Which locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role at LiveMore?
I cover the whole of the Midlands – from Norfolk across to the Welsh border, and from Milton Keynes in the South up to Sheffield in the North. It’s hundreds of firms and advisers across the East, West and Central Midlands, and anyone in that region is part of my patch.
What personal talent/skill is most valuable in doing your job?
Communication – but more than that, understanding how to adapt to different people and situations. Some brokers prefer a straight-to-the-point approach, while others want more energy and detail. Being able to tailor how I communicate so that it works for the person in front of me is key.
What personal talent/skill would you most like to improve on?
I’ve recently become a parent, and with a 20-week-old daughter at home, I’m still finding my balance. I put a lot of energy into work and love what I do, but I’d like to get better at switching off at the end of the day and being fully present at home. Closing the laptop and not checking emails late at night is a work in progress.
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What’s the hardest part of your job?
At LiveMore, we pride ourselves on finding ways to say yes, but inevitably, there are times when we have to decline a case. I always want to help brokers and their clients, so saying no is the toughest part for me – which is exactly why I’m not allowed to underwrite my own cases.
What do you love most about your job?
The variety. No two days are ever the same, and I’m not tied to one location. I spend three or four days per week on the road, meeting people and building relationships – that’s one of the aspects I enjoy most.
What’s the best bit of career-related advice you’ve ever been given? Who gave it to you?
I have a vivid memory of being in my grandma’s kitchen and her telling me: “Treat people how you’d like to be treated yourself.” It stuck with me, and it’s been the foundation of how I build relationships throughout my career.
What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your career?
That if you don’t ask, you don’t get. When I started out, I was cautious about pushing for meetings or business. Over time, I’ve learned to be more confident – not pushy, but willing to ask the questions that get to the root of where I can add value to the relationship.
How do you keep up to date with developments in the market?
I rely on my network. I’m part of groups with other lenders – banks, building societies and privately funded firms – where the conversations are candid and insightful. That peer-to-peer knowledge, combined with trade press, keeps me up to date.
What is the most quirky/unique property deal you’ve been involved in?
Earlier in my career, I worked on a self-build that converted a former World War II radio building into a home. It was a long, semi-circular structure with a corrugated steel roof and all sorts of eco-features integrated into the property. Nothing about it was standard – the design, the materials, the history – and it really stood out.
Tell us about your trickiest case – what happened and how did you resolve the problem(s)?
Almost every case we see could be considered tricky by other lenders, but at LiveMore, our approach is to say yes whenever we can, so our approach means we tend to get most cases across the line. One that stands out involved a client with a recent missed mortgage payment. Our policy is to accept one missed payment in the past 12 months, but not within the last six. Based on the client’s otherwise clean credit history, we agreed to accept the application but delayed issuing the offer until the six-month period had passed. Other lenders wouldn’t even have entertained the case, so our flexible approach made the difference.
What was your motivation for choosing this career?
I’ve always been good with people and enjoy building relationships. This role allows me to be myself, and how well I do is closely linked to my personality and the connections I make.
If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?
An architect. I’d love to create something beautiful and lasting that you can walk past years later and say: “I designed that.” My grandad was a builder and would always point out the projects he’d worked on – I think that inspired me.
What did you want to be growing up?
To my family’s amusement, the first thing I ever said I wanted to be was a vicar – even though we’re not religious. I used to watch Father Ted while I was supposed to be asleep, and I think that must have been the influence.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In a role where I’m shaping strategy and proposition. I’d like to draw on my network and sector knowledge to influence how products are developed and delivered, while having a bit more balance away from constant travel.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
The ability to stop time. As a kid, I loved Bernard’s Watch, and the idea of pausing everything for a few minutes to catch up or rest has always appealed – especially now as a new parent; I’d use it to get a full sleep.
What is your strategy for tackling challenges?
Any challenge that comes up in my job involves differing points of view, so I start by trying to understand everyone’s perspective – what’s real for them and why they see things the way they do. Then I look for the common ground and work to join the dots, finding a compromise that works for all sides.
What is your greatest skill(s), both work- and non-work-related?
At work, it’s relationship-building. Outside of work, I once held the record at my hockey club for flipping and catching the most beer mats in one go – a slightly less useful but fun skill.
And finally, what’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked?
I was once asked if we could consider a customer’s Nectar points towards affordability as they’d built up a large balance over a long period of time, which meant they had over a year’s worth of weekly shops saved up that they could draw on if they faced financial uncertainty.
