The broking industry is amazing, and I love how other brokers are happy to share and pass on knowledge and ideas to improve systems and processes so that all clients have the best loan experience possible.
What challenges do you see currently facing the industry, and what solutions would you propose?
I think the biggest challenge currently facing the industry is around how easy it is to become a broker. You could potentially set up your own broking business in a very short timeframe with no real practical broking or business experience required — and from there, you could be helping clients with some of the biggest financial decisions of their lives. Decisions that, potentially, you haven’t even been through yourself, like buying a first home, purchasing an investment property, or structuring multiple investment properties.
I think there should be more education and experience required to become a broker, as well as additional post-course requirements for more complex lending scenarios. This would do two things — filter out the people who aren’t genuinely serious about the industry, resulting in better brokers overall, and also protect clients from receiving misinformed support. It’s not necessarily that brokers are being deliberately dodgy — it’s more that support can be given without the depth of experience that clients might reasonably expect.
There is so much information online now, and so many conflicting opinions, that it almost overloads clients who aren’t sure what to believe or trust. Having more of a barrier or verification system to help people know who to turn to and what to listen to online could be really valuable.
Can you share a memorable or challenging experience from your career as a broker and the lessons you gained from it?
Some of my most memorable experiences are the day-to-day conversations I have with clients who don’t just want to purchase a home — they want to get ahead in life and build their wealth, and they’re really seeking support for that journey. They usually know what they want to achieve, but they’re not always sure of the pathways available or whether they’re overlooking something they haven’t thought of because they haven’t been down that road before.
