Beyond The Numbers With Christian Stevens

Beyond The Numbers is the podcast for mortgage brokers who want to build businesses that last. Hosted by Christian Stevens, five-time Best Broker in Australia and CEO of Flint. Each week, Christian delivers practical Deep Dives on the skills and systems that drive real results, alongside Industry Titan conversations with the leaders who've built something exceptional. No fluff, no theory – just the playbooks and lessons you need to grow a sustainable, profitable broking business.

Beyond The Numbers With Christian Stevens is a business podcast hosted by Christian Stevens, with 38 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Christian Stevens hosts Beyond The Numbers With Christian Stevens, a business show with 38 episodes published.

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  Beyond The Numbers With Christian Stevens

  From Zero to $60M: How This Ex-Banker Built a Brokerage in 12 Months

  Aug 12, 202641 min

  Jay Nash is the Founder of Empire Finance Mortgage Brokers, based in Shepparton, Victoria. After studying accounting, spending time at Westpac, Bendigo Bank and ANZ, and building nearly a decade of experience, Jay made the jump into broking 18 months ago — writing $60 million in his first year. This conversation goes well beyond moving from banking to broking. Jay breaks down the reality of launching a brokerage from scratch, why his first 18 months were both exciting and brutal, and how he went from solo operator to building a team with brokers and offshore loan processors. He talks about regional broking, asset finance, commercial clients, word of mouth, social media, learning to say no, and learning that success is not just about writing big numbers, but creating something sustainable that gives you back time with your family. If you're a banker, broker or finance professional trying to build a stronger business, serve clients better and create more freedom without burning out, this one's for you. 0:19 — From Accounting To Banking — Westpac, Bendigo Bank & ANZ 2:21 — What Banking Taught Him — Team Culture, Commercial Lending & Credit 5:15 — Why Broking — Building Something For Family, Not KPIs 7:42 — $60M First Year — Regional Lending, Smaller Deals & More Transactions 11:00 — FY27 Focus — Better Systems, Smarter Growth & More Family Time 13:50 — Learning From Others — Podcasts, PD Days & Peer-To-Peer Support 14:38 — Lead Flow — Shepparton, Word Of Mouth & Accountant Referrals 18:56 — Sustainable Growth — $80M Settled And Why Volume Isn’t Everything 22:15 — Social Media Strategy — Being Real, Building Trust & Staying Visible 25:52 — Finding The Right Niche — Regional Lending, Commercial & Self-Employed Clients 30:31 — Burnout Warning Signs — When Growth Starts Costing Too Much 37:31 — What Jay Would Do Differently — Saying No And Asking For Help 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 Jay Nash: LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com/empire_finance_brokers/ Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-nash-123363a6/

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  Beyond The Numbers With Christian Stevens

  The Mortgage Broker Credit Skill That Gets More Deals Approved

  Aug 6, 202645 min

  Avalon Bevan is the Founder and Mortgage Broker of Five Islands Finance, helping clients across Shellharbour, the South Coast and beyond navigate lending with a practical, relationship-first approach. After nearly ten years in loan processing, support and writing loans, Avalon launched her own business in December 2024 while raising three young boys — building around profitability, lifestyle and long-term client trust. But this conversation goes well beyond starting a brokerage. Avalon breaks down what it takes to go from support role to self-employed broker, why word of mouth is not enough, and why brokers need to build a brand to stay resilient through market changes. She also talks about self-employed clients, referral partners, credit policy, and running a business with three kids under four — showing that you can build a sustainable brokerage without doing everything the old way. If you're a mortgage broker trying to grow your brand, work smarter and build a business that fits your life — this one's for you. 2:08 — Starting In Broking — From Admin Trainee To Mortgage Broker 4:56 — The First 18 Months — Salary Replacement, Profit & Freedom 7:48 — Solo Operator Reality — Bottlenecks, Marketing & First Hires 12:17 — FY27 Growth Plan — Marketing, Content & Brand Building 13:01 — Word Of Mouth Isn’t Enough — Why Brokers Need Visibility 20:52 — Advice For New Brokers — Find A Mentor Who Actually Helps 22:14 — The Industry Debate — Part-Time Brokers, Deal Quality & Standards 24:46 — Policy Isn’t Black And White — Exceptions, Credit Papers & Common Sense 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 Avalon Bevan: LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com/fiveislandsfinance/ Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avalon-bevan-72430a133/

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  Beyond The Numbers With Christian Stevens

