Q. What were you doing before you became a broker?
I came here to Australia in 2005. I was 21 years old. I studied, did my accounting degree, and started doing my CPA. Then I worked in finance and accounting for almost 16 years.
And when I say finance and accounting, I wasn’t a bean counting accountant. I was a bean growing accountant. In other words, financial planning and analysis, forecasting, budgeting, where the business is heading – a lot of business partnering was required.
That’s when I realised I needed this change. I needed to go out and try sales.
So, two and a half years ago, I went to real estate, and I started selling home and land packages across Australia. And finance is the integral part of anything you do in real estate.
I moved to broking because, again, finance is the integral part. I want to connect back to the finance and accounting side of what I wanted to do. An opportunity with Blank Financial came up, and we’d been talking for almost a year. It just fell in place.
Q. What type of loans have you been writing?
I’m focusing more on resi loans and refinances, but I’ll take anything that comes my way.
In my first year, I have already written a couple of loans where it has been a complex refinance with multiple companies and a lot of debt. The client was rejected by two mortgage brokers, and he came to me. Bernard sat with me in that conversation. I heard him talk and closed that.
I’m ready to do whatever it takes, whatever loan it is. If it’s $100,000 or $5 million, I’ll take it.
Q. What has been the toughest part of working in broking so far?
The toughest part of working in broking is doing it all together by yourself again.
It makes you lonely at times. But again, Blank Financial has this well-oiled machinery at the back, and there is so much support. I’ve got the right mentor. I’m replicating what Bernard has done. I have joined Mr Mentor as a course. I have also done my course through The Finance and Related Services Training Academy (FARSTA), which is the only face-to-face course for mortgage broking in the country. I’ve just followed what Bernard has told me to do, got things done, and there is great support in the back end. That’s all I need.
Q. What are your goals for the immediate future?
My goal is to achieve $50 million in loans in the first year.
Saying that, I’m not going to be a transaction pusher. I want to take that time and learn during this year as well. But as Bernard has said, everything is possible. He has the blueprint, the Blank family behind it, and well-oiled machinery as well.
Q. And what makes you most excited about a career in broking?
I’m excited about taking charge of my career and taking it to a different level.
This opportunity is in itself exciting for me where I get to change people’s lives, I get to help people solve real life problems, and give financial solutions in terms of credit.
It’s exciting for me. It’s in my DNA.
