The year 2026 will not be a normal year for the broking industry. The gap between brokers who adapt quickly and those who don't is widening fast – driven by AI, changing borrower behaviour, rising competition, and new expectations around speed and visibility.

In this episode of Elite Broker, Annie Kane unpacks how and why the 13th annual Better Business Summit 2026, run with the support of principal partner NAB, is helping top brokerages across the country pull away from the pack in 2026.

Tune in to find out:

• How the Better Business Summit agenda will deliver tactical and practical business advice.
• The new normal in lead generation, visibility, and broker operations in 2026.
• How brokers can help come up with a solution to the awards conundrum.

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 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!