Mortgage Broker Broadcast
Developing your knowledge to help you build a successful Mortgage Broker business. Craig Skelton shares his thoughts and experiences on all aspects of mortgage advice covering everything from operating in the banking world, estate agency based advisers all the way up to working as a self employed broker. He will be joined by experts from within the industry and other business sectors which all play a key part in becoming a successful mortgage broker in the modern world.
Mortgage Broker Broadcast
The Resilience Roadmap: Transitioning Military Discipline to Brokering Success
Nathan Hill didn't follow the typical path into mortgage broking. As a Royal Marine Commando for six years, he developed extraordinary resilience in some of the most challenging environments imaginable – from the harsh Scottish wilderness to deployments in the Middle East. Now, he's applying that same determination to building a successful career as a self-employed mortgage advisor.
What drives someone to make such a dramatic career shift? For Nathan, it came down to finding his "why." Despite thriving in the military environment, he recognized that service life would never allow him to be fully present for his partner and future family. "You are married to the military, as they say, and wherever His Majesty will send you, you've got to go," Nathan explains. This realization became the catalyst for change.
While deployed overseas, Nathan began studying for his CeMAP qualifications, using his limited downtime to prepare for civilian life. Rather than taking the seemingly safer employed route, he chose to embrace self-employment from the start – a decision that reflects both his confidence and clear vision for the future. The transition hasn't been without challenges. Moving from the intense camaraderie of military life to working independently required adjustment, which he's balanced by maintaining connections through the Royal Marines Reserve while building new relationships in the mortgage industry.
What's particularly striking about Nathan's approach is his methodical preparation. Before committing to this path, he contacted numerous brokers to gain industry insights, building knowledge before making the leap. He emphasizes the importance of financial planning when transitioning to self-employment, ensuring sufficient savings to avoid the pressure of "chasing leads" from day one. For anyone considering a career change, especially those from military backgrounds, Nathan's journey demonstrates how discipline, structure, and resilience can translate perfectly to entrepreneurial success in the mortgage sector.
Ready to transform your mortgage business or start your journey as a broker? Visit craigskelton.co.uk to discover how personalized coaching can help you achieve your goals, whether you're just starting out or looking to scale your existing prac
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Hi and welcome to this week's the Mortgage Broker broadcast. I'm your host, craig Skelton. I'm a mortgage business owner mentor and coach, and I'm here to help self-employed mortgage brokers and business owners build the business that they want. And this podcast is made for brokers at every single level. Whether you're just starting out with CMAP in your hand or you're running your own firm or you're looking to grow and scale your existing business. This podcast is about helping you grow your business, sharpen your mindset and navigate the day-to-day challenges of being a self-employed mortgage broker and business owner.
Speaker 1:And this week's podcast we're just taking a break from the AI series that we've been running recently on the podcast and this week I wanted to go back to having a guest on the podcast, and my guest this week is Nathan Hill. I'm not going to do too much introduction about Nathan because he will talk about his journey, his experiences and challenges he's faced coming into the mortgage broker world, given his background. So I don't want to do too much introduction in terms of what he's doing. But the reason why I wanted to get Nathan on the podcast was really to look at like the decision he made a couple years ago becoming to become a broker. What made him decide that, what sort of challenges he's faced so far and what does the future look like for Nathan Hill being a mortgage broker. So let's just get Nathan onto the podcast. So welcome onto the podcast, nathan. How are you?
Speaker 2:I'm good'm good, yeah, good, Thank you for having me on. It's been. This is my first podcast, actually, so it'd be good to. Yeah, good to see you.
Speaker 1:Wow, I feel very honoured, for your first podcast is on the Mogies Broker broadcast and also as well. I think it's safe to say that you're the first which we're going to get into that.
Speaker 2:There's no spoilers with this, but you're the first royal marine commando that's been on the podcast as well, so, um, thanks for coming on. Oh, brilliant, that's a no. Never had any military kind of person on before or anyone military.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, a couple of military ex-militaries, but that then are brokers. But yeah, nothing with your um, stature and experience I'm really going to do. Like the thing is like I know the people that have been on the podcast that are ex-military and if they listen to this, they'll be going, I know, but, like I've said there, not as your stature, and then they're going to go. Oh, so, like I'm just this, then now, and I'm just that. But yeah, anybody do, and they do listen to it. So I don't know if I'm going to get a bit of grief, but that's fair enough. And probably people are thinking, now, what's a Royal Marine Commando If people aren't connected with you, don't know who you are, which we'll do the introductions in a second they'll be thinking why is a Royal Marine Commando coming onto the Mortgage Broker broadcast?
Speaker 1:But we will explain that in a second and I probably will have explained it in the intro as well. But, uh, but no, thanks, nathan for agreeing to come on and I'm like I, we had a brief chat before we hit record, just uh, there's been a few things like I see you in my content every single day, which is a which is a good thing. I can see the thing that you the the content that you point out there from an educational point of view and vice versa. I know you was on the the webinar with jonathan, jonathan and I recently, but it's the first time we've actually had chance to probably chat and have a conversation. So I'm looking forward to just being able to have that chat and get to know you a bit more, rather than sort of the the content that you've been putting out, all the webinars you've been watching listening to jonathan I on yeah, as am I, yeah, looking forward to it.
