The Savage Playbook: A Top 50 Broker in Under Four Years
Sam Panetta sits down with Peter Savage from Savage Money to unpack his rapid rise to top 50 mortgage broker in under four years, and the unconventional, high-energy approach behind it.
Peter became a top 50 mortgage broker in under four years. Authentic social media, offshore processing and selling strategy instead of rates are at the core of the Savage playbook.
1) Top 50 in under four years
Peter rose to become a top 50 mortgage broker in under four years.
- Top 50 broker.
- Under four years.
2) Scaling fast is hard
Peter is open about the challenges of scaling a mortgage business quickly.
- Rapid growth brings real pressure.
3) Outsource the mundane early
Identify the mundane tasks and outsource them early, before they hold the business back.
- Spot the mundane tasks.
- Hand them off early.
4) Offshore processing for higher volume
Moving to an offshore processing model let Peter handle higher volumes while staying efficient.
- Offshore processing.
- Higher volume, same efficiency.
5) Social media drives the leads
Peter relies heavily on social media for leads. Consistent, authentic content in his straightforward style does the work.
- Post consistently.
- Be authentic.
- Keep your own style.
6) Attract your ideal clients
His content attracts the clients he wants most: self-employed people and tradies.
- Self-employed clients.
- Tradies.
7) Sell strategy, not rates
Rather than competing on interest rates, Peter focuses on high-level strategy and financial advice.
- Don’t compete on rate.
- Lead with strategy and advice.
8) Charge onboarding fees for complex deals
For complex deals, Peter charges onboarding fees so the return justifies the time spent on manual paperwork.
- Complex deals take more work.
- Fees make the time worthwhile.
9) A family foundation and dedicated roles
Peter’s wife has been a foundational part of his success. The business is now adding dedicated roles, like client service managers, so Peter can focus on growth and strategy.
- Family is the foundation.
- Client service managers free up the founder.
10) Next: the Gold Coast and 40–60 applications a month
Peter plans to move to the Gold Coast to expand the Savage Money brand, targeting 40 to 60 applications a month by optimising the team structure.
- Expanding to the Gold Coast.
- Targeting 40–60 applications a month.
The biggest lesson from Peter Savage
Be yourself on social media, outsource the mundane early, sell strategy instead of rates, and charge for the complex work you do.