THREE BALLS CHRONICLE
VOLUME 7 / ISSUE 12
DECEMBER 2024
IN THIS ISSUE
Letter from the President
Letter from the General Manager
Loyalty Pawn Family
Security Awareness
Store Manager Updates
Golden 1 Center Events
Monthly Sales
Monthly Birthstone Guide
Monthly Birthdays and Anniversaries and New Hires
Loyalty Pawn’s Core Goals, Values and Visions
Employee Services Corner
Team Loyalty!
As the year comes to an end, so does the basketball season. Remember to try and attend a game to support the Kings! Light the beam! The holiday season is upon us and we would like to wish you all happy holidays! Enjoy your time with your loved ones! Make sure to leave out some milk and cookies for Santa! Finally, a round of applause for all of your dedication to making this business better each day! Merry Christmas! Thank you!
President’s Letter
Dear Loyalty Pawn Family,
I hope you all enjoyed a relaxing and enjoyable Thanksgiving with your families and friends. As we approach the last month of the year, I want to reflect on our November performance and look ahead to December.
November brought us a strong loan month, which is commendable. However, our sales figures were not as robust. To improve this in December, I propose friendly store competitions to boost our sales performance. These competitions are a great way to energize our team and foster a fun, competitive spirit that I’m confident will lead to success.
As always, while it’s important to focus on sales and effectively manage pawn rollovers, it’s equally vital to take time out for yourselves and your loved ones during the holiday season. Balancing work with personal time allows us to recharge and enjoy the festive period.
Thank you for your hard work and commitment. Let’s make December a strong finish as we look forward to New Year’s 2025.
Warm regards, Stan
Lukowicz
Letter from the General Manager
Season’s Greetings Everyone!
I hope that everyone was able to visit with friends and family during their Thanksgiving! We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our loyal clients and dedicated team members. Your support and commitment have made this year a resounding success, and we have much to celebrate!
Sales Accomplishments: A November success
November was remarkable as all stores hit their base sales goal, with 3 stores hitting their stretch goal. We are thrilled to report that we have exceeded our sales goals, setting a strong foundation as we head into the bustling holiday season. We have three key weekends in front of us to get a kick-start on our December goals. This can be achieved by our team's hard work and dedication, who consistently go above and beyond.
Engaged Team Members: The Key to Christmas Success
As we approach the Christmas season, the importance of an engaged and motivated team cannot be overstated. I’m certain that the management team will be putting together friendly, competitive sales challenges. Our sales teams play a crucial role in creating a positive shopping experience for our clients; their enthusiasm makes all the difference. We encourage everyone to stay focused and energized as we enter this time of year. Together, we can make this holiday season one for books!
Spotlight on Our Top Salespeople
We are proud to highlight our top three salespeople for November:
● Dominic T.: With his exceptional customer service skills and extensive product knowledge, Dominic has consistently excelled in meeting customer needs and driving sales.
● Norma B.: Norma’s dedication and passion for her work shine through her every interaction. Her ability to connect with clients has made her a standout performer this month.
● Ah X.: Ah has proven to be a powerhouse on the sales floor, combining efficiency and a keen understanding of our products to close deals effectively. She is a force to be reckoned with! Congratulations to Dominic, Norma, and Ah for their outstanding achievements this month!
Exciting changes coming in the New Year
As we look forward to 2025, we’re excited to announce that Loyalty Pawn will utilize the Bravo mobile services. These innovative features will enhance our client experience and make it easier to shop and maintain client accounts on the go. Stay tuned for more details coming soon!
Thank you for being a part of the Loyalty Pawn family. We wish you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season. Merry Christmas, and let's continue to work hard and support one another as we move into the holiday season!
