George Breslow

WEST BERLIN -- On a warm Wednesday in the beginning of June, George Breslow said he was "running around a little nutty," with good reason: His wife had given birth the previous Saturday and his collections business had just opened a satellite office on Long Island, N.Y.
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With his personal blessings and business success, Breslow and his wife Nicole can no doubt look back on his 2001 decision to strike out on his own with fondness.He left Parsippany-based Creditek to form GB Collects after the large revenue management services company acquired the collections agency for which he worked.

"Their focus was not on commercial collection. ...They made me vice president and made me fire half the staff," Breslow said.

The next day GB Collects was started, specializing in the insurance sector.Today, 70 percent of the personnel he once had to fire work for him.

"You can't throw out people," he said."You can recycle people."

His retention of seasoned personnel paid off.GB Collects' revenue nearly quintupled from 2002 to 2003, earning it the No. 2 spot on this year's list of South Jersey's 25 fastest-growing companies.Revenue climbed from about $172,000 in 2002 to almost $800,000 in 2003.Last year, the company posted income of almost $1.6 million.

"I had small business owners' dreams, that it would just be profitable and put food on the table and make a couple bucks," Breslow said."In the last couple of years, this place has exploded."

Breslow said he couldn't have done it without his wife, who is the vice president of the company, as well as mother to their three small children.

And while all entrepreneurs take risks, Breslow feels pretty good about his family's security because he believes GB Collects can thrive in all economic climates.

"I love bad times.I love good times," Breslow said.
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"So collections go up then, too," Breslow said.