Associate Spotlight: Michael Edelen

Michael Edelen

Customer Acquisition Manager

Born and Raised

Chicago, IL

A little bit about me

“When I tell people that I am the oldest of 10 children, they’re shocked. I’m definitely used to that reaction, it’s very common.” He says with a laugh

“But the way I grew up, I was always busy with something to do. Besides having a rather large family, I was a national contender in wrestling for 17 years. When I wasn’t wrestling, I was always involved with other extracurricular activities. I now realize that I will always crave that kind of schedule, something that will keep me busy and allow me to be competitive in order to really achieve my goals and dreams. My grandfather was a businessman, and given the fact that I am driven as well as competitive, I hope to reach the same success he did, if not better!”

What do people not know about you?

“ I am very passionate about food. I am always willing to try something new and I absolutely love to cook.”

Why SilverFern?

“I realized that when I interviewed with the company that I have the opportunity to grow professionally and learn valuable skills that ultimately will help me achieve my goals. Not to mention the positive work environment, it’s a great combination.”

What character trait do you admire?

“Focus. A person who is focused will achieve their desires…it’s just a matter of when.”

Associate Spotlight: Chris Green II

Chris Green II

Customer Acquisition Manager

Born and Raised

Dubuque, IA and grew up in Plainfield, IL

Idol

“So, I’m going to preface this by saying that I know that I grew up in Illinois…BUT I’m a Green Bay Packers fan. There was nothing more exciting than watching Brett Favre play football, he always looked like he was so passionate about the game and he played with an intensity that was incredible to watch. Favre holds so many records, both good and bad, but most importantly he holds those records because of his dedication to the sport and his team.

I often look at my life and try to apply his intensity, passion, and dedication to anything I try to accomplish. Brett Favre played through so many injuries and always put his best foot forward, regardless of his situation, he never gave himself an excuse. So, my goal is to attack my life, especially my career, with everything that I have in me. No excuses.”

What do people not know about you?

“ I have moved at least 15 times. Whether it was moving to a different state, moving away to school, or studying abroad a couple times—it’s given me the opportunity to communicate with different people be able to appreciate diversity.”

Why SilverFern?

“To put this simply, it was the atmosphere and the opportunity. Coming from the restaurant industry and a short stint in corporate sales, I was looking for a position that could become a career. I wanted some place where I could grow and also love going to work everyday.”

Did you find what you were looking for?

“It’s funny, because I used to think that you could be either happy or you could be working. When I first started here, everyone was open to helping me and was really welcoming. Now, I still enjoy working with this great group of individuals and I can’t wait to grow within the company. So, to answer your question, Yes I did find what I was looking for.”

Just Keep Swimming

This is the story of two frogs. One frog was fat and the other skinny. 

One day, while searching for food, they unintentionally jumped into a pail of milk. They couldn't get out, as the sides of the pail were too slippery, so they were swimming around trying to figure out how to make it through this horrible accident.

The fat frog said to the skinny frog, "Brother frog, there's no use paddling any more that we already have. We're just going to drown, so we might as well give up." The skinny frog replied, "Hold on brother, keep swimming. Somebody will get us out." And they continued swimming for hours.

After a while, the fat frog said, "Brother frog, there's no use. I'm becoming very tired now. I'm just going to stop paddling and drown. No one is coming to help us. We're doomed. There's no possible way out of here." But the skinny frog said, "Keep trying. Keep swimming. Something will happen, keep swimming." Another couple of hours passed.

The fat frog said, "I can't go on any longer. There's no sense in doing it because we're going to drown anyway. What's the use of swimming any longer?" And the fat frog stopped. He gave up. And he drowned in the milk. But the skinny frog kept on moving.

Ten minutes later, the skinny frog felt something solid beneath his feet. He had churned the milk into butter and he hopped out of the pail.

During many parts of our lives we feel almost like a frog in a pail of milk, unable to escape certain problems that arise and threaten our confidence in ourselves to get through that difficult time. Sometimes, we may not be able to see a solution to the problem right away, but we have to keep going and remain optimistic up until a solution is reached. 

