'Brokers should feel confident and reassured that their BDM is invested in their success'
“BDM in the Spotlight” is a regular series where MPA shines a light on the best relationship partners and state managers in the business. In this edition, Staci Karas discusses her role as senior BDM at self-employed lending specialist RedZed. Karas highlights the importance of understanding the complex needs of self-employed clients and what sets a successful broker apart in this unique section of the market.
Name: Staci Karas
Job title: Senior Business Development Manager
Years in the industry: 25+
Company: RedZed
Location: Victoria
What’s your favourite part of the job?
Working with my amazing broker partners and helping them grow their businesses. I love being able to support them through sharing my knowledge. Seeing their success and knowing I played a part in it is incredibly rewarding.
What’s a goal that you aim to achieve in your role?
I aim to educate brokers on all aspects of self-employed lending. Many brokers excel in traditional lending but may not feel as confident navigating the complexities of self-employed clients. I pride myself on providing the knowledge, tools, and support they need to better serve this market, a market that is ripe with opportunity.
What sets successful brokers apart?
Successful brokers take the time to truly understand their customers' needs. They go beyond just securing a loan; they take the time to listen, assess their clients' unique financial situations, and find the right solutions tailored to their goals.
What should brokers expect from their state manager or BDM?
Brokers should expect their BDM to have deep industry knowledge to provide valuable insights and guidance. BDMs should also be readily available to support brokers when needed and respond quickly to queries to keep deals moving. Ultimately, brokers should feel confident and reassured that their BDM is invested in their success and always ready to support them.
Are there any industry-wide changes that you think would benefit brokers?
Increased investment in broker education and technology-driven tools would empower brokers to serve their clients better and enhance the overall customer lending experience. RedZed is passionate about finding better ways to give brokers more confidence to diversify and serve the self-employed, which led us to develop our digital Self-Employed Broker Academy (SEBA) – an ever-expanding library of online learning modules. SEBA is available free of charge to all RedZed accredited brokers and aims to help brokers diversify their businesses, broaden their customer segment and help transition loan packaging assistants into loan writers.
What do you provide to brokers that makes you valuable to them?
I act as a true extension of their business. Whether it’s sharing industry knowledge or helping them to navigate complex self-employed lending scenarios, I ensure they have the right information to make informed decisions. If I can’t directly assist with a deal, I’ll always try to guide them on alternative options or refer them to a lender who might be able to help.
Describe your ideal weekend.
Spending time with my family and relaxing at the beach.
