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Meet Ben Jacoby of Kardo Locksmith in Silverlake

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Jacoby.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Ben. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
No one is a born entrepreneur. For me, it’s about my never-ending drive  to do better, and doing it with style.

Ever since I can remember, growing up in Israel, I was passionate about creating a business out of everything and anything. Then, serving in the Israeli Defense Forces taught me discipline, organization, and a high work ethic; and I saw that working around the clock was something I could do, and do well. Also, the armed forces also showed me how valuable it is to provide a service that no one else is willing to.

I moved to Los Angeles at the age of 22. It was a new life. I knew very few people in the States, and I was excited to make a name for myself. My brother, who had just moved out of LA, left behind a bag of lock-smithing tools and a few business contacts. Little  did I know at the time that these two things would ultimately launch the Kardo Locksmith business and my career

Knowing that working for someone was not an option, I started taking on emergency locksmith and roadside assistance projects, thus creating my own leads. Projects began to grow quickly. At one point, I recall working 24/7 — but still, on my own I could not keep up with the amount of work that was being generated. That’s when I met Leo, who became my first employee and future business partner.

Leo and I just followed any lead that came our way,  and we grew the business together. We learned the trade and developed the skills necessary to compete with industry leaders, becoming a trusted and reliable source, known for our willingness to take on any job, regardless of the complexity or time investment required.

As we began to generate a name for ourselves, we met more people and developed a community of trusted friends and colleagues who helped us advance the business even further. And we had fun. Correction, we still have a lot of fun. I hosted parties, DJ’d, and just had fun. Seeing the success of our parties and the community we had built, I wanted to see how much bigger and better things could get — and this pushed me to constantly to try and one-up myself, eventually leading me to expand my ventures to a national level.

Today, the company consists of three managers and five field technicians, working around the clock, to deliver the fastest and most reliable service possible, to approximately 250 customers a week.

Has it been a smooth road?
I have never heard of someone that has experienced a smooth road as an entrepreneur. I can definitely say that this one has been somewhat bumpy.

Emergency services is considered among the more stressful industries.  Helping people who have just been robbed, lost their keys, or are in the middle of a complicated break-up is not easy. In most cases, you not only have to service a customer’s immediate technical needs, but also help them to cope with the new troubling situation in their life.

Also, most technicians also have a difficult time dealing with the lifestyle of a locksmith, which results in a high turnover rate. Customers tend to call a few companies at the same time in order to get a technician at their doorstep as soon as possible, and other companies will race you to the job in order to secure the job before you get there. On top of this, launching the business in the greater Los Angeles area means dealing with a sometimes  overwhelming amount of competition.

That said, overcoming  obstacles is essential to growing stronger: for an individual, and a business. And when we meet the challenges, our work is that much more rewarding.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Kardo Locksmith story. Tell us more about the business.
At first, our company Kardo Locksmith operated locally and purely in the locksmith trade. As the years went on, we expanded our clientele and the variety of services we were able to offer, eventually covering the entirety of the Greater Los Angeles area, reaching over 15 million customers.

Today, our company specializes mostly in residential, commercial and automotive locksmith services, and our commercial customer base continues to rapidly expand. I believe that it is a result of hard work, teamwork, social media, online directories, and personal referrals.

I think that what sets us apart from others would be the fact that we can and we will take on any size of project, from the simplest lockout to the largest master keying project.

Our team specializes and excels in their own areas; with  Leo as the field manager and senior technician, and Mark directing logistics and training, along with  Adi our office and accounts manager. We work together, collaborate, and most importantly, set high standards for each other to continue to learn and grow.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The emergency services business is changing. New technology is being produced and new marketing tactics are being used to help make it more mainstream. It’s important to stay up to date with these changing trends.

I also realized after building a strong foundation and community in Los Angeles, that it was time to expand my business by launching other projects in parallel industries and in other locations throughout the United States.

At the moment, I am  working on several projects: designing new hardware products, software development, and continuing to provide elite customer care in the emergency services industry.

As I and the world evolve, I hope my business continues to thrive, innovate and provide fuel for long-lasting and self-sustainable, growth opportunities.

Contact Info:


Image Credit:

@kateelaine

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

8 Comments

  1. Dan Durden

    January 30, 2018 at 20:27

    Wow, I never knew that being a locksmith can be so intense!

  2. Pavel

    February 18, 2018 at 20:39

    Big shout out to Ben and Mark. Sound like a LOT of fun and excitement!

  3. Tamara K

    November 17, 2018 at 22:39

    What an inspiring story! It’s so amazing to hear about people that came to this country and made a difference, way to go Ben!

  4. Paul Rog

    November 19, 2018 at 21:57

    LOL, never thought I’d get to know my locksmith, but pretty cool!

  5. Ashley

    December 7, 2018 at 03:25

    Hmm… it’s almost like immigrants make this country a better place! Great story Ben, mozel tov.

  6. Jeremy R

    December 7, 2018 at 03:27

    As an entrepreneur, this is an awesome story to hear! Love hearing about people that had nothing and built it into something great.

  7. Danielle

    December 11, 2018 at 01:13

    These pictures are amazing! Great job @kateelaine

  8. Levi

    December 11, 2018 at 01:14

    Another Israeli doing big things in America, love it!

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