After taking the leap to start her mortgage broking firm, More Than Mortgages, Deanna Ezzy and her team are reaping the rewards of their hard work for their clients. This is a sponsored post.

TWO years after taking the leap to start her mortgage broking firm, More Than Mortgages, Deanna Ezzy and her team are reaping the rewards of their hard work for their clients.

They love helping clients achieve their dreams, says director and principal mortgage broker, Deanna.

Whether it be purchasing an investment property, a first-home buyer or managing a financial separation, Deanna says her clients tell her that they really do understand the “more” that Deanna and her team bring to them.

“It’s about our service. We genuinely care about the process, we answer questions and go over and above for our clients,” she says.

“We aren’t stuffy. We love what we are doing and bring a lot of guidance and support to our clients… we are on their side.”

Becoming a mortgage broker was a dream-come-true for Deanna, but her life wasn’t always heading on a pathway for success. She says she grew up in NZ with an abusive stepfather.

“Money was non-existent and the constant cause of arguments and fighting. I went to eight different schools, lived in more than 10 rental houses and at one point a women’s refuge. We didn’t have a car for two years,” she says.

“I grew up with no idea that I could travel, there was no talk with my friends at the time that we would go on to further studies.”

At 22, Deanna says she decided to leave her old life behind and joined her mother, Gina, who was living in Canberra in 2005 and make a fresh start.

“Mum and I have always been close,” says Deanna of Gina, who now works part time in the business, managing the website, social media, writing the monthly newsletters and a host of other admin jobs. “Gina’s job title is CEO – Chief Everything Officer!“ says Deanna.

Determined to own a home and make sure that she and her mum have the stability they always dreamed of, Deanna worked hard in office administrative roles and discovered a love of dance in her free time. Through hard work, making connections and finding mentors, Deanna was inspired to find a job in real estate after meeting a successful businessman and learning how he built his wealth through real estate investment.

And it so happened that she had the natural ability to be a great mortgage broker when she got her break after impressing her previous boss with her relationship-building skills and drive.

“I was able to learn from the best in the business and I found out that I was naturally good at the job,” she says.

“I was fortunate enough to be mentored by one of Australia’s top brokers at the time. In the last decade of learning my craft, I have turned my life in the direction of somewhere I never dreamed of going.”

Over the decade that Deanna has been a broker, she has been recognised through numerous awards including being ranked as a “Top 100 Broker” in the country for the past five years in a row. Deanna is currently ranked number 45 in the country out of a group of about 20,000. She has also just won the BX Xcellence ‘Business of The Year’ award, presented to her and her team in Sydney.

More Than Mortgages now has a team of five and is based in Kingston. Operations manager, Natasha Condi has worked with Deanna for the past six years and Deanna says that she couldn’t have started the business without her support. Broker, Matt Tanner and assistant Elliott Bowyer joined the team earlier this year.      

“I have always wanted to build something for my own and start from scratch. I also want to be a great boss for my staff and in some ways pay forward the opportunity I had,” she says.

More Than Mortgages is dedicated to supporting charities, with Deanna single-handedly organising a dancing event in March called DANCE (Domestic Abuse Needs Community Evolution) that raised significant funds for Doris Women’s Refuge, a cause close to Deanna’s heart.

“We are also a sponsor of the Reach For Nepal Foundation, Stomp and Cancer Council’s ‘Shit Box Rally’,” says Deanna.

As a leading woman in business, Deanna recommends that those starting out in their own businesses get the support they need – be it at home, or through business coaching to prevent burn out.

“It’s important (as a business owner) to be open with people and not be ashamed to ask for assistance,” she says.

“I don’t believe in a work/life balance. I think that both of them can be combined and that we can blend them rather than keep both completely separate.

“This is easy to do when you enjoy your work, and your team and others in the industry are your friends,” she says.

Deanna says that she’s discovered that it’s important to manage your best asset – your brain – through booking regular weekends away. Deanna enjoys exercise and meditation to make sure she functions at her best, to ensure she does the best job for her clients.

“I am excited about the future,” she says.

“Our mission is to bring clarity and inspiration to our clients by leading them through the labyrinth of residential home loan lending.

“More Than Mortgages turn dreams into reality.”

More Than Mortgages, 2/6 Kennedy Street, Kingston 2604. Call 6188 4555, email heretohelp@morethanmortgages.com.au or visit morethanmortgages.com.au