ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.
Listen "Ep 24 | Christian Stevens: From $30M to Australia's #1 Brokerage and His $10B Vision"
Episode Synopsis
This week’s guest is reshaping the future of property finance – Christian Stevens, founder of Flint Group.
Five-time Best Residential Broker in Australia, three-time Australian Broker of the Year, and most recently named Banking & Financial Services CEO of the Year – he just dropped a bombshell: “We’re building a national boutique brokerage aiming to settle $10B a year.”
Everyone laughed – until he broke down the unique state-based HQ, mentor, and director structure built to disrupt the traditional brokerage model.
00:00 - Introduction to Christian Stevens
01:48 - The 95% nobody sees: hardships behind business success
02:28 - Partnership disasters: why compatibility trumps capability
03:13 - CEO transition: losing friendships when you can't be everyone's mate
05:02 - Shore Financial exit: why lack of equity forced his hand
08:01 - "Nothing scarier than comfort" - breaking through success plateaus
09:14 - Trail book vs business: why most brokers retire poor
10:09 - Industry prediction: broking becomes fintech within 5 years
11:09 - Market opportunity: why 12,000 brokerages but biggest only writes 2.5B
12:42 - State-based HQ strategy: acquiring half-billion dollar operators
16:42 - The ego problem: why brand sacrifice kills good partnerships
17:19 - Enterprise deals: replacing thousands of individual partnerships
18:41 - Offshore processing: building teams in Nepal for scale
20:15 - Mentorship revolution: accelerating broker development
24:17 - Ownership crisis: why building assets you don't own fails
26:28 - Marketing evolution: nightclub promoter to mortgage mogul
30:22 - The breakthrough: $30M to $121M by outsourcing everything except sales
35:16 - Specialisation power: why generalist brokers hit walls
39:11 - Hiring philosophy: attitude over credentials
42:28 - Cultural protection: why difficult high performers destroy teams
46:06 - 10-year shortcut: compressing traditional learning timelines
50:37 - Industry revolution: giving brokers actual ownership
56:03 - Personal foundation: meeting his wife with $20 in his pocket
Want to learn my exact strategy for building a successful property portfolio? Check out School of Property for a step-by-step investing blueprint that's helped thousands of Aussies start and scale their investments: https://schoolofproperty.com.au
Follow me for more investing & business insights:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samgordonproperty
Business: https://www.instagram.com/australianpropertyscout
Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thetoponepercentpodcast
Follow Christian Stevens:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmrstevens
The content provided on this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial, business, or legal advice. The hosts and guests of the podcast are sharing their personal opinions and experiences, which may not be applicable to your unique situation. We strongly recommend that you seek the advice of a qualified financial advisor, business consultant, or legal professional before making any financial or business decisions. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is solely at your own risk. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the information provided. All information is provided "as is" without any guarantees of completeness, accuracy, timeliness, or results obtained from the use of this information. Any references to specific financial products, companies, or services are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the podcast or its hosts. By listening to this podcast, you agree that the podcast and its affiliates are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided in this podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Five-time Best Residential Broker in Australia, three-time Australian Broker of the Year, and most recently named Banking & Financial Services CEO of the Year – he just dropped a bombshell: “We’re building a national boutique brokerage aiming to settle $10B a year.”
Everyone laughed – until he broke down the unique state-based HQ, mentor, and director structure built to disrupt the traditional brokerage model.
00:00 - Introduction to Christian Stevens
01:48 - The 95% nobody sees: hardships behind business success
02:28 - Partnership disasters: why compatibility trumps capability
03:13 - CEO transition: losing friendships when you can't be everyone's mate
05:02 - Shore Financial exit: why lack of equity forced his hand
08:01 - "Nothing scarier than comfort" - breaking through success plateaus
09:14 - Trail book vs business: why most brokers retire poor
10:09 - Industry prediction: broking becomes fintech within 5 years
11:09 - Market opportunity: why 12,000 brokerages but biggest only writes 2.5B
12:42 - State-based HQ strategy: acquiring half-billion dollar operators
16:42 - The ego problem: why brand sacrifice kills good partnerships
17:19 - Enterprise deals: replacing thousands of individual partnerships
18:41 - Offshore processing: building teams in Nepal for scale
20:15 - Mentorship revolution: accelerating broker development
24:17 - Ownership crisis: why building assets you don't own fails
26:28 - Marketing evolution: nightclub promoter to mortgage mogul
30:22 - The breakthrough: $30M to $121M by outsourcing everything except sales
35:16 - Specialisation power: why generalist brokers hit walls
39:11 - Hiring philosophy: attitude over credentials
42:28 - Cultural protection: why difficult high performers destroy teams
46:06 - 10-year shortcut: compressing traditional learning timelines
50:37 - Industry revolution: giving brokers actual ownership
56:03 - Personal foundation: meeting his wife with $20 in his pocket
Want to learn my exact strategy for building a successful property portfolio? Check out School of Property for a step-by-step investing blueprint that's helped thousands of Aussies start and scale their investments: https://schoolofproperty.com.au
Follow me for more investing & business insights:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samgordonproperty
Business: https://www.instagram.com/australianpropertyscout
Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thetoponepercentpodcast
Follow Christian Stevens:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmrstevens
The content provided on this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial, business, or legal advice. The hosts and guests of the podcast are sharing their personal opinions and experiences, which may not be applicable to your unique situation. We strongly recommend that you seek the advice of a qualified financial advisor, business consultant, or legal professional before making any financial or business decisions. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is solely at your own risk. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the information provided. All information is provided "as is" without any guarantees of completeness, accuracy, timeliness, or results obtained from the use of this information. Any references to specific financial products, companies, or services are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the podcast or its hosts. By listening to this podcast, you agree that the podcast and its affiliates are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided in this podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In God we trust