Speaker 1:Good. So for those that don't know, nathan, do you want to just do a brief introduction about yourself?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so yeah, my name is Nathan Hill and I'm just basically recently into this space of, you know, mortgage advisory and yeah, it's been, it's been, it's been a definitely sort of getting to know everything. And you know, previous to that I've no previous industry experience, it's just basically just dived into it head first. So I was previously in the military, in the Royal Marines, for the last six years. Finished last Thursday and, yeah, officially, and yeah, prior to that, I went to, went to uni in leeds, um, great city, and um, yeah, studied sports science, uh, so a bit of a bit of a weird kind of ride into, uh, into um, financial services, um, but no, it's been, it's been, uh, it's been a good, good experience so far and, um, yeah, I'm looking forward to you know what, what it will bring okay, excellent, I think that's good.
Speaker 1:Let's go a little bit back, because I'm just interested to sort of see, because I saw a bit of linkedin stalking and a bit about you and I saw, like the sports science, I'm thinking, right, okay, well, I'm going to ask a little bit, we're gonna, but but first of all, leamington spa is that you're born and bred. Leamington spa is that sort of no, no.
Speaker 2:So originally from london, um, yes, from south london, a place called bromley, uh, well, beckenham, that's in bromley, um, and, uh, yeah, that that's where I originally grew up. Um, went to school there, um, and basically, yeah, just got the um, the love of sport around there. So basically, uh, summer is cricket and golf, and then, um, yeah, winter, well, golf is all all year round now, but uh, yeah, and then the winter was you, you know, hockey, rugby, football just basically loved all sports and, yeah, really played competitive hockey, competitive cricket, you know, all the way up through the age groups and then a bit of county stuff at cricket, you know, up until you know 18, 19. So, yeah, I loved that sport. And then basically just got into golf and then, uh, golf took over everything, um, in the summer and uh, yeah, because I had that love for sport, um, throughout school, um, I then, you know, decided to do um, to carry that on at university. So I went to leave beckett university and did sport science. Thought about, you know, a career in teaching sport or you know a career in something to do with with sport science.
Speaker 2:But I always kind of had a military itch, as it were, and I had this kind of, like, you know, fascination with the marines being, you know what it is, and I was like, oh, like, I hit 25 and finish uni at 25 and I was like, if I don't join the marines now, I never will and I think I'll regret that. I think I'll regret not scratching that itch, um. And then, yeah, so so finish uni at 25. And then, um, yeah, put that application in and join, join the corps in uh, may, 20 september 2019, on my birthday actually. Wow, yeah, the day I started, they um got off the platform at um commando training center in limpson, um, and I was all into line and screamed and shouted that it was my um, yeah, my uh, 25th birthday, at least you'll never forget.
Speaker 1:You're sorry. Yeah, you're never gonna forget that day. So I know that was obviously with you doing sports science. One of my questions was going to be about favorite sport in terms of, because obviously you have a bit of a sport background and we'll come on to the competitive edge in a second, but so my question was going to be about favourite sport. Is it like sort of one particular thing? But you've obviously alluded to cricket is just sort of one thing and then golf is the other. So are they the two favourite ones? You'd say?
Speaker 2:I'd say'd say, well, yeah, hockey, hockey in the winter, um, really love playing. You know the fast pace of it and um, yeah, it's great game and very physical, uh, physically demanding, which is good, um, and yeah. And then the cricket is that kind of it's non-contact obviously, um, uh, yeah, that's. That was just the summer sports that I played, um, and then really got into cricket.
Speaker 2:Um, tried to sort of give that a go as like a sort of semi-pro, you know as it, when I was at kent um, which was the county um that I lived in and played for um as a youngster, and then um, probably just got to a point where I was just, if I'm being honest, just wasn't good enough, um, for the professional game. Um, sort of on the outskirts of being honest, just wasn't good enough for the professional game, sort of on the outskirts of it, but just probably wasn't quite good enough. And then kind of lost that love a little bit for the game after that. And then golf just like grabbed me and yeah, just got the bug for that and got really into that. But I'm slowly sort of getting back into. I've played a few games for Leamington locally here. So, yeah, trying to get into it in a new area, which is good, but yeah, sort of golf in the summer, a bit of cricket and then, yeah, hockey in the winter.
Speaker 1:I suppose that helps, with which we've not talked about yet. You work with Chris Hazel in terms of what you're doing, and I'm guessing that helps, Knowing Chris as I do. He's a keen hockey lover, isn't he? So I think more golf is a more recent thing. I might have got that totally wrong, but I think golf is a bit more of a recent take-up, but I know he's a keen hockey player, so I'm guessing that's good when you're working with somebody and you've got that other interest as well. The sporting competitive interest as well will always help with the relationship yeah, yeah, definitely yeah.
Speaker 2:We played golf a few times together, um, I think he got one over me in the first game, I think, I think I beat him the other day, so I think we're, I think we're one, or at the moment, um, and uh, yeah, as we talk about cricket as well, you know, we'll say like oh, england, england are losing, or something like that.
