Winner
Home Improvements
In 1978, Nicholas DiCello was working for a New York-based basement waterproofing company when the business abruptly shut down. With only about $200 in his bank account, DiCello recruited a few key people from that business and secured the support of local vendors, who wouldn’t have gotten paid by the shuttered business.
And on this small foundation, he started Ohio State Home Services, more familiarly known as Ohio State Waterproofing.
The company’s president and CEO started the business by making sure that those vendors received what was owed to them from the former business and developed ways to refine the waterproofing system that the company uses today.
Over the years, DiCello leveraged his knowledge and experience to expand Ohio State’s service offering to include innovative wall-bracing and home ventilation systems. And most recently, the company has added a battery backup pump system to complement its service offerings.
Now, 31 years after its founding, most of the original vendors have become lifetime partners, and the majority of those original employees are still with the company, as well. Ohio State Waterproofing is now the top waterproofing services company in Northeast Ohio and has expanded with 14 other franchises throughout the country. The company is so confident in its work that it guarantees it for the life of the house and even transfers the warranty to a new owner.
DiCello attributes much of his success to his employees. He surrounds himself with talented and motivated people, and he invests in them to create an inspired work force. Because most people spend more time at work than at any other place, he has a “Work hard, play hard” mantra that includes ongoing education and advanced skills training for employees, but he also offers ongoing incentives, trips, prizes and cash to motivate his team.
This approach inspires learning and has played an integral role in Ohio State’s success. Despite the tough economy, the company posted a record-breaking year last year and expects another strong year in 2009.
How to reach: Ohio State Waterproofing, (330) 467-1055 or www.ohiostatewaterproofing.com
