Head Heart & Boots

In this episode we’re back with Gokul Padmanabhan of Restoration Brokers of America. Gokul has facilitated more than $600M of restoration business transactions.    This is our second episode with Gokul and we take a little bit different direction with the conversation- some guiding principles for growing a high performance restoration business.    Gokul and his team get an up-c...

This episode is actually a follow-on episode from our last show, "Commander's Intent". As sales leaders, how do we handle ourselves when our team is struggling or we're in an extraordinary environment like Hurricane Ian? How do we effectively manage our client's expectations and perspective, while simultaneously supporting and encouraging our ops team. One thing is for sure- there's no profit in p...

Hi All, this is a special episode. Brandon started sharing some thoughts on battlefield leadership from his military experience, and I thought, "Holy cow, I have to record this. We have to make this an episode." I pretty much just stayed out of the way. Brandon spits straight fire as he talks about the responsibility and mindset of a great leader, when everything's at stake. Check it out, and you'...

In today's show we talk about our people's compensation. What if we were more proactive in granting raises to our people? And how do we maximize the perceived value of that raise? What is the role of generosity in managing compensation across our team? How do you keep it from getting out of control?    Thanks for listening! If you enjoy the podcast please be sure to leave a review, follo...

In this episode Chris and Brandon dive inside the mind of a leader. What should we be focused on each day? How should we be thinking about our people, and the work we do? What disciplines and systems do we need to create and hold people accountable to in order to provide the kind of work environment that is essential for our people to thrive? This and more on today's episode. Check it out and shar...

In our second episode with Jenny, we zero in on the "get sh*t done" culture of restoration. In a uniquely demanding industry, how do we manage and lead our people through its chaotic nature in a way that's sustainable and healthy? Is it grit we need? Or something a bit different.  This topic is something that Jenny and her team are thinking about a lot, and it led to a great convo that I...

For this week's show we invited Brandon Donatelli and Larry Nettles from Homee, a new technology platform that serves to digitize claims and simplify the process for policy-holders and contractors. We talked about the TPA landscape and how Homee is carving out a new niche in the insurtech space. Check it out! Thanks for listening! If you enjoy the podcast please be sure to leave a review, follow t...

In today's show, Brandon and I break down a new book Brandon' been reading by entrepreneur Ed Mylett. Maybe some of you have followed his work. His new book is called "The Power of One More" and we unpack some of the meaning for he and I, discuss how we can apply it to leadership and business development. It's an inspiring and ambitious chat. Check it out and let us know what you think of the...

In Part 1, Brandon and Chris talk through the first two agreements- Be Impeccable with Your Word & Don't Take Anything Personally-  and rap about them extensively both professionally and personally. The principles touch every aspect of our life if we're consciously living them out.  In Part 2, we dive into the last two agreements- Don't Make Assumptions, and Always Do Your Best....

If you've not read the book The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, today's show is a good place to start. This pair of shows hits on Floodlight's belief that as leaders, we need to first lead ourselves, before we attempt to lead others. We have to trust ourselves before we can expect to gain others' trust.  In Part 1, Brandon and Chris talk through the first two agreements- Be Impeccabl...

In today's show, Brandon and I get into the role of the project manager, and how we put on the right mindset and perspective on that role. Too often, we think of our PM's as simply managing our recon process, leading the timeline, coordinating subs, guarding the GP, etc. It is definitely those things, but the real job of a PM is much more mission critical. Brandon and I break down what the re...

Quiet quitting is a topic that's been all over business news headlines and people's LinkedIn feeds lately. In this episode, Chris and Brandon take the subject on and give their perspective on how it's showing up in the restoration industry, and what we can do to address it as leaders. Check out the show and let us know what you think-Shoot us a DM on LinkedIn. - Chris  Thanks for listening! I...

