Mike Fulton, CEO of Xactware (now known as Verisk Property Estimating Solutions) is back on the Restoration Today podcast for round two! He first appeared on our podcast last November, and we are excited to keep these open conversations going with Mike as the restoration landscape continues to change and evolve.

In this podcast, which is audio-only due to a hiccup on our end, Mike and Michelle discuss hot topics like:

Listen here, or subscribe to Restoration Today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your other preferred podcast platform to listen on the go and never miss a new episode!

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3BzR4YV

Gerrett Stier, founder of GMS Distribution, sits down with Michelle to talk about what it has looked like to build a company over time, with great intentionality and focus on quality and customer service.

"If you want something, you go work for it," he said.

Plus, there is a lot of discussion on finding a work-life balance, and learning it is okay to step away for a moment. The work and relationships will still be there.

Take a watch or listen for more great nuggets in this Restoration Today episode!

With all the changes and evolutions in the restoration software space in recent years, we wanted to have a conversation with Ryan Pritchard from Canam Systems/PSA on the current state of tech in the industry.  

PSA is one of the original software platforms in the industry, founded in 1994. That puts the team in an interesting place to talk about the evolution of software for restoration contractors.  

In this podcast, Ryan and Michelle discuss the importance of integration and collaboration among industry software platforms, the differences between various solutions out there, data concerns, what is needed in the InsurTech space, finding and selecting the right software platform, and more.

In this episode of Restoration Today, we are joined by Doug Hoffman, the CEO of NORMI.

NORMI is the National Organization of Remediators and Mold Inspectors. Today, the organization is about 7,500 people strong - and facilitates a variety of training courses related to environmental remediation.

Doug discusses some of the best practices of mold remediation, clears up some of the common misconceptions, and explains why the assessment process is so important as part of the entire IAQ process. He also discusses a brand new program by OSHA that will affect restoration workers heading to disaster zones.

Asbestos abatement has a storied (some would say infamous) U.S. history dating back to the 1960s when exposure started getting wide- spread attention; the 1970s with the first guidelines to reduce exposure; and then the 1980s with the first laws regulating asbestos. Although mining and manufacture of the six types of asbestos minerals was sharply curtailed in the U.S., there is still no asbestos ban in effect. While the import of asbestos products continues to be legal and thrive, efforts to remove it from homes and buildings have been ongoing for decades. The widespread perception that asbestos use stopped is a ripple effect from the explosive growth and then con- traction of the early abatement industry. Through the late 1980s, much of the attention surrounding asbestos focused on abatement, which involves encapsulating or removing asbestos from existing buildings. Over the years, asbestos abatement has been relegated down the priority list of bolt-on business opportunities for restoration contractors, largely because of the training required, licensing bureaucracy, and additional insurance. Uneven regulatory enforcement during the ‘00s and ‘10s, and more recently deferred renovation projects, plus labor and supply challenges during the pandemic have caused the abatement industry to arguably remain flat or even temporarily contract.

Tom McGuire has more than three decades of experience with large loss and disaster recovery projects. He specializes in structural damage restoration/decontamination, ambient control/stabilization and vital document recovery/vacuum freeze drying systems.

McGuire is the founder of the restoration industry's massively popular Large Loss Mastery courses. These courses teach the full gamut of large loss restoration jobs - from marketing to actual restoration and reconstruction techniques, often simulating intense jobs like a loss at the Pentagon or a flood in New Orleans. As the business has grown, he has brought other restoration experts into the fold as educators on a variety of topics.

In this episode of the Restoration Today podcast, Tom talks about the value of unique, hands-on training courses available to contractors today.

His first class of 2022 is happening NEXT WEEK! You can click the link above to see his 2022 schedule!

FLEET Response is a growing national restoration company, building on the foundation of the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

In this episode of the Restoration Today podcast, we are joined by Mark Springer, president of Dayspring Restoration.

Dayspring is one of FLEET's founding companies. Mark shares the evolution of FLEET, the involvement of private equity and the difference between different PE options out there, finding companies with shared values to join the company as it expands, and more.

Everyone wants more commercial work. It's easy to pitch you offer higher quality services, more expertise, etc. But from the facility manager's perspective - they see us all the same when we approach them.  

Separate yourself at the door by offering a valuable solution to one of their needs, gain their trust and build the relationship from there. We are talking about ERPs - or Emergency Response Plans.  

In this episode of the Restoration Today Podcast, Restoration ERP's Jeff Carrier breaks down what ERPs are, how to implement them, best practices, common pitfalls, and more!

The Restoration Workforce Survey is a one-of-a-kind effort to find out what attracts people to the restoration industry, what makes them stay, and what makes them leave.

This quick video gives a sneak peek into the kind of data coming out of this report.

You'll be able to read much more about the findings in the March/April issue of C&R!

On Dec. 30, a fire sparked in the Denver suburb of Boulder, and quickly spread - doing more than $500 million in damage. That estimate makes the Marshall Fire the most destructive wildfire in state history, according to early assessments by Boulder County. More than 1,000 commercial structures, and homes, were damaged or destroyed.

ATI's Denver office mobilized almost immediately, heading to ground zero to assist their commercial clients. In many cases, ATI was first on scene for restoration efforts, and partnered as much as possible with local emergency responders in the area.

In this episode of the Restoration Today podcast, ATI's VP of National Operations, Brian Davis, shares insights from what those early days look like as the fire was happening, what restoration efforts have looked like since, what the future is looking like, and how the rest of the industry can help - and be prepared for an incident like this to hit their service area.

This episode is sponsored by Dot Cleaner.