19 Suicides in 1 Year: The Dark Side of the Mortgage Industry

Rhianna Farnan, Chief Communications Officer at Derwent Finance and mental health advocate, joins Christian Stevens on this week's episode of Beyond The Numbers. As FBAA Tasmania State President, Artemis Ambassador, and the 2025 Better Business Awards Thought Leader of the Year, Rhianna shares the story behind building one of Australia's leading mortgage broking firms - starting from a bedroom at just 18 years old. But the journey wasn’t smooth.From a failed Melbourne expansion that nearly brought the business undone, to pioneering TikTok for mortgage brokers and generating more than 150 leads a month, Rhianna opens up about what it really takes to build something over a decade. She speaks candidly about the mistakes, the pressure, and the moment things almost collapsed - including a time when the business was struggling so much they couldn’t afford to buy groceries. This episode is a raw look at resilience, rebuilding, and what it takes to keep going when everything feels like it’s falling apart. If you're a mortgage broker, business owner, or anyone building something from scratch, this one's for you. 5:13 — The Melbourne Expansion That Nearly Destroyed Everything 8:17 — Running a Business With Your Partner: The Honest Truth 11:30 — Why She Founded a Mental Health Event for the Industry 19:07 — How TikTok Became Their Biggest Lead Source (150/Month) 22:29 — Viral ≠ Leads: The Content Strategy That Actually Works 31:42 — How the Back Office Is Structured (Offshore, Settlements, PA) 36:23 — The First Date Was a Disaster — Here's What Changed 39:19 — Balancing Ambition, Kids & Knowing When to Step Back 50:10 — Where the Mortgage Broking Industry Is Heading Learn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/ Connect with Christian Stevens: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/propertyfinance/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmrstevens/ Connect with Rhianna Farnan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhianna-farnan-055a2716b/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/rhiannafarnan/