I am a big believer in purpose. Everything goes better when there is a purpose behind it, and the doing of it brings meaningful purpose to the people involved. When people believe they are involved in something meaningful to them, they put more effort into it. They tune in and lock on. I had to learn about purpose in my own industry.
About ten years into the business of providing products and services to the financial industry, I remember feeling down, and I thought, what am I really doing? Who am I really helping? What is this all about? Okay, maybe ten years into something is a bit late to ask those questions, but that is where I was. Stage of life, early midlife crisis, I don’t know, but it just hit me, and I considered changing careers altogether. Banking, Insurance, claims, policies, systems for lenders – was that what I would be involved with the rest of my life? I was really just going through the process of figuring out the purpose of it all. Without purpose, everything is duller and less meaningful.
An old friend of mine started to point out all of the good things (purpose) I was a part of in this industry. Lenders keep communities strong. The industry keeping their local businesses afloat and not dependent on a national institution that doesn’t have roots in your community. Community lenders typically employ a large percentage of their community. Banks and credit unions help people with car loans, home loans, and savings accounts. Lenders are the center in any community and crucial to that community’s ability to thrive via local banking decisions made locally. The giving goes on and on. Community lenders give so much! County fairs, local charities, hospitals, food banks, school supplies for underprivileged kids, business chambers, and more.
My friend also helped me realize the same about my own business. We were keeping community lenders strong and efficient by protecting their lending portfolios in a reliable and efficient way. That same friend reminded me of all of the families we support, all of the friendships made, all of the donations I have been able to give, all of the friends and family I have been able to help, and all of the support we provide to a vital industry: community financial institutions. All of that took me from questioning my career choice to realizing it is something meaningful that is making an impact. It was an important moment where I decided to run with what I was doing and to be the best I could be at it. That drove me and our staff to work harder and be even better than we were. Develop new products and help our customers be successful.
We started the “Unitas Financial Services Gives Back” initiative to give even more to local communities where we had clients, supporting the areas that have supported us. I’m proud to say that this tradition will continue on through Unitas, our newly merged organization. Read more about our merger with Unitas Financial Services here.
No matter what job you have, no matter what role you play, you will be better at what you do and happier doing it when you see all of the meaning behind it and all of the people that are affected by you, your company, your job, and your part of something bigger. Let’s face it, banking and insurance aren’t the sexiest careers in the world; however, when done well, they have a lasting and large impact on the communities and people we are lucky enough to serve and cross paths with.
Sincere thanks to all of you community lenders and the vendors that support them – you, in your individual roles within your shops, are keeping your towns, cities, and states strong. We are very proud to be a part of these two crucial industries that do so much for so many.
If we can help your institution with easy, always on, borrower friendly, compliant loan portfolio protection, please get in touch.
Bill Jones, President
Unitas Financial Services
