Sharpen Your Axe: Episode 7

In this episode of Sharpen Your Axe, Mike Hardwick, Churchill Mortgage founder and president, and Matt Clarke, COO/CFO of Churchill discuss the importance of perspective.

Matt explains that it’s not just what you do but how you do it. For example, as a company, Churchill Mortgage believes every borrower deserves to see their path toward debt-free homeownership. “Our company is working for families and not on files. Each customer provides an opportunity to help a family better their life situation, not just close a loan,” explained Matt.

Mike shares a story of two men doing the same job, with an entirely different outlook. When asked what job he was doing, the first man answered that he was carrying bricks from a truck in one location to a pile in another location.

When the second man was asked the same question, he explained that he was helping to build a university that will be a great asset to the city and maybe all of mankind--maybe the doctor who will discover the cure for cancer one day will be educated on that campus! The possibilities for the campus were endless and he was helping to build it. What lens are you looking through each day – positive or negative?

Several years ago, Churchill Mortgage became an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), which means every Churchill employee (once they meet the minimum requirements) are an owner of the company. “If we’re coming to work as an owner, we really care about the work we’re doing for the company. We strive to encourage our employees to care about every aspect of the company and take ownership of their job by taking the time to become better every day. We’ve found it creates a unique company culture that creates incredible impact,”

Mike and Matt reference a book they both like that compliments this idea, Your Work Matters to God by Doug Sherman and William Hendricks.