Scaling UP! H2O

Hey Scaling Up Nation! It's your weekly host, Trace Blackmore. In today's episode, I answer your questions about communication, healthy habits, being a good listener, and share a story that I hope causes you to reflect on why we work and who we work for

I love that so many of our listeners submit show ideas for us, and after looking through dozens of show idea suggestions, I noticed one overarching theme emerge: communication. Good communication can help every relationship you are in from your family members to your clients. Good communication is never "accomplished" like clicking a check box, it is maintained and never ends.

One of the things I'm going to dive into today is a book that changed not only my communication style but also how I systematize my life for the better, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. As a reference, here are those 7 habits:

1. 1. Be proactive
   2. Begin with the end in mind
   3. Put first things first
   4. Think Win/Win
   5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood
   6. Synergize
   7. Sharpen the saw

After listening to today's episode, I challenge you to get excited when you meet someone who doesn't agree with you because you will leave the conversation better for it.

Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client.

-Trace

Timestamps:

Scaling up our knowledge, so we don't scale up our systems [1:25]

Upcoming events [2:05]

Better communication by "Minding The Gap" [3:55]

Why I don't talk politics [5:09]

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People [6:55]

The art of conversation [11:40]

James' Challenge: "Explain to a non-technical person how a compression chiller works." [18:20]

The story of the fisherman and the businessman [21:45]

Quotes:

"Having a solid foundation grounded in your values, ambitions, and personal creed allows you to not be threatened by other people's ways of thinking." - Trace Blackmore

"When you get in a situation where someone does not agree with you, you should instantly say "Yippee, this is my opportunity to learn something from a different point of view than somebody else." - Trace Blackmore

"I try not to talk about politics. Politics is frequently used as a shield, not a bridge." - Trace Blackmore

"We need to build a bridge to fill in the communication gap." - Trace Blackmore

"I think too many people are scared of having their minds changed." - Trace Blackmore

"If you know something and keep it to yourself, what good is it?" - Trace Blackmore

"The best way to learn something is to learn it with the mindset that you are going to immediately teach someone else." - Trace Blackmore

Links Mentioned:

The Rising Tide Mastermind

Submit a Show Idea

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

Books Mentioned:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

My guest today is Dr. Michael Reinert, an Enterprise Architecture expert and the owner of Reinert Consulting which is the company I use for my Information Technology needs.

Now you may be asking yourself, "What is Enterprise Architecture and why would my company even need to hire someone to manage my information?" We are going to answer those questions and so many more on today's episode.

As a Navy veteran who operated nuclear power plants, a Ph.D. in information sciences and technology, and an entrepreneur, Dr. Michael Reinert has a refreshingly unique perspective on information and technology. He uses the language of business rather than technical jargon to communicate with his clients and brings alignment of business needs with information and technology needs. An entrepreneur, enterprise architect, speaker, and teacher, Michael helps companies remove doubt about decision making and protecting their important information assets.

Confession: I'm a great water treater, but until I met Michael, I didn't know HOW or WHY I needed to protect my company's digital information.

Bottom line:

Today's episode is going to help you understand the immense value of your company's information, and Dr. Michael Reinert will give you a strategy to protect it.

Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client.

-Trace

Timestamps:

Our 200th episode is coming up please let us know what the show has meant to you and your show ideas [2:50]

James' Challenge [4:00] "Use your sense of touch to determine which softener vessel is online, if the chemical is pulsing through feed tubing, etc., and report back."

