The Accord Mortgages Growth Series Podcast

In episode #130 of the Growth Series podcast’s Mortgage Mentors series, Jeremy Duncombe, Managing Director at Accord Mortgages speaks with Sidney Wager, Managing Director at L&C Mortgages.

Sidney reflects on his journey to senior leadership, sharing how his upbringing shaped his customer-first values and passion for inclusion. He discusses the impact of early career development programmes in supporting underrepresented colleagues, ...

Warning: This episode discusses economic abuse and domestic abuse, which may be upsetting for some listeners. Please prioritise your well-being while listening.

 In episode #129 of the Growth Series podcast, Andrew Calder engages in a critical conversation about economic abuse in the mortgage industry with Claire Towe, Co-founder of Meet Margo, and Lauren Garrett, Financial Services Lead at Surviving Economic Abuse. Th...

In episode #128 of the Growth Series podcast’s Mortgage Mentors series, Jeremy Duncombe, Managing Director at Accord Mortgages, chats with mortgage industry veteran Dev Malle, Chief Business Development Officer at Simplify, whose 35-year career spans lending, broking, and conveyancing. 

Dev shares lessons on resilience, adaptability, and innovation, plus personal stories of trekking adventures and mental h...

In episode #127 of the Growth Series podcast’s Mortgage Mentors series, Jeremy Duncombe, Managing Director at Accord Mortgages, welcomes Nicola Alvarez, Head of Strategic Partnerships & Propositions at Accord Mortgages, who shares her extraordinary journey in the mortgage industry, beginning with her start at Nationwide in 1995. Her story is one of resilience, leadership, and a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

N...

In episode #126 of the Growth Series podcast, host Debjani Bajpai speaks with Kate McTernan, Director at Mortgage Advice Group, about how broker teams can find work-life balance in a demanding and fast-moving mortgage market.

Kate shares practical strategies for managing workload, staying present for family life, and leading high-performing teams. With over 20 years in financial services and first-hand exp...

In episode #125 of the Growth Series podcast’s Mortgage Mentors series, Jeremy Duncombe, Managing Director at Accord Mortgages, speaks with Louisa Sedgwick, Managing Director of Mortgages at Paragon Banking Group PLC, as she shares her inspiring rise from a Youth Training Scheme to senior roles at major institutions, offering a powerful story of resilience in a traditionally male-dominated field.

The episode explores the dynamic ch...

In episode #124 of the Growth Series podcast, host Iain Cunningham is joined by cybersecurity expert, Paul Lopez, to discuss the pressing issue of cybersecurity for small businesses, particularly mortgage brokers. Paul, who serves as the Director at The Eastern Cyber Resilience Centre, brings a unique perspective from his extensive background in law enforcement and cybercrime prevention.

The episode highli...

In episode #123 of the Growth Series podcast’s Mortgage Mentors series, Jeremy Duncombe, Managing Director at Accord Mortgages, has an insightful conversation with Martin Reynolds, CEO of SimplyBiz. Martin shares his extensive knowledge and experience from over 30 years in the mortgage industry, exploring the challenges and opportunities brokers face today. He reflects on the pivotal moments in his career that have sha...

In episode #122 of the Growth Series podcast, host Kathy Clark is joined by Emma Tomes, Managing Director of The Mental Health People, and together, they explore the often-overlooked subject of mental health in high-pressure roles like mortgage brokering. Emma shares her personal journey into mental health advocacy following a family tragedy, which led her to create a supportive space for individuals struggling with me...

In episode #121 of the Growth Series podcast’s Mortgage Mentors series, host Jeremy Duncombe speaks with Stephanie Sharman, Chief Executive of the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries. With nearly three decades in the industry, Stephanie shares her personal journey from an admin role at Abbey Life to leading AMI, and how values like diversity, inclusion and sustainability have shaped her leadership.

The ...

In episode #120 of the Growth Series podcast, host Nicola Alvarez sits down with Chloe Timperley from the Green Finance Institute and Matt Coulson from Heron Financial to explore the rapidly evolving world of green mortgages. 

They discuss the innovative certification initiative by the Green Finance Institute, designed to empower brokers with the knowledge and confidence needed to navigate the green mortga...

In this episode of the Growth Series podcast, host Iain Cunningham sits down with Joe Milton, Director of Training and Competence at Alexander Hall, to explore the transformative shift toward hybrid working in the mortgage industry, the importance of maintaining strong team connections and adapting mentoring strategies to suit a hybrid environment. Joe emphasises the value of in-office presence for new advisors to buil...

In episode #118 of the Growth Series podcast’s Mortgage Mentors series, host Jeremy Duncombe interviews Danielle Moore, Operations Director at AE3 Media. With nearly two decades in the mortgage industry, Danielle has become a transformative leader in a traditionally male-dominated field. Her journey from studying history in Bristol to excelling in financial services and media offers valuable insights for brokers. 

In this insightful episode of the Accord Growth Series podcast, Jeremy Duncombe sits down with Charles Roe from UK Finance and Rob Thomas Rob Thomas from the Intermediate Mortgage Lenders Association to explore the UK mortgage market's performance in 2024 and the outlook for 2025. The episode begins by examining how the market surpassed expectations, achieving £242 billion in outcomes due to strong purchase lending and...

Meet ballet dancer turned banking figurehead, Esther Dijkstra, Managing Director for Lloyds Banking Group as she joins us on the second episode of Mortgage Mentors, hosted by Jeremy Duncombe. 

From Esther’s humble beginnings in a Dutch village to becoming a global leader in the mortgage industry, this episode will take you through the pivotal milestones in Esther’s career, exploring topics of resilience, adaptability, current mark...

In episode #115 of the Growth Series podcast, Ian Cunningham, Corporate Account Manager at Accord Mortgages, is joined by Business Development Managers at Accord Mortgages, Kathy Clark and Mike Houston, to discuss the evolving role of self-serve tools in the mortgage industry.

They reflect on the challenges of 2024, including market volatility and affordability, and share their predictions for 2025. The discussion explores how self...

In this episode of the Growth Series podcast’s Mortgage Mentors series, Jeremy Duncombe, Managing Director at Accord Mortgages talks with Ben Thompson, Deputy CEO at Mortgage Advice Bureau, about his career journey, leadership philosophy and insights into the evolving mortgage industry. From overcoming early setbacks to becoming a leader in financial services, Ben shares how persistence and key mentors shaped his succe...

In this episode of the Growth Series podcast, Chantelle Wilson chats with Matthew Williams, Mortgage Consultant at London Money, about how brokers can build a strong local brand.

Matt shares how hosting weekly mortgage clinics at a local coffee shop and partnering with businesses like estate agents and solicitors has helped him become a trusted figure in Chelmsford. He highlights the importance of face-t...

In episode #112 of the Growth Series podcast, host Gurpreet Chahal sits down with Bob Singh, Director of Chess Mortgages, to discuss how TikTok has transformed his business. Known as the "Mortgage Maharaja," Bob shares how he overcame initial scepticism and leveraged TikTok to create a powerful personal brand that attracts diverse clients. From mastering the platform’s live feature to balancing personality with professionalism, Bob...