Steven Lim was recently recognised as the Highest Revenue Contributor for February 2025 by BNI Sierra.
My name is Steven Lim, and I am the CEO and founder of Finhub Holdings Sdn Bhd. We are the first financial platform in Malaysia to implement Fintech across all our company processes, enhancing service quality in the mortgage loan industry. As a licensed appointed agency for various financial institutions, we provide services such as loan applications, insurance products, estate planning, and financial consultancy.
Additionally, we have been recognized by The Malaysian Book of Records as the First Certified Mortgage Advisory Course Developer in Malaysia. This distinguishes us from ordinary competitors in the market by setting a new benchmark in professionalism.
How I Got Involved in the Industry
I was a former bank manager with 12 years of experience, leading sales teams to market various banking products. Before that, I was an entrepreneur in computer trading, IT solutions, T-shirt printing, telecommunications, and more.
The reason I decided to reset my career and join the banking industry was simple—I realized my biggest limitation was my network. In the financial industry, everyone can be a potential client, making it an ideal environment to rapidly expand my connections.
Why I Started This Business
1) Product Flexibility & Neutrality
As a bank employee, I was required to sell specific products, even when they weren’t the most competitive or beneficial to clients. Performance evaluations and commissions were tied to meeting sales targets, often forcing employees to prioritize sales over client interests.
At Finhub, we offer the same range of financial products as banks, but with a crucial difference—I personally evaluate and select financial institutions that offer flexible, client-friendly products. Our team remains neutral in their recommendations, ensuring the best possible solutions for each client.
2) Talent Retention & Team Building
After years of working in financial sales, I found myself exhausted from personal sales efforts. I transitioned to a managerial role, aiming for a leadership position with overriding income. However, I soon realized that the existing banking team-building model was flawed—there was no effective way to retain talented staff. Despite investing time and energy in mentoring employees, many eventually left, sometimes even becoming competitors.
A common practice in banks is for managers to discourage their team members from aspiring to leadership positions. This is not due to the hardship of management but rather a fear of losing team members.
To address this, I created a Financial Ecosystem team-building system at Finhub. Our system empowers leaders to retain talent through automation and fintech integration. Unlike traditional banks, where managers hesitate to nurture new leaders, Finhub managers actively groom their team members into future leaders, driven by our lifetime overriding benefits system.
3) The Changing Landscape of Mortgage Sales
A decade ago, real estate agents and developers primarily referred clients to bank-employed loan officers. Today, the landscape has shifted—70% of Malaysia’s mortgage business is now handled by third-party mortgage agencies like ours.
Given this shift, I had two options: collaborate with an existing mortgage loan agency or establish my own. I chose the latter and founded Finhub.
What Differentiates Us from Competitors
We spent two years developing the first Fintech system in Malaysia’s mortgage industry, revolutionizing how mortgage applications are processed. Key features include:
- Instant AI-powered loan recommendations, eliminating human errors in analysis.
- Automated process flows, streamlining all department operations.
- Comprehensive data-keeping, ensuring transparency in loan processing.
- Performance monitoring systems for staff and business associates.
- Real-time access for relevant parties to track loan application statuses.
- Sales support systems to enhance presentations and improve conversion rates.
- Regular updates on banking criteria and guidelines from our Finhub Loan Committee.
Value We Provide
1) Customers
- Neutral third-party recommendations to ensure the best financial solutions.
- Wide product variety from multiple financial institutions for comparison.
- Professional relationship managers providing guidance before, during, and after the sales process.
2) Real Estate Agents & Developers
- Higher loan approval rates through precise bank matching.
- Strict quality control on partnering banks and bankers.
- Professional consultants to guide clients through loan application challenges.
- More time for sales activities while Finhub handles loan approvals.
3) Finhub Sales Team
- Collaboration with 2,000+ real estate agents, providing a steady client flow.
- Immediate sales opportunities for new joiners.
- Entrepreneurial career growth with zero capital investment.
- Unique Fintech system to maximize productivity and efficiency.
Industry Insights
The mortgage industry in Malaysia is increasingly dominated by third-party mortgage agencies. This trend will continue, and “Mortgage Specialist” will eventually become an official occupation rather than just a title.
Challenges & Opportunities
The biggest challenge in our industry is trustworthiness. The profitability of mortgage businesses has attracted many new players, but not all operate with strong ethical standards. Over time, outsourced mortgage agents have gained a reputation for being sales-driven rather than professional advisors.
This is precisely why I established Finhub—to redefine the industry’s image by implementing strict policies, ethical sales strategies, and high-quality services. In Klang Valley, I am the only mortgage agency founder with 12 years of banking experience with one of Malaysia’s largest banks. I leverage this expertise to design Finhub’s systems, ensuring we deliver superior service compared to traditional bank-employed loan officers.
Who We Want to Connect With
I am looking to engage with:
- Real estate company founders, management teams, and sales leaders to introduce them to the Fintech revolution in mortgage applications.
- Individuals interested in building a mortgage business empire through our platform.
If you share our vision for transforming the mortgage industry, let’s connect and explore opportunities together.
Steven Lim was recently recognized as the Highest Revenue Contributor for February 2025 by the chapter. Congratulations Steven and keep up the good work!
Visit https://finhubholdings.com/
At Finhub Holdings Sdn. Bhd., we pride ourselves on being the FIRST Fintech system in Malaysia for loan approval analysis. Our system has been designed by a group of outstanding senior bankers with more than 10 years of experience, and it combines all the bank’s approval guidelines, loan packages, and credit scoring in Malaysia.