Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Sussman.
Lisa, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I joined our family business approximately 2.5 years ago at the request of my husband, Ben, and our business partner/his best friend, Jordan. My degree is in Communications and I had a 10-year career in PR/journalism/corporate communications.
When I decided to work with Ben and Jordan, I was at a crossroads in my career. I had been feeling unfulfilled in the corporate world, and at the same time, we had our first son and I was yearning for more flexibility with him. Our business had grown a lot the first few years, but Ben and Jordan needed help and they needed someone they trusted immensely.
I had never ever expected to work with my husband, but during a trip to Kauai (where our best decisions and manifestations seem to happen!), we made the decision to take a leap of faith. I’ve been here ever since and have never looked back. I love it, and every morning I wake up grateful for where we are, and where I am in life.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road, but nothing in life worth having ever is. The biggest struggle, in the beginning, was learning to work with my husband. Even though we had and have a wonderfully happy marriage, it took us a good six months to find our groove in working together. That was something that was a lot harder than I expected it to be. After the first six months, it’s been pretty smooth sailing from there.
Aside from learning how to work together, one thing we faced as a team was the merging of two business cultures. We bought one SERVPRO franchise initially, that had no book of business whatsoever and no employees. It was brand new. Through blood, sweat, and tears we did very well, and in 2018 we purchased our second franchise. The second franchise came with over 10 employees and a solid book of business. I think we very much underestimated how hard it would be to merge two cultures when every one of those employees came over to our team, and we were dealing with double the volume pretty much immediately. There were some painful moments during that time, but we made it through! This year, we added two more franchise territories to our company. Onward and upward!
Alright – so let’s talk business. What else should we know about you and your career so far?
SERVPRO does commercial and residential water damage cleanup, fire/smoke/soot damage cleanup, mold remediation and biohazard cleanup, including hoarding cleanouts.
Our four franchise licenses are: SERVPRO of San Diego City SW, SERVPRO of Centre City/Uptown, SERVPRO of Mission Valley East, and SERVPRO of San Ysidro/Otay Mesa.
One important thing to know is that we can work anywhere outside of those areas as well. We work all over San Diego County, and beyond. As a company, we’ve traveled far and wide to assist homeowners and business owners, including to hurricane-affected regions and wildfire affected areas.
I am most proud of the incredible team we have. I believe we have the best and strongest team of any restoration company in San Diego. We have kind, hardworking, and dedicated employees who day in and day out help property owners with some of the most difficult situations including major water damage, fires and hoarding cleanouts. It takes a unique kind of person to help people in trying times, and help them stay calm and remind them that it will all be okay. We are in people’s homes and businesses every single day, and they put their trust in us and our team. We do not take that lightly.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
In terms of our success, I believe one thing that has contributed to our growth is being “yes” people. We always say yes, even if it doesn’t help our bottom line. As a company and an employer, we believe in being kind, being honest, and always doing the right thing. When you focus on doing good work, being good to your employees, taking care of your customers and giving them the best service you possibly can, the rest tends to fall into place.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.servprosandiegocitysw.com/
- Phone: 619-269-5004
- Email: lisa.sussman@servprosdcity.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SERVPROofSanDiegoCitySW/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/servpro-of-san-diego-city-sw-san-diego
Image Credit:
Lisa Sussman
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