What is the main objective of Brilliant Group and what is your role within it?
Each business within Brilliant Group is distinct, with its own strategy, and they all benefit from the group connection in a variety of ways.
The Brilliant brands are solving a number of problems in the intermediary market, but their over-riding purpose is to help brokers deliver the best outcomes for their clients, changing people’s lives for the better.
The world tells borrowers they can pop online for two minutes, compare mortgages and then apply at the click of a button. If only it was that simple
iZone addresses the problems that smaller specialist lenders have in accessing bespoke specialist software solutions at sustainable prices.
The connection with the group ensures the iZone team understands the products and the market too.
It’s my job to ensure the leadership team is delivering on the strategy, and to help direct the resources and priorities within the business.
How do you split your time and focus between the three arms of the group?
I am fortunate to have great teams working with me in all the businesses, which ensures they not only run themselves but, thanks to the leadership team, are able to deliver our strategy.
The success of our mortgage club over the past five years has been tremendous
This gives me the opportunity to switch my time and focus between the businesses according to where the opportunity or need exists.
This works well as it gives the team plenty of autonomy, but the support is there when needed.
What has been your biggest professional challenge so far?
There have been plenty, but the credit crunch would be top of that list.
As a business that had been completing £3bn-worth of specialist mortgages, we experienced a 90% drop in turnover and a 90% drop in margins.
Not many businesses survive that, let alone achieve what we have achieved since then.
We need to help shape things for the better — not expect them to evolve as we think they should
The pandemic was challenging for different reasons; there was more of a human side to the crisis, so it was not all about the business.
Being a family business really helped us.
The team pulled together, and we emerged from the pandemic a stronger business and a closer team, at all levels.
And your greatest achievement?
The success of the mortgage club over the past five years has been tremendous.
For a family business to target a sector that has been dominated by some of the biggest names in the industry, and to do that successfully, is something of which I am very proud.
If there was one thing you could change about the industry, what would it be?
I have a list of things I’d like to change!
If you are forcing me to give you a single issue, I would seek to change borrower (and lender) perception on the value of advice.
The team has plenty of autonomy, but the support is there when needed
The fragmented advice sector of today makes this difficult.
We are in a world that tells borrowers they can simply pop online for two minutes and compare mortgages themselves, and then apply for the one they like at the click of a button.
If only it was that simple — and if only that led to great customer outcomes.
What advice would you give your teenage self?
My teenage self would certainly not have listened to any advice.
But there are plenty of things I have only appreciated later than I would have liked.
We emerged from the pandemic a stronger business and a closer team, at all levels
I would probably tell myself to be more proactive in supporting diversity and inclusion. We need to help shape things for the better — not expect them to evolve as we think they should.
Who is your all-time hero, and why?
I do not have anybody I would call a hero — not since I was a child.
I love reading about great leaders, though, even if I wouldn’t call them heroes!
Company profile
- Year established: 1996
- Headcount: 35
- Address: Suite A, 2nd Floor, 11-12 Wind St, Swansea SA1 1DP
- Tel: 01792 277 555
Brilliant Solutions is a mortgage club and specialist packager for all mortgage types. Brilliant Money offers client referral services for those not choosing to advise. iZone Software provides software to lenders in the mortgage, secured loan, bridging and development sectors.
This article featured in the May edition of MS.
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