Fair Debt: Recent Episodes
Lex Patterson
Providing easy to understand concise information on the most impactful challenges facing the debt collection ecosystem. By giving a voice to the important role it plays in our economy, and the impact it has in people’s lives, we’re reframing the narrative around debt collection with real stories of people, dealing with complex financial problems and the power authentic emotional connection plays in the process. In each episode, we delve deep into all things debt collection with some of the brightest and most forward-thinking, paradigm-busting minds in the business. Intimate, deep, and often intense, these are not interviews. They are conversations. Connections from various perspectives designed to provoke, educate, inspire and empower you to discover, uncover, unlock and unleash new possibilities.
What you'll learn about in this episode:
What does coffee and accounts receivable management have in common? Much more than meets the eye. Both are generally locally connected. Both can be easily commotized,and both at their core have to do with human interaction. In this episode we’re talking about these topics, and how a local coffee shop has built a brand and a business by leading with the heart and putting people before profit. Grab a cup of coffee and settle in for some interesting perspective on Brand building…
GuestsBeth Furton, Amanda Turner, Ashlee Hyden
Key Takeaways
How first impressions and active listening lighten someone’s day with a simple connection
How a deep understanding of who you are as a brand can decommotize your business
How to hire and build a team that lives your mission
How to build a loyal “Community” of promoters
The important role networking and "showing up" plays in growth and success
https://dailyrisecoffee.com/
https://www.weber.edu/downtown
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashlee-hyden-06624a8/
What you'll learn about in this episode:
According to many experts a majority of financial service organizations are now focused on growth and innovation data initiatives, compared with a few years ago when organizations focused more on defensive initiatives including regulatory, compliance goals. In this episode we will discuss the key foundational components of becoming a data first culture, and the lessons the software development lifecycle can teach you about the culture, cohesion and psychological safety needed to ignite innovation.
Key Takeaways
Keys to creating a "Data-First" Culture
**The benefits of aligning company vision and technology strategy
The role team diversity plays in innovation**
What the software development lifecycle can teach us about improving culture, recruiting and retaining talent
Areas AI and ML are making an impact in ARM companies
Finding cross domain sweet spots and patterns
Guest: Kristyn Lefler Sr. Director of Digital Strategies for Resurgent Capital Services
Kristyn Leffler is responsible for driving revenue performance through digital channels while also elevating the overall user experience for Resurgent’s customers. Her teams are responsible for all digital campaign operations from strategic and algorithmic customer segmentation to content design and delivery and finally execution and oversight. Previous responsibilities since joining Resurgent in 2012 include managing a team of portfolio and strategy analysts, overseeing the inventory integration of large 3rd party acquisitions, and defining non-performing judgment strategies. She holds an MS in Applied Economics and Experimental Statistics from Clemson University and a BS in Business Administration from Duquesne University.
When she’s not working, parenting, or hosting a weekly pizza night for friends and neighbors, Kristyn enjoys reading (almost anything) and listening to podcasts on long morning walks.
Resources:
Website: https://www.resurgent.com/
LinkedIn Personal:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristynbradyleffler/
Email: kristyn.leffler@gmail.com
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/resurgent-capital-services/
HBR Why becoming a data driven organization is so hard
The 4 most common mistakes plaguing data science and AI for Debt Collection
Interactions ARM trends survey
Three lessons from the software development lifecycle to improve recruitment and retention
Matt Mullenweg Podcast The Future of Work
What you'll learn about in this episode:
Tradeshows and conventions, an important networking, educational and marketing element in any industry were impacted by the pandemic. As things open up, and attendance improves to pre-pandemic levels, attendees find themselves in a position to be more intentional about why they attend, and more strategic in their approach.
As the ACA convention is a week away we'll pick the brains of some of this year's attendees, road warriors, and veterans of the trade show game to ask them for tips and tricks, and how they make the most of the trade show experience.
Key Takeaways
Things you don't want to miss this year
**The benefits of attending this event
Tips or tricks help maximize your experience**
Guests:
Reid Miller DAKCS Software
Website: https://www.dakcs.com/
Email: Kmiller@dakcs.com
LinkedIn: Company https://www.linkedin.com/company/dakcs-software-systems-inc./
LinkedIn: Personal https://www.linkedin.com/in/reid-miller-25a52061/
Harry Strausser III Applied Innovation
Website: https://www.appliedinnovationinc.com/
Email: hstrausser@appliedinnovationinc.com
LinkedIn: Company https://www.linkedin.com/company/applied-innovation-inc-/
LinkedIn: Personal https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-strausser-iii-7413106/
Tim Collins InDebted
Website: https://www.indebted.co/en-US
Email:tmc26d@gmail.com
LinkedIn: Company https://www.linkedin.com/company/indebted/
LinkedIn: Personal https://www.linkedin.com/in/collins12/
Ashley Campanella Arbeit Software
Website: https://www.arbeitsoftware.com/
Email: ashley@arbeitsoftware.com
LinkedIn: Company https://www.linkedin.com/company/arbeit-software/
LinkedIn: Personal https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-campanella-240a53132/
Additional Resources:
ACA Convention & Expo Info
Downtime replenishes the brain's stores of attention and motivation, encourages productivity and creativity, and is essential to both achieve our highest levels of performance and simply form stable memories in everyday life. Yet, as leaders we often have the misperception of taking time away from work as negative. In this episode we're going to explore the benefits of taking a periodic pause to recharge ,
What you'll learn about in this episode
How to plan one, and ideas to maximize effectiveness
**The benefits of a retreat and the importance of priority and structuring time around the goal of resetting your mindset.
The importance of a culture of trust both in the organization and in the recipe for a recharge retreat**
The benefits of health, mental health and mindset.
Guest: Don Worthington PRMI
The mission for our team is ..... create such an amazing experience for our customers they'd interrupt a stranger to recommend us. I believe the customer experience is they key to a lasting business model.
