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As a long-suffering fan of the Chicago Cubs (until recently, of course), Roger Weiss needed to develop a great sense of humor to deal with year after year of frustration and futility. But now that the Cubs have ended a 108-year drought and won the World Series, that doesn’t mean that Weiss will suddenly stop being funny. His submission below is proof of that alone. Weiss is one of the most respected and sought-after trainers in the collections industry and reading the profile below should give you a sense of what he is in such high demand.
Name: Roger Weiss
Company: CACi
Length of time at current company: 17 years
Length of time in industry: Nearly 24 years
How did you get your start in the industry? I had a friend that worked at an agency. I knew I would be good at it, because I had done a lot of research on debt collection from the consumer perspective. He told me they were hiring, and away I went.
What is your career highlight so far? Being thanked by a tearful employee for providing her and her family with the opportunity to earn a living that enabled them to buy their first home. It was powerfully humbling.
Which industry professional do you admire most? Admiration is so much larger than one individual. If it weren’t for Nick DiGiovanni Jr. and Debra Ciskey, I’m not here today. I also hold in the highest of esteem the members of my benchmark group. They have quickly helped mold me and given me some incredibly sage advice. Finally, and then I’ll stop, I promise, I have to mention the leaders and former leaders of ACA International. I truly believe that they blazed the trail for the successes our industry has achieved.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else? Presenting and training in person!
When or how are you most productive? I think I’m most productive when working in collaboration with a knowledgeable and passionate group.
What do you like most about this industry? I love the fact that we can help so many people. We help consumers get their debts resolved which can also give them immeasurable self-confidence. We help employ tens of thousands of families and nurture them to flourish in our industry. We help our communities with charitable efforts, food drives, clothing drives, adopt-a-family efforts, and so on. I am certain there are so many others that we help too. This industry is chocked full of people and groups that are very giving.
What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry? Again, I’ll double down. Public perception and over-regulation.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing? Probably military. A lot of people may think I would say stand-up comedy, but those people probably haven’t seen me perform.
Describe a typical work day. There is no typical work day. Firefighting and architecture.
What is your guilty pleasure? I am a fantasy sports junkie. I’m not very good, so if anyone wants to invite me into their leagues I’ll donate.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? Nick D. one time told me, “If you want this to be your career, don’t let it be your job. Let it be your passion.” So I did. Also, he told me to never go see a client without wearing a suit or at least a sport coat. So I don’t.
What are you currently reading? I’m still studying a lot of NLP books, blogs, and columns. That in tandem with our industry news and notes keeps me busy enough.
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you? That I’m a Cubs fan of course!
Who else would you like to see answer these questions? How about these guys Nick DiGiovanni, Tom Haag, Tom Stockton, Bob Leavitt, Jeff Spiegelhauer, Phil Rosenthal, Mike Shoop, Gary Williams, Mark Davitt, Martin Sher, Porter Morgan, and Jack Brown. These guys have more knowledge in their little finger than I can hope to accrue in a lifetime.