Warm Regards,
Wayne Silliman General Manager
Loyalty Pawn Family
Greetings, Loyalty Family!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoyed quality time with family and friends. I always tell myself I won’t eat too much, yet every year, I end up doing the opposite! It’s hard to believe we’re already in the last month of the year. Congratulations to everyone on a fantastic November! Three stores achieved their 20% goal, with Broadway absolutely crushing theirs and consistently performing well over the past few months. Your hard work and dedication are truly commendable. As we enter the final stretch of the year, let’s push ourselves to meet our yearly goals. We have a variety of price points in our inventory, so it’s up to us to be creative in moving that stock. Remember to continue doing your due diligence and presenting our clients with all our programs to encourage them to come in and purchase some of this inventory. I’ve noticed that our layaway book has taken the biggest hit this year. Let’s focus on locking people into layaway and ensure we’re promoting our layaway programs for those who may not be able to purchase outright. Keep up the great work, everyone! This month we are going to get to know Paul Molina the assistant manager from the Florin location.
1. What helps keep you motivated? My idea of constant progression
2. What professional skills do you think everyone should have? Communication, time management, teamwork and adaptability
3. What professional skills would you like to master? Time management
4. Who is the best pawnbroker you know, and what makes them the best? I don’t have anyone
5. What do you consider yourself to be good at, and what could you improve? Communication and problem solving but I need to work on time management
6. What is the best perk you have had at a job? The teams I've worked with and having commission o
7. What is the most valuable career advice you've been given? Do not worry on something you can't fix
8. What can the company do to celebrate a success you've had? Any form of recognition is fine, but I’d prefer to celebrate when it's with my team
9. What do you like about the pawn industry? Always learning new things and having to work at a quick pace
10. What do you dislike about the industry? Problematic customers
11. What can the company change or improve to make it better to work here? Raise wages and provide a nicer resting area for employees
12. What's the last big challenge you've had, professionally or personally? Losing a family member
13. Where do you see yourself in five years? Manager of my own store for this company or running my own business
14. What is something you would like to get better at in the pawn industry? Time management
15. Have you checked something off your bucket list? What was it? Nothing of note
16. If you could choose any celebrity to be your best friend, who would it be? Ryan Reynolds someone who makes you laugh would be best
17. What are you looking forward to this year? Vacation to Mexico
18. If you could be a professional in any sport, what would it be and why? Professional futbol manager or sports director
19. What do you value more: time off, making more money, or benefits? All are equal to me
20. What is a small thing that makes your job easier or better? My phone
21. What is the best work event you have attended? What made it so great? Pawnbroker convention met some interesting people and attended some great seminars which showed us new things that help me grow in this business
Security Awareness
Dear Team,
As many of you may already know, we recently held a meeting with store leaders to discuss the critical importance of security awareness. Unfortunately, there was an incident at a jewelry store not far from our location at Florin Mall a smash-and-grab attempt that tragically resulted in a fatality. This serves as a somber reminder of why we implement security policies and why it is essential for everyone to remain vigilant.
During our discussions, your leaders were tasked with revamping certain security measures that we identified as needing improvement. One of the key initiatives is to enhance our surveillance by making cameras more visible in our storefronts. We will also be installing monitors to cover blind spots and provide a clearer view of the parking lot, which will help us remain alert to any suspicious activity.
We have practiced various scenarios and discussed numerous strategies to stay one step ahead of potential threats. One of the main points emphasized is the need for heightened awareness of our surroundings. If you notice individuals entering the store wearing hoodies, masks, or sunglasses that obscure their faces, please do not hesitate to politely ask them to remove these items. There should be no reason for anyone to wear such coverings inside our stores.
Additionally, we talked about the importance of rearranging our merchandise, particularly in the jewelry sector. This will help prevent individuals from memorizing the locations of our more expensive products, as they often scout places before executing their plans.
By taking these proactive steps to enhance our security, we can better protect ourselves and our assets. If you have any questions about these discussions or if you haven’t been updated, please feel free to reach out to me. Together, we can create a safer environment, especially during the holiday season when unpredictability tends to increase.
Shop Talk Manager Updates
El Camino
Ho, ho, ho! Holy moly, 1.9 million and counting what a whirlwind of a 4th quarter it’s been! Now I truly understand how good ol’ St. Nick feels, bringing joy to everyone during the holidays. You get a loan, you get a loan and going! As we ride through this frosty winter, we’re turning up the heat with a HOTholiday deal $10 off every $50 you spend! That’s as wild as debating whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie ? spoiler alert it's not!
