Pro vs. Joe is something new that we are trying at The DYOJO Podcast. We still focus on topics and discussions relevant to the property restoration, construction and insurance industries but with a more laid back tone.

Bryan "The Joe" Close, Director of Operations for All American Real Estate Services (Tacoma, WA) and Jon "The Pro" Isaacson, Project Manager for 3 Kings Environmental, Inc. (Vancouver & Tacoma, WA) bring their diverse experiences to the show. Bryan has been in construction, business development and property management for many years but is new to the process of working within the insurance claims paradigm. Jon, on the other hand, has been working in property restoration for over 17 years and has a monthly column with Restoration & Remediation Magazine (R&R) "The Intentional Restorer in addition to his business coaching service The DYOJO.

For Episode 1, Bryan and Jon discuss:

The Last Dance, Episodes 1 - 2

How did Jon and Bryan meet?

Branding fails and wins

We hope you enjoyed this episode and the back and forth between the two hosts. Please check out The DYOJO Podcast on the Apple, Spotify, Anchor and Google platforms, subscribe and leave a rating. You can see this as a video on Youtube, subscribe and watch The DYOJO Podcast > Pro vs. Joe. You can also follow us on Instagram @TheDYOJOPodcast - tag us and send us a note with feedback or a topic you would like us to discuss.

Pro vs. Joe on Youtube - https://youtu.be/gZSUwCWgk8w

All American Real Estate Services - https://www.allamericanres.com / IG @aaresinc

The DYOJO - https://www.thedyojo.com / IG @TheDYOJO

Music - "Dubstep" by bensound.com

Wardrobe & accessories:

Bryan @close_bg - Seattle Seahawks hoodie (@seahawks), White Label Monte Cristo cigar (@montecristo_usa)

Jon @iz.vents - Tacoma Rainiers t-shirt (@tacomarainiers), ETC hat (@etctacoma), Mind Haze IPA by Firestone Walker (@firestonewalker)

We discuss the Silica Exposure: Regulatory Evolution research white paper published by Actionable Insights and authored by Kevin Hussey (United Fire and Water), Mark Whatley (Actionalable Insights) and Rachel Stewart (Titan Restoration).   

Whatley shares a few great quotes: 

"Rising tides raise all ships." 

By being humble and asking adjusters how he could improve his Xactimate estimating, Whatley has been able to excel in many areas to the benefit of himself, his team and now the network of professionals that he works with through Actionable Insights. 

"Diverse perspectives, shared objectives." 

Out of necessity, he pulled together a group of over 30 peers to discuss best practices for scoping in the industry. Out of these many meetings, conversations and lessons learned over their collective careers, these lessons have formed the treasure trove of digital assets. Many of the tips and tricks come out of two books that the group wrote, The Umpires Mitigation and Repair Manuals.   

In the pursuit of becoming a Doctor of Disaster and a proper response to silica sand, you must understand:  

Thank you for listening to The DYOJO Podcast between Jon Isaacson, The Intentional Restorer and Mark Whatley, Actionable Insights. You can also see the video on our Youtube page and read the article from Restoration and Remediation (R&R) Magazine.

Our sponsor for this episode is Morning Tech Meeting. As an owner, you can subscribe to MTM and reap the benefits of having Eric "The Tech Whisperer" Sprague providing daily 6-8 minute soft skills training for your team. Enhance your team development, accelerate your culture of excellence and boost your bottom line. Normally this service is $39/month (1 fee for your entire team), mention The DYOJO Podcast and you will received $10 OFF  (ONLY $29/MONTH) - https://www.morningtechmeeting.com

Check out our audio and video library of discussions with entrepreneurs in the property restoration, construction and insurance communities via The DYOJO Podcast as well as The DYOJO Youtube Page - Three Questions (3Qs) with a Pro.   

"Actionable" by Bensound.com

Extending the life of your restoration equipment

Elan Pasmanick of Born to Repair joins us for Three Questions with a Pro to discuss his entrepreneurial journey as a mobile water damage equipment repair specialist.

Elan is The Renaissance Man of Restoration Equipment Repairs as he not only repairs equipment for local San Diego contractors he also composes poetry for his famously entertaining Instagram posts. His business is mobile to better serve the needs of his clients and he has also assisted with repairs of dehumidifiers via video or text.

Mr. Pasmanick shares his unique story of learning sales as the owner of a mall kiosk and transforming his business from appliance repairs to serving the property restoration industry.

He shares some unique observations from the perspective of a vendor assisting restoration contractors. Taking care of your equipment includes simple investments such as:

Thank you for watching this video interview from The DYOJO between Jon Isaacson, The Intentional Restorer and Elan Pasmanick, Born to Repair. You can listen to additional content on The DYOJO Podcast Episode 8 and read the article from Restoration and Remediation (R&R) Magazine.

Check out our audio and video library of discussions with entrepreneurs in the property restoration, construction and insurance communities via The DYOJO Podcast as well as The DYOJO Youtube Page - Three Questions (3Qs) with a Pro.

