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After 30 years and 13 different cities, David Guy has learned a lot about collections. One of the most important lessons he’s learned is cultivating relationships with not just peers and senior managers, but as many people as you can manage. Read on to learn more about David, which of the 13 cities he’s lived in that still holds a special place in his heart, and the man he could and will never say no to.
Name: David Guy
Job Title: Title Head of SMB Collections and Recovery
Company: Enova International
Length of time at current company: 2 years
Length of time in industry: 30 years and what a ride it has been
How did you get your start in the industry?
I worked for a large retailer in Washington, D.C. in the sales audit department and they had an opening in credit (our department store credit card) to be the manager of financial reporting so I took that on for about two years and then the early stage delinquency power dialing manager job came open and my boss thought it was a perfect combination of people and metrics. The rest is history
What is your career highlight so far?
I’ve had such amazing opportunities to work for great companies and great leaders. If I could go back in time, my 10-year stretch at Credit One Bank in Las Vegas was so challenging and rewarding. When I joined we were booking just around 25k new cards a month and it was full speed ahead from there navigating the economic headwinds and tailwinds. That foundation and knowledge building absolutely contributed to not only Credit One’s market status today but my career arc I’m proud to say.
When or how are you most productive?
Mornings, I start my day in the gym around 5:30 AM. I have to get the blood flowing and kickstart the energy. It sets the tone for the day and gets me ready to engage. 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?
My mentor was Jack Hart, the VP of Credit for several divisions of May Department Stores. I worked for Jack in Washington, D.C., St. Louis, and Houston. If the phone rang and he wanted my help I always said yes. He taught me the nuts and bolts of not only the industry but how to lead people to achieve greater things than they might have thought possible.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else?
We have so many great people in our industry don’t we – but I like to say that my approach is simple: I analyze, diagnose, solve, standardize, and simplify. But, nothing extraordinary can ever be accomplished without teamwork, so I cultivate productive relationships with peers, customers, suppliers, vendors and senior-level stakeholders.
What do you like most about this industry?
We don’t rest – every day brings fresh ideas, approaches, colleague encounters and technological opportunities to advance our industry.
What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry?
We can do more to improve our reputation and how our work drives positive macro-level economic outcomes worldwide. I remind all of my team members how important the work we do is – not just for our respective company and its bottom line – but the overall economy – availability of credit – interest rates. We matter!
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
Hotels. Coming out of college I got an offer to join Hecht Co. (department store in D.C.) as a manager trainee and an offer to be an assistant manager for a Days Inn Motel. Here we are 30 years later. More than 10 years of living in Vegas reminds me sometimes, “What if I…”
Describe a typical work day.
Collections is all about results, so you need to have the will and the grit. Each morning I check the previous day’s charge-off, recovery dollars, and departmental metrics to insure the trends are where we need to be. After that, I make sure I carve out some MBWO time to talk to the agents and my leadership team so I have a pulse on what’s happening. The work day always manages to fill in, doesn’t it?
What is your guilty pleasure?
I lived in Vegas 10+ years and still have a condo there so you can probably guess. I love the town and the energy. Nothing like a cold IPA and a hot slot machine.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
I have two pieces of advice I received and convey to everyone:
- Risk is defined by the risk you take, not the risk you avoid
- When you lead people, always insure they hear your message and not your emotion
What are you currently reading?
“1929” by Andrew Ross Sorkin. I’m also an avid podcast enjoyer. I recommend the “All-In” pod and “The Compound and Friends”.
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you?
Lucky 13. Today, I’m in Denver: the 13th city on my career path. Always consider the doors that are opened for you. I didn’t take them all, but I’ve been afforded the opportunity to live in great parts of the USA.
Who else would you like to see answer these questions?
Chad Kruse from Williams & Fudge
