Describe your firm in a few sentences.

We are a family-run business, priding ourselves on the service we offer to our clients.

We are here to guide clients through the daunting mortgage application process and to make it as stress free as possible.

We are approachable and friendly, and love to build a long-term relationship with our clients.

We are laid back but still professional in our approach and we encourage everyone to ask us questions, no matter how small they may seem.

What led you to become a broker?

One of my first jobs was as a claims assessor in a missold endowment company. Dealing with these missold endowments got me interested in mortgages. I saw people losing thousands of pounds through receiving bad advice.

Off the back of this I paid for an intensive training course for the CeMap qualification and I qualified as a mortgage adviser in March 2008. Great timing, as the credit crunch was about to take full effect.

I knew the missold endowment industry had a limited timeframe so I had to plan for the future. I bided my time and got my first job as a mortgage broker in 2014, achieving my goal of setting up my own company in June 2020.

We haven’t looked back since. It’s taken me 13 years to build to where I am today.

What plans do you have for the future of your firm?

I will be looking to bring my younger brother into the company. He is currently studying for the CeMap qualification and is keen to pursue a career as a mortgage broker.

We are continually looking for ways to improve and embrace technology so we will be constantly evolving to make the process as straightforward as possible for our clients.

Above everything, we will continue to offer the high level of service we are renowned for, and help our clients’ dreams to become a reality.

What single thing could lenders do to improve brokers’ lives the most?

It’s been a tough 12 months or so for lenders and there have been many, many changes in criteria during this time.

One thing that has caused frustration is the telephone hold times that lenders have had, and understandably so.

The job is no longer nine-to-five, so longer lender opening hours or easier access to underwriters would be really useful.

What advice do you have for a broker just starting out?

Be prepared to not work your standard nine-to-five job. You need to be flexible and work around your clients at a time that suits them. Evenings can be popular for clients who do work across standard hours.

Although banks and building societies are open during the usual business hours, there is so much you can do outside these times, including speaking to clients, conducting research and looking for the best solution for your clients, processing applications and catching up on administration.

This is a demanding career and is not easy by any stretch of the imagination. You will have to work hard. Surround yourself and connect with successful people in the industry to learn from them.

Also, you must be present on social media to grow your brand and reputation — business will follow. It’s a long road building this but don’t give up! Success doesn’t happen overnight in this industry.

How can the industry encourage a new intake of brokers?

I believe there needs to be more awareness of the finance industry from an earlier age.

Education for school- and college-aged people about what the homebuying process involves, along with a basic background of what mortgages consist of, could generate more interest at a younger age.

If you would like your firm to be featured in Broker Focus, please email Mortgage Strategy deputy editor Gary Adams at: [email protected]