Today we are introduced to Aaron Regev, a leader in the home warranty company, Total Home Protection (currently one of the fastest-growing home warranty companies in the industry, renowned for their excellent customer service.)
Hello, thank you for taking the time to answer our questions! Let’s start with an introduction. What was your early life like?
Aaron Regev: No problem! And, going back really early, I was born and raised in Brooklyn. My parents had immigrated there from the Middle East.
Life wasn’t the easiest back then — Brooklyn in the 70s was perhaps not the most unchallenging time to be raising kids. But my parents did their best to make sure that I grew up with the same passion and determination that they had. They were strict when they had to be and encouraging when I needed them to be. From the very start, they taught me to work hard and stay humble.
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Please tell us about your current career. What kind of work do you do and what industry are you involved in?
Aaron Regev: I am the sales manager for the home warranty company, Total Home Protection. We help our customers by offering protection for their covered appliances and mechanical systems with a set of comprehensive and affordable coverage plans to choose from.
How did you get your start at Total Home Protection?
Aaron Regev: Ah, before Total Home Protection, I was unemployed — because the business that I was working with at the time had failed. I couldn’t leave things at that, of course. I had a family to provide for, so I began looking for work opportunities as soon as possible. Which, thankfully, went fairly well because of my long history working as a salesperson.
I was initially hired by Total Home Protection as a trainer or a coach of a sort. My job was to teach their sales team to be better, to work smarter. Now, I lead the sales team to make sure that everyone is staying on the path to success.
What was it like for you upon your first entry into the Home Warranty industry? (Was it something you were familiar with? Or something new?)
Aaron Regev: The home warranty industry is huge. Not just in the sense that it’s been steadily growing over the years (IBISWorld’s 2021 reports on the industry has the market size of Home Warranty providers in the US alone at $2.6 billion), but in the way that there is a lot to learn about it.
I’m going to be honest here, it was overwhelming at first. As I was training Total Home Protection’s sales team, I made sure to educate myself on the side, perfecting my knowledge of all aspects of the business (both the front-end and back) religiously. I thank my parents all the time for having raised me as someone with the resolve and self-discipline to make it through these times. Because, if it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have been able to get as far as I did in the industry.
Outside of your parents, who else has inspired you to keep working in the home warranty industry?
Aaron Regev: That would have to be my boss, David Seruya. He’s the CEO of Total Home Protection and he is, without a doubt, one of the most inspirational people in the industry. He knows it like the back of his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows that come with the job and made the most of the know-how that all his years in the industry gave him by putting forward ideas and suggestions that only serve to enhance the offerings that we provide to our customers. He’s an amazing guy, without a doubt.
What kind of leader do you aspire to be?
Aaron Regev: I’m of the opinion that a good leader is one that is willing to stand by their team — especially when things get rough. To that end, I don’t hesitate when it comes to helping out, even when it comes to dirty work. I also make a point to familiarize myself very closely with the work that I have my people (and even their people) do.
As a leader, I think that it is important to be present. That you’re there, not just to hand out instructions, but actually there. Physically and mentally. When it comes to my team, I do my best to keep my eyes and ears open. I treat them with the respect they deserve, I listen to their ideas, and I keep my door open for when they need support (whether it’s for the big stuff or the small stuff.)
Now, of course, that is not to say that I go ‘easy’ on them. As a person who was raised by parents who enforced strict rules, I’m a big fan of the tough love approach. Sometimes you need to be stern. Sometimes you need to make sure that what you’re saying sticks and they don’t make the same mistake over and over — to make sure that they’re properly taking care of their responsibilities.
What characteristic do you believe has led you to the most success?
Aaron Regev: My parents raised me to prize hard work and humility above all else. I think these two things are very important if you want to make it far. It’s much too easy sometimes to drown in one’s successes — to the point of being so arrogant or to the point that you think that you can do no wrong — and that there is the problem. Trust me, being humble and conducting yourself honestly is the best way to find success. Especially when it comes to those big make-or-break decisions where the wrong judgment call can lead you to fail entirely.