Mortgage Broker Broadcast

Craig Skelton

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.

  1. MAY 12

    Choosing A Mortgage Network That Fits You

    Send us Fan Mail The network you choose as an appointed representative can change far more than your commission split. It can shape how free you feel, how confident you operate, and whether your day-to-day work feels like the business you meant to build or a new version of the corporate machine you tried to leave behind. We dig into what “network culture” really means for a mortgage broker, beyond slogans, shiny onboarding, and a good-looking deal sheet. We talk through the practical moments where culture shows itself: when you need case help, when a compliance issue lands, when you want to try something new, or when you challenge a decision. I share better questions to ask networks, how to spot when support is reactive instead of proactive, and why you should speak to existing AR firms you find yourself, not just the ones you are introduced to. We also get clear on values-led mortgage advice, why values are business foundations (not fluffy words), and how alignment affects client outcomes, standards, and long-term growth. If you want to recruit advisers and build a firm, this becomes even more important. Your network becomes part of your employer brand through its systems, supervision, training, tone, and accessibility. We finish with a direct set of fit-check questions to help you choose a mortgage network that matches your stage of business and the stage you are trying to reach. This is also the last Mortgage Broker Broadcast for a while, so thank you for listening over the years. If this helped, please subscribe, share it with another broker, and leave a review so more people can find it. I help employed mortgage brokers go self-employed with clarity, confidence and one-to-one mentoring. Find out how Pathways or Coaching works at craigskelton.co.uk #mortgagebroker #mortgagebrokers #mortgagebrokeruk #mortgagebrokercoaching #coaching #mortgagebrokerage #mortgagebrokerbusiness #mortgagebrokermarketing #mortgagebrokertips #mortgageadvisor #mortgageadviser #mortgagecoach #businesscoaching #successmentoring  #selfemployed...

    17 min
  2. MAY 5

    Should You Become An Appointed Representative?

    Send us Fan Mail Starting your own mortgage firm sounds exciting right up until you hit the compliance wall. We unpack the Appointed Representative (AR) model in the UK and explain, in plain English, what it means to operate under a principal firm’s FCA permissions, how the oversight works, and why mortgage networks use this structure so often. We talk through the biggest reasons brokers choose the AR route: faster setup than direct authorisation, lower upfront costs, and built-in compliance support that can save you months of building policies, systems, and reporting from scratch. If you’re moving from employed to self-employed, AR can be a practical way to test the waters, build a client bank, and learn what it takes to run a business while sharing the regulatory load. Then we get honest about the downsides that can quietly shape your future: less control over processes and product panels, ongoing fees or commission splits, and the risk of being tied to your principal’s reputation. We also dig into the details many people miss like data ownership, client relationship portability, branding rules, tech compatibility, cultural fit, growth limits, and how your exit strategy affects the long-term value of your brokerage. If you’re weighing AR vs FCA direct authorisation, this gives you a clear decision framework and a due diligence checklist to protect your business. Subscribe for upcoming guidance on choosing the right network and planning a move from AR to DA, and if the episode helps, share it and leave a review so more brokers can find it. I help employed mortgage brokers go self-employed with clarity, confidence and one-to-one mentoring. Find out how Pathways or Coaching works at craigskelton.co.uk #mortgagebroker #mortgagebrokers #mortgagebrokeruk #mortgagebrokercoaching #coaching #mortgagebrokerage #mortgagebrokerbusiness #mortgagebrokermarketing #mortgagebrokertips #mortgageadvisor #mortgageadviser #mortgagecoach #businesscoaching #successmentoring  #selfemployed...

    13 min
  3. APR 28

    Clawbacks And Cover

    Send us Fan Mail Inflation is back in the headlines, but the real story shows up in your clients’ bank accounts and in your clawback reports. When fuel, energy, and food costs rise at the same time as mortgage rates, people start cutting anything that feels optional and protection insurance is often first on the chopping block. I want to stop that knee-jerk decision before it harms the client’s home security and before it hits your income through indemnity commission clawbacks. I break down the three pressures shaping the market right now: rising living costs, higher mortgage rates with fewer products available, and the knock-on effect on protection budgets. From there, we get practical about why cancelling life insurance, critical illness cover, or income protection is usually short-sighted. Clients lose the benefit of locked-in premiums, and reapplying later can mean higher costs or tougher underwriting. The better move is almost always a review and a reset: reduce the sum assured, shorten the term, or restructure cover so something stays in force. We also dig into a moment that drives lapses every year: the annual policy anniversary statement. If clients call the provider first, “quick fixes” can turn into cancellations. If they call us first, we can explain what changed, check suitability, and present affordable options that keep them protected. I share a simple playbook for proactive anniversary reviews, budget reprioritisation, staying visible with regular updates, considering non-indemnity or mixed commission, and documenting everything to support Consumer Duty. If you want fewer clawbacks and stronger client trust during a cost of living squeeze, press play. Subscribe, share this with a broker who needs it, and leave a review with the one process you’re tightening up this month. I help employed mortgage brokers go self-employed with clarity, confidence and one-to-one mentoring. Find out how Pathways or Coaching works at craigskelton.co.uk #mortgagebroker #mortgagebrokers #mortgagebrokeruk #mortgagebrokercoaching #coaching #mortgagebrokerage #mortgagebrokerbusiness #mortgagebrokermarketing #mortgagebrokertips #mortgageadvisor #mortgageadviser #mortgagecoach #businesscoaching #successmentoring  #selfemployed...

