Meet Ian Mayer | CEO of IM Home Inspections, INC

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ian Mayer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ian, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I was young, my grandfather had his own business. I always looked up to him, and I hoped to one day have my own. However, my grandfather was always in manufacturing, running factories that made parts for other manufacturers. I never had any ideas on what I could make, and for a long time, I assumed I was not meant to have my own business.

I originally moved to Los Angeles to be a drummer in a rock band, but like so many, I never made it in the music business, and the music business has changed so much over the years. I met my wife, and we wanted to start a family. I eventually found a job working for a wholesale mortgage company, where I fell in love with everything real estate. From that job, my wife and I bought a fixer-up house. We would camp in one room and fix the other rooms, then move our campsite until we eventually fixed up the whole house. I found I enjoyed working on houses much more than sitting in an office. After a number of years at the wholesale mortgage company, the real estate market crashed, and I was forced to go in a different direction. As the economy got worse at the time, I took a job that had nothing to do with my degree or my experience, as I needed to support my family. After a few years, I got laid off from that job. At that point, I had a mortgage, a wife, and two kids, yet no job and no actual career. I vowed I would never be laid off again. I came up with three possible ideas, one of which was home inspections. One night, my wife said, “You know you want to do the home inspections, just got for it.” So, I started my own company from scratch. I had to support my family, and I had to be in control of my destiny. I could finally be like my grandfather, but instead of selling parts, I would be selling a service.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
An aspect of our business that sets us apart and that I am proud of is the research we have put into our home inspection reports. I have researched and read home inspection reports from all over the country. Along with this research and experimenting over the years, I feel like we have, as we call it, an Inspection That Matters. This means we have figured out all the things that people want to see IN their reports while avoiding a lot of fluff that some others use just to make their reports appear longer. In addition, we pride ourselves on this is a never-ending process. As new information becomes available, as codes change, and as new construction processes come out, we know that what matters can change, We never rest on our laurels. I always say if I ever utter the words “Because we’ve always done it that way,” then slap me. It is never easy as the job is ever-evolving. But at the same time, the job is never boring. In addition to our general inspections, we have expanded into pools, sewer, and mold inspections.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh gosh, Los Angeles is so big with so much to offer. Stop one would the Walk of Fame in Hollywood. I get when you live here, it’s no big deal, but for people who have never been to Los Angeles, it’s quite the sight. Then, a drive down Sunset Blvd through Hollywood and West Hollywood. I remember the first time I experienced Sunset Blvd. I was awestruck by just how big the signs were to advertise movies. Other cities just don’t promote movies the way Los Angeles does. Of course, we would have to hit the beach. I used to love Santa Monica, though I’m a little more partial to Malibu these days. Either way, the beaches here are beautiful, and the main reason why I choose to live in Los Angeles. As for where to eat, the beauty of Los Angeles is we have so many choices. We have amazing Thai food, amazing Sushi, and, of course, the best Mexican food. Any time I travel to other states, I can’t believe how poor the diversity in food is compared to Los Angeles. So we would certainly hit some small places. Little Siam in West Hills for Thai. El Tapatio in Woodland Hills for Mexican food. Likely Sushi Nishi in Calabasas for Sushi.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My absolute biggest supporter is my wife.
When I got laid off and didn’t have the means to support us, she stood by me and encouraged me to pursue starting my home inspection company. She went from a stay-at-home mom to stringing together a series of jobs to keep the mortgage paid. When I decided to take the business to the next level, she encouraged me to invest in myself. When I heard of a training class on how to hire people in Texas, which would mean flying to Texas with money we barely had and shutting down the business for a few days, she encouraged me to go. As the business grew, she came on board. As we replaced her role with an employee, she took on a new role. She became an invaluable part of the company. And at every point where I find myself at a choice of what to do next, my wife encourages me to take the risk and go for it. I simply wouldn’t be successful without her encouragement and support.

Website: http://imhomeinspections.com/

Instagram: @im_home_inspections

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianwmayer/

Twitter: @pro_inspector

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imhomeinspections

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/im-home-inspections-woodland-hills

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/imhomeinspections