Broker Bulletin

Paper credit files. A pool shed for an office. Rebecca Justice built Benchmark Finance Group from nothing, and set one rule from day one: stick to what you're best at. In the latest Broker Bulletin, LMG's State Commercial Specialist, Todd Bateman, sits down with Benchmark Finance Group's Managing Director, Rebecca Justice to unpack why she has never diversified into home loans or asset finance, even as the rest of the industry leans into the write, develop, or refer model.

What you'll takeaway:

• Why Rebecca has never diversified Benchmark beyond property and commercial finance

• The $50 million deal that shows what can go wrong when brokers stray outside their lane

• What Rebecca wishes she'd known about validation before going out on her own

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Got questions, ideas, or a guest suggestion? Drop us a line at [email protected].

You can also connect with us on Instagram @lmg.broker and on LinkedIn.

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Show notes:

00:38 Rebecca's recent feature in business news on the private credit market
01:44 How Rebecca got into finance, from wanting to be a lawyer to working at Domino's
07:02 The leap from 15 years at NAB into starting Benchmark Finance Group
08:21 Why Rebecca chose to specialise in property finance instead of becoming a generalist broker
09:34 The case for referring instead of diversifying into every type of lending
14:35 The real difference between writing credit as a banker and as a broker
18:42 From a pool shed office to a growing seven person team
24:08 The biggest lesson Rebecca has learned since becoming a business owner

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Balpreet Bal didn't set out to build a billion dollar business. He set out to give clients a better experience than the one he had as a first-time home buyer.

Twelve years later, that instinct still anchors Loan Market Bal and Associates. The Perth-based brokerage has grown into a team of 15+, with over $1 billion in loans settled and 530+ five-star Google reviews. In the latest Broker Bulletin, Loan Market CEO Sam White sits down with Bal to unpack the real turning point in Loan Market Bal and Associates' growth. 

In this episode, you'll hear:

• How Bal's mindset shift took him from solo broker to settling $1 billion in loans
• Why letting go of control was the hardest, and most valuable, lesson in scaling
• How Bal's team uses AI to save time without losing the human touch

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Nine thousand commercial properties sold last year. $85 billion in transactions. And most brokers still think commercial lending isn't for them.

In this episode of Broker Bulletin, Mel Griffin sits down with John Flavell, Founder & Director of Wave Money, to bust the biggest myths around commercial property lending. Uncovering why your own client database might already hold your next opportunity.

You'll hear:

• Why your existing customers are sitting on an opportunity you might be missing
• Why "it's complicated" is a myth worth questioning
• How an 80% LVR and 30-year term is opening commercial property to everyday investors

Like this episode?
Leave a review! Don't miss an episode: Subscribe to the Broker Bulletin podcast channel on your favourite streaming service.

Got questions, ideas, or a guest suggestion? Drop us a line at [email protected].

You can also connect with us on Instagram @lmg.broker and on LinkedIn.

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Show notes timestamps:

00:59 – John explains why he founded Wave Money and the borrowers being underserved by traditional lenders
03:28 – Why brokers now write over 70% of resi loans, and what hasn't changed in 30 years
06:25 – How recent tax changes are shifting where investors put their money
10:36 – "Your customers are already sitting in your database"
13:58 – Busting the myth that commercial lending is too complicated for resi brokers
17:56 – The policy detail: 80% LVR, 30-year terms, and lease-only servicing
22:14 – What "lease doc" lending actually means, explained simply
25:40 – A first-time investor's story: buying a factory unit in Geelong
31:06 – John's "one percenters" for building a business built on long-term relationships

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Jenna built a business around school pickups. Now it's reshaping what broking can look like for women and men everywhere.

Fifteen years ago, Jenna Davenport left banking because there was no flexibility for a parent trying to do the school run….

In this episode of Broker Bulletin, Loan Market's Erin Manhood sits down with Jenna, managing director of The Finance Nest, to unpack how her and her business partner have grown a six broker business with a genuine mission to bring more women into the industry, without ever losing sight of process, culture or client experience.

