Restoration Pros Unplugged

AI is changing the way restoration companies operate, and WonderBuilt Restoration is already putting it to work. In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged, Clinton James talks with Raul Gonzalez, owner of WonderBuilt in Tucson, AZ, about how AI tools and remote oversight are helping him streamline operations as the company grows. Raul explains how he listened to our interview with James Hatfie...

In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged, Clinton James sits down with Claire Carreras an entrepreneur known for taking broken home-service teams and turning them into high-performing operations. Claire shares her unusual path into restoration, her experiences at Paul Davis and Servpro, and the leadership lessons she learned while rebuilding departments, launching new service divisions, and n...

In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged, Clinton sits down with Ben Justesen, one of the restoration industry’s top minds in estimating and pricing strategy. Ben’s journey, from growing his family’s company, Just Right Cleaning & Construction (JRCC), into an award-winning restoration firm to leading national training programs and now shaping technology at DocuSketch offers lessons every...

When every minute counts in restoration, getting eyes on the loss fast can make or break a job. In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged, Clinton James sits down with James Hatfield, CRO of LiveSwitch, to explore how simple, app-free video links are transforming how restoration companies handle intake, documentation, and customer communication. James shares how LiveSwitch—originally built for...

In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged , host Clinton James sits down with Scott Miller, founder of The Growth League, to unpack his incredible journey from rookie franchisee to independent restoration owner and now successful business coach. Scott shares how he built a top-performing restoration business, scaled it, and sold it, all while learning the hard lessons that most owners don’t fi...

In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged, Clinton James sits down with Jeff Carrier, Co-Founder and CEO of Restoration ERP, to talk about how restoration companies can use technology to win more commercial work and how the new ERP Copilot AI is changing the game. Jeff breaks down how most restorers have handled commercial disaster planning in the past, why ERPs are key to landing “first call”...

In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged, host Clinton James (CMO, Water Restoration Marketing) sits down with Chris Nordyke, President & Co-Owner of Floodlight Consulting Group, to unpack the sales and marketing KPIs that separate thriving restoration companies from those just getting by. Pulled from a powerful live session hosted by WRM and Floodlight, this episode breaks down how to tr...

Finding and keeping the right people can make or break a restoration business. In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged, host Clinton James sits down with Mitchell Riley, Recruiter and Partner at OPS Staffing, to unpack what works and what doesn’t when it comes to hiring in the restoration industry. Mitchell shares practical recruiting strategies that restoration company owners can use right...

Cash flow is one of the biggest challenges restoration companies face. Insurance claims can take weeks or even months to pay out, leaving contractors scrambling to cover payroll, materials, and overhead. For many, this delay means turning down jobs, slowing growth, or dipping into personal funds just to stay afloat. In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged, Clinton James sits down with Ilana...

In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged, Clinton James (CMO, Water Restoration Marketing) sits down with Leah Hanlon (Franchise Sales & Business Development, 1-Tom-Plumber & Icon Property Rescue) to unpack exactly how restoration companies can land more commercial contracts in 2025. If you’ve struggled to break into the commercial market or you’re ready to scale past residential feas...

In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged , Clinton James sits down with Holly Baldwin, Senior Customer Success Manager at DocuSketch, to uncover how restoration companies can transform an advanced documentation tool into a powerful sales and marketing engine. Holly shares her journey from her early days at Servpro to becoming a key leader at DocuSketch, where she now helps restoration profess...

What does it take to move from working insurance claims to running one of Texas’ most trusted restoration companies while also launching a platform to educate the entire industry? In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged, host Clinton James sits down with Ben Jernigan, owner of WTR Restoration and founder of DrMoisture.com, a new educational hub for homeowners, agents, and adjusters. With ove...

In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged , host Clinton James sits down with Leah Hanlon , one of the nation’s top restoration sales leaders at Icon Property Rescue and now VP of Franchise Sales for 1-Tom-Plumber . Leah reveals how she’s helping entrepreneurs merge restoration and plumbing into unstoppable growth machines. In this episode, you’ll discover: Leah’s journey from dominating resto...

