Idan Shpizear and friend Peleg Lindenberg started 911 Restoration with little more than $3,500 and a used Volvo for an office. Success was not easy in the early days, and especially in the depths of the great recession, but through perseverance, ingenuity and good business sense the company grew and began franchising. Now there are branches in all major cities around the country and Canada providing people in need with high quality restoration services.
Idan’s belief in the power of the American Dream, combined with his strategies and tactics for achieving visions in the business world, has made him a true American success story, and an incredible resource for homeowners and business professionals alike.
What’s most exciting to you at this point in your career?
At this point in my career, creation and collaboration with the people around me in the company is the most exciting. The opportunity to work with so many talented and insightful people gives each day a new spin with challenges that make it fresh and exciting.
Give me an example of when you inspired people with a vision.
I realized a long time ago that everybody wants to be a part of something bigger than themselves. So when we decided to give the company more direction with a mission statement and guiding principles we did it as a whole company, not just my ideas, but everyone’s together.
When we put our minds together and pool our insights, talent, and ambition to collaborate and create the company vision as a whole, it turned into something far greater than any one of us could have envisioned singularly on our own.
How would you describe your leadership philosophy?
My philosophy is to build an environment that allows people to grow into whatever they want that will benefit both them and the company. Game theory essentially. I don’t like to micro manage because I think its stifling and I believe that if you hire people you can trust to get the job done right, then let them do it.
Tell me about how you’ve scaled. What was a defining moment or decision you made that put you that path to growth? In other words, how did you get your organization to where it’s at today, and what role have you played in that growth?
The defining moment that allowed myself and the company to really grow was when we realized that our business isn’t about saving homes from water damage, it’s about saving people’s dreams and giving them a Fresh Start on achieving them with their home as a foundation. Basically it was a philosophy shift that has changed the whole business and my perspective on it. We want to add value to people’s lives by providing them with the help they need, when they need it.
How do you invest in yourself to increase your relevance?
I write, read, reflect, and plan. As much as I want the company to grow, I know that as the leader of it, this growth will only come from growing myself first. Personal growth, for everyone, is a direct reflection of company growth and when you grow personally and internally, so does the business.
What’s one piece of advice you have for entrepreneurs who are just starting to hire C-Level talent?
Take your time in hiring the right people for where you want the company to be tomorrow, not just who will work for today. Do this by creating a very detailed process for determining who will be a good fit for the company vision, and not just the specifics of the one job that needs to be filled. Find as many points of reference as possible for how a person will grow with the company and the vision. Once you’ve created this process, stick to it because consistency clarifies everything going forward.
How do you attract the best and brightest?
The way to attract the best and brightest talent is to create a huge vision and a strong plan to execute it. When people see this, and feel connected to it, future talent brings itself.
If you could go back to when you were just starting 911 Restoration and give yourself one piece, what would you tell yourself?
I would tell myself to create a bigger vision than I could ever achieve on my own. Then I would tell myself to hire the best people from day one, and as the company grows, your perspective and the company vision will grow together with it.
TruPath is an executive search firm that finds mid to senior level executives in mission critical roles at your organization. This interview is part of our executive interview series, where we ask CEO’s a series of questions about their leadership philosophies and practices. Contact us if you’d like to recommend a CEO to interview, or if you’re looking for a leader to join your team.