    9 min
  4. APR 21

    Stop Procrastinating

    Send us Fan Mail Procrastination rarely looks like doing nothing. More often, it looks like a mortgage broker “staying productive” all day while the real work keeps slipping to next week. When swap rates jump, lenders pull deals, and clients need calm guidance fast, it’s easy to tell ourselves we’ll get back to marketing, systems, and long-term planning once things settle. But if we’re not careful, firefighting turns into a pattern of avoidance that quietly stalls business growth. We unpack what procrastination actually is: not laziness, but discomfort. We dig into the common drivers for self-employed people such as fear of failure, perfectionism, low motivation after a heavy client day, and anxiety about making the wrong decision. Then we shine a light on “productive avoidance,” where researching the perfect CRM, polishing website copy, or tweaking brand colours feels responsible while you dodge the outreach, content, and follow-ups that genuinely move the needle. A simple question helps you spot it fast: is this task directly tied to revenue, client service, or long-term growth? From there, we get practical. You’ll hear how to shrink the first step, set deadlines that matter, add accountability, and design your environment for focus. We also cover making progress visible, protecting energy with single-tasking, using CRM automation and delegation to remove admin friction, and reinforcing momentum by celebrating small wins. The thread running through it all is progress over perfection, because “done” creates feedback and traction, while “perfect” often creates delay. If it helps, subscribe, share the show with a broker mate, and leave a review so more self-employed business owners can find it. I help employed mortgage brokers go self-employed with clarity, confidence and one-to-one mentoring. Find out how Pathways or Coaching works at craigskelton.co.uk #mortgagebroker #mortgagebrokers #mortgagebrokeruk #mortgagebrokercoaching #coaching #mortgagebrokerage #mortgagebrokerbusiness #mortgagebrokermarketing #mortgagebrokertips #mortgageadvisor #mortgageadviser #mortgagecoach #businesscoaching #successmentoring  #selfemployed...

    12 min
  5. APR 14

    Truth Over Targets In Property Sales

    Send us Fan Mail Estate agency and mortgage broking sit on the same fault line: consumers want straight answers, but too many big firms reward scripts, vanity pricing, and long contracts. I’m joined by John Savage, a self-employed estate agent, podcaster, and ex-military negotiator who does not hold back on what he’s seen inside the industry and why sellers keep ending up stressed, stuck, and unsure who to trust. We get practical fast. John explains why inviting three agents round for valuations often produces the same outcome: the best talker wins, not the best operator. We dig into a simple way to flip that dynamic using a set of direct questions that test an agent’s track record, pricing accuracy, and ability to manage risk. We also talk about what “good” looks like when you treat a home sale like a project, from getting the legal pack ready early to building a plan for when viewings stall or chains wobble. Then we connect it back to mortgage brokers and the wider property transaction. We unpack conditional selling, the pressure to use an in-house mortgage broker, and how that tactic can spike buyer anxiety while undermining the trust a client has already built with their own adviser. Along the way, we look at why personal brand and social media education are driving an overhaul in both industries, and why AI will raise expectations without replacing the human job of calming, qualifying, and steering decisions. If you care about ethical property advice, better client outcomes, and building a business on trust rather than targets, listen now. Subscribe, share this with a broker or agent who wants to do it properly, and leave a review with your biggest frustration about the home-moving process. I help employed mortgage brokers go self-employed with clarity, confidence and one-to-one mentoring. Find out how Pathways or Coaching works at craigskelton.co.uk #mortgagebroker #mortgagebrokers #mortgagebrokeruk #mortgagebrokercoaching #coaching #mortgagebrokerage #mortgagebrokerbusiness #mortgagebrokermarketing #mortgagebrokertips #mortgageadvisor #mortgageadviser #mortgagecoach #businesscoaching #successmentoring  #selfemployed...

