How Do Company Values Shape Culture and Legacy with CHRIS NAJERA

Описание: Growing a service business is hard. Growing it across multiple markets while protecting culture, family, and legacy is even harder. In this episode, Chris Najera shares how he built Najera Environmental from the ground up, starting as a teenage worker in his father’s company and later carrying that legacy forward after a devastating loss. Chris opens up about the realities of expansion across Southern California, the challenge of finding hungry and coachable people, and why systems, training, and coaching became essential as the business scaled. This is a grounded conversation about leadership, letting go, and choosing long-term impact over a quick exit.

Quotes:

We started this company to keep my dad’s legacy alive.

Being comfortable is a disease.

It is okay to ask for help.

Without my employees, we are nothing.

I am not your boss. I am your coach.

If you are coachable, I will do magic with you.

Takeaways:

Chris entered the restoration industry at a young age, learning the business hands-on alongside his father and gaining deep field experience before stepping into leadership.

Expanding across Southern California revealed major differences in ambition, work ethic, and management needs between regions.

Growth required learning how to delegate and trust others, especially when overseeing multiple offices from a distance.

Implementing systems created consistency, reduced burnout, and made it easier to empower managers and teams.

Coaching and outside expertise directly improved sales performance, employee retention, and internal training.

Coachability consistently outperformed experience, with hungry and open employees developing faster than fixed-mindset experts.

Conclusion:

Chris Najera’s journey is rooted in purpose, not just profit. Instead of selling for a quick payout, he chose to grow Najera Environmental in a way that protects its culture and creates real career paths for employees. By focusing on training, teamwork, and leadership development, Chris has built a company designed to last. This episode highlights what is possible when a business owner commits to legacy, people, and long-term growth over short-term gain.

Links Mentioned:

Website: https://www.najeraenvironmental.com/

LinkedIn:   / christopher-najera-39249368