York-based commercial finance network, Synergy Commercial Finance, is approaching its 10th anniversary, which it will celebrate in its hometown of York on 26th of June 2025. In the lead-up to the celebrations, we interviewed Managing Director, Piotr Twaits, for his reflections on the journey so far.
Q: Piotr, give us a flavour of the Synergy business today.
A: Well, we are part of AFS Group, and last year we moved to new offices in York. We have over 250 funders on our panel and more than 80 brokers in our network. Over the past 10 years, we have won multiple awards and all from a standing start back in 2015. Many of our brokers have been with us since the beginning. Alongside our dedicated team of 9, we also have access to the wider AFS Group, and, of course, we have our very own superstar—Stanley the Sausage Dog!
Q: Ten years of successful trading is no small achievement. How do you think Synergy has reached this point?
A: It’s hard to pinpoint a single factor. The vision of our founders—Nick Simpson, Mike Geddes, and Justin Ford—has been key. However, without the incredible effort made daily by our staff, funders, brokers, and suppliers, I wouldn’t have been able to bring their vision to life. We are well-known and supported across the commercial finance industry, which has been a great help to me.
As a business, we are large enough to benefit from scale, yet still small enough to remain agile. This size fosters a culture where it feels like we’re all in it together, and that’s a great place to be.
Q: Talking of challenges, what have been some of the most difficult moments over the last ten years?
A: Personally, or professionally? Professionally, we’ve navigated a recession, a pandemic, and multiple regulatory changes. Life is unpredictable at times, but at each turn, we have regrouped and asked, What can we control? What can we do? Being part of the wider AFS Group has provided fantastic resources, not least the extensive AFS Compliance team led by Mike Geddes. Their horizon-scanning helps prepare us and our network members for change, so we’re usually ahead of regulations rather than playing catch-up.
Q: It’s great to understand the role of the wider group, but what one key quality do you think has got you this far?
A: Many might expect me to say Northern grit! I’d say resilience and resourcefulness have played a part, but actually, I think a sense of humour has been key. At the end of the day, we’re all people working with other people. We all have lives and families, and having a little fun along the way makes work better for everyone.
Q: After all this time, what motivates you in your role?
A: Two things—people and results. Whether it’s a new broker taking the leap to set out on their own, or an existing brokerage looking to grow, there’s always a why behind their decision. It could be for better work-life balance, to have something they can shape, or to ensure that SMEs get the financial resources they need to grow. Watching these individuals reach their goals is incredibly rewarding for all of us at Synergy. When we catch up and discuss their progress, it might sound soppy, but we’re genuinely delighted to see them flourish.
Q: What’s next for Synergy Commercial Finance?
A: There’s a lot in the pipeline to move the business forward. We’re continuing to innovate and enhance our Broker in a Box offering to provide even greater value for money to our network. Last year, we added marketing services through our in-house marketing team, and we partnered with the Finance Education Centre to offer ongoing learning and development.
We’ve also invested heavily in IT and systems to reduce the admin burden on brokers, so they can focus on what they love—helping clients secure the finance they need. And of course, we have Meet the Funder just around the corner in June, where we’ll take a minute to celebrate our achievements to date.
Piotr, thank you for your time. We hope that you, the Synergy team, and all your funders and brokers have a fantastic time at the event.
If you are a commercial broker with three or more years of experience and want to be part of a multi-award-winning network, you can contact Piotr.twaits@synegy.finance
