The Elevator Careers Podcast

Today's guest is Jeremy Wooden, Business Manager of IUEC Local 93 in Nashville, Tennessee. Jeremy's life took a devastating turn after a tree trimming accident that left him a double amputee. Through faith, determination, and the unwavering support of his elevator union brothers, Jeremy found a way to get back to work and to a life he's proud to live. In this episode, we discussed how union membership, resilience, and perspective helped Jeremy to overcome this life-altering challenge.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Intro
• 1:22 Jeremy’s HVAC background
• 3:27 Transition from HVAC business owner to elevator trade
• 05:35 Jeremy's life-changing tree trimming accident
• 8:42 Faith and perspective on his accident
• 11:16 The mentality aspect of pain
• 13:23 The impact of the union’s brotherhood
• 15:10 Learning to walk with prosthetic legs
• 17:54 The ability to help others
• 18:45 The difference the union’s health benefits made
• 19:50 mentorship, purpose, and pride in the work
• 22:19 A changed perspective on society
• 26:43 Handling misconceptions about military service and injury
• 29:08 Jeremy’s advice about union and trade careers
• 32:49 Closing remarks
• 33:09 Outro

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroup
Join our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOM

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today's guest is Johnny LaSalle, COO of Mod Pros Elevator, and an industry leader with experience both in the field and in management. In this interview, we dove into current issues surrounding preventative maintenance, from overloaded service routes and growing financial pressures to why some modern elevators require modernization so soon. We also discussed essential steps to strengthen the partnership between property managers and elevator contractors.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:24 Changes in the elevator industry over the last 15-20 years
• 02:24 Financial pressures and technology challenges in maintenance
• 02:55 Customer perceptions and the visibility of mechanics
• 04:15 Market pricing, competition, and cost management
• 06:11 Variability in repair costs and equipment obsolescence
• 07:24 Challenges with modern elevator components and safety
• 08:12 Setting proper expectations with property owners
• 10:00 The importance of proactive maintenance and pride in work
• 13:42 The impact of design and technology on rope and component lifespan
• 18:00 Profitability in elevator maintenance and the role of good service
• 20:48 Newer modernization windows based on value engineering
• 21:31 Obsolescence of elevator components and technological change
• 25:17 Maintenance effects on the mod cycle
• 26:00 Proprietary vs nonproprietary equipment
• 27:48 Effects of design and component choices on maintenance cycles
• 32:24 Example of equipment starting to fail
• 34:17 Key questions for property managers to ask elevator contractors
• 37:20 Building trust and partnership through transparency and education
• 40:03 Closing remarks
• 40:44 Outro

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroup
Join our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOM

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

In this episode, Monika Stypulkowska proves that you don't need decades in an industry to make an impact. Monika arrived in the United States with no prior elevator knowledge and just six years later founded Alfa Elevators. With curiosity, relentless persistence, and a commitment to serving customers, she overcame obstacles, earned trust in a male-dominated field, and built a respectable business. In this conversation, Monika shares what it's like to build an elevator business, why persistence beats experience, and how putting customers first has become the foundation of her company's success.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:44 Monika’s journey to America and entrepreneurial spirit
• 02:58 Discovering the elevator industry
• 03:30 Choosing an unfamiliar career path
• 04:07 Overcoming doubts and challenges
• 05:40 Being underestimated and building trust
• 06:36 Solving an “unsolvable” problem: determined to find a way
• 10:06 Customer care essential methods
• 12:41 Hardest lessons early in business ownership
• 15:47 What separates thriving industry professionals
• 17:21 Building trust with property managers and your own team
• 21:18 Advice to younger self and goals
• 24:00 Outro

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroup
Join our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOM

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

If implemented, ISO 8100 elevator code could have a major impact on the future of elevator standards and regulation in North America. But what exactly is being proposed, and what could it mean?

In this livestream, I met with Don Gelestino, John Koshak, and David Guerin. We discussed ISO 8100 and A17.1, the differences between the two standards and the questions surrounding this potential change. We’ll discuss what could be at stake for elevator safety, manufacturers and companies, and other stakeholders, as well as concerns around maintenance, inspection, proprietary equipment, documentation, capacity and accountability. We’ll also look at whether changing the standards would actually address safety challenges and discuss alternative approaches to these issues. 

