What locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role?
I look after brokers in London postcodes along with my telephone BDM colleague.
How have you changed the way you establish and maintain a good relationship with brokers in (and after) the pandemic?
I have shifted to a hybrid working model to adapt and fulfil my brokers’ needs and preferences based on how they like to work. This means I am using a combination of Zoom, phone and face-to-face for carrying out meetings. We also have our call centre and a very handy web chat tool on our website for additional support.
What personal talent/skill is most valuable in doing your job?
Relationship building. This is fundamental in the role, and in my opinion, paramount to ensuring that brokers feel both supported and comfortable when working with us.
What personal talent/skill would you most like to improve on?
My knowledge, I believe, is something that can always be developed further, especially in a fast-paced and changing working environment and industry such as ours. Outside of work, I would most like to improve my health and fitness regime.
Where would you rather be stuck, in bumper-to-bumper traffic, or back-to-back Zoom calls that could have been an email, and why?
Back-to-back Zoom calls – as I’d feel more productive than sitting in traffic. However, while I do believe that both in-person meetings and Zoom serve a purpose, I actually prefer the face-to-face interaction – I feel it allows for better relationship building which is key to the BDM role.
What’s the best bit of career-related advice you’ve ever been given? Who gave it to you?
“Don’t mistake movement for achievement” – Jim Rohn.
What makes a great colleague?
Someone who can empathise with a client/broker situation and provide support accordingly. There are lots of colleagues at the Coventry who are like this. It’s a great team.
What is the most quirky/unique property deal you’ve been involved in?
I was approached by a broker whose client wanted to purchase a church to turn into their residential home. A different means of acquiring the funding was needed in the end, as the property required a certain level of refurbishment before it could be considered, but nonetheless it was an interesting conversation.
Tell us about your trickiest case – what happened and how did you resolve their problem(s)?
Not always the trickiest cases, but I enjoy working with more complex cases – putting deals together with a good outcome. This includes self-employed cases where there have been changes to income and this requires further discussion on how this income has been derived and how it is sustainable moving forward. Often a great explanation can be key to a successful result.
What was your motivation for choosing business development as a career?
I’m a people person and I enjoy building good quality relationships with brokers and helping them to achieve success.
If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?
A property surveyor, as I enjoy viewing a property and understanding its value.
What did you want to be growing up?
Successful. Both my parents were teachers and I had naturally considered this as a career when growing up.
What makes you laugh?
I love watching comedy movies and stand-up.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
To be able to fly – although I am working on this, daily. This would certainly make my day easier when traffic is particularly bad.
Name your favourite restaurant and why you love it.
No favourites but I do love seafood, including sushi.
And finally, what’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked?
At work, there are no strange questions about mortgages. Outside of work, I was once asked by a salesperson at Ralph Lauren if I worked for their executive team. Maybe this was because of all the questions I was asking them about the brand.
