Q. You’re a second-generation broker, with your dad being a broker. What impact did your father have on your career?
I worked for my dad for three years [before] he sold his business and I started Smart Lending.
You’ve got to learn the tools of the trade from somewhere [and] I was lucky enough to learn that from my dad. But my business looks really different to what his business looked like. I’d like to think I’m a different type of broker to what he was.
Q. Your team works together within pods. How does that system function?
There’s a workflow manager and I think that’s probably one of the most important jobs in the pod. They actually delegate the work. There are two brokers and then two offshore staff.
Offshore staff look after our retention, they look after our inputting and downloading documents – the things that would take up so much of my time if I had to do them.
I still speak to clients. I still put files together, but I do have all the admin that comes with running a business.
The workflow manager controls the day-to-day. She’s really important. She controls when files come in and go out. It’s her job to follow them up.
Q. How else do you grow your business?
I recently brought in a growth consultant into my business and that’s why we’ve been able to grow. We’re working on three times growth this year.
We’ve learned so much. I wanted someone who has really different skills to me. [Our consultant] was an external manager of a bank – great at spreadsheets. [He] monitors our activity daily. We get red or green. According to him, there is no amber.
You are red or you’re green. He’s gone through our processes – which we thought were amazing – and found inefficiencies. He’s looking at the one-percenters.
It’s not a whole lot of change, but it’s a small change that then equates to more productivity. [And it] means that I get to get out and get more leads.
Q. What has been your biggest learning throughout your career?
As your business grows, you have to work out where you sit inside your business.
A lot of people say: “I want to grow my business to come off the tools.” In 2014, I did that and I absolutely hated it. That’s not why I [became] a broker. I am very much a true broker. I love the client contact. I love speaking to clients. I like finding solutions. I love hearing that they’ve settled their home loan and that they’ve moved into their new home. That’s why I do it.
When we get big enough, I’ll bring in a general manager. I don’t want that job.
I can’t think of anything worse than looking at spreadsheets and dealing with staff problems.
I want to deal with clients’ problems. That’s probably one of my biggest learnings – working out what I wanted to do in my own business.
Q. What advice would you give to someone who’s new to the industry?
When you’re a new broker, you’re looking for referral partners - do it consistently. Go out and visit people
Consistency and connection are really important. Staying on track is doing the same things in your process consistently. When you’re a new broker, you’re looking for referral partners – do it consistently. Go out and visit people. There are some great brokers on social media who tell their stories about going to the same offices every week and you might not get work from anyone for like three months and then all of a sudden it will come.
It’s being consistent and connecting with people in the industry as a new broker.