  How AI and Personal Brand Will Reshape Mortgage Broking

  Jul 31, 202636 min

  Sam Panetta is the Founder of Broker Coach and host of the Broker Coach Podcast — built around helping mortgage brokers grow stronger, more valuable businesses through strategy, accountability, community, marketing and sales. After starting in smash repairs, moving through futures trading, mortgage broking, credit, financial services and business ownership, Sam has turned Broker Coach into one of the fastest-growing coaching communities in the broking industry. But this conversation goes well beyond coaching. Sam breaks down why most brokers are not struggling because they cannot write loans — they are struggling because they do not know how to market, sell, choose a niche, build attention or position themselves properly. He explains why Broker Coach was built around strategy, accountability and community, how the crew has grown to more than 70 brokers in just 18 months, and why the next wave of broking will reward specialists who understand content, paid ads, personal brand and attention. From $12 million month milestones to AI making loan writing easier, influencer-style brokers, peer-to-peer learning and the future of broker consolidation, this is a direct look at what modern mortgage brokers need to understand next. If you're a mortgage broker trying to grow lead flow, build a stronger brand, find your niche and move from being “just the broker” to running a real business — this one's for you. 0:34 — From Smash Repairs To Finance — Property, Trading & Finding Broking 5:23 — From Broker To Coach — Building Aureus, Selling Up & Starting Again 8:39 — Marketing Times Ten — Why Sam Decided To Out-Market The Industry 11:14 — Inside The Crew — WhatsApp, Help Desk, Masterclasses & Long Lunches 14:06 — Joining Broker Coach — Game Plans, Coaching Tiers & Content Library 15:41 — FY27 Goal — 125 Members And A Hard Cap 18:01 — Where The Industry Is Heading — AI, Attention & Specialist Brokers 19:50 — The Average Broker Problem — Why $18M A Year Is Not Enough 20:26 — Marketing, Sales & Niches — The Skills Brokers Must Learn 25:30 — Broker Coach Success Stories — Harley, Nathan, Loop Loans & Attention 29:36 — Advice For New Brokers — Niche, Paid Ads & Content 31:33 — Girl Dad & Emotional Intelligence — Family, Leadership & Coaching 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 Sam Panetta: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sampanetta/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sampanetta_/

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  Beyond The Numbers With Christian Stevens

  “It’s Done in 30 Seconds Now”—How AI Changed Her Brokerage

  Jul 28, 202640 min

  Jordan Chantry is the Founder and Principal Broker of MVM Finance Group, a Melbourne brokerage built around relationships, not transactions. After starting in broking at 18, Jordan spent more than a decade working across admin, broker support, broking, operations and team management before launching MVM Finance Group in 2023 with a four-month-old baby at home. But this conversation goes well beyond starting a brokerage. Jordan breaks down how she built a business around limited hours, young kids, strong systems and ruthless time management,settling just under $50 million in her first year, taking six months off after having her second child, then still settling close to $61 million the following year. She talks about outsourcing, AI, client communication, database referrals, social media, and why brokers become the bottleneck when they touch too many parts of the file. She also gets into building a workplace that actually works for parents, hiring a team of mums, bringing on a five-month-pregnant employee, and why flexibility is not a weakness when the right people are in the right roles. For brokers trying to grow without working 70-hour weeks, Jordan’s story is a sharp reminder that better systems, clearer boundaries and smarter people can build a better business. If you're a mortgage broker, brokerage owner or finance professional trying to scale sustainably, use AI properly and build a team that does not depend on you for every decision — this one's for you. 2:21 — 10 Years Of Lessons — Learning What To Do And What To Avoid 4:10 — Starting MVM With A Baby — Building A Brokerage From The Couch 9:16 — Life As A Business — Time, Outsourcing & Mental Load 11:34 — No 70-Hour Weeks — How Jordan Works Around Young Kids 14:37 — AI For Assessments — Faster Responses, Cleaner Files & Better Approvals 19:44 — Inside The Team — Customer Care, Marketing & Offshore Support 22:06 — $50M In Year One — Database, Referrals & Personal Network Growth 24:41 — FY27 Growth Plan — $61M Settled, 30% Growth & Brand Building 27:14 — Hiring Mums — Flexibility, Talent & Looking Past The First 12 Months 34:57 — The Five-Year Vision — Brokers, Office Culture & Removing Key-Person Risk 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 Jordan Chantry: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-chantry-51b17610a/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanchantry.mvmfinancegroup/

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  Beyond The Numbers With Christian Stevens

  How This Mortgage Broker Wrote $105M in Settlements

  Jul 20, 202650 min

  Yousof Ahmadzai is the Head Broker of FlintInvest - Flint’s professional investor client network - and a specialist in helping property investors structure finance, scale portfolios and move quickly when opportunity appears. After eight years across CBA and ANZ, Yousof moved into broking and has quickly become one of the most active investor-focused brokers in the country. But this conversation goes well beyond investor lending. Yousof breaks down how FlintInvest settled $260 million in FY26, how he personally generated more than $105 million in settlements, and why professional investor clients need a very different level of structure, speed and post-settlement strategy. He talks through lender sequencing, borrowing capacity, equity releases, 90% LVR strategies, third-tier lenders, SMSF pathways, and why great investor broking is not just about getting one loan approved, it is about building the next three to five moves before the client even buys. If you’re a mortgage broker, brokerage owner or finance professional trying to understand investor lending, build better referral ecosystems and scale without losing client experience — this one’s for you. 1:47 — Banking Background — CBA, CommSec, ANZ & Finding Property Finance 6:21 — Scaling FlintInvest — Investor Strategy, Policy & Client Experience 7:17 — A Broker’s Daily Rhythm — 20–30 Conversations A Day 14:45 — B2B Funding Opportunity — Furnishing, Training Programs & Business Growth 24:01 — Speed To Lead — From 5 Leads To 200 Inbound Opportunities 27:25 — FY26 Results — $105M Personal Settlements & $260M FlintInvest Volume 34:42 — FY27 Goals — Doubling FlintInvest & Scaling Axios 37:16 — Team Structure — 5 Credit Analysts, 4 Processors & Post-Settlement Reviews 44:11 — Investor Policy Changes — Borrowing Capacity Down 30–50% 46:36 — Finding The Next Solution — How Good Brokers Respond To Policy Shocks 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 Yousof Ahmadzai: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yousoforbion/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yousof.orbion/

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