Why Mortgage Broking Is One of the Best Careers for Work-Life Balance
Beyond The Numbers With Christian StevensShow Notes
Pete Davies is a mortgage broker based in Lake Macquarie — a former big four business banker turned underground coal miner, who rebuilt his life from scratch after a separation during Covid and came back to finance with a clarity most brokers never find.
This conversation goes well beyond the loan book. Pete opens up about why he deliberately chose not to go it alone — selecting a mentor with 30 years of experience, negotiating a commission split his peers called remarkable, and building his business around being a present father to two daughters rather than chasing volume. He unpacks his philosophy on debt as a tool for freedom rather than a rate-shopping exercise, why he turned down clients early on that would have cost him more than they paid, and how a coal mining background taught him more about resilience and teamwork than any sales training ever could.
He also gets into the habits that underpin everything — time blocking, morning routines, the pen-and-paper end-of-day list that sets up tomorrow's quick wins — and why he believes momentum is built through small consistent actions, not big swings.
If you're new to broking, thinking about the transition from banking, or trying to build something sustainable without burning out, this one's worth your time.
1:07 — From Big Four Banking to Underground Coal Mining
3:15 — 18 Months In — The Reality of the Building Phase
6:23 — Choosing the Right Mentor — What Pete Was Looking For
10:26 — FY27 Vision — Building for Sustainability, Not Volume
13:06 — How Separation Reshaped Everything
20:36 — Debt as a Tool for Freedom — Not a Rate-Shopping Exercise
24:14 — What Success Actually Looks Like at 40
29:32 — What Worked and What He'd Never Do Again
36:40 — The Mentor Selection Process — Face to Face, Experience Over Convenience
43:03 — Mindset, Mental Health and Daily Discipline
48:36 — If You Had to Start Again — The One Thing He'd Do Differently
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 Pete Davies:
Website: https://www.petedaviesbroker.com.au/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/petedaviesbroker/
More from Beyond The Numbers With Christian Stevens
Corey Goldby is the Managing Partner of Source Financial and the founder of the Fat Profits Podcast. In just three years, he’s grown his broking and accounting businesses to a team of 35 — and is now preparing for the next major stage of that growth.
Damien Roylance and Vincent Moore have spent the last decade growing Entourage from a small brokerage into a five-office business with more than 50 people and a multi-billion-dollar loan book.
Mackenzie Jones is a finance broker at Flint and one of the newest faces in the industry. After starting at CBA, she made the jump into broking at just 22, bringing the same discipline, competitiveness and consistency that made her a two-time martial arts world champion.
Ryan Sweeney is the Founder and CEO of Front Financial, and at just 25 he’s already gone from broker to running a fast-growing finance business.
*Content warning: This episode includes an open conversation around suicide and mental health, including personal experiences with loss. Viewer discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to a support service.