National roadshow gives glimpse into what's shaping commercial broking in 2025
For the best part of November, outsource Finance travelled the length and breadth of Australia for the aggregator’s annual ‘Festival of SME’.
Kicking off in Sydney, outsource Financial toured through Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland, South Australia and, finally, Western Australia, meeting hundreds of ‘outsourcians’ along the way.
Brokers, lenders and other industry players gathered for networking events, seminars and panels to discuss the biggest themes impacting the SME space today.
For Madeleine Dart, outsource Financial’s national brand manager, Festival of SME is a yearly highlight.
“Face-to-face events are so important – especially for sole operators – because they create opportunities to connect with peers and learn from others in the field,” says Dart. “Collaboration over competition is invaluable in this industry, and those who embrace and practice it are the ones who visibly thrive.”
One broker commended the sessions as “rich with lender insights that actually matter in the real world… It was one of those PD days where you walk out with ideas you can use the next morning. The depth, the lender access and the chance to openly discuss scenarios are exactly what brokers like me need to sharpen our edge and deliver better outcomes for clients”.
What’s happening in the SME space?
The Festival of SME gives outsource Financial an important glimpse into what’s happening in the market.
“From where I sit, I am seeing positive signs in this space as each month I am seeing more and more lenders coming into this market, allowing SMEs increased access to credit overall,” says outsource Financial chief executive Tanya Sale (pictured below).
Sale is seeing non-banks coming out with great products to service the SME market when other lenders exit. For instance, products like unsecured and non-asset-backed credit options “broaden access for businesses without offering significant collateral”.
SMEs are increasingly diversifying their financing pipelines by turning to lenders outside of the typical tier-one banking arena.
“They are gaining confidence by using the likes of alternative lenders who are offering easy access and solutions – lenders like the non-majors, non-banks and fintechs. These lenders are solution driven and are gaining ground in the SME world,” Sale adds.
Aggregators like outsource Financial also have a big role to play in bridging the gap between SMEs, brokers and lenders.
“Our passion lies in education,” says Sale. “We invest heavily in mentoring programs that upskill brokers, giving them the confidence and knowledge to navigate complex SME lending scenarios.
“At the same time, we work closely with lenders to ensure brokers are fully informed about the products available. This means brokers can quickly identify which scenarios fit which lender, avoiding wasted time and ensuring clients receive the right solution faster. By combining education with collaboration, we empower brokers to deliver real value to SMEs, helping small businesses access the credit they need with efficiency and clarity.”
A ‘really well-run event’
Having organised outsource Financial events for 10 years now, Dart has it running like a well-oiled machine.
“The key has always been to schedule each part of the process into my calendar with a realistic time allocation. This way, I never have to worry about forgetting steps or being behind – and if I ever get held up by a certain task or deliverable, it’s easy to simply move the task accordingly,” says Dart (pictured right).
Always having a contingency plan is crucial. “Sometimes exhibitors are ill on the day, technical failures arise, speakers run over/under their time allocation – and you just have to be ready to roll with the punches and make quick decisions, all while ensuring it looks like smooth-sailing to your attendees.”
Dart also believes in the power of pre-emptive communication, whether that’s making sure all exhibitors and speakers know exactly when their schedules are, or simple things like communicating parking and WiFi information.
“It sounds obvious, but from the feedback I’ve received, it’s clear that not enough organisations actually build this into their events process,” Dart says.
The result? Take it from one exhibitor, who praised the “really well-run event, great vibe, and just a great day. I’ve been doing this for a couple of decades now and it’s safe to say this was up there as one of the better-run events I’ve been to”.
Dart gets immense satisfaction from pulling off a successful national event series. This year’s Festival of SME drew 16% more attendees than last year.
“Measurable results (especially increases) are always valuable, but what I really love seeing, is the impact,” says Dart. “Seeing brokers walk away with new lender solutions and practical tools that help them grow their businesses is incredibly rewarding.
“I love watching those real-time conversations between brokers and lenders spark opportunities that likely wouldn’t have existed before. On top of that, seeing the team come together to produce something that connects so many people, is always a small moment I like to take in and relish during each event.”
Pictured: Queensland brokers with Tanya Sale (second from left), outsource Financial's QLD state manager Paul Marshall (second from right), Madeleine Dart (far right)
