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In 2003, 911 Restoration opened its first location in Van Nuys, California. In the past few months, the company opened four new franchise locations in New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, and New York, bringing its total network to over 330 territories across the U.S and Canada.

Under 911 Restoration CEO Miri Offir’s leadership for the last three years, the company has expanded to more than 110 locations, with plans to reach 200 locations across 600 territories. This year, it anticipates opening 30 to 40 alone.

Cultivating culture

This growth, however, hasn’t been without growing pains. After trying various approaches, including third-party recruiters, Offir learned that making recruitment a team effort produces the best results.

“Posting our own job ads on LinkedIn and encouraging our team to reshare posts and refer candidates who align with our culture has been our most effective strategy,” she explained.

Maintaining a strong, positive culture also is crucial.

Maintaining a strong, positive culture is crucial to 911 Restoration’s success.

“When existing team members feel valued and engaged, they naturally become advocates who refer quality candidates,” Offir said. “We also incentivize referrals, which strengthens our ability to attract people who share our values.”

Her advice for other restoration professionals is to focus on creating an environment where your team feels invested in the company’s success and sees themselves as part of the recruitment process. Given that the restoration industry faces significant workforce challenges—with labor shortages being a top concern across the sector—she believes this collaborative approach to hiring has been essential for continued growth.

“My biggest piece of advice is to see the people first,” Offir said. “Genuinely care about your team, get to know their strengths, goals, and what they’re passionate about. Keep open communication channels with everyone, so they feel comfortable sharing both challenges and ideas.”

Additionally, companies should strive to create an atmosphere of team collaboration. “Listen to your people, encourage collaboration, and ensure that their voices are truly heard,” Offir said. “Often, some of the best ideas come directly from team members who are closest to the work.”

Moreover, Offir encourages professionals to give their teams autonomy in making decisions within their roles and responsibilities. “It builds trust, ownership, and confidence,” she explained. “At the same time, always connect them back to the bigger picture—the company vision and goals. Help them understand how their individual contributions fit in and how they can continue to develop and grow within the organization.”

Ultimately, when people feel valued, heard, and connected to a larger purpose, they’re more engaged and motivated.

“That’s how you build and sustain a thriving workforce,” Offir said.

Building a stronger business

911 Restoration Founder Idan Shpizear and CEO Miri Offir welcome attendees to its National Franchise Convention.

One of the most significant challenges 911 Restoration faced this past year was navigating major structural, organizational, and system changes that the company implemented to better align with evolving market conditions and support its long-term growth goals. For example, internally, Restoration 911 focused on greater efficiency by implementing automation and custom artificial intelligence tools created by its developers—resulting in increased efficiency, ease of collaboration, greater communication, and stronger franchisee support.

On the marketing side, the restoration company is launching a new national website, which introduces more types of campaign services for its branches to support their growth and revenue objectives. Restoration 911 also implemented new automations to enhance SEO performance, which have already begun to drive more leads.

While these changes were necessary and strategic, the biggest hurdle was ensuring team-wide receptiveness and avoiding uncertainty or trepidation.

“Overcoming this required patience and intentional leadership,” Offir said. “We placed a strong emphasis on maintaining open communication channels across all levels of the organization, especially with department heads. We were transparent about the ‘why’ behind the changes—continually reinforcing the company’s vision, goals, and purpose so that everyone understood how their role contributed to the bigger picture.”

One key takeaway for Offir is that you can never over-communicate during times of transition.

“By creating space for honest dialogue, addressing concerns early, and staying connected as a team, we were able to turn initial resistance into shared ownership, and that made all the difference,” Offir explained.

In that light, 911 Restoration hosted new franchise training in July for five new franchisees, reflecting its continued commitment to proper onboarding and support.

Foundation for success

This year, 911 Restoration was named Forbes’ Best Water Damage Restoration Company and listed in CNN’s Underscored Top Mold Remediation Services as Best for Quick Response Times. Additionally, Entrepreneur Magazine ranked 911 Restoration among its 2025 Fastest Growing Franchises and Top Franchises Under $150,000.

Offir believes these successes derive from the company’s core focus of putting people first.

While innovation is critical, flexibility and adaptability are also non-negotiable in today’s landscape. “The market is constantly evolving, and staying ahead means we must research, adapt, and innovate continuously—never settling for good enough,” Offir said. “The ability to pivot and adjust quickly in response to market shifts has been vital to our sustained growth.”

Lastly, building a sales- and marketing-driven culture across the organization ensures 911 Restoration stays growth-focused and results-oriented.

“No matter how great your service or product is, it must be communicated effectively and reach the right audience,” Offir said. “When people, innovation, flexibility, and strong sales and marketing work in harmony, it creates a powerful formula for long-term success.”

Watch the full interview below: