Hilal Aydemir is the director of Sydney brokerage Blu Belle Finance. Aydemir specialises in SMSF loans and has more than 30 years’ experience in the finance industry, including BDM roles at Macquarie and Citibank.
Q: You had a long career in banking. What made you decide to become a broker, and how did your previous BDM roles help your transition?
A: My BDM roles at Macquarie and Citibank gave me extensive experience in credit and mortgage insurance policies. This knowledge, along with my love of helping people, led me to grow my business as a single operator. My customer service ethics and credibility and being honest and open with my clients has earned their trust and helped me become a successful broker. By winning the audience in the first five minutes, you connect with a client. The skills I learnt as a BDM were easily transferable, which led me to build my business organically.
Q: What do you enjoy most about being a broker?
A: I love educating my clients and coaching them. Brokering is about understanding the client’s needs and wants and giving them the best solution, whilst being an extended family to them. I love meeting new people and the challenge of the next deal. Winning motivates me as I can see that I can help people. I enjoy being my own boss but also love working with my lender BDM as it makes the job more exciting and memorable.
Q: What are the most important skills needed for the role?
A: These are simple – have a strong work ethic, customer-centred ethos, a healthy dose of business planning, and know your lender policies.
Q: The number of female brokers is growing but is still low compared to the number of men in the role. What should be done to encourage more women to become brokers?
A: We should definitely encourage more women to become brokers as women are taking more control over their finances. Women generally have a more nurturing personality, so others find that comforting in what can be a very stressful process of applying for a mortgage. Most of my male clients start the enquiry process, then their female partner follows through with the paperwork, which tells you women juggle multiple things at once. Women are queens of multitasking, and brokering is just that. Brokering can you give you a work-life balance.
Q: You also offer personal, business and SMSF loans. How hard is it to diversify?
A: My specialty is SMSF. I love this with a passion, and I thank Macquarie Bank for offering this to our brokers. I gained extensive knowledge of the process and how credit assessors view an application. Along with an understanding of the product, it makes it super easy to off er to our clients and creates stronger relationships with referral partners. I am very fortunate to have amazing accountants who specialise in the SIS Act and are truly my go-to for advice on SMSFs. If you assist a client with their SMSF, you will become their finance broker for all their other finance needs.
