For nearly a decade, National Finance Brokers Day (NFBD) has been a cornerstone event in the Australian finance industry, bringing together brokers, industry professionals, and stakeholders for a day dedicated to education, networking, and celebration.
NFBD 2024 is shaping up to be the most impressive yet, according to founder Dino Pacella, featuring two never-before-seen events:
But beyond the many talks and the major names, this event, now attracting hundreds of attendees and dozens of sponsors from the mortgage industry, had modest beginnings.
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The journey of NFBD started in Ultimo, NSW, in a small studio where the first-ever event took place in 2015.
With just a handful of people present, including representatives from the FBAA and the MFAA, the inaugural event was a modest affair.
“We live-streamed a few speakers in an hour-long show to about 40 people. That was the beginning. We also only had one sponsor,” Pacella said.
Fast forward to today, and NFBD is expecting nearly 500 people at the event on Aug. 21, up from 380 last year, and hundreds more online – and 55 sponsors.
“We've moved from an hour-long show to a full-day conference, followed by a celebratory event with a cocktail reception, allowing further networking with a different beverage in hand,” Pacella said.
The calibre of speakers at National Finance Brokers Day has also increased significantly.
“When we start planning NFPD for the next year, people are asking to present on stage. It's not as challenging to get the right people due to NFPD's reputation,” Pacella said.
“We aim to keep it engaging and highlight new, exciting things for brokers that they've never experienced before, including myself.”
Current Bendigo Bank BDM and former Wallabies legend Jeremy Paul (pictured above) will be one of these inspirational speakers at National Finance Broker Day.
Paul was a part of the most successful period in Australian rugby’s history and is one of only six Wallabies who has won every major trophy and the only player who has also won a John Eales medal.
However, when his wife was tragically diagnosed with the rarest neurological and autoimmune condition in the world, life changed forever.
“It’s called stiff-person syndrome, and it only affects one in 1 million people. It’s the same illness that Celine Dion has,” Paul said. “She was only 29 at the time and we just recently got married. It was overwhelming to say the least.”
Paul opens up about how to deal with change and, using his elite sporting background, he gives his audience the mechanisms to flourish with change in both their personal and business lives because miracles can happen.
“It’s pretty raw in respects to what [to] talk about but I believe there are universal lessons you can learn throughout your experiences and I’m honoured to share the stage [with] some of the top performers in the industry.”
While each speaker deserves their place upon the NFBD stage, no event better encapsulates the mortgage industry’s past, present, and future than the discussion with Mark Bouris (pictured left) and James Symond (pictured centre).
Both industry legends, Bouris, who launch Wizard Home Loans and later Yellow Brick Road, and Symond, who was CEO of Aussie Home Loans, have been instrumental figures in shaping the mortgage industry in Australia.
Pacella said the idea to bring them together at National Finance Brokers Day came a couple of months ago during a coffee catch-up.
“Even then, I got excited about the stories they can share when they were competing with each other… What they thought of each other, how they worked as so-called rivals back in the day, and how they've built a friendship beyond business now,” Pacella said.
Pacella said the pair have some “really good war stories” they might share, alongside where they think the industry is heading.
“Mark and James will discuss the growth of technology in the brokerage space and its key role,” Pacella said.
“They’ll share past stories and align them with the future of the industry, which goes perfectly with the associations' panel on shaping the future of broking.”
The idea for NFBD was conceived over a decade ago when Pacella first entered the broking industry after transitioning from banking.
Realising that there was a general lack of understanding about the role of brokers among the public, the initial goal of NFBD was to raise awareness.
“The misconceptions that brokers only dealt with mortgages or even charged fees were common, and NFBD aimed to change that narrative,” Pacella explained.
Over the years, NFBD has evolved beyond awareness-raising, embracing a broader mission of fostering unity and resilience within the financial community.
The theme of NFPD 2024, "Stronger, Together, Unstoppable," embodies this essence.
Siobhan Williams (pictured right), head of mortgages – retail broker at Pepper Money and NFBD’s emcee, said she is excited to bring her energy and enthusiasm to the stage.
“We have an amazing speaker lineup,” Williams said. “They are guaranteed to deliver a thought-provoking and educational experience for all attendees.
“Our inspirational speakers will provide real-life context on how we can thrive amidst change in both our personal and business lives—an essential skill in today’s rapidly evolving world.”
Pacella echoed this sentiment, adding, “It signifies that when finance professionals come together, they become a force to be reckoned with, capable of overcoming any challenge.”
“It highlights the unbreakable bond forged through shared expertise, dedication, and a common vision for a brighter financial future.”
While tickets are selling fast, those on the fence can still book their place either in-person or online.
Better yet, they can now take advantage of a buy-one-get-one-free offer.
To redeem the free ticket, simply purchase your ticket via the link and then email [email protected] with the name, email, and mobile number for the free ticket recipient.
