One of the best questions I’ve been asked came while I was sitting on a mortgage and finance broking panel recently.
“After working with you, how do you hope people perceive you?”
It caught me off guard for a second.
Not because I didn’t know the answer, but because I’d never really been asked the question.
The answer was actually pretty simple.
I hope clients don’t see me as the guy who organised their loan and disappeared.
I hope they see me as part of their advisory team.
At HKW Finance, that’s exactly how we approach every client relationship. We believe finance is just one piece of the puzzle, and the best outcomes come from working alongside accountants, solicitors and other trusted advisers.
After working with business owners for a while now, one thing has become pretty obvious.
I’ve never met a successful business owner who did everything themselves.
Success is Never a Solo Effort
Every successful business owner I’ve worked with has had good people around them.
A good accountant, bookkeeper and hopefully a broker!
Everyone plays a different role.
The accountant isn’t trying to write loan applications.
I’m certainly not trying to give tax advice.
And that’s exactly how it should be.
The magic happens when everyone stays in their lane but talks to each other.
As Forbes notes, “the more people you get on the team like you, the more competitive and responsive your business will be”. It reinforces what I’ve seen time and time again; businesses achieve better outcomes when experienced advisers work together.
Why Collaboration Creates Better Outcomes
A few weeks ago, I had an accountant call me before they’d even spoken to their client.
The client was thinking about buying a commercial property.
Before getting too far down the track, the accountant simply wanted to know whether it was even worth exploring.
“What do I actually need to know to work out whether this client is dreaming?”
Rather than spending an hour talking about lending policy, we kept it simple. And I can do that if anyone would listen!
Instead, we quickly talked through the deposit needed and whether the business’s financials were likely to support the loan.
The accountant walked into their meeting with confidence.
The next morning I was speaking to the client.
By the end of the week we’d confirmed borrowing capacity.
The following Monday their offer on an industrial unit had been accepted.
The speed wasn’t what I like most about that story.
What I like is that everyone was talking early so that the client wasn’t making offers on property hoping it would somehow work out later.
Everyone understood their role, shared information quickly and at the end of the day, the client and their business got a great outcome because of it.
Business Conversations Come Before Lending Conversations
People often think my job starts when someone says they need finance. That’s not often the case.
More often the conversation sounds like this.
“Can I buy the warehouse we’re renting?”
“If I buy another ute, is that going to ruin my home loan next year?”
“My accountant wants to change my business structure. Is that going to make getting finance harder?”
They’re not really lending questions. They’re business questions.
The loan just happens to be one of the tools that helps solve them.
Better Decisions Start with the Right Team
The best outcomes I’ve been involved in have almost always come from advisers working together.
Business owners have enough on their plate without trying to coordinate accountants, brokers, solicitors and financial advisers who are all working in isolation.
When those conversations happen early, better decisions get made, and at speed!
The Takeaway
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt, and as much I hate to admit it, it’s this:
The loan is not the most valuable thing I provide. The real value comes from helping bring the right people together so every decision is made with confidence; whether that’s buying a commercial property, growing a business or purchasing a family home.
The right finance solution starts with the right team. If you’re planning your next business or property move, get in touch for a free consultation and advice that works alongside your trusted advisers.