Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Cook.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Growing up, my life was a whirlwind of cultures and borders. From my early years in Mexico to a pivotal middle school year in Ecuador, followed by high school in Germany. I grew tall and enjoyed running and high jump and was able to set records in Vienna, Austria one weekend, take a bus to Brussels, Belgium the following weekend and then the European champion meet in London where I won three events. After graduating high school, I served a mission to Madrid where I learned more about my why for living, service, hard work and enjoying the people I work along, I lived a life most would consider an adventure. These experiences gave me a global perspective, but they also instilled in me a deep-seated need to find where I truly belonged and what I was meant to build.
For years, I felt like I was walking a safe, predictable path. My time at Adobe felt like a warm blanket that was lulling me into a death spiral of boredom and stagnancy. I was being paid well to work on someone else’s schedule and goals, but I lacked personal vision and a creative outlet. As a father to six children, I began to feel the immense weight of the parenting role. I saw the world changing, with technology and screens literally stealing my children’s attention and erode their work ethic. I felt an urgent need to steal back their time and create a space where we could have slow, intentional fun together. We moved to Eagle Mountain with a couple of acres to hobby farm, chickens, goats, horses and learn about life together.
This desire manifested in my most daunting project yet, building a natural swim pond in our backyard. I didn’t know the first thing about building a biological pool, but I followed a formula that has since become the template for my life:
1. Acknowledge what I don’t know.
2. Document the requirements and research obsessively.
3. Learn from experts and acquire the necessary skills and tools through trial and error.
The pond was the single most difficult thing I have ever done. I wrestled with leaking liners, discovered that nothing sticks to Polyethylene, and spent over 80 hours just trying to weld seams. I cried in that hole, spouted some four letter words, pleaded for divine guidance, and eventually, inspiration came—a breakthrough with adhesives and welds that finally held water. Through that labor, I learned woodworking, plumbing, and excavation, but more importantly, I learned patience and perseverance.
When I was unexpectedly let go from Adobe in 2015, that “pond formula” gave me the courage to pivot. I realized I couldn’t achieve wild dream-like success working for someone else. I transitioned into real estate and eventually applied that same “build it from scratch” grit to start my own business, SilverBack Home Warranty, in 2018.
I launched SilverBack with a focus on helping agents grow and providing better service than the “mechanical” industry standard. The business grew from 15 orders in its first month to record-breaking months with over 90 orders. By 2019, we were hitting regularly over 200 orders a month*.
Starting this business wasn’t just about money; it was about gaining the freedom to be the father my kids need. Today, I find the greatest joy in the simple moments, listening to music in the kitchen while we make dinner, painting with Annie, or just basking in the sun in the pond with my family. My journey from a kid in Mexico to a business owner in Utah taught me that true wealth is found in the character we build through struggle and the time we reclaim for those we love.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not smooth at all. haha! Going to BYU and graduating without a clear path was frustrating, maddening and I wondered what was wrong with me month after month, year after year. I didn’t feel like I fit in anywhere.
From this job to that one, I did well in each job because I was not afraid of working hard and showing up each day, but those jobs got tiring due to lack of growth and new experiences. Working for others has been insightful over and over again, and I hoped one day to be given the reins so I could make those big decisions… but it never came, it never happened, nothing was given and I just kept waiting. 30, 31, 32, 33 to 35. Finally the pain of lack, the lack of time for my family grew to, I was fully ready to do anything for as long as I needed to create the environment that I would be successful. Back was fully against the wall, and my opportunity came.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about SilverBack Home Warranty?
At its core, SilverBack is about helping homeowners have peace mind with their newly purchased home. We also focus on helping real estate agents grow their businesses while providing a level of personal service that the “mechanical” industry standard completely misses. We compare ourselves to the competition by always doing our best, provide as much coverage and help with every call. While other companies might focus strictly on the bottom line, I’ve learned that when I operate with an upright moral standing and treat money as energy owned by God, it brings greater goodness to the company and those we serve.
We stand out because we are committed to being generous with our claims. I made a decision early on that I would rather find ways to help people than look for excuses to say no; We are known for creating a fun enjoyable place where my employees feel safe, heard, and encouraged to live in truth.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I am comfortable with risk. I enjoy mountain biking, scuba diving, paramotoring. All of these come with a level of risk, but to me the danger factor shrinks, though doesn’t ever completely disappear and I am ok with that because, none of us are getting out of this alive. I’d rather live and actually experience life as fully as possible and be smart so I don’t end the journey prematurely.
From a business standpoint, my first year, I needed funding fast which meant sales so that when claims came through, they could be paid out calmly, quickly and with zero hesitation on my part regardless if I took money home that month. If I was going to compete, I needed to begin my customer interactions as if we had been established and ready to help like mature businesses did. Even when we had to refund policies in their first month. Building a cushion took time and the risk was all on my shoulders to sell, to manage the claims and operate at a level that attracted business, not scare it away.
I am still comfortable with risk, but my approach as it relates to my business has softened due to the employees and their families who depend on the business to operate well, as well as the thousands of homeowners who count on us to help them with their systems and appliance repairs and replacements. Financially and nearly everything business-wise we are very conservative so we have the stability to grow from.
Pricing:
- Consumer King Kong Policy for standard homes under 6k sq ft is $800 / year.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://silverbackhw.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silverbackhw/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silverbackhw
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-cook-a03b476/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@silverbackhomewarranty1351/featured