What you'll take away:

 Why The Finance Nest built its own "associate broker" apprenticeship model
 How process and systems, not less work, are what actually create flexibility
 Jenna's honest take on stepping off the tools and planning succession
 Why she rings a bell for every single settlement (and what else gets celebrated)
 How AI is being used to buy back time for real client connection

 Like this episode?
Leave a review! Don't miss an episode: Subscribe to the Broker Bulletin podcast channel on your favourite streaming service.

Got questions, ideas, or a guest suggestion? Drop us a line at [email protected].

You can also connect with us on Instagram @lmg.broker and on LinkedIn.

Want to know more about LMG? Click here.

Show notes:
00:36 – Meet Jenna Davenport and The Finance Nest
01:16 – What an "associate broker" actually is at The Nest
03:08 – Why Jenna stumbled into broking to be present for her daughter
04:03 – Building a business of attraction for women in the industry
08:12 – Why process and systems are the real key to flexibility
10:16 – The next stage for Jenna and Dusty as leaders
19:18 – The bell, the wins, and celebrating what matters
23:19 – Using AI to buy back time, not replace people

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Why are deals still being left on the table in the non-standard lending space, and what do brokers need to do to achieve greatness in this niche?

In this episode of Broker Bulletin, Michael Wasef, Director at Ontime Finance, sits down with Aaron Taylor, Head of Non-Standard Lending at Bluestone, to talk about the customers who don’t always fit the standard lending box. 

You’ll hear:

• Why self-employed customers can struggle with mainstream lending, and where the opportunity is for brokers

• The extra question that can uncover more options for your customers

• Where brokers could be missing opportunities across non-prime lending

Like this episode?

Leave a review! Don't miss an episode: Subscribe to the Broker Bulletin podcast channel on your favourite streaming service.

Got questions, ideas, or a guest suggestion? Drop us a line at [email protected].

You can also connect with us on Instagram @lmg.broker and on LinkedIn.

Want to know more about LMG?

Show notes (timestamps):
01:13 – The big shifts: negative gearing, SMSF and DTI changes
02:17 – Why self-employed customers still get told no
05:15 – The non-prime opportunities brokers leave on the table
07:42 – What separates brokers who write complex deals from those who don't
12:10 – Why borrower storytelling and broker notes matter
18:04 – Why non-bank borrowing capacity beats mainstream banks
25:13 – Inside Bluestone's new construction product

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Success in broking rarely comes down to one big moment. It's built through the habits, conversations and support systems that happen every day.

In this episode of Broker Bulletin, Alberto Gorgioski sits down with Loan Market Double Bay broker Max White to unpack the practical habits behind his growth. From committing to consistent prospecting and earning trust in every client conversation to leaning on the people around him. Max shares what's worked and why none of it happened alone.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to sharpen your own approach, this conversation is packed with ideas you can put into practice.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why consistent prospecting still drives the majority of Max's business
• How a strong support network has helped accelerate his development
• What it takes to build credibility with clients, regardless of age or experience

Like this episode?
Leave a review! Don't miss an episode: subscribe to the Broker Bulletin podcast channel on your favourite streaming service.

Got questions, ideas, or a guest suggestion? Drop us a line at [email protected].
You can also connect with us on Instagram @lmg.broker and on LinkedIn.

• 00:27 Meet Max White
• 01:01 Taking the leap into broking
• 02:28 The value of a strong support network
• 05:04 Solving real problems for first home buyers
• 07:39 Why personalised advice wins
• 08:20 Preparing for bigger opportunities
• 09:24 Earning trust early in your career
• 11:52 The prospecting habit that still delivers
• 13:17 One calendar habit every broker can adopt
• 14:15 1% Improvement: consistency compounds

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Thirty year loan terms, no annual reviews, no GSAs on trading businesses, and loans up to $15 million.

In the latest Broker Bulletin, Blue Crane Capital's Chris Hall sits down with Ben McKell, Head of Commercial at Brighten for LMG, to reveal how the newest kid on the LMG Lending block wins  against the banks and other non-banks on commercial deals.

