Head Heart & Boots

 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...

As commercial business becomes a bigger focus for more and more restoration companies, the topic of ERP's, PRP's, MSA's and other multi-site service agreements is becoming a more active conversation across the industry.  During this show with Jeff Carrier, we get into his background as a restoration BDM going after commercial business, and why he ultimately decided to build his own tool...

In this episode Brandon and Chris meet Jeremy Reets, the godfather of training techs in the restoration business. Jeremy's been interviewed a gazillion times since starting Reets Drying Academy, but in this show, we take some unexpected turns with him. In particular, we talk about the family origins of the business. How did Jeremy's dad manage the boys once they were working in the famil...

In today's show we take a serious look at what digital marketing actually means to our business. What the current tools and resources allow us to do to expand our reach and grow our sales. Rico provides some key insights on how to simplify our approach and make these tools far less intimidating. Strap in and let's dive into it! Thanks for listening! If you enjoy the podcast please be sure to leave...

In this episode, Chris and Brandon sit down with a restoration industry veteran and innovator, Tom McGuire. We talk about how he first got into the restoration trade, why he started Large Loss Mastery, and what he loves about the business. We also talk about the software solution he co-founded, The Edge Plus 2.0, and get into how it's changing the large loss game and helping companies win mor...

In this show, Chris and Brandon compare their fitness journeys, the highs and lows, along with how working out and nutrition have affected their work and leadership.  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...

In this episode we talk to Trisha Welstad, founder of the Leadership Center, where she coaches leaders and executives through transition and change. Trisha has her doctorate in Leadership and Global Perspectives from Portland Seminary, and today oversees the doctoral program and leads the Institute for Pastoral and Congregational Thriving.  During our chat we talk abo...

Chris and Brandon are joined by Daniel Pink, author of 4 New York Times best-selling books, including Drive, To Sell is Human, and A Whole New Mind, and When. Daniel also delivered a top 10 most-viewed TED Talk called, "The Puzzle of Motivation," which has racked up more than 28 million views.  Listen in while we chat with Dan about his newest book, The Power of Regret, and  learn how&nb...

Sometimes changing the question we ask or the approach we take to solve problems ultimately leads us to a whole new world of possibilities. All our experiences, backgrounds and stories color our perspectives in beautiful ways AND can begin shaping the outcome we expect even before we take any significant action. By pausing our problem solving activity and asking ourselves (or someone els...

In today's show Brandon and I hang out with Kevin Miller, the host of the Ziglar Show, True Life, and What Drives You podcasts. https://kevinmiller.co 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!...

In this episode Brandon and Chris chat about the thoughts we have. How many of our bad reactions, bad attitudes, and poor behaviors are simply a result of us believing the thoughts that pop into our heads? Can we improve our effectiveness by considering and questioning our thoughts? During the show, we talk about author and therapist Byron Katie. She suggests four questions we can use to interroga...

In this episode Chris and Brandon talk to Garrett Stier about his company that makes high quality, portable power stations. Garrett talks about how he's intentionally engineered and set up the company for his own happiness and personal fulfillment. A fun conversation and one that any business owner will appreciate. How often are we just mindlessly trying to grow our companies bigger and bigger eac...

  In this episode Brandon and I hear the origin story of the Blue Collar Nation boys, Eric Sprague and Larry Wilburton, and their training platform SuperTech University (formally known as Morning Tech Meeting).  We dive deep on the importance of soft skill training with our technicians- how most of us spend money to get our techs all the appropriate certifications and technical trai...