Dollars In The Dirt

Seasoned Finance

Welcome to Dollars in the Dirt with Brecken Curtis, the no-BS podcast for Australian farmers and graziers who want to grow their operations and build real wealth. Hosted by Brecken Curtis, Award Winning Agricultural Finance Broker, this podcast breaks down farm loans, property finance, and agribusiness lending strategies that actually work. From rural property loans to cattle station finance, you'll get straight answers on agricultural finance without the jargon. Each episode delivers practical insights on farm expansion, loan structuring, and navigating the finance challenges facing beef producers and graziers across regional Australia. If you're a rural grazier looking to secure more favourable loan conditions for your next expansion, this podcast is a game changer.

Episodes

  1. 1D AGO

    #005 - I Compared 100 Bank Loans vs Broker Loans. The Difference Was Shocking

    Grow your agribusiness with expert finance strategies 👉 https://seasonedfinance.com.au 🔗 TAKE ACTION: Book your call: https://seasonedfinance.com.au Most farmers think going straight to their bank is the cheapest way to get a loan. But in this episode, Brecken breaks down why that belief is one of the most expensive mistakes in rural finance. From single‑policy limitations to inexperienced bankers, weakened relationships and missed opportunities, this episode exposes the hidden costs farmers never see when they skip a broker. You’ll hear: ◼️ Why one bank means one policy and one outcome ◼️ How the wrong banker can kill a good deal ◼️ Why loyalty is costing farmers borrowing power ◼️ How brokers unlock deals banks never show you ◼️ The hidden risks of timing, sequencing and poor structuring Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:02 Hidden Cost 1: One Bank Means One Policy 00:01:56 How One Policy Limits Your Borrowing Power 00:04:26 The Decline of Experienced Rural Bankers 00:05:18 Hidden Cost 2: Loyalty Fails When Relationships Change 00:06:14 Constant Turnover of Bank Managers 00:08:46 Hidden Cost 3: Brokers Know People, Not Just Policies 00:09:42 Why the Right Banker Inside the Bank Matters 00:10:32 Hidden Cost 4: Banks Only Assess What’s In Front of Them 00:11:28 How Brokers Restructure and Sequence Deals 00:12:10 Why Poor Timing Reduces Future Borrowing Power Follow Brecken Curtis: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckenfinancebroker/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brecken-Curtis/61575665536876/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brecken_curtis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brecken-curtis-8716323aa/ Seasoned Finance: https://seasonedfinance.com.au

    13 min
  2. 3D AGO

    #004 - The RBA Raised Rates (What It Means For Farmers)

    Grow your agribusiness with expert finance strategies 👉 https://seasonedfinance.com.au 🔗 TAKE ACTION: Book your call: https://seasonedfinance.com.au Every time the RBA moves, farmers panic. But the real impact isn’t in the headline rate. It’s in how your costs shift, how your debt behaves, and how prepared your business is when the pressure hits. In this episode, Brecken breaks down what the latest rate hike actually means for rural operations and why the farms that adapt early come out stronger. You’ll hear: ◼️ How RBA rate hikes flow through to farm businesses ◼️ Why most farmers are paying more interest than they should ◼️ What matters more than the cash rate itself ◼️ How to build a business that survives any rate cycle Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:42 Why Farmers Panic When the RBA Moves 00:01:18 What Rate Hikes Actually Change 00:02:05 The Real Cost Farmers Should Watch 00:02:44 Why Most Farmers Overpay on Interest 00:03:21 How Debt Behaves When Rates Rise 00:03:58 What Matters More Than the Cash Rate 00:04:36 Building a Business That Survives Any Rate Cycle 00:05:22 Why Reviewing Loans Beats Watching the RBA Follow Brecken Curtis: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckenfinancebroker/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brecken-Curtis/61575665536876/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brecken_curtis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brecken-curtis-8716323aa/ Seasoned Finance: https://seasonedfinance.com.au

    7 min
  3. FEB 11

    #003 - 36% of Rural Banks Are GONE. Here's What That Actually Means For Your Farm