Introducing Dr. Michael Reinert [7:00]

it vs IT [15:49]

Enterprise Architecture [19:08]

How should a water treatment company manage its Information Technology? [26:05]

Cybersecurity and the Dark Web, what you need to know about risk mitigation [33:58]

What bottom-line things do the listeners need to know about Information Technology and Cybersecurity? [49:28]

Lightning Round Questions [53:30]

Quotes:

"I.T., make those two letters small, and it's just the basic word "it", but if you capitalize those letters you are talking about a global phenomenon that has changed the whole world." - Dr. Michael Reinert

"IT also represents one of the most powerful forces on the planet. computer hardware and software used to manage and communicate information." - Dr. Michael Reinert

"IT, it's about information and it's about technology, we need to take both parts seriously and not just talk about technology." - Dr. Michael Reinert

"Enterprise Architecture. It's a business strategy with information strategy and technology strategy." - Dr. Michael Reinert

As an Enterprise Architect, I capture information in drawings to make maps and mental models of the work my clients are doing." - Dr. Michael Reinert

"Rethink what your company's information is, and the value it has." - Dr. Michael Reinert

"Think of your information as an asset at your company." - Dr. Michael Reinert

"We need to view our company's information as an asset." - Dr. Michael Reinert

"Cybercriminals are attacking your technology to get to your information, ultimately that's where your value lies." - Dr. Michael Reinert

"Cybersecurity is risk management. You need to manage it just like any other business risk." - Dr. Michael Reinert

"In the old days we made firewalls, then better firewalls, and antivirus software, but over time we keep coming back to the same answer to solve our security issues- we need to teach people ." - Dr. Michael Reinert

"Build a company culture around security awareness." - Dr. Michael Reinert

"The Dark Web is a dark street or the wild west of the internet, it's a lawless part of the internet where lots of criminal activity happens." - Dr. Michael Reinert

"If you use the same password or a slight variation, cybercriminals can easily access your information." - Dr. Michael Reinert

"Once these cybersecurity hacks occur, it's easy for cybercriminals to access people's information and impersonate them online." - Dr. Michael Reinert

Links Mentioned:

Get a FREE Cybersecurity assessment from Michael Reinert's company

194 The One Where We Learn About Productivity Tools (with Danny Bauer)

165 The One All About Cyber Security (with Keyaan Williams)

193 Pinks and Blues Questions From The Nation! ABC (Always Be Closing)

Anagrammer.com

The Rising Tide Mastermind

Submit a Show Idea

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

Connect with Michael Reinert:

Website: reinertconsulting.com

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (814) 441 6100

LinkedIn: in/MichaelReinert

Books Mentioned:

The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey and Rebecca Merrill

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Podcast Guest Profits by Thomas M. Schwab

Start With Why by Simon Sinek

If you want to get better, you need to surround yourself with people who don't shy away at telling what you NEED to hear, not what you WANT to hear. My guest today is such a person. And between you and me, having him on the show is a bit selfish, because I want to hear how he maximizes every day to ensure his personal objectives are accomplished.

Today's guest is Daniel "Danny" Bauer. Danny and I met through our Mastermind several years ago and over the years I've been in awe of his productivity. When he sets out a goal for himself he always reaches the finish line.

Danny Bauer is the Chief Ruckus Maker at Better Leaders Better Schools (BLBS). He launched the BLBS Podcast in September 2015. With over one million downloads, the BLBS show is the most influential podcast available for educational leaders.

He is the author of The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap, which was released as an Amazon #1 New Release, and he is working on a new book tentatively titled: The Mastermind: Unlocking the Potential Within Every School Leader.

He is a catalyst for change and he uses his passion for productivity to teach coaches, businesses, teams, and professionals the skills they need to ensure their objectives become reality.

Bottom line: If you want to improve your productivity, Danny has the tools you need to make it happen.

In the words of today's guest, keep making a ruckus,

-Trace

Danny Bauer will walk us through this Focus Funnel

Can I eliminate a task?/Do I have to do it?

Can a robot do this better?/Can it be automated?

Can another human do this better than me?/Can I delegate this?

What if I procrastinate on purpose?

If you cannot procrastinate, you have to concentrate.