With fresh inventory arriving and holiday cheer in full swing, we’re ready for the most magical time of the year. But hold onto your Santa hats because we’re putting this sled into hyperdrive to hit our jolly goal of $105K for the year! Let’s wrap up 2024 with a bang and bring smiles all around. Our team has truly gone above and beyond Loyalty Luxury is fully decked out, and rumor has it Santa himself might make a special appearance! (Fingers crossed he brings me that Porsche GT3 RS with the DRS rear wing… I’ve been extra good this year, I promise!).
As layaway transactions roll out, we need to start rebuilding our balance, let’s keep up the momentum. I also must say team El Camino, you’ve been absolute rock stars, and your dedication shines brighter than Rudolph’s nose. Thank you for putting in the value of teamwork every single day. Let’s make this season merry and bright, crush our monthly goals for next year, and keep spreading the joy. Wishing everyone a magical Christmas and a fantastic safe New Year!
Cheers,
Tony Mora
Roseville
Hi Team Loyalty,
As we approach the close of 2024, we are excited to reflect on the incredible achievements of our team this year. We are thrilled to announce that we have not only met, but exceeded, our sales goal for the year! Our original target was $650,000, and as of today, we have hit a remarkable $697,330.17 and with all of December still ahead of us, there's no telling where we'll end up!
In addition to our stellar sales performance, we also crushed our Loan Balance goal. Our target was $1,300,000, and we've surpassed that with an impressive $1,436,611. What’s even more impressive is that we’ve maintained a default rate of just 15%, which speaks volumes about the team's commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.
I could not be prouder of the hard work and dedication the Roseville team has shown this year. It’s been a collective effort that has driven these results, and we’re ending the year on an incredibly strong note. Here’s to finishing the year strong and setting the stage for even more success in 2025!
Keep up the great work, everyone!
Thank you
Justin Martinez Broadway Hello Team,
Broadway's incredible team has truly outdone themselves, exceeding their 20% sales goal by more than $20,000! This impressive achievement reflects the dedication, hard work, and passion that each team member brings to the table. Their commitment to excellence has not only set a new benchmark but also generated significant momentum as we head into the remainder of the holiday season. With this remarkable success behind us, we're excited for what the next year holds and are optimistic about continuing this strong performance into the future. Here's to even more growth, success, and milestones ahead!
John Mark
Florin Mall
Happy Holidays to everyone!
I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving. Wow, I cannot believe we are coming to the last month of the year. As we say every year, time sure does fly! As we enter December 2024, Team Florin has set a sales goal of $113k. By hitting this goal, we will surpass our yearly sales target by $20k. I am confident that we will achieve it, especially with the holidays approaching.
Team Florin had a fantastic month in November, averaging about $618 per jewelry piece sold and selling an average of 3 pieces per day. If we can increase our daily sales to 5 pieces and achieve a 25% increase in the average price, we will reach $116.2k in sales for December. I want to congratulate Team Florin for hitting our sales goal in November great job, everyone! We are very excited to see how much in sales we will close with in December.
If you haven’t reached out yet, Team Florin has welcomed a new member to our Loyalty Pawn Family, Alicia Aviles. Please take a moment to introduce yourself to her. Also, great job to all the other locations that hit your goals. Let’s make December a fantastic last month for 2024!
“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”
If you always put limits on everything you do, Physical or anything else. It will spread into your work life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.
-Bruce Lee
Mark Xiong
Golden 1 Center Upcoming Events
Below is the list of events that are posted as of right now and we will be adding events to this list each month as they get posted! The events in green are available and the events in red have already been spoken for. If you would like to request tickets send your ticket request forms to lauren.l@loyaltypawn.com so that I can get your requests in and if you need a request form email lauren.l@loyaltypawn.com and I can send you a copy or you can ask your supervisor! With the Golden 1 Center opening back up there is a limited number of tickets available, so for every event you are only allowed to request and receive 4 tickets per event!
