AFS Group – the first broker in the market to operate a franchise offering
Remember what were you doing in 2005?
Setting up your company perhaps?
Building an established business?
Working for a competitor even?
In 2012 we were poring over the new Financial Conduct Authority’s rulebook, appointing a Compliance Officer and carefully preparing for the FCA’s new and far stricter interpretation of credit regulation.
We’d already run a successful franchise model since 2005 but here was the opportunity to do it even better.
A full two years before the FCA’s 2014 takeover we were laying the groundwork that would make us the most informed, the most capable and the most compliant Principal in the market.
Work that would define us as THE leading Principal for FCA compliance since the day we obtained Principal Status in January 2015.
Why?
Because the time, trouble and expense we invest in FCA compliance is time, trouble and expense you save trying to achieve Direct Authorisation.
The reason for our meteoric success?
Maybe it’s because we’ve been operating our franchise model since 2005. Time spent building the largest panel of lenders and the most robust compliance model in the industry.
Or there’s the sheer range of funding available; cash flow, property finance, trade finance, re- finance, asset finance, business development and invoice finance, bridging finance and business loans.
It could be because we offer the most competitive terms and the quickest turnarounds.
In truth though there’s no single reason – it’s a combination. A unique and powerful blend of product and support that many copy, a few compete with but none can compare to. An absolute commitment to helping our clients and our franchisees be as successful (and compliant) as possible.
Timeline
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2005 As a broker we had 50 clients and placed £10M of finance sourced.
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2005 First franchisee.
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2007 First AFS Annual Conference in Dublin.
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2008 Financial crash – as funders pulled out of the marketplace and brokers struggled to find lending we grew quickly. Not just because we already had a large panel of lenders to turn to but because many brokers gravitated towards our franchise model.
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2012 Industry’s largest funder ING left the market and with it an ING sized hole. That some brokers would have used them almost exclusively again saw many joining us as franchisees. Dedicated Compliance Officer appointed, a full two years before FCS regulation came into force.
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2013 £100M finance sourced milestone.
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2014 New FCA regulation came into force, First Meet the Funders Expo.
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2015 Principal status achieved and AFS Compliance setup. £200M finance sourced landmark. AFS/Synergy/AFS Compliance grouped under AFS banner.
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2016 £350/£400M finance sourced.
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2017 100 franchisees. Aldermore take up a 48% stakeholder partnership with AFS Group.
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2023 Highly commended - Business Moneyfacts Awards - Asset Finance Broker of the Year