Have you considered making videos for your business to share on YouTube or social media platforms but you are worried that they may be too cringe? Embrace the suck. As Paul T. Long says, "People bank [insert your business] with people." When he was deciding whether or not to create content for his business he considered:  

For Paul, this meant creating 42 videos on The Commercial Real Estate Process. Doing so forced him to think through his client on-boarding process and help his clients to better understand and work their way through achieving their goals. Paul reports great engagement as well as process improvement.   BUT, it started with him being willing to be terrible at making the videos, following through with the vision, and hitting the "post" button once they were ready. To encourage business professionals, we share some of our early cringe videos to help inspire you to follow through on that initiative that you are considering.   

South Sound Conneciton (SSC) is all about sharing the stories of local people, business professionals, community members, and entrepreneurs. SSC is sponsored by:   

Obligations For Insurance Claims Investigations 

According to the state of Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 284-30-370:  

Standards for prompt investigation of a claim.  Every insurer must complete its investigation of a claim within thirty days after notification of claim, unless the investigation cannot reasonably be completed within that time. All persons involved in the investigation of a claim must provide reasonable assistance to the insurer in order to facilitate compliance with this provision.   

In the second part of our conversation with Roger Howson (Seattle, WA) and many others, we discuss the insurance claim appraisal process. Episode 78 of The DYOJO Podcast will touch on topics, including 

While many contractors dabble in policy interpretation, often because they think they are doing the right thing for the client, they may be crossing into the territory of public adjusting without a license. Roger discusses how, "If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it better be licensed like a duck." Andy McCabe shares a story where he had to answer some tough questions with an Oregon insurance investigator.   

Our guests will include:  

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:  

THURSDAYS ARE FOR The DYOJO Podcast  New episodes of The DYOJO Podcast are released on Thursdays 9am PST via video through YouTube and/or audio is distributed through platforms such as Apple, Spotify, Google, etc. Learn more by visiting our website - www.thedyojo.com/podcast

Contractors and consumers are tired of the Squid Games that insurance carriers play when they make up their own arbitrary rules for estimating and releasing funds for work performed.   

In this episode of The DYOJO Podcast we will addresss some of these pricing games, including the use of New Construction Pricelists being applied to restoration and remodeling projects.   

Restoration industry peers Tony Yost (St. Paul, MN), David Dickerson (San Francisco, CA), Ben Justesen (Moses Lake, WA), and many others will join us to discuss this issue and some new resources available to contractors.    

As United Policyholders states,   

"Computers don’t repair and build homes…licensed contractors do. Your insurance company owes you for what an experienced and reputable contractor would charge you to do the required work to put your home back to its pre-loss condition.”   

Yet, some carriers have been manipulating common estimating tools, such as Xactimate, to create arbitrary pricing changes that affect the insured's ability to hire a contractor to perform a reasonable and accurate scope of work.   

One resource that has been added to the toolbox of the insurance claims contractor is the Restoration Pricing Position Paper from the Advocacy and Government Affairs Committee (AGA). The position paper on New Construction is available to all members of the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) and addresses conditions such as,   

“New construction price settings in certain pricing programs increase labor productivity which reduces prices in a way that may not be appropriate for restoration. Indirect tasks that must occur to accomplish direct repairs – known as “Supporting Events” – may need to be appropriately adjusted due to the extent of the damage in a restoration project.”   

* Read the full article "Restoration Squid Games" by Jon Isaacson in C&R Magazine 

* Listen to The DYOJO Podcast Episode 77  

* Join the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) so that you can read and utilize the New Construction Pricing Position Paper from the AGA  

The DYOJO Podcast, Episode 77 includes these guests and appearances:  

* Tony Yost (St. Paul, MN)  * David Dickerson (San Francisco, CA)  * Ben Justesen (Moses Lake, WA)  * Kelley Dolan  * Gordy Powell * Mark Springer * Katie Smith * Ed Cross * David Watts * Roger Howson  

SPONSORS: 

* Restoration Industry Association (RIA)  

* Office Services by Brandi 

* Restoration Technical Institute (RTI)   

THURSDAYS ARE FORE The DYOJO Podcast 

New episodes of The DYOJO Podcast are released on Thursdays 9am PST via video through YouTube and/or audio is distributed through platforms such as Apple, Spotify, Google, etc. Learn more by visiting our website - www.thedyojo.com/podcast

Contractors and customers feel the squeeze when the insurance carrier plays pricing games with the estimating and collection process of insurance claims restoration.   

