CLS Money is an FCA related mortgage broker founded by me, Clayton Shipton. We give advice on home buying and remortgaging and are highly thought of in the industry.
How did you come up with the idea for the company?
I am a salesman and I enjoy working with money. After drifting from job to job in my twenties I was given the opportunity to join a mortgage brokerage. I really enjoyed it from the start. I felt I had a real talent for it and quickly started writing a lot of business. I have always had the desire to own my own business and once I have an idea I run with it, which is what I did. I started CLS Money at my kitchen table in 2011. It was a baptism of fire as I didn’t have any clients and for the first year I found myself dealing with wills and life insurance rather than mortgages.
However, that all changed quite quickly and I started getting mortgage leads which grew and grew. 2 years later I decided to expand. I had too much work for one person. I got my first member of staff and a seat in a local estate agents. Within months, having one member of staff meant I had doubled my monthly income. I knew that in order to grow the business I would need to keep expanding. In 2015 I rented my first office but within months even that became too small as business grew rapidly.
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How did the company evolve during the pandemic?
During the pandemic we struggled just like every other business globally. However, I took the time to reassess my business. Two years prior to the pandemic and about 5 years into my business I started working with business coach Peter Boolkah.
He helped me to expand onto the high street with my first shopfront in 2018. I decided to work with a business coach because I needed to make some big decisions which affected the company’s future. Back in my corporate days there was always someone to talk to when it came to decision making. As the founder of my own company there was no one.
Peter doesn’t tell me what decisions to make but he does listen and guide me. Working with a business coach is a bit like having a personal trainer. Your goals are more clearly defined and you reach them faster. So during the pandemic we worked on an expansion plan. At the start of the pandemic I had 20 people working for me, I now have a 40 plus strong workforce and am on target to turnover 4 million pounds this year. I love leading a team and seeing my staff grow as people and within the business.
What does the future hold for CLS Money?
We are in the process of having an office built for us because we can’t find premises suitable and big enough to rent. CLS Money will continue to expand. I want to double our turnover each year and with the right staff and the support of Peter I know I can take CLS Money all the way.
