Affinity Mortgage Advisors now has smart premises in High St, replacing an office at her Dunedin home.
Mrs Spence, the company's director and authorised financial adviser, said opening an office was the biggest step she had taken but it was something she had to do.
"It runs so much smoother, it's so much more professional and efficient.''
No longer were staff members shuffled into the kitchen when a client turned up and she was now able to relax at home and not worry about working.
Brought up in Dunedin, Mrs Spence joined the banking industry after leaving school and headed to Australia when she was 18.
She ended up working for St George Bank and was managing 25 staff by the age of 25. On her return to Otago, her career in banking continued.
She had a client for whom she could not get a loan, and that was to lead to a major change.
A friend and former colleague in Australia encouraged her to set up her own mortgage advising business and she has "never looked back''.
That was 11 years ago and her children Holly (now 17) and Jack (15) grew with the business.
Working initially part-time from the kitchen table worked well when the children were young and it suited her lifestyle at that stage.
As they got older, the business continued to grow - an office was added to her home - to the point now that it was "crazy busy'', Mrs Spence, who is in her 40s, said.
Six years ago, she employed her first staff member, Nick Van Der Heyde, who initially started working part-time while he was finishing his degree, and there was now a team of four.
Mr Van Der Heyde said he had been mentored by Mrs Spence "from day dot'' as a university graduate who "thought I knew it all but really didn't'', and he was very grateful for that guidance and experience.
For someone who was passionate about Dunedin, being able to employ people and stay in the city was great, Mrs Spence said.
Now that Affinity Mortgage Advisors had proper office space, Mrs Spence was keen to continue to grow the business and promote the brand.
That included becoming involved with iD Dunedin Fashion Week this month.
Clients were her biggest advocates and she figured that if she did a really good job, then people would keep recommending her.
Instead of "chasing the dollars'', it was about looking after the clients and getting the best deal for them.
"I just want to help people get into homes and manage their money. I love it,'' she said.
It was particularly rewarding seeing people going from struggling with their finances to getting into their first home.
It was not just about getting a mortgage, but planning out what future goals and life events a client needed to plan for.
KiwiSaver was one of the reasons for the business being so busy.
Mrs Spence was noticing lots of Auckland couples coming to Dunedin, realising they could live on one income and put a 10% deposit on a $350,000 house, with the bonus of a short commute to work.