Associate Spotlight: Nick Sexton

Nick Sexton

Customer Acquisition Manager

Born and Raised

Indianapolis, IN

Biggest Fear

“When I was a young kid, I was absolutely terrified of water and I hated the idea of swimming. There are EXTENSIVE videos and pictures of my parents’ attempts at swim classes, needless to say they were quite entertaining to see, as I was the kid with 4 different arm floaties and a tube around my waist. I would not learn how to swim under any circumstances, I just screamed from the moment I was near a large body of water until we went somewhere else. One day, I was sitting inside my house, my family members were having a disagreement and nobody was paying attention to my baby sister, who was playing near the pool. She did end up falling into the pool and I was watching with terror at the fact that no one was around to help her, but me.

It took a few seconds for me to just think back to my swim classes and actually decide that I was going to try to apply what they attempted to teach me. I jumped in and moved my arms and legs in different directions, I finally got close to her and put my arm around her. Swimming for the first time and having to also pull someone was beyond difficult, but a few moments later we were by the edge of the pool being pulled out.

This story still often gets told at family get-togethers, but that day I realized something that I still hold to this day. If I didn’t HAVE to jump into the pool, I would never have learned to swim. But once I did face that fear, I realized that all the help I needed was there all along. It was up to me to just apply what other people had tried to teach me. Now, I remind myself often to really LISTEN to the mentors around me and attack my fears, because those fears only hold me back.”

What do people not know about you?

“ I enjoy reading about Greek mythology.”

Why SilverFern?

“Well, the people that have met me and know me are very aware that I’m not the most talkative person on the planet—I think the word used to describe me by others is ‘indifferent’."  He said with a chuckle. 

"That being said, I like the diversity here. The people, they are so different here and everyone’s experience is so vastly varied from person-to-person. The diversity here provides a great environment for people like me, who like to work with other people and not by themselves in a cubicle.”

What advice would you have given yourself a year ago?

Being the silent type that Nick is, he took a moment and answered with this simple statement.
“Attack everyday with a passion and a purpose. No matter what you are doing, just attack everyday with that passion.”

One day you just picked up your things and moved to Chicago, that must have been a hard decision—how did you just come to that decision?

“I grew up in Indianapolis and lived in Bloomington, IN for quite some time. I knew that I wanted more for myself and I’ve also always wanted to live in a bigger city. So I had a few interviews scheduled and when I found this position, I learned about the advancement opportunities it would provide and took the job. 

I just told myself that when I crossed the border from Indiana to Illinois, I wasn’t going to go back without getting a job in Chicago and making that next step towards my career. So, I packed up as much of my things as possible and made the move. Now I'm here and I think that decision was one of the best decisions I have ever made.”

Associate Spotlight: Casey Russ

Casey Russ

Assistant Manager

Born and Raised

Bolton Landing, NY

A Pivotal Moment

Growing up in a small town, Casey was involved with lots of sports, his favorite being baseball. When he first started with baseball, Casey described himself as a ‘short and pudgy’ child—needless to say, he wasn’t very good. He was also disappointed to find out that when he attempted to make the T-ball league, he didn’t even make the team and was placed in the minor T-ball league.

His mother took him aside and told him “Don’t let someone not choosing you, keep you from achieving what you want”.

Casey recalls this moment as being his most pivotal moment. He spent the next year practicing as often as possible and ended up surpassing T-ball and going straight into little league.

His mother took him aside again and asked “If you sat on the bench last year when you didn’t make the T-ball league, you wouldn’t be on the little league team now.”

To this day, Casey remembers this moment and applies it to any situation that calls for him to work harder to reach his goals.

What do people not know about Casey?

“ I secretly love all rom-coms.”

What does this business mean to you?

“The best way that I can put this is that other careers are almost like you are on an island and fending for yourself both professionally and personally. Here, successful individuals surround me and they have all taught me something or other about the business and myself. These people commit themselves to helping me and that’s one of the main reasons why I am so committed to their success as well”.

You recently got promoted, Congratulations! What advice would you have given yourself a year ago that has helped you reach your goal?

He laughed and answered, “Put your ego aside. Humble yourself—there are people in this business who know more about success than you do. Don’t just be present when they try to help you, but listen to what they say, because they have already been in these situations and know how to succeed. The best part is that they will actually help you succeed and offer their help willingly, it’s just up to you to humble yourself and listen”.

Role Model

“Pete Rose—He wasn’t the most talented baseball player, but he never just took a play off. That’s what separated him from everyone else, his heart and his drive. He always gave 110%”