Timestamps:

James' Challenge: "Convert 300 mg/L Nitrite (as NO2) to Nitrite (NaNO2)." [3:50]

Introducing my friend and the Chief Ruckus Maker, Danny Bauer [6:26]

The value of being in a Mastermind group together [14:15]

Better Leader Better Schools [18:52]

Core Values, Sticky Values, your Own Personal Philosophy, and investing in yourself [19:38]

Productivity tools, Focus Funnel, and always getting better [25:35]

Objectives, Key Results, and Time Blocking [33:23]

The one thing you want Scaling Up Nation to know [40:33]

Lightning Round Questions [42:48]

Quotes:

"When you force yourself to learn something new, you force yourself to grow." - Trace Blackmore

"I realized that I was my own bottleneck and I created my own ceilings." - Daniel Bauer

"Authenticity, belonging, and a challenging environment, that leads to life in leadership transformation." - Daniel Bauer

"If you are considering joining a Mastermind group. If you have been testing the waters, dive in, what's the worst thing that could happen?" - Daniel Bauer

"Leadership is easy when things are going well, but that's not most days. You need to find a north star to pull you through those hard times." - Daniel Bauer

"Integrity, authenticity, honesty... we all expect that from a business, and it's not remarkable." - Daniel Bauer

"Be an intentional catalyst." - Daniel Bauer

"Each day I try to end it knowing it was better than the last." - Trace Blackmore

"Get clarity on what matters and what doesn't." - Daniel Bauer

"I ask myself: Is this related to one of my objectives or not? If it isn't one of my big objectives, it drops way down the list... if it even makes the list." - Daniel Bauer

"I score myself each day only on the tasks related to my biggest objectives, and if I completed them or not." - Daniel Bauer

"I focus on the big picture, even if I measure in the micro." - Daniel Bauer

"Time blocking. Gift yourself that deep work time throughout the week. You will get so much more done." - Daniel Bauer

"You are not going to save the world. You're not going to run the best business if you're always in your inbox responding to whatever activity is in there." - Daniel Bauer

"My challenge to you after listening to this podcast: If you have your notifications on, turn off notifications now. Put the phone on silent. Turn off notifications on your computer. All these things are designed to take your focus away from whatever important stuff you are doing." - Daniel Bauer

"Scrolling through email inbox and social media is just a distraction from the harder and emotional labor that is going to provide greater value for your business and clients later." - Daniel Bauer

"Examine the issue. Don't just look at the surface." - Daniel Bauer

"The next time you are trying to solve an issue, spend time trying to get at what that issue is and what that is behind that issue?" - Daniel Bauer

"When you can talk with other people about issues you are having in business and personal. You can get to the next level faster, that's what a Mastermind is." - Trace Blackmore

Links Mentioned:

5 Easy Questions That Will Help You Be More Productive

Roomba

Stanford study about multitasking

Anagrammer.com

Calendly Scheduling Tool

Convert Kit

The Rising Tide Mastermind

Submit a Show Idea

Connect with Daniel "Danny" Bauer:

Website: betterleadersbetterschools.com

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @alienearbud

Twitter: @alienearbud

Books Mentioned:

The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap by Daniel Bauer

Procrastinate on Purpose: 5 Permissions to Multiply Your Time by Rory Vaden

Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin

This Is Marketing by Seth Godin

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement by Eliyahu M. Goldratt

Measure What Matters by John Doerr

The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander

The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly

The 12 Week Year

Atomic Habits

Today I'm talking about sales. I know, I know, sales can sometimes feel like an icky word, but an excellent salesperson is a professional who is always trying to solve their clients' problems, instead of trying to sell them a product. And before we can help our clients find solutions, we need to be able to clearly share Why we do it, How we do it, and What we do.

In this podcast I'm going to walk us through the lessons I learned after reading Simon Sinek's fantastic book, "Start With Why." This book changed how I sell because it helped me understand why water treatment is so important, to begin with. And the book made me realize that if I couldn't put my deep feelings of love and admiration for water into words, I'll never be able to clearly express to a client why water treatment is essential.

In the book, Simon Sinek' writes about "The Golden Circle", which I'm going to break down for you in detail in the podcast but I wanted you to have this visual as a reference.

