60 seconds with.....Alison Beech
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You’ve flipped from one side of the market to another - How’s life as an intermediary?
I’ve spent most of my financial services career on the provider side - general insurance , protection, pensions and mortgages - so it’s been energising to move into the intermediary world.
Estate agents have a similar reputation to lawyers - what makes Spicerhaart different?
Reputations are won and lost by what you do and there are good and bad agents, same as with lawyers. What sets Spicerhaart apart is strong local knowledge, backed up by national support, innovative technology and a one-stop shop for all the services related to a housing transaction for individual and corporate clients.
Should mortgage brokers try to work more closely with estate agents?
An effective broker facility is crucial. There are generally three models - an agent might outsource leads to a local broker, they might have an independent broker working in their own office or they might have their own mortgage brokerage. We have our own operation, Mortgages Direct, to service our branch network.
What advice would you give women in our industry?
Have a sex change if you want to get on. Seriously, there are pitifully few senior women in financial services which is partly down to demographics but also down to a lack of role models and good mentoring. My advice would be to find a great mentor, get professionally qualified in your chosen field, don’t undersell yourself and build a strong network of industry contacts.
What is your defining moment of the past 18 months?
There have been several. Closing Rooftop Mortgages, which I helped launch, was tough - I literally turned off the lights as I was the last to leave the building. The past 18 months have been a test of character, so my defining moment is waking up every morning to a new day knowing I have a great family and friends.
Internet networking or real networking?
Both. I’m a great fan of Linkedin for professional purposes but I’m also a Facebook girl for social interaction. That said, you can’t beat face-to-face networking. Even during gardening leave I met others in the industry regularly to maintain my network.
