The “Getting to Know” series is sponsored by Arbeit. Arbeit is a powerful, and easy to use communications platform that empowers businesses to reach more consumers. Innovative by nature, we are constantly listening to and understanding the businesses we partner with and developing long term industry relationships that allow us to be proactive in anticipating industry needs.
Reading Rick Rainho’s answers, it’s easy to see how dedicated he is to his job and his industry. He likes working on big projects after midnight and does not mind spending a lot of time in the office. Those are the marks of someone who truly enjoys what he does. Read on to learn more about Rick and how he overcame a less-than-stellar beginning in the credit and collection industry and turned it into a three-decade-long career.
Name: Rick Rainho
Job Title: Chief Operating Officer
Company: Kinum, Inc.
Length of Time at Current Position: Almost eight years
Length of Time in Industry: Some would say too long, but almost 30 years
How did you get your start in the industry?
I answered an ad for a manager trainee never knowing that it was in collections. Thank goodness because I am not sure that I would have gone to the interview. Once I saw how professional it was and that you can use your negotiation skills to become successful, I was hooked.
What is your career highlight so far?
I would say building a collection company with good moral values while still being able to earn a living. One particular event that I am especially proud of was during our annual conference a couple of years ago where I orchestrated a team building exercise that I always wanted to do. We bought bikes for the Boys and Girls Club for those children who did not have a bike. We then broke up into teams and put the bikes together. Each team had received details about a specific child who they were making the bike for. We had bikes all decked out with Spiderman, Wonder Woman, Avengers, etc. It was then very rewarding to see the kids’ faces light up when we delivered them to each child.
When or how are you most productive?
I am most productive when everyone else goes to sleep. So I like working on big projects done after midnight.
Which industry professional do you admire most?
Roger Weiss. He gets things done in an entertaining way.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else?
Outwork them. I have always had a great work ethic.
What do you like most about this industry?
I like the rewarding feeling of helping out people pay their bills, which helps our clients pay theirs and most important, helps me to pay mine.
What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry?
I wish predatory attorneys would actually seek to help those who actually need help and not ones who are looking to make a buck.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
I would probably be a financial planner.
Describe a typical work day.
I get up around 7:30am, check some emails real quick, get to the office by 9am. Train collectors, develop new products for our clients and put out a hundred fires. Since I only work half days, I leave the office by 9pm. Go home and eat dinner, and respond to emails until the wee hours of the morning. Then do it again the next day.
What is your guilty pleasure?
A Whopper from Burger King.
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What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t worry about things that you cannot control.
What are you currently reading?
The CFPB’s proposed rules.
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you
When I started in collections I was absolutely pathetic and believed everyone, but I stuck with it and the rest is history.
Who else would you like to see answer these questions?
Bruce Klinger, the CEO of Kinum.
The “Getting to Know” series is sponsored by Arbeit. Arbeit is a powerful, and easy to use communications platform that empowers businesses to reach more consumers. Innovative by nature, we are constantly listening to and understanding the businesses we partner with and developing long term industry relationships that allow us to be proactive in anticipating industry needs.