    Grow your agribusiness with expert finance strategies 👉 https://seasonedfinance.com.au 🔗 TAKE ACTION: Book your call: https://seasonedfinance.com.au Over a third of rural bank branches have disappeared since 2017, but the real threat isn’t the empty buildings. It’s the loss of your advocate, your leverage, and the relationship banking model farmers relied on for decades. In this new episode, Brecken Curtis breaks down what this shift actually means for your farm and why loyalty is now costing rural businesses money. You’ll hear: ◼️ Why 36% branch closures changed rural finance permanently ◼️ How centralised credit teams replaced local decision makers ◼️ Why bank loyalty is costing farmers thousands ◼️ What farms must do to stay competitive in the new system Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:51 - Impact on Relationship Banking 00:01:12 - Translating Statistics into Reality 00:01:54 - Decline in Experienced Rural Bankers 00:02:37 - Centralized Teams and Their Limitations 00:03:09 - Loss of Knowledge and Hands-On Advice 00:03:29 - Real-Life Example: Challenges in Getting a Rural Loan 00:05:03 - The Myth of Bank Loyalty 00:05:41 - Bank@Post: A Stopgap Solution 00:09:05 - Broader Impact on Rural Communities 00:10:19 - Practical Realities for Farmers 00:11:21 - Adapting to the New Reality 00:12:03 - Competitive Advantage for Early Adopters Follow Brecken Curtis: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckenfinancebroker/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brecken-Curtis/61575665536876/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brecken_curtis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brecken-curtis-5b220161/ Seasoned Finance: https://seasonedfinance.com.au

    13 min
  4. FEB 5

    #002 - Ag Finance Broker Reveals If Farmers Should Buy Land

    Grow your agribusiness with expert finance strategies 👉 https://seasonedfinance.com.au 🔗 TAKE ACTION: Book your call: https://seasonedfinance.com.au Farmers are being sold the idea that playing it safe is smart, but the biggest operators are quietly doing the opposite. In this new episode, Brecken Curtis reacts to viral farming videos exposing how banks/ lenders hide costs behind so‑called 0% finance, breaks down why buying land remains the most powerful wealth builder in agriculture, and challenges the myths stopping farmers from expanding their operations. You’ll discover: ◼️ Why land outperforms every other asset farmers can buy ◼️ How banks bury costs behind 0 percent finance deals ◼️ Why expanding your land base builds long‑term wealth ◼️ What viral farming videos get wrong about finance Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:16 - Financing a New Tractor 00:01:47 - Hidden Costs in Tractor Financing 00:02:08 - The Value of Buying Land 00:03:41 - Farmland Investments by Billionaires 00:04:12 - The Importance of Expanding Farmland 00:04:32 - The Role of Farming in the Australian Economy Follow Brecken Curtis: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckenfinancebroker/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brecken-Curtis/61575665536876/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brecken_curtis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brecken-curtis-5b220161/ Seasoned Finance: https://seasonedfinance.com.au

    5 min
  5. FEB 1

    #001 - 6 Brutal Reasons Why The Bank Rejects Your Loans

    Banks don’t reject good farmers, they reject bad paperwork, unclear plans, and structures that work against you. In this first episode of Dollars In The Dirt, your host Brecken reveals the 6 brutal truths behind why 73% of farm loan applications get rejected… and how to be in the 27% who secure approvals. You’ll discover: ◼️ Why messy financials kill your chances ◼️ How unclear goals make banks walk away ◼️ The hidden impact of poor business structures ◼️ Why timing and preparation matter more than you think ◼️ How to present your farm like a professional operation ◼️ Why banks don’t understand ag businesses without clear articulation Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:31 - The Real Reasons Banks Reject Loans 00:01:03 - Messy Paperwork 00:02:05 - Accurate Financials 00:02:26 - Livestock Numbers 00:02:57 - BAS and Cashflow 00:03:29 - Property Values 00:04:01 - Being Organized 00:04:43 - Clear Business Goals 00:05:58 - Business Structure 00:07:01 - Tax and Succession Planning 00:08:28 - Asking the Bank to Solve Problems 00:09:28 - No Clear Proposal 00:11:13 - Timing and Opportunities 00:11:55 - Bank Understanding of Your Business Follow Brecken Curtis: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckenfinancebroker/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brecken-Curtis/61575665536876/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brecken_curtis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brecken-curtis-5b220161/ Seasoned Finance: https://seasonedfinance.com.au

    16 min

About

Welcome to Dollars in the Dirt with Brecken Curtis, the no-BS podcast for Australian farmers and graziers who want to grow their operations and build real wealth. Hosted by Brecken Curtis, Award Winning Agricultural Finance Broker, this podcast breaks down farm loans, property finance, and agribusiness lending strategies that actually work. From rural property loans to cattle station finance, you'll get straight answers on agricultural finance without the jargon. Each episode delivers practical insights on farm expansion, loan structuring, and navigating the finance challenges facing beef producers and graziers across regional Australia. If you're a rural grazier looking to secure more favourable loan conditions for your next expansion, this podcast is a game changer.

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