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Leo Molchanov: A Natural Extension

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

When Leo Molchanov started cleaning attics and crawl spaces, it was just a natural extension of the work he was already doing. “In 2008, I came to the U.S. from Ukraine, where I’d worked as an electrician,” he recounts. “As I considered my career options, I noticed that there was a lot of demand for air duct cleaning, so I decided to start my own business. In the course of cleaning air ducts, I found that many of my customers had issues with their attics and crawl spaces. Some just needed these areas cleaned, but others had issues with rodents and energy efficiency. I saw this as an opportunity and decided to extend our services to include attic and crawl space cleaning and improvements.”

Today, as owner of Attic Pros, Inc., Leo says his favorite part of his job is making a positive impact on his customers’ lives. “I enjoy helping our customers, whether by replacing their attic insulation to reduce their energy costs or getting rid of unwanted critters so they can sleep at night. It’s a very satisfying feeling to know you’ve improved someone’s quality of life.”

A resident of Oakland (where he lives with his wife, Maria), Leo spends his time outside of work on a variety of pastimes. “I do a lot of physical activities to stay fit, like boxing and swimming,” he details. “On weekends, Maria and I enjoy going hiking or spending a day at the lake. She’s a fashion designer, so sometimes I’ll go with her to fashion parties.”

In regard to a professional philosophy, Leo believes the key to having happy customers is having happy employees. “We do our best to keep our employees happy because we know they’ll transfer that happiness to our clients,” he explains. “That’s why we try to maintain a positive working environment and make sure our employees feel well-treated.”

When asked the first thing he’d do if he were to retire tomorrow, Leo says he’d probably get another job. “Even if I could retire, what would I do?” he laughs. “You know how it is: you go on vacation and after a week you’re bored. So, even if I retired from this business, I’d probably just go into another service-oriented field.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: Are you an early bird or a night owl?

A: I’m an early bird.

Q: What’s your favorite book?

A: “The E-Myth” by Michael Gerber.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

A: The Philippines.

Q: Music or talk radio?

A: Music.