NZ Adviser Young Guns 2021 by Key Media

SPECIAL REPORT

GUNS 2021 CONTENTS

NZ Adviser puts the spotlight on the rising stars in New Zealand’s mortgage and finance sector

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Feature article .............................................. 2 Methodology ................................................ 3 2021 winners list ........................................

Profiles .......................................................... 6 Last year’s winners .....................................

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NZ ADVISER YOUNG GUNS 2021

A PASSION FOR HELPING PEOPLE WHILE THE global economy has hit the brakes and activity across the world has slowed considerably over the past 18 months, the same cannot be said for New Zealand’s property market. Demand is higher than ever before, housing stock is low, prices are through the roof, and lenders are growing increasingly strict with their loan criteria – all of which has left New Zealand’s young people asking the ultimate question: “Will I ever be able to get onto the property ladder?” Whether you’re a first home buyer, a firsttime investor or an investor with a signifi-

Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or investor, or an investor with a significant portfolio, getting the right mortgage advice is a vital step towards securing a home loan cant portfolio, getting the right mortgage advice has become a vital step towards securing a home loan in 2021. Fortunately, a new generation of lending experts have

entered the scene, and these impressive up-and-comers are ready to take hold of the most difficult cases and guide their clients through that life-changing and

PANDEMIC HAS INCREASED EMPATHY AMONG MILLENNIALS, GEN ZS

Millennials

Gen Z

This pandemic has highlighted new issues for me and made me more sympathetic towards the needs of different people around the world

76% 74%

This pandemic has inspired me to take positive action to improve my own life

76% 75%

This pandemic has highlighted new issues for me and made me more sympathetic towards the needs of others in my local community

75% 73%

In response to the pandemic, once restrictions are lifted I will take actions to have a positive impact on my community

74% 73%

71% 68%

In response to the pandemic, I have taken immediate actions to try to have a positive impact on my community

The pandemic has given me a strong sense that people are trying to “do the right thing”

67% 62%

The pandemic has given me a strong sense that everyone around the world “is in this together”

65% 62% 0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Source: Deloitte Global Millennial Survey

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often stressful process: buying a home. The NZ Adviser Young Guns list is now in its second year and aims to recognise the talented young individuals making a name for themselves in the mortgage sector and bringing a fresh, dynamic approach to their work. The Young Guns 2021 list comprises 21 of New Zealand’s most impressive advisers and finance professionals from across the country, all of whom have already racked up some strong loan settlement figures and are reimagining how the sector runs on a dayto-day basis. Young Gun Elyce Maxwell, head mobile mortgage adviser at The Mortgage Girls, was highlighted by her nominee for her “incredible ability to connect with clients”,

the tools and resources to help our clients, and having team members like Elyce there to help is fantastic!” Today’s mortgage adviser market is full of professionals who are passionate about helping their clients achieve their dreams, but the rising stars of the industry have something extra to offer – first-hand experience of just how difficult it can be to buy a home under the current conditions. Young Gun William Tieu, financial adviser at local Auckland brokerage Simply Finance, highlighted just how much uncertainty the COVID-19 pandemic has injected into an already difficult environment. With multiple lockdowns, banks tightening purse strings on their lending, and a prevailing environment of uncertainty, Tieu said finan-

Today’s mortgage advisers are passionate about helping their clients achieve their dreams, but the industry’s rising stars have something extra to offer which has translated into an impressive client conversion rate of above 80%. She was praised for her dedication to helping families get into homes, having already helped over 100 families, individuals and friends reach their financial goals and secure a home loan over the course of eight months. “Elyce lives and breathes the vision, mission and values of The Mortgage Girls, and Elyce’s fantastic Facebook and Google reviews speak for themselves,” her manager said. “The Mortgage Girls are passionate about sending applications to the right bank for the customer in the first instance, and this has made her conversion rate sit much higher than the minimum required from the banks. “Over 80% of the clients we help are first home buyers who are just beginning their journey. We specialise in providing

cial advice has never been more important, and the impact that a good adviser can have cannot be underestimated. “This year was especially challenging as there was immense uncertainty due to COVID-19,” Tieu said. “The pandemic’s impact on business and livelihoods was creating immense anxiety for many Kiwis. We certainly saw an increase in Kiwis who needed good financial advice when the April lockdown happened, and with banks closing during the numerous subsequent lockdowns, we had an influx of business coming through from people who just wanted simple and sound advice about their situation. “In the last six months, I have seen firsthand how the impact of our role as a trusted adviser can be life-changing for clients,” Tieu explained. “My passion is for dealing

