In the world of property restoration, the moments following a disaster can feel overwhelming. For 911 Restoration CEO Miri Offir, those moments represent an opportunity—not just to repair what’s broken, but to offer comfort, hope and a fresh start.
Under Offir’s visionary leadership, 911 Restoration has evolved from a single-location water-damage repair business into a nationwide franchise synonymous with fast, empathetic responses and clear communication during times of crisis.
Offir’s journey to CEO is a testament to her drive, creativity and unparalleled ability to connect with people. Rising through the ranks at 911 Restoration, she brought innovation and strategic thinking to every role she took on. Her natural gift for communication has been a cornerstone of the company’s growth, enabling her to build strong business relationships and empower teams across the franchise network.
Thanks to her leadership, 911 Restoration isn’t just a service provider—it’s a lifeline for property owners during some of life’s most stressful moments.
How did you get started in the industry?
After serving time in the Israel Defense Force as a military police officer over two decades ago, I emigrated to the U.S., and by pure happenstance, was introduced to 911 Restoration Founder, Idan Shpizear. I believe there are no coincidences or chance encounters, and meeting Idan that day perfectly exemplifies this. I started out at 911 Restoration as the office manager—simply grateful to have a job that would help me provide for my two young children.
Coinciding with two decades of gaining experience in almost every department, the brand was eventually due for a change, and I was chosen as the person to take the reins. I felt both humbled and well-prepared to lead the company that had given me so much over the past 20 years. I have served multiple roles during my career at 911 Restoration and as I embraced each role, my skills evolved and so did my responsibilities.
I have welcomed every new opportunity presented along the way, which has helped me to learn every aspect of the business and grow alongside the company.
What are some of the biggest changes you have seen over the past few years?
After more than 20 years, the restoration industry remains an exciting and rewarding space for the company, as its national network of partners grows and the brand continues to enter new markets. Of course, growth is an important goal, so we’re always innovating ways to help franchisees improve the customer experience. Having experienced significant growth in the past year, 911 Restoration anticipates an equally prosperous 2024 and is investing heavily in the brand.
To provide added value to our growing network of trusted insurance partners and national accounts, we rolled out our brand-new Claims Integrity Program™. This initiative ensures total transparency and guarantees pre-audited estimates and invoicing to cover only the work required to return a property to pre-loss condition, cutting down on additional, unnecessary services that raise costs and prolong the recovery process.
This innovative program establishes 911 Restoration as the first home-service franchise to prioritize ethical standards and checks and balances as a foundation for trusting relationships with insurance carriers.
What opportunities are out there for the industry as we move forward?
Technology will play a huge part as the restoration industry moves forward. Tools that can provide more accurate estimates and software that can replace Xactimate, even AI that will potentially replace humans in that role, will altogether change the industry to make the estimation process more concise and advanced.
Beyond estimates, technology will continue to be a valuable resource in mentorship, expanding search and response criteria with AI. As an industry that generally ebbs and flows with the seasons and remains recession-resistant due to its services, restoration companies who stay behind in technological advances on all levels will face challenges.
For women, it’s important to know that “any” open opportunity is an opportunity for women to make it their own. Don’t let mental barriers hold you back—view open opportunities as your moment to take on a new challenge headfirst if you’re passionate about it and ready to make a change.
What type of trends are you seeing today?
One of the biggest trends I’m seeing is that more restoration companies are opening rapidly, making the space more competitive than ever. This comes at an opportune time, however, we’re also witnessing more severe weather events, which are creating plenty of work for restoration professionals.
Additionally, the plumbing, carpet cleaning, HVAC and construction industries are expanding into restoration as an additional business venture and add-on service. Expanding from these industries is relatively simple and can be lucrative as a one-stop shop, with each industry providing one or more elements of the overall restoration and remediation process.
We’ve seen it ourselves with more franchisees joining from previous home service backgrounds, as these industries have some parallels to restoration. With similar equipment and practical skills, people in these industries have likely dealt with similar jobs on a smaller scale, and many have participated in at least one or two steps of the remediation process.
One thing to note about this uptick in service brand transitions to a field like restoration is that this is emergency work and cannot always be scheduled. Our field requires rapid response, many times “after hours” — I jumped in recently to initiate sending a crew across the country after midnight.
As more service-background individuals enter restoration entrepreneurship, they will have to adapt to a 24/7 pace and be prepared for emergencies with every call.
What advice can you share?
I firmly believe that empathy and the aspiration to make a difference are integral to personal growth and essential across all aspects of life. The most important lesson I learned on my path to becoming a CEO as a young, single mother is that to make a difference, you don’t have to be brilliant or perfect or even have special skills—you just have to care about what you’re doing and care about those around you.
Throughout my personal and professional life, I have encountered many moments of uncertainty that have required much determination to overcome. Determination, persistence, and consistency are three of the best traits any leader can display to be successful. I believe being persistent and showing up every day with the right attitude will take you far in life—and in business.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
The best piece of advice that I’ve received and that I center my work around is to do everything with people in mind. At the end of the day, our work is all about people, and when working with different personalities, whether customers or employees, it’s important to see who’s in front of you as a person first.
From there, being open to hearing what others have to say—whether it’s a challenge they need help troubleshooting or listening to them vent after losing a sentimental item in a house fire—there is always more to consider in relationship building. Listening to others and understanding their perspective will help you find a common goal and collaborate to move forward without neglecting others’ opinions and feelings.
What’s the single best thing every woman can do to make sure they continue to get a seat at the table?
The best thing women can do is to show up as their authentic selves with their particular skills and own it. Equal opportunity and success can only be achieved if women support unity themselves to better balance different cultures, personalities, egos, and more. There is almost always something about others that is relatable, and when you see yourself as equal or in someone else’s position, collaboration is supported.
I’m a big believer in just showing up as yourself without investing thought in stereotypes or what others might think. When you approach sharing your voice in a new leadership role, start confidently by introducing yourself, sharing your gifts, vision and passion, and then follow through with your ideas and eagerness to work together towards a common goal.
When you face challenges along the way related to your experience, age or gender, focus on communication—meeting conflict with conversation and empathy can be your biggest strength.
What’s the biggest item on your to-do list?
The biggest item on my to-do list is more of what I want to do daily – forming more partnerships and connections within and outside of my franchise system. No matter what the day is like, I make sure that I spend three to four hours building connections.