Speaker 1:They'll be like, oh, standard, but um one yesterday, though, which is good, um, but yeah well, I was thinking about that, thinking you say it's a non-contact sport, but I think, yes, I think the uh we can talk. Obviously, this podcast is going out the day after the uh, was it the third test, wasn't it? So, um, yeah, there was a bit of um. I'm not a massive cricket fan, but did the the argy bargy, shall we say did sort of spike my interest. And Richard Jubb, who I work with, is an AR of a DA firm and he's a very keen cricketer and he's very keen. I sort of messaged him a few times, because I don't normally message him about cricket. It's not my number one sport, shall we say. But yeah, even I sort of paid an interest with what was going on over the past few days.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it has been a few. There were some feathers ruffled, definitely in the test match. But yeah, no, if you're bowling, you know if you're facing a leather ball at 90 miles an hour, you know that could cause a bit of fear as well. So it's non-contact, but you know what, if that ball hits you at nine miles an hour, you're gonna feel it. So, uh, yeah, yeah definitely, yeah, definitely so.
Speaker 1:Uni leads sports, science, military. So, like you said, with that military itch, is that something from your past? Is that family orientated or just your own way of sort of thinking? What was that? What sort of created that and what really made that a real purpose of what you wanted to do?
Speaker 2:yeah, that sort of came. I think as a youngster I kind of had a bit of an interest in it, you know, on like video games, on call of duty and stuff like that. When you're a bit younger you enjoy that kind of that of thing. I got a little bit of an interest when I was younger. In terms of family. No, I'm probably the first military man in my family to go down that route. So, yeah, no sort of like parental or, you know, granddad, et cetera, no, who haven't gone down that route. Yeah, I'm the first one in the family.
Speaker 2:But yeah, I just had that, that interest and that keenness for the military. I liked the idea of discipline and you know, um, yeah, and yeah, hard work, you know things like that. I, that sort of it drew me towards it. Um, and then after uni, I was kind of still didn't quite know what I wanted to do, and then, yeah, and then when it, when the opportunity arose, I was like it's now or never really. So I hit 25 and I was, like you know, still fairly young and uh, yeah, still physically um, able to do it. And then, um, yeah, and then just sort of signed up and then, yeah, walk through the gates.
Speaker 1:Were you quite disciplined like before you joined the military, like is that part of your trait that you're quite a disciplined, well-structured individual thinking actually, or is that something that you consider yourself? Before you you hit 25?
Speaker 2:I would say so, yes, I liked the idea of um, you get told what to do and it's like right, you're. You know the motto, the mantra in the marines is right place, right time, right kit. And that's that's basically how all to be a good marine, right place, right time, right kit. And it was kind of like I liked that um, that discipline of you know you had this hierarchy in the military and you're, you know, told where to be, when to do it, with what kit, um, for how long, and I quite liked that kind of that discipline and the structure.
Speaker 2:But before that I would say, yeah, I was, I was fairly um, you know, wasn't lazy, it wasn't um, anything like that. So I'd say I was fairly structured before it um, but yeah, obviously that's just um, you know, magnified in in the core um, especially in training, you know, those those nine to ten months was um, yeah, there were some dark times in those times, but I'm guessing if you are like that, then it will help with the transition and not to be too much, too much of a shock.
Speaker 1:And I think because we'll talk about the transition of being a mortgage broker a little bit further in the podcast, but I think a bit shortly but yeah, I think if you've that way, then it's you're more likely to stick and, like you sort of said there, because I talk a lot about habits, um, in everything that I do, and when you said that about being told what to do where, what time, with which kit, then that's a a good thing to keep that habit. When you become self-employed, as a lot of people are, when you start thinking, actually I've not got those, I've been told to be here at this time with this kit. Now you've got that bit of freedom of, okay, well, I don't know where I need to be and I don't know what time and I don't know how long I'm going to be here, but when I've got an idea of what the kit looks like, that's a good habit to have with regards to that structure, rather than having the total freedom of I'm now self-employed, what do I do now, kind of thing. But we'll come on to that Cause I've like, literally I said there was no agenda, I've gone off on a bit of a on a tangent there, but yeah it's. But I think they say that helped with the transition from into the military in terms of what I do did like just like this is my.
Speaker 1:This is a just a lack of knowledge from my point of view. Just start out like literally, you're straight in as a marine, you build up to commando, or is it? You're starting as a commando? Well, like what does that sort of like, what does the? You said about six months training.
Speaker 2:What does that look like from a yeah, it took about about nine to ten months in the end during code, because of covid. Um, so it was straight at it joined, yeah, september 2019 and it was during covid about february. March 2020 was when, obviously, that all was at its height. Um, so, yeah, basically basically how it works is you do a pre-joining fitness test? Um, there's some sort of administration bits and medical prior to that. Once you've done all that, you then go down to what it was called back then was called a PRMC, so it's like a potential Royal Marines recruit course and basically that's a three-day kind of fast track tester kind of for if you've got kind of what it takes to actually join up. So that would be a bit of the physical fitness in the gym. Um, so it's not like a weights gym. It's like press up, sit ups, all kind of like, uh, body weight work.