We discuss New Construction Pricelists being applied to restoration scenarios with contractors in Minnesota, California, and Washington.   We discuss the issue, rebuttals, and resources including the Restoration Pricing Position Paper from the Advocacy and Government Affairs Committee (AGA) of the Restoration Industry Association (RIA).  

“New construction price settings in certain pricing programs increase labor productivity which reduces prices in a way that may not be appropriate for restoration. Indirect tasks that must occur to accomplish direct repairs – known as “Supporting Events” – may need to be appropriately adjusted due to the extent of the damage in a restoration project.”   

This discussion educates the listener on the underlying factors which lead to these manipulations and provides the contractor with some well-thought-out rebuttals. While there are no cheat codes that will eliminate the squid games, restorers will find it refreshing to know that resources are being created and advanced regain and maintain sustainable claims practices.   

The DYOJO Podcast, Episode 77 includes these guests and appearances: 

* Tony Yost (St. Paul, MN)  

* David Dickerson (San Francisco, CA)  

* Ben Justesen (Moses Lake, WA)  

* Kelley Dolan  * Gordy Powell * Mark Springer * Katie Smith * Ed Cross * David Watts * Roger Howson  

SPONSORS: 

* Restoration Industry Association (RIA)  

* Office Services by Brandi 

* Restoration Technical Institute (RTI)   

THURSDAYS ARE FORE The DYOJO Podcast New episodes of The DYOJO Podcast are released on Thursdays 9am PST via video through YouTube and/or audio is distributed through platforms such as Apple, Spotify, Google, etc. Learn more by visiting our website - www.thedyojo.com/podcast

The DYOJO Podcast  

Season 3, Episode 76 

Behind the Scenes of THE Florida Mold Conference

Guests: MANY 

If you feel like you missed out on this year's AEML Laboratories Winter Break 2022 - THE Florida Mold Conference, YOU'RE RIGHT. Guest speakers, vendors, and professionals from around the world came together to discuss The Four M's  

While we won't give away everything, we will recap the event and share some of the things that we learned.   Mark your calendars for January 2024, as you won't want to miss it AGAIN.   

The DYOJO Podcast, Episode 76 includes these guests:   

* Pete Consigli, The Global Restoration Watchdog * Cliff Zlotnik * Rachel Adams-Beja * Michael McGuinness * Bob Blochinger * Peter Crosa * Rico Rodriquez * Jeff Cross * Joe Hughes * John Lapotairre * Richard Alexis * Ron Mazur * Brittany Gordon * Paul LaGrange * Ken Larsen * Josh Winton * Jim Thompson * Ivi Sims * Amanda Housey * John Downey  * Ken Siders * Gordy Powell * Lisa Lavender * And MORE...  

Sponsors of The DYOJO Podcast:    

* Restoration Industry Association (RIA) - Restoration Industry Association (RIA) Join your fellow intentional restorers at the RIA 2022 International Restoration Convention and Industry Expo, April 11-13 at the Peppermill Casino in Reno, NV. Let them know The DYOJO sent you.  

* Restoration Technical Institute (RTI) provides world-class training. Designed for those who serve the Restoration, Cleaning and Industries related to the Built Environment.   

* Office Services by Brandi, LLC provides unparalleled personalized bookkeeping services to a broad range of clients in many states. Brandi will help tackle the never-ending list to be done in the restoration industry by handling the R&M billings, collections and many other key areas to take the burden off the owners.  

THURSDAYS are for The DYOJO Podcast  

New episodes of The DYOJO Podcast are released on Thursdays 9am PST via video through YouTube and/or audio is distributed through platforms such as Apple, Spotify, Google, etc. Learn more by visiting our website - www.thedyojo.com/podcast

If you feel like you missed out on this year's AEML Laboratories Winter Break 2022 - THE Florida Mold Conference, YOU'RE RIGHT. While we won't give away everything, we will recap the event and share some of the things that we learned.   

Mark your calendars for January 2024, as you won't want to miss it AGAIN.   

The DYOJO Podcast, Episode 76 includes these guests:   

* Pete Consigli, The Global Restoration Watchdog * Cliff Zlotnik * Rachel Adams-Beja * Michael McGuinness * Bob Blochinger * Peter Crosa * Rico Rodriquez * Jeff Cross * Joe Hughes * John Lapiotairre * Richard Alexis * Ron Mazur * Brittany Gordon * Paul LaGrange * Ken Larsen * Josh Winton * Jim Thompson * Ivi Sims * Amanda Housey * John Downey  * Ken Slider * Gordy Powell * Lisa Lavender * And MORE...  

