What goes into forty years of any great success?
"I asked the team at Firstmac…and the truth I must confess -
From a very humble platform, rose a passionate contender
Now renowned throughout the country as a top class mortgage lender!
It’s a most amazing tale so let me sing my salutation
To the many mighty elements that sum the situation –
A stunning ride of family pride that kicked off by design
With a blue, pink, yellow rainbow in the year of ‘79!
The year Hyperno won the Cup and Sixty Minutes started
Thatcher scored and Mad Max roared and John Wayne, he departed
Something else was simmering with destiny in tow
The standard trail was going stale, a new wind had to blow!
Enter here the challenger – we climb into the ring
Fired from a Cannon like a hornet poised to sting!
In the land of primetime mortgages, a fiscal work of art
Competing with the big banks on account of being smart
And the temperature it rises, and the underdog it cheers
A well-considered loan book – less defaults and low arrears
With an innovative emphasis and quality agenda
The 80s rocked, the 90s knocked – and now a leading lender
Yes, the banking oligopoly was changing stat by stat
The banking oligopoly? No, nothing rhymes with that!
But the tide was being challenged, something ominous was humming
The hierarchy hesitated - Firstmac’s fleet was coming!
A fresh exciting option on the residential table
A flexible alternative - reliable and stable
Efficient in its strategy and focused on the prize
RMBS funded – its investment plan was wise
Which allowed the ship to steady – new millenniums to dare
There was movement on the street and revolution in the air!
The Olympic Games in Sydney pushed us higher, stronger, faster
But ‘technology’ was shaping as the discipline to master
Loans.com.au – well the doubters had their say
But the future had the final word and Firstmac came to play!
At the digi-mortgage party, they frocked up and had a bender
Carving up the dancefloor - now a leading online lender!
Never once forgetting though the path it sought to shine
When a new day dawned and dreams were born in 1979…
Income streams continued and the goal was never-ending
Leverage linked nicely into waves of auto-lending
Home loans, car loans, managed funds and term deposits too
The pieces joined up perfectly with marketing the glue
‘Reputation’ arguably the best of what was sticking
High Livez another gem that kept momentum ticking
Direct with distribution, geographically diverse
Incremental revenue would typically immerse
And surround itself with customers in good financial health
Sporting quality portfolios and ever-growing wealth…
Customers I mentioned? - now there’s twenty seven thou’
A hundred thousand home loans written – all I’ll say is WOW!
A huge twelve billion dollars in the prime loan book of love
Three hundred plus employees gives the push some extra shove!
With the Brisbane Broncos sponsorship – a football team as well
So many proud components - what an epic tale to tell!
Yes when all the heights are measured, light the stage and bang the gong!
Evaluated globally as nothing short of STRONG
A great Australian champion – the truth I must confess
This is etched in banking folklore as a tale of true success!
Eternally improving and continually refined
But forget about the spotlight – it’s the stuff that lies behind -
Forty years of working hard to raise the mortgage stakes
Forty years of sweat and tears and doing what it takes
Forty years of quality, integrity and passion
Forty years of family – that’s never out of fashion…
And the moral of the mortgage friends when all’s repaid and done
In the wake of each instalment…It’s been forty years of fun!
So fill your cup with everything an optimist can borrow
Embrace the opportunity invested in tomorrow
Remember where it started from and taste the inspiration
This victory is worthy of a decent celebration!
The moment’s here, the band is near, the future’s bright and breezy
Here’s to forty years of Firstmac – making home loan lending easy!"
Rupert McCall © 2019