| Tell us about your job and what’s involved on a typical day?
My role as Regional Sales Manager for Glasgow and Falkirk is really trying to get all the advisers and sales support to become the best they can be in their roles, whilst providing them with a comfortable and happy environment that they enjoy working in, which in turn will hopefully enhance compliant sales and profitability for FM.
In Glasgow and Falkirk I’m fortunate enough to work alongside some of the best (if not the best lol) mortgage advisers and sales support in the company, so I would say the very first thing I do (after a morning Starbucks/Costa Latte’) is to go round them all and share some banter to ensure they are all in a good place ready for the day ahead and if not, address any issues they might have there and then, if at all possible.
Typically from there, it’s working closely with the advisers and sales support to help fine tune individual and branch performance, through coaching, motivating, training and mentoring and then everybody’s favourite, observations.
What previous roles and experiences led you to your present position?
I actually started in October 2010 with FM as a Mortgage and Protection Adviser in Glasgow when there was only me and another adviser called David Henry working out of High Street at that time, before becoming Regional Sales Manager for Glasgow and Falkirk in February this year. Previous to that I worked with Lifetime Planning Ltd for 6 years as a Telephone New Build Adviser and prior to that I worked for Standard Life and Standard Life Bank as a Financial Planning Consultant and Team Coach respectively, for a combined period of 5 years.
What do you like most about this company?
The ethos of always doing right by the client and then the people, there are some characters working in FM which makes the job even more enjoyable!
What do you consider the key challenges for the mortgage industry this year?
Obviously the anticipation of whether Help to Buy funding will continue in Scotland in future years will have a significant bearing on mortgage volume and the building of new build developments nationwide. Fingers crossed, but even if it doesn’t happen, history tells me that builders will always come up with other ways of selling properties like their own shared equity schemes that they used to do years ago. That said, I think the mortgage industry has never been better.
Who’s been your greatest hero?
I could name a few over the years, I admired Dougie Arnott, who was a small striker for Motherwell FC years ago and then they signed the best player to grace the Motherwell jersey in Davie Cooper. In more recent times I admire Liam Gallagher, his stage presence, voice and style is second to none in my opinion.
Having said all that though, my heroes will always be my dad and late mum.
What’s on your desk?
At present, my laptop, pad, pen, calculator, mobile and a Pepsi Max with ice, oh and “Communion” by Years and Years playing in the background – you can’t beat “Shine”
If you could, what advice would you give your younger self?
You have no idea how hard this is been to keep it clean, but I’ve opted for “better to regret something you did do than something you didn’t”
What did want to be when you were a child?
A footballer for Motherwell, I nearly made it too as I got a trial for the club when Tommy McLean was in charge, but sadly I was told I wasn’t tall enough 🙁
What’s the worst piece of advice you’ve been given?
To trust James Hutchinson. I once told him I was embarrassed going to the toilet in the Glasgow Branch as we used to share it with another company at the time. The employees of that company sat close to the toilet and as you passed they would just look at you and never speak. After telling James it did my head in, a week later I received a large nappy from Tena for Men. James should have kept it because he was wetting himself when it arrived for me!
Who was your first celebrity crush?
The pop singer, Kim Wilde, now that was a sexy bit of kit!!
And finally, who is your current mortgage with?
Halifax of course!
To sign up for our monthly updates by email please click here. |