SPONSORS: 

THURSDAYS ARE FORE The DYOJO Podcast 

New episodes of The DYOJO Podcast are released on Thursdays 9am PST via video through YouTube and/or audio is distributed through platforms such as Apple, Spotify, Google, etc. Learn more by visiting our website - www.thedyojo.com/listen

The DYOJO offers Seven Questions to assist you as a manager or business owner to determine whether a strategy or service option is right for your business.   These simple questions will assist you to be better prepared to articulate questions in alignment with where you are in your development and where you are trying to go.   We believe these questions will help you better determine who can help you on your journey as well as how much credence to give to various sources of input.    

Whether you are growing your career or growing your business, you must always remember one key thing – it’s your DANG journey. No one is going to walk it for you. No commenter on social media, no coach, no consultant, no author, and certainly no mediocre podcast host, is going to take the direct hits when you fail or feel the wins as deeply as you do when you succeed.   While it is smart to seek and take in good counsel on any element of business that may be new to you, I think it is important to consider a few universal questions:  

1. Is this legal? 

2. Is this ethical? 

3. Is this the right thing for me? 

4. Do I understand the upsides and downsides of pursuing this strategy? 

5. Do I have the resources to pursue this and/or can I afford not to try (i.e. am I willing to allow someone else to fill the void)? 

6. Who can help me shorten my DANG learning curve on this topic? 

7. If I have sought counsel, does my chosen counsel have real experience with executing on the particular aspect of business that I am considering?  

Recently there have been some discussions, written and in video, regarding direct-to-consumer fire damage service offerings. You may have heard it by another name, fire damage chasing. Most of the responses that I have observed veer into the realm of indoctrination as opposed to an earnest discussion of the facts related to the topic. While fire chasing can be controversial, I am not hearing disciplined thought leading to the leaps [over logic] taken to reach these predetermined conclusions. Hearsay is not helpful in business or life and should not be promulgated as a diagnostic methodology when advising peers or clients towards a determination for their business.   

If you would like to read more on how I applied these seven questions to the topic of direct to consumer fire damage service offerings ("chasing"), please read the article published with C&R Magazine, Industry High Horses: Fire Chasing.  

Thursdays are for The DYOJO Podcast - join us via video on YouTube.com/TheDYOJO or audio via Spotify at 9am PST - thedyojo.com/podcast

My friend, the global restoration watchdog, Pete Consigli, didn’t lie. The AEML winter break 2022 was fabulous. He said, “Be there or be square, and the team delivered on a value packed event.”  

We had three days of information that was pertinent to mold assessors and remediator‘s, and so much more. Topics included water damage, building sciences, risk management, professional development, materials testing, litigation preparation, local and national resources, just to name a few.  A testament to the value that AEML brought to the industry was that the speakers were excited and engaged in the presentations from the other speakers. They often were the ones asking probing questions of each other to get a better understanding of the area of focus being discussed.  

If you want to know more about the event, and whet your appetite for 2024 when THE Florida mold conference returns:  

Stay tuned as this event will be coming back in 2024.  #mold #waterdamage #training

The Xactimate Sessions from The DYOJO Podcast 

File 006: Training Others In Xactimate 

Season 3, Episode 75

Guest: Joyce Gabriel, General Manager (Tacoma, WA) 

We resume our series, The Xactimate Sessions. We are discussing the mindset and habits that have helped your peers in the insurance claims industry to elevate their scoping, estimating, and project management game. File 006 introduces the audience to Joyce Gabriel, a talented general manager for a full-service restoration company based in Tacoma, WA. Listeners will remember when Joyce joined us for podcast episode 52 to discuss some of the powerful tools she has learned for connecting with and interacting with your team. Joyce rejoins the podcast and helps us explore the mindset and habits for effectively training your employees to understand and utilize the Xactimate estimating software. 

Our discussion includes appearances by these guests:   

Sponsors of The DYOJO Podcast:  

The DYOJO Podcast New episodes of The DYOJO Podcast are released on Thursdays 9am PST via video through YouTube and/or audio is distributed through platforms such as Apple, Spotify, Google, etc. Learn more by visiting our website - www.thedyojo.com/listen

We resume our series, The Xactimate Sessions. File 006 with Joyce Gabriel (Tacoma, WA) addresses the mindset and habits for connecting with and training your team members.   

The DYOJO Podcast, Episode 75 includes these guests:   

SPONSORS: 

The DYOJO Podcast New episodes of The DYOJO Podcast are released on Thursdays 9am PST via video through YouTube and/or audio is distributed through platforms such as Apple, Spotify, Google, etc. Learn more by visiting our website - www.thedyojo.com/listen