Why Traditional Wealth Building Advice Fails Mortgage Brokerage Business Owners (And What to Do Instead)
Let’s be honest. Most financial advice handed to mortgage brokers—especially those who are now business owners—is outdated, misaligned, and built for someone else’s life.
Sure, it’s often technically sound. But the assumptions baked into that advice? They don’t match the lived experience of high-performing brokers in today’s environment. I know this because I’ve lived it, coached through it, and helped others escape it.
This isn’t a knock on good financial planning—it’s a wake-up call for broker-owners who’ve graduated from loan writing to business building and want to accelerate the journey to wealth and time freedom.
Let’s unpack why traditional financial strategies fall short for people like us—and map out what actually works.
The Old Playbook: Save, Scrimp, Survive (and Wait 30 Years)
I read a blog article (via a LinkedIN post) recently by a well-meaning finance coach.
The advice?
Save 30% of your income if you're in your 20s.
Increase that to 40% in your 30s.
And over 60% in your 40s.
Max out your super.
Invest in index tracking funds.
Rebalance once a year.
Live below your means—and maybe in 30 years, you’ll be free.
Look, on paper? It checks out. The math adds up.
But here’s the truth that the spreadsheet doesn’t capture:
Spreadsheets don't feel pressure. People do.
That strategy is painfully slow, especially if:
You’re getting a later start on your wealth plan (as many do).
You’ve taken entrepreneurial risks to build a brokerage.
You’re carrying the weight of a team and clients, not just yourself.
The idea that you’ll spend 25–30 years grinding just to earn back your time in retirement? It doesn’t sit well with the business owners I coach—and it sure as hell never sat well with me.
The $10M Wealth Gap: It’s Bigger Than You Think
Let’s be clear: most advisors define financial independence with the 4% rule. Withdraw 4% of your portfolio per year, and you won’t run out of money.
So if you want to live on $300,000/year? You’ll need at least $7.5 million in investments.
But here’s the kicker:
That number doesn’t include your home, your toys, or your illiquid equity.
It doesn’t factor in tax, inflation, or volatility.
And if your plan involves selling your brokerage? You’ll face transaction fees, capital gains tax, and potential state taxes.
That $8M deal you dreamed of might become $5.5M in net cash—if you’re lucky.
Then you’re back to rebuilding just to feel safe again.
This is why saving your way to freedom is too slow, too fragile, and too dependent on forces you don’t control.
Business Is the Only Shortcut Left
If you’re serious about financial independence, here’s the truth I’ve seen play out again and again:
Business is the best and only shortcut left.
I’ve watched broker-owners:
Build $10M net worths in under 5 years.
Become financially independent before 40.
Create passive income machines that fund their life—without needing to sell the farm.
These people didn’t follow the traditional plan. They didn’t straddle both worlds. They didn’t dabble.
They went all in.
They:
Lived below their means—but only temporarily.
Reinvested in their business like it was their super fund.
Hired expert coaches.
Took bold, strategic actions fast.
They viewed their business not just as a job, but as their primary wealth vehicle.
And when done right? A mortgage brokerage is a resilient, high-margin, cash-flow-rich business that can thrive even in economic downturns.
Why Brokers Stay Stuck
So why do so many get stuck?
They know they’re capable of more. They’re educated, experienced, and earning well. Yet they plateau.
Here’s why:
They keep thinking like brokers—not like business owners.
They’re still the technician, the top writer, the one holding the wheel—and they never step into the architect role.
They don’t invest in mentorship because they think they should “figure it out.”
But business success isn’t about more effort—it’s about better thinking.
I’ve been there. I’d already built and exited multiple mortgage businesses. But I knew I was hitting a ceiling I couldn’t break alone.
So I did what most won’t.
I invested in a premium coach.
It wasn’t cheap—but it changed everything.
Because when you pay, you pay attention. And when you get uncomfortable, you grow.
The Recludo Way: From Broker to Business Builder
At Recludo, we don’t just teach strategy—we build legacies. And the path we follow is clear:
The Five Phases of the Recludo Way:
Relentless Foundation – Get your personal finances, business model, and mindset right.
Relentless Examination – Know your numbers. Identify gaps. Cut friction. Audit everything.
Relentless Execution – Build repeatable systems. Hire strategically. Delegate and elevate.
Relentless Exit – Create optionality. Engineer succession. Get your valuation right.
Relentless Freedom – Shift from income generation to wealth stewardship. Reclaim your time.
This is how we coach our partners.
This is how we’ve helped dozens of brokers go from top producers to high-value business owners.
And it’s how we’ll continue to support those who choose to build a business that works for them, not because of them.
What This Means For You
If you’re a brokerage business owner in Australia, here’s what I want you to take away:
You’re not broken. You’re not lazy.
You’re just following advice that was never built for people like us.
You don’t need another budgeting tool.
You need a strategic operating model.
You don’t need 30 more years.
You need the right moves in the next 3.
But here’s the catch: you can’t keep one foot in both camps.
If you want to scale, not just survive—you must become the business owner your company needs you to be.
And that starts with a decision.
The Top 6 Actionable Takeaways
1. Stop relying on outdated financial models.
If your wealth strategy is based on personal savings and low-cost index funds alone, you're playing the slow game. That’s fine for employees. Not for business owners.
2. View your mortgage business as your #1 investment.
Reinvest profits into growth—people, processes, systems—not lifestyle. Delay gratification now for compounded results later.
3. Build toward a $10M net worth plan, not just an exit.
Understand post-tax outcomes. Selling your business is only part of the story—you need a broader wealth strategy.
4. Get serious about coaching.
If you’re still “DIY-ing” your way through growth, stop. Your next level requires external perspective, structure, and accountability.
5. Shift from writer to architect.
You can't scale a business you’re still carrying on your back. Build systems and teams that remove you from the day-to-day.
6. Choose speed over comfort.
You don’t need to play the 30-year game. You can collapse time with the right framework and a relentless mindset.
Final Thought
Traditional financial advice works—for traditional employees. But if you're a high-income, high-capacity business owner? You deserve a different path.
The path I took.
The path I now coach.
The path we champion at Recludo.
Because we don’t build businesses just to be busy.
We build them to be free.
If that’s your goal, I’d love to hear your story.
Until then—stay relentless.