I find fulfilment in creating wealth for those that work with me, as we solve problems created by an archaic and confused Real Estate and Mortgage world. As a result I work with some amazing people who I love dearly.
I'm a wiz at all things Solar / Renewable energy, Real Estate, and Mortgage. Where those circles intersect is where I thrive.
My mission is to change the way people buy homes. There's a smarter way to do it than most realize. We can reduce the cost of homeownership, turn any home into a smart efficient home, and add cleaner renewable energy.
I'm a Business Made Simple Certified Coach.
I love what I do.
More important than work, I'm a husband to my beautiful wife and a dad to our 4 daughters. We have a lot of fun and always enjoy an adventure together. When it is time to relax you'll find my family and I outside, enjoying, Fly Fishing, Mountain Biking, Skiing, and golf.
Resources:
Website: https://www.prmihome.com
LinkedIn Personal:https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-worthington-12992a5/
Email: dworthington@primeres.com
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primary-residential-mortgage/
Additional Resources
Big Rocks Stephen Covey
Hybrid and remote work options offer employees greater flexibility, open up opportunities for companies to hire from a larger talent pool and reduce office space costs. But these options don’t come without challenges. In this episode we’re going to talk about the good, the bad and the ugly of Remote and hybrid work options and explore why more companies in the ARM space have been slow to adapt to this growing trend .
What you'll learn about in this episode
**The benefits of remote and or hybrid models
How are creditors handling remote/hybrid**
The challenges specific to ARM companies and ideas to solve them
**We'll review results of a recent ARM poll and look at trends, adoption rate etc.
We explore health, mental health and mindset.**
Guests: Ashley Campanella of Arbeit software and Jeremy Ruth of Arvest Bank.
Resources
https://www.arbeitsoftware.com/what-your-employees-want-you-to-know-about-remote-work/
https://www.arbeitsoftware.com/improve-communication-collaboration-remote-team/
Games / Apps to use:
- An example of Arbeit's Wellness Challenge they do every month is included on the episode show notes page kindredforce.com
- For Slack users, the Donut App allows employees to have quick 15/30 minute meetings once a month to just get to know each other more: https://www.donut.com/ (free with available upgrade)
- Assembly: https://www.joinassembly.com/ is used for rewarding employees, they can be given points and they can save them for whatever rewards the Owner / Managers create. (Free up to 10 users, anything above may be $2-$4 a month)
- Games: Scribbl (https://skribbl.io/), Scattergories (https://stopots.com/en/), Arbeit also put together their own trivia for game days (examples: 'Whose pet is this?,' 'Whose handwriting is this?,' 'Random facts') and the employees will send whoever is running these a picture if need be to be guessed by everyone else. Whoever wins 1st, 2nd, 3rd place gets assembly points! (all free to play!)
Additional Resources
Adam Grant Tweet
Stats on Remote Workers
What you'll learn about in this episode:
Research indicates that the majority of employees in accounts receivable are female and more likely to be people of color than their peers in other industries. Likewise, many of the consumers contacted by accounts receivable representatives are women and minorities. Additionally, recruitment is a huge issue in the ARM space (indeed, in all industries) today, and yet a large talent pool is underutilized. Having diverse voices at the table brings better insight into both employees and consumers. With an audience in the thousands, our guest Stephanie Eidelman Meisel's mission is to use her platform to get more women - especially women of color - to these decision-making tables.
Takeaways include
How a focus on diversity and inclusion broadens insight and improves business results
Identifying and building core values
The role perspective plays in changing our legacy mindset
Guest: Stephanie Eidelman (Meisel)
Stephanie is owner and CEO of The iA Institute, a certified woman-owned media business in the consumer finance space. Their latest initiative is called Women in Consumer Finance, a one-of-a-kind conference and community that helps women lead inspired careers, creating value for themselves and for their employers. They place a particular focus on what's needed to get more women - particularly women of color - to the decision-making tables where products are designed and policy is set. They build confidence, they ensure everyone leaves with meaningful new connections, and they provide inspiring career examples to which all can relate.
Resources:
- Websites:
- theiainstitute.com
- Women in Consumer Finance
Company LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-consumer-finance/
LinkedIn Personal: linkedin.com/in/stephanieeidelman
Twitter: seidelman
Additional Resources:
Collector Job stats: https://www.zippia.com/debt-collector-jobs/demographics/
Lift
Netflix Maid
For the Good
Vital Voices
What you'll learn about in this episode
Over the past 2 years the employment picture has morphed into something new, and the ARM market is facing some challenges in finding qualified candidates to fill jobs leading to
a marked increase in the number of first-time outsourcers looking to offshore their customer-service, back-office and technical support functions. Many first time outsourcers have specialized needs, for instance screening of medical records, insurance claims processing, research and surveys etc. In this episode we’ll explore the evolution of this rising niche in our industry, why it will continue to be a viable option, and how you can develop an outsourcing strategy that helps your business grow with Clinton Cohen of IContact BPO .
Customer experience or CX is a process of combining technology and people to enhance a brand's reach and data driven touch points, and improve the customer experience by meeting customers at any stage in the customer journey. This episode will provide insight into CX from a business process outsourcing point of view, and highlight South Africa's IContact BPO as a viable offshore option.
Topics include:
Why Outsourcing makes sense, especially now
What sets South Africa apart from other options
How BPO is a growing solution to the employment problems of the great resignation
Key points to consider when developing an outsourcing strategy
Guest: Clinton Cohen
Clinton is the chief executive officer of IContact BPO in Johannesburg, South Africa and is an experienced c-suite executive with a demonstrated history of leading in the outsourcing/offshoring industry from South Africa, specializing in customer experience.
