Investing In Your Employees: Jeff Becker Of Pegasus On The Benefits of Offering Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Initiatives For Employees
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
I learned early on that knowledge is something no one can ever take away from you, and that learning never truly stops. That belief has carried with me throughout my career and became foundational to how I approach leadership and professional development. I genuinely believe that becoming better has no finish line and the moment you stop learning is the moment you stop growing.
As a part of our series about “Investing In Your Employees: CEOs On The Benefits of Offering Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Initiatives For Employees,” we had the pleasure of interviewing Jeff Becker.
Jeff Becker is the CEO of Pegasus, where he transformed a small regional janitorial firm into a leading facility services provider supporting more than 300 facilities across the Southwest. With more than 30 years of experience in maintaining controlled environments, he emphasizes disciplined systems, high standards, and ongoing training, implementing OS1™, the #1 Cleaning Operating System in the World™, to standardize how teams clean, verify, and deliver results each day. A certified Industrial Hygiene Manager, Jeff leads with a strong commitment to safety, accountability, and cultivating a culture where people and performance excel.
Thank you for joining us. To start, could you share a little about yourself, and how you got started?
I never set out to be in the cleaning industry. My father started a small, family-owned cleaning company in downtown Los Angeles in 1969, but I intentionally stayed away from it. My father pushed me to get a “real job” first, hoping that one day I would come back and work in the family business. After graduating from USC’s entrepreneurship program, I was convinced I was going to build my own business and do things my way.
I spent several years in financial planning, doing door-to-door sales, and learning how business really works. Throughout this time, I learned how to handle rejection, how to communicate, and how to keep going when things are uncomfortable.
Years later, my father told me he was planning to shut down a struggling San Diego operation of Pegasus because he couldn’t find someone that he trusted to run it. He asked if I’d move south and take it over. My wife encouraged me to take the leap, and we packed up and moved to San Diego with very little certainty and no real roadmap.
I learned the business by doing everything myself, including sales, customer service, and stepping in to clean buildings when needed. Over time, the operation stabilized, grew, and ultimately became the most profitable branch of Pegasus. What began as a regional janitorial company has since evolved into a leading facility services organization across the Southwestern United States, supporting more than 300 facilities with a team of over 1,000 professionals.
What was your biggest challenge in those early days?
The biggest challenge was internal. I struggled with imposter syndrome and constantly questioned whether I belonged in the role. I was young, inexperienced, and learning everything in real time. I often felt like I was making it up as I went along. I remember buying my first real office chair, something as simple as that, and thinking, “This must belong to someone who actually knows what they’re doing.”
Over time, I realized that confidence doesn’t come from having all the answers. It comes from showing up every day, working harder than anyone else, and earning trust through consistency. I had to grow up alongside the business.
Was there anything specific that inspired you to prioritize CPD initiatives in your company?
Early in my career, a manager once told me to use every spare minute as an opportunity to learn. At the time, I was commuting for hours each day, so instead of listening to music, I filled that time with educational tapes. He used to say that if you’re just listening to the radio, it’s like chewing bubble gum it keeps you occupied, but it doesn’t get you anywhere. That advice stuck with me, and I took it seriously.
I learned early on that knowledge is something no one can ever take away from you, and that learning never truly stops. That belief has carried with me throughout my career and became foundational to how I approach leadership and professional development. I genuinely believe that becoming better has no finish line and the moment you stop learning is the moment you stop growing.
Can you explain why this is important for the success of a business?
I look at CPD through two lenses: the business and the people. In our industry, many employees start in entry level roles, and advancement does not come simply from being good at the job. Being a strong cleaner does not automatically make someone a strong leader, manager, or decision maker. Growth happens when people take the time to work on themselves, not just on their daily tasks.
What I have consistently seen is that the people who move forward are the ones who invest in learning, self-awareness, and personal development. They begin to think differently, communicate better, and take more ownership of their role. That growth translates directly into better leadership, stronger teamwork, and more effective problem solving across the business.
From the company’s perspective, CPD creates an environment where people feel supported. This industry has a reputation for being transactional and short term, but when you show employees that there is a path forward and that their growth matters, it changes how they show up to work. It reduces burnout, builds trust, and creates a sense of purpose beyond just completing tasks.
