How Harley Giddings Lodged $150M in His First Year
Sam Panetta sits down with Harley Giddings from Dizzy Property Group to unpack his rapid rise as a mortgage broker, his strategic use of social media, and his philosophy on growth and leadership.
In his first year in business, Harley lodged around $150 million and settled $80–$90 million. Social media built the pipeline, and authenticity is what made it work.
1) A pinch-me first year
Harley’s first year in business saw him lodge approximately $150 million and settle $80–$90 million in loans. He describes it as a pinch-me moment.
- Around $150M lodged.
- $80–$90M settled.
- All in year one.
2) Authenticity wins on social media
Harley’s social media works because he shares his personal journey rather than polished marketing.
- Be yourself on camera.
- Share the journey, not just the results.
3) Jab, jab, hook
Harley balances three types of content to reach property investors: relatable day-in-the-life posts, viral-oriented posts, and high-value educational hooks.
- Day-in-the-life content builds relatability.
- Viral-oriented posts build reach.
- Educational hooks bring in property investors.
4) Ignore the trolls
Negative feedback comes with being visible. Harley ignores the trolls and puts his energy into the supporters and clients he’s actively helping.
- Don’t feed the trolls.
- Focus on the people you help.
5) From solo broker to a team of six
Harley reflects on the move from working alone to managing a team of six.
- Growth means letting go of doing it all.
- A team lets the business scale.
6) Hire for culture: the beer test
Cultural fit is central to how Harley hires, and his beer test is part of every hiring decision.
- Culture fit comes first.
- Apply the beer test.
7) AI levels the playing field
AI and technology are levelling the playing field for smaller, agile brokerages.
- Small and agile can compete.
- Technology closes the gap.
8) Trust becomes the differentiator
As processes become automated, Harley argues that the ability to build trust, provide expert value and market well will set brokers apart.
- Build trust.
- Provide expert value.
- Market effectively.
The biggest lesson from Harley Giddings
Be authentic online, balance relatable content with real value, hire for culture, and invest in the trust and marketing that automation can’t replace.
