Scaling success

BUILDING AND sustaining a successful brokerage has never been more competitive – or more rewarding. The past few years have been a boom time for the third-party channel, as more than three-quarters of borrowers turn to brokers for lending help, but the demand has meant that brokers are being challenged to think bigger, work smarter, and lead with clarity. From people and culture to technology, compliance, and credit expertise, growth today is as much about precision as ambition.

This February edition of The Adviser is all about scale and success. Packed with insights from leaders who are actively building high-performing businesses, this issue explores what it really takes to grow a brokerage in 2026 – and how to do it without losing what makes your business work in the first place.

The cover story this month unveils Top 25 Brokerages ranking for 2026 (page 17), partnered by Liberty Financial. These brokerages represent the biggest and best in the country – and many of them have grown substantially over the year from both organic and inorganic growth (via acquisitions).

Check out the interviews with the leaders of the top brokerages (page 21) as we dig into how they’ve achieved their growth – from strategic investment and diversification to leadership, culture, and disciplined execution.

But scale doesn’t happen in theory – it happens in the trenches. Throughout the issue, brokers and business owners share practical, hard-earned lessons on what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what they’d do differently if they were starting again. From our Elite Broker Q&A with Inovayt’s Nick Reilly (page 12) to candid insights in The Word (page 4), this is advice grounded in lived experience. And if you want to hear more directly from those who’ve done it, don’t forget to secure your ticket to the Better Business Summit, taking place across the country in March and April, where industry leaders will unpack the ins and outs of scaling a broking business.

This month, we’re also turning our attention to two major lending trends shaping broker opportunity. As borrower priorities shift, sustainable finance continues to gain momentum. In our green lending feature, sponsored by Gateway Bank (page 28), Ben Squires explores how brokers can play a pivotal role in helping clients understand and access green finance solutions as demand for eco-conscious lending grows.

Meanwhile, after investor activity surged to record levels at the end of 2025, we’re examining what’s driving the boom and how brokers can navigate a rapidly evolving investor landscape to maximise opportunity, while managing risk. Check out how investor lending is creating fresh momentum heading into the year ahead in our investor lending feature, sponsored by Bluestone Home Loans (page 32).

We hope this edition provides both inspiration and practical guidance as you chart your next phase of growth.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts – email us at [email protected] with your feedback or ideas.