By Jody Moorman, SBA Loan Assistant, Core Bank
Did you know that April Fools’ Day (April 1st) used to be a national holiday? No joke, if you looked in the back of planners or calendars where all the holidays are listed, you used to see it. I haven’t seen it for years. It’s definitely not a recognized holiday here at Core Bank (but I will work on that for everyone.)
I’m giving you this information because my birthday is April 1st, the day of the fools and all tricks played. I once heard that this day had history behind it, so I decided to do a little research for you.
The history can be dated all the way back to the 1500s when the Gregorian calendar took over from the Julian. Many forgot about the calendar change and celebrated New Year’s, which was previously celebrated on April 1st and people following this practice were teased as “April Fools”.
There are many different theories of how April Fools’ Day became a joker’s playground… here are a few:
- The timing of pranks on this day seems to be related to the arrival of spring, when nature “fools” us with fickle weather.
- In Scotland, April Fools is called April “gowk”, Scottish for cuckoo (that explains it!)
- The French call it “Poisson d’Avril”, an April fish, which refers to a young fish and easily caught.
The list is extensive, but it gives you an idea of how this could have started. And I’m sure most of you have seen or participated in a few jokes, pranks or pinches on April Fools’ Day.
I’ve had just about everything played on me, even being “fired” from a job and being walked out of the facility… They got me! Many of you don’t know me yet, but if you did you’d agree that April Fools’ Day as my birthday fits oh so perfectly.
Working for Core Bank is No Joke
I won’t bore you with my professional history, but I do want to share with you how I found Core Bank, the reason why I applied and was blessed to have been offered the position.
My passion for small businesses began about seven years ago in a district of Kansas City called the West Bottoms. The “bottoms” for short, is a district of old buildings that has been around for many years. They were called the Stock Yards of Kansas City. Now, it’s a shopping mecca for those who love to find rare pieces, vintage, antiques, and repurposed furniture.
I had a booth in one of those historical buildings, meaning that it was owned and operated as a small business. The biggest hurdle with owning a small business is getting folks to shop or even to come and look. Small businesses thrive by word of mouth, reviews and tons of advertising. It’s not an easy task to conquer the “retail” world when competing against the bigger stores… that’s why customer service and knowing your product must be a priority. When done right, your customer base becomes repeat business.
This brings me to why I applied to Core Bank. I researched small business or companies that were affiliated with them and Core Bank popped up. I researched Core Bank and their values, and what they stand for hit home. I’m thrilled to be a part of this team. My contributions to Core Bank will make a difference to someone and their goals and dreams of owning and operating a small business.
The next time you’re out shopping or taking a weekend to gallivant around our great city, and you happen to stumble on a small business, go in and check things out. Even if you don’t purchase anything, just stepping through the doors means something to those who work so hard to keep the doors open and serve their customers.