How Mendy Pollock Turned Foreclosure Workouts into Strategic Leverage

The Shift from Broker to Strategist

After the 2008 financial crisis, Mendy Pollock faced a hard truth: mortgage brokerage wasn’t fueling his purpose — or his potential.

Deals dried up. Equity vanished. And Mendy realized cold calling and commissions weren’t aligned with his creativity or calling. So, he pivoted.

He moved from executing loans to fixing them — tackling distressed debt workouts and CMBS restructurings with one goal:

“I wanted to be creative. I wanted to solve problems. I needed to take the seat at the table.”

Turning Distress into Opportunity

With his partner David, Mendy co-founded Westmark Real Estate Group. Their specialty: resolving complex CMBS defaults, often negotiating multimillion-dollar discounts.

But this wasn’t just about numbers.

✅ They studied foreclosure filings to generate leads
✅ Built software to track legal action in real time
✅ Negotiated directly with borrowers — and the special servicers standing in their way

And they did it all while pushing attorneys and lenders to go further, take risks, and challenge what’s “standard.”

“Some lawyers were afraid to file counterclaims. But it’s not about winning — it’s about creating leverage.”

Creativity vs. Control

Despite their success, Mendy struggled with one thing: control.

In CMBS, creativity often hits a wall. Pooling and Servicing Agreements limit what can be done, even with brilliant ideas. Lenders have no emotional stake. No urgency. No flexibility.

“You come up with great solutions — but the answer is always ‘we can’t do that.’ That’s not leverage. That’s a dead end.”

That’s when Mendy realized he had to move beyond consulting — and into investing.

A Mindset Built on Instinct and Impact

Mendy wasn’t just chasing money. He wanted independence. Control. Strategy. Leverage.

He knew:

• Creativity without decision-making power is limited
• Real leverage means sitting across the table, not behind someone else
• And instincts only matter if you’re the one making the call

“I trust my gut. I know how to feel the nuance of a deal. I know when time matters — and how to use it.”

Final Thought

This isn’t just a story about CMBS workouts or distressed assets. It’s about one operator’s fight to align who he is with what he does.

Mendy Pollock confronted the impossible by rejecting safety, embracing creativity, and insisting on strategy over shortcuts.

He moved from broker to negotiator to investor — not by chasing the perfect market, but by building leverage where others saw none.

🎧 Watch Episode 10.3 now

See how Mendy Pollock navigates complexity, controls the narrative, and turns creative instincts into strategic power.

PODCAST - Confronting the Impossible with Leo Jacobs.

Leo Jacobs, Founder and CEO of Jacobs PC

Known for finding creative, expedient solutions to complex and high-profile cases, Leo excels in matters including distressed investment and asset management, real estate law, corporate law, dispute resolution, business divorces, negotiation, and more. Leo’s extensive expertise in debt and equity structures enables him to employ a full spectrum of legal tools to achieve swift, optimal results for clients. His practice, Jacobs P.C., bridges commercial litigation, corporate transactions, and financial rehabilitation, handling cases across federal, state, and bankruptcy courts, as well as administrative tribunals.

If you would like to join the podcast email requests to pr@jacobspc.com