Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to John Akhoian. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi John, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I got my work ethic from watching my father work when I was young. He died when I was 17 years old, so I didn’t get to spend too much time with him. But in the short time I did spend with him, he was always working. When he was home one day a week from his long trips, my brother and I would work on his 18-wheeler truck. We would change the oil and wash the cab, the outside and sometimes even the 52-foot trailer. It was a lot of work, but we loved spending the day with my dad, and he served as an example of a man who worked long hours to provide for his family.
I started my first company when I was 19 years old and used my dad’s example to build on the same principles of hard work. I decided early on that if I wasn’t repairing someone’s plumbing, I would be knocking on doors looking for plumbing work. I spent six days a week either looking for plumbing customers or actually fixing their plumbing.
In the beginning, I would walk up and down the streets in residential communities to leave door hangers or shake as many hands as possible. Eventually, I moved onto commercial areas and went from management companies to restaurants to other businesses to leave my card.
But it paid off. Eventually, I got so busy that I no longer had the time to leave cards in person, and that was thanks to my father’s example.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
After running a small commercial plumbing business for several years, I discovered that investing in a franchise was the fastest way to grow. I grew my company into multiple locations and educated myself on the best practices of operating in multiple markets.
I eventually left that franchise and opened Rooter Hero in 2011. At Rooter Hero, we have developed a process that includes putting a strong management team at each location and investing in our workforce.
Today, Rooter Hero is the largest residential plumbing company in the state of California. I love visiting our locations and working on strategic initiatives to help us open new locations.
We are currently expanding to the state of Nevada and also adding HVAC to our plumbing business. We have added HVAC service to all our Los Angeles locations and hope to continue that growth trajectory.
I’m excited about what the future holds for me and my team as we grow this company from being the largest in California to being the largest and best in the western United States. I’m proud of our values and the team that is here helping me serve our clients through our winning principles.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
- Hunger
- Humility
- Curiosity
When we are hungry, we create a great purpose in our lives.
My first purpose was driven by necessity. My father died when I was 17, and I thought my family was going to lose everything. I expected that we would have to go back to sharing a couch in a one-bedroom apartment like I had to do with my 20-year-old brother before we had our house. I didn’t want to lose the house my dad had finally been able to purchase for my family. That house had given us all space and freedom.
Now, my purpose is to be an example for my children, like my dad was to me. I want to teach them a positive work ethic, and I want to be the man I want them to grow up to be.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
There are three I have enjoyed throughout my career:
- “The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success and Happiness” by Jeff Olson
- “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
- “Think and Grow Rich!” by Napoleon Hill
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rooterhero.com
- Instagram: johnakhoian
- Facebook: John Akhoian
- Linkedin: John Akhoian
- Youtube: John Akhoian
