Describe your firm in a few sentences.

We’re a multiple award-winning mortgage broker based in Cheam, Surrey, serving clients locally and nationwide for more than 20 years.

The company has expanded considerably in the past two years and we have nine mortgage advisers and two protection advisers, as well as an admin team who do a great job of providing support.

Although technology is on hand to help us, I still strongly believe that relationships must be regularly nurtured

We’re ambitious and eager to bring new talent into the business. Over the past year we’ve recruited three trainee paraplanners to whom we are providing training and support to help them become qualified mortgage advisers.

What led you to become a broker?

I’ve always had a natural affinity with numbers and knew from an early age I wanted to be my own boss.

I also have a genuine interest in people. I started off working as a wealth adviser on inheritance tax, pensions and mortgages, and gradually became more widely known as a mortgage adviser.

We should encourage young talent by letting them know that having the right attitude rather than experience is what we’re seeking

I am genuinely intrigued by people, their background and stories, so being a mortgage adviser is the perfect role. I have been dealing with many of my clients for decades and often advise three generations of families.

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

I’d like to keep expanding by recruiting more advisers and growing our equity release team.

We’ve recently built a protection department to meet the needs of more clients worried about how they would cope financially if they were ill and couldn’t work. We know more people have been concerned about their health in general since the pandemic.

A proactive approach will stand you in good stead for the lifetime of a client

Protection is a complex subject and specialist knowledge in this area can’t be underestimated. We also intend to embrace any new technology that gives our advisers more time to assist clients.

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

We’re investing time and money into improving our technology to enhance our customer experience and help advisers become even more efficient.

I would like to see this ambition and proactive approach matched by our lender partners.

We’re ambitious and eager to bring new talent into the business

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

A robust database is crucial. Be proactive and nurture relationships. Of course, you need to know your subject well and have the appropriate qualifications but it’s also important to have the ability to get on with a variety of people.

During the pandemic, we knew many clients had concerns about the extraordinary circumstances we were all facing. We made a point of contacting every client to let them know we were on hand to provide advice and support. It was a crucial time to be offering reliable information to help clients make informed decisions.

We know more people have been concerned about their health in general since the pandemic

Ultimately, it’s about serving your client to the best of your ability. I always try to see things from my clients’ perspectives and provide exceptional service. Regular communication is so important. They will trust and have faith in you if they know you are looking out for them at every stage of their mortgage journey.

So, while technology is on hand to help us these days, I still strongly believe that relationships must be regularly nurtured.

A proactive approach will stand you in good stead for the lifetime of a client and not just for one mortgage transaction.

How can the industry encourage a new intake of brokers?

I think we should encourage young talent by letting them know that having the right attitude rather than experience is what we’re seeking.

I have been dealing with many of my clients for decades and often advise three generations of families

We always aim to identify ambition among young people. If they show a willingness to work hard and they have a genuine hunger to learn about the business, we will give them a chance to start out as a paraplanner and train them up to be a mortgage adviser.

We have a great team of experienced advisers so we know we can provide the support and training they need to become the best. They just have to show they have ambition and a strong work ethic!

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