Our role as a company is not to hand people success or do the work for them. It is to support, encourage, and provide access to resources while making sure they have skin in the game. When someone commits to learning or personal growth, we are willing to invest alongside them. That shared ownership is what makes CPD effective. It creates accountability, momentum, and long-term impact for both the individual and the organization. Ultimately, when people grow, the business grows with them.
Can you please share with us, and briefly explain the first major initiative you started that directly benefited your employees?
One of the most meaningful initiatives we introduced at Pegasus was the Dream Manager Program. At its core, the program creates a confidential and supportive space where employees are encouraged to identify their personal goals and begin working toward them.
For some, those goals are significant, such as buying a home or starting a business. For others, they are smaller but equally life changing, including getting a driver’s license, taking a first vacation, or saving money to buy holiday gifts for their children.
Pegasus does not solve these problems for employees or manage their personal lives. Instead, we provide support through time, encouragement, coaching, and access to resources. Employees are expected to have ownership and and accountability in the process. We make it clear that growth requires commitment and effort, but they are not doing it alone.
For many employees, this was the first time anyone had asked them what they truly wanted out of life. Simply being given that opportunity to reflect and articulate their goals proved to be incredibly powerful and, for many, transformative.
Do you have an example of a situation where you didn’t get the result you were looking for, and tell us what happened as a result?
As with any meaningful initiative, there was a period of learning and refinement for the Dream Manager program. At one point, it became clear that the program needed additional structure to stay aligned with its original purpose. Because the program created a safe and confidential space, some participants began using the coaching sessions to process a wide range of thoughts and frustrations, which occasionally extended beyond personal goal setting.
Recognizing this, we took the opportunity to pause and clarify expectations. We reinforced that the Dream Manager program exists to support personal growth, goal setting, and forward progress, and that it is most effective when participants focus on what they want to achieve for themselves, the steps they can take to get there, and how Pegasus can support them.
By clearly communicating boundaries and purpose and putting thoughtful guardrails, we were able to strengthen the program and ensure it remained sustainable and impactful. The experience reinforced an important leadership lesson. Even the most well-intentioned initiatives benefit from ongoing guidance and refinement. Taking the time to listen, adjust, and lead with clarity ultimately helped the Dream Manager program return to its core mission of empowering employees to grow, both personally and professionally.
What has been the most impactful CPD initiative you’ve seen other companies offer, and how did it inspire or influence your own approach?
One of the most impactful CPD initiatives I have seen comes from one of our healthcare clients that operates a CEO led Leadership Academy. In this program, the CEO personally teaches a structured curriculum to a cohort of employees focusing on practical leadership topics such as business fundamentals, financial literacy, and navigating difficult conversations.
What made this initiative especially powerful was the level of access and authenticity it created. Employees are not learning from a generic presentation or training module. They were learning directly from someone who had lived it and was taking the time to share their wisdom. When leaders are willing to teach, share their mistakes, and explain how the business truly operates, it builds trust and accelerates learning in a way that no traditional training program ever could.
How did this influence your approach?
We introduced internal financial literacy training to help employees better understand how businesses actually operate. The goal was to demystify the numbers by using simple, relatable examples that made concepts like revenue, expenses, margins, and risk easier to understand.
We walked through real world scenarios that showed how money moves through a business and how many responsibilities must be covered before any profit remains. This helped employees see how everyday decisions affect the organization as a whole.
The training built greater understanding, trust, and appreciation throughout the company. It encouraged a shared perspective around responsibility and sustainability and helped employees better understand how their work connects to the broader goals and long-term success of the organization.
What challenges might companies face when implementing these initiatives, and how can they overcome them?
The biggest challenge companies often face when implementing CPD initiatives is resistance to change. Most people are busy managing their day-to-day responsibilities, and personal growth often requires stepping outside of what feels comfortable. Even when development opportunities are well intentioned, they can feel overwhelming or unnecessary if the purpose is not clearly communicated.
Leaders need to explain the purpose, model the behavior themselves, and understand that results take time. People are far more likely to engage when they understand how learning connects to their own goals and long-term growth, not just to company objectives.
Can you share a story of an employee who significantly benefited, and how it affected their performance or career trajectory?
One employee joined the company more than 15 years ago, starting in a janitorial role, working alongside her boyfriend at the time, cleaning a small office. From the beginning, she wanted more for herself, and I could tell she was willing to put in the effort to grow. As opportunities became available, we continued to encourage her and she stepped into leadership roles, participated in management training, and continued to invest in her own development.