Timberlake
Globetrotters
Globetrotters
Disney On Ice Magic in the Stars
Disney On Ice Magic in the Stars February 14th Friday 7:00 PM
Disney On Ice Magic in the Stars February 15th Saturday 11:00 AM
Disney On Ice Magic in the Stars February 15th Saturday 3:00 PM
Disney On Ice Magic in the Stars
Disney On Ice Magic in the Stars
Disney On Ice Magic in the Stars
Disney On Ice Magic in the Stars February 17th
Disney On Ice Magic in the Stars February 17th Monday 4:00 PM
Tyler, the Creator February 23rd Sunday 7:30 PM
Deftones March 1st Saturday 8:00 PM
Heart March 4th Tuesday 8:00 PM
Mary J. Blige (2 Available) March 8th Saturday 7:00 PM
Kelsea Ballerini March 18th Tuesday 7:00 PM
Papa Roach and Rise Against March 29th
December Sales Flyer
Monthly Birthstone Guide
This will help educate you about some of the more popular semi and precious stones we come across and it will also help you close some more sales. The idea is to educate you on each month’s birthstone as you can arrange your cases properly and make suggestions to our clients that may be browsing or even looking for a gift. Let’s think outside the box when utilizing this information.
JANUARY – Garnet
MAY
SEPTEMBER – Sapphire
NOVEMBER
FEBRUARY Amethyst
JUNE
AUGUST
OCTOBER
DECEMBER
MARCH – Aquamarine
APRIL – Diamond
– Emerald
–Pearl & Alexandrite
JULY – Ruby
– Peridot
– Opal & Tourmaline
– Citrine & Topaz
– Topaz & Turquoise
Anniversaries, Birthdays and New Hires
December Anniversaries
We do not have any anniversaries this month.
December Birthdays
Mark Xiong December 2nd
Kirby Erlanger December 13th
Najah Islam December 30th
November New Hires
Alicia Aviles Portillo, We are so happy you are a part of our team! Welcome to the family!
Loyalty Pawn’s Goals, Values, and Visions
“The Leader in Local Lending”
Company Wide Goals
● To Offer Immediate Relief with a Short-Term Loan.
● To Develop, Recruit and Inspire an Elite Work Force, Driven by Loyal Business Practices.
● To Provide the Highest Standard of Quality, Commitment and Value to Every Customer in Our Loyalty Pawn Family!
Core Values
● Loyalty
● Dedication
● Creativity
Company Vision
● Loyal People Committed to Everyday Satisfaction
Loyalty Pawn Employee Services Corner
Did you know…that… December is National CAR DONATION Month?
In winter all the singing is in the tops of the trees where the wind-bird with its white eyes shoves and pushes among the branches. Like any of us he wants to go to sleep, but he's restless he has an idea, and slowly it unfolds from under his beating wings as long as he stays awake. ~ Mary Oliver 1935-2019
National Car Donation Month: During National Car Donation Month, people are encouraged to donate their used cars to charities. This act ofkindnesscanhelp someoneaccess avehicle who couldn't otherwise afford one, or even help a charitable organization. If you’re looking for a worthy charitable organization, consider Vehicles for Veterans
MONTHLY MOVES - 4 Easy exercises that can be done during your lunch break…
If you do not like to wake up early in the morning to get a workout in or you feel too tired after work to even function, then try to squeeze a super quick workout in during your lunch break. Incorporating a workout in to your lunch break can be brief, try fitting in a 5 to 30 min workout to begin.
The workouts provided in this blog can be done anywhere. If you do not have time to go home or to the gym and the only way of getting a workout in is by staying at the office, these workouts will work for you. The only thing you will need is your exercise clothes and shoes. If you ever forget your shoes all of these exercises can be done barefoot too. Do as many reps as possible in 2 minutes:
1. Bodyweight squats: Start standing with feet just slightly wider than hipwidth apart. Sit your butt back into a squat, without letting your knees go past your toes. Make sure your weight is in your heels and keep your chest up.
2. Push ups: Start in high plank with your hands about shoulder-width apart. Bend your arms and lower your chest as close to the floor as you can. Push back up to a plank.
3. High knees (you can either do jumping high knees or stationary): Start in high plank with your feet hip-distance apart. Now rotate your entire body to the right into a side plank with your left shoulder above your left wrist. Extend your right arm to the ceiling and continue to drive your hips up. Return your right arm down to high plank.