METHODOLOGY In March 2021, NZ Adviser invited professionals from across New Zealand’s mortgage and finance sector to nominate their most impressive rising stars for its second annual Young Guns list. Nominees needed to be aged 35 or under (as of 31 March 2021), be working in a role that relates to, interacts with or in some way impacts the third party mortgage distribution channel, and be committed to a career in the mortgage and finance industry. Nominators were asked to provide a reason for their nomination, outline the nominee’s future plans and career goals, and could also provide a 100–200-word recommendation from a brokerage head, manager or long-term referral partner. The vast majority of nominees were mortgage advisers at local brokerages, though business development managers working for mainstream and non-bank lenders were also put forward. Ages ranged between 27 and 35, with an average age of 32. Approximately 40% of the nominees were female, while 60% were male.

32 Average age of Young Gun nominees

60/40 Ratio of men to women among the Young Gun nominees

16/5 Small vs major brokerages represented by Young Guns

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MILLENNIALS, GEN ZS ARE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE

Millennials

Gen Z

I actively budget my money so that I know how much I can spend over the week/month

74% 65% I feel that I have the right level of knowledge to make informed decisions about my finances

72% 61% I feel confident making decisions about financial products and services

69% 60% I have set myself clear financial goals for my long-term future

64% 56% I have set myself clear financial goals for the next five years

62% 54% Source: Deloitte Global Millennial Survey

with first home buyers, as it’s so fulfilling to know that I assisted them with their first major milestone and guided them towards sound financial decisions that could ultimately set them up for life. “Helping clients understand financial risk, build their knowledge of the concept of ‘money’, and help them implement solid plans to build long-term stability for them and their families is very rewarding.” When the COVID-19 pandemic struck New Zealand, every mortgage adviser in the industry was working overtime to help and reassure anxious clients, set up mortgage holidays, and ensure that their overall financial wellbeing was protected. One adviser who made the Young Guns 2021 list was praised for his exceptional handling of clients when the borders closed and the lockdowns began, and for his focus

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on the wellbeing of the overall community. Avneet Singh, mortgage adviser at Nest Home Loans, was praised by his clients for his cool and collected manner throughout the pandemic, and for guiding clients through difficult situations while always maintaining a positive frame of mind. “Avneet is a champion broker,” one client said. “He worked with us endlessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. He is such an amazing person who reassured us that there is always a way of turning the downsides into positives, and despite being first home buyers who did not know all the what, when and wheres, we today received the keys to our papakainga [homestead].” “Avneet is exceptional with keeping clients, valuers, builders, real estate agents and lawyers up to date on what is happening,” Singh’s nominator commented.

“Being on the front foot with communication creates a smoother experience for the client and ultimately means less work dealing with issues as they arise when tensions are high.” Creating and maintaining a personal connection with clients is a huge part of being a successful mortgage adviser, but maintaining a strong knowledge of the lending market is equally important. All of the NZ Advisers Young Guns are committed to increasing and maintaining their knowledge of the lending space – particularly Josh Graham of Roost, who drew praise from his manager for his in-depth knowledge of lender policies. “Josh is a technically excellent mortgage adviser, and he is an absolutely crucial and core member of our team,” his manager said. “He is highly intelligent and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of lending policies, to the point that the staff all regularly defer to him for advice. “He is on target to settle a substantial amount in loans this year, and to settle that number of loans in Queenstown – an area with a population of 40,000 which was at the core of the COVID-19 tourism crisis – is nothing short of phenomenal. “Josh does all of the hard stuff, the pernickety stuff, and he does it really well.” Reflecting on this year’s submissions, it is clear that the mortgage industry is gaining a steady stream of young talent who are dedicated to helping clients, communities and families overcome growing hurdles and achieve their property dreams. While the property sector is likely to remain complex and difficult for some time yet, this year’s Young Guns list shows that a dedicated, competent and determined adviser who will fight in their client’s corner is never far away. Huge congratulations to everyone who made the NZ Adviser Young Guns 2021 list!

GUNS 2021 Jaz Bedi Mortgage adviser/founding director The Mortgage & Loan Guru Ltd

Laura Carter Mortgage adviser The Mortgage Girls

Phone: 021 0279 3704 Email: jaz@tmlguru.co.nz Website: tmlguru.co.nz

Troy Clayton Home loan and insurance adviser O’Hagan Home Loans & Insurances

Jordan Cameron Financial adviser and director Total Mortgages

Josh Graham Adviser Roost

Phone: 0800 777 337 Email: info@totalmortgages.co.nz Website: totalmortgages.co.nz