    57 min
  6. APR 7

    How Mortgage Brokers Can Turn A Chaotic Quarter Into A Clear Q2 Plan

    Send us Fan Mail Q1 2026 didn’t just feel busy, it felt unstable. Inflation pushed up household bills, mortgage rates climbed, and lenders pulled products at speed. Many of us spent weeks calming anxious clients, racing to secure deals, and reacting to whatever changed that day. When business runs like that for long enough, firefighting becomes the default and the long term plan quietly disappears.  We slow things down and do the work that actually creates momentum: a clear quarter one review built for mortgage brokers. We start with a simple KPI check that doesn’t drown you in spreadsheets. Leads and conversions show whether your pipeline is healthy. Protection metrics highlight retention issues, cancellations, and clawbacks. A remortgage pipeline review reveals how proactive you really are ahead of deal expiries. Then we go one level deeper and ask the question that matters most: why did the numbers move, and what patterns kept showing up in your diary and your daily habits?  From there, we turn reflection into action for Q2. We talk through building an annual contact strategy with CRM reminders, using annual statements to trigger protection reviews, staying consistent online by repurposing content, and reassessing indemnity versus non indemnity commission to reduce cash flow shocks. We also make space for something brokers often ignore: how your energy and routines shape your results.  If you want a sustainable mortgage broker business that can handle chaos without losing direction, press play. Subscribe, share this with another broker who’s been in the trenches, and leave a review with the one KPI you’re prioritising for Q2. I help employed mortgage brokers go self-employed with clarity, confidence and one-to-one mentoring. Find out how Pathways or Coaching works at craigskelton.co.uk #mortgagebroker #mortgagebrokers #mortgagebrokeruk #mortgagebrokercoaching #coaching #mortgagebrokerage #mortgagebrokerbusiness #mortgagebrokermarketing #mortgagebrokertips #mortgageadvisor #mortgageadviser #mortgagecoach #businesscoaching #successmentoring  #selfemployed...

    11 min
  7. MAR 31

    A Practical Path From CeMAP To Running Your Own Brokerage

    Send us Fan Mail CeMAP gives you a qualification. It doesn’t give you confidence in a first client meeting, a clean process for packaging a case, or a playbook for handling underwriters, lender criteria, and follow-ups when the pressure is on. That’s why we brought Ross McMillan back to The Mortgage Broker Broadcast to explain Fear Academy and why we built it inside Fair Financial for advisers who want to be truly self-employed and build a brokerage with their own brand. We talk honestly about the gap we see in the UK mortgage broker journey: lots of focus on compliance (which matters), not enough on the practical reality of giving mortgage advice. Ross breaks down what new advisers actually need to practise, including running a real fact find, sourcing with nuance, understanding criteria, using a CRM properly, managing documents, working with BDMs, and taking a case from first lead to completion while protecting the client relationship. We also get into mindset and culture. Self-employed means no guaranteed payslip, so support has to be real, human, and judgement-free. We explain how the academy’s first phase uses flexible modules over roughly 12 weeks with weekly 90-minute sessions, then continues into longer-term business development and community support across the appointed representative network. No egos, no competition, just people sharing what works and what didn’t. If you’re CeMAP-qualified and weighing up your next move, listen through and then reach out. Subscribe, share this with a broker who needs it, and leave us a review so more new advisers can find the support they’re looking for. I help employed mortgage brokers go self-employed with clarity, confidence and one-to-one mentoring. Find out how Pathways or Coaching works at craigskelton.co.uk #mortgagebroker #mortgagebrokers #mortgagebrokeruk #mortgagebrokercoaching #coaching #mortgagebrokerage #mortgagebrokerbusiness #mortgagebrokermarketing #mortgagebrokertips #mortgageadvisor #mortgageadviser #mortgagecoach #businesscoaching #successmentoring  #selfemployed...

    52 min
  8. MAR 25

    Firefighting Protects Clients Today But Systems Save You Tomorrow

    Send us Fan Mail Mortgage rates don’t drift up anymore, they lurch. One day the deals are there, the next day they’re gone, and suddenly you’re fielding anxious messages from clients who can feel their payments rising. With energy costs climbing and inflation fears pushing swap rates higher, lenders are withdrawing products and repricing fixed rate mortgages at speed, and the pressure on mortgage brokers is real. We talk through what’s happening in the UK mortgage market, why two- and five-year fixes moving above 5% changes the tone of every remortgage conversation, and how to communicate without adding to the panic. I share why “firefighting” is sometimes the job: calling clients whose deals are expiring, securing rate switches early, and protecting borrowers from sudden jumps in borrowing costs. But I also draw a hard line, because crisis mode cannot be your business model. The most resilient brokers are not the ones with superhuman stamina. They’re the ones with structure: a CRM that tells you who needs action, templates that stop you rewriting the same messages under pressure, and systems that keep the rest of your pipeline alive while you deal with urgent cases. We also cover practical steps you can take right now: extend your review window to nine months, set expectations that the “4% deals” are largely gone, keep protection conversations on the agenda as living costs rise, and set a clear date to return to normal routines like annual reviews and proactive check-ins. If you found this useful, subscribe, share it with a broker who’s in the thick of it, and leave a review so more advisers can find the show. I help employed mortgage brokers go self-employed with clarity, confidence and one-to-one mentoring. Find out how Pathways or Coaching works at craigskelton.co.uk #mortgagebroker #mortgagebrokers #mortgagebrokeruk #mortgagebrokercoaching #coaching #mortgagebrokerage #mortgagebrokerbusiness #mortgagebrokermarketing #mortgagebrokertips #mortgageadvisor #mortgageadviser #mortgagecoach #businesscoaching #successmentoring  #selfemployed...

    10 min

About

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.

You Might Also Like