Beyond the Margin – Episode 1: Built for People Who Think Differently

Most people don’t know the difference between someone who’s just shifting paper and someone who’s shaping outcomes. This episode is about the latter.

In Episode 1 of Beyond the Margin, I sat down with Eli Ajzenman — founder of Lenders Domain — to unpack what happens when strategy replaces salesmanship in lending.

Blog Transcript:

Hi, I’m Riley Sharpe, and this is Beyond the Margin.

This series is about the people in finance who aren’t chasing awards or headlines. They’re just quietly doing the work, properly. The ones you wish you’d found before your accountant introduced you to someone else.

I used to work inside the mortgage industry. I know what it looks like when someone’s just shifting paper, and what it looks like when someone’s actually shaping outcomes. Most people don’t know the difference, until it matters.

Each week, I track down one of these operators. The ones that fly under the radar, by choice. And this week, that search led me to a website that didn’t follow the script.

No rate banners. No flashing offers. Not even a single get pre-approved now button.

But there was one line that caught my attention

Its said...Built for people who think beyond the transaction.

So I picked up the phone and made the call

This week, I’ve got Elly Eisenman, founder of Lenders Domain.

Elly, welcome to Beyond the Margin.

Hi, thanks for having me.

So first off, what got my attention wasn’t your logo, or even the design, which I loved by the way.

What stood out was what wasn’t there.

No mention of home loans. No rates. No list of forty banks you deal with.

I’ve seen accountants with more sales copy than that.

So what’s going on??

I guess it’s simple. If someone’s already looking for a loan product, I’m probably not the right first call. Because I’m not starting with the loan. I’m starting with the context. The person. The structure. .

People come to me thinking they need a loan. What they really need is a better strategy. And that starts by me not handing them a menu of loans.

So when did that shift happen for you? Most brokers build their whole value prop around access. I can get you better rates. I’ve got more lenders. You’ve walked away from that model entirely.

I didn’t walk away from it! I just realised it was never the value in the first place.

It’s like walking into a restaurant and asking the chef how many ingredients he’s got in the fridge.

Who cares!.....

What matters.. is whether he knows what to cook with them.

Same thing in lending.

Access is easy... Thinking — that’s! the differentiator.

And that’s what you do at Lenders Domain?

That’s the only thing I do.

See..It’s not about the product. It’s about how that product fits into your bigger picture.

For some clients, the biggest win is actually not borrowing more. For others, it’s learning how to structure what they already have.

But none! of that shows up in a product comparison table.

So who do you usually work with?

People who are done with surface-level advice and cookie cutter solutions

They’ve either hit a wall, or outgrown their current setup. Individuals, Business owners, property investors and professionals with complex income — the kind of people who don’t want to explain their situation three times to three different people and still feel like no one’s listening.

They want a grown-up conversation. They want someone who actually understands risk and structure — not someone quoting promo rates from a spreadsheet.

You’re not interested in mass volume, are you?

Not even a little.

I don’t want hundreds of leads. I want the right conversations.

The people who find their way to me usually aren’t shopping — they’re stuck. They’ve been overpromised and under structured.

I don’t need to outshine the noise — I just need to be a clear signal for the people who know what to listen for.

So what do they usually say when they finally get on the phone with you?

they usually say, this might be a bit complicated.

And I say, grate! Let’s start there.

Thanks Elly, its refreshing to see brokers taking a more strategic approach

You’ve been listening to Beyond the Margin — a scouting series on the people doing finance differently.

If you want to know more about Elly Eisenman and Lenders Domain, check out the website lenders domain.com.au

and you will find someone who knows how to think three steps ahead.

Till next time, this is Riley sharpe, thanks for listening.