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Secrets of Success
C. Scott Hisey,
Chief Executive Officer and Director, UniTek USA, LLC

With over 20 years of telecommunications executive management experience, Scott Hisey is a proven leader with a record of success.

As the Founder of UniTek USA, Hisey is responsible for its overall executive management. As CEO, he is responsible for managed growth, profitability and operational execution. Hisey has led Unitek through two private equity transactions yielding tremendous value for Unitek Shareholders.

Unitek USA is a nationwide telecommunications services company with 68 locations through out the U.S. and Canada. With over $300 million in annual revenue and a workforce of 5,000, Unitek USA is one of largest specialty services companies in its industry.

Hisey began his telecommunications career in the United States Navy, where he served as a Telecommunications Technician and was later honorably discharged as a Disabled Veteran.

Prior to founding UniTek USA, he was the Chief Operating Officer for a major telecommunications services provider. Hisey was the driving force in the 18-month transformation of a $70 million dollar cable business into a 1,500-plus technician national service provider with sales in excess of $120 million annually.

Hisey has a stellar history of successful accomplishments as an entrepreneur and executive in the telecommunications industry.

What drives you to be successful?

When I was growing up, I played sports year round. Everyone in my family has always displayed a competitive nature. There was a great emphasis on hard work and winning.

My time in the military taught me that there was no room for failure and there is always a way to execute better and faster.

The combination of these life experiences created the foundation for what drives me today.

What are the three most important elements of solid business leadership?

To me, it always starts with a plan. In order to lead effectively, I believe you have to present an executable strategy that people will believe in.

Second, you have to pick the people you want to lead. Surrounding yourself with the right people and having the strength to be honest, fair, critical and positive begins with people who are committed to achieving a particular goal.

The third element to me is the ability to listen. Assuming that you presented a great strategy and picked the right people, you have to be able to listen and trust the people you picked and you can then accomplish anything.

How would you define career success?

I would define career success in two ways. First, it is how you meet or exceed your own goals and objectives. Second, it is how you performed versus the goals and objectives that you agreed to with your shareholders and/or employers.

Would you consider yourself successful?

Yes I do, but I also view success as a constant work in progress.

What are the goals you are setting for yourself now?

My personal career goals are aligned with the extremely aggressive goals of our company. I would like to continue to build on a great foundation and track record of providing my investors with returns while enhancing my skills as a CEO and Board Member.

As a CEO, what is your particular competitive edge?

There is a tremendous competitive advantage in having long-standing relationships with our business unit leaders. The culture of our company has evolved with many folks who have the same philosophies and work ethic. So having people in the right positions, where their goals and interests are aligned, is a highly strategic and a competitive advantage for me as a CEO.

What is the key to keeping your edge and staying ahead of the curve?

Technology. We have always embraced the concept of marrying process with technology in creating efficiency and accountability on multiple levels of our business.

Creating a culture where your team is always thinking of new ways to introduce processes to be “quicker, better, faster” is essential to staying ahead of your competition.

In a highly competitive customer-centric business like ours, technology creates visibility for our clients and ensures that we are always measuring and improving our performance.

How or from whom did you learn your leadership skills?

Early on in my life I had the opportunity to observe many great youth sports coaches in leadership roles. I also had the opportunity in the military to observe tremendous leaders on a daily basis. This provided the foundation for my personal approach to leadership.

Throughout my business career, I have had the opportunity to observe and retain examples from both good and bad leaders. There have been many influences that have shaped my views and approach to leadership.

What type of environment have you created to foster success at your company?

Our company culture is unique in that it combines process along with accountability that people take very personally. We measure everything in terms of how we get better and no one is satisfied with hitting a goal, we all want to exceed our targets. Since we have a very thorough screening process, we have been very consistent in hiring executives who take action, are accountable and meet their deliverables. It is a fun place to work and most of our people have been here a very long time and play pivotal roles in the future of our company.

What, if any, responsibilities does a business leader have beyond making a profit? Examples might include responsibilities to employees, the community or to the environment?

To consistently generate a sustainable profit margin a leader must have many responsibilities. The culture of a great company considers the welfare of their employees. In a service business where your employees generate your revenue, it's critical to foster an environment where people are properly compensated and rewarded for their performance.

What three lessons or words of advice would you give to emerging entrepreneurs or CEOs?

It is so important to have a deliberate, extremely well communicated plan with your team. As a leader, it is critical that everyone buys into the strategy to achieve the company's goals.

There have been numerous books that talk about the significance of hiring the right people. Never compromise or reach when filling critical roles. If you make a hiring mistake, do not be afraid to correct the issue.

Finally, utilize the wisdom and advice of your board or investors. Open, consistent communications has been a critical factor in our company’s success.