Jeff Howell is still getting settled in his new job at Cascade Receivables Management, but he has two decades of contacts and connections he can tap as the company’s first dedicated full-time salesperson. Howell is one of the most well-known and respected members of the industry and if something ever happens, he can always follow his dream of being a basketball coach.
Name: Jeff Howell
Company: Cascade Receivables Management
Length of time at current company: Two months. Formally employed with Bankrupt Debt Acquisitions.
Length of time in industry: 20+ years
How did you get your start in the industry? I was a Visa/MasterCard collector at what was formally Bank One (now Chase) and from there grew to enjoy the industry and continued a very fast movement up the ranks to several career growth opportunities at TransUnion, TLO, Bankrupt Debt Acquisitions, etc.
Why have you stayed in this industry? Because I love my industry colleagues, networking, and the fact that we are all here to help each other. It also helps that I have had much success in this industry and have proactively advanced over the years.
What is your career highlight so far? I worked at a small collection agency many years ago as their sales associate; the company had been bidding on Ohio Attorney General work for years and never won a bid. They were pessimistic on bidding again and I refused to quit. I prepared and completed the RFP on my own and long story short we won the bid for collections of state income tax, school district tax, and medical! It was a net $1 million+ win for the company.
Which industry professional do you admire most? Wow, great question because there are so many. Todd Twete formally of Merlin Information Services taught me a lot and was a great mentor and role model. Being on several committees with the DBA International has exposed me to folks like Jan Stieger, Todd Lansky, and Mark Naiman who are all very respected, knowledgeable and have made a major impacts in our industry
What is one thing you do better than everyone else? I think my persistence stands out. I feel that my structured approach to sales and follow-up have afforded me success over the years.
What do you like most about this industry? The relationships that I have developed over the years and the educational opportunities especially from the DBA.
What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry? Compliance is necessary, but sometimes a common sense approach needs to be considered. I think that the CFPB has helped to improve our industry, but let’s gain some more perspective from the industry folks and focus on their needs as well.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing? Coaching basketball.
Describe a typical work day. Get dressed, Go to Starbucks, go to my remote office (in my basement), follow-up on all Salesforce tasks for the day, prospecting, conference calls, and share the Cascade story to gain new business.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? “Focus on what you can control.”
What are you currently reading? The Open Post Offense by Lason Perkins
Who else would you like to see answer these questions? Jack Gordon of WebRecon