4. Standing oblique crunches: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hands behind your head and elbows
wide. Lift your left knee toward your left elbow while you bend your torso up and over to the left. Bring your left foot back to standing and repeat on the other side, lifting your right knee towards your right elbow..
Check out this website for keeping fit and pumping lymph while at work: https://www.fittherapyoftexas.com/post/4-easy-workouts-that-can-be-done-during-your-lunch-break
December…Celebration Days
● December 1 is the First Sunday of Advent, marking the beginning of the Advent season.
● December 6 is Saint Nicholas’ Day. The patron saint of children is the model for St Nick and giftgiving.
● December 7 is also National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
● December 8 is Bodhi Day in the Buddhist calendar, celebrating Buddha’s enlightenment
● December 13 is St. Lucia’s Day, which has long been associated with festivals of light. Before the Gregorian calendar reform in 1752, her feast day occurred on the shortest day of the year (hence the saying “Lucy light, Lucy light, shortest day and longest night”).
● December 15 is Bill of Rights Day.
● December 17 is Wright Brothers Day.
● December 21 is the Winter Solstice the astronomical day when the Earth is farthest away from the Sun. Starting in ancient times, people celebrated the rebirth of the Sun event through Yule.
● December 25 is Christmas Day, a Christian holiday with different meaning and celebrations for all. It also marks the beginning of Hanukkah this year! 8-days of Jewish festival of lights!
● December 26 is Boxing Day (Canada and the UK) and the first day of Kwanzaa.
● On the last evening of the year, December 31, kiss the person you hope to keep kissing!
December… Just for Fun Days
Here are some more wacky celebrations to look forward to:
● Dec. 11: International Mountain Day
● Dec. 13: National Violin Day
● Dec. 13: National Day of the Horse
● Dec. 16: Underdog Day
● Dec. 26: National Candy Cane Day
Why December’s NOT the 10th Month …
December is the 12th month (and last month) in our modern-day Gregorian calendar (as it was in the preceding Julian calendar). However, it was initially the 10th month of the Roman calendar (until 153 BC). Hence, “December” comes from the Latin decem, meaning “ten.”
December Astronomy
The Cold Moon!
December’s full Moon is most commonly known as the Cold Moon a Mohawk name that conveys the frigid conditions of this time of year, when cold weather truly begins to grip us.
December’s Full Cold Moon appears on Friday, December 15, reaching peak illumination at 4:02 A.M. EST before the winter solstice this year!
We all know the classic poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (often called “The Night Before Christmas”), which was first published in 1823. The narrator looks out his bedroom window for St. Nick, proclaiming, “The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave the luster of mid-day to objects below.”
Citrus-Champagne Punch
Inspired by old-school 7-UP sherbet punch, this grown-up version is spiked with piney gin, tart lemon sorbet, and a generous splash of fizzy Champagne. This punch is only as good as the Champagne you use, so splurge for the good stuff! Try this with Wilson Creek’s Almond Champagne!
Ingredients and Directions
½ cup fresh pink grapefruit juice, strained (from 1 large grapefruit) ½ cup fresh orange juice, strained (from 2 large oranges) ½ cup fresh lemon juice, strained (from 4 large lemons) ¼ cup sugar
Now for the coup de gras… 750ml bottle champagne or sparkling wine, chilled. Mix all juices and sugar in a pitcher and stir until sugar dissolves. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Divide juice among flutes and top with champagne. Serve immediately and enjoy!
401K-Loyalty Pawn Retirement $avings Program
Are you saving for retirement? Why not start today?
If you have completed 12 months of service with Loyalty Pawn, you’re eligible to participate and start putting away those pretax (or post tax Roth) dollars into your very own 401k account.
To enroll, send me an email and I’ll help you get started.
Contact Employee Services at employeeservices@loyaltypawn.com Start saving for retirement’s tomorrow, today!
Special thanks to the almighty, Old Farmer’s Almanac that provides us with amazing “earthly” info and wholesome team entertainment!
If you need HR, Payroll, Benefits, or Family support, Loyalty Pawn’s Employee Services is only a phone call, text message, or email away, on demand, anytime! 916-752-2255 employeeservices@loyaltypawn.com