This discussion is intended to explore concerns surrounding elevator codes and what elevator professionals & companies, regulators, and building owners should know as the conversation develops.

Article written by David Guerin & John Koshak about this proposed code change, published in Elevator World Magazine: https://elevatorworld.com/article/the-case-for-a-federal-elevator-safety-floor/

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroup
Join our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOM

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today’s guest is general contractor Zane Andersson, who's spent decades coordinating projects that depend on successful elevator installations. In this conversation, he offers an external view of elevator projects: what general contractors appreciate from elevator companies, where projects often go wrong, and how communication can prevent costly mistakes. This conversation shares valuable ways that contractors, project managers, and elevator companies can build stronger partnerships.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:18 Experience as a General Contractor
• 03:52 The Most Costly Elevator Mistake Zane Witnessed
• 06:27 Requirements for Elevator to be Emergency Egress
• 08:40 How it Could Have been Caught Sooner
• 10:16 Lessons for Architects, Owners and Developers
• 12:15 Why Elevator Problems Show Up Late in a Project
• 14:57 Percentage of Elevator Projects That Cost More Than Expected
• 17:11 The Difference a Pre-Inspection Makes
• 18:53 The Headaches Caused by Elevator Issues
• 19:55 How Building Owners Accidentally Create Elevator Problems
• 21:37 Flipper vs Owner Mindset
• 23:56 Innovative Solutions for Accessibility…A Decade Late
• 29:54 How Much a Project’s Success Depends on Relationships
• 31:46 What Companies Could Change
• 34:17 The Way Toward Better Collaboration with the Elevator Trade
• 38:13 Outro

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroup
Join our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOM

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

AI is changing how businesses operate, and the elevator industry isn't immune. In this live conversation, I met with Jonathan Taub, President of Fieldboss, who has over twenty years of experience in software strategy, implementation, and customer success running high-performing operations. We discussed what AI means for elevator professionals and companies, what opportunities and concerns are emerging, and how it could affect company valuations, job responsibilities, and the value of employees’ skills.
The goal of this conversation is to clarify: where an elevator company should start with AI, what risks companies should consider before adopting new technology, and what AI could mean for your business, your skills, and your career.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Intro: AI and the Elevator Industry
• 00:54 Jonathan’s Journey Into Software and Elevators
• 07:03 How AI Has Changed Since the NAEC Conference
• 10:28 Why Elevator Companies Need to Pay Attention to AI
• 12:35 What AI Means
• 14:24 AI Governance, Security, and Guardrails
• 20:26 What AI Can Do for Elevator Companies 
• 23:22 The Future of AI, IoT, and Predictive Maintenance
• 26:19 Where AI Can Have the Biggest Impact
• 31:00 AI Opportunities for Independent and Large Contractors
• 34:33 AI Adoption Starts With Operations
• 38:01 Making Technology Transformations Work
• 42:59 AI, Technology, and Elevator Company Valuations
• 45:51 How AI Could Change Elevator Careers
• 49:18 The Human Skills That Will Matter More
• 52:16 How Elevator Companies Can Start Using AI

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroup
Join our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOM

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today, I’m joined by Evelyn Adams, General Manager of Texacone, whose career is a great example of what can happen when you’re willing to learn, step up, and do whatever needs to be done. Evelyn began her career as an accounts payable clerk and, through hard work, curiosity, and a willingness to take on new challenges, eventually worked her way into leadership.
 In this conversation, we talk about her career journey, what makes the elevator industry feel like a family, and her creation of Elevator 101 to help newcomers better understand the industry. This is a conversation about curiosity, lifelong learning, and the opportunities that can open up when you're willing to keep growing.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Evelyn Adams
 03:59 Discovering the Elevator Industry
 07:26 The Birth of Elevator 101
 10:35 Career Growth and Learning
 12:26 Overcoming Limitations Without a Degree
 16:15 The Importance of Knowing Who to Ask
 17:51 Traditions and Values of Texacone
 18:40 Private Equity in the Elevator Industry
 20:16 Women in the Elevator Industry
 22:27 Opportunities for Women Today
 23:54 Advice for Newcomers to the Industry

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroup
Join our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOM

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today’s guest is Bernard Lee, a longtime property manager who has spent more than thirty years working with elevator service companies. He's seen the value of having technicians who know a building inside and out, and he's also seen what happens when that continuity disappears. In this conversation, we discuss trends he’s seen in elevator service over the years, why technician turnover matters so much to customers, and how mentorship can strengthen the industry as a whole.

