Restoration Today

What does 45+ years in restoration teach you? A lot. In this episode, industry veteran David A. Olson—consultant, mentor, and retired leader—breaks down the biggest transformations he’s seen since entering the restoration world in 1979. We cover: How the industry has changed in people, profits, and ROI What healthy year-over-year growth really looks like Independent vs. franchise models (and the b...

Garret Gray, President of Global Insurance Solutions at  Cotality , breaks down the current state and future of the industry. From navigating recent dips in claim volumes to the massive shift from paper to digital—including advanced AI and image analytics for estimating—this is a must-listen for contractors. Garret provides practical advice on how to diversify, use technology to capture market sha...

What’s it really like to run a business with your spouse? In season 2, episode 9 of Chasing the Vision, brought to you in partnership with  Exit Strategies 360  and  Violand Management Associates , we sit down with Katie Smith, CEO of  PHC Restoration , to unpack the real dynamics of building a company—and a marriage—at the same time. From defining roles and separating finances to protecting the r...

In this episode of Restoration Today, we sit down with Matt Hensley, the newly appointed President of  CORE Group , to talk about leadership, collaboration, and the future of the restoration industry. Matt shares his journey from insurance adjusting to leading one of the most influential networks connecting independent restoration contractors and insurance carriers. He opens up about what makes th...

From parachutes to project sites — meet Chris Kushmaul, a U.S. Army veteran turned restoration business owner. In this special Veterans Day episode of Restoration Today, Chris, U.S. Army veteran and owner of a  Restoration 1 franchise  in Metro Detroit, shares how the lessons of discipline, teamwork, and mission focus from his military service built the foundation for success in the restoration in...

In this Restoration Today episode, we sit down with Yvonne Vanbibber, General Manager of  Blue Kangaroo Packoutz of Cincinnati & Dayton , to explore the emotional and logistical side of contents restoration.   From hoarding situations to heavy-loss homes, Yvonne shares how her unique background helps her lead with empathy, communication, and care. She discusses: The emotional realities behind...

Grab a drink and join Phil & Michelle for another Happy Hour with one of the industry’s top leaders — Jeff Moore, President of the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) and President and Chief Acquisitions Officer at ATI Restoration. Jeff shares the remarkable story of how his family’s abatement business evolved into a national restoration powerhouse. From defining roles in a family company t...

Welcome back to the brand new dynamic and practical video tip series designed to help restoration professionals overcome common team challenges and drive consistent, high-quality results. Erik Berglund, expert and founder of  The Language of Leadership , in collaboration with  RTILearning.com,  presents “How to Get Your Team to Do the Thing.” This series offers actionable insights on building high...

From Firefighting to Founding a Movement — Dave Heimbach joins us to share the inspiring story behind  Helpful Heroes . What started as an idea to help off-duty firefighters earn extra income has become a nationwide network of trusted handyman services. Through Helpful Heroes, firefighters connect directly with homeowners needing help around the house — bringing reliability, integrity, and peace o...

Welcome back to Season 2, Episode 8 of Chasing the Vision — brought to you in partnership with  Exit Strategies 360  and  Violand Management Associates ! This episode is part two of our deep dive into the variables of a deal. In the last episode, we broke down key terminology to help you feel more confident and informed during the deal-making process. Today, we’re taking it a step further — gettin...

Meet Michelle and Jorge Gutierrez, owners of  SERVPRO Team Gutierrez ! From humble beginnings to winning Franchise of the Year, their story is one of resilience, leadership, and people-first culture. In this episode, Michelle and Jorge share how they’ve grown a 70-person team by staying true to five core values: Great teamwork Effective communication Responsiveness & resourcefulness Celebratin...

Big News from  Floodlight Consulting Group ! The team is stepping into a brand-new chapter — and we’re bringing you along for the journey. In this episode, we’re sharing some major updates from Floodlight Consulting Group! What does this mean for Floodlight? What’s next for the Head Heart & Boots podcast? And how do we find balance in a season of change? Tune in as Brandon Reece and Chris Nord...

