"Entering the mortgage industry was purely luck, by chance for me"
Shazad Ahmed (pictured), the driving force behind elan property finance, shares the interesting story of his journey into the mortgage industry, highlighting a career that started more by chance than by design.
Getting into the industry
Working at a call centre for Lloyds Bank with no clear ambition in sales and service, Ahmed’s transition into the mortgage industry was nudged by two friends who had recently moved to Barclays’ residential mortgage department. Their persistent encouragement led Ahmed to join Barclays, where he was part of the last induction group to receive in-house CeMAP training paid for by the employer.
“Entering the mortgage industry was purely luck, by chance for me,” he said.
It was the beginning of his seven-year tenure with Barclays, primarily dealing with residential mortgages until redundancy pushed him towards the specialist finance market.
“A whole different ballgame here, the language, the attitude, and the lending market was completely different.” Ahmed recalled. “It took me a good year to get to grips with it all. The rest is history.”
Motivations to continue as a broker
Ahmed’s motivation stems from a deep-seated belief in helping others achieve their goals of financial freedom through property investment.
“Right now, I have a small team that can work swiftly and efficiently, and we are solely focussed on working with property professionals such as landlords, investors and developers – and long may that continue,” he said. “I believe we are all here to help one another.”
He attributes his drive to the satisfaction of aiding investors in realising their dreams and enjoys the challenge of solving problems, closing difficult cases, and expanding his professional network through industry events and social media.
Ahmed also leverages his online presence to educate a wider audience on funding strategies, creative thinking, and avoiding financial pitfalls in a manner that is both accessible and engaging.
Looking to the future
Looking ahead, Ahmed envisions growth for both his career and elan property finance.
“Growth is the word,” he said. “I am actively looking for more brokers to grow the team. The bigger the team, the more people we can help. The more people we help, the more word spreads and the business can grow bigger and brighter.”
Personally, Ahmed has made a significant impact through appearances on podcasts, BBC Radio, and industry publications. However, moving into 2024, he plans to be more selective about his engagements, aiming to make appearances that align more closely with his goals and target audience.
“I plan to be more selective and to be seen at the right places by the right people – instead of being everywhere. The season of yes is on hold – for now,” he said.
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