Resources:
Website: http://www.icontactbpo.com/
Email: clintonc@icontactbpo.com
LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clinton-cohen-ba181095/
LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/icontact-bpo/
Additional Resources:
https://lnkd.in/e--hGayQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3OSI1ykVV8
https://lnkd.in/ejmY4TvE
https://lnkd.in/e4HuN379
https://www.icontactbpo.com/icontact-bpo-partners-with-impact-sourcing-institute-to-provide-on-the-job-training-and-work-experience-for-disadvantaged-youth/
https://www.icontactbpo.com/south-africa-ranked-as-top-global-business-services-destination/
https://ryanadvisory.com/india-south-africa-tie-for-2022s-most-favored-cx-offshore-delivery-points/
We’re driving down the highway of been there, done that and we just passed a sign that says warning construction ahead.
Fortune favors the brave, but overcoming fear, and taking risks that will reinvent the future, begins with a different way of thinking.
In this episode we’re going to explore some of the challenges and opportunities the past few years have brought about from various perspectives, and explore possible disruptive solutions, and an important shift in mindset for ARM companies of the future, with industry veteran and thought leader Rozanne Anderson of Finvi formerly Ontario Systems.
Takeaways include
The brand conflict of empathy and the 3rd party debt collector
The shifting role of the debt collector of the future
Remaining challenges with Reg F and possible next steps
Overcoming the consent obstacle
Changing our legacy mindset
Guest:s: Rozanne Andersen
Rozanne Andersen serves as Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer at Finvi, a widely recognized leading software provider to the collections, healthcare, debt buyer and Federal, state, and local government markets. She leads the organization’s regulatory compliance efforts to ensure compliance solutions are embedded in its software, contact management, payment processing, and cloud solutions.
A licensed attorney and a 30+ year veteran and advocate of the banking, credit, and collection industry, Andersen previously served as former general counsel, director of government affairs, and CEO of ACA International. During her career, she has driven critical amendments to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Health Insurance Portability Act, and numerous statewide consumer protection laws, and has also served as an expert witness for the Federal Trade Commission and private parties.
Andersen earned her J.D. from the William Mitchell College of Law and holds Chief Compliance Officer certifications from both ACA International and RMAI International. In 2020, Andersen received an international Compliance Officer of the Year award from Women in Compliance.
The 10th edition of Kaulkin Report was just released. This report has been an integral component of developing a deeper understanding of trends in the accounts receivable management industry. In this episode we’ll unpack the report Connect the Dots of opportunity in the ever changing economy and dive into the importance of data in strategic growth planning and much more.
Guests
Mike Ginsberg is president and CEO of Kaulkin Ginsberg, providing M&A and strategic advisory expertise to the accounts receivable management industry for since 1991. Mike is also co-founder of Topline Valuation Group, providing ARM owners and executives with much-needed technical, financial, benchmarking, and operational services designed to improve decisions at the corporate and operational levels.
John Hannan a driven, committed researcher particularly interested in analyzing data, for the accounts receivable management industry. John is an integral part of the Kaulkin Ginsberg team.
Since 1991, Kaulkin Ginsberg Company has been dedicated to advising owners and executives of outsourced business services (OBS) companies on how best to achieve their growth and exit objectives. Their client-centric approach covers almost every stage of a company’s lifecycle and enables them to maintain longstanding relationships as trusted advisors. Kaulkin Ginsberg offers an array of services to ensure that its clients’ needs are met, such as strategic consulting, transaction advisory and valuation services.
What you'll learn about in this episode
ARM market shifts to keep an eye on
Economic indicators and variables that impact the debt economy
The changing landscape of variable and fixed costs that will impact ARM profitability
Insight into debt segments including healthcare, financial services, credit unions, telecom, and cable.
Tips for using data to better know and understand your clients, and help see opportunities.
Additional Resources:
The Kaulkin Report
**What you’ll learn about in this episode
When was the last time you pulled out your phone and searched for your company online? And as you did that, when was the last time you placed yourself in the mind of the consumer? What did you see?
In this episode we’re unpacking the importance of clarifying your message and who you're speaking to. We're diving into creative ways to tell your story, and understanding why reputation and brand management is so important in the ARM space with Adam Parks , a recognized entrepreneur, CMO of Plaza Services, the founder and CEO of BrandingArc, a premier industry marketing firm. He also currently serves as President on the RMAI Board of Directors.
Key takeaways include:**
- How to tell your story and build thought leadership
- Keeping the consumer at the center
- The importance of a photo from a branding perspective
- Search engine traffic insight especially over the past 2 years
- The importance of ADA compliance
- How you can win the SEO battleground
- Ideas for Social to handle risk and improve engagement
- A call to get out there and engage
Guest: Adam Parks
Adam Parks is an entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience in the receivables
management industry. His diverse industry background includes portfolio purchasing, debt
sales as well as compliance, and the development of systems to manage the servicing of account
Portfolios. Adam has held various marketing and operations positions within the ARM industry including leadership positions with brokerages which have given him a broad set of experiences and deep relationships across the industry. He currently serves as President with the Receivables Management Association International (RMAI).
- Chief Marketing Officer at Plaza Services - plazaservicesllc.com
- Chief Executive Officer at Branding Arc - brandingarc.com
- Founder at Receivables Info - receivablesinfo.com
- President at Receivables Management Association International - rmaintl.org
Resources:
Websites: brandingarc.com
adamparks.com
receivablesinfo.com
Companyhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/brandingarc/
Twitter:
What you'll learn about in this episode
In this episode we're connecting with a digital marketing veteran and trail blazer to help us understand how companies in Niche B2B industries can get the best value for their advertising dollars.
Topics include:
Tips on defining your audience
Narrowing Focus to improve results
A tip for B2B medical marketing
Areas you're wasting your money in
How to get started in Linked Ads
Guest: AJ Wilcox
AJ Wilcox is a LinkedIn Ads pro who founded B2Linked.com**, a LinkedIn Ads-specific ad agency, in 2014. He's an official LinkedIn partner, host of the LinkedIn Ads Show podcast, and has managed among the world’s largest LinkedIn Ads accounts worldwide. He's a ginger & triathlete. He lives in Utah, has 4 adorable kids, and his company car is a wicked-fast gokart.
