Getting to know Shan Bott

What was your journey to broking?

I completed a Bachelor of Commerce at Curtin University and at first thought that I wanted to work in advertising. After I graduated, I worked at a small advertising agency in Perth for about a year, but soon realised I wanted to go travelling, so I applied for a job at Flight Centre, because I thought it would be the perfect job to see the world. Spoiler alert, it wasn’t! I often worked 12-hour days and didn’t do any travelling, but that role taught me resilience and how to work hard.

I was ready for a change when my dad showed me a job at for The Mortgage Gallery in 2005. It was a great environment for a new broker like me to start their career because I was surrounded by new and old brokers and learned a lot. It was there that I met my business partners Todd and Chris, and we formed our Leederville franchise in 2017. Todd was a mentor to me in the early days of my career; he taught me a lot.

What’s the dynamic between the three of you?

We have a unique and somewhat dysfunctional family dynamic. We squabble, usually over who used the last Express Post envelope, or who took someone’s pen, but we quickly settle our disagreements over lunch. We have a lot of fun together; we have a similar sense of humour, and we support each other. If one of us goes away on leave, the other two will look after the other’s clients.

What does a typical day look like for you?

My husband is fly in fly out, and works eight days on then six days off. I have a 14-year-old and an eightyear-old. When my husband is on site, I'll drop the kids to school, grab a coffee on the way to work and meet my PA Cathy in the office. I look at emails first thing and go through anything I need to action. I work hard to keepmy inbox under 50 emails. Then I do my client meetings and then at around 2:30pm I pick the kids up from school, get them home and hop back online in the evenings. On the days my husband is home, he does the school drop off and pick ups, so I can be in the office earlier and sometimes leave later.

What’s the hardest part of being a business owner?

The hard part of this job can be managing the guilt that comes with working long hours. I’ve been a broker my kids’ whole lives, so they’re used to it, but I try not to spread myself too thin. I’m naturally a people pleaser and have a hard time saying no, trying to jam in as much as I can into my day. But I have to acknowledge my privilege. I’m lucky to be busy! During the school holidays I make more time for my kids.

Knowing what you know today about running a business, what would you have done differently? I think I would’ve taken a hit on my income earlier. When I made the move from my previous career into broking, I started earning a lot more money. In the early days, my dad advised me to hire staff to grow the business before I got used to earning more money and I wish I'd done that, but I was risk averse. Now I have more expenses and it’s a little harder to invest in as many staff as I'd like.

How do you manage stress?

I’m a happy go lucky person. I always try to have a laugh. Todd and Chris, my business partners and Cathy our PA are all the same and that, I believe is our little secret. I have a very hyperactive and destructive three-year-old staffy, Dutchie, who I love to spend time with at the park in the mornings.

How are you supporting clients rolling off fixed-rate mortgages?

I draw on my experience and explain that the home loan market has cycles. As brokers, it’s important to put things in perspective for clients and explain what it means to fix your home loan interest rate. I have a lot of compassion for first home buyers who haven’t experienced the ebbs and flow of the market. When I started working as a mortgage broker, the standard variable rate started with a seven; after the GFC, rates rose for a period and eventually dropped. 

Why is this a good industry for women?

If you’re a young woman looking to enter the industry, you can set your own pace. Your earning potential is uncapped. If you start in your 20s, you could build up your trail book and manage it while you take some time off to start your family, if that’s what your goal is. I worked from home when I was on maternity leave and worked as much or as little as I wanted. It’s such a flexible career and it can be as fulfilling, fruitful and rewarding as you want to make it. I'd say the sky is the limit but in truth, it's your priorities and interpretation of what makes you truly happy that sets the limit.

What do you do outside of work?

I enjoy skateboarding and all bikes: bmx, mountain, scooters, dirt and quads. I LOVE speed, the thrill and threat of momentum at full pace. I was in Singapore just recently visiting my grandparents who are in their 90s – I try to find time to visit them a few times a year. And I love to read, I recently finished reading ‘The Courage to be Disliked’