Winner of over 50 Prestigious National and State Business and Individual Awards, Marissa Schulze has an extensive background in finance, accounting, law, and property investment. She is the Managing Director of Rise High Financial Solutions, one of the leading financial services providers in Australia.
Marissa has been recognised for her dedication to helping others and her success as a leading entrepreneur, receiving the 2015 Telstra Business Women’s SA Entrepreneur Award and 2017, 2018, and 2019 Leader Awards at the Australian Women in Finance Awards and the Australian Mortgage and Finance Association Excellence Awards. Marissa was named one of the top 40 business leaders in SA under the age of 40 in 2021, and is regularly featured in multiple media publications and asked to present at state and national conferences to educate, inspire, and motivate others in her industry. She asserts, “I am incredibly proud of my business success. The achievement that I am most proud of, and the thing that inspires and drives me every day, is the difference I make in people’s lives.”
In 2021, Marissa was elected by her peers to win a seat on the Board of director of the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia and dedicates significant time to the growth, professionalism and sustainability of the Australian Mortgage and Finance Industry with a particular passion in increasing female representation and diversity across the industry. Marissa and her team also give back to the community by running free financial literacy programs to the most vulnerable members of our community.
Below are highlights of the interview:
Tell us about your journey. Share your background and what did you do before you joined Rise High Financial Solutions?
I developed my passion for business at 16 when I ran my first Young Achievement Australia (YAA) business. After being named Australian Young Achievement Business Person of the Year in 1999 and representing Australia overseas, I developed my business skills by studying a Bachelor of Commerce (double major Accounting, Corporate Finance) and Bachelor of Law (Honours) at the University of Adelaide. Whilst studying, my second business start-up won runner up in the 2001 University of Adelaide Entrepreneurs Challenge (UAEC). Because I loved working with entrepreneurs, I jumped at the opportunity to manage the University of Adelaide Entrepreneurs Program. After building this program substantially, I accepted an opportunity with the South Australian Department of Trade and Economic Development, where I received an innovation award for developing a program teaching entrepreneurship to Indigenous youth. I also worked with the Economic Development Board to increase innovation and entrepreneurship. I moved into commercial banking in 2007 before starting my business, Rise High Financial Solutions, in 2011.
Tell us more about Rise High Financial Solutions.
Rise High Financial Solutions is an Adelaide-based, family run, multiple award-winning mortgage broking business. We empower our clients to achieve their lifestyle and financial goals and dreams. We achieve this by understanding our clients’ goals and priorities and providing them with specialised advice and support in establishing and maintaining the best financial structure and products that will allow them to achieve their goals sooner. Whilst we cater for a wide range of clients and love helping our clients buy/build their dream home, access extra money to improve their lifestyle or simply save money, our specialisation and our true passion is helping our clients to build wealth and financial freedom through property investing.
Since its inception in 2011, the Rise High Financial Solutions team has grown from 1 to a team of 35 motivated and passionate individuals. We serve an extensive client base ranging from the lowest socio-economic areas, new migrants, first home-buyers, and first-time investors, through to business owners and experienced property investors. Across our multicultural team, we can speak 13 languages. Because of this, we attract and service a diverse client base from numerous cultural groups.
As an employer, we promote work-life balance and are proud to have a diverse and passionate team ranging in age, gender, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation.
Year after year, Rise High continues to be recognised as a market leader within the Mortgage and Finance Industry, having won over 50 State and National Industry awards and receiving the most prestigious national and local awards and accolades the industry has to offer, such as being recognised as the Best Mortgage and Finance Business in Australia four times at the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia Excellence Awards.
Why did you choose to become a mortgage expert?
I developed an interest in money and property investing from a young age, purchasing my first investment property when I was 18 years old. Following this, I was successful in achieving financial freedom through building a multi-million-dollar property portfolio with a six-figure passive income. During this time, I experienced first-hand the opportunities, challenges, and rewards of buying, building, renovating, subdividing, and developing.
During my time in commercial banking, I enjoyed helping businesses and large corporations to achieve their strategic goals through access to finance, but found that the values of the banks I worked for were in constant conflict with my personal values, always putting shareholders before customers.
Becoming a Mortgage Broker was an opportunity to combine my passion for helping others with my passion for property investment, and has allowed me to share my knowledge and experience with others wanting to build a better financial future for themselves and their families.
As the Managing Director, what are your major roles and responsibilities?
As Managing Director, I am responsible for all aspects of the business, including customer experience, recruiting and retention; marketing; business development, lead generation initiatives, developing best practice processes and procedures, training and mentoring my team; setting and monitoring financial targets; and growing the business and profitability. My role has substantially changed since the inception of the business, when I spent 95% of my time with clients writing loans and 5% of my time working on the business. As the business and my team grew, I found myself having to step away from servicing clients myself, and I now spend all of my time empowering my team and working on the business (including training and mentoring my team). I am 100% accountable for every decision and every outcome of the business in every area, and it is my responsibility to shape the business moving forward.
How do you motivate people to go the extra mile?
I believe my biggest strength is bringing out the best in people and helping them to reach their full potential. I can see the potential of someone before they see it. I love building confidence and strength in people and empowering them to see their potential and guide them to achieve it. My skills in identifying and understanding what drives an individual and helping them to identify their true ‘Why’, along with their own personal beliefs, goals, and priorities, allow me to install the deepest level of motivation in each individual to ensure they don’t lose sight of their end goals when challenges arise. I believe that my business and personal success to date is largely due to my passion and ability to inspire and empower others and bring the right individuals together to work as a team to achieve a united vision.
What are the major changes happen in the mortgage industry since pandemic?
There have certainly been a number of changes in the mortgage industry over the last decade, and the changes keep coming. I have learned to embrace change and opportunity it presents to improve and grow.
What advice would you give to the emerging women mortgage leaders and enthusiasts considering a career in today’s advanced world?
Follow your heart and your passions! Always believe in yourself and back yourself up!
Where do you see yourself and Rise High Financial Solutions in the upcoming years?
Our focus moving forward is on innovation. We are focused on ways to challenge ourselves to continuously improve the customer experience whilst also improving internal efficiencies so that we can continue to serve and make a positive difference in the lives of more and more Australians.
Website: www.risehigh.com.au
