Family reunions for Courtney Reynaud can be held in the company conference room. Reynaud is the third generation in her family to own and operate the family business, and the agency looks to be in good hands. Reynaud, who was named president of the California Association of Collectors earlier this month, fancies herself a morning person — although she doesn’t always get to spend her mornings the way she would like. Read on to learn more about her and why, if she’s not in the office, you’ll likely find her swimming with the fishes.
Name: Courtney Reynaud
Company: Creditors Bureau USA
Length of time at current company: 18 years
Length of time in industry: Since birth 😊
How did you get your start in the industry?
I initially started at my company as the runner to one of our client’s offices to pull copies of credit contracts that were on paper or on the microfiche tape.
What is your career highlight so far?
Purchasing my business in 2017. Owning your own company definitely changes the rewards and stress levels, but it has been great!
When or how are you most productive?
I am definitely a morning person; I generally start my day at the gym and then head right in to the office afterward. I have also learned that I work best under pressure or on a deadline. Tasks that that seem impossible to complete in a day or week become infinitely possible when I am in a time crunch … my brain seems to operate at a higher level when I am approaching a deadline.
Which industry professional do you admire most?
My mom has been my mentor for many years because of her incredible business mind and innate ability to troubleshoot and problem solve even the most difficult issues that arise in business. I am the 3rd generation to own and operate my family business. My great aunt and uncle started our business in 1935 and my mom was the CEO here until 2017. Although family businesses are incredibly challenging, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I have had the pleasure to work with many members of my family including my husband, mom, aunt and grandmother.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else?
That’s a tough one because I don’t think that I am “better” at something than everyone else. I do, however, know that one of my strengths is my ability to troubleshoot a problem. I have always had the ability to look at a problem from different perspectives and I think this helps in business because I can think outside of the box to find solutions.
What do you like most about this industry?
The people in this industry are amazing. I have had the privilege of developing relationships and lifelong friendships with colleagues in this industry, oftentimes including friendships with direct competitors of my own agency.
What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry?
Our image. This industry has come along way since the FDCPA was enacted, but there are still bad actors out there that negatively impact our image.
Describe a typical work day.
My day begins with a cup of coffee, a relaxed outlook on life, some spa music, review of industry news & updates and catching up on emails … Who am I kidding? I usually manage to gulp a few sips of coffee and then it’s go time! In a perfect world, I would get to spend a few hours catching up on industry news and emails, but this is normally shoved between board meetings, conference calls, training meetings, and work travel.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Netflix
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
“The apple tree will bend in the wind, but it will not break. You don’t know how strong you are until you have been tested.” This is a quote instead of advice, but it is a quote I repeat to myself when life is hard or business is overwhelming.
What are you currently reading?
I am an avid reader. My current fun book is the Gray Man series by Mark Greaney. My work inspirational book is “The Wisdom of Walt” by Jeffrey A Barnes.
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you?
I love all things ocean. The ocean is definitely my happy place and I love freediving and spearfishing.
Who else would you like to see answer these questions?
Dennis Christie