Jonah Levey - Founder and CEO of Navigos Group

Jonah Levey is the founder and CEO of Navigos Group, Ltd. the largest executive search firm in Vietnam, and VietnamWorks.com, the leading job recruitment website in Vietnam. Combined, they have 250 employees in two offices, over 8,000 corporate customers, and have worked with over one million job seekers to help them advance in their career and achieve their dreams. Prior to relocating to Vietnam in 2002, Jonah was a Managing Director with the New York-based executive search firm Raines International, Inc. Jonah was also formerly with Picard International, Ltd., where he was an Executive Search Consultant in the firm's Strategy and Finance practice.

Jonah holds a B.A. in Economics from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.

To understand more about this man’s secret recipe, Caravat.com had an exclusive interview with Mr. Levey – also a Caravat member.

Caravat: What was your first job and the biggest lesson you learned from it?

Mr. Levey: My first job was when I was 15 years old working the sales floor and cash register at GAP (a clothing store) in Chicago. I was in high school then and worked after school and on weekends. The big lessons I learned there were 1) the importance of the customers’ experience and exceeding the customers’ expectations, and 2) sales is more listening than it is speaking.

Caravat: From that point to where you are today, what would be your “secret recipe”?

Mr. Levey: Never give up! If you have conviction and you want something, never walk away. Instead have the courage, creativity and flexibility to find a path to your goal no matter what obstacles arise along the way.

Caravat: Do you ever have a big failure? How would you manage to turn around after that?

Mr. Levey: I have experienced many failures. For example over the course of building Navigos Group and VietnamWorks.com I have started six lines of business that have subsequently failed or closed. In contrast only four remain and are succeeding. The key to recovery after failure is to at first take only measured or small risk, in other words, don’t risk so much that a single failure will ruin you as a whole. And second remain flexible. Don’t get stuck on a certain path just because it is the path you started on. Be open to and ready to change as you learn what works and what doesn’t.

Caravat: What principle of management do you wish you knew when you started out?

Mr. Levey: The importance of simplicity and focus. It is easy, especially when things are going well, to take more on because it seems that a little more complexity, or offering just one more service, or starting just one more business won’t impact or detract from the success you have already achieved. Loosing even a little focus does have an impact though. Every time you take even a little focus away from what is working well, it takes a toll.

Caravat: What makes you feel the most satisfied when doing your current business?

Mr. Levey: At VietnamWorks.com and Navigos Group, we help people achieve their dreams. Career dreams that is. The positive impact we have on peoples’ lives by helping them advance in their career, find better jobs, make more money and become more successful in their life is incredibly rewarding.

Caravat: What's the biggest management challenge you face?

Mr. Levey: We are a service company and it is our people who deliver our service and interact with our customers. So people, people, people is my biggest management challenge. This includes selecting the right people, keeping them in our company and developing them into great leaders and great contributors to our success.

Caravat: If the economy crashed hard and there was no more room for your business, what would you do with yourself?

Mr. Levey: I would spend time with my wife and our new daughter who is now four months old. And we would all go traveling and explore parts of the world we haven’t seen yet. After that I would start another business. I love starting and building companies.

Caravat: What advice did you get from others that now you want to pass on to young entrepreneurs?

Mr. Levey: Stay focused and be patient. Creating a sustainable and profitable business is hard work. And for most entrepreneurs who plan carefully I would advise they take the timeframe they think it will take to get their business to profitability and triple it. So if you think you can get to profitability in one year, go for it, but give yourself at least three. And if you don’t get there in three but things are on the right track, stay focused and keep going. You will get there eventually.

Caravat: What are your criteria to recruit and retain talents?

Mr. Levey: The first criteria is passion for “wow service.” Our people must be wired to “wow” our customers. The second criteria is “straight talk.” I have no tolerance for those who do not communicate openly, honestly and directly. The third is “ownership.” This means taking responsibility for delivering results and not having excuses if things don’t go as planned. And finally “continuous improvement.” I love people who are not satisfied with the status quo and who are always looking for ways and taking action to improve things.

Caravat: Where do you see Navigos Group in the 3-5 years future?

Mr. Levey: In five years Navigos Group will be the highest quality and most qualified recruitment solutions provider in Vietnam. Our focused, customized and guaranteed approach and results will delight each of our clients. And by then we will have helped and continue to help millions of people achieve their dreams.

Caravat: Thank you and wish you all the best.