Elan Pasmanick - https://www.instagram.com/borntorepair

The DYOJO - https://www.thedyojo.com

The DYOJO Podcast is available on Anchor, Spotify, Apple and Google

The Intentional Restorer - https://www.randrmagonline.com

"Actionable" by Bensound.com

The DYOJO Podcast Episode 7: Elevating your microbial remediation game 

Three questions with Amy Siedlecki, of The Mold Reporters, shares her experiences over the years with how property restoration contractors can provide greater value to clients. As it relates to insurance claims we have transitioned from “mold is gold” to microbial remediation being excluded by most policies. 

Amy Siedlecki has been working as indoor environmental consultant for over 20 years and has seen her share of contrasts in the quality of mold remediation services that restoration contractors provide to clients in her market. Amy says multiple times throughout our discussion that contractors need to do what they say they are going to do and to perform the job correctly the first time. She mentions this so many times that you can see she clearly has experience working with clients affected by poor workmanship and shares that she has been called in for litigation against contractors as well. 

Recommendations for contractors to elevate their remediation services Ensure you discuss and establish the expectations of the client prior to starting the work. Partnering with an environmental consultant can help to establish these procedures and alleviate liability for the mold remediation contractors. 

Know and follow industry best practices such as those outlined in the IICRC/ANSI S520 Standard for Professional Mold Remediation. Amy notes that many restoration contractors state that they follow the S520 and yet their protocols, estimates and end product do not reflect that they adhere to these guidelines. It is very helpful to have a contractor representative present at the time of the post mold remediation visual inspection and air sampling. If there happens to be some minor changes or touch ups, those can be addressed at that time which saves all parties additional time and effort. 

Thank you for listening to this video interview from The DYOJO between Jon Isaacson, The Intentional Restorer and Amy Siedlecki, The Mold Reporters. You can also see the video on our Youtube page and read the article from Restoration and Remediation (R&R) Magazine. 

* This episode is sponsored by Single Speed Screen Printing. Quality products, great services and competitive prices - https://www.singlespeedscreenprinting.com  

* Amy Siedlecki - https://www.mriec.com

* The Intentional Restorer - https://www.randrmagonline.com 

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The DYOJO Podcast Episode 6: Raymond Tittmann - Communication with Carriers  Raymond Tittmann, of Tittmann Weix, shares his perspectives on the unfolding response to COVID-19 as an insurance coverage and complex litigation specialist. 

We discuss Raymond’s background in the labyrinth of insurance coverage law and the complexities of coronavirus. These are interesting times in light of the first case of an insured suing their insurance company for business interruption coverage following the civil authority shutting down local businesses as well as President Trump sharing his opinions about what carriers should be doing to help their clients.  

As it relates to property restoration contractors providing services for COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 clean up, Raymond makes some solid observations:  

Thank you for listening to this video interview from The DYOJO between  Jon Isaacson, The Intentional Restorer and Raymond Tittmann, Tittmann Weix. You can also see the video on our Youtube page and read the article from Restoration and Remediation (R&R) Magazine.  

Raymond Tittmann - http://www.tittmannweix.com  

The DYOJO - https://www.thedyojo.com  

The Intentional Restorer - https://www.randrmagonline.com  

"Actionable" by Bensound.com

Legal implications for restoration contractors when considering COVID-19 response. 

For nearly 25 years, The Restoration Lawyer has been in the trenches helping contractors to do things the right way both through his legal practice as well as his extensive efforts in education. This last year, under the leadership of Restoration Industry Association (RIA) President Elect, Mark Springer, and his industry manifesto, Our Greatest Need, Ed has been a key figure in the RIA’s focus on advocacy. Mark outlined a seven step action plan which includes the formation of an Advocacy and Government Affairs (AGA) Committee, of which Ed is the founding chair, as well as the recently appointed Restoration Contractor Advocate. 

You’ll have to watch the video to get it directly from Ed, but advice number one was to stop the use of traditional work authorizations. Mr. Cross states, “Performing restoration work with the traditional work authorization is kind of like playing football wearing sandals. You can do it, but it’s not going to turn out very well.” Ed recommends actual contracts for payment, like contractors would typically use, which establish an obligation by the owner to pay the contractor for the work. 

Restoration professionals need to understand how much more vast, complex and extensive the legal issues and risk exposure are with coronavirus response, as opposed to other types of work. Contractors must define a clear value proposition to answer what the customer is getting for their payment. Ed notes that this is not like mold where it is easy to verify contamination and remediation with “before and after” photographs. Contractors must research products, techniques and verification processes prior to rushing into response. Monday morning lawyers who bring lawsuits against contractors will have the benefit of hindsight when bringing potential suits against restorers. 

Ed shares the importance of clarifying and documenting, “What you are doing, why you are doing it, how you are doing it, when you are doing it, and where you are doing it.” As essential for all projects, contractors must set up their files to diligently tell the story of the scope of work, prior conditions and response. 

Edward H. Cross - https://www.therestorationlawyer.com  

The DYOJO - https://www.thedyojo.com  

The Intentional Restorer - https://www.randrmagonline.com  

"Actionable" by Bensound.com