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.
How many times have you heard, “Never show someone you can do something because then you’ll be asked to do it all the time”? Dan Medina is proof that you shouldn’t believe that for a second. Because without demonstrating a talent for data analysis, he wouldn’t be where he was today — Director of Operations for Gulf Coast Collection Bureau. Read on to learn more about Dan and why change is what he likes most about this industry.
Name: Dan Medina
Job Title: Director of Operations
Company: Gulf Coast Collection Bureau
Length of Time at Current Company: Four years.
Length of Time in Industry: 18+ years.
How did you get your start in the industry?
In 2002, I obtained a position as a staff accountant for an international debt buyer working in their Latin American Operations. I had been a bookkeeper and I also spoke Spanish. So, it was a natural fit. We were liquidating homes with defaulted mortgages in Mexico. On paper, we were about eight different companies. In order to simplify my inter-company reconciliations, I would export all eight companies’ worth of the journal entries out of our accounting software and into a Microsoft Access solution I built myself. My supervisor noticed I was pretty handy working handy with data so I worked with him on some extra projects. Those side projects involved analyzing portfolios for acquisition. Within a year, the company started purchasing debt in the United States through a newly formed division. I was asked to join that group as their lead data analyst and asked to build a reporting data warehouse. The rest is history.
What is your career highlight so far?
My present position with Gulf Coast. I am honored to be the Director of Operations at Gulf Coast Collection Bureau. As someone whose career has mostly involved pulling strings from the backroom, I now get to drive the operations. This is the culmination of years of analyzing, programming, and automating systems involved in collections. I’m proud of the team I support and direct on behalf of our clients.
When or how are you most productive?
In the middle of the night but only because that’s when I have the least disruptions. The biggest and most impactful projects and changes I take on are technology-based and involve system customization or building solutions from scratch.
Which industry professional do you admire most?
I admire all of the mom and pop collection agencies that grew to be something bigger and have been handed down or transferred to the next generation. There is something about being part of a legacy I am drawn to and admire.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else?
Integrate, streamline, and take operations to the next level through the use of technology. I see the big picture and where the next phase for growth needs to be.
What do you like most about this industry?
I actually like the ever-changing industry landscape. From rules, regulations, and licensing standards changing to technological hurdles … There is a never a dull moment.
What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry?
The definition of an ATDS.
Describe a typical work day.
– Open the office at 7:20am
– Check the database to make sure nightly processes ran without issues
– Evaluate our inventory and direct our dialer manager on some areas to focus on
– Address emails
– 40% research operational issues or needed improvements
– 40% analyzing and responding to requests for information
– 20% planning for growth
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
Probably running an IT department at a bank or another financial services company.
What is your guilty pleasure?
I enjoy boating in general. I particularly like camping on the water. There is something about falling asleep to the rocking of the waves and the sounds of the bay.
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What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
From the business owner of my first office job as a full charge bookkeeper, “Don’t come to me with a problem without also having a solution.”
What are you currently reading?
“Around the World in 60 Seconds” by Nuseir Yassin.
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you
I’m a numbers guy, but I also enjoy being creative.
Who else would you like to see answer these questions?
Mike LaFleur, my previous supervisor and a good friend who coached and taught me a lot about the industry and life in general.
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.