We recently had the chance to connect with Leonardo Vazquez and have shared our conversation below.
Leonardo, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Integrity is the most important to me.
Intelligence and energy are powerful tools, but without integrity, they can be misused or lead people down the wrong path. Integrity is what builds trust — with customers, your team, and your community. It means doing the right thing, even when nobody’s watching. In business, especially in restoration where people are counting on us during stressful times, integrity is the foundation that everything else is built on.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Leonardo Vazquez, and I’m the founder and owner of Xpress Restoration Inc., a full-service emergency restoration company based in Chula Vista, CA. We specialize in water damage mitigation, fire and smoke restoration, mold remediation, and reconstruction.
What makes our company unique is our customer-first approach. I started Xpress Restoration after working as a property insurance adjuster, which gave me an inside perspective on how stressful the claims process can be for homeowners. I wanted to create a company that not only restores homes, but also makes the insurance side of things simple and transparent for families.
We’re proud to offer a 60-minute on-site emergency response, a highly trained team, and a process designed to get people back into their homes as quickly and smoothly as possible. Over the years, we’ve built a strong reputation in our community by combining technical expertise with genuine care.
In addition to our restoration work, I’ve recently launched NinaWorks.ai, an AI-powered answering service that helps businesses provide 24/7 customer support. It’s a passion project born from my own need to better serve customers after hours — and now we’re helping other companies do the same.
At the end of the day, my mission is simple: to build companies that truly help people and create long-term trust.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
The person who saw me clearly before I could see myself was my grandfather — we all called him Apa Toño. He taught me that hard work, dedication, and integrity will always rise above everything else. But what made him truly special was how he treated people.
He owned a brick company in Mexico, and I remember him telling me how he and my grandmother would bring lunch to their employees, sit with them, and make sure they knew how valued they were. He always told me, “People don’t just work for you — they work with you. Take care of them, and they’ll take care of everything else.”
As a teenager, I worked alongside him doing landscaping on weekends and helping on different construction projects. Those moments built more than just skills — they built character, discipline, and a deep respect for people.
Today, I carry those lessons with me every single day. In my business, I strive to treat my team like family — making sure they feel valued, supported, and appreciated. That’s something I learned not from a business book, but from Apa Toño’s example.
Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
I’ll never forget when someone truly listened to me — that person was my wife, Hilda. She has always been my biggest supporter and my voice of reason. Back before we had anything, when starting a business was just a dream, she sat with me and listened to everything I was feeling — my doubts, my fears, and my hopes.
I was scared to take the leap, but Hilda made me realize that sometimes the biggest risks lead to the greatest rewards. She told me she believed in me and reminded me that no matter what happened, she would be by my side.
That moment changed everything. It gave me the strength and confidence to finally open my own business. Having someone truly listen — not to respond, but to understand — made all the difference. She’s been my partner through every struggle, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
I think my closest friends would say that family is what matters most to me. My wife Hilda and our three amazing kids — Leonardo Jr., Emiliano, and Carolina — are my world. Everything I do, every risk I take, and every goal I set is ultimately for them.
They’re the reason I work hard, the reason I push through challenges, and the reason I never give up. No matter how busy life or business gets, family always comes first. They’re my biggest motivation and my greatest blessing.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Absolutely. I’ve always believed that the way you do things matters just as much as the outcome — maybe even more. I was raised with the mindset that integrity isn’t about who’s watching or whether anyone praises you for it. It’s about giving your best because it’s the right thing to do.
A lot of what I do is driven by the example I want to set — for my kids, my team, and the people who trust me. If no one ever praised me for it, I’d still give everything my best because that’s who I am. At the end of the day, I want my legacy to be built on consistency, hard work, and doing things with heart.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.xpress-restoration.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xpress_restoration_inc/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xpress-restoration-inc-/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XpressRestoration
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/xpress-restoration-chula-vista-11?osq=Xpress+Restoration
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Xpress-restoration
