Celebrating the Women of Lendi Group: Samantha Harvey

International Women’s Day is just around the corner, on Wednesday 8th March. This is an important day on the calendar to celebrate the successes of women in the workplace and reflect on actions that can be taken in progressing toward a gender equal future. However, with so many brokers and team members achieving amazing things at Lendi Group , one day isn’t enough, so we’ll be showcasing some of our remarkable women for the entire week, in celebration of the valuable role they play in our business and the difference they make in the lives of our customers.

After working in a range of finance and client service roles, Samantha Harvey joined Aussie as a mobile broker in NSW seven years ago. We sat down with Sam and discussed her journey with Aussie, the importance of International Women’s Day, and why diversity in the mortgage broking industry is so important.

What are some of your proudest achievements during your time with Aussie?

I had some broad financial experience when I joined Aussie, but being new to broking, I wanted to have the backing of a powerful brand and the support that comes with it. I was a newlywed with a young child when I started, but I managed to find my feet and build a business I’m really proud of, while adding two more kids to the family along the way.

Another thing I’m proud of is that I’ve always been laser-focused on putting the customer first, and I think this has been a major catalyst for the success I’ve enjoyed. Being announced as a Diamond Broker in Lendi Group’s Signature program last year was amazing recognition, but I think the biggest kick of all is when other new brokers or women in the industry tell me that I’ve inspired them in some way.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you and why is it important for organisations to celebrate it?

International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate women for how fabulous we are, lift each other up, recognise the value we contribute, and remind each other that we are capable of greatness! I think it’s also an important time to think of the women internationally whose voices aren’t heard and who are fighting for basic human rights.

At a business level, it’s important to celebrate International Women’s Day to shine a light on the importance of a diverse workplace. In the case of our business, mortgage broking is a very people-centric industry, and I think it’s vital to have diversity in our workforce that is reflective of the diversity in our customer base. For that reason, I think initiatives that encourage discourse around diversity, such as International Women’s Day, are necessary.

Despite female representation in the mortgage broking industry sitting below 25%, over 42% of brokers onboarded at Lendi Group in 2022 were women. Why is broking such a great career choice for women and how can Lendi Group continue to lead in this space?

I cannot think of any career path that which would have afforded me the flexibility to build a successful business while raising three children, especially since two of my children have special needs. Many women possess inherent traits that lend themselves really well to broking, including empathy, nurturing qualities, multi-tasking capability, and the ability to cultivate trust in relationships – these skills go miles in assisting customers!

For Lendi Group to keep outperforming the wider industry in this space, and to continue welcoming more and more amazing women to the Group, I think it’s important to keep prioritising flexibility, providing support, facilitating networking opportunities with other women, and calling out the successes of women in the network.