James Kemp is having a really good year.
Just weeks after walking away with the Firstmac Best Aggregator BDM award at the 2026 Australian Mortgage Awards (AMAs), an event which is co-produced by Australian Broker, Kemp, a relationship manager at outsource Financial in Melbourne, snagged a similar award, winning Aggregation BDM of the Year, at the Finance Brokers Association of Australia's (FBAA) 2026 Awards of Supremacy.
"This is crazy," he told Australian Broker. "To win three awards this year."
But it doesn't stop there. Kemp's recent awards are on top of his Better Business Award for Best Aggregator BDM win in May.
For the BDM, however, the recognition is about more than industry accolades. It's a reflection of the passion Kemp brings to his role, and the relationships he has built with brokers along the way.
"I genuinely love what I do," Kemp said. "Being able to support brokers, help businesses grow and make even a small positive impact in this incredible industry is what motivates me every single day."
He also recently finished his first marathon, helping raise $7,500 for charity organization Movember, and rocking up to the AMAs with the Melbourne Marathon medal in tow.
For the FBAA's masquerade ball he showed up in a King of Diamonds-type mask.
"The party has a very Hogwarts vibe," he said. "It's really nice."
James Kemp, center, at the FBAA Awards of Supremacy with FBAA Chief Executive Officer Leo Gagic, right.
Back at work, Kemp has spent the last roughly four years at outsource Financial, covering the Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia markets. But his experience in the industry dates back nearly a decade, having worked in a number of roles across Australia's lending landscape, including as a mortgage broker, BDM, loan underwriter and credit analyst.
Australian Broker caught up with Kemp on the ground at the FBAA awards to find out more about his winning formula, how other brokers can follow in his footsteps, and his thoughts on the current market.
The following interview has been edited for grammar and clarity.
JK: I'm just blessed to be put in a position where I'm serving the brokers, and what I'm doing is showing in the results. But I couldn't do it without the brokers and all their support as well. And the team.
JK: I think it's because I'm never satisfied. I think I'm always looking at ways that I can improve the brokers' businesses, and finding new things out there that help to benefit them. Also, just always being open to growth and change and keeping the brokers in that same mindset. Like, the business could be great now. But let's fortify it for the future. And always chasing that mindset. Let's keep improving, little bit by little bit. I think that's the big difference.
JK: I think authenticity is one of them. I'm just me. I don't try to hide who I am. I'm just me. Just, you know, a bit crazy, I guess. But I think it's also always looking for what's out there to benefit the broker, and how we can teach them to look at things in different ways to keep improving, even when they think they're all right. Like, what can we do? What are the little things that you could do to improve in the business? What can we do to fix those things and make it even better than what it is now?
JK: It's always up and down. The market is like a wave: some days there's no waves; some days there are big waves. We're just going through a downturn right now. But things change. They always do.
