Pay it Forward E87
Sergei Guk joined the Tycoons and opened up about his inspiring journey to business ownership. After moving to America as a child and going straight to work after high school, Sergei met his share of struggles. He was a hard worker and brought success to the companies he worked for, but his plan to take ownership of a business didn’t work out. That’s when an investor that believed in him gave him the opportunity to be a business owner.
This journey and his investor, who is now considered family, taught Sergei an important lesson – to pay it forward. He wondered why anyone would take such a risk? If you want to make a difference in the world, find those opportunities to pay it forward. That has become Sergei’s “why” at Restoration HQ.
A large part of Restoration HQ’s success is in large part to their founding principles and company goals. They are centered around helping and protecting people and just being a good person. That’s why customers trust them, in addition to their quality workmanship.
RestorationHQ is an Arizona based commercial-only restoration firm celebrating its 7th anniversary in 2022. The company provides top-notch restoration, remediation, mitigation, and abatement services, with technical expertise and a commitment to proactive communication. 
With over 41 million square feet under contract and a sole focus on commercial and industrial properties, RestorationHQ prides itself for working seamlessly alongside property management companies, general contractors, mechanical trades, facility management teams and subcontractors.
RestorationHQ continues to disrupt the industry by pioneering a new way of working with customers, in partnership. By working on behalf of its clients rather than insurance agencies, RestorationHQ is changing their experience by directly addressing pain points felt when working with vendors who align themselves with insurance companies.
With sights set on the national stage, 2021 kicked of the initiation of a three-year expansion plan, beginning with test markets in different parts of Arizona. Markets were based on how they represent similar challenges that could be encountered in other states, allowing them us to analyze and revise their model to ensure the successful launch in other regions.
RestorationHQ holds more than 20 current certifications, trainings, and safety courses including the IICRC (the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification, the certifying body for the inspection, cleaning and restoration industry), AHERA Accreditation (Asbestos Hazards Emergency Response Act), EPA, OSHA, and other governing bodies responsible for compliance regulation and continued education.
For over 19 years, Sergei Guk has been on the front lines of the restoration industry providing services for buildings damaged by disaster and accident.
He has crafted expertise through both on the job experience and a litany of professional certifications including IICRC, The Asbestos Institute, the EPA, and BioCleaning Services of America, Inc., among others. With features on Channel 5 News in Phoenix, SHOPTALK360, and the Phoenix Business Journal, Sergei is a leading voice in his field.
He continues to educate the community by regularly serving as a guest speaker and panelist at industry events such as AZSHE, BOMA, IFMA and MARC Community Resources, Inc.
In 2014, after an impressive career that includes growing a similar company from $120,000 a year in sales to over $4 million, Sergei turned the industry on its head with the launch of RestorationHQ, a disruptive emergency services general contracting company pioneering a new way of doing business centered on the customer experience.
Connect with Sergei on LinkedIn and follow Restoration HQ on Facebook and Instagram.
About the Show
Tycoons of Small Biz spotlights the true backbone of the American economy, the true tycoons of business in America… the owners, founders and CEO’s of small businesses. Join hosts, Austin L Peterson, Landon Mance and the featured tycoons LIVE every Tuesday at 1 pm, right here on Business RadioX and your favorite podcast platform.
About Your Hosts
Austin Peterson is a Comprehensive Financial Planner and co-founder of Backbone Planning Partners in Scottsdale, AZ. Austin is a registered rep and investment advisor representative with Lincoln Financial Advisors. Prior to joining Lincoln Financial Advisors, Austin worked in a variety of roles in the financial services industry.
He began his career in financial services in the year 2000 as a personal financial advisor with Independent Capital Management in Santa Ana, CA. Austin then joined Pacific Life Insurance Company as an internal wholesaler for their variable annuity and mutual fund products. After Pacific Life, Austin formed his own financial planning company in Southern California that he built and ran for 6 years and eventually sold when he moved his family to Salt Lake City to pursue his MBA.
After he completed his MBA, Austin joined Crump Life Insurance where he filled a couple of different sales roles and eventually a management role throughout the five years he was with Crump. Most recently before joining Lincoln Financial Advisors in February 2015, Austin spent 2 years as a life insurance field wholesaler with Symetra Life Insurance Company. Austin is a Certified Financial Planner Professional and Chartered Life Underwriter. In 2021, Austin became a Certified Business Exit Consultant® (CBEC®) to help entrepreneurs plan to exit their businesses.
Austin and his wife of 23 years, Robin, have two children, AJ (21) and Ella (18) and they reside in Gilbert, Arizona. He is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelor of Arts in French and of Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management with a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in sales and entrepreneurship.
Connect with Austin on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Landon Mance is a Financial Planner and co-founder of Backbone Planning Partners out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He rebranded his practice in 2020 to focus on serving small business owners after operating as Mance Wealth Management since 2015 when Landon broke off from a major bank and started his own “shop.”
Landon comes from a family of successful entrepreneurs and has a passion and excitement for serving the business community. This passion is what brought about the growth of Backbone Planning Partners to help business owners and their families. At Backbone Planning, we believe small business owners’ personal and business goals are intertwined, so we work with our clients to design a financial plan to support all aspects of their lives.
In 2019, Landon obtained the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) designation through the Exit Planning Institute. With this certification, Backbone Planning Partners assists business owners through an ownership transition while focusing on a positive outcome for their employees and meeting the business owner’s goals. Landon is also a member of the Business Intelligence Institute (BII) which is a collaborative group that shares tools, resources and personnel, and offers advanced level training and technical support to specifically serve business owners. In 2021, Landon became a Certified Business Exit Consultant® (CBEC®) to help entrepreneurs plan to exit their businesses by counseling owners about exit options, estimating the value of the business, preparing the business for exit and tax considerations.
Landon enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife, stepson, and new baby twins. He grew up in sunny San Diego and loves visiting his family, playing a round of golf with friends, and many other outdoor activities. Landon tries to make a difference in the lives of children in Las Vegas as a part of the leadership team for a local non-profit. He regularly visits the children that we work with to remind himself of why it’s so important to, “be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
Landon received his B.S. from California State University Long Beach in business marketing and gets the rest of his education through the school of hard knocks via his business owner clients.
Connect with Landon on LinkedIn.
Austin Peterson and Landon Mance are registered representatives of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., a broker/dealer (member SIPC) and registered investment advisor. Insurance offered through Lincoln affiliates and other fine companies. Backbone Planning Partners is a marketing name for registered representatives of Lincoln Financial Advisors. CRN-4097412-010522
Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. and its representatives do not provide legal or tax advice. You may want to consult a legal or tax advisor regarding any legal or tax information as it relates to your personal circumstances.
The content presented is for informational and educational purposes. The information covered and posted are views and opinions of the guests and not necessarily those of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp.
Business RadioX® is a separate entity not affiliated with Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp.
