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