Bottom line: This podcast is going to give you the tools you need to share with your clients why we love working in the best profession in the world.

Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client.

-Trace

Applying Simon Sinek's The Golden Circle to water treatment:

Why: We exist to promote the stewardship of the world's most valuable substance, water.

How: We optimize how water works in your system by promoting its longevity and efficiency. We reduce our customers operating costs and water usage.

What: We are a water treatment company.

Behavior: Let us do your water treatment.

Timestamps:

I love sales [6:30]

Simon Sinek's Golden Circle [8:15]

How our brains process information [12:45]

Measuring your sales with key metrics [16:42]

The importance of a good CRM [22:15]

James' Challenge: "Research Ryznar Saturation Index (RSI)" [24:15]

One of my favorite things to teach: LSI, RSI, PSI [25:55]

Quotes:

"I love being a salesperson." - Trace Blackmore

"Salespeople today are more professional because our customers are more professional, which means we always need to be at the top of our game." - Trace Blackmore

"Solve your clients' issues instead of selling them a product." - Trace Blackmore

"You don't just need company core values, you need to have your own personal core values." - Trace Blackmore

"We know that our industry is more than just a commodity." - Trace Blackmore

"Lagging metrics is easy to record because it has already happened. Leading metrics are indicators of future performance." - Trace Blackmore

"LSI, RSI, PSI were the first things I dove into when I started teaching math. I like to think about why the equation is set up the way it is and work backward." - Trace Blackmore

Links Mentioned:

Simon Sinek's The Golden Circle Presentation

182 The One Where We Share How We Create The Podcast

Submit a Show Idea

The Rising Tide Mastermind

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

139 The One With CRM Expert, Resa Gooding

Books Mentioned:

Start With Why by Simon Sinek

It's a joy to have Paule Genest (Jen-nes) on the show this week to talk about marketing. She is the founder and President of PGPR, specializing in coaching and growing your company's communications, marketing, and public relations department, elevating your team to the next level.

Paule Genest is Co-Chair of WOW (Women of Water at the AWT- Association of Water Technologies). Over the past 35 years, Paule has worked in public, private, cooperative, and philanthropic. Her clients, and I, particularly appreciate her creative spirit, her human approach to business, her kindness, and her great ability to connect people and rally them around a common vision to promote the influence of targeted projects.

Furthermore, she is an adjunct professor at Université de Montréal and Université de Sherbrooke, she teaches Social Responsibility and Public Relations. She holds a bachelor's degree in administration and marketing and holds the PRP (Professional in Public Relations) and ARP (Accredited Public Relations Professional) designations.

Bottom line: Paule Genest is by far the best marketing person in the water treatment industry. Today, please listen to the things she shares with you, and if you do only one or two of them, your business' marketing is going to be miles above everyone else's. I urge you to start working on your marketing plan today.

Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client.

-Trace

Timestamps:

Introducing Paule Genest, Accredited Public Relations Professional, Coach, Professor, and Co-Chair of WOW (Women of Water at the AWT- Association of Water Technologies) [6:50]

An introduction to marketing [12:49]

What KPIs should we look at in a marketing campaign? [25:08]

How to lead a great marketing meeting [27:00]

What are some of Paule's favorite marketing campaigns? [32:21]

How to start marketing [36:05]

How to budget for a marketing campaign [39:50]

Lightning Round Questions [45:34]

James' Challenge: "Calculate Holding Time Index (HTI) of a cooling tower." [51:55]

Quotes:

"Anything that has helped me on my career path, I put on this show." -Trace Blackmore

"Paule Genest is by far the best marketing person in the water treatment industry." -Trace Blackmore

"Life without water is not a life, water is essential." - Paule Genest

"All of us will be a "marketer" at some point in our lives." - Paule Genest

"Research is at the heart of everything in marketing." - Paule Genest

"If you don't know your client's needs, you cannot meet their needs. Take the time to listen." - Paule Genest

