The Adviser Podcast Network

Welcome to The Adviser's What's Making Headlines podcast, your go-to source for the week's biggest stories in finance and real estate, distilled into bite-sized insights.

Join host Annie Kane and senior journalist on Broker Daily, Julian Barnes, as they review the news of the week.

This week, they discuss:

• What the broking industry thinks 2026 will look like.
• Why Western Australian brokers think Help to Buy could be improved.
• How the 5 per cent Deposit Scheme is pushing up house prices.

And much more!

As more Australians look to upsize, downsize, or relocate in a fast-moving property market, bridging finance is emerging as a critical – yet often misunderstood – tool to help borrowers make their next move with confidence.

In this episode of In Focus, sponsored by Athena Home Loans, we sit down with Athena's chief product officer, Mira Hohn, to unpack what's happening in the property market, why so many Australians feel "stuck", and how better bridging solutions could unlock greater mobility.

Hohn shares how Athena has been working with brokers to co-create an innovative new product and scenario modelling tool to help brokers and their clients navigate complex buy-sell decisions.

Tune in to discover:

• Why fewer Australians are moving – and what's holding them back.
• How bridging finance can help borrowers buy before they sell.
• How Athena's new tools and policies are making bridging simpler, fairer, and more flexible.

And much more!

Stephanie Thomas never planned to become a mortgage broker – but four years on, she's leading a 20-person team across three Queensland offices and was named Mortgage Broker of the Year at the Women in Finance Awards 2025.

In this episode of Elite Broker, Annie Kane sits down with the Loan Market Ignite director to unpack how she built a high-growth brokerage from scratch without a client database; why education and service sit at the heart of her model; and how she's used people, process, and technology to scale quickly without sacrificing client experience.

Tune in to find out:

• How she's built her team to settle around $450 million a year.
• How she structures a multi-office, pod-based team across Brisbane, Ipswich, and Buderim.
• How AI, automation, and delegation help her manage hundreds of loans a year.

And much more!

Welcome to The Adviser's What's Making Headlines podcast, your go-to source for the week's biggest stories in finance and real estate, distilled into bite-sized insights.

Join host Annie Kane and commercial writer Ben Squires as they review the news of the week. This week, they discuss:

• The growing volume of lenders forecasting a rate hike in February.
• The flurry of regulatory action taken against lenders and brokers.
• The top brokers listed in the Elite Broker Ranking – Asset Finance, partnered by Optimise Aggregation.

And much more!

As more mortgage brokers look to elevate their performance and build sustainable, scalable businesses, broker coaching is emerging as one of the most in-demand support tools in the industry.

In this episode of In Focus, sponsored by Success & Broker, we sit down with broker-turned-coach Ruan Burger to explore why coaching has become a critical component of broker growth – and what it actually looks like behind the scenes.

Burger shares how he transitioned from elite broker to business coach, the common challenges he helps brokers overcome, and the importance of building a brokerage that aligns with your life, not the other way around.

Tune in to discover:

• What today's brokers really need help with – and why demand for coaching is rising.
• The most common "hidden problems" in broker businesses (and how to spot them).
• How social proof, client experience, and strong internal processes can transform a brokerage.

And much more!

Felix Katzen stumbled into the world of asset finance by accident, but he's been hitting the ground running, rapidly growing his brokerage, and expanding out his team.

In this episode of Elite Broker, Annie Kane sits down with Katzen – founder of Katzen Financial Group – to unpack his journey from contractor to business owner, how he rebuilt lender accreditations from scratch, and the high-volume, rapid turnaround model that defines his business today.

Tune in to find out:

• How he's grown his brokerage into a busy commercial outfit in just 18 months.
• How he manages 40 loans a month.
• His approach to hiring and building culture in a new brokerage.

And much more!

Welcome to The Adviser's What's Making Headlines podcast, your go-to source for the week's biggest stories in finance and real estate, distilled into bite-sized insights.

Join host Annie Kane and commercial writer Ben Squires as they review the news of the week.

This week, they discuss:

• The RBA's surprising rhetoric on the cash rate trajectory.
• The problems with the CSLR funding model.
• Why we might need to start calling Macquarie a major bank.

And much more!

Elite Broker Katrina Rowlands was among the first generation of mortgage brokers and has gone to win countless awards for her and her team. But what's next?

In this special return episode of Elite Broker, Annie Kane catches up with Rowlands – AFG's first Hall of Fame recipient and a mentor and champion of the broking industry – to unpack her three decades in the industry, why she started up a female broker scholarship program, and how she's running her successful Wollongong-based brokerage with her daughter.

Tune in to find out:

• Why she set up a women's broking scholarship (now called Women on the Move).
• The ins and outs of succession planning with a family member.
• Her top tips for aspirational mentors.

And much more!

Welcome to The Adviser's What's Making Headlines podcast, your go-to source for the week's biggest stories in finance and real estate, distilled into bite-sized insights.

Join host Annie Kane and commercial writer Ben Squires as they review the news of the week.

This week, they discuss:

• Controversy around the new Help to Buy scheme.
• Why another major bank thinks this is the end of rate cuts.
• RACQ Bank offloads its retail banking arm.

And much more!

Momentum Media was proud to bring the Women in Finance community together for the 2025 Women in Finance Summit and Awards in Sydney – a day and night celebrating excellence, leadership, and authentic storytelling across financial services. In this episode of the Women in Finance Podcast, host Annie Kane is joined once again by Natalie Smith, general manager, retail broker at ANZ, and a platinum partner of the Women in Finance Summit and Women in Finance Awards 2025. Fresh off the back of the event, they unpack the themes and standout moments from this year's summit – from the importance of building authentic businesses, to the power of community, flexibility, and support in helping women thrive in finance.

Tune in to hear:

• Why authenticity and clarity of purpose are essential for building successful businesses.
• How ANZ is fostering gender inclusion through initiatives like its Doyenne program.
• How ANZ's new 2030 strategy will reshape the bank's customer-first approach.

And much more!