Here's how a spontaneous, coffee-fuelled idea became one of NZ's most trusted mortgage names
This year, The Mortgage Girls celebrates a significant milestone – 10 years in business. What started as a spontaneous idea between two women has grown into a trusted name in New Zealand’s mortgage industry, and it is still driven by the same spirit of client connection and care.
The Mortgage Girls has since grown significantly, and took home several awards at the 2025 New Zealand Mortgage Awards, including the Brokerage of the Year (6+ staff). Co-founder and head mortgage adviser Elyce Peters (pictured) shared the origins of the brokerage with NZ Adviser.
“I thought of starting a mortgage business while I was having a coffee,” Peters said. “I rang Holly [Sullivan] and said, we’re going to start a business. We put a couple of grand into a bank account, and that was the beginning.”
From there, Peters and Sullivan built everything from the ground-up, with no existing client book and no established network of contacts to fall back on.
“It was a lot of legwork and late nights, but it’s so cool that we’ve been able to achieve what we have,” Peters said. “We’re also lucky to have found the amazing women on our team, all of whom picked up on our vision and culture.”
Building relationships that go the distance
For The Mortgage Girls, strong relationships are core of what has kept the business going for a decade. That doesn’t just involve writing the loans and giving the right advice on rates (though that’s certainly a major part) – it also means sticking with clients through thick and thin, and staying involved over the long term.
Peters said that there is a lot of excitement over lowering rates at the moment, and it’s resulted in some long-term clients finally being able to buy their first homes.
“In Canterbury, we’re quite lucky that we still have some of the cheapest housing in New Zealand,” she said.
“We have a client who has been with us since 2019 who has finally had an offer accepted on a house. It’s great to have that kind of longevity with a client and help them through those ups and downs.”
In a market where clients can spend months, sometimes years, trying to secure a home, having someone to lean on makes a difference. The team’s ultimate goal is there when people are uncertain or frustrated.
“We’re our clients’ cheerleaders and confidantes,” Peters said.
“We’re there to help when things are worrying them, to create solutions or send them through to others who can help. That’s one of the things we do really well - continue those relationships and help the clients get through it, and not just through mortgage advice.”
Growing a business through thick and thin
Running a mortgage business over the last decade has meant navigating constant change – from global pandemics, to new regulation, to volatile and unpredictable markets. Peters said that adaptability has been essential, and the flat team structure at The Mortgage Girls has been vital to keeping the team culture strong.
“I’m really proud of the fact that we’re all family at The Mortgage Girls,” she said. “We don’t have much of a hierarchy, everyone has a voice, and everyone feels like they can help make changes and improve things.”
While navigating the rough seas, it all comes back to keeping your connections strong.
“Relationships are really important, and they’ll help get you through the bad times,” Peters said.
“That means making sure you’re staying in touch, doing the annual reviews and fixed rate reviews, etc. It’s just having that touchpoint so that they remember you’re always there.”
When it comes to bringing in new business, Peters said it still comes down to the basics: getting in front of people, having real conversations, and being available when someone needs help.
She said the job spans both ends of the emotional spectrum. On one side are the first-home buyers and new investors, often coming in full of energy and optimism. On the other are the more complex cases - people navigating separations or financial strain, sometimes trying to hold on to what they’ve built, or figuring out how to start again with less.
For advisers, this presents an opportunity to make a tangible difference beyond simply securing the right rate.
“Get out there, see people, and build those great relationships,” Peters said.
“We’ve got a pretty awesome industry where we can really positively impact people’s lives. As long as we’re all ensuring that we’re putting our clients first, it’s only an industry that’s going to grow.”