About B2Linked
F**ounded in 2014 by veteran digital marketer, AJ Wilcox. The B2Linked team manages the largest and most sophisticated accounts worldwide. They're Certified LinkedIn Marketing Partners, a designation they're extremely proud to bear.
To date, they've managed hundreds of LinkedIn Ads accounts, spent a cumulative $135M+ on the platform, and have managed 5 of LinkedIn's top 10-spending accounts.
For accounts spending over $100k/mo, they double your leads at the same budget, in the first 2 months, on average.
🔬 They're scientists that understand the very DNA of LinkedIn Advertising, and they're always testing and learning 🧬
They're mission is to bring truly sophisticated LinkedIn marketing to our clients, making them internal rockstars.
Resources:
Website: https://b2linked.com/
Email: aj@b2linked.com
LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilcoxaj/
LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/b2linked/
Additional Resources:What you need to know to get started on LinkedInLinkedIn Ads for Account Based Marketing
How to know if you LinkedIn ads are performing
Doximity A professional Medical Network for Physicians
What you'll learn about in this episode
As the Pandemic landscape evolves and trade shows, travel and in person visits shifted to digital , gaps in our sales and marketing processes emerged. How do we adapt and find new and better ways to fill our pipelines and keep our connections? In this episode we'll dive into The definition of “networking” and meaningful connections when it comes to the business sales and marketing of the future.
We'll talk about sales and marketing for the debt collection space, and ideas for adapting our sales and marketing to fit today's challenges.
Topics include:
Trade shows what’s working and what isn’t
Planning and hosting your own events
Ideas for reigniting dormant ties.
Utilizing the customer journey and Client Segmentation for a better experience in your messaging and landing pages
Strategic search retargeting for building pipeline and mitigating lawsuits
In this episode we’re going to answer these questions and many more with our Guest Lacey Kuhlmann a passionate industry advocate and ally and experienced sales and marketing professional.
Guest: Lacey Kuhlmann
The first 10 years of Lacey's career was emphasized on the perfect blend of integrated web-based software applications and payment processing technology in the ARM industry. Now at Genesys, she is able to take a consultative/holistic approach to working with Creditors and Collection Agencies, specifically as it relates to their accounts management system and operations. Latitude by Genesys is a fully mature, stand-alone solution for collections, recovery, and outsourcing of delinquent debt to 3rd party agencies. Best yet; it fully integrates with our Omni-Channel Contact Center Solution; scalable for all sizes of clients.
With extensive success in customer acquisition, product launches, market strategy, partner and re-seller relations, and business development, I have been blessed to work with great teams along the way who have helped me achieve all of my goals. My appetite to help organizations is fueled by a passion for the people in this industry; who deal with heavy regulations, but lack applicable solutions.
Resources:
Website: http://www.genesys.com/
Email: Lacey.Kuhlmann@genesys.com
LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceykuhlmann/
LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genesys/
Additional Resources:
Donald Miller10 people Instagram
HBR Don't Waste Your Time on Networking Events
What you’ll learn about in this episode
Debt collection is being transformed through changes in technology, Regulation, the economy landscape and the manner that people are interacting with customer service channels. Does Digital Collection open pathways to an improved experience, and better results?
In this episode we’ll dive into these questions with Tim Collins, a recognized and capable people leader with broad experience in driving organizational growth using technology to improve the consumer experience. Key takeaways include:
- Steps you can take to enhance the customer experience starting with your website
- Looking at Build vs Buy
- How things are shifting in the way we communicate
- Meeting the customer where they are and where they want to connect
- The mindset pivot required to understand digital transformation
- Identifying where email and or sms text are the most effective.
Guest: Tim Collins
As the Chief Customer Officer Tim is responsible to ensure that consumers worldwide have the best debt collection experience possible.
Before joining Indebted, he worked at TrueAccord, Corp. as their Chief Compliance Officer to rapidly scale their Audit, Compliance, and Legal Departments. Prior to TrueAccord, Tim worked for Convergent Outsourcing as their General Counsel and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer tasked with leading the Audit, Compliance, IT Security, Legal, and Training Departments. His previous position was Director of Compliance for Hyundai Capital America, in charge of designing and implementing HCA’s corporate governance and compliance programs. He is serving on the ACA Innovation Committee, past Chair for the ACA Federal Affairs Committee Chairperson, a past Chair of the ACA International MAP Committee, and past president of the Association of Corporate Counsel-San Diego Chapter.
Resources:
Website: https://www.indebted.co/en-US
Company LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/indebted/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/collins_tim
LinkedIn: Personal: Tim Collins
Additional Resources:Scarcity: The New Science of Having Less and How It Defines Our Lives
Plaid
Trustly
Trattta.io
SuccessKPI.com
Authority Magazine Prediction for 2022 Article
Why The Future of Debt Collection is Digital and Customer-led
What you’ll learn about in this episode
You’ve worked hard to build and guide your business throughout its life, you should have a plan that guides it to a conclusion.
A business exit strategy is a plan for what will happen when you want to leave your business and outlines the form that the transition will take.
"Begin with the end in mind" is important in life and business, because your exit is inevitable. The day will come when it's time to move on. Having a plan in place will help you sleep better, and insure your legacy will move in the direction you have in mind.
Marcus Aurelius said "You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.” Having a plan guides you toward your goals and can help guide you as your business evolves.
As you think about your business exit strategy there are many considerations.
How much is my business worth?
What information will buyers request?
What steps can I take now to better position my business?
In this episode we’re going to answer these questions and many more with our Guest Michael Lamm Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Corporate Advisory Solutions, LLC
Guest: Michael Lamm
Michael is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Corporate Advisory Solutions (CAS), an independent investment and merchant banking firm that supports a select group of clients with offices in Philadelphia, PA and Washington D.C. Michael has completed more than 125 M&A engagements in Tech-Enabled Outsourced Business Services. Michael leads his deal team on M&A engagements, valuations, and expert witness litigation matters while also charting the firm’s corporate direction and strategic growth plan. Prior to co-founding CAS, Michael served as a Director at Kaulkin Ginsberg, an M&A and strategic advisory firm, for over 10 years. He executed on over 70 M&A transactions in tech-enabled outsourced business services.
