For those new to Mortgage Mates, we launched our MVP last year to test the idea, seek feedback and learn from others. Since then we’ve been lucky to participate in two pre-accelerator programs, gain insight from our mentors, commence relationships with a number of third parties and pitch to investors. We have been overwhelmed with support over the last 12 months, people have loved the idea and its innovative solution to the housing crisis in Australia and have encouraged us to keep going.
This excitement and support, however, has not been without challenges as it certainly hasn’t been an easy 6 months. With one co-founder living in WA and the other in VIC it has been quite a rollercoaster through this pandemic. We have felt moments of excitement, had virtual opportunities we may never have had without COVID but have certainly felt the downs where motivation has plummeted through the long periods of isolation. Similar to all of you reading, this year has definitely not turned out how we had planned both personally and professionally – one of us was supposed to get married, we both had overseas trips scheduled, we haven’t been able to see our families all year, we had planned a number of trips to work on Mortgage Mates, we had opportunities to do face-to-face networking, pitches and accelerator programs and unfortunately none of this has been able to happen.
But amongst all this we have kept putting one step in front of the other to get Mortgage Mates off the ground. There have been some fantastic highlights including TV and radio appearances and articles in a number of media outlets including The West Australian, and these have continued to re-energise us. While challenging at times, we have kept the momentum going and have some exciting news coming up (watch this space!).
We want to acknowledge that this year has had a different impact on everyone. Many have lost all their income… others have saved more than expected; businesses have been forced to close… new ones have opened but one thing we almost all have in common is that 2020 has turned our lives upside down in one way or another. If you had told us a year ago we’d have 8pm curfews, 1 hour limits outside our home and 5km restrictions it would have been incomprehensible, yet now it is our new normal. One thing, however, that has been remarkable to watch throughout this time is our ability to adapt and think outside the box. Businesses have completely shifted their models from drinks at a bar turning into virtual wine tastings with tiny bottles delivered to your door, painting workshops done via Zoom and 3-course restaurant dinners with the restaurant’s Spotify playlist in your living room.
It has shown us that there are so many different ways of doing things – and while they may not be perfect that can bring a unique excitement and opportunity that we didn’t have before. The flexibility of working from home and many jobs for the first time being offered to candidates in regional areas shows the standard way of having to live near a capital city, working a 9 to 5pm work schedule is no longer the only way.
Don’t get us wrong, we can’t wait to be able to have beers together and for things to be “normal” again but we hope that this year has taught us a few lessons… there is more than one way to do things and while it might not have been how you imagined (buying a house with a stranger for example?) it can bring some new and exciting opportunities. We need to shake up the “norm”, the world can throw spanners that can turn everything upside down almost instantly so cease the moment, take that leap.. (all the clichés!) But if we have learned anything from Mortgage Mates and 2020, it’s that we should do something we’ve always wanted to and never got around to and not be afraid to try something new that might be outside the box…you never know what you might achieve!