GratiTour: Reflections on Jefferson Capital’s 20th Anniversary
By David Burton CEO – Jefferson Capital Holdings
The last couple of months of the year typically means joyful and warm gatherings with family and close friends and reflections upon the prior year. For most, they bring about sincere feelings of gratitude and thankfulness.
For myself and others at Jefferson Capital, this past November and December were certainly all of this and much, much more. They culminated in our global Jefferson Capital GratiTour.
GRATITOURS DON’T COME EASY
You may wonder what a GratiTour is. Let me start by saying that it is rare in business and doesn’t come easy. Indeed, it requires decades of hard work, partnerships, and continuous innovation by hundreds of individuals. It requires a laser focus on listening and always doing the right thing. It is a product of keeping your eyes on the long-term rather than pursuing shortcuts for short-term gains, and it demands a never-yielding focus on reputations - both your own and those of your partners.
This past November and December marked Jefferson Capital’s 20th-anniversary celebrations and what we like to refer to as our Gratitude Tour - - or GratiTour.
ST. CLOUD, DENVER, BASINGSTOKE, GLASGOW & LONDON
Our GratiTour commenced with a celebration in the same location where we first started our operations over 20 years ago – St. Cloud, Minnesota. Although I’m rarely at a loss for words, gazing out upon hundreds of our Central Minnesota associates and guests, recognizing 38 of them for their full 20 years of service to our company and thinking back upon our simple beginnings caused just that. I was humbled, grateful, and frankly for a moment - - speechless! And it was just the first stop on the GratiTour.
A day later we moved on to Jefferson Capital’s Denver, Colorado office. As a team of professionals who focus daily on finding solutions for consumers in the legal channel, we celebrated our Denver team’s unceasing willingness and dedication to always doing the right thing. In one-on-one conversations with our internal legal team, we heard stories which confirmed what we already knew - - that the most rewarding part of their jobs is simply listening to and helping consumers move ahead with their lives.
Our third tour stop was Basingstoke, England, where we celebrated with the hard-working associates of our CARS, Ltd. and JC International Acquisition, LLC offices. As the foundation of our international operations, wonderful stories were shared about how far we had come together since crossing the Atlantic Ocean and joining forces. Not surprisingly, the same focus of treating consumers right, investments in innovation, and focusing on long-term partnerships with our clients and vendors were celebrated.
Next, we traveled north to Glasgow, Scotland, where we celebrated with our Resolvecall, Ltd. associates. Although they are the newest member of the Jefferson Capital family, their origins actually go back ten years before Jefferson Capital’s. As a result, we were fortunate to celebrate both Jefferson Capital’s 20th anniversary and the 30th anniversary of Resolvecall’s founding. Noting that most companies don’t last five years, much less a combined 50 years, we reflected upon the partnerships, people, and unceasing innovations to better serve our clients and consumers that allowed us to achieve that milestone.
Our fifth and final stop for the GratiTour was in London, Ontario, where we were thrilled to celebrate with our Canaccede associates in Canada. We reminisced about our March 2020 beginnings and the uncertainty at that very moment surrounding the Covid pandemic. More importantly, this visit reinforced just how similar our cultures and values are and how Canaccede has contributed to the company’s continued growth.
SMALL BEGINNINGS AND GRATITUDE
In “Winnie-the-Pooh,” A.A. Milne writes: “Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.” One constant for us over the years - - from our humble beginnings 20 years ago to our current position as a global leader - - has been the gratitude shared with our associates, business partners, and the consumers with whom we work every day.
After having celebrated in four countries with five offices in a mere few weeks, our GratiTour reminded me of how far we have come over the past 20 years and how fortunate we have been. Gratitude - - it’s a big secret to our success. Onward and upward!