Broker in Focus: Ben Harris, In Financial Services

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.

For this week, MPA caught up with Ben Harris (pictured top), head of finance and client strategy at In Financial Services, who started his broking journey at 23 — inspired by a childhood spent watching his family build wealth through property, and a mother with 25 years in the industry.

Based across the East Coast of New South Wales, Ben shares his thoughts on how technology is transforming the client experience, why he believes the bar to enter the industry should be raised, and the advice he wishes more new brokers would take on board.

• Full name: Ben Harris
• Job title: Head of finance and client strategy
• Company: In Financial Services
• Years in industry: 6
• Location: Newcastle/Maitland/Central Coast/Forster – East Coast NSW

How and when did you become a mortgage broker?

I became a mortgage broker in 2020 when I was 23 years old. My mum had been a mortgage broker for 25 years, and growing up, we were always around property. Our family was pretty heavily invested in it, so I was always watching what they were doing in the property market and how they were using it to get ahead.

When I was 18, I purchased my first home. At that time I was an electrician, completing my apprenticeship. When I finished my apprenticeship two years later, I looked back on that initial property purchase and how much it had grown in value, and I could see firsthand what the property market can do for someone who's willing to get in early and make their money work for them. That's when it shifted — it wasn't just about my own investments anymore.

I had the advantage of having my mum guide me through that process, helping me understand the market and how to get in as early as possible. But I knew a lot of people out there wouldn't have that kind of support, especially when talking to friends in similar situations to me. So I wanted to be that person for others, especially other young people — to help people get into the property market as early as possible, make their money work for them, and hopefully reach their financial goals a lot sooner.

In your opinion, what has been the most positive development in broking?

I think the biggest positive development since I joined the industry has been the introduction of technology and helpful tools that have sped up the application process and created a better client experience.

Things like DocuSign for application forms and loan documents have made the process so much smoother for clients, while tools like Quickli have given brokers more time to invest in their client relationships and build their business.

The broking industry is amazing, and I love how other brokers are happy to share and pass on knowledge and ideas to improve systems and processes so that all clients have the best loan experience possible.

What challenges do you see currently facing the industry, and what solutions would you propose?

I think the biggest challenge currently facing the industry is around how easy it is to become a broker. You could potentially set up your own broking business in a very short timeframe with no real practical broking or business experience required — and from there, you could be helping clients with some of the biggest financial decisions of their lives. Decisions that, potentially, you haven't even been through yourself, like buying a first home, purchasing an investment property, or structuring multiple investment properties.

I think there should be more education and experience required to become a broker, as well as additional post-course requirements for more complex lending scenarios. This would do two things — filter out the people who aren't genuinely serious about the industry, resulting in better brokers overall, and also protect clients from receiving misinformed support. It's not necessarily that brokers are being deliberately dodgy — it's more that support can be given without the depth of experience that clients might reasonably expect.

There is so much information online now, and so many conflicting opinions, that it almost overloads clients who aren't sure what to believe or trust. Having more of a barrier or verification system to help people know who to turn to and what to listen to online could be really valuable.

Can you share a memorable or challenging experience from your career as a broker and the lessons you gained from it?

Some of my most memorable experiences are the day-to-day conversations I have with clients who don't just want to purchase a home — they want to get ahead in life and build their wealth, and they're really seeking support for that journey. They usually know what they want to achieve, but they're not always sure of the pathways available or whether they're overlooking something they haven't thought of because they haven't been down that road before.

We'll chat through the opportunities they're looking at, work through all the numbers, and figure out what the final outcome could look like. And what I love is that in some cases, through doing the research for them, I'll discover potential pathways I didn't even know existed myself — ones I can then apply to my own financial journey too. Helping clients is a massive win, and then being able to apply that knowledge to help even more people is an even bigger one.

The key lesson I've taken from these experiences is that there are a lot of different ways to build wealth and achieve financial freedom. It's about finding the path that most resonates with what you want to do and what you know the most about, and then sticking to it with a solid plan behind it.

Could you share any valuable advice for individuals aspiring to become brokers or those new to broking?

For any new or aspiring brokers, I'd offer two main pieces of advice to help them stand out.

First, choose a niche and stick to it. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, but I'd recommend picking something narrow — ideally something you already have some expertise or experience in.

Second, do what you love and have a genuine interest in. This ties into the first point, but I think it's really important for brokers to be practising what they preach and leading by example. If you can combine those two things, I believe you'll quickly become a leading authority in your niche, which leads to growth in enquiries. And as a bonus, most of the deals you work on will be similar, so you can build your systems and processes to best support your deal flow.

Broker in Focus is a weekly MPA feature spotlighting mortgage brokers from diverse firms and locations across Australia. Among those recently featured are Bree Rollo of Tend Home Loans, Charlotte Rubbo of In Mortgage & Finance Services, Karen Le Comte of Mortgage Choice Cleveland, Ditte Moller of Viking Mortgages, Chandelle Lord of Mortgage Lane, Jason Cuerel of Mortgage Innovations, Talissa Bailey of Bai Mortgage, Dan Pertot of Pertot & Co. Mortgage Brokers, Leo Cagliolo of Professional Mortgage Manager, and Raj Ladher of Mortgage Wealth.

Are you a mortgage broker interested in being featured? Email the author with your details.