Standing Firm in the Collection Industry: A Journey of Resilience and Growth
Susan Richards
Founder & CEO | 35 Years in Collection and Debt Buyer Industry| Sales Excellence, Customer Relations| Consulting for BPO Companies, Collection Agencies and Debt Buyers | Expert in Operations | Speaker and Board Member
Dear Colleagues,
"You either stand for something or fall for anything." This powerful adage has been a guiding principle throughout my career in the collection industry. As one of the few women who not only entered but stayed in this field, I've experienced my fair share of growing pains. Today, I'd like to share my journey, hoping it will inspire both current professionals and newcomers to our industry.
My Unexpected Journey
I didn't come to the collection industry with plans to stay. Like many, I arrived out of necessity, simply needing a job. However, what started as a means to an end soon became a challenge that ignited my competitive spirit.
Lessons from the Trenches
领英推荐
Looking Forward
As our industry continues to evolve, let's remember the importance of standing firm in our beliefs while remaining open to growth and change. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting, your voice and ideas matter.
To the next generation of professionals in our industry: don't be afraid to compete, to break records, to speak up. But also remember to balance your ambition with compassion and collaboration. The lessons you learn today will shape not just your career, but your life.
I'd love to hear your stories. How have you stood firm in your beliefs in our industry? What ideas have you brought to the table that made a difference?
Until next time, stand tall, stand firm, and keep those ideas flowing!
Susan Richards
Horizon Inc.
3 个月Susan you nailed it and have motivated many with this article Change is constant and success stories like this one says it is Simple Be ready to embrace the change , to be focused and Success is by product . Warm regards.
Great Article!!
Passionate champion of strategic planning, active listening, collaborative participative management, continuous improvement, infrastructure design and development and innovative analytics while leveraging technology
4 个月Great article. Many great life perspectives. The story needs to be told. Thank you.
VP - Sales and Solutions at Epicenter Technologies Pvt. Ltd
4 个月This is so inspiring Susan, I'm privileged to know you as a person and call you a friend.
President & CEO MKiefer Consulting| MBA, ACA Scholar & Fellow, Collections and Compliance Expertise & Personal Financial Literacy and Family Advocate,, proud patriot, NRA member, Shooting & Reloading enthusiast.
4 个月Susan Richards, great article & a great reminder that in our industry, one must learn to adapt and overcome quickly too. Unfavorable court rulings, a change in a law or regulation, can have dire consequences for your team and your bottom line. One must not grow complacent with the status quo because your competition will leave you behind. Get out of your comfort zone and when you meet a goal challenge yourself by raising the bar for the next one. Leaving high school to go to school for electrical engineering, I could never have imagined that I would not only not be an engineer, but be a cop, a restaurant manager, work in revenue cycle in a hospital breaking my ankle hours before I was to report on my first night on the job, only to work my way up the chain and later run its collections agency. I enjoyed the challenge of keeping up with compliance changes and when HIPAA first came out, everyone thought that it was going to be the death knell of our industry. I volunteered to go through a train-the-trainer program with Florida Hospital (now #AdventHealth), and visit the various campuses training doctors, nurses, and people a whole lot smarter than me, about HIPAA. I loved that. I can only add that never stop learning.