Sergey Taitler

Trust your employees and ensure they enjoy working for you but also ensure that you have your checks and balances in place.

 

Sergey Taitler was born in Ukraine but emigrated to the United States with his family in 1979 while he was still a toddler. During his childhood, his father started his own company, All American Roofing.

Sergey Taitler attended Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, graduating with a BS in Finance and a concentration in real estate with a minor in history.

While Sergey was completing his final year of university in 1997, his father passed away. Upon graduation in 1998, Sergey took over the family business from his late father with a goal of continuing his father’s legacy as the general manager of the company at the age of 21. Sergey Taitler remains the general manager of All American Exterior Solutions. Due to the diversification of the organization the company name has changed to All American Exterior Solutions.

All American Exterior Solutions is located in Lake Zurich, Illinois.

Where did the idea for All American Exterior Solutions come from?

The idea was my father’s as he started the company once we immigrated to America. When he passed away, I felt that it was my duty to carry on his legacy and continue to ensure the company was successful. A few years after I started, we renamed the company from All American Roofing to All American Exterior Solutions to highlight the variety of services we offer.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I wake up early each day so that I can be organized and prepared for the day ahead. During the day I manage day to day operations, I am in meetings, visit with my staff, talk with clients and customers and at times visit projects to see how everything is going. Additionally, I like to visit industry sites to see what new trends are upcoming so that the company can stay ahead of the game.

How do you bring ideas to life?

Whenever someone has an idea, we brainstorm with the office staff and business friends to judge the validity of the idea and the feasibility of it. Additionally, we have a dedicated R&D team which researches our new ideas as well as stays on top of the industry to present to us new ideas that we might not have thought of.

What’s one trend that excites you?

One trend that excites me within my industry is the growth of renewable energy. Green roofing and solar power are both quickly becoming extremely popular and they both can have a major impact on reducing a family’s carbon footprint.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

One habit of mine that makes me more productive as an entrepreneur is that I know when to grind out work. Often entrepreneurs are always trying to give their all and it leads to burnout which ultimately reduces their productivity and success. By knowing when to put your nose to the grindstone, you can remain productive while reducing the risk that you burn out from too much work.

What advice would you give your younger self?

There is no luck in business. Luck comes when hard work and preparation meets opportunity. If you work hard and smart, you can achieve your goals.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

Something that no one agreed with me on was the real estate market tanking back in 2007 and 2008 in the Chicagoland area. Nobody believed the recession in the real estate market would be as long and deep as it was, ultimately, I was correct.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

One thing that I continually do is that I am always looking to learn from other entrepreneurs and other companies within my business sphere. If I see new techniques and trends that are becoming popular before they are all the rage, I can ensure that my company stays ahead of the curve and is always offering top of the line products.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

One strategy that has helped me grow my business is that I worked hard to invest in the company employees. Those investments come in the ways of compensation programs, benefit programs, incentive programs, and at times different lifestyle programs.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

One failure that I have had as an entrepreneur is putting too much trust in the wrong people and not having enough checks and balances to counter any potential issues. I have overcome this and ensured that it does not happen again by being more thorough in my vetting process and putting up additional checks and balances to ensure that nothing goes wrong.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

One business idea would be to develop a business that caters to the growing elderly population in America. Maybe either by creating a day center for elderly individuals or by creating a retirement home or assisted living location. With the current trends in the country, the amount of elderly people is going to continue to grow for many years to come.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

The best $100 dollars I have recently spent is paying commissions on buying stocks. No one individual can know everything in the world and it is worthwhile to pay people for their expertise and knowledge to help you get ahead and ensure that you are going to be successful.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

One piece of software I use that helps me remain on track is my Outlook calendar. I use it to keep track of all my deadlines, meetings, and projects. I do not know if I would ever be as successful as I currently am if I did not have a calendar to help me keep track of my schedule.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

One book that I would recommend everyone to read is Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter. It is the best self-help and business book that I have ever read and it is a very easy read on top of that.

What is your favorite quote?

Watch out for people who are always bragging about who they are. A lion will never have to tell you it’s a lion.

Key Learnings:

● Be willing to work hard to find success. However, know when to take a rest to ensure you do not burn out.
● Luck is the byproduct of hard work and determination. No one has created a successful business only on luck, it is a combination of your effort and drive.
● Trust your employees and ensure they enjoy working for you but also ensure that you have your checks and balances in place.