After completing my formal education, I was recruited by Barclays into their Mortgage Fastrack Manager scheme. It wasn’t exactly as advertised as for first 6 months I worked in various branches behind various counters, either counting piggy bank contents or money from various local traders.
It was exceptionally varied, and the days flew by until my Mortgage role started. My next surprise was that I had to take the exams by studying in my own time and the pass expectation was very high is one way of putting it!
Being a mortgage adviser was very rewarding and even though I was only advising on one lender, the job really suited me and the obvious joy people had after they had received their offer was reward enough.
As my career developed, I was promoted, first to mortgage Manager, then mortgage team leader with 10 advisers reporting to me. This meant I wasn’t on the front line with the clients as much and I really missed that customer involvement.
I was approached by the Countrywide group to work within their National Estate agency chain and took the opportunity as it meant I had a panel of lenders, giving me more experience and more choice for my customers. It was great learning, but the want to be an Independent Mortgage Broker was now more important than before.
I took the opportunity to work for a local Independent Mortgage brokerage and that’s where I met by business partner MATT TODD. Our synergy was immediate and within a year we had opened 1ST CHOICE.
We now are celebrating our 25th year together and our company is going from strength to strength and something I am incredibly proud of being part of especially as a Hastings local serving the Hastings community.
