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Belfor Restoration: 'Undercover Boss' Sheldon Yellen loses his cover
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Disaster recovery company Belfor Restoration isn't exactly a household name, but they serve an important purpose - they help to rebuild and restore property after natural and man-made disasters. CEO Sheldon Yellen did plenty to boost the company's profile when he took his turn on CBS's "Undercover Boss" after his son suggested it.Thus, the CEO of a company with a presence in 29 countries found himself on the frontlines of disaster recovery work, helping with water removal and rebuilding.
In an emotional moment in Sunday's "Undercover" episode, Yellen breaks character and reveals himself to one employee he's working in the trenches with, promising to get her the long-overdue raise that didn't come with her promotion.
That said, he's not perfect. Like many Undercover Bosses, Yellen does his fair share of whining and longing for his ivory tower. In the epic battle of drywall vs. Yellen, the drywall definitely wins.
Despite the boss showing the usual manual labor incompetence that comes packaged with unrestricted private jet access, we have to hand it to him. Belfor Restoration had a big hand in NBC's gone-too-soon "School Pride", providing time and materials to rebuild schools in need of a makeover.
Belfor has also been particularly successful when it comes to acquiring similar businesses, but unlike your typical business empire, Belfor makes an effort not to squash the little guy. "All the entrepreneurs who sold us their businesses have stayed on our payroll all this time," Yellen tells bnet, "running their local operations. We've had private-equity firms look at Belfor to try to buy our company, and they can't believe it."
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Photo/Video credit: CBS
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He really shouldn't have felt so bad about not having been able to hang drywall. No one can just pick up a power drill for the first time in their life and operate it properly, especially upside-down on a ladder hanging ceiling board. Sheesh!
I just watched the show undercover boss....and I want to say it was the BEST show of them all..... This man did take care of all the people in the end of the show.... He gave real money to help the people... over 10.000 for each person, and not the little money ( 5000 ) that the other companys did in the past. He changed them and what they can do to stop worring about the hard part that they were in...Sheldon I want to say YOU ARE THE MAN... I'm 48 year old man and I don't cry much in my life....maybe 5 times ( I don't show feelings ) But you and the show made me cry my eyes out... I would just like to say thank you.... and if your company comes to Las Vegas and need workers I would be happy to work for your company at any time. Please keep up your New outlook on life and your company. The way companys think now is wrong.... people only work to pay the bills now because the company don't care anymore so why should the workers care about the companys.... and in Las Vegas they need to learn what you learned on the show... people made you what you are now.... Hope you keep up the GREAT WORK
I have watched "Undercover Boss" from the beinging and this by far for me the best show. My hat is off to Sheldon for his level of caring and understanding that the people make the company. Sheldon's honesty touch me his comittmet was refreshing. Outstanding show, Belfor would be the type of company I would work for, if I was looking.
LD
This show is so lame. This is all just scripted propaganda to make the company look good. It's the same formula every week. What about all the other hard working employees in the company? Is he going to give everyone a $15k bonus? These employees win the lottery because they lucked out and randomly got to be on the show? The truth is this CEO doesn't have the balls to be a CEO because he can't make the right decisions and can't live with his decisions when he sees the consequences. He's not tough enough to be a businessman. If he doesn't want to freeze pay, then he should lay people off, or cut expenses elsewhere instead. This is business Mgmt 101.
This is the first Undercover Boss episode where I see the 'boss' have an epiphany about himself and the life he leads. It was very touching to see Sheldon Yellen be introspective, which I gather caught him by surprise. No doubt that this experience was life changing for Yellen. It's wonderful to see him open enough to allow Belfor employees teach him more about himself. Way to go!
This is the first Undercover Boss episode where I see the 'boss' have an epiphany about himself and the life he leads. It was very touching to see Sheldon Yellen be introspective, which I gather caught him by surprise. No doubt that this experience was life changing for Yellen. It's wonderful to see him open enough to allow Belfor employees teach him more about himself. Way to go!
As I watched this show I couldn't do much more than laugh. I wonder how the rest of the employees feel to know that he handed out over 75 thousand dollard to 4 people and they now have to attend town home meetings that in a short time he will stop listening to. If he wanted to make a real diffrence in the company he should have resigned. If you watched the show I'm sure you noticed that while his employees were strugling to pay bills and working multiply jobs, he sure did have a nice place, and looking to invest in a golf course, and did you see his shoe collection?????
I really watch most this under cover boss shows, but this one of Belfor made me cry. Am an Africa, residing in seattle washington.Mr Yellen is definately a good and very considerate individual. He is avery good example of a true human being, who put him self in other peoples shoes. I hope all bosses do the same thing to there employees. God bless your hearth and your family, and keep mom around for the longest, may god bless her hearth too.
OMG this is one of the best undercover boss episodes I have seen. I had 2 friends that went to work for them after cargill in Booneville Arkansas burnt to the ground and I saw first hand the way belfor took care of there employees and it was very impressive. I do think this was a very defining moment for belfor and to the CEO I was very moved by the way u were with ur employees and I believe that these employees have made a difference in your life. Kay in Arkansas
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