Broker Jai Martinkovits has effectively utilized technology in his young business to move forward in quick time.
Only 18 months in, Jai Martinkovits of Breakthrough Brokers has combined his interests of technology and property to build a brokerage that is already looking at rapidly expanding in the near future.
Breakthrough Brokers’ CEO and credit advisor Jai Martinkovits’ vision is to create an ‘industry disruptor’, demonstrating the way technology can be used to great effect alongside broking. Martinkovits studied computing at the University of Western Sydney, with a focus on e-business and business information systems.
“I’ve always had an interest in technology and property so what I wanted to do was build up a mortgage broking business which could be an industry disruptor to innovate in that space, utilizing technology.” Martinkovits worked in the not-for-profit sector as well as politics before exploring the broking world with long term goals in mind.
“It was still important to me that I was able to maintain my involvement in the political space so I wanted something that could give me the flexibility to be able to do that. The ability to build up a trail book was particularly interesting to me,” he says, along with his interest in property and drive to empower people. “I feel that what I do day to day empowers people to be the best that they can and to acquire what they can and that obviously translates into their personal lives and enables them to do other things.”
MYOB
Martinkovits launched the NSW brokerage in January 2014, with his wife and office manager Teresa. Breakthrough Brokers specialises in residential loans but also covers vehicle finance and personal and commercial loans.
The business has used the cloud based accounting software MYOB to great effect and with his background in technology and experience running an IT management start-up at uni, Martinkovits explains how the software frees up valuable time allowing him to focus on bringing in business. “It’s fantastic - the functionality. The end purpose is the same but the journey to get there is much simpler.”
The ability to access the software from any computer connected to the internet, bypassing storage limitations and installation procedures, saves a great deal of time for the user. It is also updated automatically by the provider and the monthly access fee is more cost effective than purchasing the software and keeping up an annual subscription.
“All those things mean that we have more time to actually do what we need to do running the business, rather than worrying about compliance and data entry.” Martinkovits’ aim is to develop his business to operate independently of himself and so has focused on systemizing as much as possible.
Expanding
Martinkovits’ passion for innovation through technology shines through when he mentions that the brokerage may undergo rapid expansion in a few months as he looks to integrate with a online taxation platform.
“This opportunity that we have to integrate with a new online taxation platform is going to be a significant referral source for business for us. The great thing about it is because it’s a taxation platform, you know what people’s income and expenses are by the time you get a lead from that system, so they’re highly qualified leads and they’re people who are actively looking to get into the investment space or are already in that space.”
Martinkovits says if it goes ahead they will receive a large volume of leads nationally. “We want to expand our broker network to include a broker in each state in the first instance and then obviously building on that as the demand grows.”
When not focusing on growing the business, Martinkovits enjoys the variety in broking. “What I love is just the diversity of it - to be able to sit down with people from a diverse range of backgrounds and to have the challenge of solving a problem with no two problems being the same.
“I love being able to structure my day how I want but knowing that it all needs to get done by the end of the week and just to be able to help people to achieve their goals. I find an inherent satisfaction in that.” On what he’s learnt during his short time so far as a broker, Martinkovits has two pieces of advice for those new to the industry.
“One is that they need to very early on determine what their niche is going to be, don’t try to be everything to everyone. And the second would be to know what their strengths are and to build on their strengths rather than trying to develop on their weaknesses. Play on your strengths.”
Breakthrough Brokers’ CEO and credit advisor Jai Martinkovits’ vision is to create an ‘industry disruptor’, demonstrating the way technology can be used to great effect alongside broking. Martinkovits studied computing at the University of Western Sydney, with a focus on e-business and business information systems.
“I’ve always had an interest in technology and property so what I wanted to do was build up a mortgage broking business which could be an industry disruptor to innovate in that space, utilizing technology.” Martinkovits worked in the not-for-profit sector as well as politics before exploring the broking world with long term goals in mind.
“It was still important to me that I was able to maintain my involvement in the political space so I wanted something that could give me the flexibility to be able to do that. The ability to build up a trail book was particularly interesting to me,” he says, along with his interest in property and drive to empower people. “I feel that what I do day to day empowers people to be the best that they can and to acquire what they can and that obviously translates into their personal lives and enables them to do other things.”
MYOB
Martinkovits launched the NSW brokerage in January 2014, with his wife and office manager Teresa. Breakthrough Brokers specialises in residential loans but also covers vehicle finance and personal and commercial loans.
The business has used the cloud based accounting software MYOB to great effect and with his background in technology and experience running an IT management start-up at uni, Martinkovits explains how the software frees up valuable time allowing him to focus on bringing in business. “It’s fantastic - the functionality. The end purpose is the same but the journey to get there is much simpler.”
The ability to access the software from any computer connected to the internet, bypassing storage limitations and installation procedures, saves a great deal of time for the user. It is also updated automatically by the provider and the monthly access fee is more cost effective than purchasing the software and keeping up an annual subscription.
“All those things mean that we have more time to actually do what we need to do running the business, rather than worrying about compliance and data entry.” Martinkovits’ aim is to develop his business to operate independently of himself and so has focused on systemizing as much as possible.
Expanding
Martinkovits’ passion for innovation through technology shines through when he mentions that the brokerage may undergo rapid expansion in a few months as he looks to integrate with a online taxation platform.
“This opportunity that we have to integrate with a new online taxation platform is going to be a significant referral source for business for us. The great thing about it is because it’s a taxation platform, you know what people’s income and expenses are by the time you get a lead from that system, so they’re highly qualified leads and they’re people who are actively looking to get into the investment space or are already in that space.”
Martinkovits says if it goes ahead they will receive a large volume of leads nationally. “We want to expand our broker network to include a broker in each state in the first instance and then obviously building on that as the demand grows.”
When not focusing on growing the business, Martinkovits enjoys the variety in broking. “What I love is just the diversity of it - to be able to sit down with people from a diverse range of backgrounds and to have the challenge of solving a problem with no two problems being the same.
“I love being able to structure my day how I want but knowing that it all needs to get done by the end of the week and just to be able to help people to achieve their goals. I find an inherent satisfaction in that.” On what he’s learnt during his short time so far as a broker, Martinkovits has two pieces of advice for those new to the industry.
“One is that they need to very early on determine what their niche is going to be, don’t try to be everything to everyone. And the second would be to know what their strengths are and to build on their strengths rather than trying to develop on their weaknesses. Play on your strengths.”
