In a crowded market with nearly 20,000 mortgage brokers, Cara Julian of Brava Finance found a unique way to stand out: combining her business success with social impact.
Julian (pictured above) has leveraged a unique partnership with a social impact organisation, B1G1 (Buy1Give1), to weave giving into the very fabric of her business.
"The idea of 'giving impacts' is close to my heart," says Julian. "I wanted to build a business that wasn't just about transactions, but one that made a real difference in the lives of others.
“Plus, our clients feel empowered knowing that their financial decisions contribute to meaningful causes, which always puts a smile on my face.”
Founded in 2007 by Masami Sato, B1G1 empowers businesses to create positive change through their everyday operations.
Julian, who is passionate about empowering women, has aligned several of her core business activities with B1G1's giving impacts.
For example, Julian explained:
While Julian’s causes are “incredibly important” to herself and her business, it doesn’t just have to be education of equality.
“You could help give a village access to water or provide goats for people that need food. There are so many ways you can make a difference and it’s never been easier to do,” Julian said.
“It’s not set up as donations or a charity. Instead, it links what you would do during your normal day to giving to whatever cause or causes you choose.”
As other brokers have shown through their charity initiatives, Julian's commitment to social responsibility isn't just good for the community, it's good for business.
When she first started Brava Finance at the start of 2024, Julian began searching for her point of difference.
“How can I stand out from other mortgage brokers? How can I make the most impact and help as many people as possible?” she questioned. “When someone Googles you, what are they seeing? What do you stand for and how do you engage them?”
For mortgage brokers, Julian said the industry runs on “relationships and trust”, so it’s imperative to build that into a business early on.
Julian discovered the importance of a business for good at a business seminar.
“I was at a workshop and they were using B1G1 where every time you attended one of their events, the company helps support a worthy cause,” she said. “I thought, now that’s an idea.”
Now, after building her social responsibility plan, Julian said she’s starting to see results.
“It’s all about creating assets and initiatives that help give you and your business that authority and credibility. It helps you stand out and establishes you as that go-to person in the industry,” she said.
“For me, that’s writing a book. It’s creating assets. It’s building educational tools for my clients and it’s giving back to causes that mean something to me.”
Julian is a vocal advocate for B1G1 and urged other mortgage brokers to explore similar partnerships. "There are so many causes you can support," she said.
"The key is finding an organization that aligns with your values and then integrating giving into your daily operations."
