Kaylene Edwards is the managing director of Flexify and one of the more honest, self-made stories to come through Beyond The Numbers.

She grew up in commission housing, bartended her way through her twenties, and bought her first property at 21 — sleeping in her car between shifts to save the deposit. She later moved into banking as an assessor, watched brokers submit loan after loan, and eventually thought: I can do this better. So she did. Flexify was born, and she's been building it ever since — as a single mum, without a mentor, figuring it out in real time.

But this conversation goes well beyond the origin story.

Kaylene talks candidly about what it really takes to build a broking business from scratch — the social media strategy she's used from day one, why she'd rather get six likes from the right people than a million views from the wrong ones, and how she's doubling her team heading into FY27.

She opens up about building a niche she didn't choose — self-employed borrowers and property investors — and how 20% of her Brisbane-based book ended up in Kalgoorlie. She also gets into what she believes is holding women back from staying in broking, and what a genuine solution to that might look like.

If you're a broker trying to build something real from nothing, or just want a reminder of what backing yourself actually looks like — this one's for you.

1:13 Working as an Assessor — Watching Brokers and Thinking She Could Do It Better

7:13 The Moment She Saw What Brokers Got Paid

13:22 FY27 Plans — Doubling the Team and Launching Paid Ads

16:40 Social Media Ad Strategy — What She's Actually Testing

19:23 Do You Want Exposure or Do You Want to Get Rich?

24:27 The Hardest Parts Nobody Warns You About

29:09 Why Women Leave Broking — and Her Idea to Fix It

35:26 AI and Automation — What's Actually Saving Her Time

48:29 Sleeping in Her Car to Save Her First Property Deposit

Learn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/

Connect with Christian Stevens:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/propertyfinance/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmrstevens/

Connect with Kaylene Edwards:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayleneedwards/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flexify.au/

Simon Lewis is the founder of Broker Capital, a trail book lender built specifically for mortgage brokers who want to grow — without selling what they've spent years building.

In this episode, Simon unpacks how trail book funding actually works, why most brokers don't realise they're sitting on a borrowable asset, and how Broker Capital is funding deals in as little as two days. He breaks down the four main reasons brokers come to him — growing a team, buying out a partner, acquiring another book, or consolidating debt — and why the banks simply won't touch most of these situations.

But this conversation goes deeper than product.

Simon shares what a high-quality trail book actually looks like under the hood — loan age, clawback rates, run-off, growth trajectory — and why the average book transacted at nearly 3x in FY25. He talks about the consolidation wave reshaping Australian broking, why the smaller operators are feeling the squeeze, and what ambitious brokers should be doing right now to capitalise on it.

He also opens up about what it's really like being four months into building a business from scratch — wearing every hat, figuring it out in real time, and why he believes the broking industry is in a golden window that won't last forever.

If you're a mortgage broker sitting on a trail book and wondering what your next move is — this one's for you.

3:45 The Beginner's Guide to Trail Book Funding

9:00 Acquisitions 101: Buying a Book With $0 Out of Pocket

12:40 What Makes a Good Borrower — and Who Gets Declined

19:10 The 4 Reasons Brokers Come to Broker Capital

23:15 What Makes a High-Quality Trail Book (Run-Off, Clawbacks, Loan Age)

25:20 Biggest Clawback Horror Stories

30:25 Generalist vs Specialist: Where the Industry Is Heading

33:00 The Long-Term Vision for Broker Capital

Learn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/

Connect with Christian Stevens:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/propertyfinance/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmrstevens/

Connect with Simon Lewis:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonlewisbrokercapital/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonlewis_brokercapital/

Chris Raymond, founder of Unconditional Finance, joins Christian Stevens on this week's episode of Beyond The Numbers. With 25 years across banking and broking — from loan documentation and credit analysis to becoming a #1 BDM nationally — Chris built Unconditional Finance from a single relationship that generated $67 million in his first year as a broker.

But it wasn't overnight.

From going all-in on one referral partner after lying about his experience to building a 25-person team running over $300 million a year, Chris opens up about the deliberate, unglamorous decisions behind that growth — the foundations-first philosophy, why he refused to blow up his back office chasing volume, and how he's used an internal traineeship model to promote brokers who write $60–70 million in their first year.

He also talks about the equity conversations nobody has with their team, what it actually takes to step off the tools, and why he still believes relationship-based business will always outperform the social media lead machine.

If you're a mortgage broker, brokerage owner, or anyone building something in financial services from the ground up — this one's for you.

4:55 $67M in Year One — From One Referral Partner He Lied To

7:00 How Unconditional Finance Grew to 25 People

10:30 Managing Gen Z Brokers: Cuddles vs. Boot Camps

13:15 Why Brokers Need to Specialise (Not Just Settle Loans)

17:00 The Back-Office Philosophy That Stopped Him Blowing Up

21:30 Getting Off the Tools: The Traineeship-to-Broker Pipeline

26:00 Equity, Ownership, and Keeping Your Best People

29:00 Writing 300M and Still Up at 4:30am: The Real Cost of Big Numbers

33:00 Expansion Plans, Acquisition Offer, and What's Next for 2027

38:00 Three Referral Partners, 14 Properties, and His Biggest Investing Mistake

Learn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/

Connect with Christian Stevens:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/propertyfinance/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmrstevens/

Connect with Chris Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raymond-chris/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris_unconditionalfinance/

Julian Fayad, Founder and CEO of LoanOptions.ai, joins Christian Stevens on this week's episode of Beyond The Numbers.

