Compete to Win

The team at EPM is looking forward to our Annual Exchange coming up in January called EPMX21. It’s an event we prepare for and reflect on all year. It’s where some of our greatest vision and understanding of ourselves and our organization originates from and is reflected on as we forge ahead.

This year, our Exchange focus will be Compete to Win. I’m looking forward to sharing more on what we have planned, but the idea isn’t just about growth and expansion and where we want to be in the future. It’s about how we will grow and who we must be when we reach the finish line and have met the goals we have set.

Reflecting on our mission and vision

The transformation EPM has made in recent history is an all-encompassing one. More than just making sure we are closing loans and giving great customer service, our success and growth all goes back to our mission and vision:

 Mission: We are a resource and voice for financial empowerment. Vision: To continue to offer top financial service, communication, and assistance to the communities we serve.

The word serve is one of the most important verbs in our organization. We serve others better by strengthening ourselves from the inside out. Our team has to be on board with our mission, vision, and culture to be successful. That means that as leaders, WE have to live it every day. We have to believe it. It can’t be a gimmick, it can’t come off as hollow words and ideas, or we won't have the stamina as an organization to push ourselves to where we are going.

We have come a long way, but we aren’t close to being done growing and improving. We have big goals, and we need to make sure we are prepared for victory and focused on the same mission by building a culture that authentically reflects our missions and vision across the board. That's where The EPM Way comes in.

Compete to Win the EPM Way

Every day we need to take a look at how we differentiate from other lending organizations? Our service makes us stand out here, quality of follow-through, culture, diversity, and inclusion. That isn’t just to check a box but to really build relationships and strengthen the community. The 23 Fundamentals of the EPM Way that I have highlighted across the year ensure that we are maintaining our focus and growing in the right direction to reach our robust goals and still have the momentum to press on. The people of EPM are the ingredients of that magic sauce. We have to make sure we are all working and blending and making something amazing and sustainable.  

Looking ahead

We are looking to become a top 10 lender by the end of the decade, and our goals are to align our mission, vision, and culture so we can come together as one group with one main focused goal. It all comes down to the people, not the loans. But when all of these things are working together, the loans and the other financial and community benefits come along with it. 

Growing from the inside on a personal growth level, a physical and mental health level, a bond-building level, will create a robust system that continues to excel and overcome the hurdles and obstacles.

The concept of Compete to Win showcases the importance of culture, mentality, healthy lifestyle, resourcefulness, growth and to continue to bring it every day while always evolving. That’s the EPM Way of achieving success.