In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged , host Clinton James interviews Chris Nordyke, President and Co-founder of Floodlight Consulting Group, to unpack what it really takes to build and scale high-performing sales teams in the restoration industry. With deep industry experience and a passion for business growth, Chris shares the foundational strategies behind Floodlight’s success and how t...

In this power-packed episode, Clinton James sits down with Amy Levine, owner of Bright Side Restoration, who built one of Long Island’s most respected restoration businesses from scratch. Amy pulls back the curtain on her early challenges, how she scaled with purpose, and the systems that helped her stay sane in the chaos. Whether you're running a solo crew or managing a multi-location team,...

In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged , Clinton James sits down with Rocky Hensley, founder of ICON Property Rescue and the visionary behind 1-Tom-Plumber, to unpack a bold strategy that’s helping restoration companies secure more commercial restoration work—fast. After building and selling a successful restoration company, Rocky saw the writing on the wall: shrinking margins, too much rel...

In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged, host Clinton James sits down with Ryan Schrader, Director of Local SEO at Water Restoration Marketing, to break down how restoration companies are winning more jobs in 2025 with Google Local Service Ads. Ryan shares the biggest updates to LSAs this year, why some campaigns deliver consistent, high-quality calls while others bleed budget, and the exact...

In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged, host Clinton James sits down with JP Koenig from RocketLevel Commercial to break down how restoration companies can finally crack the code on landing commercial jobs. JP shares how his background in corporate sales led him to a big realization: most restoration companies are great at the work—but struggle to consistently get in front of commercial dec...

In this game-changing episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged , hosts Clinton James and Bobby Thomas sit down with James Longley, founder of Gorilla Truck Box, to unpack how one man’s hands-on frustration in the field became a revolutionary leap forward for the restoration industry. James shares how years of inefficiency, disorganized gear, and insecure vehicles in water, fire, and mold restoration...

Ready to unlock more local leads and inbound calls in 2025—without burning cash on ads or relying on lead vendors? In this exclusive webinar replay, Clinton James, Chief Marketing Officer at Water Restoration Marketing, walks you through the 2025 Google Maps Playbook designed specifically for water damage restoration companies. In approximately 30 minutes, Clinton breaks down the latest Google Bus...

In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged , Clinton James sits down with Nikole Mackenzie, Founder and CEO of Momentum Accounting, to break down how restoration businesses can turn financial mess into momentum. Nikole shares how her team helps owners gain control of cash flow, clean up chaotic books, and implement systems that scale—all through a modern, outsourced accounting model built speci...

In this episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged , hosts Clinton James and Bobby Thomas tackle one of the biggest challenges facing restoration business owners today: hiring and retaining skilled technicians in an increasingly competitive labor market. Bobby, CEO of Extreme Services, shares what’s actually working for his team—from creative recruiting tactics to culture-building strategies that keep...

In this brutally honest episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged , Clinton James sits down with Bobby Thomas, CEO of Extreme Services, to unpack the evolving challenges of working with Third Party Administrators (TPAs) in 2025. From delayed payments to unrealistic SLAs and inconsistent claim volume, this episode dives deep into the operational and financial landmines that restoration contractors face...

In this special replay of a recent webinar, Clinton James, Chief Marketing Officer at Water Restoration Marketing, reveals the 2025 SEO & GEO strategy that’s helping restoration businesses rank higher, dominate local markets, and generate more emergency calls—without relying solely on paid ads. This 30-minute session breaks down the real impact of Google’s 2025 algorithm changes and how new te...

In this inspiring episode of Restoration Pros Unplugged , host Clinton James sits down with Jafet Orozco, a rising star in the restoration world. At just 22 years old, Jafet is the proud owner of Portland NW Water Damage Restoration , a fast-growing restoration company serving the Portland, OR area. Jafet shares his incredible journey from life before restoration to founding his own company alongs...