Mortgage Strategy Awards 2025 Personality of the Year
Can you give us an outline of your profession thus far?
The story of my profession falls into three chapters: monetary recommendation, enterprise improvement and enterprise management. But the prologue was soccer.
I used to be the youngest in my college 12 months and left college on the age of 15 to signal for York City Football Club; I spent 5 years chasing that dream. Just earlier than my twenty first birthday I swapped the pitch for a pension plan and moved into monetary providers, first with Pearl Assurance and later with St James’s Place. That kicked off chapter one.
Chapter two, enterprise improvement, began at The Money Store, which quickly grew to become Platform Home Loans. That’s the place chapter three started as I progressed to ultimately lead the sales channel.
Landlords have had a torrid time. A little bit of regulatory respiratory house and tax reduction wouldn’t go amiss
From there, I helped a good friend promote his property and lettings company to LSL, earlier than diving into the world of normal insurance coverage with fintech insurer Uinsure.
In 2020 I joined Crystal Specialist Finance, and in 2021 I co-founded the Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charter (MIMHC) — one thing I’m extremely pleased with and which continues to achieve momentum throughout our sector.
What is your foremost ambition in your position?
At Crystal, it’s easy: I would like us to turn out to be essentially the most beneficial distributor within the UK; not essentially the most important, however essentially the most trusted, revered and referred to. That means being distinctive at service and unwavering in our supply of excellent buyer outcomes.
It nonetheless seems like we’re asking younger folks to do Olympic-level monetary gymnastics simply to get a foot on the ladder
As co-founder of the MIMHC, I’d love to ascertain a supportive group the place folks throughout the sector can get entangled in significant wellbeing actions. If we are able to encourage them to have conversations and take care of themselves slightly higher, we’ll do one thing worthwhile.
What would you say is Crystal’s USP?
Our folks. Hands down.
Crystal has a novel benefit in that brokers and introducers get entry to beforehand mandated consultants — actual professionals who know get tough circumstances over the road. Whether it’s serving to to avoid wasting time on sourcing or smoothing out the processing complications, our workforce genuinely provides worth — and quick.
What has been the most important problem of your profession, and a spotlight?
The hardest problem? Aside from Covid it was main the sales workforce and our clients by way of the 2008 monetary disaster at Platform.
Trying to ship outcomes when the market is falling off a cliff is character constructing. It taught me resilience, communication and make robust selections underneath strain — although I’d want to not repeat it!
I’d love to ascertain a supportive group the place folks throughout the sector can get entangled in significant wellbeing actions
As for highlights, seeing Crystal’s enterprise develop, 12 months on 12 months, has been massively rewarding. Knowing we’re serving to extra brokers, introducers and shoppers every year — and doing it with a superb workforce — that’s one thing I’m genuinely pleased with.
Is there something you’ll change in regards to the mortgage sector?
Two issues come to thoughts.
First, I’d like to see a fairer and extra accessible route onto the property ladder for first-time consumers. It nonetheless seems like we’re asking younger folks to do Olympic-level monetary gymnastics simply to get a foot on the ladder.
Second, landlords — notably the skilled and portfolio ones — have had a torrid time. A little bit of regulatory respiratory house and tax reduction wouldn’t go amiss. They’re a key a part of the UK housing combine and deserve assist too.
If you didn’t work in finance, what different profession would curiosity you?
Something sporty or function pushed.
I’ve at all times had a delicate spot for the thrill of competitors and teamwork, so sport could be a pure match.
I would like us to turn out to be essentially the most beneficial distributor within the UK; not essentially the most important
Failing that, I’d in all probability work within the charity sector — doing one thing that provides again and has a significant impression on folks’s lives.
What’s the most effective recommendation you’ve obtained?
‘To know what you do need, stay totally sufficient to know what you don’t.’
It’s a reminder that life isn’t about getting every thing proper first time; it’s about experiences, errors, course corrections and studying. And typically the detours are the most effective a part of the journey.
COMPANY PROFILE
Year established: 2004
Headcount: 58 full-time workers and rising
Address: Ventura House, Tamworth B78 3LZ
Website: www.crystalsf.com
Crystal Specialist Finance is a specialist finance distributor — a ‘dealer’s dealer’. It delivers a bespoke customer support to brokers and introducers in want of options for advanced circumstances, whether or not that be bridging, buy-to-let, business or improvement finance, specialist residential or second cost loans.
This article featured within the June 2025 version of Mortgage Strategy.
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