We are a nationally represented specialist mortgage and protection advisory business – ‘specialist’ meaning excellent, not the narrower sense of helping people get loans who have bad credit, although we can do that. We also prefer to use the term ‘advisory’ because advice is our product.

We are ambitious and growing and, while impacted by Covid, it has not thrown us far off track.

We help our self-employed advisers build businesses of their own. Our advisers hold the client relationship and, if the adviser goes elsewhere and the client wants the same, we do not object.

What led you to become a broker?

In 2016 we recognised that dealing with pensions, investments, mortgages and protection often meant one was not expert at anything. If one was, it was often one thing at the expense of the others.

It made good business sense to create a firm where advisers had a narrower focus and were trained well in order to deliver a high-quality service. I am qualified to Level Seven.

What are the biggest issues facing you as a broker?

The pandemic affected us but we stayed open and coped, writing business throughout lockdown and no one was furloughed. We switched staff and advisers to remote delivery, rather than face to face. Thank you, Zoom.

Written business is not money in the bank, though, and the extended completions cycle strains resources. Recruitment and training are challenging, as is persuading people to change and embrace new ways.

We were in merger conversations to achieve fast growth, but the lockdown put a bit of a crimp in progress. I don’t think the challenges are over, so a period of stability is now required.

Valuing businesses is currently tricky but normality will return. When we all regain confidence in our business models, we will resume the merger track.

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

Not just lenders but also surveyors, insurers and conveyancers need to get properly back to work and pick up the pace.

Advice firms don’t have endless reserves and a cashflow squeeze because of delayed completions, slow conveyancing and life underwriting hampers investment, innovation, and growth.

Surprisingly, fully embracing digital business was easier than expected, and we would encourage lenders to continue down the same path. Embed lockdown innovation, continue developing digital business, do not backtrack and do not waste what was learned. Automated valuation models should continue at higher LTVs than before lockdown.

E-signatures, and online address and identity verification, should now be standardised and the norm.

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

Challenges such as lockdown do create opportunity and for those starting their journey it is a great time to build a business. Advice is needed more than ever.

If you were previously successful, you can be again and on better terms. Changing career can be challenging but rewarding in all senses. We are looking for accountants and solicitors; in fact, all professionals who are looking for a career change and a better life.

Do look closely at social media. Used well it will be the prospecting tool that keeps on giving.

How can the industry encourage a new intake of brokers?

By emphasising professionalism and the potential quality of the working life.

Being an adviser requires dedication, intelligence, and communication and marketing skills. Achievable, certainly – as is job satisfaction.

As noted by previous writers, there is room for an independent national academy offering a full range of career-long skill and knowledge training. Spread the cost wide and it would be only a small levy that would be worth it.

Finally, align yourself with a firm that meets the criteria I have implied in this article. Small may be beautiful, but sometimes scale is better.