Speaker 2:And then, um, there's a little bit of military knowledge, um, so kind of weapon drills not not actually touching a weapon, but like it'd be a PowerPoint of you know different weapon systems and how you use them, and then you'll go out into the field and then you'll learn kind of how to soldier and sort of an introduction of how to soldier. And then, with the Royal Marines, there are four commando tests that you do and you basically do a little run around of one of them. Four commando tests that you do and you basically do a little run around of one of them and the endurance course. It's called um. So basically that's that's what it's like over the three days. If you get that's a point system, so if you get x amount of points you pass. If you don't, you obviously fail. You'd have to re try and do that, re um, redo that three days in, you know a couple of months time, um. Once you pass that point, they then give you a start date for when you can um start training, and normally they start every recruit troop every two weeks. Um, yeah, so so then it'll be right. When? When do you want to start? And you pick that start date, um, but it can be sort of moved around. So, ironically, I wanted it after my birthday and then they moved it, yeah, to bang on my birthday, which was nice for them, and yeah, so then that's your start date.
Speaker 2:And then, once you walk through the gates, you're then introduced to what's called a DL, so a drill instructor, and they essentially show you. So the two ways to start with training is learn how to survive, learn how to fight. So that's how it looks sort of like the, the two phases of training, that beginning bit, your drilling structure, your dl um, teach you how to wash, shave clean, um, you know, look after yourself, both on camp, and then you'll start to learn how to look after yourself in the field. That's when you're soldiering. So it sort of you know, um moves across those two areas, um. So that's kind of like your first part of training.
Speaker 2:Then you'll meet your troop sergeant um, your troop corporals um, and they will then take you through training and teach you the basic skills of being a commando and then, yeah, so that phase one is basically learning how to survive and learning the military discipline, and then phase two is learning your troop level tactics, your battle drills, your section level tactics, etc, like that, learning basically how to really soldier um, you know. And then towards the end of training, um. Then you've got the four commando tests, so the tarzan course, the endurance course, the nine mile speed march, and then the big one, the 30 miler um at the end. So, yeah, going through training, physical fitness was a was a big part of it and um, yeah, so it's kind of those are the two phases really, um, and then by the end of it, once you've um, passed the final exercise and then pass those four commando tests, you, um, you get your green lid and mine's just sitting in the back there, um, on my uh shelf. Yeah, I'll always stay there.
Speaker 1:And uh, yeah, it's um, that's, that's the moment you're working towards shimmy, couldn't zoom into that, as you mentioned that the moment, yeah, yeah, we get the idea. We obviously can see it over your shoulder there. So but when you sort of look back over the six, is it six years? You sort of six years, you've got quite a vivid memory of sort of like what the first six months look like in terms of what? Obviously there's a bit of pain there, there's a bit of mindset as well, a lot of pain, a lot of mindset from.
Speaker 1:From that point of view, what when you look back over the six years, what, like what was your sort of? What would you say you learned about yourself and and your mindset and your capabilities was? Was there a big change in you as a human being, as a person, over that sort of period of time? What does that sort of because that's quite an influential time from 25 to 31 32 it's quite influential time from a your overall outlook in life and where you're looking to go and your sort of and your values with that point of view as well yeah, I think what he's taught me, I think the main thing probably is resilience and sort of like what you call it grizzling, grizzling through it.
Speaker 2:Um, you know, you just gotta grizz it. You know at times, and you know that's, that's one of one of the things in the core you know it is. You know at times it is a real grizz, as we call call it, and. But then think about what it comes back to what they're training you for. They are ultimately training for you to, you know, to go to war and at times during war times there's going to be difficult times where you have to push through things and that's what they're training you for. So I think that really probably was the biggest learning point for me is just being able to grizz it and and just, um, yeah, get, get through things.
Speaker 2:I think, um, for me personally, I can't comment, unfortunately, well, I don't know how you look at it. Fortunately, unfortunately, I never went to, you know, a real combat zone. Um, I, I miss the afghan era, the iraq, the Iraq era. So, corporals and sergeants when I was in training, obviously they had had that experience, but that was obviously great to hear their kind of stories of you know they actually did what you were trained to do. And it's kind of interesting asking them like, oh, how was your experience? What was Afghan like? And it's like you know they say like, oh yeah, it was greatghan like.
Speaker 2:And it's like you know they say like, oh yeah, like it was great. You know you're doing your job, but then also you've got friends. You know friends have died, friends have died around you, and so it's kind of sobering as well to to hear both their side. Um, and then also you know me just coming through training because I can't comment on that, I don't know how that would feel like with regards to actually being in a war zone, and they had that experience. So it was great to sort of get that, get their stories, get their insight to that. But yeah, I would say just, you know, getting through Royal Marines training is, you know, a great achievement itself and I'm glad I did it. And basically, yeah, that resilience probably is the one thing I've mainly taken from it.
Speaker 1:And I think, when we talk about you moving, thinking about becoming a mortgage broker, now, I think resilience is a massive thing that if you've got and I know you're not going to experience anything like what you've experienced, you're not going to have the physical side of things, but you've certainly got to have a very good amount of resilience being a mortgage broker, being a self-employed mortgage broker in our world and because, yeah, the challenges they face it can be very different Absolutely, but at the same time you've still got to have that drive, that motivation and persistence.
