Case Study

From Banker to Broker: Leaving Stability to Build a Seven-Figure Brokerage in Just Three Years

Taking the Leap into Business Ownership

Michael and his wife Bella had both built successful careers in banking, with Michael writing over $100 million in loans annually at CBA. Despite their financial security, they wanted more control over their future. They made the bold decision to leave their six-figure salaries, sell their home to manage risk, and launch Pinnacle Brokers from a spare bedroom.

The transition was daunting. At the bank, clients and deals came directly to Michael’s desk—he never had to go out and find the business. Now, he faced the reality of building his own brand, developing referral partnerships, and creating a sustainable pipeline of clients from scratch.

challenges

Taking the Leap into Business Ownership

Lead Generation
With no existing referral network, Michael had to learn how to attract business rather than just process it.

Investment Decisions
From office space to hiring, they needed to be strategic with their spending.

The Unknown
Having worked in structured environments, Michael and Bella had to navigate the uncertainty of running a business, making critical decisions without prior experience.

the game-changer

Working with Success & Broker

Just five months into the business, Michael and Bella decided to invest in coaching with Success & Broker. The goal? To fast-track their success and avoid costly trial-and-error mistakes.

One of the biggest mindset shifts came when Ruan pushed Michael to step outside his comfort zone and proactively build referral relationships.

That single move transformed the business. From there, Michael refined his approach to networking, optimized his marketing spend, and hired strategically to scale effectively.

Michael recalls:

THE POWER OF WELL-STRUCTURED REFERRAL PARTNERSHIPS.

Walking into that Belle Real Estate office changed everything. They already had a broker but barely used them. In our first month together, they sent me $5M in loans.

results

Explosive Growth & Business Expansion

First 12 Months:
$48M in settlements

Second Year:
$102M in settlements

Third Year (on track):
$140M-$170M in settlements

New hires:
A support staff member and junior broker, with plans to expand further

KEY BUSINESS WINS:

Referral partnerships now drive a significant share of new business
Over two-thirds of leads come from an optimized online presence & Google reviews
Long-term vision: Establish Pinnacle HQ in a commercial space and build a 10-person team

LESSONS & TAKEAWAYS:

Stepping outside of your comfort zone creates the biggest breakthroughs—Michael’s ability to build referral relationships was the difference-maker.
Strategic investments in coaching, hiring, and marketing helped them scale faster without burning cash in the wrong places.
The shift from being a high performer to a business owner means thinking bigger—Michael is now focused on team growth, not just personal production.

final thoughts

A $150M Business and Still Growing

Michael’s journey highlights the power of calculated risk, expert guidance, and an action-oriented mindset.

From leaving a stable career to building a multi-million-dollar brokerage, Pinnacle Brokers is just getting started.

    
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Ian Winn 
 24 September 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Ruan has been my mortgage broking coach for 6 months. Having owned a very successful mortgage  broking business and now a coach of many businesses he has unparalleled experience to share with his clients. He does this in a very clear and consultative manner. He is always looking for improvements and innovation for clients to implement in their businesses. He has a big picture approach which really helps you get out of the weeds when analysing your business. He has helped me grow my business and provide clarity to achieve my goals. Thanks for your support.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Anisa Buckley 
 14 September 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I have learnt so much from Ruan and the team at Success & Broker. Ruan's practical advice to me as a new broker has been incredibly helpful and I have incorporated many of his strategies and approaches into my own business.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Bree Rivers 
 14 September 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Working with Ruan has been great. He genuinely cares about your success and provides honest practical advice from his own experience that can be applied to get real results. I highly recommend Ruan to any broker wanting to grow.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Your favourite Bald & Bespectacled broker 
 6 August 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great weekly 50min session with Ruan himself, done online over Zoom with other brokers.

Intimate session of around a dozen people, including Ruan and the host.

If you're a new broker and have under three or four years of experience, and wish to get an insight into Ruan's mind + pick up tips and tricks, it's a very good six month-long training program.

Even if you're a more seasoned broker like myself (nine years in December 2026), it's worth an education session - I have a few pages of notes and thoughts.

Give it a go, brokers.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Christopher Dodson 
 6 August 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Thanks Ruan for your insight and warm approach
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Achani Kodippili 
 4 August 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. That was an amazing journey with Success & Broker. Excellent guidance is simply practical. Thank you team for the opportunity.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Sara Shome 
 1 August 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I’ve really enjoyed being part of Ruan’s Grow Broker Program. As a broker with an over 5 years of experience, it is easy to reach a point where you feel like you’re doing well but not really moving forward.
This program challenged me to rethink almost everything I thought I knew about broking, relationships, branding and what it really takes to build a sustainable career.

Ruan has an incredible ability to make you look at your business and thinking from a completely different perspective while providing genuine support and practical strategies that you can implement immediately and easily. It is not about quick wins or generic coaching. It is about building the right foundations and becoming a better broker and business owner.

The confidence and clarity I gained through the program played a crucial role in my decision to move into a BDM role. It helped me recognise where my strengths truly lie and gave me the self confidence to take that next step.

I would highly recommend Success and Broker to anyone who feels they have reached a plateau or wants to take their career to the next level. It has been one of the best self investments I have made.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jonathon Rhydderch 
 22 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The Success & Broker course has been fantastic.

As a new broker, you learn a lot about the technical side early on: compliance, lending policy, structuring deals. But what nobody really teaches you is how to build a sustainable business around all that. Ruan's program fills exactly that gap, giving you so many practical, actionable ways to grow: daily habits and consistency, marketing that actually works for a brokerage, operations and systems that scale, and how to genuinely deliver a great client experience rather than just process loans.

What I liked most is that it's not generic coaching. It's built specifically around where you are as a broker, whether that's establishing strong foundations early on or working toward running a proper business with leverage and a team behind you.

The 'Broker Journal' kept me on track throughout the course and is a great reference point when i need to work on my business. It is like a blueprint for success.

All of it is delivered in a refreshingly warm, positive, and genuinely invested way. You can tell they actually care about your outcomes, not just ticking a coaching box. Big thanks to Ruan, and to Ryan too. Highly recommend to any broker serious about building a real business, not just writing loans.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Alex Ritchie 
 8 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Ruan and the Success & Broker team have been really helpful in getting us to think about how we operate, how we build out or team, and where we want to go.
Ruan is super knowledgeable, having spent many years as a broker running multiple firms. He asks the right questions and challenges your thinking.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Lachlan McKean 
 6 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I've worked with Ruan at Success & Broker for the last 12 months~ and it's been great.

Always makes time to discuss what's going on and the advice is invaluable.

If you're a broker thinking of using Ruan's services, it's definitely worth jumping on board.

From Banker to Broker: Leaving Stability to Build a Seven-Figure Brokerage in Just Three Years

Taking the Leap into Business Ownership

challenges

the game-changer

Michael recalls:

results

final thoughts

serious about

growth?

scaling?

learning?

succession?

recruiting?

lead flow?

process?

brand?

socials?