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 01:13 - How Elevator Service Has Changed Over 30 Years
• 02:37 - The Customer Impact of Technician Turnover
• 04:04 - Why Long-Term Technicians Know a Building Differently
• 07:25 - What Constant Turnover Signals to Customers
• 09:01 - When Turnover Creates Costly Problems
• 10:19 - Why Mentorship Is Critical to the Elevator Industry
• 12:33 - What Makes a Great Mentor?
• 16:34 - What the Elevator Industry Loses When Experience Walks Away
• 19:27 - Hands-On Learning
• 22:33 - How Elevator Companies Can Rebuild Customer Relationships
• 24:21 - Building the Next Generation of Elevator Technicians

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroup
Join our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOM

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today's guest is Lee Gray, an architectural historian whose career took an unexpected turn when a graduate school research paper sparked a lifelong fascination with elevators. More than forty years later, he has become one of the world's leading authorities on the history of vertical transportation. His research has been featured by National Geographic, CBS Sunday Morning, and the History Channel, and today he joins us to explore how elevators transformed cities, real estate, and everyday transportation.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Intro
• 1:19 Lee’s Journey to Becoming an Elevator Historian
• 6:15 Impact on Life and Career
• 8:25 The Impact of Elevators on Urban Development
• 10:05 The Relationship Between Skyscrapers and the Modern Elevator
• 13:55 The Economic Shift in Real Estate
• 17:39 The Importance of Safety Devices in Elevators
• 23:00 Evolution of Elevator Safety Systems
• 26:27 Innovations in Elevator Technology
• 28:45 Global Elevator Revolution
• 33:02 Cultural Perspectives on Elevator Design
• 35:28 The Shift in Elevator Industry Leadership
• 39:00 The Success of Early Elevator Pioneers
• 40:03 Today’s Societal Issues with Elevators
• 41:39 Essential Takeaways from Early Elevators
• 44:27 Outro

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroup
Join our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOM

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today's guest is Lee Rigby, an elevator code expert who has spent more than 55 years in the elevator industry as a mechanic, contractor, inspector, instructor, consultant, and now expert witness. In this episode, Lee shares insights from decades of interpreting and teaching elevator codes and explains some of the industry's most common misconceptions about modernization and code compliance. We also discussed what years of expert witness work have taught him about the role safety practices and documentation play when accidents lead to litigation.

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Introduction
• 02:17 - Working on aircraft carrier elevators
• 04:04 - The complexity of elevator codes and evolving standards
• 08:28 - A practical definition of modernization
• 10:02 - The importance of proper documentation
• 11:45 - A code puzzle: the Citrus Tower
• 13:50 - Handling old equipment with missing records
• 16:50 - Code interpretations
• 19:13 - Solving code puzzles and continuous learning
• 22:12 - Code puzzle: Fire service upgrade
• 23:38 - Human nature with accidents and litigation
• 25:17 - Mechanics’ mistakes during deposition
• 26:33 - Critical safety checks for door forces
• 30:37 - The significance of documenting and safety measures
• 32:38 - Most memorable expert witness cases
• 37:01 - The risks of skipping safety procedures
• 40:45 - Shortcuts during inspections and maintenance
• 42:36 - What separates excellent documentation
• 44:44 - Case study: documentation gaps
• 46:34 - What the industry still needs to learn about code and safety
• 48:07 - The roles Lee has peformed: lessons from a well-rounded career
• 51:06 - Lee’s ongoing passion for the industry

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroup
Join our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOM

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com