Despite this year feeling similar to the second half of 2022, Paragon has much to be thankful for as we close out 2023 in a few short weeks. We feel a healthy amount of gratitude for all the people who have supported us throughout the year. Our family at home, our fantastic customers (old and new) our consultants in the field, business partners, and service providers have all left us heartened!
A heartfelt thank you to all of the wonderful employees at Paragon who have had to lean into this recessionary year, for many a first. Our rock-solid sales, marketing, and operations teams, led by a focused leadership team, worked incredibly well together, navigating new challenges, living our core values, and coming together when needed. Caring for and supporting each other during difficult moments in and out of the office reminds us how important our Paragon family is to us all.
Speaking of our Paragon family, this year we added a few new faces: In Minnesota, John Pink a seasoned Account Executive, will help us grow that market; In Iowa, we welcomed Jon Emehiser to our recruiting team. Jon is an experienced recruiter who has hit the ground running – making an immediate impact. Finally, earlier this summer, we hired Heidi Bedier as our Director of Leadership Development. Heidi is focused on delivering our Leadership Forum in three markets and working with individual organizations on employee engagement and leadership development initiatives.
We continue to see growth in Nebraska and Arizona, and we believe we could be onboarding a record number of new clients and consultants in those markets in 2024!
As we look back over the year and compare it to so many others, we are reminded that it has been some time since we have said the word “recession.” While we have felt the slowdown, there is always a silver lining. We had an opportunity to identify flaws in our systems, sharpen the proverbial saw, re-prioritize our efforts, and, most importantly, remember why we do what we do.
Everyone’s goals and priorities are different, of course. Still, you can see the reminders that we have focused on a meaningful endeavor, finding our purpose, working hard to support ourselves and the people we love and enjoying the life we too often push aside in the name of progress.
We wish you all joy for the holiday season and thank you for your part in our lives. We are feeling blessed to be a part of yours.
Sincerely,
Craig Jackman
President & Co-Founder