Broker in Focus: Bola Anike, Elmgrove Financial Services

Broker in Focus is a dedicated series that highlights the unique journeys of mortgage brokers, providing them with a platform to share their experiences, insights, and expertise. Each featured broker recounts the key moments that have shaped their careers, offering an inside look at the paths that led them to this dynamic field. We also explore their motivations for continuing in a competitive market, the driving forces behind their commitment to clients, and the future goals they are working tirelessly to achieve — whether it’s personal career advancement or business growth.

In this edition of Broker in Focus, we meet Bola Anike (pictured), whose foray into the mortgage industry was far from conventional. With a degree in Chemistry, her early professional life was spent in laboratories, analysing samples and running experiments. However, it wasn’t long before she realised that her talents and aspirations lay beyond the four corners of lab rooms.

How did you get into the mortgage industry?

My family were into property, and I got involved in this and enjoyed it. I became a financial adviser but left when I started my family and worked as a will writer and estate planner.

I returned to being a mortgage broker in 2020 during lockdown and haven’t looked back. I didn’t realise how much joy and passion I was missing in helping people to achieve home ownership. Then, I founded Elmgrove Financial Services in 2021.

What are your motivations to continue as a broker?

There are quite a number of them. One is helping clients achieve homeownership. The satisfaction of assisting clients in achieving their dream of owning a home is a significant motivating factor. Knowing that my work directly impacts people’s lives in such a meaningful way can be very fulfilling.

Developing long-term relationships with clients and referral partners, such as real estate agents and financial advisors, can also be gratifying. I am now dealing with the children of those clients that I helped many years ago and some of those clients are also now close friends. I have even been invited to two weddings.

I also love problem solving. The role often involves finding solutions for clients with unique financial situations, which can be challenging and intellectually rewarding. I believe in trying to make the impossible possible.

Another motivation for me is the diverse work environment. Every client and mortgage deal are different, which means no two days are the same. This diversity can make the work more interesting and engaging.

Then there’s professional satisfaction. Achieving successful mortgage approvals and seeing the direct results of my hard work can provide a strong sense of professional accomplishment.

Lastly, the positive impact on the community is another motivation. By helping people secure homes, mortgage brokers contribute to the growth and stability of communities.

What are your future goals – for your personal career and your business?

I aim to become a recognised thought leader in the mortgage industry by contributing to industry publications, speaking at conferences, or participating in professional associations.

I also want to develop a strong personal brand through social media, networking, and community involvement to attract more clients and build a reputation for excellence, while striving to offer additional financial services, providing more comprehensive solutions to clients.

Another goal of mine is to hire and train new team members to handle increased business volume and maintain high levels of customer service.

Lastly, I intend to increase involvement in community activities and charitable initiatives to build goodwill and brand loyalty. We are currently engaged in outreach financial education programmes within the ethnic minority communities and schools, and my plan is to grow this further in the future.

Broker in Focus is a weekly Mortgage Introducer feature, spotlighting mortgage brokers from diverse backgrounds and locations across the UK.

Are you a mortgage broker interested in being featured? Email the author with your details.