Billion Dollar Broker Q&A: with Mark Stevenson

Billion Dollar Broker Q&A: Mark Stevenson, Bell Partners Finance

Mark Stevenson, Managing Director at Bell Partners Finance (now Evolve Lending & Finance) was profiled in depth by The Adviser as part of their Billion Dollar Broker series, sharing the story behind settling one billion dollars in loans in just eight years and the principles that underpinned his rise to the top of the industry.

Mark’s path into broking began with a nudge from family. His uncle had spent years suggesting that every broker he met loved what they did and found genuine satisfaction in helping people. It took about a decade of hearing it before Mark gave it serious consideration, eventually making the move in 2011 through Mortgage Choice before transitioning to Finsure when they acquired LoanKit in 2013.

The Bell Partners Finance book is broad in its scope, with residential home loans making up around 65 per cent of settlements and the remainder spread across commercial property, self-managed super funds, asset finance and development finance. The core client base has always been self-employed borrowers, though the business services a wide spectrum. Mark noted that individual transactions can reach $10 million on a single property, which helps accelerate the cumulative numbers, though his approach has always been to focus on the work in front of him rather than tracking milestones.

On how he managed volume without sacrificing quality, Mark pointed to clear role delineation within the team. He created a template that brokers must complete before any deal reaches the admin team, covering file notes, recommendations, Statement of Credit Assistance and pricing details. Brokers cannot simply hand off incomplete work. The system is built around clear expectations, and by his account it produces very few problems because everyone understands their part in the process.

Mark was candid about the role of the people around him. He acknowledged that imposter syndrome still surfaces, because the success of the business at this scale is genuinely a team achievement, with his own contribution representing a smaller share of the whole than it once did.

The advice he offered other brokers was simple and grounded: be slow to hire, quick to fire when necessary, and never be afraid to ask for help from those who know more than you do in a given area.

Mark Stevenson’s story is the foundation of what Evolve Lending & Finance is today. Contact us to work with a team that has proven it can deliver at the highest level.