In an industry built on relationships, too many women brokers have been building their businesses alone.
In 2025, women represented just 27% of mortgage brokers in Australia. At the same time, women are driving 80% of household financial decisions and launching businesses at record pace. The disconnect is hard to ignore.
Liberty Financial decided to act.
Launched in August 2025 at the Liberty Network Services (LNS) national conference in Cairns, AdvisHer Circle is a dedicated network designed to connect, support and elevate women advisers across the Liberty community and the wider industry.
It is not a networking event. It is a structured commitment to shift representation, confidence and opportunity.
Turning informal support into real structure
For years, women advisers within Liberty Network Services had formed informal connections. They shared advice, checked in on each other and offered quiet encouragement.
What they did not have was a formal platform, tailored education or visible advocacy.
AdvisHer Circle changed that.
Led by LNS State Manager for NSW, ACT and QLD, Jane Silvestro, and championed by Liberty’s Culture and Community team, the initiative builds on that grassroots energy and gives it direction. It offers mentorship, leadership development and practical tools designed specifically for women currently in broking, and those who are new to the industry. A thoughtfully designed logo reflects the intention and professionalism of the initiative.
The launch itself set the tone. Inspiring speaker, author and martial artist, Nadine Champion challenged attendees to rethink resilience and self belief. Renowned clinical mindfulness consultant and transformative educator, Charlotte Thaarup delivered a Core Strengths workshop, helping advisers understand how to build better teams and stronger client relationships.
Each woman adviser received a curated gift pack featuring products from women owned and Indigenous women owned businesses. It was a deliberate choice. Support should be practical, visible and shared.
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A space to speak honestly
By December 2025, state based sessions were already drawing strong engagement.
A thought provoking keynote from Lucy Simms, Chief Commercial Officer at Women’s Property Initiatives, sparked discussion about safe, long term housing for women and children at risk of homelessness. Fireside chats with Liberty advisers opened up conversations about credit coaching for vulnerable women and home loan products that better reflect the realities many women face.
Every attendee received a copy of Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez, prompting reflection on how gender data gaps shape financial systems.
But the real impact was felt in the room.
Liberty Adviser Tracey Price explains it simply:
“AdvisHer Circle gives you a place where you feel understood without having to explain or justify your perspective. That sense of support and connection has been huge, especially when working with emotionally complex client situations. Knowing there’s a community of women who get it makes the role feel far less isolating.”
For Marlene Liontis, the value is collective:
“Connecting with the other women is grounding, giving each other collective support and power to accelerate and grow, in our own individual ways.”
95% of Liberty’s women advisers have joined the private AdvisHer Circle community. Participation at forums and in the dedicated Facebook group has been high. More importantly, women are speaking up, asking questions and mentoring one another across experience levels.
Why this matters now
Broking can be a tough environment for women. Commission based income, solo operations and persistent bias around who “fits” in finance all play a part. A lack of visible role models and tailored development makes it harder to stay and progress.
Liberty already exceeds the industry average, with women making up 36% of its brokers. But numbers alone are not the goal.
The goal is long term cultural and equitable change.
AdvisHer Circle tackles barriers head on. It translates connection into capability through structured training, mentoring and advocacy. Experienced advisers support newer brokers in navigating work life balance and building sustainable businesses. New entrants gain confidence in raising questions and shaping their future in the industry.
It is designed not just to retain women, but to see them lead.
Backed by partnership
Liberty’s partnership with WORK180 helped shape the initiative’s foundation. Drawing on best practice insights around gender equity, the team built a program grounded in real challenges women face in broking, from progression pathways to community support.
The result is a network that is strategic rather than symbolic.
A model worth watching
What sets AdvisHer Circle apart is its depth. It is not a panel once a year or a LinkedIn group left to drift. It is a sustained investment in connection, education and advocacy, embedded into the business.
It also recognises a simple truth. When women brokers are supported to grow, the industry better reflects the customers it serves.
For organisations considering a similar path, the advice from Liberty Financial is clear: Start with purpose. Define success. Seek expert guidance. Most importantly, listen to the women you are building it for.
When women are given space, structure and opportunity, they do not just participate. They lead.