 In this episode, Brandon and I discuss a conversation I had with a construction executive a couple weekends back. We talk about one of the big mistakes we often make in promoting our employees into leadership roles, and the role that "desperation brain" plays  in it.  Thanks for listening! If you enjoy the podcast please be sure to leave a review, follow the show (don’t forget...

In this show with author and consultant Joey Coleman, we explore the 8 stages of customer experience, an important topic for our industry, but especially important because of how the 8 stages track with today's sales process in our industry.  Joey presents an incredibly straight-forward take on how to maximize the relationship we're building with our customers, how to drive referrals, and gro...

One of the greatest struggles we all have is finding and/or equipping team members to lead and to care about our businesses the same way we do as the owner or key leader. We become the ultimate choke point in our business as we attempt to own everything. We find ourselves exhausted, distracted and likely existing in some form of extreme survival mode. Instead of being laser focused on buildin...

As leaders we all have to fight the pull to be the smartest person in the room. Bringing our experience, insights and training to the table is critical however having the battle patience to ask good questions and silicate team participation is even more vital. Like many of you, Chris and I have made the mistake of taking over meetings or talking at our teams instead of leading an engaging con...

In this episode, Chris and Brandon talk digital marketing and lead-gen with Zach Garrett, a marketer and founder of Liftify, a turnkey marketing service that gathers reviews from your customers.  We talk about how to leverage your Google My Business profile, how to react to a bad review when they happen, and how to maximize the lead-gen that Google reviews can give your business.  Thanks...

Quite the title, right? Well, we do indeed talk about prison in this episode. It also contains 4 F-words, so beware if you're sensitive to salty language.  In this episode, Brandon shares a fascinating story and we discuss how it relates to leadership in our businesses. It's an incredible story.  Thanks for listening! If you enjoy the podcast please be sure to leave a review,&n...

In this episode Brandon and Chris dive into one of the biggest challenges we face when recruiting new team members- uncovering the truth about what they  are and  are not going to bring to the team or the role we're hiring them for.  How do we get a clearer picture of a potential employee before we bring them onto the team? Especially when all of us have been trained from a young ag...

Thanks for listening! If you enjoy the podcast please be sure to leave a review , follow the show (don’t forget to turn on your notifications!) and share with a friend . Your continued support is what makes this mission possible. Thank you sponsors! Xcelerate Restoration Software Xcelerate is an innovative restoration job management solution that brings many of the tools you need to succeed into a...

In this show, Chris and Brandon talk technician training and development. How do we invest in our technician's growth, if we know they're likely to leave in just a couple years? What is the role of certifications in a tech's development?  We also spent time talking about the struggle to hire techs in the first place, as well as how to keep the door open for techs to return back to your compan...

Let downs. Disappointments. They're a universal experience in life. We all have them, often. Brandon and I process through a recent disappointment, a deal that didn't come together, and talk about handling failures in general. As leaders, the way we handle disappointments and failures, will largely influence how our people handle it. Do we want to react from our emotions and head stories, or do we...

Today's show is a re-cast from the Blue Collar Nation Podcast with Eric Sprague and Larry Wilburton. If you listened to our show with them earlier this year, you'll love this episode as well. These guys are so much fun, and as usual the four of us get real honest, real quick.  Thanks for listening! If you enjoy the podcast please be sure to leave a review , follow the show (don’t forget to tu...

Jenny Vandehey is the Vice President of Culture and Experience at First Onsite, one of the largest disaster restoration brands in the world. She is also a long time branding and marketing executive. And a doula (google it). And an herbalist.  I was curious to know more about Jenny's role at First Onsite. It's a unique title/role in our industry, and I really admire them for making. And you ca...

Here's a special episode where Brandon and I talk mid-life, priorities, the mental gymnastics of being an owner, considering our purpose.  Thanks for listening! If you enjoy the podcast please be sure to leave a review , follow the show (don’t forget to turn on your notifications!) and share with a friend . Your continued support is what makes this mission possible. Thank you sponsors! Xceler...