Speaker 1:And so, yeah, when you so that's like sort of six years of your life, I'm guessing that, thinking sort of psychologically, when you talk into the corporals and talk about their experiences where they've lost friends and they've got the positive side of things, obviously, I'm guessing that when you sort of look back and you're sort of signing yourself over, well, you're signing your mind, your body, you're signing everything over in terms of you're solid, yeah, exactly, well, and that's it, that, because I've never experienced that in terms of signing yourself over that way is that something you go into with very open eyes, open mind, or is it just think I'll deal with that when it arises, or is it like full front? I know this could happen and I know I'll grab and prepare myself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, definitely, I think you know when you, you know when you join the military in general, there is there is something at the end of it potentially and you you don't know when that could be or or if it will happen but obviously, signing on that dotted line, you know you, you do know that potentially you are going to go to some places and some um, you know some risky places and you know that's. That's part of part and parcel of the job. Um, and yeah, that that is something that I was aware of. Signing up, maybe at 25 I was a little bit naive, thinking like get training on a um, yeah and uh, enjoy the experience. But then also, you do, you do have an understanding of what, at the end of the, at the end of the day, what you are signing up for, um, and you know that is something that you know shouldn't be taken lightly.
Speaker 1:And yeah, I, I did understand that signing on okay, and that's, I guess, from people that I've talked to. They've got a very different. People have got a different aspect of in terms of people are running away from certain things. Clearly you're not running away from something to get into the military, that's not. It doesn't sound like to be quite grounded and you've got good structure and good foundations from what you built your military career on. So that, like I say, it's just.
Speaker 1:I'm just interested to see your take on it, because I have heard very different aspects in terms of it. I just wanted out of the situation was in that seemed the best outcome and there were far better human being coming out the other side. But that they got into the military a little bit sheltered, in that kind of way, because it was more of a forced thing on them rather than actually do you know what. I'm aware that I may never come out of the other side of this, and that's the harsh reality. Then that is a different aspect and a different take on what somebody's got out of it, but also as well, what made them get in there in the first place. So we've done the military and now. So what point does a Royal Marine commando sit down? Is he bowled somewhere on some sort of snowy mountaintop, in terms of some sort of wet Cumbrian mountain. What makes Nathan sit there and think do you know what? I'm going to become a mortgage broker.
Speaker 2:I think I got a bit of a keen interest in finance during COVID. I think quite a lot of people did. You've got spare cash, you've got spare money. What do we do with it? I'm sat at home watching YouTube, not really sure what we're doing, because we had a period of two months where training basically stopped and we had to do a little bit of ourselves, like doing physical fitness in the house or doing your one run that you're had to do a little bit of ourselves, like, you know, doing physical fitness in the house or doing your one run that you're allowed to do or whatever it was um back then. And because I was then based up in scotland, um, for two years, um, that was my first draft um. So you get drafted to different units and basically where with the marines it's either you've got two units in scotland, one in plymouth, one in taunton, and it's a main fighting units, so you're either up north or you're, or you're right down southwest. So yeah, during that period when I had um time off and during covid, I've got a bit of an interest in finance and investing and things like that and it kind of fascinated me. And then, with the 2008 financial crisis, kind of fascinated me a bit and I read around that a bit and watched videos and obviously mortgages was a big part of that. And then I just saw, sort of maybe the algorithm pointed me towards, you know, watching mortgage videos and being like this. And then I always thought I did join the marines with the idea that I was only going to do the minimum. Four, five, six years was kind of like the rough plan. And then it got to that point and I always thought, oh, yeah, I'll just join, I'll join the police, after that I'll stay kind of like that, you know, public services route, police, fire brigade, whatever it was kind of thing like that.
Speaker 2:And then, um, yeah, I got a bit of an interest in finance and then just thought, you know, I kind of fell into mortgages after that sort of interest in the 2008 financial crisis, um, and I was deployed of all of 2023, yeah, yeah, in in the middle east for a deployment um for seven months and during that time, um, I got, I got the qualification, but I had, um, I had all the notebooks for cmap um from a. So I was just, yeah, doing, going through that, just being like, yeah, I want to, I want to do this, I want to give this a go. What do I need to do to get qualified? And obviously cmap is the industry standard, so I got that, got the kind of a bit of a leg up on that during that tour.
Speaker 2:And then I came back from the tour in must have been November 2023 and then we had two and a half months what is called pothole leave. So basically, after you've done a tour or a deployment, you get like an extended period of leave. So that was about, yeah, about two and a half months and I just got. I just um, yeah, did the qualifications during that time?
Speaker 1:wow, so you've gone from sort of the I'm picturing the extremes of weather from scotland then to the middle east in terms of dealing with that and then thinking do you know what I'm going to take on c-map at this particular point as well? And did you just go all in c-map um, one, two and three, just got it all done and like, yeah, how long did it take you to get your c-map? Uh, two months, two months, because I had two months.
Speaker 2:I had that two months off. Um, I I heard I saw about the crash courses where you can do it in like 10 days and things like that, and I was like I've got the time, I just want to, I'll do it myself from the textbook. So I just got the textbook. Um, you know, looked online resources. Um, I don't know if you've heard of charlotte? Um, charlotte hemingway, future in finance, all right, yeah, yeah, yeah, so she was fantastic.
