Gregory Fishman

You have to believe in the people around you, you can’t grow on your own.

 

Mr. Gregory Fishman is the President and CEO of Resolvly, a company that emphasizes the human element of debt resolution. Resolvly has become a leader in the industry by treating its clients with respect during one of the hardest times in their lives. The company offers personal help and support to those who contact them for assistance, referring them to Resolvly’s affiliate legal team, GM Law Firm, to handle matters such as unsecured debts and private student loans.

Fishman, who began his professional career at 19 as National Director of Sales for a chemical manufacturing company, quickly worked his way up in his industry to become Vice President of National Interchem after only one year with the company. Fishman worked at National Interchem for 28 years. His final eight years were spent as the owner of the company after purchasing it from the original owner, Art Saltz. Fishman went on to sell the business, and relocated to Florida with his three children as a single father. When his children went off to college, he became the manager at a car dealership which was soon number one in sales in the nation.

At the dealership, Fishman made the acquaintance of a gentleman who suggested that he would be good at helping people get out of debt. Growing up with poor parents, Fishman understood the difficulties that those in debt face in their lives. He began to think that he would indeed be successful in that line of work. After financial analyst school and obtaining his Series 7 license, he took a position with GHS Solutions, a debt relief company. There he found great success helping clients move past their debt. Eventually he began to dream of helping others through his own company with his own ideas and methods. By 2014, Gregory Fishman had successfully opened Resolvly in Boca Raton, Florida.

Where did the idea for Resolvly come from?

The idea for Resolvly came from seeing too many bad things happen in the debt relief industry. I’ve seen clients’ money go to the wrong places, people being abused by those who claim to know what they’re doing. I wanted to create a business where people can go to get trusted financial help with debt resolution. We’ve been open for four years, but I was already planning the idea for the company more than five years before that. I put myself in my parents’ shoes: how would they have felt going through this? I wanted to build a company with a full-circle program that alleviates not only debt, but the feelings of fear that accompany it.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I get up at five a.m. every morning, have my coffee and listen to the news. I do a lot of meditation and take my 30 lb. Rhodesian Ridgeback dog out for a walk, then I am off to the gym. After that, I come home, get cleaned up, and check the mail. On my way to the office, I make a stop at a bakery for morning goodies and coffee for my staff. Once at the office, it is a full day of work. We have a ten a.m. staff meeting every day. Along with the staff managers, we discuss what we are doing for the day, what is coming up, any events that we need to prepare for, and new, exciting things that we want to bring to the company. We also go through the receivables and the payables and new topics as they arise. I check our accounts daily to make sure everything is posted correctly and for the proper amount. I also have quite a few emails to respond to, and I call all of my vendors to make sure everyone is on point.

I wish I could say that I sleep in on the weekends, but it hardly happens! I still go to the gym as well as walk my dog, and I spend time by the ocean. My girlfriend and I also volunteer our free time to helping people who are struggling with addiction and don’t have a place to go that is safe for them.

How do you bring ideas to life?

I sit with my staff and share the ideas that I have, which often come to me in the middle of the night or at the gym. Then my staff will put it together. I like to have an idea and share it so that everyone can participate in the project, as well as share their valuable input to grow the new idea into something tangible.

What’s one trend that excites you?

Unfortunately debt and student loans, for example, are not going away. But I find that people are really responding to Resolvly as a better option than bankruptcy. I am concerned that some of the recent tax changes may encourage people to spend and they will find themselves in debt. We are really trying to help people get back on their financial track and make a plan for their future finances.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

I am very Type A, so my mind runs all the time. This makes me very productive, as I am always working on something or finding new or better ways to work. The gym and the ocean really help me to work through and organize my thoughts. I think that my morning routine–going to the gym and meditating–prepares me each day for a great day at the office.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I have always been a long-term type of employee, having my longest job for 28 years and then becoming President and CEO of my own company. I would tell myself to be even more persistent and consistent. And always tell the truth, even when it hurts.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on?

If everybody had a power greater than themselves, the world would be a better place to live.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

I recommend that everyone keep to a scheduled calendar of events. Have your coffee in the morning, then check your bank statements, return emails, and go for your morning fitness routine or a walk. Do the same thing each morning. This allows other people to trust and count on you.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your Resolvly business?

You have to believe in the people around you, you can’t grow on your own. Create yourself an A-Team and let them succeed. If they encounter a failure, they will grow from the experience. Ultimately, I am only as good as the people around me.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

I failed with people. I thought I needed to be their friend and pay them more and that would make them more loyal. I found out that it is the opposite. People want to be directed and they want to earn a living. I find that if you show people the way, both you and the company really benefit. In the beginning I did not follow this, but I do now.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

Personally, I would love to see a gym with the perfect, healthy restaurant in front of it. That way you could get good, clean food to go after accomplishing a great workout. Nowadays, anything that makes it easy to be healthy is going to succeed.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I drive down one road every day, and I often see a homeless woman who looks like my mother. I have passed her many times, but one day not too long ago I finally stopped and I gave her some money. I hope it went to the right place, but whether it did or not, I felt better after meeting and helping her.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?

We use a product called Lead Track and it really helps us to organize the company in terms of sales lead management, CRM and lead tracking.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

The Secret is such an inspiration. I am not an avid reader for leisure, but this was easy to follow and I did not want to put it down. I applied the message of personal belief to my life and I use it daily.

What is your favorite quote?

“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston S. Churchill

Key learnings:

● Be dependable; do the same thing each morning
● Create an A-Team and let them succeed or grow from failure
● Be persistent and consistent and think long-term

 

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