"When we implement a strategy, it's all about sharing the good news and learning from our mistakes." - Paule Genest

"My favorite marketing campaigns move me; they make me cry or laugh." - Paule Genest

"A brand is a promise." - Paule Genest

"A step that is frequently overlooked, is the maturing of your launch. I stress soft launches with a small target audience to see if you hit your target. It gives you a chance to reassess, reinforce, or change your content." - Paule Genest

"Be present and visible in the market." - Paule Genest

"Return on investment and influence is key." - Paule Genest

"We need to find a breakthrough idea and build around it. Stand out and be proud of what it is that you are and what you do." - Paule Genest

Connect with Paule Genest:

Website: en.pgpr.ca

LinkedIn: in/paulegenest

Links Mentioned:

Foundation Maman Dion

Submit a Show Idea

Rising Tide MasterMind

Celeste Headlee - 10 ways to have a better conversation from TED Talks

Books Mentioned:

Playing To Win by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin

Live Big: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Passion, Practicality, and Purpose by Ajit Nawalkha

Stand Out: How to Find Your Breakthrough Idea and Build a Following Around It by Dorie Clark

The Elin Hilderbrand Collection: Volume 2: Nantucket Nights and The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand

Welcome to the Scaling UP! H2O podcast, where we scale up our knowledge, so we don't scale up our systems.

Today's guest is TGWT (Tannin Guys Water Treatment) President & Chief Executive Officer located in beautiful Longueuil, Quebec, Canada, Louis-Philippe Cloutier. Louis has fifteen years of experience working as President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board at TGWT, and since TGWT started in 2005 he has been a knowledgeable and passionate advocate for using tannin in water treatment.

Louis has been honored with several awards and accommodations including Best Startup Award for TGWT, Sustainable Supplier Of The Year Award, and Eurêka Award Winner: Public and para-public categories.

Bottom line: Louis-Philippe Cloutier knows how to run a successful water treatment business and one of those keys to his success is using tannin.

Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client.

-Trace

Timestamps:

Louis-Philippe Cloutier shares the history of tannin [6:40]

Tannin and food safety: FDA Approved, Organic Certified, and Kosher Certified [17:02]

Tannin chemistry [18:30]

Feeding the tannin [21:30]

Advantages switching to tannins, and operating parameters [24:08]

Why have you used tannin since 2005? [35:59]

What's the strangest thing to happen to you since you started doing water treatment? [44:10]

Lightning Round questions [45:45]

James' Challenge: "Question every chemical product you use at each location to ensure they are the best choice for the application." [53:10]

Quotes:

"Our purified tannin triples cycles in steam boilers. It reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gases." - Louis-Philippe Cloutier

"Tannin is a natural extract. There are 3,000 species of tannin. The species we use comes from the bark of trees. It has to be purified to become a purified tannin." - Louis-Philippe Cloutier

"Pressure. Temperature. Purification." - Louis-Philippe Cloutier

"Tannin replaces your sulfite and your polymer/disbursement." - Louis-Philippe Cloutier

"Tannin will interlink with the magnetites and form a thinner and more robust film on metal than the usual products." - Louis-Philippe Cloutier

"Tannin is Green Chemistry. It is FDA Approved, Organic Certified, and Kosher Certified" - Louis-Philippe Cloutier

"It's the best career out there. I don't know why anyone would want to do anything else, other than water treatment." - Trace Blackmore

Connect with Louis-Philippe Cloutier:

Website: www.tgwt.com

Links Mentioned:

Submit a Show Idea

Rising Tide MasterMind

Books Mentioned:

Scaling Up by Vern Arnish

Playing To Win by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin

The first time I heard a podcast, I was hooked. I fell in love with a free platform where you could learn as you drove to client's businesses, while mowing the lawn, or simply taking a walk around the block.

