Being The Very Best

The sports fans of Cleveland have not experienced a winner in our three major sports (baseball, basketball and football) since pre-Super Bowl days, when our beloved Cleveland Browns defeated the Baltimore Colts in 1964. While we in Cleveland love our city and sports teams, we are not winners in the eyes of the national media. Being a winner means being the very best. This applies not only to those employed in sports as a participant, but to those of us who are employed elsewhere.

I started my career with Weltman on my first day of law school in September 1962. My goals included being a winner and being my very best. Achieving this goal takes hard work, dedication, commitment and perseverance. The road to the top is not smooth. There are many bumps and potholes (especially in Cleveland) along the way, but a true winner and champion knows how to overcome them. In fact, the best way to measure a person’s success is not by how they react in good times, but how they respond to hard times. When knocked down, a champion gets up and tries that much harder.

In recent times, Cleveland sports fans have not had the experience of a championship. We have tried, we’ve been knocked down and we’ve tried to get back up, but we have failed. However, those of us who have been employed by Weltman for many years have tasted the fruits of victory. Weltman is the largest creditors’ rights law firm in the country and has a national reputation. This success was not achieved overnight. It took many years of hard work by many who were dedicated, committed and wanted the taste of victory. All of them contributed to Weltman being the very best.

Having achieved the #1 spot and retaining it is far more difficult than gaining it. Once you are at the top, everyone sets you as his or her target. The pitchers and defense in baseball become that much better, the defense in shooting in basketball seems to reach a higher level and in football the hits become harder and the yards gained tougher. Yet a true champion and winner makes whatever adjustments are necessary to retain the #1 spot. I have been fortunate to be associated with everyone who has made the law firm a true winner. Yes, there are hard times, but when the going gets tough the tough get going. Success is not measured by gaining the top spot but retaining it. This is when all of us at Weltman pull in the same direction.

The past few years saw our Cleveland Cavaliers at the doorstep of a championship, only to fall short. In the 90’s, our Cleveland Indians were one out from winning it all and our beloved Cleveland Browns have new leadership and new energy in their rebuilding stages. Our Ohio State Buckeyes have won bowl games by upsetting heavily favored teams and even though we lost to the Florida Gators in the championship game, you can rest assured that the Buckeyes will continue to fight and crawl and scratch to regain the #1 spot.  Being the very best and becoming a winner is not a sprint. Life and success is a marathon. Being the very best does not start when you arrive at work and end with when you leave. It starts the very moment you wake up and continues until you go to sleep. Practice and hard work leads to success on the sports field and combat field.

So to our current clients and to all of our prospective clients- we are eager to show you that we are the very best at what we do and that we are dedicated to doing everything we can to ensure your organization is a winner in the debt recovery business.