The SME lender has launched a new, interactive education program to assist brokers transition into SME lending.
Prospa has announced the launch of a new education program that seeks to help brokers “future-proof” their businesses, providing tips on diversifying into small-business lending.
The program, titled “How to Prospa”, was reportedly developed in collaboration with a range of industry leaders to assist brokers in seizing the opportunity of SME finance, which is estimated to be worth $20 billion per annum in Australia.
Alex Brgudac, head of partnerships at Prospa, stated the program was created in response to growing industry recognition of the significance of SME finance.
“Brokers in our network are onboard with the concept of diversifying into small-business lending and are keen to help the 2.3 million SMEs in this country access funding,” Mr Brgudac said.
“What we’re hearing is: they have a strong grasp of the ‘why’ but not so much the ‘how’.”
Mr Brgudac said the interactive initiative will provide brokers with “access to independent industry experts”, with a different business funding topic addressed in each series of the program.
The first instalment of the program will consist of a live-streamed webinar, hosted by industry mentor Nancy Youssef.
Ms Youssef will be joined by a panel of industry professionals, including accountant Justin Mastores, small-business accountant Davie Mach and broker Anthony Landahl, to share insight on how to structure business funding, common SME funding traps, and the typical scenarios where business funding can be used.
Mr Brgudac will also provide insights into market trends and the future of small-business funding.
Brokers will also be able to share their own questions commonly asked by their SME clients.
The education initiative will also provide resources to brokers, including cheat sheets, sales support tools, and white-labelled customer-centric marketing resources.
“Brokers often cite that at least 30 per cent of their books are small-business owners,” Mr Brgudac said.
“Our goal is to equip brokers with the tools and confidence to help their small-business clients prosper and give them a competitive advantage to win new customers.”
He continued: “Small business[es] are crying out for capital.
“Whether it’s funding to smooth out cash flow or seize a new growth opportunity, brokers can make a huge difference in the lives of this community and to the overall Australian economy.”
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