April Hastilow Senior mortgage adviser MedCapital NZ Ltd t/a Become

Jamie Sanderson Mortgage adviser Jamie & Co. at The Lending Pad

Amanda Jordan Mortgage adviser Mortgage Supply Co

Phone: 021 227 6183 Email: jamie@thelendingpad.co.nz Website: thelendingpad.co.nz Mikey Smith Adviser Loan Market Phone: 021 031 8160 Email: mikey.smith@loanmarket.co.nz Website: loanmarket.co.nz/mikey-smith William Tieu Financial adviser Simply Finance

Blandon Leung Director and senior adviser Financial Services Complaints Ltd Elyce Maxwell Head mobile mortgage adviser The Mortgage Girls Ltd Satyan Mehra Director and founder iConsult Mortgage Brokerage Sam Parsons Mortgage adviser and co-director Mortgage First NZ Ltd

Email: will@simplyfinance.co.nz Website: simplyfinance.co.nz

Luke Roberts Business development manager Bluestone Mortgages NZ

Lauren Banks Mortgage adviser Loan Market

Avneet Singh Mortgage adviser Nest Home Loans

Lisa Barton Senior adviser Money Empire

Jen Taylor Mortgage adviser Mortgage Link

Nicholas Berry Mortgage adviser Loan Market

Marilize Visser Mortgage adviser/business development manager Squirrel Mortgages

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NZ ADVISER YOUNG GUNS 2021

JAZ BEDI Mortgage adviser, founding director The Mortgage & Loan Guru

az Bedi is a hard-working expert adviser who is enthusiastic about educating clients to help them make smart financial choices. He is also dedicated to delivering a great customer experience, particularly in making the challenging, exciting and somewhat scary process of buying a property easier for first home buyers. Bedi’s goal of helping Kiwis make their financial and real estate dreams come true led him to establish The Mortgage & Loan Guru in November 2018 in Papatoetoe, Auckland. The full-service broker works with most banks, non-bank lenders and insurance companies in Auckland and around the country. As an accredited mortgage adviser, Bedi provides Kiwis with advice on the best mortgage deal or risk insurance for their needs; helps them with their mortgage application, loan structure and existing mortgages; and gives them easy-

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to-understand information about risks and money matters. Bedi recently surpassed his personal goal when he wrote approximately $65m in loans in the April 2020–March 2021 financial year and helped more than 150 families get their plans pre-approved. Bedi attributes his success to proper planning, implementing the right digital tools, marketing and, most importantly, hard work. “Working on the weekends and late nights were the main reasons for my success,” says the Auckland-based mortgage broker. “Honestly, there is no substitute for hard work. It is extremely important to have the right attitude and to always work for the client’s interest. Hard work is key to success.” The great work Bedi puts into every case, as well as his professionalism and expertise, are reflected in the favour-

able feedback he receives on Google and Facebook from satisfied customers. Many clients have lauded Bedi for his friendly and positive attitude, professionalism, in-depth knowledge of the industry and hands-on approach. He has also been recommended for being helpful, responsive and always available. So, what’s next for Bedi? He says he is now aiming to settle $100m in loans in the new financial year. Bedi is “absolutely positive and focused” on achieving this new target with the use of digital technologies to improve efficiency and productivity. Commenting on his award, Bedi says: “I was absolutely stoked and extremely delighted to find out that I won this prestigious award.” To be recognised for the hard work he has put in for his clients is very satisfying, he says, adding that “this is just the beginning”. There’s more to come for this Young Gun.

MIKEY SMITH Adviser Loan Market

ikey Smith is a self-employed mortgage adviser with a passion for helping Kiwis achieve their homeownership and wealth creation dreams. “I plan to help as many people as possible,” says Smith. “I want to be known as the go-to person for top advice but also for providing a service that helps get clients approved quickly and efficiently so they can achieve the Kiwi dream.” Owner of a Loan Market franchise with an awesome team of three, Smith specialises in home loans, property investment and refinancing, and the business services Kingsland, Sandringham, Mt Albert, St Lukes and the wider West Auckland and surrounding suburbs. Working with Smith means getting access to the best rates from over 25 lenders, benefiting from his industry knowledge and personal experience as a property investor, and receiving post-

settlement service that keeps clients informed and updated. Smith says that while the industry in general excites him, what he enjoys most about the job is chatting with people and hearing their stories. He also loves sharing his knowledge. The Aucklandbased Young Gun provides finance tips on Facebook and his blog, as well as home advice, market updates and ideas for how to grow wealth. Clients who have worked with Smith have commended him for being professional, service-driven, helpful and knowledgeable, and for his ability to make the complex homebuying process simple and easy to understand. He has been described by clients as a brilliant guy who delivers fantastic results. Smith came into the industry after running his own car rental business for eight-plus years. With no background in

