Graduate Program Produces Future Finance Star

MoneyQuest Wollongong’s graduate employee, James Andraos, is this week being promoted to the position of
mortgage broker, after successfully partaking in MoneyQuest’s Mortgage Broking Graduate Program.

Mr. Andraos joined the MoneyQuest Wollongong franchise in January 2023 as part of Money Quest Group’s
graduate program – a structured professional development pathway designed to fast track the careers of
tertiary graduates aspiring to become mortgage brokers.

The innovative program offers graduates industry-specific training, on-the-job experience, professional
development opportunities, networking channels, and mentorship. After just 18 months in the program,
working as a credit analyst and loan processor for MoneyQuest Wollongong, Mr. Andraos is set to become a
fully-fledged mortgage broker at the age of 23.

Speaking of Mr. Andraos’ rapid development, MoneyQuest Wollongong franchise owner Dino Di Donato said,
“For the first few months, I didn’t know if James was going to survive! But he is a fast learner and incredibly
motivated, so once things started to click, there was no stopping him.”

“Our business manages a high volume of loans, so James has been exposed to a wide range of deals already.
His knowledge of policy has gone through the roof, which has helped with his confidence and given him even
more motivation to succeed.

“James brings energy, enthusiasm and ambition to the workplace, which keeps us all on our toes. We’re
extremely proud of how far he has come in such a short period of time,” added Mr. Di Donato.

Money Quest Group’s managing director, Michael Russell, was also delighted by Mr. Andraos’ promotion.

“Our graduate program was designed to nurture budding talent and transform tertiary graduates into quality
mortgage brokers,” Mr. Russell said.

“James has grasped this opportunity with both hands, he has embraced working in a fast-paced, real-life
business environment and has maximised the access he’s had to one of best mentors in the industry, in Dino
Di Donato.

“James’ success is testament to his strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit, and he is a shining example of
what can be achieved through this accelerated pathway.

“This isn’t just a great result for James, Dino and the Money Quest Group, but it’s a massive win for the
broking industry, and the home loan customers who are set to benefit from James’ expertise,” Mr. Russell
added.

“We (Money Quest Group) pride ourselves on transforming mortgage brokers into owners of successful and
sustainable businesses, so it wouldn’t surprise me if James is running his own MoneyQuest franchise in the
not-too-distant future,” Mr. Russell said.

Mr. Andraos shared that business ownership is indeed in his sights.

“I’ve always wanted to build something from scratch and run my own show. I was drawn to the graduate
program because I knew it would speed up the process, and give me the chance to learn from Dino, one of the
most highly regarded brokers in our industry,” Mr. Andraos said.

“The past 18 months have been life-changing, and Dino has been an incredible mentor. He has moulded me
into a mini version of himself – someone who knows how to hustle, someone who knows how to identify lead
opportunities and referral partnerships, and someone who is always on, 24/7.”

Mr. Andraos reflected on what he has learnt so far, noting that forming strong relationships is key.

“I watch Dino with clients all the time and I’ve learnt that it’s all about relationships and building trust. Once
you have a client’s trust, your job becomes 50 times easier.

“I look forward to building something special with Dino one day, something big,” Mr. Andraos said.

Mr. Andraos has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Wollongong, having majored in finance and
marketing. He has also completed a Certificate IV in Finance & Mortgage Broking and a Diploma of Finance &
Mortgage Broking Management.

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