You have to respect someone who has the ambition and commitment to call herself a future second-generation agency owner. That is someone who knows what she wants. Jessica Mobley has always known there is something bigger out there for her. Read on to learn more about Jessica, what it is about smaller clients that she loves, and her not-so secret passion for books.
Name: Jessica Mobley
Current Role/Job Title: Director of Human Resources and Business Development
Company: KLS Financial Services, Inc.
Length of time at current company: 10 years
Length of time in industry: Since birth!
How did you get your start in the industry?
I’m a future second-generation agency owner. That wasn’t always the plan, though. I actually started my career in education teaching third grade for a year until deciding there was something bigger out there for me. I shifted gears and obtained a new degree in Communication and Public Relations and settled into the world of Human Resources. My mother has always inspired me by showing me the importance of building a connection with each employee and fostering a culture of collaboration and compassion. I am still grateful to learn from her every day.
What is your career highlight so far?
The highlight of my career has been working with and developing new leaders at KLS. Being able to teach others all the mistakes I’ve made in my career so that they can learn from them has been humbling but by doing so we have a creative and collaborative team of women unafraid to ask for help and unafraid to find the growth in every mistake.
When or how are you most productive?
I’m most productive when no one can see me. I schedule time to do most of my work on my work from home days since I make sure to allow our team to ask questions, voice concerns, or just chat with me while I’m in the office. This just naturally means I get the most work done when I’m at home with little interruption!
Which industry professional do you admire most?
Through my involvement with the North Carolina Collectors Association and the Southeast Regional Collectors Conference, I have been blessed to know so many inspiring people in our industry. It is impossible to name each person I admire, but by attending events that bring agencies together I have received an immeasurable amount of knowledge that has shaped me both personally and professionally.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else?
There will always be someone who can do something better than me, and I welcome that! We wouldn’t be true leaders if we thought we could do everything better. Things I’m really good at though are delegating amongst my team, creating fun and engaging activities for the company, and making sure I set time aside for each individual person so that they know I’m there for support.
What do you like most about this industry?
I love helping smaller clients who really rely on us to simply keep their doors open. It is a lot of pressure but knowing that we are contributing positively to the economy keeps me going. I also love that we get to help the consumers take steps toward a positive financial future and hope to give them a positive experience with our agency.
What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry?
Our mission at KLS is to change the face of collections. I know it’s become a bit cliché at this point but I still stand behind this. Our goal is to work every day with compassion and empathy and leave each consumer with a positive outlook of their experience with us.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
If I weren’t in this industry I would probably be a quiet bookstore owner in a small town. Or more realistically, working in human resources in any industry.
Describe a typical work day
In my position, there really isn’t one day that is the same as the next. I do a lot of future planning and checking in on the successes of the various teams I support. I spend a lot of time speaking with my team and getting feedback on ways we can make their processes better or easier.
What is your guilty pleasure?
I don’t feel guilty about it but I’m a big reader and have recently started receiving free books from publishers to review them publicly on Instagram. It’s a not-so-secret passion of mine that I love!
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I’ve received is that the most common trait amongst successful people is their ability to ask for help. I think of this often when I start to criticize myself for not knowing an answer or not being able to accomplish something by myself.
What are you currently reading?
I’m currently reading a book called “The Power of Company Culture” by Chris Dyer. I have an advanced copy, but it comes out on October 31!
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you?
I’m just a simple book nerd constantly reading or taking pictures of books for authors and publishers to share!
Who else would you like to see answer these questions?
The first that come to mind are Debbie Frank, Courtney Reynaud
