Restoration Today

Severe convective storms are quietly becoming the biggest driver of insurance losses—and most people don’t even realize it. In this episode, Jon Schneyer of  Cotality  breaks down why hail, wind, and tornadoes are now outpacing hurricanes, what makes these storms so costly, and why “invisible” damage is a growing problem for property owners and contractors alike. From the surprising spread of stor...

What does it take to build a team that lasts in restoration? Jon Vogt and John Warnick, of  BluSky , share how they’ve stayed aligned for 15+ years—through growth, acquisitions, and change—by hiring for fit, leading with honesty, and protecting their culture.

In this episode, we sit down with Gokul Padmanabhan, the founder of the newly rebranded  Restoration Advisors of America , to break down what’s really happening in 2026. From a slowdown in M&A activity to the rise of tech-driven private equity, the landscape is shifting in ways every restoration business owner needs to understand. We explore the concept of K-shaped consolidation, why investors...

What does it take to build a restoration company that doesn’t rely on you? In this episode of The Restoration Master Class, in partnership with DocuSketch, special guests Ben Justesen, Enterprise Solutions Consultant at  DocuSketch  and Chris Laney, Senior Consultant at  Midwest Remediation , break down how to move from owner-dependent to system-driven—with clear processes, better documentation, a...

What happens when a family-run restoration business outgrows its limits? DJ McCabe shares how he helped scale  McCabe Restoration , navigated a family exit, and built  Endurant Disaster Recovery  into a growing Southeast platform—without losing what made it successful in the first place.

What actually makes a restoration company valuable?  In this episode of Chasing the Vision, in partnership with  Violand Management Associates,  Garrett Sigler, a former CFO in construction and restoration, explains why financial discipline is the foundation of enterprise value. Too many companies rely on assumptions, outdated spreadsheets, and incomplete data—leading to poor decisions and cash fl...

What happens when you launch two businesses at the same time—and scale to $7M? In this episode, Coral Martin, owner of  1-Tom-Plumber Space Coast , shares how she built a powerful combination of plumbing + restoration services to drive growth, efficiency, and consistent lead flow. From leveraging franchise support to integrating dispatch and office teams, Coral breaks down what’s working right now...

AI isn’t slowing down—it’s accelerating. In this episode of RestorAI, David Grove, of  BYLT Restoration , and Michelle break down the explosion of AI agents, the race to build massive data centers, and why some experts believe white-collar jobs could be reshaped in the next 18 months. From tools like Claude and autonomous “coworkers” to real-world use cases in restoration businesses, we explore wh...

Cash flow is tightening, deductibles are rising, and insurance is shifting—so how are smart restoration companies staying ahead? In this episode of Restoration Today, Nate Cisney of  Restoration Made Simple  breaks down why financing is becoming a game-changer for restorers. From closing jobs faster to getting paid in 24 hours, we explore how adopting financing—and rethinking your sales approach—c...

What’s next for restoration estimating—and how is AI changing the game? 👀In this episode of the Restoration Today podcast, David Obert from Verisk Property Estimating Solutions breaks down the latest innovations shaping the industry. We also dive into:✔ The Line Item Advisor and smarter estimating with natural language✔ ExactPulse and how your performance stacks up against the market✔ Verisk’s pu...

Are you seeing your business clearly—or just what you think is happening? In this episode of Chasing the Vision, Michelle and Tim Hull, of  Violand Management Associates,  break down the hidden danger of operating on assumptions instead of reality. They explore how familiarity, filtered information, and even good intentions can keep owners in the dark—and why objective data, transparency, and radi...

Welcome to the Mini Motivation series with JT Kraai of  Exit Strategies 360! In this short series, JT shares quick, practical insights on mergers and acquisitions in the restoration industry—from evolving deal structures to how owners can start preparing their companies today. In this episode, he explains how earnouts are reshaping restoration deals, why they’re being used more often, and what con...

