie Viney sits down with Diana to unpack the strategies, mindset shifts, and daily habits that have fuelled her growth.
In this episode, you'll hear:
Why the referral partner model failed Diana and what she did instead How to use authentic content to...What separates brokers who scale from those who stall
Most brokers are running hard. But running hard without a clear strategy isn't growth… It's drift.
Michael Karpathakis, Loan Market's National Head of Business Performance, joins Denya Dean to share the simple system behind some of the country’s best performing broker businesses.
In this episode, you'll hear:
Why "drift" is the silent killer of broker businesses The 90-day check-in rhythm that keeps high-performers on track all year Three quick wins you can act on today How to reverse-engineer your KPIsA practical, no-fluff conversation for brokers who are ready to stop working in the...
What nobody tells you about building a brokerage from scratch.
Andy Andrews didn't inherit a trail book. He left accounting because it bored him, spent five years learning his craft as a broker, took a leap of faith, and built Capital One Financial Services into a full-service, deliberately diversified brokerage in Walkerville, South Australia.
The morning after winning Young Business Owner of the Year at the LMG Awards, he sat down with Erin Manhood for a genuinely candid conversation about what it took to build one of SA's fastest-growing brokerages.
In this episode, you'll hear:
The tipping point that tells you it's time...
The broker who still picks up the phone every morning (and why it’s a game changer)
He started alone in 2019. Now he's building the next generation of brokers from his own office.Rob Flynn launched Vorteil Financial Group the hard way. The Royal Commission had just wrapped. COVID was around the corner. And he was doing it solo in Perth.
Six years on, he runs a lean, values-led brokerage with his wife Kat as business partner, a structured university internship programme (the only one of its kind in WA), and a client base built almost entirely on trust and referrals.
In this episode, LMG's Simon Munkelt sits down with Rob at...
The brokerage that started in a garage (and never looked back)
A VB drum for a fridge. $10,000 a month was the goal. Three mates who had no idea they were building something that would span five states, 35 staff, and over a decade of industry-leading repeat business.
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, Tom Caesar sits down with Angus Askew, Will Overman and Andrew Dodwell — the co-founders of Magnolia Lane, to unpack what it really takes to build a culture-first, relationship-driven asset finance brokerage from scratch, and sustain it for 12 years.
Honest, funny, and full of practical gold for any broker or business owner who wants to grow without lo...
What it takes to build — and protect — a broker brand: inside Elders Finance
The big banks are closing branches in regional Australia. Elders is opening them.
Recorded live at Growth Summit, LMG's National Head of Enterprise Partners, Mark Montalto sits down with Steve Gibson, Head of Elders Finance, to unpack how one of Australia's most recognised brands is growing, pivoting and protecting what it's built over 187 years, and what every broker can take away for their own brand.
It's a candid conversation about compliance, culture, acquisitions and why trust in regional communities is harder to win than any deal.
In this episode, you'll hear:
...
How to build credibility in commercial lending
What does it take to build a career in one of the toughest corners of broking?
Live from Growth Summit, Clare George sits down with Isabella Constantinou, Sales Director, at Simplicity Loans & Advisory, to lift the lid on the world of commercial construction and development finance.
With complex deals, high stakes, and zero room for fluff, the duo reveal how careers are actually built in the commercial space, and the habits that matter.
In this episode, you’ll here:
How to build credibility early (before you feel ready)
Why expo...
Building a brokerage - based on a community-led strategy
No five-year strategy? No business blueprint? No worries.
Chrissy Dunkerton has relied on her strong work ethic, deep care for clients, and the determination to build something that worked for her life and her family, and it’s paying off.
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, Simon Munkelt sits down with Chrissy to unpack the journey behind Loan Market Chrissy Dunkerton — from working out of a home office to building a thriving brokerage across regional WA.
It’s a candid conversation about organic growth, backing yourself and building a business around people, not a playbo...
When next-gen thinking meets old school broking: inside IFA mortgages
Paper files. Long hours. Anthony O’Flynn built IFA Mortgages the old-school way.
Then Luke Harborne walked into the office, looking for some extra income, and everything changed.
In the latest Broker Bulletin, LMG’s Mel Griffin sits down with Anthony and Luke to unpack the partnership reshaping IFA Mortgages.
It’s a candid conversation about generational thinking, letting go of control, and the hiring decision that unlocked the next phase of growth.
In this episode:
How Anthony and Luke navigate the ins-and-outs of business partnership
The operat...
Why this leader stopped writing loans (and how it supercharged his business)
Most brokers think success means writing more loans. Michael Tait realised the opposite.
Erin Manhood sits down with LMG's recently crowned Leader of the Year to unpack the moment he stopped writing loans — and stepped fully into leadership.
Today, HT Capital runs with three directors and a culture built on process, accountability and long-term thinking.
