Culture
Chad Wekelo founded Actualize Consulting in 2003. With a vision shaped by his previous Big Four accounting firm experience and a love for consulting, Chad set out to create a niche firm that allowed everyone to participate as a teammate instead of an employee. His strategy for success relied on specialized skills in Treasury and Capital Markets, a keen focus on customer satisfaction, and a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Matt Seu joined the firm in 2006, bringing Mortgage and Fixed Income expertise. Committed to the same ideals, he later became a partner. Kerry Wekelo joined Actualize in 2005, bringing her gratitude and mindfulness practices with her. It was her goal to create a thriving culture based on her ideals. Together, they built a cohesive culture centered on gratitude, trust, growth, and success.
Many people say that business shouldn’t be personal, but we disagree. We believe that our people are our most valuable asset. At Actualize Consulting, we prioritize our people while honoring our mission to be an industry leader specializing in complex operations of financial data and transformation in Capital Markets, Collateral, Mortgage and Fixed Income, and Treasury Operations. Our smaller size lends itself to an environment of cross-collaboration, underpinned by mutual respect as we practice dual accountability and dive into our passion-focused project portfolio. We strive for balance and invest in our teams by aligning individual goals and strengths with company initiatives. Gratitude is one of our core principles, forming the foundation of every relationship we build. Our tagline has stood true for over two decades: “Our expertise and commitment -- driving your success.”
Many people say that business shouldn’t be personal, but we disagree. We believe that our people are our most valuable asset. At Actualize Consulting, we prioritize our people while honoring our mission to be an industry leader specializing in complex operations of financial data and transformation in Capital Markets, Collateral, Mortgage and Fixed Income, and Treasury Operations. Our smaller size lends itself to an environment of cross-collaboration, underpinned by mutual respect as we practice dual accountability and dive into our passion-focused project portfolio. We strive for balance and invest in our teams by aligning individual goals and strengths with company initiatives. Gratitude is one of our core principles, forming the foundation of every relationship we build. Our tagline has stood true for over two decades: “Our expertise and commitment -- driving your success.”
Awards
We are proud of our award-winning culture. Actualize Consulting has been named Top Company Culture by Entrepreneur Magazine, a Top Workplace by The Washington Post (6 years), Great Place to Work - Certified (5 years,) FORTUNE Best Small & Medium Workplaces™ (3 years), FORTUNE Best Workplaces in Consulting & Professional Services™ (2 years) and Best and Brightest ELITE National Winner in Strategic Company Performance, Communication and Shared Vision category and Top 101 in the Nation. Actualize has also been recognized as a Virginia Best Places to Work.
We are proud of our award-winning culture. Actualize Consulting has been named Top Company Culture by Entrepreneur Magazine, a Top Workplace by The Washington Post (6 years), Great Place to Work - Certified (5 years,) FORTUNE Best Small & Medium Workplaces™ (3 years), FORTUNE Best Workplaces in Consulting & Professional Services™ (2 years) and Best and Brightest ELITE National Winner in Strategic Company Performance, Communication and Shared Vision category and Top 101 in the Nation. Actualize has also been recognized as a Virginia Best Places to Work.
Leadership
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Our partners are active participants in the operations of the firm and even the projects – they are some of our most billable consultants. Involved in every decision, they hand-pick every team member who comes on board. From project assignments to teambuilding activities, Chad, Matt, and Kerry are involved in the day-to-day processes, not just the big picture.
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Atmosphere
Team members frequently describe our firm as supportive and innovative, and our people share Chad's passion for consulting and entrepreneurial spirit. With one consultant saying, "I thank my colleagues for their generosity and selflessness. I am thankful I get to work with such a supportive team." Our leaders strive to be more than managers; they are also guides and mentors. Another consultant shared, “I worked very closely with the Actualize team during an internship and joined Actualize because I was drawn to the team’s intelligence and hard work. Since then, the company and leadership continue to foster my growth and care for me as a person. I am grateful to work for such an amazing group of people.”
Our employees enjoy flexible schedules that allow them to excel in their roles. We have found that providing free reign with accountability clears space for innovation, efficiency, and personal and professional growth. We encourage each member to set goals, take full ownership of initiatives, and support them as they forge their path to success.
But we think our people say it best! Here are a few of their comments:
Our employees enjoy flexible schedules that allow them to excel in their roles. We have found that providing free reign with accountability clears space for innovation, efficiency, and personal and professional growth. We encourage each member to set goals, take full ownership of initiatives, and support them as they forge their path to success.
But we think our people say it best! Here are a few of their comments:
- “My favorite part of working here is the culture. Actualize has always made me feel appreciated and I receive tremendous support from management.”
- “It has been such a rewarding and fulfilling experience to work with a company that showcases our abilities and personal styles. I am grateful I get to work with such an amazing and diverse group of colleagues.”
- “I so appreciate working with people that are the best and most experienced in the industry. The culture at Actualize is very open to innovative ideas which allows employees to do their best work.”
- “I am grateful to work with a team of people who are hard-working, supportive, intelligent, team-oriented, and fun. Interacting with people with such high character and ability is an honor.”
- “I am so grateful to work with such fantastic, happy, friendly, and helpful people. Actualize is unusual in that they put its people's wellness and mental well-being first.”
Cultural Shift and Gratitude Infusion
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After feeling burnt out in her personal life and career, our COO Kerry Wekelo recognized that it is impossible to compartmentalize work and home life. Instead, Kerry realized that she could incorporate the wellness principles she utilized at home into her leadership with small, manageable infusions. Kerry implemented our cultural shift by focusing on gratitude, mutual respect, mindfulness, communication strategies, and intentional leadership. Actualize Consulting began winning awards and tour turnover rates went from 33% to consistently being under 4%.
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Kerry wrote two leadership books using Actualize Consulting as a case study. Her first title, Culture Infusion: 9 Principles to Create and Maintain a Thriving Organizational Culture, explores the essential components of a supportive and thriving culture. Her second book, Gratitude Infusion: Workplace Strategies for a Thriving Organizational Culture, was written as an ode to her gratitude practice and shares examples of how we infuse gratitude throughout our organization.
Annual Retreat
Our remote work model may give us autonomy, but we do not let distance affect our team connection. Since we are a people-centric organization, we dedicate time to bonding as a team, a community, and individually with virtual luncheons, wellness challenges, social hours, check-in calls, and our annual retreat. Meaningful relationships develop even further when we bring all our offices together for our fun-packed retreat.