Over time, that commitment paid off. Today, she is an operations manager overseeing all of Southern California. Along the way, she built stability for herself and her family, purchased a home, and created a life she is proud of. Her growth was not the result of a single program or promotion, but of consistent effort, encouragement, and a belief in her own potential paired with support from the Pegasus team.
Could you please list the “Top Five Benefits of Offering Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Initiatives For Employees”? Can you explain what you mean?
1. CPD Initiatives Give You An Opportunity To Lead By Example
They work best when leaders participate themselves and seeing leaders invest in growth encourages employees to do the same.
2. CPD Gives Employees Space To Break Out Of Their Day-To-Day
Breaking out of your routine helps reset energy, focus, and motivation and prevents burnout.
3. Investing In Development Shows Employees That They Are Valued As People
That sense of care strengthens trust and long-term commitment.
4. Learning Compounds Over Time, Benefiting Both Individuals And The Company
5. Investing In People Helps Leave The World Better Than You Found It
Growth carries beyond the workplace into families and broader communities.
How do you measure the success and ROI of these CPD initiatives?
Many of the outcomes that come from CPD initiatives are not easily captured through traditional metrics. While some goals can be measured in simple terms, such as completing a class or achieving a certification, much of the real impact shows in less tangible ways.
I measure success through the stories I hear over time. Those stories include people advancing in their careers, building healthier relationships with their families, gaining confidence, or accomplishing personal goals they once thought were out of reach. In many cases, growth extends well beyond the workplace and positively affects their lives as a whole.
Looking forward, how do you see the role of CPD evolving in the next 5–10 years?
Technology and AI will absolutely play a growing role in professional development over the next five to ten years. These tools can make information more accessible, help people identify blind spots, and support learning in ways that were not possible before. Used well, it can be a powerful assistant.
That said, technology cannot replace human connection. Growth still requires conversation, reflection, accountability, and trust. Coaching, mentorship, and shared learning experiences will become even more important as work becomes more digital and more isolated. People need spaces where they can talk openly, be challenged, and learn from others who have lived experience.
The future of CPD lies in blending modern tools with real human engagement. Technology can help start the conversation, but meaningful growth happens when people take what they learn and apply it through relationships, feedback, and real-world practice.
What advice would you give to business leaders who are hesitating to make these changes?
My advice to leaders who hesitate to make these changes is to first examine their motivation. Professional development initiatives should never be done for public recognition, optics, or to check a box. It has to come from a genuine place of caring about the people who show up every day and do the work.
These initiatives are not easy. They take time, patience, and sustained effort, and they will not be perfect. There will be moments of trial and adjustment along the way. Leaders need to be prepared to listen, learn, and refine their approach as they go.
Can you share any upcoming initiatives or plans you have for further investing in your employees?
We are currently developing a certification-based learning path built around the idea of a ten-thousand-hour journey to mastery. The goal is to create a structured progression that allows people to continuously build skills and knowledge over time rather than relying on informal or inconsistent training. This initiative is especially important in the cleaning industry, where millions of people work but very few have access to formal education, standardized training, or recognized professional credentials.
The long-term vision is to build a system that supports continuous learning and recognizes mastery, whether someone wants to become a specialist, a trainer, a leader, or pursue a broader career path. It is about elevating the work, investing in people, and creating opportunities that historically have not existed in this industry.
How can our readers follow your work?
Readers can connect with me on LinkedIn and follow Pegasus Clean on LinkedIn and Instagram for updates on our work, insights, and company news. They can also visit our website to learn more about our services.
This was great. Thank you so much for the time you spent sharing with us.
About The Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur with 25+ years of experience as a Founder and CEO. While attending Ohio State University, he launched his first company, Choice Recovery, Inc., a nationally recognized healthcare collection agency — twice ranked the #1 workplace in Ohio. In 2013, he founded [re]start, helping thousands of people find meaningful career opportunities. After selling both companies, Chad shifted his focus to his true passion — leadership. Today, he coaches founders and CEOs at Built to Lead, advises Authority Magazine’s Thought Leader Incubator.
Investing In Your Employees: Jeff Becker Of Pegasus On The Benefits of Offering Continuous… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.