NEW Episode of On Hook with James McNeil – What Lenders and Repossessors Get Wrong About Each Other

Bridgecrest’s John Messiha Joins James McNeil for a Candid Conversation About Performance, Partnerships and the People Behind the Industry

In this episode of On Hook with James McNeil, James sits down with John Messiha, Head of Loss Mitigation and Lending Operations at Bridgecrest, for a wide-ranging conversation that blends personal history, leadership, industry perspective, and plenty of unexpected detours.

John shares how his family and upbringing shaped his work ethic and patriotism, why September 11 led him to join the Marine Corps, and what he learned working on F-18 electronic countermeasure systems. He also reflects on the leadership principles he carried from the military into his civilian career and the importance of taking care of the people responsible for getting the mission accomplished.

From there, the conversation follows John’s path through Bank of America, Capital One, Uber, Goldman Sachs, and Bridgecrest, including the experiences that first connected him to the repossession industry and the people who helped shape his approach to lender and recovery-partner relationships. What Lenders and Repossessors Get Wrong About Each Other

James and John also dig into some of the industry’s bigger conversations: what lenders and repossession companies often misunderstand about one another, why relationships and scorecards matter, how performance should influence allocation, the role of direct agents and forwarders, compliance and contract challenges, industry standards, and what it takes to build partnerships that last.

Along the way, there are stories about conferences, old business cards, Air Jordans, barbecue, military history, bourbon, and the many people John credits with helping shape his career.

It is a personal, candid, and often funny conversation that offers a look not only at John’s career, but at how one lender leader thinks about relationships, accountability, performance, and the future of the repossession industry.