Mr. Gregory Fishman, President and CEO of Resolvly, started out when he was just 19 as National Director of Sales with Zepp Manufacturing, a chemical manufacturing company. From there he was offered a position with National Interchem as the Director of Sales, and within one year he had become Vice President of the company. Fishman worked at National Interchem for 28 years, including eight years as an owner of the company after purchasing it from the original owner, Art Saltz. Fishman later sold the business and moved to Florida because his three children were ready to attend college and it seemed like a good place to put down roots as a single father. He became the manager at a car dealership which became the number one in the nation in sales within two years.
One day a client visited the dealership and remarked to Fishman that he would be good at helping people get out of debt. Having come from a poor background, he understood this type of struggle and felt that he could help people facing it. He went to school to become a financial analyst and received his Series 7 license. He then started work at GHS Solutions, a debt relief company, and worked with numerous clients to a high level of satisfaction. Gregory Fishman soon had his own ideas as to how to help people get out of debt, thus he opened Resolvly in 2014 in Boca Raton, Florida.
Resolvly works closely with clients, differentiating itself from other debt relief companies by treating its clients with respect and dignity. The courteous team has been very successful in helping people pay off their debt. By treating people as people and not just a number, Resolvly has become a leader in the industry. Resolvly is a legal help referral company and has an affiliate legal team, GM Law Firm, to handle unsecured debts and private student loans for clients, as well as a team through National Legal Staffing Support, their staffing company, that accrues the clients. By keeping every aspect of the business in house, they are able to continue to grow and assist more people.
How did you get started in this business? What inspired you to start this business?
I created this business because the debt relief industry, which has been abused, had to offer a service that fulfilled the goal of the client. I have seen unscrupulous business behavior, such as keeping a client’s money, in the past. I knew that there had to be a place for people to seek trusted financial relief help. I became involved because I wanted the process to be done right for the client. I came up with the idea ten years ago and it was four years ago that we were able to put everything together and acquire the funds to open. We complete the circle of the program with the help of our compliance department, retention department, and a department for the clients to call anytime for help or to talk if they get scared. I could not imagine my parents going through this without being scared, so we are always there to reassure the clients that they will be ok.
When you were starting out, was there ever a time you doubted it would work? If so, how did you handle that?
Never, never! It took a little muscle and time. Luckily, we were blessed to have a corporate attorney firm assist us in structuring the business. I needed structure and direction so we would know exactly how to run our business. We wanted to be able to help people and protect the company as well.
How did you get your first customer?
With a lengthy conversation which explained exactly what we do and what the outcome will be. We discussed their financial situation in depth, and they came on board. They were young and bankruptcy would have affected their careers. With us, they were able to avoid bankruptcy and that got them very excited, and that made us excited to begin our path and goals at Resolvly. With our new client and a merchant account, we were ready for business.
What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make in the last few months?
We had to decide if we were ready for a big growth spurt or if we should ride the storm for a minute. We knew what to do and not to do with the profitability of the company. A good decision we made was to have a presence with Google. This helped us to have steady growth. Although a big growth spurt can be nice, it is not always better. A steady growth worked out best for Resolvly and our clients.
What do you think it is that makes you successful?
I am a workaholic. Other than my children, this work is what I do. I have a great staff and we are persistent and don’t give up. My team really believes in Resolvly. Once everyone was on the same page as myself, things ran very smoothly. That is success: when your team believes in you and your product.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Watching my staff grow and achieve their personal and financial goals. They are able to move into the apartment or home they wanted, purchase new cars, start and provide for their families. Through hard work, they have become some of the highest paid employees in Florida in our industry. Seeing their lives change and evolve in a positive way is very satisfying for me.
What does the future hold for your business? What are you most excited about?
Unfortunately, debt keeps getting bigger, and things are going our way and the government is recognizing that. Some of the rules that we put into place are stable. Right now a lot of good things are happening and we are on a steady ride. We can have as much business as we would like to have and we understand what we are capable of handling. On a personal note, I am becoming a grandfather!
What business books have inspired you?
I would have to say The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and The Secret. They have inspired me to have a strong belief in myself and my company by reinforcing that you can do whatever you want to as long as you believe. Once we proved that Resolvly works, the sky became the limit. We have been able to see people clear their debts and buy homes, buy cars, move, and provide for their children. We have many thank you letters from people who are now debt free. The Power of Now emphasizes ‘I believe in Me’ as a wonderful place to be mentally, both personally and professionally.
What is a recent purchase you have made that’s helped with your business?
We bought a rowing machine and we got a personal trainer for our staff. We have done a lot of things that help our staff both physically and mentally. We also have a softball team which is great fun outside of the office. People don’t always realize that the little things can make such a positive difference. These things have really made our staff feel better and it’s created a tighter family and a more connected office environment.
What is your main mission in life?
My main mission in life is to give people hope who feel hopeless because of their situation. The more we do the right thing, the more people recognize that we are honorable, upstanding, good people. We have clients that have tremendous stress from their debt and they come to us after, for example, their family stole from them or their kids ran up their credit cards or any of the many things that happen to them. Resolvly is on their team. We are here to help. We have paid bills for people, we have paid for cancer treatment, we have bought beds if they needed one, bought them food…. We are real people trying to help other real people–that is what I want everyone to know. We are real. We are not a scam company, we work to help people regain their hope and get away from feeling hopeless. We treat others as we wish to be treated.