Michael is actively involved in leading industry associations, such as the Association for Corporate Growth and ACA International, and he is a frequent guest speaker, writer, and presenter at industry conferences and events.
Michael has a BA in international studies from the School of International Service at American University. He lives in Gladwyne, PA with his wife and three children.
Resources:Fair Debt Episode Link
Website: https://corpadvisorysolutions.com/
Email: mlamm@corpadvisorysolutions.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mlammCAS
LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaellamm/
LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/corporate-advisory-solutions-llc/
Additional Resources:
The ARM Industry Reaches and Inflection Point
CAS 2021 Year end Report
Is it time to sell our business An In Debt Discussion Podcast
Receivables Info Podcast EP 65 with Michael Lamm
Charles “Chuck” Coonradt is Founder and CEO of The Game of Work, which was founded in 1973, and dedicated to the success of its corporate clients. Graduate of Michigan State University and internationally recognized in the fields of goal setting and profit improvement, as an author, consultant, and speaker. His five best-selling books The Game of Work, The Better People Leader, Scorekeeping For Success, Managing The Obvious, and The Four Laws of Financial Prosperity have been labeled management “must reads”, and most recently Forbes Magazine called Chuck “The Grandfather of Gamification”. He is a contributing author to multiple editions of the best-selling Chicken Soup for the Soul series and is quoted in dozens of other books. Chuck is very involved in educating the next generation of business leaders and is a founding member of the School of Entrepreneurship, Brigham Young University. His community involvement includes being a Board Member for Habitat for Humanity, as well as a former Board Member for the Utah Winter Sports Alliance, and a volunteer at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
The Game of Work’s client list includes many Fortune 500 companies, as well as other nationally and internationally recognized firms. Companies that have successfully utilized and implemented Chuck’s unique concepts include Pepsi, US Postal Service, General Foods, Leslie’s Poolmart, Nordstrom, The US Air Force, Boeing, American Express, Marker Bindings, Molina Healthcare, Coca-Cola Consolidated, The Chicago Tribune, Coors Brewing and International Paper. Chuck has also spoken for organizations worldwide, including Petco, Microsoft, SkyWest Airlines, Time Warner Cable and YPO (Young Presidents Organization). Over one million executives, managers, and supervisors on five continents have been exposed to Chuck’s ideas on feedback, scorekeeping, goal setting, coaching, personal choice and accountability.
What you'll learn about in this episode
Why can ten people with a basketball and a hoop achieve teamwork, goal directed activity, and become a well managed team in a matter of minutes during a lunch break, but those same ten people can totally fail to achieve that kind of harmony on the job. My guest today Chuck Coonradt is the founder of The Game of Work, a company that teaches executives how to turn business into a game by keeping score. Chuck is one of the world’s leading measurement experts. In this episode we’re going to dive into this question and many others surrounding employee engagement, performance and the game of work.
How to measure what you want more of
How to create clearly defined goals
How to provide better feedback and more consistent coaching using a higher degree of personal choice
Resources:
Websites: http://www.gameofwork.com/
LinkedIn Personal:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckcoonradt/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChuckCoonradt
Additional Resources:Fair Deb Episode LinkGallup 2020 Employee Engagement Poll
Ian Cook
As the VP of People Analytics at Visier Ian is responsible for overall direction and growth of Visier's People Analytics solutions.
Focus is internally on opportunities for developments to Visier's own set of products. And externally on identifying the right GTM partners.
Visier is currently the market leader in the People Analytics industry and the purpose of his role is to extend this position and drive growth for the business.
What you'll learn about in this episode
As the pandemic wears on, a new challenge has emerged on the business front. A shift in a contract between companies and their most precious resource, people. “The Great Resignation” as it’s been called. Employees are rethinking what they want from their job and the number of people willing to make a change has been on the increase for months. Will this awakening, reset and Resignation impact the Debt collection space?
**What’s causing this shift?
How can companies adapt to these changes?
Who is most at risk, and what does the future look like?
In this episode we’ll dive into these questions with Ian Cook, a recognized and capable people leader with broad experience in driving organizational growth using employee metrics, and machine learning, to provide insight and understanding to lead transformational change.
Resources:**
Websites: https://www.visier.com/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visier-analytics/
LinkedIn: Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianjcook/
Twitter https://twitter.com/visier?s=20
Additional Resources:
Fair Debt Episode Link
https://hbr.org/2021/09/who-is-driving-the-great-resignation
Aristotle Project
The Great Reshuffle LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky
Atlantic Magazine The Great Resignation is Accelerating
Was The Great Resignation Inevitable
Zippia Collector Demographics
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Join a few of the season 1 alumni as we reconnect to talk about what's on our minds and in our hearts as we celebrate the season, and plan for 2022.
What you'll learn about in this episode
- Regulation F is Implemented what do the next 6 months look like?
- The communication shift to digital
- How to use listening as a tool to improve results
- Podcast and Book recommendations
Guest: Bethany Robertson Debt Recovery Solutions of OhioVice President, co-owner, and founder of Debt Recovery Solutions of Ohio, Inc. since 2002 where her vision and passion for strategy continues to push the company to new heights.
Website: https://drsohio.com/
Guest: Debbie Frank CEO Credit Bureau Service llcCredit Bureau Services is known for being a collection agency that is passionate about helping people become debt-free.
Website: https://www.creditbureauservicesinc.com/
Guest: Joann Needleman Leader Clark Hill PLC
Joann Needleman leads the firm’s financial services regulatory and compliance practice and advises banks, financial institutions, and financial services entities on regulatory compliance matters.
