Featured Stakeholder Series with Ty Bestor
Ty Bestor, owner of Valor Mechanical has been helping build our city for many years. Below is a quick behind-the- scene glimpse of his business model and some of the secrets behind his success.
What is your favorite thing about Rochester?
The continuous change and evolution of Downtown is definitely something I love. Being on the south outskirts of the Downtown area, we’ve got a front-row view of the on-going development. We get to see and experience the atmosphere of Downtown change with each new business that comes in and watch current businesses flourish and expand (including our own!). The overall excitement in people and businesses is clearly something that DMC has helped spur.
What do you think is the best kept secret about Downtown?
Hands down it’s the food. Being located Downtown means we’re within walking distance of such a wide variety of amazing restaurants. They’re not chains – they’re privately owned with creative chefs and ever-changing menus.
What do you think the biggest change will be to Downtown in the next 20 years and what do you look forward to most?
I anticipate the biggest change will be the public transit system Downtown, but the skyline of Downtown is sure to change, too, over time. Some buildings will come down, and new buildings will go up. I look forward to seeing more changes and project development. It’s something we love about the construction business here at Valor Mechanical – constant evolution.
Why did you start the company? What inspired you?
I had the desire to own a different kind of company – one that separates itself from its competitors, doing business with different standards and ideas. I realize that a lot of businesses may say this in their marketing, but we work hard to live and breathe this mission. I grew up in a small town (and still live there today) and I want my business and my team to operate based on that small-town mentality that inspires me to be different and serve my clients better.
What has been your most memorable moment(s) since going into business?
Moving our office Downtown was probably my most memorable moment. We took an old, unused space (it was formerly the Le Bistro nightclub) and transformed it into a modern, unique office environment near all the conveniences of Downtown. Why is it important to you to be operating from Downtown Rochester? Our clients and vendors appreciate our centralized location. We like being near the hub of commerce and being a part of the hustle and bustle of businesses Downtown. It’s motivating.
Operating in Downtown, what has it meant for your business?
For Valor, our field team travels mostly outside of the Downtown area, but our office is pretty centrally located in the Rochester area making it convenient for them. For our office staff, being Downtown means we have easier access to our colleagues, construction partners, and other businesses.
Is there something that would surprise people about your business?
There are a couple things, actually. First of all, many businesses claim to put clients first. Now don’t get me wrong, our clients are extremely important to us, but we believe in putting our employees first. If our employees are happy, they’ll treat our clients better and will value their relationships with our clients as well. Secondly, we’re a business based entirely on relationships. We don’t advertise much at all. We’ve expanded based on the requests of our current relationships, and get our business based on reputation and referrals. Our marketing efforts circle around our relationship approach and reputation with our clients.
What do your clients appreciate most about you?
At Valor Mechanical, the entire team – from the office staff to our service technicians to our field staff – believes in providing real solutions based on the specific needs of our clients. We’re price-conscious, but we value comfort, and long-term benefits for our clients over providing the cheapest, cookie-cutter solution. We always joke about how we wouldn’t suggest anything to a client that we wouldn’t suggest for our own family, and I think Valor’s clients appreciate that. We don’t just see them as our clients, but rather, as family.