Disillusioned career banker

Ken Pumpa loves helping people buy the property they want, and prior to joining Smartline, he had been doing just that for many years at one of the Big 4 banks.

Over time, however, he became disillusioned. “It was frustrating that I could only offer my clients the limited products the bank had to offer. In addition, a lot of my time was being spent in administrative duties, such as meetings, rather than on the customer.”

Since joining Smartline at the beginning of 2016, Ken can now provide his clients with an unlimited range of solutions and give totally unbiased recommendations, meaning he can give his clients the best product that suits their needs.

Ken also highly values the flexibility that working for himself provides. “I was looking for more freedom in my work/life balance. While I did not necessarily want to work less hours, I just wanted to make it a better fit with my family.”

Of course, there are always challenges for every new job, particularly if it’s your own business. Learning new systems and products can be hard work at the beginning and, on an ongoing basis, you need to determine the right amount of time to allocate to things such as maintenance, marketing, prospecting, processing and follow up.

“When I first started my business there was a lot of self-doubt. Had I made the right decision? Would I be able to support my family? But as you start to have a few wins, these doubts start to disappear, although they remain in the back of my mind which is also a driver for me to succeed.”

Ken’s tips for getting started in your business:

Make sure you genuinely like what you are doing

(i.e. helping people into their first home, helping them own their home sooner, or helping them buy that property at the beach). The rest – income, awards etc – will follow if you are 100% genuine. Clients can easily tell if you have an ulterior motive.

Make sure that you have 100% support of your immediate family

as there are times when you will need their understanding and help.

Prepare yourself financially to cover your income stream for 12 months

While it may take a much shorter time to achieve your revenue goal, it’s better to be safe than sorry and cause undue pressure on yourself and your family.

Promote your business at every opportunity and look for quick wins with family and friends

You will be surprised how much they will try to help you to get your business up and running.