This former banker fast-tracked his career shift to broking through intensive learning
Broker in Focus is a dedicated series that highlights the unique journeys of mortgage brokers, providing them with a platform to share their experiences, insights, and expertise. Through compelling personal stories and professional reflections, each featured broker recounts the key moments that have shaped their careers, delves into the challenges and opportunities facing the industry today, and shares the valuable wisdom they have gained along the way.
This week, MPA is featuring Dan Pertot (pictured top), director of Pertot & Co. Mortgage Brokers, who made the bold move from bank manager to broker after years in the banking industry. Drawing on his experience as a lender and owner–manager of a franchised bank, Pertot has embraced the flexibility of the broker model, rapidly upskilling while leveraging AI-driven tools to streamline processing and sharpen his client focus.
From intensive collaboration with peers and BDMs to a relentless commitment to training, he has built a business anchored in high service standards – and now urges aspiring brokers to fully commit, work hard and trust that the rewards will follow.
- Full name: Dan Pertot
- Job title: Director
- Company: Pertot & Co. Mortgage Brokers
- Number of years in the industry: Over a decade in the finance industry
- Location: Noosa, Sunshine Coast
How and when did you become a mortgage broker?
I opened my mortgage brokerage in March 2025 after over a decade in the banking industry as a lender and owner–manager of a franchised bank. An opportunity presented itself to move away from the banking sector and embark on a new career within broking – a decision I will never look back on.
In your opinion, what has been the most positive development in broking?
The introduction of AI technologies within the broker space has been a game changer. Programs like FROLO, LOOM and Broker Bible have saved time with processing and the validation of documents, giving me valuable time back to focus on generating more business and assisting clients.
What challenges do you see currently facing the industry, and what solutions would you propose?
The continuing regulatory changes and restrictions can make assisting our clients slightly more challenging. We must be ahead of these changes by understanding their impact on our processes and pivoting in the way we service customers to ensure any changes don't impact our high service standards.
Continuing to liaise with peers and holding regular training sessions with my team will allow us to better understand changes and workshop ideas on how we can migrate them into our own processes without any negative impacts on our customer service model.
Can you share a memorable or challenging experience from your career as a broker and the lessons you gained from it?
Adapting my mindset from bank to broker required a lot of learning, skillset updates and mindset alteration. Having one lender, one appetite and one policy changed to now being over 60 lenders and policies. I worked tirelessly to review appetites; I did not wait for bank BDMs to come to me. I worked hard to push my aggregator to tell banks who I was, what my background was and the importance of getting me accredited and trained sooner rather than later. The faster I was accredited and understood the bank appetite, the faster I could help my customers in their finance journey.
I took time in my first few months sitting with eight brokers, multiple lenders and experienced BDMs to fast-track my learning from the best. I had online Zoom calls with interstate leaders in their own categories of lending to R&D their models and question their processes and systems. This gave me a huge head start to pick and choose how I felt my business needed to adapt from bank to broker. This was such a big success and the best thing I ever did in this process. I questioned them all on the “top 10” banks or lenders for each lending category and why they thought they were the best. If I wanted to increase my knowledge, why not learn from tried and tested brokers who have been doing this for a long time?
Could you share any valuable advice for individuals aspiring to become brokers or those new to broking?
If you want to do it, commit to it. Work hard and the rewards will come.
Broker in Focus is a weekly MPA feature spotlighting mortgage brokers from diverse firms and locations across Australia. Among those recently featured are Leo Cagliolo of Professional Mortgage Manager, Raj Ladher of Mortgage Wealth, Chris van Rijswijk of Northern Beaches Wealth Home Loans, Ajay Krishnan of Home Loans Fast, Fae Kett of Tembo Money, Tanya Seth of Simpl Home Loans, Steve Tikellis of Excellence Home Loans, Rory Sercombe of Own Money, Brodie Brown of BH Brown Mortgage Brokers, and Jason Brown of Home Loans Australia.
Are you a mortgage broker interested in being featured? Email the author with your details.
