I remember starting work in retail at 14 years old – as soon as I could. My school friends seemed so sure of their paths, “I’m going to be a teacher, I’m going to go to uni,” they’d say. I had no idea. I knew I wanted to talk to people, but I didn’t know how I could make a career doing that.
I grew up in Sydney’s Northern Beaches then moved to Castle Hill just before high school. After graduating, I saved from my retail job, and took the opportunity during my ‘gap year’ to travel to the United States and live with my uncle and his family in South Carolina for three months.
Niagara Falls with younger brother Peter
When I returned home, I ended up going to uni, studying for a Bachelor of Business as I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and thought it could open up opportunities. I was always good with numbers, and my mum’s an accountant, so this sounded like the right thing to do. After the first semester I thought, “What am I doing? I don’t want to be an accountant!” and it wasn’t something that I was passionate about. I started working full time as a receptionist at the Australian Institute of Fitness. I’d greet students, answer phones and emails. I really enjoyed meeting people and building connections.
I’d see the sales team signing up students, talking about making target and strategizing. I soon realised I wanted to get into sales.
My next role was working at Open Colleges, one of Australia’s largest online colleges. My job was to find out what potential students wanted to do, recommend the right course, and work towards a sales target. I worked here for four years.
Marrakech, Morocco
After that, I backpacked for months across Europe (Portugal, Ibiza, Spain, Sweden, stayed with family in Italy), Morocco, and the UK. The highlight was a friend’s amazing wedding in India.
Croatia
Taj Mahal
When I was in my late 20s, after backpacking, I moved to London on a working holiday visa. I’ve always been open to new experiences. I moved to London at probably the worst time. It was October, the weather was depressing. I worked in a pub on minimum wage, and London was expensive. I was cold and miserable, and I realised how much I love being by the beach and in the sun. Being close to the ocean and fresh air calms me; it’s important to me. I love the simple things, like reading a book on the beach all day. I came home via Thailand a few months later in January.
Miserable London
I went to a recruitment agency that connected me with a previous sales manager I knew. I started working for OnDeck, a small business loan company, in a direct sales agent role.
I would see the Business Development Managers returning from meetings, they’d been out for coffee and meeting people. I thought, “That looks fun, I want to do that!” I expressed interest to HR, and a few months later a role came up as a desk-based BDM.
I really believe you have to put yourself out there and ask for things. “A closed mouth doesn’t get fed!” and “the squeaky wheel gets the oil" resonate with me. I think this was instilled in me from my mum, who I’m really close with. Mum taught me to speak up for myself. She is strong-willed and gets on with things. If you don’t look out for yourself, who will?
The OnDeck team at the Australian Mortgage Awards
After about a year in the desk-based BDM role in Sydney, the plan was for me to move to Brisbane, where my now-fiancé lived at the time. My partner, Tully, threw a spanner in the works and out of the blue said, “Hey, can we move to Adelaide?” because he was offered a work contract there.
I had only been to Adelaide once and was nervous to leave my support network in Sydney. Tully and I were about to go from long distance to living together in a new city. When deciding on a new opportunity, I think, “What’s the worst that can happen?” If it’s not death, then just do it! If I hate it, I’ll move back to Sydney. And when I told OnDeck I needed to move, they made a role for me in Adelaide as the SA/WA external BDM, so it all fell into place.
First day in Adelaide with Tully, my partner
Then COVID happened.
Because I was working in unsecured business lending, the market was too high risk, we weren’t lending, and meetings were on hold. The days were long and lonely; however I was extremely thankful to have a job because so many were without work.
COVID times at OnDeck
When I was ready for a new opportunity, I moved to Moula, another small business loan company. My thought was to start at these smaller lenders as a steppingstone before moving to residential lending for a bigger bank.
And it was a great experience: I won the 2022 Better Business Award Best Lender BDM (Non-Bank) for “demonstrating collaborative skills, being innovative, and an effective communicator.” I couldn’t believe I’d won; I hadn’t even written a speech.
Winning Best Lender BDM (Non-Bank) while at Moula
I loved Moula, but then two roles became available, one of which was at Suncorp Bank. I thought, “I’m not going to get it, but I have to apply.”
During interviews, I thought Suncorp felt warm. The people at Suncorp – SA/WA State Manager Paul Vogl and BDM Bronson Mauro—they were so nice and welcoming; it felt right.
When I consider why I might have gotten the role over someone more experienced, I think it comes down to making relationships. At PD days, I always made sure I introduced myself to the other BDMs. I think that helped because when the role came up, people within the finance industry in SA & WA could vouch for me.
With State Manager Paul Vogl (centre) and the Suncorp Bank SA/WA BDM team
Starting in residential lending was daunting, there was and is so much to learn. It comes down to swallowing your ego. Sometimes you say the wrong thing and feel like an idiot. But nobody is perfect, I learned to search for answers and not be afraid to ask for help. If I tell a broker I’m going to do something, I follow up on it.
I pinch myself sometimes when I think about how I ended up in this job that I love, talking to people! I feel like this is what I’m meant to be doing. A stroke of luck but also putting myself out there.
My focus for the future is wanting to master being a BDM—just get better and better and learn and learn.
CrossFit!
Outside of work, I keep mentally and physically fit with CrossFit. Moving to Adelaide during COVID was very isolating. CrossFit is how I made friends and it kept me going socially.
Because the BDM role is so people-orientated and full on, I need my alone time as well. I need space to recharge the batteries and go for walks to clear my mind.
I also just got engaged! My beautiful partner Tully and I are getting married in April 2024 in the Clare Valley, South Australia. I’m proud of what we’ve created here and our achievements together.
