The Intermediary – December 2025 - Flipbook - Page 74
Meet
eet The Broker
Step By Step Financial
ial Solutions Ltd.
Marvin Onumonu speaks with Kasia Makarewicz, mortgage and
protection adviser at Step By Step Financial Solutions Ltd.
What made you become
a broker?
I came to the UK after being awarded
a full scholarship at a London
university to complete my Master’s.
At the same time, I was helping
my terminally ill mother with her
treatment. Balancing education,
family responsibility, and the
challenges of starting a new life
abroad shaped who I am today. It
taught me resilience, adaptability,
and empathy – qualities that aligned
perfectly with financial services.
I’ve always been drawn to
problem-solving, relationshipbuilding, and helping people navigate
complex situations.
Early in my career, I worked in roles
that required analytical thinking
and the ability to translate technical
information into practical, humanfocused solutions.
72
The Intermediary | December 2025
When the opportunity arose to
move into the mortgage and financial
services sector, I realised how much I
enjoyed combining these skills with a
truly client-first approach.
Becoming a broker allowed
me to make a tangible impact in
people’s lives. A mortgage is often
the biggest financial decision
an individual or family will ever
make. Being able to guide them
through that journey – whether
first-time buyers, experienced
investors, or homeowners
restructuring their finances – felt
incredibly meaningful.
What might people like
to know about you?
Outside of work, I’m extremely
community-driven. I currently serve
as the Chair of the Parents & Friends
Association at my daughter’s school,
and right now we are deep into
preparations for what I’m confident
will be our best Winter Fayre yet.
It’s a huge project involving
parents, teachers, local businesses,
and students, and being part of it
brings me a lot of joy.
These initiatives keep me
grounded and remind me why
financial stability matters – they
connect me back to the families and
communities we ultimately serve
as brokers.
What sets SBS apart?
Step By Step stands out for three
core reasons: expertise, service,
and integrity. First, our team is
highly experienced and deeply
specialised. We’ve built a structure
where advisers focus on specific
areas – high-net-worth, complex
income, buy-to-let (BTL), limited
companies/special purpose vehicles
