People and Companies That Inspired Us in 2021
Inspired By is back for Season 2! Last year was a tough year for so many and even so, there were countless examples of people and companies doing truly inspirational things. We felt like those acts needed to be highlighted and so we're running it back again this year! These local companies and the individuals involved have lived out one of our mottos - the more you give, the more you grow - and have been an inspiration for Pro Athlete. Let’s get started.
1.) CommunityAmerica Credit Union
We’ve been blessed to be a part of some awesome banking partnerships over the years. This past year we decided to join forces with CommunityAmerica Credit Union and it’s been nothing short of amazing! As a partner, they are responsive, reliable, creative, innovative, and most importantly, fun!
The reason they made our Inspired By list this year isn’t because of what they have done for our business as it relates to operations (although, that has been awesome). Rather, we’d like to highlight their dedication to giving back to the KC community. It feels like you can’t go anywhere without seeing a CACU sign or their name attached to a sporting or charity event.
During our introductory call with Lisa Ginter and Liz Lewis, I knew we were off to a good start when we spent very little time “talking business” and instead, focused on how we would come together to do some fun and awesome things for this city! That was about as inspirational as it gets!
2.) Native Digital
Not even sure where to start with the crew over at Native Digital! New partnerships are always a little scary but it feels like, within the first few interactions, you pick up on indicators that foreshadow how the relationship will play out and grow. Do they respond quickly to your messages? Do they get excited to talk about your business or do they spend the whole time talking about theirs? Do they have a kick @$$ new office downtown? Ok, so that last one isn’t “necessarily important” but it is pretty cool!
From the trash talking they did thinking they would beat us at pickleball (it was cute) to picking up the slack when one of our employees was in the hospital, Native Digital has delivered and we could not be more thankful for our partnership. Besides being a super cool company to work with, the thing that inspires us is their commitment to putting culture before everything else. It’s dialed in, consistent, heartfelt, and you see it working with their team from the top down. It’s infectious and doesn’t go unnoticed!
3.) Kansas City Current
Did the Current provide some excitement in this city earlier this year or what?! From the announcement of building the first soccer stadium purpose-built for a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team in the world to rebranding the organization, the Current was making waves (couldn’t resist). The financial contributions from the ownership group and their belief in breaking barriers for women in soccer are something that should inspire us all.
I’m proud to share moves like this with my 5-year-old daughter and teach her about the people who are building a foundation for her to go out and do the things she loves in life. We’re excited to cheer on the KC Current in 2022!
4.) Kansas City Monarchs Baseball
Winning the American Association Championship in your first full season as an owner of the team is a great accomplishment in its own right. But to do it after a full rebrand of your organization that honors one of the most-storied franchises in Kansas City and in all of sports is absolutely remarkable!
I got to know Mark Brandmeyer when he was announced as the new owner of the Monarchs (then T-Bones). Early on, he told me about his plans for the team and the stadium and wow, did he deliver! It’s been exciting to watch Mark and his team go through this process and find success on and off the field. To me, his partnership with Bob Kendrick, Kiona Sinks, and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum has been an inspiration to me and the whole Pro Athlete family!
5.) The Pro Athlete Family
I’d like to finish by thanking all of the Pro Athlete employees and their families. They’ve embraced our new, remote work environment and have turned adversity into one of the best years in company history. We’ve had our ups and downs, and I miss spending time with everyone in person, but I can’t thank this group enough for working so hard to keep the Pro Athlete culture alive and well.
I’m so proud to be a member of the Pro Athlete team and know that because of our employees and their families, our customers, vendors, lenders, and contractors, 2022 is sure to be another great year!
Wishing you and your family a happy holiday season and a healthy 2022!
- Andrew