"Success is a state of mind, consistent work, self-improvement."
With only $800 to his name, Sardor Umrdinov took a leap of faith. He came to the United States from Uzbekistan in 2003, looking to build his family a brighter future. His path to success was difficult but over the years, Sardor has created a name for Home Alliance by providing professional home appliance repairs while saving families money, time, and stress.
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Let’s start with a brief introduction first. Introduce yourself to our readers.
Sardor Umrdinov: I`m Sardor Umrdinov and I`m CEO of Home Alliance – a nationwide network of home service experts for homeowners.
Our audience is interested to know about how you got started in the first place. Did you always want to become a CEO or was it something you were led to? Our readers would love to know your story!
Sardor Umrdinov: When I was a child I was the oldest brother out of 4 children. So I had to take all the responsibility for them. My dad taught me to be responsible for everything they did. So I was growing up practicing that ‘responsibility muscle’. That naturally lead me to start managing my own business. When I ran my first business, I was in charge of everything: I was an entrepreneur, CEO, COO, supervisor, executive, etc. Soon after my first business, I decided that building the organization – is my natural role. This is how I become CEO.
“Selfmade” is a myth. We all received help, no doubt you love to show appreciation to those who supported you when the going got tough, who has been your most important professional inspiration?
Sardor Umrdinov: Elon Musk.
How did your journey lead you to become a CEO? What difficulties did you face along the way and what did you learn from them?
Sardor Umrdinov: Lots of difficulties. For example: setting up processes, the standards of these processes, keeping everybody aligned. I’m still working on that, to clarify what we are here for, how our company is working. We want every employee to share our vision and mission.
Tell us about your company. What does your business do and what are your responsibilities as a CEO?
Sardor Umrdinov: Our mission is clear: we are taking care of your home as our own home. We help people with anything that needs to be fixed, installed, and maintained. I manage over 150 contractors in 5 different areas such as: HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Appliance repair services, and Cleaning.
Our company is in the transformational stage of growth. At that stage, I can’t only be engaged as CEO doing strategy and planning. Right now, I spend a lot of time working ‘on the floor’ as COO.
What does CEO stand for? Beyond the dictionary definition, how would you define it?
Sardor Umrdinov: I like Daniel Lubetzky’s definition. 3 Cs: Curious Creative, Consummate Critic, and Committed Crusader.
When you first became a CEO, how was it different from what you expected? What surprised you?
Sardor Umrdinov: Not really different from what I expected. Because I define the CEO’s duties as strategic planning and development. This is what I’m trying to do most of the time as a high-value activity. But the real challenge for me is to find a decent time for that and to keep the right mindset.
There are many schools of thought as to what a CEO’s core roles and responsibilities are. Based on your experience, what are the main things a CEO should focus on? Explain and please share examples or stories to illustrate your vision.
Sardor Umrdinov: Again, the strategy is first. Instead of diving into details, a CEO should concentrate on analysis and research to find a clear path for the company.
Also, the executive team should be aware of what the company is doing. So a CEO should establish a clear two-way information flow with colleagues: aligning them with the company’s main goals while finding out how their projects are going.
Share with us one of the most difficult decisions you had to make for your company that benefited your employees or customers. What made this decision so difficult and what were the positive impacts?
Sardor Umrdinov: We always offer the highest-paying jobs for our employees. They provide the best service for our customers. This is how that benefits both employees and customers.
How would you define success? Does it mean generating a certain amount of wealth, gaining a certain level of popularity, or helping a certain number of people?
Sardor Umrdinov: Success is a state of mind, consistent work, self-improvement. And also success is a feeling of great joy knowing that you help other people.
Some leadership skills are innate while others can be learned. What leadership skills do you possess innately and what skills have you cultivated over the years as a CEO?
Sardor Umrdinov: My biggest skill is a sense of responsibility, which comes from my childhood. Also, I feel I am a good visionary, I can find and notice connections, where others cannot.
I think I should cultivate people skills and communication skills. I’m working on it. I’m taking personal development courses to become a better communicator and to develop empathy.
How did your role as a CEO help your business overcome challenges caused by the pandemic? Explain with practical examples.
Sardor Umrdinov: I’ve decided to apply for the U.S. Small Business Administration loan. Also, we offered help for our employees to get vaccinated as a part of the company’s Health and Safety Policy. During the very first days of quarantine, we managed to provide all necessary PPE for our technicians (than wasn’t easy actually) to make sure our employees and our customers are safe.
Do you have any advice for aspiring CEOs and future leaders? What advice would you give a CEO that is just starting out on their journey?
Sardor Umrdinov: Find a mentor as soon as possible. That will help to avoid numerous mistakes.
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Thank you for sharing some of your knowledge with our readers! They would also like to know, what is one skill that you’ve always wanted to acquire but never really could?
Sardor Umrdinov: I’m trying to focus on those that I can acquire.
Before we finish things off, we have one final question for you. If you wrote a book about your life today, what would the title be?
Sardor Umrdinov: “101 Mistakes To Not Make When You Open Your Business.”
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Sardor Umrdinov for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Sardor Umrdinov or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
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