Israel Sanchez Jr., also known as Izzy, sold vacation packages when first connected with Sean Chesser. Shortly after joining Izzy’s team, Sean and Izzy discussed the exorbitant prices and the faux value of the vacation “assets” they were selling. The men brainstormed this concern and devised a business to help people get out of their timeshare contracts in a way that’s safe, ethical, and guaranteed.
For six months after Primo Management Group, Inc. (PMG) was incorporated in May of 2015, neither of the founders took a paycheck. During this time, they focused on building relationships with customers and staff, establishing effective and scalable business processes, doing due diligence, and strategizing to generate success.
Asked about how PMG differs from their competitors, Izzy says their success is an outcome of being truthful and honest—sometimes to a fault. He explained, “We do what we say, and we back everything up. It’s not a secret sauce, it isn’t. The problem that comes up for others, it’s just greed. Not to say that we don’t have problems, but greed certainly isn’t one of them.”
Leave no man behind
Izzy spoke of one of their success stories, a client whose husband is a high-ranking officer in the military. After returning from combat with PTSD, the officer committed suicide. Because of her spouse’s death, the customer lost all military benefits and was only making $11,000 per year. The maintenance fees alone on the timeshare were $2,000 a year. PMG worked with the resort and completed the financial paperwork showing her income. The CEO of the resort (also a veteran) responded, “She can pay it, she’s making 11k.”
PMG, without hesitation, paid half of the bill to settle with the resort. Izzy (also a veteran) responded with, “That’s how a $2,000 expense becomes $200,000 in revenue.“
The risk PMG took to shoulder the $2,000 expense generated $200,000 in additional revenue because their client gave them a sterling review that brought in more business. For Izzy and Sean, business is not just about getting a return on investment. It’s about committing to their offer and delivering results to their customers. In the military case, Izzy and the organization could have easily shrugged their shoulders and agreed with the resort’s CEO. Instead, they stayed true to their word and helped their customer get her life and finances back under her control.
By going with what they knew to be the right thing and allowing their organization to lose a nominal amount of money, PMG was given more.
Building culture from the top
In military training, new recruits are taught the appropriate way to act and react to any stimuli from day one. Over time, the reactions become second nature to them. The same is true with company culture. Repeated exposure to a company’s practices and processes will help its members successfully adopt them. The reactions inherent in a company’s culture begins at the top and trickles down.
Izzy is known to make sure he does what he can—immediately and in a way that generates the best possible result. As an organization, PMG works to assure each team member adopts best practices and processes to be accountable. Izzy’s repeated and successful actions eliminate any doubts that he can do his part to be accountable and hold others in the same way.
Demonstrating trust
Watching PMG’s leaders act according to the values that they advocate solidifies the team’s belief in and support of its culture. A successful organization is built on a culture with trust at the center. Izzy also notes collaboration as an important factor in checking the pulse of their team members to mitigate potential business disruptions. Empowered team members who perform their duties proactively and effectively demonstrates the top-down influence Sean and Izzy model as leaders.
Aside from training their team members in PMG’s processes and practices, Izzy and his partner keep everyone motivated. They interact with their team and try to keep things as positive as possible, telling the truth always. PMG team members are like family, Izzy notes. As a family, the PMG team has outings to celebrate, leaders, give on the spot bonuses, they have brainstorming meetings, and share meals. PMG even boasts a mother/son team who’s been supporting the organization since the day they opened.
Izzy admits he doesn’t react impulsively. He analyzes things before making decisions. “When I believe in something,” he says, “I don’t see any other way. However, in my later years, I’ve become really open to new ideas and trying new things.” As a leader, Izzy believes opening his mind to new possibilities contributed extensively to PMG’s growth and demonstrates his willingness to adapt for the good of their company, and most especially their customers.