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Leave it to Laura White to be the first to note that even the debt collection industry has a debt that should be paid off. It’s that kind of insights that have guided her through a career that started as a debt collector before heading into being a regulator, then the chief risk and compliance officer of one of the industry’s largest companies, before striking out on her own. Read on to learn more about Laura, what she has learned about her friend network since founding her own company, and the genre of music she makes no apologies for rocking out to.
Name: Laura White
Job Title: Co-Founder and CEO
Company: Controlytics, LLC
Length of time at current company: 4 months
Length of time in industry: 13 years
How did you get your start in the industry?
I was hired as Chief Risk and Compliance Officer of PRA Group right as the CFPB started really focusing on this industry. Fun fact, however, I was a debt collector for Signet Bank from 4pm-12am M-F to pay my way through college so, maybe that’s actually where I got my start.
What is your career highlight so far?
For me, it really is founding my own company, but for a reason you may not suspect. As I have started on this journey, so many people from different times in my personal and professional life have reached out to offer help. Not encouragement or best wishes, but actual “hands on let me use my talent to make you successful” kind of help. It is very humbling and made me realize I am blessed to have so many generous friends and colleagues in my life.
When or how are you most productive?
I am most productive when I have a million things to do. I become more efficient and focused.
Which industry professional do you admire most?
Stephanie Eidelman. She is a true entrepreneur and has started different organziations that add significant value to the industry. She is excellent at seeing a need and addressing it. She did a lot for women in this industry.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else?
I specialize in connective intelligence. I am able to link seemingly unrelated facts across operations, finance, and legal to uncover hidden operational friction and risk. I have a sense for identifying missing controls in complex workflows.
What do you like most about this industry?
I appreciate the “small-world” nature of the industry because it allows for a much deeper level of knowledge sharing. Whether it’s navigating a new state requirement or new audit standards, I can pick up the phone and talk with peers who have faced the same hurdle. This interconnectedness means we aren’t all reinventing the wheel.
What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry?
I wish we could finally pay off the “Reputation Debt” our industry owes from 30 years ago. The modern ARM industry is one of the most technologically advanced and highly regulated sectors in finance. We are consumer advocates advocates, yet we still fight old stereotypes. I’m on a mission to continue to change that perspective.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
I like to think I would be doing something artistic. I’ve always wanted to own my own craft store (picture cozy bookstore vibe but with yarn, fabric and paint) as a community workspace.
Describe a typical work day.
These days a good part of my day is spent networking, getting to know new people and making connections. I spend a lot of my time working our product. I also am a Fractional Compliance Officer for First Credit Services so I spend time with that team researching and answering questions, advising on processes and controls and reviewing communications.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Yacht Rock
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Don’t let your job title limit your impact. Some of the most valuable insights come from projects that fall outside your formal job description. When you raise your hand for cross-functional responsibilities, you aren’t just taking on more work, you’re building business acumen. Understanding how the fears of the business turn outside of your department is exactly what transforms a technical specialist into a strategic leader.
What are you currently reading?
“The Girl I Was” – It’s about a woman with a messy life who goes back in time to confront her younger, party love college self. My husband gave it to me for Christmas.
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you?
Most people in the industry know me from my time as CRCO at PRA Group, but the fact that usually surprises them is my 15 years as a Bank Examiner for the Federal Reserve. I spent over a decade examining the world’s most complex banking organizations from the inside out. Following that with executive leadership roles at Allianz and PRA group gave me a rare 360-degree view of risk. I know the regulations and how regulators audit, and how to build systems that stand up to their scrutiny.
Who else would you like to see answer these questions?
Kristyn Leffler