Website: clarkhill.com
Guest: Harry Strausser III President Applied InnovationHarry is a second-generation collection veteran having held the position of President of two successful collection firms until the sale of those firms in May 2017. He currently holds the position of President of Applied Innovation, a software company that serves the ARM space.
Website: https://www.appliedinnovationinc.com/
Mike Ginsberg is president and CEO of Kaulkin Ginsberg, providing M&A and strategic advisory expertise to the accounts receivable management industry for since 1991. Mike is also co-founder of Topline Valuation Group, providing ARM owners and executives with much-needed technical, financial, benchmarking, and operational services designed to improve decisions at the corporate and operational levels.
Since 1991, Kaulkin Ginsberg Company has been dedicated to advising owners and executives of outsourced business services (OBS) companies on how best to achieve their growth and exit objectives. Their client-centric approach covers almost every stage of a company’s lifecycle and enables them to maintain longstanding relationships as trusted advisors. Kaulkin Ginsberg offers an array of services to ensure that its clients’ needs are met, such as strategic consulting, transaction advisory and valuation services.
What you'll learn about in this episode
In navigation, dead reckoning is the process of calculating your current position of some moving object by using a previously determined position, or fix, and then incorporating estimations of speed, heading direction, and course over elapsed time.
As change continues to usher in the future, I believe it can be beneficial to pause and reflect on that change that is happening in an effort to prepare for the future.
In this episode we’ll cover a lot of ground as I connect with Industry veteran and thought leader Mike Ginsberg to dissect trends in the debt economy, the impact of stimulus moves by the Fed, Industry consolidation, and what the agency of the future looks like. Join Mike and I as we take an objective look into the industry today and the impact the last 2 years has had on debt collection.
We’ll also take a look into the proverbial crystal ball to speculate what may be on the horizon, and discuss our viewpoints based on over 50 years of collective industry experience.
Additional Resources:
How will consumers spend their stimulus checks?
The Kaulkin Report
Joann Needleman leads the firm’s financial services regulatory and compliance practice and advises banks, financial institutions, and financial services entities on regulatory compliance matters.
Joann prepares and represents these same financial institutions during state and federal supervisory examinations and regulatory investigations before agencies such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Office of the Comptroller of Currency (OCC) as well as state financial services regulators and attorneys general.
A former member of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) Consumer Advisory Board, Joann provides her clients with useful strategies and common-sense solutions in order to prepare for areas of regulatory scrutiny.
Joann is the host of the podcast “Credit Ecosystem to Go: Curbside Thought Leadership for Financial Services.” Listen to recent episodes here.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a final rule to restate and clarify prohibitions on harassment and abuse, false or misleading representations, and unfair practices by debt collectors when collecting consumer debt.
The rule focuses on debt collection communications and gives consumers more control over how often and through what means debt collectors can communicate with them regarding their debts.
The rule is the result of a deliberative, thoughtful process spanning more than seven years and reflects engagement with consumer advocates, debt collectors, and other stakeholders. In developing the final rule, the Bureau considered the more than 14,000 comments received during the public comment and rulemaking process. Our guest today Joann Needleman has played an important part in this process throughout the 7 year journey.
In this episode Joann tells the inside story of the process to update the final rule. We talk about the potential risks and new opportunities in the rule including consumer preference, and using Email and SMS Text to open preferred digital communication channels. FInally we speculate what the landscape will look like as the new rule take effect November 30th and beyond.
Resources:
Websites: clarkhill.com
martindale.com/Joann-Needleman/4298575-lawyer.htm
martindale.com/Maurice-Needleman-PC/4812612-law-firm-office.htm
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clark-hill-law/
LinkedIn: Personal: linkedin.com/in/joannneedleman
Twitter jneedleman
Additional Resources:
Demystifying the debt collection rule Credit Eco To Go
CFPB Debt Collection Rule Small Entity Guide
Jeremy Ruth serves as the Sr. Director of Default Account Servicing for Arvest bank. He has been with the bank for 20 years and has experienced the bank’s growth from $2.5B to over $20B in asset size. He oversaw the transition to a centralized collection environment, while emphasizing customer service, compliance, and performance throughout the collection cycle. Responsibilities include early stage through post charge off collections and recovery for direct consumer, indirect auto, small business/commercial credits, equipment finance/leasing, as well as overdrawn and charged off deposit accounts. Bankruptcy, repossession, foreclosure, loss mitigation, third party collections, vendor management and quality control functions are within scope of his responsibilities. Jeremy has a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in management and a Marketing minor.
What you’ll learn about in this episodeThe CFPB’s 653-page final rule Regulation F opens the door to interact with consumers across all forms of electronic communications including SMS text, email, and social media messaging. However, as these communication options are opening up, consumers can still become confused when they are contacted by a company they don’t know, and a telephone number they don’t recognize. This along with disclosure regulation causes a phenomenon called the Dance of the scorpions. Where a consumer is suspicious of giving information due to fraud or being scammed, and the debt collection agent needing to verify the information to make sure they are disclosing the information about the debt to the proper person.
A concept introduced in the final rule is a concept of a handoff letter. The handoff letter is sent by the creditor and must “clearly and conspicuously” disclose that the debt has or will be transferred to a debt collection company. Jeremy’s company was among the first to embrace this concept and test the results. In this episode he will share how they went about implementing the handoff letter, the results they documented as a result of this process, as well as lessons learned and next steps.
Resources:
Website: https://www.arvest.com/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arvest-bank/
Email: jruth@arvest.com
LinkedIn: Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-ruth/
Jeremy’s Podcast The Mayo and Mustard Show
Additional Resources:
Handshake Highlights PDF
According to CBS News Customers at Credit Karma carried an additional $2.2 billion in overdue medical debt from January 2020 through March 2021, reaching about $47 billion in total — the highest point in at least 16 months. Overdue medical bills are also impacting more people, Credit Karma also found that an additional 2.5 million people saw their medical debt enter collections since the pandemic started.