As Australia's first AI-powered loan comparison platform, FBAA Industry Champion of the Year, and a Deloitte Tech Fast 50 company, Julian has been building AI in financial services since 2020 — years before it was mainstream. He joins Christian to unpack the full story of how it happened.

But it wasn't a straight line.

From building a loan matching engine in an Excel spreadsheet at midnight, to walking away from a publicly listed company during COVID with nothing but his non-compete removed, Julian opens up about what it really took to build LoanOptions.ai from the ground up into a team of 35 with operations in Australia and New Zealand.

He speaks candidly about the difference between AI hype and AI that actually works, why he refused to let lenders pay to rank higher on his platform, and the coming product releases he believes will triple the business in 12 months.

This episode is a rare look inside one of Australia's most exciting fintech companies — and the obsessive, uncompromising founder who built it.

If you're a mortgage broker, business owner, or anyone curious about where AI in lending is actually headed, this one's for you.

3:15 - From Admin to State Manager: Julian's Path Into Finance

6:00 - The Midnight Excel Spreadsheet That Started It All

8:16 - Why COVID Changed Everything — and Led to LoanOptions.ai

11:30 - Refusing to Let Lenders Pay to Rank Higher on the Platform

13:00 - From B2C to B2B2C: Finding the Business Model That Actually Works

20:45 - What "AI Native Business" Actually Means (and Why It Matters)

29:32 - Team Culture: How Julian Runs a Team of 35 Mid-to-Late 20s

37:54 - What's Coming Next: New Products, NZ Expansion & the Partnership That Could Triple the Business

Learn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/

Connect with Christian Stevens:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/propertyfinance/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmrstevens/

Connect with Julian Fayad:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianfayad/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianfayad/

Leigh Morris, mortgage broker and founder of SFP Financial, joins Christian Stevens on this week's episode of Beyond The Numbers.

As a former financial planner turned content creator, Leigh has built a following of 50,000+ across social media, hit 2.7 million views on a single video, and books out his calendar weeks in advance — all without spending a dollar on ads.

But the journey wasn't overnight.

From posting every week for months with barely any views, to making a personal promise he wouldn't stop until a video hit a million — Leigh opens up about what it really takes to build a brand from scratch while running a lifestyle brokerage by design.

He speaks candidly about the mistakes, the grind, and the decisions he'd do differently — including why he'd never buy a loan book again, and how he built an offshore team that handles 600 client reviews a year so he doesn't have to.

This episode is an honest look at content, consistency, and what it means to build a business around your life — not the other way around.

5:12 - Why a Financial Planning Background Makes You a Better Broker

10:45 - Starting From Zero: Posting Every Week With Barely Any Views

16:36 - How Viral Content Converts Into Booked Meetings

22:13 - Designing a Lifestyle Business: The Team Structure Behind SFP Financial

30:10 - The Offshore Team System & 600 Client Reviews a Year

35:47 - What He'd Do Differently: Why He'd Never Buy a Loan Book Again

38:23 - FY27 Goals: Paid Ads, More Content & Stepping Back From the Day-to-Day

Learn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/

Connect with Christian Stevens:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/propertyfinance/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmrstevens/

Connect with Leigh Morris:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leighjmorris/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/financial.leigh/

From arriving in Australia with just $1,500 in his pocket to becoming the #1 mortgage broker for the Nepalese community — Raj Sapkota’s story is one of relentless grit, smart strategy, and playing to your strength.

Rhianna Farnan, Chief Communications Officer at Derwent Finance and mental health advocate, joins Christian Stevens on this week's episode of Beyond The Numbers.

As FBAA Tasmania State President, Artemis Ambassador, and the 2025 Better Business Awards Thought Leader of the Year, Rhianna shares the story behind building one of Australia's leading mortgage broking firms - starting from a bedroom at just 18 years old.

But the journey wasn’t smooth.From a failed Melbourne expansion that nearly brought the business undone, to pioneering TikTok for mortgage brokers and generating more than 150 leads a month, Rhianna opens up about what it really takes to build something over a decade.

She speaks candidly about the mistakes, the pressure, and the moment things almost collapsed - including a time when the business was struggling so much they couldn’t afford to buy groceries.

This episode is a raw look at resilience, rebuilding, and what it takes to keep going when everything feels like it’s falling apart.

If you're a mortgage broker, business owner, or anyone building something from scratch, this one's for you.