Speaker 2:Um, yeah, she was great with her content and I really sort of leaned on her webinars and you know, her insights, which was great, and then, yeah, just kind of reading off the textbook really and just um learning it as best I could. Um was, was that? But then obviously, you know, getting c-map in the hand to then actually doing the job is, as you know, very different. So it's a bit of um, yeah, that that steep learning curve so what does that?
Speaker 1:so obviously you've left recently, so it's been quite a recent thing since, since you've been fully retired. What is like the term is that the term fully retired from the force now?
Speaker 2:because I'm rmr, so I'm technically a raw uh, raw marines, a raw marines reserve now.
Speaker 1:So I've got even my foot, kind of kind of yeah, just in case brokering don't work out, I'll just keep my phone here, just on the safe side. I can't blame you for that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because, yeah, the idea was I. Still, the thing that I really will miss is the camaraderie and the you know, the friendships, that kind of that you have and that you make in the Corps and the military in general. That is the kind of things that I'll miss. I'd like to keep an idea of how I could still still keep that in the background, especially going into, you know, self-employment straight away, where I'm just working from, working from my room, and it was quite straight and it has been a bit of um, it's been, it's, it's been a bit of a shift. Obviously it's not easy.
Speaker 2:I feel like military and um leaving that group. Um, because I've always been around people you know, from sport, through school, through uni, just around a bunch of lads playing sport, and to the marines being around a bunch of lads playing. You know, well, yeah, they're a sport but you're doing exercise, yeah, and and then you know, you know, having a laugh in the, in the, in the rooms, and that to now sort of just being on my own in my house. It has been a bit of a shift. So I wanted to keep my yeah, keep my toe dipped in it with the reserves so I can keep that connection really.
Speaker 1:I think that I say I don't think.
Speaker 1:I think in terms of appreciating going from I know what it's like to go from employed, self-employed, on working in a team, talking to people day in, day out and having that camaraderie, to then being self-employed, sat in, whether that's a bedroom, a dining room or what, or a spare room, whatever that, whatever the case would be. So you've got you've got your transition from military to mortgage broker, but then you've also got the transition from having a real big sort of squad of individuals around you that have to, then being sat in a room where, so you've got people that are very like-minded, I'm guessing, very sort of what like in terms of what you're thinking is and the way that you work and your mindset and how sort of like your resilience and everything else, and then being sat in front of a screen talking to clients about the mortgages. So you've got a double whammy from that point of view, haven't you? So that was going to be. One of my questions is how do you deal with that? But I'm guessing the RMR keeps you grounded in that way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, definitely yeah, and trying to look at other parts and look at other relationships to build, you know, and even if that is an online, relationships, you know, with people that have, you know, more experience than me in the industry. You know, like yourselves reaching out to, you know, different brokers and different people just to you know, have a chat and get their insights. So maybe not necessarily just being that physical um around a bunch of lads, a bunch of people just um having off and doing drills, but also having the relationships online with people is something that I'm trying to build as well. Trying to go to network events, um, so that kind of gets me out the house a bit and trying to um, yeah, build connections, maybe in a different way to how it was in the military, but, yeah, trying to build that network and getting a support network around me, I think is important.
Speaker 1:And, to be fair, it's probably a good. I'm interested to get your aspect on it in terms of because I talk a lot about there is, the people that I work with are all about do sort of say how good this industry is. So, coming from different industries not just talking about military, but sort of being in totally different industries and becoming a broker getting into the mortgage space the comment always is for a lot of people not everybody, but a lot of people is they're very pleasantly surprised on how brokers help each other, other brokers out to then build the business or just be successful and over there for help and advice. Is that what your experience has been over that period of time?
Speaker 2:yeah, definitely. Yeah, that's been. It is fascinating, actually, how many people are just willing to have a chat with you or willing to help. Um, I think, starting out when I was doing CMAP and I, just after I got CMAP, you know, searching on YouTube, searching on Instagram, tiktok, spotify, and just trying to gain as much as I can from it Obviously then came across yourself, came across, you know, ash Borland. I know he's been on the podcast a few times. I, you know, talked to Ash and I've asked him a lot and you know the marketing side and trying to lead generation as a self-employed individual, and that's been great. And then also other brokers and what they do, so that's been great. Anish Patel I've messaged him a few times and I know him and people like that. It's been really helpful. And just ask.
Speaker 2:And Dan Knott as well, he's been on your podcast. I know Dan has a few times great, and you know you wouldn't think you see kind of their profile on instagram. You're like, oh well, they're quite like they don't. You know, got a lot of followers. They, you know, posting quite a lot and they they're just more than happy to chat. Um, and it's sort of like getting past that first like, oh my god, can I text them? Can I message them? Are they going to be a bit funny about how they're going to blank me?
