Flourishing in the Face of Disasters
Age: 39
President
Organization: ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba
Diana Rodriguez-Zaba stands as a pillar of strength for her
staff, clients, family and community. In the middle of the 2008 recession she launched two ServiceMaster brands and has now grown to be one of the top largest franchises in Illinois. With her background in franchising, human resource development, real estate rehabbing and business management, she brings a unique perspective to a very successful company. Building a profitable disaster restoration company is one of Diana’s proudest achievements.
By working closely with commercial property owners and managers and building solid relationships with insurance carriers, ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba has been privileged to assist small and large companies across the city. Her company also travels across the nation to assist with natural disasters. Diana is truly passionate about reaching out and helping other entrepreneurs grow their own success.
Diana especially enjoys sharing her experiences with other women in business, listening to their plans for the future and providing real-world insight. Diana regularly contributes to Huffington Post and other national publications. As a member of the Forbes Business council, she uses her platform to publish content that covers topics of special interest to women including running a small company, succeeding in a male-dominated field and innovating restoration industry operations.
Today, Diana serves as a member of the Illinois State Comptroller’s Advisory Collective. She is one of the 40 founders for the Women’s Entrepreneurship Institute which is the nation’s first comprehensive Institute for women founders that integrates academic learning, research, incubation, funding and public policy.
Currently, Diana supports and works with Step Up Chicago, the Miracle Center and the Niles Food Pantry. Diana is a graduate of the Crain’s Leadership Academy and an alumni of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program. She recently completed an Entrepreneurship Certification program at Stanford University School of Business.
Words of wisdom: “The more successful you become, the more people are going to question your success. This only means you’re doing everything right. Their judgement is a validation that you are successful!”
