Jon Grishpul is the co-founder of GreatBuildz, a free service that connects homeowners with vetted general contractors. With a background in construction, consulting, and technology, Jon has been featured in Forbes, the Los Angeles Times, and U.S. News & World Report. He is committed to making the process of remodeling clear and trustworthy so homeowners can avoid stress and feel confident in their projects.
Company: GreatBuildz
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Jon Grishpul: I’m Jon Grishpul, co-founder of GreatBuildz. I grew up around construction. My grandfather was an electrical contractor and I spent a lot of time with him on jobs when I was young. Later, I worked in tech and consulting, which gave me a good foundation in service and operations. But construction was always in the background, and I saw how many people struggled with finding the right contractor.
That experience stuck with me. Homeowners often tell me how stressful it feels to start a remodel. Many don’t know who to trust, and unfortunately, too many end up with bad outcomes. My co-founder Paul and I felt there had to be a better way.
GreatBuildz is our answer. It’s a free service that matches homeowners with general contractors who have been carefully screened. Every contractor has to pass our thorough vetting process, which includes reference checks, background checks, and agreeing to a detailed code of conduct. We don’t take payment from contractors to join our network, which means our focus is only on the homeowner’s best interest.
What makes us different is that we don’t disappear once we make the introduction. We stay involved through the project to support homeowners and hold contractors accountable. For us, success isn’t just about finishing a project. It’s about making sure the homeowner feels confident, cared for, and stress-free along the way.
How does your company integrate purpose and impact into its overall business strategy?
Jon Grishpul: Purpose is built into why we started GreatBuildz in the first place. We saw how stressful and unfair the remodeling process could be for homeowners, and we wanted to fix that. For us, success isn’t measured by growth alone. It’s about whether a homeowner feels supported, finds a contractor they can trust, and completes their project without regret.
That guides every part of our strategy. We don’t charge contractors to join our network. We personally screen each one and hold them to a strict code of conduct. That means slower growth than platforms that accept anyone who pays, but it keeps our focus on protecting the homeowner.
Our purpose also shapes how we work with clients. We spend time understanding their project, match them with three vetted contractors who are the right fit, and guide them through the bidding and decision process. Once they hire a contractor, we stay involved during the remodel to answer questions and step in if issues come up.
That ongoing support is intentional. It holds contractors accountable and reassures homeowners that they’re not alone. Building that kind of trust is the impact we care about most, and it’s what drives every choice we make as a company.
Can you share an example of how your business has successfully balanced profitability with social responsibility or sustainability?
Jon Grishpul: A good example is how we built our business model. Most platforms in this space make money by charging contractors to join, charging them a monthly marketing fee, or selling them leads. We don’t do any of that. It might be more profitable in the short term, but it shifts loyalty away from the homeowner and toward the contractor. That’s the opposite of our purpose.
We also chose to run a people-intensive business. It’s expensive to provide the kind of high-touch support we give each homeowner, but we knew it would pay off in the long run. Our team spends time understanding projects, guiding clients through estimates, and checking in during construction. That level of personal attention is rare in this industry, and our customers constantly tell us how much they value having a real human in their corner.
There’s another side to this as well. Some of the best contractors don’t advertise. They don’t have flashy trucks or slick websites, and they don’t buy leads. They’re focused on what they do best, which is construction and remodeling. Our model helps those contractors connect with homeowners who value quality and reliability, not just marketing. In that way, we’re not only protecting homeowners but also helping good contractors get the right projects to grow their business.
That approach has built real trust on both sides, which leads to referrals, repeat clients, and a stronger foundation for the future.
What role does philanthropy or community involvement play in your company’s mission, and why is it important to you as a leader?
Jon Grishpul: Community has always been part of why we started GreatBuildz. Remodeling doesn’t just change a single house. It shapes the block, the neighborhood, and the way families live in their homes. We see our role as helping people improve their spaces in a way that strengthens the community around them.
Beyond the work itself, giving back is important to me personally. I’ve been involved with local groups like Habitat for Humanity and volunteer regularly with Wags and Walks, a dog rescue here in Los Angeles. That spirit of service influences how we run the business. At GreatBuildz, we see our work as a way of strengthening families and neighborhoods, not just delivering a service.
Philanthropy and community involvement also keep us connected. It reminds us that our work is about more than transactions. It’s about trust, relationships, and improving people’s lives. As a leader, I believe if you have the ability to make a process easier, fairer, or less stressful for someone, you should. That’s why it’s so central to how we operate.
How do you ensure that purpose-driven initiatives resonate with both your employees and your customers?
Jon Grishpul: At GreatBuildz, purpose guides everything we do, so it has to come through clearly to both our team and our clients. With employees, we make sure they understand that our role is to protect homeowners and guide them through a stressful process. When they see the relief on a homeowner’s face or get a thank-you note after a project, it connects their work to that mission.
For homeowners, purpose shows up in how we treat them. We’re honest, we’re present, and we follow through. That consistency matters more than any promise we could make.
If we ever chose profit over trust, people would notice right away. By keeping purpose at the center of our daily work, both our employees and our clients know it is more than words.
What advice would you give to other leaders looking to embed purpose and impact into their organizations?
Jon Grishpul: Be clear about who you serve and make decisions that protect that group, even when it costs you in the short term. Choosing the harder path has built trust for us, and that trust is what sustains the business.
Another piece of advice is to stay consistent. Employees and customers can tell right away if your purpose is only something you put on a website. If every decision lines up with it, people will believe it. If even a few don’t, they won’t.
Purpose also needs to be simple enough that everyone can repeat it. Ours is about making remodeling less stressful and more fair. The simpler it is, the easier it is for the team to apply it in real situations.
