Rate Money CEO Ryan Gair explains what’s driven the dramatic growth of the lender since its launch in 2019

AFTER SETTLING well over $2bn in loans over the past 18 months, it’s fair to say that Rate Money’s meteoric rise has left many within the non-bank space in disbelief. But its success has certainly come as no surprise to its executive team.

As Rate Money’s CEO and founding partner, Ryan Gair, puts it, “It comes down to the fact that we haven’t forgotten who our customers are. Too many corporations and organisations focus on their shareholders and delivering results for them. We haven’t, and we’ll never forget who believed and invested in us since day one: our branch principals.”

Gair and his partners, Glenn Maynard and Luke Sheales, have over 50 years’ combined experience in the mortgage industry.

“We understand the pain points of brokers,” Gair says. “They know how to write loans, but they don’t necessarily have the know-how or the time to successfully grow a business. They also tend to feel alone. That’s where we come in. We’ve developed a network of like-minded, hard-working, driven individuals that have come together with one common goal: to succeed.”

The success of Rate Money is propelled by its founders who wholeheartedly support their branch principals as each continues to grow their own business, allowing them to focus on what they do best – writing loans.

Rate Money’s function is to support its branch principals and their employees to help them take their businesses to the next level. In a short space of time, Rate Money has grown to over 24 branches and has plans to expand to 40 by year end.

Rate Money has every angle covered. “At the Rate Money head office,” Gair says, “we ask ourselves one thing every day: ‘How can we provide the branches with better processes, better systems and better products?’ Every day our team try to better our branches and provide them with the support they need. It’s as simple as that.”

Not only has Rate Money expanded across the country, but the support team at its head office also continues to expand in order to meet the needs of the lender’s rapidly growing branch network. The team at HQ consists of both deskbound BDMs, who are always there to answer the calls of branch principals, and on-road BDMs who provide support with both product training and development.

Rate Money prides itself on its market-leading products for the self-employed, as well as its knowledge of credit and complex structures. Its dedicated national training manager, who specialises in credit, is always on hand to support the branch principals, should they require any information regarding credit policies and guidelines.

Meanwhile, Rate Money’s dedicated marketing team ensures that leads are provided to branch principals on a consistent basis. This team provides endless support for the branches, with signage, merchandise, and assistance with their local area marketing plans, allowing each branch to shine from day one. Rate Money has also embarked on a nationwide digital marketing campaign, which has already exceeded expectations in terms of lead generation and brand awareness.

Put simply, the Rate Money marketing team is there to provide branch principals with everything they need to succeed. Gair explains: “Once the branches settle a deal, our in-house post-settlement team will provide their clients with the support they require from the moment the loan settles, providing welcome calls and setting up their online banking.”