In his annual “Giving Thanks” memo, CEO Andy Gallion reflects on the past year – sharing his gratitude for the InCheck team, clients, partners, and more.
This time last year I was reflecting on the weirdest six months anyone could have ever imagined – something none of us planned for, something that impacted everyone, something that changed the world, while we were all still in the middle of navigating the unknown.
A great deal has changed in a year. First and foremost, I’m grateful for the time that has passed. It took patience and determination to get through the last eighteen months. When COVID shut down the world, we knew we were in for a long and unpredictable journey, and it seemed like it would take forever to get to this point. Yet here we are, and by all accounts, we’ve made it through, and are remarkably well-positioned as a business for what’s next.
As I reflect on 2021, I’m also looking ahead to our 20th anniversary in 2022. I have so many thoughts and emotions, it would be impossible to capture everything here.
Still, nineteen years’ worth of gratitude is on my mind and in my heart as I write this, and atop my gratitude list is every employee who has bled orange to help this company get to where we are today. It has been an honor and privilege to share so many milestones and memories with so many amazing people. To be a part of their lives means a lot to me, and I’m grateful they’ve been a part of mine.
It’s the people who’ve inspired me to do my best, and to do right by this company and our clients. Our people are the light that has carried this business forward and always will be. I know in my heart it will never be about me, but rather, about ‘we’.
Our team cares about each other, our clients, and the company. We work collaboratively, with incredible teamwork, valuing each other’s thoughts. We communicate effectively, with trust and respect. What we are experiencing right now is truly special and I am both grateful and excited about how the InCheck team has pulled together and will lead us forward.
I’m grateful for learning about the difference between success and mastery (thanks, Brene Brown!). Success is a destination based on a subjective definition of the word. Once achieved, what happens next is the unknown, and the potential for complacency is high. Mastery, on the other hand, is a journey, a lifelong commitment to a goal or value that never ends. In 2021, I’ve concluded that leadership mastery is extremely important to me. It’s something I’ve embraced and become passionate about, which is interesting because years ago, I struggled to find my voice and role as a leader. My foremost leadership goal is becoming the leader my people deserve. I’m extremely grateful for my current leadership position and for the people I am blessed to be able to lead. They are talented, hardworking, caring, and passionate about InCheck, and genuinely good people.
What else am I thankful for this year? Here’s a list of quick hitters:
- Thankful for you, our clients
- Thankful for the opportunity to hire remote employees and the talent we’ve been able to attract as a result!
- Thankful for our management team for joining me on our DEI journey
- Thankful for our accounting team, guiding us through the PPP process (18-month process and counting!)
- Thankful for our external business consultants (Julie Landry, Dr. Moutry, Darren Fisher, Mark King, Lauren Pagenkopf)
- Thankful for our agency partners (Islands of Brilliance, Tuna Traffic, and others)
- Thankful for our vendors
- Thankful for the “warmness of InCheck”
- Thankful for entering our 20th year in business – most businesses don’t get this far!
- Thankful for the Milwaukee Bucks! #bucksinsix
- Thankful for the support and love of family and friends
- Thankful for a successful back surgery and overall good physical and mental health
- Thankful for Brene Brown and the Dare to Lead podcast (I highly recommend it!)
- Thankful for getting to experience the milestones of our team along with them
I’m also grateful for being able to say I truly enjoy my job. After 19+ years, it keeps getting better. I’m more energized now than ever before, and I realize how fortunate I am for this.
I’m grateful for this time of year, and that we get a chance to take a few long weekends to relax and enjoy time with family and friends and for life to slow down just a little. We all need it.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.