From specialised assets like childcare and boarding houses, to a private credit product that lends to individuals, trusts and non-residents, this is a masterclass in where the opportunity sits in commercial lending right now.

You'll hear:

• Why credit appetite, not rate, is what actually wins a commercial deal
• Why $15 million loans and 30 year terms are rewriting the rules for brokers
• How a complicated $1 million deal can get across the line

Like this episode?

Leave a review! Don't miss an episode: Subscribe to the Broker Bulletin podcast channel on your favourite streaming service.

Got questions, ideas, or a guest suggestion? Drop us a line at [email protected].

You can also connect with us on Instagram @lmg.broker and on LinkedIn.

Want to know more about LMG?

 

Show notes timestamps:

02:02 Inside the Brighten by LMG offering: $15 million loans, 30 year terms, no annual reviews

03:06 Where the wins are right now: alt doc up to $5 million at 80% LVR

05:43 The private credit playbook: specialised assets from childcare to caravan parks

12:29 Real deal case study: the $10.2 million asset with a DA already in place

18:09 Lease stock demystified: lending to individuals, trusts and non-residents

22:14 The bridging loan policy change making waves with brokers

25:15 Why credit, not rate, is what actually wins commercial deals

33:24 The diversification opportunity every residential broker should know about

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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 accreditation

• How AI-driven fraud is slipping past brokers, and how lenders are catching it

• Why compliance by design means MyCRM does the heavy lifting for you

 Like this episode?

Leave a review! Don't miss an episode: Subscribe to the Broker Bulletin podcast channel on your favourite streaming service.

Got questions, ideas, or a guest suggestion? Drop us a line at [email protected].

You can also connect with us on Instagram @lmg.broker and on LinkedIn.

Want to know more about LMG?

Show notes timestamps:

00:27 Introducing Luke Jarmaine and Mel Cooney
03:01 The current regulatory environment and why investigation volumes are at record highs
04:24 Busting the biggest compliance myths brokers still believe
06:06 The credit guide gap catching brokers out
09:09 How AI-driven digital fraud is fooling even experienced brokers
12:55 Why referral arrangements need the same due diligence as everything else
16:38 Compliance by design: how MyCRM builds obligations into the natural loan journey
19:40 What's next for MyCRM, including My Documents

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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 broker emails nationally

 Like this episode?
Leave a review! Don't miss an episode: Subscribe to the Broker Bulletin podcast channel on your favourite streaming service.

Got questions, ideas, or a guest suggestion? Drop us a line at [email protected].

You can also connect with us on Instagram @lmg.broker and on LinkedIn.

Want to know more about LMG?

Show notes:
00:49 – The current appetite for AI across the broker network
01:13 – The core risks: data protection and human-led credit advice
02:42 – The AI note-taking mistake that cost a broker their accreditation
04:34 – Why cyber insurance isn't the safety net you think it is
05:32 – The phishing scam that compromised broker emails nationally
06:56 – A practical checklist for choosing and using AI tools safely
08:08 – What "frontier AI" means and why it's changing the threat landscape
12:49 – Luke's top 3 things brokers should do today to stay protected

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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 and systems beat every other factor when choosing an aggregator

• How a two-minute security check gave two business owners genuine peace of mind

• Why lenders keep thanking Kayla and Kristina for their broker notes

 Like this episode?
Leave a review! Don't miss an episode: Subscribe to the Broker Bulletin podcast channel on your favourite streaming service.

Got questions, ideas, or a guest suggestion? Drop us a line at [email protected].

You can also connect with us on Instagram @lmg.broker and on LinkedIn.

Want to know more about LMG?

Show notes:
00:49 – Kayla and Kristina introduce My Lending Co and how it started
02:04 – Mel's school-based traineeship story and how it led to Kayla's career
07:15 – What Kayla and Kristina actually looked for in an aggregator
08:59 – Discovering MyCRM after juggling nine different systems
16:34 – The security scare sorted in two minutes flat
20:16 – How compliance has shaped their client experience
23:07 – Using AI to save time on broker notes and QA checks
27:34 – Their future goals: more efficiency, not necessarily more scale

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