In this episode, we talk about healthcare receivables and an out-of-the-box approach to some of the issues surrounding healthcare debt. In 2014 two former debt collection executives, Craig Antico and Jerry Ashton founded a company called RIP Medical Debt.
Their website mentions they’ve helped over 2.5 million people abolish 4 billion dollars of medical debt and that number is growing every day. With so much medical debt and increasing healthcare costs, we need out-of-the-box solutions. Craig shares insight into healthcare debt, why it makes sense to embrace additional options in how to handle the debt, and lessons learned in their journey.
Guest: Craig Antico
Craig Antico is the co-founder of RIP Medical Debt, the national charity that has acquired and abolished over $5 billion in unpayable medical debt for over three million people since 2014.
Craig understands the ins and outs of the debt collection industry because he was a financial industry leader in collections, debt buying, and outsourcing for 30-years! After completing his undergraduate degree at Florida Southern College in finance and economics, Craig went on to Pace University for his MBA in finance. His decades of experience include working for IBM, Johnson & Johnson, and several Fortune 100 companies.
Purchasing medical debts to then abolish them, the core of RIP’s work, didn’t cross Craig’s mind until a chance introduction facilitated by his long-time partner in the debt collection industry – and RIP co-founder – Jerry Ashton. Jerry had connected with a group of activists that wanted to cancel debts as a charitable good using donated funds. Realizing the depth and scope of medical debt’s burden on already struggling Americans, Craig and Jerry resolved to start a nonprofit to champion this cause.
After a hard road learning how to raise money, Craig and Jerry got their big break in 2016 when producers from the HBO series, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, inquired about the show’s host purchasing and eliminating medical debt for an upcoming episode. Thanks to RIP’s guidance, John Oliver abolished $15 million in debt on a segment that has been watched by over fifteen million people.
Craig has appeared on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, PBS Newshour, and many other media outlets, including over 50 local TV stations throughout the country. The New York Times, The Guardian, Forbes, AARP, The Washington Post, and many others have published articles about Antico and RIP Medical Debt. He is the author of the book “End Medical Debt,” now in its second edition.
Resources:
Website: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rip-medical-debt/
Email: cjantico@gmail.com
LinkedIn: Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antico/
Additional Resources:RIP Medical Debt Story
2021 US Census Medical Debt in America Report
Guest: Debbie Frank CEO Credit Bureau Service llc
Credit Bureau Services is known for being a collection agency that is passionate about helping people become debt-free.
Her company has been in business for over eighty years. She is the fourth owner and the first woman to have the opportunity to lead the company in the collection industry.
She loves being a business owner and has an entrepreneurial spirit approach when it comes to business, leadership, and working in the Accounts Receivable Management (ARM) industry.
In her eighteen years in the industry, she has held various positions at the state level serving as a past president of the Missouri Collectors Association and is currently serving on their board of directors. She also currently serves on the ACA Financial Literacy Committee, as their committee chairperson, and a Council of Delegate member representing the state of Missouri. Her most prideful accomplishment has been in 2019 when the agency was named as One of the Top Ten Most Innovative Collection Agencies by Receivable Magazine.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:Our discussion with Debbie centers on Financial Literacy or financial wellness as she calls it. Her company tagline says it all “Doing Work That Matters Where we live, lead, and care about helping people achieve financial peace.”
In our discussion with Debbie, you’ll learn about interesting ideas and processes to transform your collectors into “Relationship Specialists” or “Change Agents” and empower them to do more than just take payments. Debbie shares stories about the impact financial education has on the lives of consumers, employees, and her organization.
Resources:
Website: https://www.creditbureauservicesinc.com/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/credit-bureau-services-llc/
Email: dfrank@creditbureauservicesinc.com
LinkedIn: Personal: linkedin.com/in/debbie-frank-474ba23b
Additional Resources:
- ACA Magazine Article: Breaking through the misinformation Haze
- http://online.collector.com/collectormagazine/202104/index.php#/p/26
- www.knowmydebt.com
- Knowledge Source
Linda Russell was raised in the collection business. The debt collection agency she ran—CollectionCenter Inc., based in Rawlins, Wyoming started by her father, Clyde Cox, in 1919. Her 1991 ACA International presidency represented a couple of firsts. She was the first woman to hold the office, the first association member from Wyoming to serve as president, and the first ACA president to appear on CNN in her first week of office. Collection Center now run by her son Dan is celebrating 102 years in business.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- “The accounts receivable management industry has changed a lot since Linda began collecting door to door. In this episode Linda shares some stories about what it takes to create a centennial culture as her company just surpassed 102 years in business quite a milestone in any business, but especially for a collection agency. During our discussion, we talk about what's changed and how mindset, attitude, and the personal touch remain keystones in building a business that lasts.”
- Core principles for building a centennial culture and loyalty that lasts over generations.
- How Linda’s door-to-door collections led to improved phone collections.
- What’s changed and what hasn’t in Debt Collections
- The inside scoop on her journey of becoming the first woman ACA President and testifying before Congress on behalf of the industry and the FDCPA.
Resources:
- Website: https://www.mycollectioncenter.com/
- Email: larcci@aol.com
- LinkedIn: Company https://www.linkedin.com/company/collectioncenter-inc/
- LinkedIn: Personal https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-russell-78050824/
Additional Resources:
ACA International Article
Harry Strausser III is a second-generation collection veteran having held the position of President of two successful collection firms until the sale of those firms in May 2017. Throughout his career Harry was active in the Mid-Atlantic Collectors Association where he served as President, and ACA International, Inc., the association of credit and collection professionals, in which he is a Senior Certified Trainer. He has served on the ACA International Executive Committee and held the position of President in 2004-2005. He currently holds the position of President of Applied Innovation, a software company that serves the ARM space.