Speaker 2:and no, they're like oh yeah, sound you would love chat this, my number, or you know, or yeah, drop me a message or voice note me and that's that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the industry I've noticed has been very welcoming to helping new advisors, which is which is uh, which has been great now that's good and that's to to a fairness, that's good feedback in terms from an industry point of view, because there are yes, there's still people that don't have that abundance mentality and just think everybody's fighting against each other for business. But then you get somebody like, say, like dan and and other people that you've spoken and an issue that you've spoken to that have got that abundance mentality and know that you're not actually taking any business from them and and they've been in. The beauty is like they've been in that same situation as what you've been in. And I think if, then, if they've called on somebody for help and support or they've learned it themselves and then just and then thought you know what, I'm happy to share what I've learned to somebody who's had the, the bravery to then just reach out and you're like it's like you say you've been brave and gone, message down and sort of said he could have blanked you, he could have not replied or he could tell you to go away. You don't, you don't know until, but until you ask, you just don't know, until you don't know what the reaction is going to be.
Speaker 1:So, um, no, it's interesting, like here, your take on it because I think it is such an important part of this industry that is welcoming to newcomers who are looking to go down that self-employed, being brave kind of route thinking where do I start, like, what do I do, and there is plenty of content out there for you to to take on board yourself and thinking actually and working it to your own advantage, because everybody will have different opinions on different things. So that's so good. So in terms of your like, were you part-time? So you've only left the? So when did you start advising? And then, obviously, because you only left the military really recently, because I'm interested to understand how that balance has worked If you have been focusing both camp and army class to doing that before. Yeah, so I think going part-time has worked if you have been focusing both guys to doing that before yeah, it's also, I think, going part-time has been, you know, a real help.
Speaker 2:You know, starting out sort of the start of the year um and building. You know, as you know, it takes quite a long time to get paid on mortgages in terms of when they complete um. So I had the idea of, you know, going self-employed. It was that decision of or do I go self-employed or go employed? Some people say, yeah, you go employed first you get the training, you get the know-how, you know you build your client bank and then you go self-employed. And then I had other people say like no employed routes. You know you can never get off the bandwagon. You know they're clients, they're their leads, and then you're just starting. You know you're starting from scratch when you go self-employed anyway.
Speaker 2:So they said like, and I think one thing I've taken from your podcast quite a lot, and you know the ones that you've done is finding your why, what's your why? And that kind of really then drove me to be like, well, what is my why? What is my why for leaving Marines? What is my why for going into the industry? I wanted to leave the Marines because I want to set up a life for me and my partner probably start a family soon. And what's the why for doing that is because I want to be present, I want to be here and I want to set up that life for us and my family here. And you can't have that in the Marines. You are married to the military, as they say, and wherever His Majesty will send you, you've got to go. Whether that's Scotland, whether that's Middle East, whether that's Australia, you're going to go. So, coming back to what's my why was you know? Forgoing self-employed straightaway is to build that, you know, to build that foundation and to build that life. And being part-time to begin with, sort of at the start of the year, gave me, I felt, the best footing for that going forward.
Speaker 1:And so I think, like I say, if you can make it work and getting that balance right, as you said, nathan, it is all about the why's's that and that's been good for you in terms of experience and being true to yourself, thinking what your why is because people understand what their why is but then they don't end anything doing anything about it, they just stay where they are they are, don't change anything, because they're not brave enough to think you know what I need to to fulfill my true potential and actually don't need to be sat here in. Like you said, about being employed or self-employed, people find it hard to get if they're employed, because they're always. The fact they can be fed leads, they're never on their own two feet kind of thing, and it's just that that merry-go-round of that's that. That's what they will always be and finding difficult to step off. You will have to step off at some stage, but it's difficult to step off and you don't want to have that regret in years to come going. Do you know what I think about? So, like that age with you at 25, you will, like brokers who want to go self-employed, will always have that age. Whether they actually fulfill that age is a totally different thing, but they will have that age.
Speaker 1:Because I speak to a lot of brokers that say that, oh yeah, I'll, I'm gonna go self-employed. So about the right time, right kit, right place yeah, I'm in the wrong order, but the right, the right thing. Brokers will always tell themselves that the time's not right right now, I'm gonna do it. In the future, I'm gonna do this like um, when this is this, and then this is this, is what I'm gonna do. That's, that is the way that generally people will run their lives. That's why you get new year's resolutions. That's why you get people saying I'm gonna do this, this quarry, and never happens. It's all about, it's all about habits.
Speaker 1:But for you, you understood what your why was getting out and doing something that is of an interest to you. And actually you know that you can be good at in terms of what you're looking to do, because it will give you that interaction with people and it will give you that. And you've got that structure, you've got that discipline, you've got that routine. All those things and attributes will help you to be a successful self-employed broker, without a shadow of a doubt. But, but you fulfill.
Speaker 1:Fulfill that potential right from the start, but I think you know what I've just got to get in there and just get on with it and just don't take the easiest route is it's not necessarily the easiest route, but people think is going employed and and going down that route. But actually doing what you've done and being brave is testament to you in terms and using the, the knowledge that's out there, using the, the advice and all the rest of it, to then think, actually, I want to do this, but what you want to do, yeah, I want to do it your own way as well, which is which is important. Then, one thing I've just lost this time and I said about we're going on like 40 minutes and so, uh, we sort of so, because one thing that I wanted to to ask you is when we sort of, because one of the things that I wanted to ask you is when you sort of like knowing what you've done now. So like, in terms of you've done your C-Map this is something you decided to do done your C-Map, done this part-time you've still got your one-foot camp a little bit with the reserves, but that's obviously. That is just a part-time thing.
