Broker of the Year urges industry colleagues to get involved
When broker Gindy Mathoon decided to set up Create Finance in 2015, his aim wasn’t so much to build a business of his own as to do things differently from the way his employer at the time approached the mortgage market.
Frustrated by what he perceived as a resistance to change, Mathoon (pictured) founded the Derby-based broker firm. Fast forward nine years and it is a bona fide success story, with a team of 17 brokers, and two big wins at The Mortgage Introducer Awards in 2023.
It scooped Broker Firm of the Year (11 to 50 advisers) and Mathoon himself picked up Broker of the Year (Individual Award) – accolades which have brought new opportunities to the business. He believes others should put themselves – or colleagues – forward for this year’s awards, the nominations for which are now open.
Mathoon has been working in the industry for sixteen years, finding his feet first as a mortgage and protection adviser at London & Country Mortgages in Bath, before taking a brief detour within financial services, as a senior personal banking manager for Lloyds TSB.
Within five years Mathoon returned to mortgages, in his late twenties, keen to give the profession his all.
“The goal wasn't really to have my own business, the goal was to do it better than the person that I was working for,” he explained. “The process just wasn't right at all. I thought I need to move away, do it off our own back and do it the way we want to do it. People saw the way we were doing things and wanted to come to work for us - good people, good processes, and the business just evolved.”
How innovative is the mortgage industry?
Mathoon co-owns Create Finance and is evidently proud of what he calls the ‘industry superstars’ which, living up to its name, the firm has created. A number of members of his team have gone on to set up their own business concerns – and he’s still highly engaged in the market, loving the innovation he finds in the industry.
“As a business, we love learning about new products and having access to them – never stop learning and never stop growing,” he said. “As many lenders used to say back in the day, ‘past performance isn't an indicator for future performance’, you have got to keep working every single day. Everything is about applying margins now. It's quite a competitive industry and you have to get marginal gains over your industry colleagues.”
Much of what Create Finance does falls within the specialist finance and adverse / complex credit space, benefiting from a greater choice of lenders now, but the market remains challenging.
“It’s been very volatile,” reflected Mathoon. “We’ve just seen a plethora of changes, where lenders have dropped their rates. The most difficult aspect of our job over the last 12 to 18 months has been when clients asked us whether to go for a short-term or longer-term fixed rate. But economists have got so much wrong in the last five to 10 years, so it’s about making sure the client understands the possible repercussions, and just making sure they go for the right thing for themselves.
“I love what I do, every day is a different day, no two days are the same, and that's what keeps me excited. I enjoy getting in front of individuals, speaking to clients and resolving a problem. It makes me feel better.”
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Why are The Mortgage Introducer Awards important?
Clearly, the job was already highly rewarding for Mathoon, but the double acknowledgement at The Mortgage Introducer Awards last year was special.
“To be recognised individually, it’s great, but ultimately it's the team that won the award,” he said. “If everyone is pulling in the right direction, which they are, that is what's ultimately led to our success.
“I'm an old dog now in this industry and so people were probably aware of who I was, but it's probably opened up a few more doors in terms of lenders wanting to work with us a bit more closely, I would say. To be recognised as one of the industry leaders and pioneers is very, very good, and it gives our clients a piece of mind and comfort that these guys know what they're talking about, clearly, because they've won something, they’ve been recognised for excellence.”
So what would Mathoon say to others about participating in The Mortgage Introducer Awards?
“Get involved,” he urged. “If you've got a story to tell and you're doing good for the industry and your clients, absolutely get involved – I’d 100% encourage that.”
The brightest and the best of the industry will be competing for the honour of scooping a coveted accolade at The Mortgage Introducer Awards.
This year our renowned event introduces two brand new categories to define excellence in the mortgage sector - Mortgage Industry Employer of Choice and Excellence in DE&I (diversity, equity and inclusion).
This brings the number of awards categories to 29, and nominations will be open until August 16, ahead of the prestigious awards ceremony on November 26 in London. Scores of industry professionals will descend on the prestigious venue, 8 Northumberland Avenue, for one of the biggest nights in the mortgage calendar.
To find out more and to get involved, go to Mortgage Introducer Awards