He holds an MA in communication from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and a BS in business administration from the same institution. He has served as a full-time adjunct professor for the Department of Communication Studies at Bloomsburg University where he taught interpersonal communication, public speaking, and corporate communication. As a sought-after industry speaker, he has traveled extensively across the United States and internationally during which he has conducted over 1000 educational and motivational programs for associations, private enterprises, conferences, and public seminar events.
Harry enjoys travel, music, working outdoors at his home, and spending time with his family and two golden retrievers, Tindaqwae (Tin- Dah-Quay) and Luna.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: “The accounts receivable management industry is dominated by small, privately held companies which make finding broad benchmarking data difficult because there is little public financial data available and few companies are willing to part with sensitive financial data.”
- Key benefits and strongest elements of a benchmark group.
- How to overcome the dynamics of trust with small to midsize agencies
- How to go about starting or finding the right group
- Steps and what you should and shouldn't do
- SIze of the group and size of the companies
- Harry shares valuable insights he’s gained from years of experience.
- KPIs the good and the bad
- Benchmarking reports you should seek right now
Resources:
- Website: https://www.appliedinnovationinc.com/
- Email: hstrausser@appliedinnovationinc.com
- LinkedIn: Company https://www.linkedin.com/company/applied-innovation-inc-/
- LinkedIn: Personal https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-strausser-iii-7413106/
Additional Resources:
IBIS World Debt Collection Industry Info
ACA International Research Center Info
Guest: Pat Hutchins
CEO/Founder Financial Data Systems
Pat attended East Carolina University where he also began his career in debt collection at Online Collections
He loves spending time with his lovely wife, Kim and 2 beautiful kids McCallum and Helen Grace although both kids are in college, and friends boating/beaching, fishing, exercising and golf. He’s a very lucky dude!
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
Pat’s lifetime experience in debt collection and the candid discussion present many nuggets as we deep dive into Medical collection from Pat’s perspective. We discuss how to develop a collector mindset, and what Pat calls his secret weapon as well as collection techniques to keep payments flowing.
- Techniques for improved collections, it’s the little things…
- Learn how Pat turned consumer interaction and customer service into a vital part of his Brand.
- Learn how to cultivate the right culture, find and hire rockstars
- Many nuggets about finding your niche and building a successful agency.
Resources:
Website: https://www.fdscredit.com/
Email: phutch@fdscredit.com
LinkedIn: Company https://www.linkedin.com/company/financial-data-systems-the-receivables-specialists/
LinkedIn: Personal https://www.linkedin.com/in/pat-hutchins-48789630/
Additional Resources:
Collector Job stats: https://www.zippia.com/debt-collector-jobs/demographics/
Adam Grant Wharton College Research on motivating employees: https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/putting-a-face-to-a-name-the-art-of-motivating-employees/
Mary Shores is a second-generation collection agency owner, a bestselling author, and an international speaker. Her current passion in life is promoting collector training and development through The Collection Advantage online training program, which features Mary’s extensive studies into neuroscience and compassion to teach collectors how to execute high-converting, empathetic scripting.
What you’ll learn about in this episode: There’s a shift in brand awareness and transparency, especially with the pandemic. Learn about how companies can get the right message out there to be on the right side of change.
How changing your mindset will position your company for growth
Learn what differentiates successful debt collection companies from the rest
Learn how to cultivate the right culture, find and hire rockstars
Learn about the psychological burden of debt and how can we move forward to make sure we’re evolving our practices to meet the new normal that revolves around emotions and why we should invest in human capital.
Resources:
- Website: https://www.maryshores.com/
- Email: mary@maryshores.com
- LinkedIn:Company http://www.midstatecollections.com/
- LinkedIn: Personal https://www.linkedin.com/in/shoresmary/
Additional Resources:
- 3 Pivots to better collections The Biggest Secret in Collections
- Overcoming the Stigma 3 Keys to Establish Credibility in the New Normal
- Attracting your next Rockstar Use This to Write Your Next Collector Job Ad
- Onward Nation’s Stephen Woessner gave a good research link on this topic and I’ll share that again here for listeners https://www.edelman.com/research/the-action-mandate-for-brands
- The Biggest Secret in Collections
- 3 Keys to Establish Credibility in the New Normal
- Use This to Write Your Next Collector Job Ad
Guest: Bethany Robertson Debt Recovery Solutions of Ohio
Vice President, co-owner, and founder of Debt Recovery Solutions of Ohio, Inc. since 2002 where her vision and passion for strategy continues to push the company to new heights.
Bethany earned her BA in Business Administration from Mt Vernon Nazarene University in Mt Vernon, Ohio while simultaneously running her own collection agency.
Her passions include her love of God and family – especially her two children, Jake and Magey. She is also dedicated to inspiring others to reach their potential and constantly working on being a better version of herself.
Growth in all aspects of her personal and professional life is her daily focus, but she truly loves the simple things in life: a stroll on the beach or in the woods, a great challenging and deep conversation, or a lazy nap on the dock. These are the ways she enjoys spending her time reflecting, living and loving.
One of Bethany’s favorite quotes is from Maya Angelou and it touches on something that she has had to rely on in her life: her own courage. “Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage”.
What you'll learn about in this episode: The debt collection business revolves around getting the right person to engage in a conversation around resolving a past due bill. How this conversation happens is under constant scrutiny, because of the changes in technology, consumer preference, and regulations governing this process. In this pilot episode, Bethany and I dive into the heart of the operation, the collector. Who they are, what they do, and what it takes to find, train, motivate and keep the best ones.
Resources:
- Website: https://drsohio.com/
- LinkedIn:Company https://www.linkedin.com/company/debt-recovery-solutions-of-ohio-inc/
- Email bjoyrob@gmail.com
- LinkedIn: Personal https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethany-robertson-38368112a/
Additional Resources:
- Collector Job stats: https://www.zippia.com/debt-collector-jobs/demographics/
- 3 Pivots for better collections Mary Shores https://www.maryshores.com/post/the-biggest-secret-in-collections
- Donald Miller Negotiation
- Grant Cordone
- Knowledge Source