5 Minutes With... Lindsay Hill, Squirrel

Lindsay Hill of Squirrel Mortgages in Auckland says he would legalise a certain stimulant if he was Prime Minister for a day.

Lindsay Hill of Squirrel Mortgages in Auckland says he would legalise a certain stimulant if he was Prime Minister for a day.​

Years in industry: 4.5  Location: Auckland 

Why did you get into mortgage broking?  
It was a natural progression from years of retail banking and underwriting at a finance company – combined with falling into it when JB offered me the role at Squirrel.

How would you sum up mortgage advisers in three words?
Driven to Succeed.

What advice would you give to a new mortgage adviser?  
No matter how much you know about banking and bank policy there’s always something to learn that will make you a better adviser – always keep an open mind.

How would you change the industry?  
Reduce upfront commissions and increase trails, so that advisers are incentivised to retain quality business rather than churn clients.

What’s the most important thing an adviser can do to develop their business?
Focus on your clients – they are the lifeblood of your business and essential to your success.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?  
Don’t wear your budgy smugglers when you’re not at the beach.

If you were Prime Minister for one day, what would you do?
Legalise marijuana - might as well make the country some money in taxes from something that so many Kiwis use anyway.

What has been the highlight of your career?
Seeing the business that I joined with a staff of 6 grow to 20+ over the space of 4 years.

What’s your favoured style of coffee?
Any – productive work doesn’t start until the first caffeine hit of the day.

Union, league, soccer or other?
I only tend to support sports that I can play myself, and having no hand eye coordination that isn’t many!   

If you could invite three people to dinner, dead or alive, and excluding family and friends, who would they be and why?  
Donald Trump – he’d be pure entertainment if he made any decent sense. Walt Disney – a man with his imagination and talent would be humbling to meet. George Takei – if you follow his facebook feed you’ll understand his fantastic sense of humour, he’d be a great laugh.

Complete this sentence:
If I wasn’t in mortgage broking, I would be…tied to the drudgery of a desk job in banking, without the variety and challenge that you get daily as a mortgage adviser.