Laurence Strich

Mortgage Advisor and Director

Laurence started his career in financial services back in 1995 with a large insurance company where he trained to be a financial advisor.  After a few years he took the position of independent financial advisor at Woolwich Building Society and then Barclays. In 2003 Laurence moved back to Thanet where he grew up and joined a large local independent estate agency as a mortgage advisor.  Having spent 5 years working in a very targeted environment he felt that the quality of service he could provide his clients was not to the standard he wanted.  Nor was the way the staff were treated!

“I believe in people. Look after people well and the rest will look after itself. This goes for clients, staff, in fact pretty much everyone!”

In 2008 Laurence set up Excel Mortgages and initially ran it on his own. After a few years’ things were going well enough to need an admin assistant. In 2018 Excel Mortgages welcomed its first advisor and has continued evolving ever since.

“I’m very proud to be part of the Excel team.  It’s fantastic to see how people grow and develop when you empower them and take away the pressure of targets and company politics. This then cascades down to how we treat our clients. Putting people above profit may sound idealistic but we just think it makes good long-term sense both financially and for our wellbeing.”

Kelly Smith

Mortgage Advisor

Kelly started her career in finance in 2000 working for the Halifax. She was initially a banking advisor and was quickly promoted to a mortgage reviewer dealing with existing Halifax mortgage customers.  Having obtained the required qualifications, she became a mortgage advisor with the Halifax.  She also worked for an independent mortgage advisor for a few years providing administration support.  After working for the Halifax for 18 years Kelly began to feel frustrated with how she was spending less time helping her clients and more time completing checklists.

“I am a people’s person at heart and want to help my clients.  Unfortunately, the nature of the industry has pushed banks in a direction that makes them money, but in my opinion, makes the customer experience long, tedious and restrictive.  I want to help my clients find the best mortgage but also not make it feel like someone is pulling their teeth out!

I joined Excel Mortgages in 2018 as they put the client experience at the heart of everything they do.  I have the time to provide the service my clients deserve.  Enjoying your job is so important and now I am free to treat people as individuals I can honestly say the only regret I have is that I wish I’d done it earlier!”

Hayley Field

Office Manager

Hayley joined Excel Mortgages in 2020 with 18 years of experience as a Personal Assistant. She ensures the administration of the company runs efficiently and is always on hand to assist. Hayley is an invaluable member of the team.

“One of the things I enjoy about my job, along with assisting the team, is the satisfaction of knowing that the clients have been looked after and are achieving their goals. I was a client of Excel Mortgages before I joined the team and know moving can be stressful. I can say first-hand that Excel Mortgages really are with you at every step. The best part of my job is being part of a fantastic team, truly you could not find a happier office!”

Hayley is now also a qualified mortgage advisor, having passed her final exam in November 2023. 

“I love my job as office manager and also enjoy helping people achieve their goals – and now I can do both!  Having an awesome team behind me is just brilliant and I will learn lots from these fantastic advisors!” 

Steve Taylor

Mortgage Advisor

Steve started his career in financial services in 1986 and worked for Barclays Bank for over 30 years. Steve has had several roles including Business Manager and Branch Manager, with the last 14 years spent in relationship banking looking after a portfolio of high-net-worth clients and assisting them with their financial needs including Mortgages, personal lending, savings, and investments.

“Many financial institutions are losing the personal touch with clients, I think it is very important to build a relationship with a client which happens over time. This brings trust, honesty, and integrity which are essential to helping a client with their finances. My aim is to completely support you through any queries you may have and offer you best advice and ongoing support, not only now, but in many more years to come.”