I have been in the legal funding industry for nearly 10 years now, and I am blessed to have built a team where we collectively have over 150 years of experience among us.

And while experience is important, I admit it isn’t everything.

If you were to ask me what I think makes us as individuals, but also as a company successful, it really boils down to one common quality everyone on the team shares.

The Difference Between Good and Great
When I interview people to join Cherokee Funding, I like to drill down to get to one anecdotal story that tells me everything I need to know: What kind of initiative do they possess?

People who are driven by a common mission who are invested in a purpose bigger than themselves – tend to operate at a much less transactional level and think more strategically, proactively and passionately. They also tend to take more initiative.

People who are reactionary, and whose days are spent responding to a to-do list they have little influence and control over, will always be missing something. Their tunnel vision is crowded with never-ending line items, and they almost always appear out of breath or in a constant state of panic or frustration. I have taken note throughout my career of people who function at this level, and they largely go feeling unfulfilled and like they’re always chasing a clock.

This is a recipe for a classic follower, whose results will never exceed ordinary levels.

Why the Legal Funding Industry is Full of Innovation and Activists
In an industry centered around legal precedence being set every day, where everything is ever-changing, and where lives and livelihoods are on the line, it is paramount to have people with initiative leading the way. It’s who I entrust my business with, and who clients and legal funding consumers trust their settlements, and futures, with.

As lifelong students, we are constantly reading and sharing industry articles, trends and reports with each other. In order to operate outside of that reactionary realm where we would only ever be responding to what happens around us, we take initiative to dive in and influence our industry, laws and each other. It’s what inspires me each and every day when I walk through the doors at Cherokee Funding.

I believe the innovation and results we are able to produce are solely made possible by the initiative we all take, and it’s fueled by our passion for what we do.

I’ve referred to our business before as defenders of the Seventh Amendment, and I fully believe we have a supercharged mission to fight daily for the right to a trial by jury. For me, this is a worthy cause that I’m eager to tackle every day. I am adamant about finding information to counter the insurance industry, and other large defendants with deep pockets, to arm people with the ability and the means to fight for the justice and the settlements they deserve. If you feel like my words are pulsating off the page, it’s because they are.

Initiative is powered by passion.

My 5 Tips for Finding Your Why’
Identifying a mission that resonates with you is the first step in finding a career over a job.

Here are my tips for finding your why to fuel your passion and spark your initiative:

1. Explore more, and when you come across something that doesn’t make you count the minutes in the day, explore it even more.
2. Identify mentors and people who inspire you; they will share valuable resources and insight to guide you to your why.’
3. Be brave; living inside the confines of the ordinary is safe and comfortable but it won’t lead you to your life’s mission.
4. Gut check yourself every now and again to make sure you’re following your why,’and not someone else’s. I’ve gotten caught up in this earlier on in my career. It’s tricky because it happens over time, so make sure to check in with yourself.
5. Never give up your pursuit. Success lives on the other side of fear, doubt, and rejection; a small percentage of the population operates on the other side of this.

Does this resonate with you? If you’re interested in joining us on our mission, I encourage you to explore our Careers page, at www.gainservicing.com.