Which locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role at Aldermore Bank?
East of England – all brokers in the following postcodes are covered: CB, CM, CO, IP, NR, RM, SG and SS.
What personal talent/skill is most valuable in doing your job?
Organisation; sure, I have a lot of lists and I’m always writing stuff down, but it works.
What personal talent/skill would you most like to improve on?
Being a perfectionist, I need to be less hard on myself sometimes. I set the highest standards, higher than anyone would ever set another person. I want to work on being okay with performing to a high standard but not always achieving perfection.
What’s the hardest part of your job?
Long commutes to some locations. It can really take it out of you, but it’s just one of those aspects of the job.
What do you love most about your job?
Meeting all sorts of different people; this was a big reason I wanted to make the move from phone to field business development manager (BDM), as getting out and about meeting people is something I really enjoy.
What’s the best bit of career-related advice you’ve ever been given? Who gave it to you?
“Work smarter not harder”, from my old boss at NatWest, Shaun.
How do you keep up to date with developments in the market?
Discussing market conditions with brokers and colleagues, both generally and in specific locations, and keeping up to date with the news.
What is the most quirky/unique property deal you’ve been involved in?
Having worked for a high street lender in the past, there aren’t loads of cases that stand out historically. Joining a specialist lender like Aldermore, I fully expect this to change in due course.
What was your motivation for choosing this career?
I wanted stability and sociable hours, as I managed bars and clubs, which certainly didn’t offer me that. I got my first role in the financial industry in insurance at NatWest, and this meant doing a bit of work supporting the mortgage adviser. Over time, this piqued my interest in the property market and mortgages, so I then moved to intermediaries and never looked back. Away from work, I have a husband and three children who motivate me to succeed in everything I do and make me want to be the best version of myself that I can possibly be.
If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?
I’d say a property investor, taking properties that are run down, doing them up and then either selling or letting them. I like the project aspect of this where there’s a start, middle, and an end when it comes to the purchase, the refurb and then the final product. If done well, it can be pretty lucrative as well as engaging to be a part of.
What did you want to be growing up?
I always had a passion for animals, so originally, I wanted to be a vet.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Teleportation, where I can take people with me too.
What is your strategy for tackling challenges?
Taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture helps me to not become overwhelmed when met with a challenge.
What is your greatest skill(s), either work- or non-work related?
I believe I’m able to build rapport quickly and am a genuine people-person, which are useful traits to have in this profession.
And finally, what’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked?
If I was in a zombie apocalypse and wanted to get in a person’s shelter/bunker, what do I have that would persuade them to let me in to add something to their survival?
