In December of 2017, I set out on a really tough mission. It wasn’t money driven, it wasn’t a selfish mission, and it sure wasn’t easy. That mission was to create a community of winners that was so powerful it could sustain itself long after I’m gone.
First, I knew it was going to take a whole lot of top-notch winners to pull it off. At the time, I hardly knew anyone of that caliber. Second, it was gonna take culture and confidence to cast the vision and make it contagious. Third, I had to become the culture creator I knew I needed to be able to create a community of winners that would lead with me. Now, almost 4 years later, the mission is in full swing.
“Culture matters more than brand, product, or anything else. If you create a strong culture, your product and brand will be better because of it.”
-Ryan Stewman
Cultivating a Winning Team
As an employer, I can attest that hiring the right people is one of the biggest struggles of business ownership. When I first started looking for winners to embark on this mission with, I had no idea who to hire, why to hire them, or if they were a fit for my vision and organization. Because of that, I made some huge mistakes.
I’ve always tried to help the underdogs, so I ended up overpaying people who I tried to help and they did nothing but take advantage. I didn’t know any better until I had a client send me some information on the power of establishing a corporate belief system called core values. Once I got clear with simple, effective, core values that our company stood for, my mission and those who worked for it drastically changed. Community
Those winning core values are:
- We do the work (work ethic)
- We go above and beyond (servantship)
- We make no excuses (integrity)
- We elevate people to the top of their game (mentorship)
- We do what we say we are gonna do when we say we are gonna do it (expectations)
Our mission as members and leaders in Apex is to “represent what winning looks like at all times,” and after setting those core values, my team doesn’t just represent what winning looks like at the office, they are representing at all times and I couldn’t be prouder. Community
Culture Creation for Winners
In my personal experience, leadership means culture creation. Leadership isn’t something a person does, it’s a culture created around that person. It’s not a one-dimensional relationship, it’s a culture that transcends dictating who does what. Community
For example; a good leader will pick up trash, scoot a chair in, clean up the mess, and do the work. A great leader creates other leaders who desire to be the person to pick up the trash, scoot the chair in, and clean up the mess.
My Pastor Keith Craft calls me “Kingmaker,” and it’s my role not to just be a king, but to create other kings to align with me and serve our purpose together. I still do the work, but now, I ask those around me how they plan to be leaders if they always follow me.
I’m leading myself, what I need from the winners around me is to lead me as well! I need them to be the first to take action, lead, and set the example. I instill this mindset in my family, my employees, and of course my clients. Community
Because of this, for the last few years, people have admired the culture I’ve built with them.
But, what people don’t see is the constant communication of our vision, mission, and core values. What they don’t see is the team and I picking up trash everywhere we go, pushing
our chairs in, etc. Doing the work to keep our winning culture strong. Community
“We represent what winning looks like. Winning is a combination of focus, effort, competitiveness, and teamwork.”
– Ryan Stewman
A Community of Winners
Every day, I wake up and see my newsfeed filled up with people in Apex winning like never before. They’re raising lots of money for charities. They’re buying their dream cars. They’re having a record year. They’re doing stuff with their families. They’re supporting each other.
We have a winning culture that’s so contagious, that ALL of Apex caught it. What’s even better, is the more the members win, the more other members are encouraged to win even bigger.
When you represent winning, you attract winners. This is exactly why Apex is a community filled with high-level, high profile, high producers who win at all times. Like sports champions, famous musicians, and big business leaders. The fastest way to raise your thinking, rewire your mind, and change your life, is to get around people who are winning. When millions of people see how we represent what winning looks like, we will inspire The ENTIRE world to level up.