One of my core beliefs is that you should constantly be learning and helping others learn, so in April of 2017, after a great deal of support and coaching, I decided to start a podcast 'by water treaters for water treaters.' I opened Episode 1 with the following line: "The goal of this podcast is to bring you topics that will expand your general water treatment knowledge, inform you about the industry, and simply have fun around the industry we have chosen to be in."

After four years of hosting this podcast, I've learned so much, created a great team, and met people I never dreamed I'd get the chance to meet, let alone interview. I am humbled and grateful you choose to listen to this podcast each week.

This can be a lonely industry. This can be a hard industry. We want you to get it right. We at Scaling UP H2O are here to equip you with the knowledge you need to succeed and build a community of water treatment professionals.

Thank you, Scaling UP Nation! We wouldn't have the show without YOU! I'm humbled and honored to be your roadside friend as you travel from client to client.

-Trace

Timestamps:

How the podcast started and the people who help make it happen [0:20] What are your top four Successes, Challenges, Opportunities, and Lessons Learned from the podcast? [15:05]

If you knew then, what you know now, would you have started the podcast? [33:49]

If my Dad were still alive today, would he listen to the Scaling UP H2O Podcast? [35:05]

Why do you release the podcast on Fridays? [36:50]

Would you ever consider doing a daily podcast? [38:29]

James' Challenge: "Learn how a chemical dosing pump works." [41:09]

Why do you think the podcast is so successful? [43:10]

Quotes:

"The goal of this podcast is to bring you topics that will expand your general water treatment knowledge, inform you about the industry, and simply have fun around the industry we have chosen to be in." -Trace Blackmore, Episode 1 of Scaling UP H2O

"The biggest challenge is: You don't know what you don't know." -Trace Blackmore

"When you decide you want to start a podcast and keep your day job, it's a challenge, but over the last four years we have never missed an air date." - Trace Blackmore

"My mission statement: have the podcast be the catalyst to raise the bar in the water treatment industry." - Trace Blackmore

"Don't be afraid to start something new." -Trace Blackmore

"Don't be afraid to ask for help." -Trace Blackmore

"I now have a team helping me get further faster." -Trace Blackmore

"The number one reason why this podcast is so successful: You, You, You, You!" -Trace Blackmore

"I'm so humbled that we have so many listeners week after week." -Trace Blackmore

"This can be a lonely industry. This can be a hard industry. We want you to get it right. We're here to equip you with the knowledge you need to succeed and to build a community of water treatment professionals." - Trace Blackmore

Links Mentioned:

001 A New Podcast for Water Treaters

004 It's Not Easy Being Green!

008 The One with Conor Parrish

186 The One Where Conor Parrish Interviews Me, Part 1

187 The One Where Conor Parrish Interviews Me, Part 2

176 The One About Tagged Polymer Technologies (with Mike Standish)

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

182 The One Where We Share How We Create The Podcast (with Sean Dooley and Lauren Vonfeldt)

Ray Baum Memorial Water Technologist of the Year Award

Rising Tide Mastermind

Today's guest is Bob Niemiec (KNEE-mick), Managing Partner at Twisthink, a digital innovation partner working to help companies bring their new products or services to life. Through hands-on partnerships fueled by strategic insight, human-centered design, and advanced technology, the Twisthink team has consistently unlocked game-changing opportunities for clients. Bob Niemic and Tinktwist are entirely devoted to creating the ideal user experience, which allows their customers to become leaders in their industries and accelerate growth.

We're going to take a deep dive into how to bring innovation into our companies, what it takes to build a great team, how AI can help us achieve our goals, and why Lean Management and Human-Centered Design are crucial to any company.

Thank you, Bob, for coming on the show, sharing your insight and expertise, so we are equipped to rise above the mediocre grind and elevate ourselves to see a company's bright future driven by human-centered design.

Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client,

-Trace

Timestamps:

Introducing Bob Neimic's game-changing approach to think differently [03:00]

Great teams: Bringing together multiple skillsets and generations in the workplace [07:45]

Operational excellence and innovational excellence [12:57]

Lean Management and Human-Ceneted Design [20:51]

What are the payoffs of innovation excellence? [24:05]

What inspires your clients? [34:01]

What's the biggest mistake you see your clients make? [37:30]

What's the big takeaway you want people to know? [40:32]

Lightning Round Questions [43:25]

James' Challenge: "Check makeup water for ammonia." [49:05]

Quotes:

"Innovate. Accelerate. Grow" - Bob Neimic

"There is nothing harder and more worthwhile than developing a great team." - Bob Neimic

"You cannot grow without change." - Trace Blackmore

"Operational excellence secures the present. Innovational excellence secures the future." -Roger Milliken

"The skill of design or industrial design is a way to raise the bar for innovational excellence." - Bob Neimic

"Human-Centered Design: Discovery, Analyze, Create, Develop." -Bob Neimic

"Now more than ever, we need to take advantage of the digital age." - Bob Neimic

"More empathy is critically important right now." - Bob Neimic

"We cannot claim to be innovational excellent without diversity." - Bob Neimic

Connect with Bob Neimic:

LinkedIn: in/robertniemiec

Links Mentioned:

The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA)

Charity Water - A nonprofit that deploys pumps to regions of the world where there is no access to clean drinking water, on a mission to end the water crisis

A Practical Guide to Understanding AI

Rising Tide MasterMind

Submit a Show Idea

024 LSI, RSI, and PSI

Books Mentioned:

Start With Why

So You Want To Talk About Race

Are you considering making a career change to become a water treatment professional? Are you feeling burnt out and overwhelmed in your first year working as a water treater? Or are you navigating how to retire from a life spent working in the water treatment industry? If so, today's podcast is for you.

Our guest is fellow Mastermind member and Continuous Improvement enthusiast Shawn McGrade. Shawn started as a building engineer and decided six years ago to become a successful water treater. Today we will discuss his water treatment journey, how he became the top sales rep at his former water treatment company, the importance of mentors, continually developing yourself, and some things he wished he would have known the first year starting in this remarkable industry.

Being a water treater is an incredible privilege. Our clients allow us to see behind the curtain, revealing to us fortunate few how things are made. They trust us to make the right call so they can keep doing what they need to do. Water treaters are crucial to a wide variety of facilities, and thankfully there are people like Shawn McGrade and our Scaling UP! H2O listeners who daily demonstrate to their clients the importance and benefits a great water treater can be to their company. Nation! Thank you for being astounding at what you do!

Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client,

-Trace

Timestamps:

James' Challenge: "Research Langelier Saturation Index (LSI)." [05:01]

Changing professions, Shawn's journey to becoming a successful professional water treater [07:02]

An average day as a water treater [23:00]

What should we be doing when selling new accounts? [31:05]

Joining the Rising Tide Mastermind for continuous development [35:04]

What are the best ways one can be successful in the water treatment industry? [45:40]

What advice do you have for those looking at a career change? [47:02]

The importance of mentors [49:30]

Resources to help you become a better water treater [57:20]

Lightning Round Questions [62:01]

Quotes:

"I looked at water treatment as an opportunity to make something of myself and take things to the next level." - Shawn McGrade

"Being patient, cordial, sharing things in laymen's terms are crucial when communicating with customers." - Shawn McGrade

"The day-to-day is never the same, and as water treaters, we need to wear a lot of hats to be successful and bring value to your customers." - Shawn McGrade

"If you sit back and let your client show you what they do, let them walk you around the plant, it's a huge way to build trust and build that relationship." - Shawn McGrade

"We get the front row seat to see how it's made. To get those private tours, to see how it's made, it is priceless." - Shawn McGrade

"If we learn something from each experience, then that means we are going to get better the next time that opportunity comes around." -Trace Blackmore

"If we keep doing what we've always done, pre-COVID, we will never be successful in the future. We need to change our sales techniques to the new climate." -Trace Blackmore

"You have to be dedicated and committed in order to be successful." - Shawn McGrade