5:13 — The Melbourne Expansion That Nearly Destroyed Everything

8:17 — Running a Business With Your Partner: The Honest Truth

11:30 — Why She Founded a Mental Health Event for the Industry

19:07 — How TikTok Became Their Biggest Lead Source (150/Month)

22:29 — Viral ≠ Leads: The Content Strategy That Actually Works

31:42 — How the Back Office Is Structured (Offshore, Settlements, PA)

36:23 — The First Date Was a Disaster — Here's What Changed

39:19 — Balancing Ambition, Kids & Knowing When to Step Back

50:10 — Where the Mortgage Broking Industry Is Heading

Learn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/

Connect with Christian Stevens:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/propertyfinance/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmrstevens/

Connect with Rhianna Farnan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhianna-farnan-055a2716b/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/rhiannafarnan/

Melissa Procajlo, founder of Pro Good Finance, began her career in project management within the mining sector, working on large-scale quarry and infrastructure projects across Australia. The role demanded long hours, tough environments, and resilience - lessons that would later shape the way she approaches business.

In this episode of Beyond The Numbers, Mel shares how she transitioned into mortgage broking and eventually launched her own brokerage after nearly a decade in the industry.

But this conversation goes beyond business.

Mel talks openly about what it really takes to build something meaningful while raising a young family - balancing motherhood, business ownership, and the realities of entrepreneurship. She also reflects on the importance of having a strong partner beside you, and how the choices you make as a family shape the life and business you build together.

In this conversation we talk about the resilience Mel developed working in mining, what it was really like leaving a top brokerage to start her own business, and the responsibility that comes with building a team who trusted her vision.

She also shares why the best businesses are built on relationships, not chasing leads, the simple strategy behind the 8-10 referral partners who now drive most of her business, and why consistency beats any growth strategy every time.

If you're a broker thinking about going out on your own, building your referral network, or just trying to show up better every day - this one's for you.

0:00 - From Mining Sites to Mortgage Broking

4:12 - Launching Pro Good Finance: The Leap & The Fear

9:01 - How Mel Became a "Super Mum" (Her Honest Answer)

13:27 - Buying a House Without Pre-Approval (Broker Confesses)

15:44 - Building the Team: Offshore Staff & Hiring Her Brother

18:21 - Biggest Year Ever in Her First Year of Business

25:20 - Why You Need a Village to Raise a Business

33:56 - The Referral Mistake That Wasted 5 Years

38:28 - Social Media, Content & Standing Out in 2025

41:59 - The One Thing Every New Broker Must DoL

earn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/

Connect with Christian Stevens: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/propertyfinance/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmrstevens/

Connect with Melissa Procajlo:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissaprocajlo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melprocajlo_broker/

In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Christian Stevens sits down with Ben Robinson, Flint Director, top 1% broker, and the man building Newcastle's first billion-dollar brokerage.

Ben shares his unconventional journey from mustering 20,000 cattle on a 2.5 million acre station in the Northern Territory to becoming one of the highest-performing brokers in Australia. He reveals how he built a team structure that allowed him to take 5 weeks completely off without answering a single call or email, why he's targeting $300M in settlements this year, and the exact tech stack and systems that let his team handle 13 new enquiries in a single day.

Whether you're a broker looking to scale past the $50-100M ceiling, trying to build a team that runs without you, or searching for the habits and routines that separate the top 1% from everyone else, this conversation is packed with actionable insights from someone who's actually done it.

0:00 - Introduction: Meet the top 1% broker building Newcastle's first billion-dollar brokerage

1:39 - From jackaroo mustering 20,000 cattle to mortgage broking

5:02 - Inside his team structure: The "pod within a pod" model

12:02 - How his team handles 13 new enquiries in a single day

20:24 - The hardest part: Transitioning from broker to leader

28:59 - The "Third Space" concept: How he switches off after work

35:09 - Announcement: Ben is now a partner at Flint

44:43 - 2025 targets: $300M settled this year, half a billion next year

Learn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/

Connect with Christian Stevens: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/propertyfinance/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmrstevens/

Connect with Ben Robinson: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben--robinson/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/benrobinson_flint/

In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Christian Stevens sits down with Eric Dill, the co-founder of Quickli - the tech platform that has revolutionised how over 13,000 mortgage brokers assess serviceability across 35+ lenders.

Eric shares the unfiltered story of building Quickli from a spreadsheet proof-of-concept to the industry's most essential tool, why he's never raised a single dollar of outside capital, and how he's been working Australian hours (6pm-2am) from the US for three years straight. He also reveals what's coming next with Quickli Pro, including their AI-powered credit analyst "Jiffy," and why becoming an aggregator is NOT on the cards.

Whether you're a broker curious about the tech transforming your workflow, or an entrepreneur wondering how to build something essential without outside funding, this conversation delivers.

0:00 - Introduction: The man who revolutionised a $400 billion industry

5:43 - Quickli Pro launch: AI tools, Jiffy, and what's coming next

11:35 - Will lenders return to asset finance? The future of the industry

24:28 - Early days: From free trial to flipping the payment switch

27:17 - Never raised capital: How they bootstrapped to 40+ employees

31:48 - Business partnerships are a marriage: How Eric and Angus make it work

40:45 - How Quickli is levelling the playing field for smaller brokers

Learn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/

Connect with Christian Stevens: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/propertyfinance/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmrstevens/ 

Connect with Eric Dill: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericraydill/