At Continued, we have a team that is more like a family. What’s our common DNA? A willingness to collaborate, high levels of motivation, an appreciation for others, creative thinking, and a passion for lifelong learning. Get to know our family member Josh Malcolm and how he illustrates the six sides to our story.
Josh Malcolm joined the Continued family in 2016 and has since served in two different roles. He first came on board with the Education Technology team as an instructional technology coordinator and transitioned to CEU administrator and assistant editor for Continued’s PhysicalTherapy.com.
Malcolm spent several years as a music educator before going back to school to become a licensed physical therapist assistant (PTA). He went on to pursue a master’s degree in instructional systems and learning technologies and has applied his background in education, physical therapy, and instructional design to the positions he’s held with Continued.
In his current role, Malcolm works with the accrediting bodies within the physical therapy profession to ensure PhysicalTherapy.com’s courses are approved across all 50 states.
Malcolm lives in the Kansas City area with his fiancé, Amy, daughter, Claire, and dogs Rue, Rosco, and Rigby.
What makes you most proud to work for Continued?
I love the Continued family. I have had the opportunity to collaborate with many of the company’s employees, and the one constant is that they all give their best. The professionalism is contagious, and gives me the drive to want to do my best for our members and my colleagues.
From a personal standpoint, I joined Continued when a loved one was going through treatments for cancer. The flexibility of working from home allowed me to be available during what would be the final months. The company really rallied around me with no hesitation, and I realized how much we all care about each other. Even [company co-founder and owner] Aimee LaCalle reached out personally to me. During the time of healing and growth as a widower, a single parent, and embracing love again, the Continued family has been in my corner without hesitation, being my biggest fans every step of the way. It’s not just me either. This is the standard here! Family is not a loose term with this group.
What is your favorite company memory?
Continued team members enjoyed a tour of Atlanta breweries at the 2018 company meeting.
I have so many fun memories, but I would say my favorite was meeting everyone face-to-face for the first time at the company meeting. Being an introvert, I was very uncomfortable with the idea of meeting all these “strangers” face-to-face, but I quickly realized that is not the case. Other than the awkwardness of trying to match profile pictures you’ve always looked at to the real person, meeting everyone for the first time felt like seeing long-lost friends. It was then that I knew what this company means to everyone and how we all value each other. Since we are 100% virtual, communication is so important, but not just from a business standpoint. We get to know each other personally and navigate the highs and lows together.
"To me, the most unique core value of our company is the emphasis placed on acting like an owner. That is something no one has ever asked of me as an employee. But, no matter who I connect with in the company, I see and hear this core value. It's contagious, and it makes me want to be a better team member." - Josh Malcolm
What do you do to get rid of stress?
Malcolm at the 2018 Ohio 70.3 (half ironman) in Delaware, Ohio. With a background in swimming and running, Malcolm enjoys endurance training with a focus in triathlons.
My go-to stress reliever has always been to do some sort of physical activity. I started competitive swimming when I was 5, so water has always been a reprieve. I am the calmest when in any body of water. If that’s not available, I go for a run. Thirty minutes later the endorphins have done their job and I can move on. Speaking of running, at the last few company meetings, several of us runners met up to run together. This group included some company leaders, including [Educational Technology Director] Leigha Jansen, my previous supervisor. It was such a cool thing to get out and run with these leaders in our company, which to me only reinforced the family culture that Continued values from the top down.
Excluding faith, family, or friends, what are three things you can’t live without?
Malcolm marched and taught in the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps of Canton, Ohio, from 1999-2005 and credits this experience for the work ethic and attention to detail he applies to his career and life.
Music
The opportunity to explore
A good cup of coffee or sweet tea
Is there a particular mantra you live by?
Our previous CEO Tony Perlak once said, “When doing something for the first time, you have to be absolutely fearless.” I’m not sure if it’s his, but I’ll give him credit. That stuck with me, as it applies to work and life daily.