What you’ll learn:
• why strong process beats chasing short-term results
• the partnership model that helped HT Capital scale
• the culture habits that keep high performers together
• why AI only works when y...
#5 Suzi Trajanovski - Power, pipelines and performance: the habits of brokers who actually scale
Behind the rise of a 3,000-strong Leading Ladies community sits decades of frontline growth experience, led by Suzi Trajanovski.
With more than 20 years in third-party and 18 years inside LMG, currently as the National Director, Growth, Suzi has seen what separates brokers who scale from those who stall.
In conversation with Maddie Walton & Kobe Clarke-Jacobs, she breaks down:
• Why brokers plateau when they hire too late and try to do everything themselves
• The non-negotiable habit top performers commit to daily: prospecting
• How to move from “activity” to actual conversion by learning to ask for the bu...
#4 Jordan Chantry - How this broker hit $100 million in three years
Jordan Chantry launched her brokerage, MVM Finance Group, with a four-month-old baby, and went on to settle $100 million in just three years.
No perfect timing or huge team on hand, she did it all thanks to a smart structure and relentless focus.
In conversation with Maddie Walton & Kobe Clarke-Jacobs, the trio uncover:
• How Jordan scaled MVM Finance Group while raising two young boys
• The onshore and offshore support model behind her growth
• Why community and mentorship accelerated her confidence
• The mindset shift required to truly back yourself in business
It’s pro...
#3 Andrea McNaughton - From executive to owner: how to bet on yourself
What happens when you walk away from the executive table… and put your own name on the door?
After two decades building powerhouse brands, Andrea McNaughton made the leap from executive roles at Ray White and Loan Market into small business ownership, acquiring one of the largest Loan Market businesses in the country, now known as Loan Market Andrea McNaughton.
In conversation with Maddie Walton & Kobe Clarke-Jacobs, they unpack:
• Why a health scare and industry shift pushed Ange to back herself
• The difference between leading a business and owning one
• How she’s thinking...
#2 Angelique Tallon - What if you could build a high-performing brokerage… without 60-hour weeks?
Angelique Tallon designed her business, Zimlend Finance Brokers, around her life. As a full-time mum working in focused pockets, she’s built serious revenue while protecting her energy and her family time.
In conversation with Maddie Walton & Kobe Clarke-Jacobs, the trio dive into:
• How Angel structures her week to maximise output in limited hours
• The offshore support model that unlocked scale
• Why back-book reviews and retention drive long-term growth
• The honest truth about early income volatility in broking
If you’re redefining what success looks like, this one’s for you.
This wee...
#1 Maddie Walton & Kobe Clarke-Jacobs - From side hustle to seven-figure flows: how next-gen brokers are rewriting the rules
They didn’t inherit a trail book. They didn’t wait 10 years. And they didn’t follow the traditional path.
Maddie Walton, the business owner behind Money Lounge, and Kobe Clarke-Jacobs, the namesake of Finance with Kobe, are building modern, digital-first brokerages powered by brand, automation and bold decisions.
In this special International Women’s Day episode, the Leading Ladies break down:
• How social media became a consistent, high-quality lead engine
• Why hiring before you feel ready changes the growth trajectory
• The team structures that keep them purely client-facing
• What newer brokers must mas...
Use AI to replace your grunt work — not your time
AI in broking has moved beyond curiosity. It’s now about execution.
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, Katherine Persoglia sits down with Whitney Cali, LMG’s Group Executive of Product, Tech and Data, to unpack how leading brokers are embedding AI into daily workflows — not to replace judgement, but to sharpen it.
From My Note Writer and My Quality Assurance inside MyCRM to integrating Google Gemini into your calendar and inbox, this is a practical conversation about speed, compliance and delivering clearer answers to clients.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
What it really takes to build a Top 100 brokerage: Tina Howes
Hiring ahead of growth. Letting go of perfection. Offshore scale. Onshore leadership. Capacity before volume. Protecting culture. Redefining success.
High-performing brokerages aren’t built by accident — they’re built by deliberate choices.
In this Broker Bulletin episode, Denya Dean sits down with Tina Howes, Director of Amara Mortgage Brokers, to unpack how she’s built out a Top 100 business without burning out her people, or herself.
From backing herself to hire earlier than felt comfortable, to building serious offshore capacity, setting clear boundaries, and putting culture before ego — Tina shares the real decisions behind the...
What it really takes to build a Top 100 brokerage: Simon Kahl
Growth plans. Hard calls. Systems that scale. Culture under pressure. Client focus. Offshore support. Letting go of control.
High-performing brokerages aren’t built on theory — they’re built on decisions.
In this Broker Bulletin episode, Denya Dean goes inside the engine room with Simon Kahl, Director of The Loan Company, one of WA’s most consistent Top 100 businesses.