Speaker 1:As and when. What's the one thing? If you've got somebody that's sat in the military, for example, so you've got an abundance mindset, so you're not worried too much about them being a competitor because you're taking leamington spa by storm, so we're not worried about too much about location. But if I'm I'm in the military and I'm sat there thinking I wanted this is something that I'm interested in doing myself. I I live down in Plymouth just trying to take your mindset away from Leamington Spa, so they're not going to be in competition with you Down in Plymouth. Think about doing this. What's the one thing that you would say? Giving your background and advice to somebody in the military right now that is retiring or is thinking about getting out or thinking about becoming a broker is the one thing that you would sort of take from your experience over the past two years. Is it really since you thought about this?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'd say planning and having that foundation of an idea of what you want to do and then, especially if you're going to go self-employed, having some savings to start out. You know, I know you say that as well about having, you know, a bit of a cash buffer, you know, for when you do finish employment, so that you're not chasing that lead. You know you're not chasing the money from day one. And, yeah, I'd say planning and then just get out there, get information. There's plenty of information online, um, you know from your own programs, from you know different peoples on on the socials and on youtube and you know gary das is a great one as well. He's done you know loads of stuff on like, oh right, this is what you need to be a broker. You know the avenues and things like that. And then basically just getting out there really and trying to find the feeders to ask brokers.
Speaker 2:I remember when I first so in what have been christmas 23 I just I, I um searched mortgage brokers around beckenham in london and I just phoned about 20 of them and most of them were like no, we don't. And I was. And then a couple of them, oh yeah, we'll have a chat. And then I said, look, I'm looking to get cmap. I'm studying at the moment. I'd love to just have a chat with you if I can shadow you or you know the GDPR issue, you can't shadow me, but I'll have a chat with you and we can talk. So that was kind of what I did to try and get an understanding of the feelings.
Speaker 2:And I remember there was a guy I spoke to in Acosta. He went to my school and he's been a broker for a few years now, but he's a bit older than me and we had a chat and then that was when I first found out about DA and I was just like I remember writing it in my notes when I spoke to him. And I got back home and I was like, what is DA? And you know, you wouldn't know that if you didn't. You know if you are going to go self-employed, you wouldn't know that if you didn't just reach out and try and find out about the industry. So, yeah, I would say planning both financially. You know I try to build up savings, so, and then I think you talk about it as well with your minimum amount, that you're knowing your numbers and that minimum amount of you know, I know what I want to have per month or how much, how many months I want saved to start me out. So I'd say planning and just yeah, get out there. And yeah, research.
Speaker 1:Excellent. So we've talked about the past. We've talked about the present kind of thing, future wise, like obviously you're very it's still very early days into your sort of broken world, but any sort of. You've already alluded about family plans for the future, but is that where it is? And taking over Leamington Spa.
Speaker 2:Yeah, probably, yeah, so obviously with Chris he's always been great. Chris is a great guy and we've been working together for a while now. Yeah, we're sort of trying to push the business forward with Chris. You know, he's obviously got the Stratford base. I'm looking to gain that Leamington Warwick base and then, yeah, seeing where you know, seeing where the future takes us in that sense, but, yeah, still trying to, you know, learn all the lender criteria for that and get all that in you know which is forever changing.
Speaker 2:But yeah, I'd say just you know which is forever changing. But yeah, I'd say just you know, going into it with you know, my eyes wide open and, yeah, looking forward to what the future will hold.
Speaker 1:Excellent, nathan, thank you so much for your time. Thanks for agreeing to come on the podcast. It's been sort of great to see your journey so far in terms of what you've done and your background and your experience and what you're using, the mindset you've got to use that, your experiences to transition into the mortgage broker world and no doubt I want to get we will get you back on six months time just to sort of see how, maybe first year, first six months, and then explain how that transition has been in sort of firsthand experience and you can talk about that a little bit more. For now, just really appreciate it may, just coming on and trusting me with no agenda and just talking about you and what you've been doing and uh, and where you're going now. So, thanks very much no, it's been great.
Speaker 2:Thank you very much for having me craig it's been. Uh, yeah, congrats, chap thanks for that.
Speaker 1:Nathan, thanks for being a great guest on the podcast.
Speaker 1:Obviously, it was your first podcast, which you wouldn't have known it given the way you handled yourself on the podcast, so thank you very much for that.
Speaker 1:I really appreciate you coming on and giving us a true and honest experience of your journey so far and what the future looks like as well for you and your business and being a broker, and also from a personal point of view in terms of talking about UI, which is quite a personal thing as well.
Speaker 1:So thank you very much for that and, as always, if you've liked the podcast, please leave a review, please leave a comment, please leave feedback and please leave a like on whatever platform you watch or listen to this podcast. And if you are thinking about becoming a self-employed mortgage broker or looking to launch your own brand and business, looking to take your existing business to the next level, visit, or looking to launch your own brand and business, looking to take your existing business to the next level, visit my website, craigskeltoncouk. Schedule a discovery call or just simply just get in touch and let's just have a chat about how I can help you achieve your goals and help you achieve your reason why, within the mortgage broker space, and as always, please don't forget to run your own race.