"Normally we are busy working 'in' the business, and Mastermind allows us to work 'on the business and 'on' ourselves. " - Trace Blackmore

"The advice I'd give to any water treater is to: Be patient. Don't get overwhelmed. Invest in yourself. And to educate yourself to feel confident in those technical topics." - Shawn McGrade

"Let's encourage more women to be in the water treatment industry." - Shawn McGrade

"When you are with a customer and don't know the answer, don't lie. Integrity is everything in this business. Look it up and get back to them." - Shawn McGrade

Connect with Shawn McGrade:

LinkedIn: in/shawn-mcgrade-08187114a

Links Mentioned:

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

Rising Tide Mastermind

Submit a Show Idea For Our Podcast

Association of Women in Water, Energy & Environment

Wim Hof Cold Therapy

Books Mentioned:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

The 12 Week Year

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 118

Traction

The Miracle Morning

The Advantage

The Success Principles

Can't Hurt Me

Podcasts Mentioned:

Lewis Howes

Dr. Rhonda Patrick

Joe Rogan

Nation! For those of you who are new to the podcast, I started it as a passion project, and it has grown to become a trusted resource for water treaters around the world. I believe that you should share what you know so that you can enhance others; that is why I make the podcast every week. I'm honored that you've chosen to listen every week as you drive from client to client.

Today's episode is Part Two of a two-part series where I am the one in "the hot seat" interviewed by fellow Mastermind member Conor Parrish. It is an honor to have such a highly-regarded water treatment professional interview me. Conor received his CWT (Certified Water Technologist) certification through AWT (Association of Water Technologies) three years ago and has been in the industry for six years.

You submitted the questions Conor asks me today, our listeners, so if ever you've had a question you'd like answered on the show, please click the Show Ideas tab at the top of the page and let us know how we can help you 'scale up your knowledge, so we don't scale up our systems.'

Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client,

-Trace

Timestamps:

James' Challenge: "Measure the pH of DPD free chlorine test after reagent addition." [1:45]

What is your daily routine? [5:02]

What are the most significant changes you've observed over time in the water treatment industry since you began in the 1990s? [8:30]

What will the future look like for water treatment professionals? [15:30]

What is the most embarrassing thing you've done as a water treatment professional? [20:25]

If you could have a beer with any historical figure, who would you choose? [27:20]

What are some of your favorite non-business books? [29:30]

What are some of your favorite SCUBA stories? [33:40]

What are some of your favorite podcasts? [43:30]

Quotes:

"I decide what I want to say "Yes" to on my calendar by saying "No" to the things that are not important." - Trace Blackmore

"Our water equipment is getting smarter, and today we're able to make program decisions based on that data." - Trace Blackmore

"There is so much we can do today that we were not able to do in the 1990s, thanks to water treatment technology." - Trace Blackmore

"There is only so much water. And because of that, we need to utilize it properly." - Trace Blackmore

"Without a doubt, the 2030 water treaters' job will be to make sure they are as efficient as possible in their water usage. I think that is going to be their primary job." - Trace Blackmore

"Our careers and industry are here to stay, and change isn't something we need to be afraid of as a water treatment professionals." - Trace Blackmore

"Water conservation and energy conservation will become crucial in the future." - Trace Blackmore

"I believe that you should share what you know so that you can enhance others; that's what podcasts do." - Trace Blackmore

Connect with Conor Parish:

LinkedIn: in/conor-parrish-cwt-15208251

Links Mentioned:

116 Pinks and Blues: System Volume

183 The One Where We Talk About Artificial Intelligence

Rising Tide Mastermind

Submit a Show Idea

Podcasts Mentioned:

The Tim Ferris Show

Passive Income - Pat Flynn

The Way I Heard It - Mike Row

Manager Tools Podcast

Books Mentioned:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

The Speed of Trust by Stephen R. Covey

The Hunt For Red October by Tom Clancy

A Game Of Thrones Books by George R.R. Martin