financial services, he has built his business from scratch and in just two years of mortgage broking has achieved phenomenal results, writing more than $71m in home loans. The Loan Market rock star says he now has “a small mountain to climb with goals of half a billion in lending a year but sound business structure, exceptional staff and great clients”. He plans to achieve this target within a five-year time frame. When asked about his reaction to receiving the Young Guns award, Smith says: “I’m stoked as I’m only a baby in the industry and a few years ago I didn’t even really know about my own mortgages... But I work hard and commit to long days to make sure I don’t let anyone down. I have put a lot of effort into making sure I am super knowledgeable about the industry. All in all, this is a nice reminder that I am staying on track with my plans.”

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JORDAN CAMERON Financial adviser and director Total Mortgages

ordan Cameron has worked in financial advice for 10-plus years and specialises in residential home lending. He consistently seeks ways to provide his clients with first-class service and competitive results. The Hamilton lad is driven to find the “sweet spot” between automating business processes and maintaining a strong rapport with clients and business contacts. He dedicates time and effort to each application, frequently checking in with clients and offering them his personal support. While business is at the core of everything he does, this doesn’t stop him from offering his clients genuine care and empathy. Cameron’s work ethic and energy motivate the people around him. “In the near future, I will be looking to bring some younger people into the team who we can groom into top advisers,” says Cameron. Cameron’s recent achievements include settling $100m plus in lending in 2021. He also doubled the size of his team, moved into a larger office space, automated several systems, and built relationships with a wider range of key contacts and industry peers. He increased his local sponsorships to boot! Ranked as a Top Adviser in 2019 and 2020 and a Young Gun last year, Cameron says: “It’s great to be recognised, but what is even more satisfying is helping change people’s lives – it helps make all the late nights and early mornings worth it.”

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JAMIE SANDERSON Mortgage adviser

Jamie & Co. at The Lending Pad

amie Sanderson is a new breed of mortgage adviser dedicated to helping grow the financial literacy of his clients and local community. He has worked in financial services for more than 16 years in client-facing and leadership roles, including 11-plus years at one of New Zealand’s largest banks. Sanderson joined The Lending Pad in 2019 and has since become a trusted broker to a large number of professionals across New Zealand, with an ever-growing network of professional referral sources. His understanding of his clients’ needs, along with his unrivalled knowledge of New Zealand lenders and their policies, means he consistently delivers the best outcomes for borrowers, as proven by the great feedback and endorsements he receives. He uses his strong social media presence to share content that helps educate buyers on money management and the process of purchasing property and repaying a home loan. Over the past year, Sanderson has achieved $46m in drawdowns and a high conversion of referrals for life and general insurance. He doubled his client base between his first and second year and is now working towards building on this success and consistently lifting his target by $10m each year. Commenting on the award, he says, “It’s awesome to see your hard work pay off not only for your clients but for your professional skills to be recognised.”

GUNS 2020 Lauren Banks Loan Market Eugene Bartsaikin Twine Financial Advisers Liam Bratton Loan Market Jordan Cameron Total Mortgages David Chamberlain Mortgage HQ

WILLIAM TIEU Financial adviser Simply Finance

fter building pipelines and bridges as a civil engineer, William Tieu reinvented himself as a financial adviser with a mission to help clients become financially savvy, independent, and achieve their financial dreams. Tieu discovered his passion for property after going through the struggle to buy his own home. Since joining Simply Finance in June 2020, he has been helping Kiwis here and Kiwis overseas into their first home or next investment property by breaking down the complex process of purchasing a property. He goes above and beyond for clients, from securing the best rates and providing detailed proposals to suit their goals, to connecting them with property lawyers and consultants where appropriate. Tieu is “a highly motivated and positive adviser who only wants the best for his clients,” says James Grigg, Simply Finance managing director. “He has a thirst for knowledge and great attention to detail. He applies a high degree of lateral thinking to get the best results for his clients.” Sharing mortgage and finance advice on social media platforms, Tieu posts highly informative and entertaining videos and weekly blogs for his growing following. Tieu has grown his business by 300% over the past year. He is on track to double the number of settlements this year and plant 100 trees in 2021 as part of his sustainability approach.

Sam Collins Loan Market Sarah Courtney Curtis Sarah Curtis Mortgages Brent Findlay Loan Market Josh Graham Roost Kyle Imeson Summit Mortgages Mandy Jordan Mortgage Supply Co Daniel Lipman iRefi Mortgages/Mortgage HQ Satyan Mehra iConsult Raj Mehta Kiwi Home Loans Kieran Page Get Settled

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