A Day in the Life of – Joel Bailey-Wilson

My role is to empower and educate clients and viewers (especially first-time buyers) about mortgage and protection products. I work closely with each client to find and arrange the most suitable mortgage and protection solutions for their needs and future goals.

What does your morning routine look like?

I generally wake up at 7:30am and will begin my day with a prayer and bible reading. After this my morning may vary; some days I will head straight to gym to get a workout before I begin work, and other days I will start work early. Although I plan my week in advance, the first thing I do before starting work is write down a fresh to-do list, starting with the first things that come to mind!

What does a typical afternoon look like?

A typical afternoon usually consists of speaking with clients, meetings with lender business managers or submitting mortgage and protection applications. I try my best to structure my diary to make sure everything on my to-do list gets actioned, however this can be somewhat impossible when incoming tasks arise that need to be actioned quickly. Nonetheless, I tend to work quite late which helps alleviate the pressure for the next day.

What do you find to be your most productive time of the day?

I am more productive in the late afternoon, as this is when I have the most time to be proactive without many incoming tasks arising. I find this is when I’m the most focused and I tend to finish a lot of my to-do list around this time.

How do you manage your time to ensure you have a good work / life / home balance?

At the moment this is a difficult one; overall, I’m not too sure whether work life balance fully exists. I believe that what’s on your plate will determine which way the scales will tip, and now I am investing a lot of time into work and my team to ensure the best results for all our clients. I do still find time to go to the gym, play sports, see friends and relax, but ultimately my time right now is more focused on building a solid foundation for Meta Mortgages.

What is your favourite part of your working day in your role?

My favourite part is definitely speaking with clients. I’m grateful that I get the opportunity to talk with people about their mortgage and property options, which the majority of the time they never even knew was possible. There is something about empowering clients and filling them with confidence that them getting a property is more achievable than they thought – to me this is an unmatched feeling.

What does a typical dinner time look like in your household?

Dinner in my house can vary, a lot of the time I will be working whilst eating!

What do you do to unwind?

To unwind mentally I will usually do something active, such as gym, football, tennis or other sports I enjoy playing. To unwind physically I will use the spa in my gym.

If you could give one piece of career advice what would it be?

Quality over quantity will always win. Try and look at every encounter as an opportunity for a transformation, as opposed to it being just a transaction.

How important has your support network been in helping you through your role?

This is probably the most important factor which keeps me going. Although I don’t have a mentor, I am still able to learn and seek advice from my family and friends, which helps me massively in life, let alone in business. Just having people that believe in me, support me and love me gives me extra determination, as what I’m building is bigger than me and hopefully all can reap the rewards.

Does your job require a degree?

Growing up I had ambitions in acting, so in school I studied drama alongside business, finance and economics (just in-case acting didn’t work!). I then fell in love with finance, so I pursued finance in my A-Levels and went on to study Business with Finance at University. Shortly after I got my CeMAP qualification which led to me where I am today. That said, you don’t need to have a degree as a foundation.