"One day I’ll be sat with our support desk helping to solve those ‘difficult to place cases’, the next I could be helping our DA members with brand building, social media presence, or even sales technique. "
FR: Your current job title as mascot for TMA is ‘business builder’ – what does your day-to-day role involve?
No two days are the same here at TMA and I tend to help out wherever I am needed across the business. One day I’ll be sat with our support desk helping to solve those ‘difficult to place cases’, the next I could be helping our DA members with brand building, social media presence, or even sales technique. Whatever the activity I am involved in, my overarching role is to help educate our members to grow their businesses into monster businesses and help to eat the competition.
I also plan to hit the road in my monster truck throughout the second half of 2018, visiting FSE Cardiff, London and the Midlands. Not to mention my cameo appearance at TMA’s upcoming Bitesize Workshops which kick off mid-June.
FR: Growing up in Scareville, what attracted you to the mortgage market?
My entry to the mortgage market came about when a friend – who also happened to be a mortgage adviser – helped me through a really financially difficult time. I began to see how rewarding the role of an adviser could be whilst also appreciating the difficulties and complexities associated with such a role. It was this that encouraged me to do something to help make the role of a directly authorised adviser easier.
Fast forward a few years and here I am at TMA – working closely with the team, its members and business partners – to help both educate them and develop their businesses to really reach their full potential.
FR: What do you want to achieve during your time at TMA?
My main aim is to help our members grow their businesses into something monstrous. I hope to do this through a five-pronged approach:
- Making their brand into a monstrous brand – brand recognition is key in cutting through today’s competitive market
- Recruiting new staff – as we grow, our staff must grow too, and we are always on the lookout for quality new recruits
- To become a social media monster - emphasising the importance of a social media presence in this digitally evolving market
- Putting their monstrous knowledge to good use – our members already have all the knowledge they need, it is about providing the tools to leverage this knowledge
- Making a website so mighty it scares off competition – as the first point of contact an impressive website is like a firm handshake and really makes those good first impressions
I won’t give away all of my secrets, but this is why TMA is ‘more than just a mortgage club’ – it rewards loyalty – the more you do with us, the more we give you back.
FR: What are the key things that have surprised you about the UK mortgage market?
I've learnt that no two customers are the same – and that the pace of change within the market is rapid. Advisers play a huge role in helping their clients onto the best and most appropriate deals, but they do much more than that – they ensure that they have the right insurance provisions and have regular chats to make sure the solutions and services they've been provided are still appropriate. It's fantastic that I get to play a part in this.
I've learnt so much already and can’t wait to meet with advisers to share our experiences during the upcoming events – make sure you come and say hi!
FR: If you could see one headline about financial services in 2018, what would it be?
I’ve heard that some borrowers who are keen to purchase their first-home, believe they have a greater chance of visiting the moon than making their step onto the property ladder become a reality. I’ve had friends who have been to the moon, and believe me, it doesn’t sound like it’s worth the trip.
However, what it does highlight is the continued support that first-time buyers in the market need. I would like to see the headline ‘more FTBs than ever successfully make it onto the property ladder’. Advisers can help address the issue by providing advice on the facts, figures and growing number of schemes available to this group of individuals so maybe, one day in the not so near future, this headline can become a reality!
