Broker Focus: Ashley Bradshaw, director at Lewis Bradshaw Associates – Mortgage Strategy
Describe your firm in a few sentences.
Our firm is a boutique brokerage, built by Chloe Lewis and me on 20 years of industry experience and deep-rooted personal friendship.
We are a close team alongside our adviser, Dean, and administrator, Stevie, having all been friends for years. This internal synergy defines our client approach.
We operate without a marketing strategy or formal introducers, growing solely through word-of-mouth referrals. Our typical client varies from first-time buyer to high-net-worth individual requiring a £1m-plus loan, and we offer the same high-standard service to everyone.
Our ethos is transparency and efficiency. We deliver results through open communication, treating every client with the care we would offer our family.
We can attract ‘new blood’ by highlighting the social, entrepreneurial and rewarding side of helping people move home
What led you to become a broker?
My career began with a spark of early ambition. I started as a bank cashier at 17 and by 18 I had secured my first role as a mortgage adviser.
To round out my expertise, I spent time as an underwriter. While that didn’t suit my sociable personality, it gave me an invaluable behind-the-curtain look at how lenders assess risk; a skill I still use to package cases today.
I later spent seven years at a top Southwest London estate agency, thriving in that high-paced environment and achieving record results. However, the ultimate goal was autonomy.
Chloe and I knew we could merge our experience to create something special, and going self-employed remains the best decision of my career.
The early years require immense hard work and long hours to build a foundation. However, very few careers offer this level of future autonomy
What plans do you have for the future of your firm?
The plan is to stay boutique forever. In an era of upcoming automated, transactional AI models, the value of relationship-driven advice has never been higher.
Our role extends far beyond the application. We coach clients on making offers and we manage the journey to completion. To protect this standard, we leverage technology as an ‘enabler’.
We have been paperless for years and use sophisticated online tools to streamline the administrative heavy lifting. This enables us to handle more client relationships without losing the personal touch.
The goal is to remain a tech-advanced boutique firm in London, utilising the latest tools to make the process even more efficient for our clients.
We operate without a marketing strategy or formal introducers, growing solely through word-of-mouth referrals
What single thing could lenders do to improve brokers’ lives the most?
The most critical factor remains the quality of the business development manager (BDM) relationship.
Lenders must not lose sight of how vital a responsive BDM is to the ecosystem. A great BDM is a frontline problem solver.
Some lenders may want to move away from BDM support due to costs, but that is a mistake. The key is responsiveness and technical knowledge. If an email goes unanswered for 24 hours, that case may get placed elsewhere. To truly improve our lives, lenders should empower BDMs to be decisive and accessible.
What advice do you have for a broker just starting out?
Prioritise relationship building over quick commissions. If you take a genuine interest in a client’s journey, they will become your greatest advocate.
The plan is to stay boutique forever. The value of relationship-driven advice has never been higher
I won’t sugarcoat it: the early years require immense hard work and long hours to build a foundation. However, very few careers offer this level of future autonomy.
How can the industry encourage a new intake of brokers?
We must rebrand for the next generation. Many young people dismiss brokering as a ‘boring desk job’ but we should promote the fact that it offers genuine autonomy and a results-driven lifestyle.
I often work in a T-shirt, take midday gym breaks and prioritise my wellbeing, yet my business grows. We must show prospective brokers that, while the start is a grind, the reward is a professional life with total flexibility.
If you take a genuine interest in a client’s journey, they will become your greatest advocate
We can attract ‘new blood’ by highlighting the social, entrepreneurial and rewarding side of helping people move home.
If you would like your firm to be featured in Broker Focus, please email Mortgage Strategy reporter Becky Bellamy at: becky.bellamy@emap.com
This article featured in the June 2026 edition of Mortgage Strategy.
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