In this episode, two volunteers for the RIA Legislative Task Force, Vince Scarfo, COO of  Clear Team , and Justin Woodard, Owner and CEO of  Woodard Cleaning and Restoration , break down the key legal and regulatory issues impacting the restoration industry right now. From unfair price gouging laws to the absence of a unique NAICS code, restorers across the country are facing challenges that many...

Michelle sits down with David Grove, owner and founder of  BYLT Restoration , at The Collective, to talk about how he's integrating AI into daily operations, what’s coming next with BYLT’s AI-powered newsletters and videos, how to improve your prompts with AI, the top AI tools and social media follows he recommends, and MORE! Don't miss this insightful conversation! Sign up for the newslet...

Kenneth Klein, law professor at California Western School of Law and former defense attorney, joins the podcast to unpack his groundbreaking paper, " The Case for Pausing Any Immediate Embrace of the Social Inflation Argument for Legal System Reforms."  In this conversation, Professor Klein shares how a personal disaster led him to study catastrophe insurance, why the "social inflat...

In this special episode of Restoration Today, Michelle sat down with Allen Reid at The Collective to talk about the heart behind restoration, his role as Director of Client Relations at  Dwyer Restoration , how to pivot sales strategies when the industry slows down, favorite takeaway from The Collective, and MORE!

“Main Street Restorer” is a new inspiring video series showcasing real-world challenges and practical advice from seasoned broker, Gokul Padmanabhan of  Restoration Brokers of America , helping entrepreneurs discover innovative solutions and strategies for success. Journey with Gokul as he shares stories and wisdom on helping Main Street Restorers grow, thrive, and prepare for the future – whateve...

In this episode, we sit down with Dan Claps, CEO, and John Ortega, GM, at  Voda Cleaning & Restoration  to explore what sets their franchise apart in today’s competitive market. From their growing national network to the unique challenges franchisees are facing—and overcoming—we dig into what makes Voda different. You’ll hear about standout jobs, the demographics driving their workforce, where...

In this episode, we sit down with Skip Jankoski, owner of  Purified Environments , to unpack the intersection of mold remediation, indoor air quality, and public health. Skip shares his perspective on the latest NIH updates, the unique needs of sensitized individuals, and how evolving science—and even climate change—are reshaping industry standards. From busting dangerous mold myths to highlightin...

Thinking about selling your restoration business? In this episode of Chasing the Vision, in partnership with Exit Strategies 360 and Violand Management Associates, Michelle, JT Kraai, and Tim Hull break down the real deal structure variables you need to know—cash, rollover equity, notes, earnouts, and more. Learn why all-cash exits are rare, why post-sale involvement often matters, and how to posi...

In this episode of RestoreAI, we’re joined by David Grove from  BYLT Restoration  to explore Notebook LLM — a powerful, source-driven AI that creates reports, videos, podcasts, timelines, study guides, and more from your uploaded content (not random internet searches). Key Takeaways: How Notebook LLM avoids AI “hallucinations” by relying strictly on your sources. Real-world demo: Adding content fr...

In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Buttenham, Co-Founder of  Reins  and co-author of Alternative Equity: The Owner’s Guide to Phantom Stock & Modern Incentives. Chris breaks down how business owners can retain and inspire top talent without giving up ownership—using modern incentive models like phantom stock. We cover: What phantom stock is and how it compares to equity or profit-sharing T...

Welcome back to the brand new dynamic and practical video tip series designed to help restoration professionals overcome common team challenges and drive consistent, high-quality results. Erik Berglund, expert and founder of  The Language of Leadership , in collaboration with  RTILearning.com,  presents “How to Get Your Team to Do the Thing.” This series offers actionable insights on building high...

Insurance can make or break a restoration business. In this episode, David Dybdahl of ARMR Network dives into the evolution of specialized insurance for restoration contractors and why mold-related risks and pollution liability coverage matter more than ever. In this episode:✔️ Why specialized contractor pollution liability insurance is essential✔️ How frequent policy changes can leave you exposed...

Rising rebuild costs. Tighter insurance markets. Labor shortages. A volatile storm season. In this Market Update, Tim Hull, of  Violand Management Associates , shares insights from his article “Secret Sauce” and covers: Why discipline beats “easy button” fixes Cash flow strategies for CAT season KPIs contractors must track weekly How to retain and empower teams under pressure The biggest opportuni...