Flip School
One of the defining events of Ian Szabo's life was riding the short bus to school during his childhood. Ian attended special education school, and learned the most valuable lessons of his life. Reading and writing didn't come easily to Ian, but he was developing a different skill set that would serve him later in life. Ian learned compassion by spending time with people who were accustomed to being beaten down and called stupid. This gave him a fierce protective nature, and the ability to see the strengths of individuals. He also learned to think on his feet and make instant decisions. This combination makes Ian a natural born leader and team builder.
From the first dish Ian washed, he began systematizing processes and running detailed programs for every task. Quickly he moved up the ranks and before long, was managing entire kitchens. By the age of 22, Ian was representing Canada at the culinary Olympics. Around the same time, he started as the Executive Sous Chef at the Granite Club in Toronto, a position he held for 4 years.
Eventually the draw of freedom drew Ian away from the kitchen and into the renovation business. The same love of creating something from nothing was stimulating to Ian, and he found that he excelled leading a crew of contractors just as he did a kitchen crew. When Ian left the cuisine industry, he started his company PLP Contracting, and he's been building and growing that business ever since.
Along the way Ian has worked as the general contractor on over 40 TV renovation shows including "Take This House And Sell It", "Designer Superstar Challenge", "Rooms That Rock", "My Parents House", "Real Renos", and "Home To Stay." His work has also been featured in House and Home Magazine.
Somewhere along the way, Ian realized that he wasn't happy. He was running too fast, working too hard, sleeping too little, and he was feeling stress. Wanting to improve the state of his own well-being, he looked to a personal mentor for guidance. With the help of a personal mentor and mastermind group, Ian made some major life-changing decisions in his business. First and foremost, he 'fired' his clients, and now only does renovations on his own flip projects, achieving the freedom he sought when he left the Granite Club 7 years earlier. He also started developing another passion, his love for educating others. Thus began the popular Renobible video series on YouTube'. His desire to pass on his knowledge and his tell-it-like-it-is style has earned him attention from media and educational organizations. As the days pass, his demand as an author, speaker, and educator are growing.
