Bluestone Home Loans is hitting the road.
The Australian non-bank lender's 2025 Broker Roadshow kicks off May 6, inviting brokers, aspiring brokers, lenders, BDMs and more from around the nation to meet face-to-face, to network, share best practices and stay up-to-date on Australia's fast-growing loan markets.
"This roadshow is a way for us to keep the conversation alive, giving brokers a space to learn, ask questions and leave with something tangible they can use in their businesses the next day," Richard Chesworth, Bluestone's head of specialised distribution, told Australian Broker.
The 2025 roadshow is Bluestone's first in a number of years. But Chesworth said it will likely become a regular feature of how the lender interacts with brokers moving forward.
"It’s such a valuable way to stay connected, share what’s coming and help brokers grow their businesses," he said. "And the appetite for education and insight is huge amongst brokers, especially around more complex or specialized lending. Brokers are seeing more diverse client needs and they want to be ready to meet them with confidence."
Tony MacRae, chief sales officer at Bluestone, added: "This roadshow is an exciting way to connect, share where we’re headed and explore how we can continue to grow together.”
The six-week tour starts in Adelaide, traveling through Melbourne, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Perth, before finally ending in Sydney on June 11.
In addition to Chesworth and MacRae, Aaron Taylor, Bluestone's head of non-standard lending, and Ruan Burger, founder and performance coach of business coaching firm Success & Broker, will be speakers.
Attendees will learn tips and tricks on things such as understanding the needs of borrowers, business growth, relationship maintenance, standing out among Australia's growing pool of brokers and more.
"Education and knowledge are what sets a broker apart from their peers. It's key for brokers to build deeper relationships with their customers through uncovering alternate lending solutions for their customers and their referral partners," Chesworth said. "This increased knowledge and experience flows through to being able to cater for more complex needs, so the broker grows in line with their customer's needs. This is key to retaining customers and opening the door to new clients and referral networks. It's the knowledge and experience beyond standard loan features that differentiates a brokers' personal brand from just being another mortgage broker."
One session in particular that Chesworth highlighted is the "Growth through customer needs" panel, which he said will help brokers better anticipate the needs of their customers, while also better communicating with their business partners, such as accountants and financial planners.
"We’ll dive into those needs-based conversations around tailored solutions [that are] catered for real-life situations," he said. "Whether it's navigating rate changes, managing uncertainty, or exploring alternative options like SMSF lending, brokers need to be armed with the right knowledge and tools."
In addition, Bluestone will share its latest updates, including business performance, brand direction and future plans, while offering a space for brokers to interact with the leadership team and share feedback.
Events are open to all mortgage brokers, as well as those curious about entering the business, but Chesworth said space is limited and will likely fill up.
Meanwhile, despite continued market uncertainty — including one rate cut from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), followed by a hold, rising property prices and looming fears of a recession thanks to geopolitical tensions abroad — Bluestone has been busier than ever.
The non-bank lender turned 25 this year and celebrated with a brand refresh, rate discounts across all products and plans to launch a new digital, cloud-based AI-platform to expedite the verification process sometime in mid 2025.
In March, Bluestone said its alt doc loan volume surged 260% in 2024, an increase of 39-fold since 2019. That same month, the firm broke its record for the most loan applications ever received in the company's history, according to Taylor.
Chesworth said all of this is even more reason for brokers to attend the upcoming roadshow events.
"A lot has changed over the past few years and it's important for us to remain connected to our broker network," he said. "And brokers are playing an even bigger role in helping clients make smart, informed choices. Events like this help them stay ahead of the curve."
