The Intermediary – July 2025 - Flipbook - Page 68
M E E T T H E B RO K E R
Meet The Broker
The Mortgage Atelier
Marvin Onumonu speaks with Sonya Matharu, mortgage
adviser and founder of The Mortgage Atelier
Tell us a little bit about
yourself – what made you
become a broker?
I didn’t originally set out to become a
broker, it sort of unfolded naturally.
I was working in a brokerage and
found myself fascinated by the work.
Every day, I was learning something
new, and I remember thinking, ‘I
could really see myself doing this’.
But what ultimately drew me
in were the clients. I’d hear them
say things like, ‘If I’d known this
earlier, I would have made different
decisions’. It stuck with me just how
much people’s financial choices
impact their lives, their futures,
and how often those decisions are
shaped by a lack of knowledge or
access to the right support.
I kept thinking, ‘This is wild, we’re
not taught any of this growing up,
and I’m only learning it because
I happen to be in this role, in this
environment’.
That’s what pushed me to become
a broker. I didn’t just want to
understand the process; I wanted
to use that knowledge to genuinely
help people make better-informed,
more confident decisions.
What is something
outside of work that
people might like to
know about you?
I’ve got quite an eclectic taste in
music! I listen to everything, from
Sinatra and Fleetwood Mac to
68
The Intermediary | July 2025
Jadakiss. I’m absolutely hopeless
with anything new, but give me
something timeless and I’m all in.
The same goes for films. I’m one
of those people who’ll rewatch
old classics over starting anything
modern. There’s just something
about the style, the pace, and that
unspoken elegance.
What would you say sets
The Mortgage Atelier
apart from other firms,
and how does it support
its clients?
The Mortgage Atelier is really
everything I felt was missing when
I first stepped into the industry. I
didn’t want to create a firm that
just did the job. I wanted to build an
experience that felt calm, personal,
and genuinely client-led. From the
way we speak to clients to how our
emails look and how onboarding
flows, everything is designed to
reduce stress and create space to
think clearly.
Our client base is incredibly
diverse, and the goal from day one
has been to create something that
feels human and welcoming, where
no one’s afraid to ask questions
or say, ‘I don’t understand’. That
might mean tailoring the way we
communicate or spending more time
up front to really understand what
matters to someone.
Something unique to how we work
is how much attention we give to
the emotional side of the process.
We don’t treat the mortgage as a
standalone task. Getting a mortgage
is a huge decision, often at a huge life
moment, and we want clients to feel
supported from the very start.
That’s why we often hear from
people who aren’t ready to buy just
yet – they want to understand what
steps to take, and they know they
want us alongside them when the
time’s right.
What are the main
opportunities in the
market for brokers?
One of the biggest opportunities
right now is connection. So much of
the process is automated now, but
I’m hearing more and more from
clients who say they don’t want
another app – they want clarity,
trust, and a real conversation.
That doesn’t mean tech isn’t
important. It should absolutely make
things easier and smoother. But it
can’t replace the human part.
People still want to feel seen,
especially when they’re making
one of the biggest decisions of their
lives. So, if you can show up, listen
properly, and guide someone with
care, you’ll always stand out.
What are the main
issues currently affecting
the sectors in which
you operate?
One of the biggest issues right now
is information overload. Clients are
more informed than ever, which is
