Even though we have unlimited access to information online, it's amazing how we still get overwhelmed and confused by all resources available to us. If only there was someone that would break things down for us and explain them in way that cuts through all the bullsh*t. Well, hello there Sonya Matharu!
Tell us a bit about yourself!
Hello! My name is Sonya, I am 26 and I am a self-development obsessed Mortgage Broker on a mission to make the mortgage industry (and surrounding industries) more accessible for people so they can get the financial advice they need and deserve.
Talk to us about your business...
I’m a Senior Mortgage Broker and run my own business within The Mortgage Mum™ firm. Essentially, I help my clients to buy or refinance their properties. However, my mission begins earlier than this, by helping to educate people on how the finance industry works and the things they need to have in place in order to be able to step onto the property ladder.
I do this by connecting with my audience (which is made up of everyone from first-time buyers to seasoned property investors) and debunking and demystifying the confusion that surrounds the mortgage industry to help it become less intimidating and more accessible.
Where did the idea for your business come from?
It all started when I became a Personal Assistant to a Mortgage Broker back in 2015.
It was like stepping into this secret club of important information that we all needed to know, yet nobody was sharing...
So, I decided to become that person.
People were scared to seek advice because of the fear of judgement or because they didn’t
understand the industry—and I don’t blame them. The complex jargon, constant changes to
compliance regulations and the numerous variables which can affect an application can make
mortgages baffling. And that’s before we get into the financial industry as a whole...
But instead of moaning about it, I knew I wanted to help change it. I’d heard the phrase “if only
I’d known” too many times and so I turned my frustrations into actions and started my journey
to becoming qualified so that I could make this information not only understandable, but
accessible.
What have been your biggest learning experiences since becoming a business owner?
Mindset and the right people can change everything.
At the beginning of my career journey, I was in a negative space for quite some time. It felt like
nothing was going right, despite working hard and feeling like I was doing everything I could.
But then something changed.
I woke up one day and had enough of the constant worrying. So, I decided to let go and trust
myself, surrendering to “whatever will be, will be”. I focussed on myself and the elements I
could control, such as the way I spoke to myself, the network I had around me and building upon the areas I enjoyed—and I noticed a huge shift. Things started falling into place and I realised: mindset and people can change everything.
If you could give one bit of advice to someone thinking of starting their own business,
what would it be?
Trust yourself and the timing of your life. In order for a business to see growth you’re going
to have to try new things, learn new skills and step outside of your comfort zone... A lot.
Because of this, you’ll need to be patient—because not all lessons have instantaneous
answers, and as a result, it can take a lot of work, dedication and frustration.
There will be things in business that you can do, things that you can't do and things that you shouldn't do, but if you're not sure of something, your gut instinct will guide you. You'll know when something isn't right, and when something is by the way that it feels
—so take the time to learn to trust yourself.
What has your biggest success/accomplishment/achievement been since starting your
business?
Building this career for myself. It’s been a journey of ups, downs and challenges but there’s
not a day that goes by that I don’t love what I do. There are always new opportunities to get
involved in, for example, I’m currently mentoring groups of aspiring mortgage brokers—and
this helps keep my career not only interesting but fulfilling on a different level. I love being able
to provide support and guidance to help people step into the careers they want—especially
as the resources for doing so weren’t accessible when I began mine, so being able to change
that for others has been incredibly rewarding.
Who inspires you?
My parents—not only are they kind, caring and amazing parents, but they are successful
business people with an incredible work ethic. They worked for everything they have; are savvy
with money and taught me so much about stepping out of my comfort zone.
What book/article/podcast really gave you that OMG moment?
Michelle Obama’s Book: Becoming
For so many reasons, but there’s a quote in it which really stood out to me:
"If my future were determined just by my performance on a standardized test, I wouldn't be here. I guarantee you that."
It’s something that rings true for so many and is a great reminder that
not everything can be taught, judged or evaluated in the same way.
➡️ You can find Sonya:
Sonya is also joining us as one of our speakers at the WWD: Be Bold - The Conference. She will be running a workshop: Money, Mindset & Mortgages. Find out more about our incredible 2-day online conference take a look here.
Emma Downey | Founder, Women Who Do
Emma can be found glued to her laptop/kindle or embarking on her next favourite hobby. Avid cake-eater, Disney-superfan and passionate about female empowerment, Emma founded WWD in 2017. She's currently travelling around Europe in her converted camper van and eating far too many croissants. You can contact Emma: emma@womenwd.co.uk
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