This is a candid look at how high-performing businesses are actually built. From buying the business and reshaping the team, to systemising growth and protecting culture — Simon shares what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what he’d do so...
Inside Australia’s 2026 Market
Interest rates. Inflation. Construction bottlenecks. Investor heat. First home buyer surges. Regulation overload. Every market moving in its own direction.
In this Broker Bulletin episode, Sam White sits down with Dan White (Managing Director, Ray White Group) and Nerida Conisbee (Chief Economist, Ray White) to unpack the big picture—and what it really means for brokers on the ground.
This isn’t broad brush or theory. It’s what’s driving growth, what’s slowing it, and how to make sharper calls in 2026.
What you’ll take away:
where the demand is coming fro...
Reset. Refocus. Reload: your December/January gameplan
Don’t wait for a new year to feel ready. Use December and January to create the space you need to kickstart your 2026 the right way.
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, Grace Ormsby sits down with Alberto Gorgioski, Associate Director NSW/ACT at Loan Market, to break down a simple four pillar reset that gets brokers on the front foot and back in control fast. No noise. No theory. Just the moves that actually shift momentum.
You’ll learn:
The four business strategy pillars that create clarity and consistency How to lock a one...How brokers can unlock the next-home market with category defining innovation
A new generation of bridging solutions can unlock opportunities for brokers, agents and buyers alike.
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, Katherine Persoglia sits down with Mira Hohn, Chief Product Officer at Athena, to unpack how Apollo Next has rebuilt bridging finance from the ground up.
The pair break down why this market has been so misunderstood, how innovation is removing the friction and fear, and how brokers can confidently guide clients through the biggest move of their lives.
You’ll learn:
Why so few Australians complete their “make a move” journey How Ap...Inside the commercial comeback: what’s driving the next boom?
Rates eased, confidence lifted, and investors started moving again in 2025. But what’s really driving the next wave of growth?
In the latest episode of Broker Bulletin, Clare George, Associate Director for Commercial at LMG, sits down with Vanessa Rader, Head of Research at Ray White, to unpack the story behind commercial’s comeback and what brokers need to know heading into 2026.
From retail’s quiet rise to office’s long-awaited turnaround, they explore the shifts shaping the next boom, shining a light on where brokers can focus their attention.
You’ll learn:
Why ra...The courage to go solo
When Lauren Hall left the safety of an established brand to start her own brokerage, it wasn’t just a career move. It was a confidence reset.
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, she sits down with Loan Market Chief Marketing Officer, Angela Tracey, to unpack the first 12 months of going out on her own.
From identity crisis to clarity, from busyness to balance, Lauren shares how she’s redefined success on her own terms: leading with purpose, lifting her team, and finding a version of growth that actually feels good.
You’ll learn:
From loan writer to leader (and learning to let go)
When you start a brokerage, you’re used to doing every deal, making every decision, and taking every late-night call. But the real growth comes when you finally learn to let go.
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, Tom Caesar, Group Executive for Asset Finance at LMG, sits down with Brendan Zadravec, Director and Finance Broker at Ironbark Asset Finance, to unpack what the first 15 months of business have taught him about leadership, discipline and trust.
From his early days in the banks to running a seven-person team, Brendan shares how he built structure into chaos...
From $50M to $500M: how Michael Xia is building a powerhouse brokerage
Growth doesn’t come from grinding harder. It comes from getting sharper.
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, Michael Xia, founder of Mortgage Channel chats to Rob Thomas, LMG’s National Director of Residential, all about the habits and structure behind one of the country’s most productive solo brokerages.
Australia’s #2 ranked Elite Broker shares how he went from two investment properties to a $490 million business, built entirely around clear goals, a strong mentor, and a disciplined daily rhythm.
The pair unpack what it really takes to scale. You’ll learn:
Why goal-based c...
The rise of trust lending: what brokers need to know
More investors are buying through trusts and non-trading companies. It’s smart, strategic and fast becoming the norm. But for many brokers, it still feels like uncharted territory.
In this episode of Broker Bulletin, Onur Kocabay, founder of Build Invest Grow, sits down with Jeremy Cockram, Head of Lending and Product at Apollo, to unpack how these structures really work, why they’re on the rise, and what brokers should look out for when submitting trust and company deals.
You’ll learn:
Why more investors are choosing trusts and non-trading companies The key differences betwee...Brand before broker: how to build a business that lasts
Too many brokers have a logo, not a brand. In a world of AI noise and eroding trust, the firms that win are the ones clients know, like and rely on.
Rob Simpson, the founder of Loan Market Access, sits down with Loan Market Chief Marketing Officer, Ang Tracey, to unpack how he’s building a regional brokerage that’s bigger than any one broker; with three offices across NSW and a plan to scale without losing service or standards.
You’ll learn:
Why a brand-led model scales better than a broker-led one The brick...