Loans, debt recovery, mortgages…these aren’t words one would like to normally hear or deal with in their day-to-day lives. With money turning scarcer by the day, there are many who believe that bankruptcy is the only viable option in sight. It is for this group of terrified people that Greg Pesetsky founded the Practical Debt Relief to offer services as a debt relief firm that provides for alternatives other than bankruptcy.
Greg Pesetsky’s success mantra has revolved around customer servicing and keeping them happy and he speaks to us at eBrandz about the entrepreneurial strategies he employed and much more.
Compulsory questions:-
– Kindly give our readers an introduction to your business.
Practical Debt Relief is an organization that was founded in order to assist consumers who are likely to have been overwhelmed by runaway debt and an unfair credit system. If you are constantly trying to figure out how to get out of debt and believe that bankruptcy is your only way out, Practical Debt Relief is a full service debt relief firm offering many proven bankruptcy alternatives. Our company motto: “The Most Important thing in business is Honesty, Integrity and hard work”. We are located in beautiful Davie Fl and welcome visits from clients.
– Kindly give us a brief description about yourself.
I was born and brought up in Hollywood Florida and I founded the Practical Debt Relief organization in 2008. I have been a part of the industry since 2001 and prior to the founding of the Practical Debt Relief, I ran a very large debt consolidation company “Debt Management Credit Counseling” that serviced over 50,000 successful clients. I have also been certified through the IAPDA as a certified credit counseling specialist & certified debt arbitrator.
Other owners include Rogelio Rodriguez (Co-Founder and Social Media Director). Prior to opening Practical Debt Relief, Rod fulfilled a lifelong dream of serving in the United States Marine Corp. He served his country in Iraq, ultimately serving 8 years and attaining the rank of Sergeant. In his free time Rod enjoys reading, jumping out of airplanes, and spending time with family.
William Avila (Co-Founder and Marketing Director) was born in Miami, Florida, and has a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Nova Southeastern University. He too has served the country as a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. William also served his country by serving a full tour in Iraq. In his spare time, William enjoys reading and spending time with family.
Our company motto:
“The Most Important thing in business is Honesty, Integrity and hard work
List of Optional Questions:-
- What ignited the spark in you to start a new business venture?
I decided it was time to open Practical Debt Relief in 2008. I just felt that the time was perfect with bankruptcy levels at an all time high and the real estate market at its lowest. I knew what it meant to run an ethical business and always dreamed of doing it. I was ready to accomplish my dream of being my own boss and helping people in need in the process.
- How important have good employees been to your success?
Without good employees it’s impossible for any business to exist. I can only do so much myself and thus need reliable and ethical professionals who have a desire to go above and beyond to make consumers feel safe and confident in the service we offer. I am a firm believer in the saying “The client is always right.”
- What three pieces of advice would you give to college students who want to become entrepreneurs?
Make tons of business contacts because you never know how small this world is and how beneficial it can be to never burn a bridge. It’s like my father always told me “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”
Make sure to save a sufficient amount of capital before going into any business venture. It takes money to make money and to make sure your business succeeds; you need a fine-tuned business plan and plenty of capital for mistakes that might be made in your first year of business.
Ensure you stay ethical and compliant within all state and federal regulations. Don’t get greedy and try to make the quick buck. Fast money goes fast. Be humble and never get greedy. After all it’s about doing what you enjoy and living a happy and stress-free life.
- If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
I would have focused more on Internet marketing and creating a diverse lead manager to make sure I never lost contact with any past clients. Email campaigns are great to let people know that you’re still thinking about them and their needs.
- What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Determination
Focus
Honesty
Integrity
Hard Work
- How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
If I know it works, NEVER!
- How many hours do you work a day on average?
Ha-ha…12 hours a day (M-F) from Monday to Friday and 4-5 hours on Saturday & Sunday.
- How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?
My wife is a Nurse Practitioner so she works a lot too. But I am able to put in a lot of hours from home too thanks to a reliable staff.
- What motivates you?
Results and success are the aspects of my business that help motivate me.
- How do you generate new ideas?
I don’t know…they just constantly come to me. Most often, new ideas strike me late at night or while I am driving in my car. At times, I find that to be therapeutic.
- How do you build a successful customer base?
Customer service is key to any business. If you take care of your clients and treat them like family, good things will happen. Word of mouth is the best way of obtaining new business and social media has played a huge roll in assisting businesses in that department.
- How did you decide on the location for your business?
It’s very centrally located and close to all the major highways.
- If you could talk to one person from history, who would it be and why?
I would like to talk to any World War II Veteran and the brave men who fought over the skies during that war. Those guys are my real heroes. I am fascinated by what they did and think about it every single day.
- What do you feel is the major difference between entrepreneurs and those who work for someone else?
Entrepreneurs, I believe, are born leaders and are willing to take risks for something they believe in. Those who work for someone else simply want to live a normal life, maybe spending more time with family.
- How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
These days we focus 100% of our marketing efforts on SEO & SEM marketing. The Internet continues to evolve and we do not want to be left behind. Leads we generate through our website have always been the most successful in terms of conversion as those leads are branded to our company brand. Our site is very informative and not pushy at all. We want consumers to make an informed decision and thus include tons of educational content to help curious individuals conduct their own research.
- In one word, characterize your life as an entrepreneur.
Determined.
- What are some of the biggest mistakes you’ve made?
Some of the mistakes I have made include, Trying to open past businesses with people who do not have the drive or desire that I possess. Also, working with childhood friends…it NEVER works.
- What are your hobbies? What do you do in your non-work time?
In my spare time I enjoy training in the sport of Muah Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, more commonly known as the sport of MMA. I have had a competitive nature since childhood and this love competing in sports. I also enjoy spending time with family and watching good movies.
- What makes you happy?
Succeeding in everything I do, Hearing clients and business associates praise my work efforts and of course my loving and soon to be wife make me happy.
- Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
Facebook! What a genius idea!!!
- Where do you see yourself and your business in 10 years? 20 years?
I see myself as a debt relief guru maybe speaking at major conventions. I see my business as a multi million-dollar business with 100,000 successful and happy clients.
