Why this broker entered mortgage advice despite seeing the industry’s flaws

This week, Mortgage Introducer is shining the spotlight on Joanne Pay (pictured top), director of Elysian Trust Financial, who swapped a decade of patient-facing roles in the NHS for a career in mortgage advice, bringing her clinical calm and empathy with her. Almost by chance, a part-time admin role in 2021 opened the door to broking, but it was what she saw behind the scenes that really shaped her path: a culture where, too often, volume trumped values and clients were treated as cases rather than people.

Determined to do things differently, Pay has built a business founded on trust, compassion and long-term relationships – one that takes a holistic view of each client’s life, family and financial resilience. From navigating complex affordability in a turbulent market to helping single parents fight to keep a roof over their children’s heads, she believes good broking is as much about listening, advocacy and integrity as it is about technical knowledge and criteria.

Full name: Joanne Pay
Job title: Director / Mortgage, insurance and equity release adviser
Company: Elysian Trust Financial
Number of years in the industry: 4
Location: Kent

How and when did you become a mortgage broker?

My route into broking wasn’t the most traditional, but it’s one I’m incredibly grateful for. Before entering financial services, I spent over a decade working within the NHS in clinical and non-clinical, patient-facing roles, supporting people at some of the most stressful and vulnerable points in their lives. That experience taught me how to listen properly, explain complex information clearly, handle sensitive conversations with care, and always focus on outcomes rather than process.

I became a mortgage broker almost by chance. In 2021, a friend of my partner was a mortgage adviser and offered me some part-time admin work alongside my job and, initially, from the outside, it all looked quite impressive. He appeared successful and spoke confidently about what he did. But as I spent more time around the industry, I realised something didn’t sit right with me.

It became clear that some advisers’ focus was entirely on money and volume, with very little care for the people behind the transactions. Clients were cases, not individuals, and outcomes mattered far less than commission. That was a real turning point for me. I knew instinctively that I couldn’t work that way, but I also realised that the industry needed people who wouldn’t.

That moment planted the seed. I decided that if I was going to do this, I would do it differently, with empathy, integrity and genuine care at the centre of every recommendation. I wanted to build a business where clients felt listened to, supported and empowered, not pressured or processed.

That decision ultimately led me into mortgage broking and, later, to founding Elysian Trust Financial, a firm built on trust, compassion and long-term relationships, doing things the right way rather than the easy way.

In your opinion, what has been the most positive development in broking?

Without doubt, the shift towards a more client-centric, holistic advice model. There’s far greater recognition now that a mortgage is not just a product, it’s part of someone’s wider life, family and financial resilience.

Lenders have become more flexible, technology has improved efficiency, and there’s a growing emphasis on protection, vulnerability and long-term outcomes. All of that allows brokers to do what we do best: tailor solutions properly and genuinely advocate for our clients.

What challenges do you see currently facing the industry, and what solutions would you propose?

The biggest challenges right now are affordability pressures, client anxiety, and the sheer complexity of navigating lending criteria in a rapidly changing market.

From a broker perspective, compliance and Consumer Duty have also raised the bar, which I see as a positive, but it does require time, education and strong processes.

The solution lies in education, transparency and professionalism. Clients need clear explanations, realistic expectations and reassurance. Brokers need ongoing CPD, robust systems, and the confidence to slow things down when needed. Trust is built when clients feel heard, not hurried.

Can you share a memorable or challenging experience from your career as a broker and the lessons you gained from it?

Some of the most challenging and memorable cases in my career have involved single parents trying to keep a roof over their heads after separation. These are rarely straightforward cases. They often involve emotional strain, financial imbalance, and a deep fear of losing stability for their children.

In many of these situations, the client has been told “no” before they even sit down with me. They come feeling defeated, embarrassed, and braced for another rejection. The technical challenge is working through income structures, benefits and lender criteria in a way that genuinely reflects their real-world position. The human challenge is creating a space where they feel safe enough to be honest about their circumstances.

What these cases have taught me is that good broking is not about ticking boxes or chasing the easiest outcome. It is about listening properly, asking better questions, and being prepared to advocate for the client when the situation demands it. When clients are treated as people rather than problems, solutions often become possible.

The lesson I carry forward is simple. Technical knowledge matters, but empathy, patience and integrity are what truly change outcomes. Helping someone secure stability for themselves and their children is a responsibility I never take lightly.

Could you share any valuable advice for individuals aspiring to become brokers or those new to broking?

This is a people business. Again, technical knowledge matters, but trust, integrity and communication matter more.

Take compliance seriously, keep learning, build strong processes early, and never forget that clients remember how you made them feel long after the transaction ends.

Broker in Focus is a weekly Mortgage Introducer feature, spotlighting mortgage brokers from diverse backgrounds and locations across the UK. Among those recently featured are Geraldine Williams of Bubble Financial, Lauren Wilson of Portway Finance, Jamie Alexander of Alexander Southwell Mortgages, Dave Hill of The Money Partnership, Neil Mulhern of Echo Finance, Michelle Lawson of Lawson Financial, Matt Thomas of First Financial Solutions, John Carter of Abode Mortgages, and Bobby Lumsden of RML Financial Management.