What locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role?
I’m lucky enough to work with brokers across the south coast from Hastings to Littlehampton, and up into South East London. There are around 800 broker firms in the area and over 1,000 advisers in my patch to keep me busy.
What personal talent/skill is most valuable in doing your job?
I pride myself on being very organised, and this is crucial for BDMs to stay on top of emails and messages. Every day I receive at least one email thanking me for getting back to advisers promptly, and helping them in any way I can is what I love most about my job. I work hard to get to know the advisors in my patch and do everything I can to support them and their clients.
What personal talent/skill would you most like to improve on?
I’ve always been a firm believer that every day is a school day, and improvements can always be made in every aspect of the role. I am fortunate enough to work within a great team, where we share best practices, new ideas and benefit from supportive managers who encourage us to think outside the box.
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What’s the hardest part of your job?
During every meeting I hold, I plan ahead and book a follow-up session down the line. This means my diary is very busy, so I have to work hard to juggle my time and plan calls between face-to-face appointments.
What do you love most about your job?
The autonomy of the role is great. I know what is required of me, and I just get on with it to my best ability. Getting 100% in the quality assurance checks is always a great feeling, confirming that what we are doing is well-received.
What’s the best bit of career-related advice you’ve ever been given? Who gave it to you?
It’s so important to have a plan, but building in flexibility is of equal importance as so many things can be out of our control.
This is something I have learnt through experience over the years and something I share with colleagues starting out in their careers.
How do you keep up to date with developments in the market?
I get a lot of my information from the mortgage trade media and the updates from teams at head office. This often forms part of the agenda for my meetings with brokers, and I learn a lot from what they tell me about their recent cases.
What is the most quirky/unique property deal you’ve been involved in?
There have been some lovely holiday lets that have certainly been quirky, but nothing that would be considered a risk.
What was your motivation for choosing this career?
Having previously spent 10 years as a BDM for a protection provider and then becoming a mortgage broker, it was the natural progression for me.
If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?
I’d probably become a trainer. I’d enjoy a role where I could impart the knowledge I have learnt throughout my career.
What did you want to be growing up?
A stuntman. Spending countless hours watching the Dukes of Hazard and Fall Guy led to that.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
I often dream about flying. Not in the style of Superman, but more like swimming through the air. That would be very cool in real life.
What is your strategy for tackling challenges?
I find that the best course of action is to take time to really understand the challenge and what outcome is required. I don’t believe you can solve a problem if you don’t fully understand what that problem is. Asking lots of questions and listening carefully to the responses is the best approach before tackling the challenge.
And finally, what’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked?
There are many. But the first thing that springs to mind is when I was asked if we would lend on a flat next door to a Hooters bar. While I’m not sure whether the applicant was planning to be a regular at the bar, I was able to confirm that we could lend as long as the flat was not positioned above the premises.