Welcome to this Meet the Candidates conversation with Josh Miller, President, Rainbow Restoration . We encourage you to watch ALL the Meet the Candidate interviews to get to know each of them and what they bring to the table. Our goal is for each of them to be 10 minutes or less! There are 3 candidates total for this year’s election (Josh Miller, DJ McCabe, and Joe Scroggins), and one open board s...

Welcome to this Meet the Candidates conversation with DJ McCabe, president of McCabe Restoration and Endurant Disaster Recovery . We encourage you to watch ALL the Meet the Candidate interviews to get to know each of them and what they bring to the table. Our goal is for each of them to be 10 minutes or less! There are 3 candidates total for this year’s election (Josh Miller, DJ McCabe, and Joe Sc...

Welcome to this Meet the Candidates conversation with Joe Scroggins, COO of Peak Alliance . We encourage you to watch ALL the Meet the Candidate interviews to get to know each of them and what they bring to the table. Our goal is for each of them to be 10 minutes or less! There are 3 candidates total for this year’s election (Josh Miller, DJ McCabe, and Joe Scroggins), and one open board seat for...

What should restoration companies do when the storms slow down? In this episode of the Restoration Masterclass podcast, Santa Davison of  SERVPRO Team Olson  and Holly Baldwin from  DocuSketch  share practical ways restoration teams can use downtime to strengthen marketing, build relationships, and improve documentation workflows. They discuss how tools like DocuSketch can help companies generate...

What if your TPA jobs, SLA deadlines, and communication tools were all managed in one place? In this episode, Jason McLaughlin, CEO, and Austin McLaughlin, COO, of  Complitrac  break down how their custom-built platform is helping restoration companies stay ahead of strict SLA requirements and improve visibility across TPA programs. They discuss why the restoration industry is still struggling wit...

What happens when you combine the restoration industry with the timeless networking power of golf? In this episode, Peter Lyons, Founder of Restoration Golf League, & Lee Patterson, Commissioner at Restoration Golf League, dive into the story behind the  Restoration Golf League  — a growing networking movement designed specifically for restoration professionals. With 18 chapters and expansion...

In episode 2 of season 4 of The Restoration Master Class, experts Robb Harrell, VP of Strategic Accounts at  DocuSketch , and Todd Van Sant, VP of Estimating at  ATI Restoration , break down how AI is transforming restoration estimating and claims. From faster estimate creation and blueprint analysis to tools that help enforce carrier guidelines, AI is reshaping workflows — but not replacing human...

AI isn’t just for writing emails anymore. In this episode recorded at INTRConnect, we break down where AI is headed in 2026 — from consolidation among major players like Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic, to what restoration contractors should actually be implementing right now. Think dashboards, automations, and real operational efficiency.

Compound risk is reshaping restoration and insurance. In this episode, Maiclaire Bolton-Smith, VP of Product Marketing at  Cotality , breaks down secondary perils, earthquake exposure, and how contractors can use catastrophe data to stay ahead of emerging opportunities.

Season 3 of Chasing the Vision kicks off with a new focus — the real journey of entrepreneurship in restoration. Michelle and Tim Hull, of  Violand Management Associates , dive into why growth alone doesn’t create value, how scaling exposes hidden problems, and the disciplined habits that build strong, independent businesses. From cash flow traps to owner dependency and the critical $3–5M growth p...

In this episode of Restoration Today, Drew and JT Pells from  PNT Advisors  join the show to break down practical tax and business strategies specifically for restoration industry entrepreneurs. From deciding when an S-Corp election actually makes sense, to understanding how to pay yourself properly through payroll and distributions, this conversation tackles the real financial questions owners fa...

Season 4 of the Restoration Master Class, sponsored by  DocuSketch , kicks off with a powerful conversation on one of the most misunderstood—and underutilized—scaling tools in restoration: remote estimating. This episode features Nelson Higgins, VP of North America for DocuSketch and a 43-year veteran of insurance restoration. Nelson breaks down why only 15–20% of the industry is currently using r...

What does the launch of Altimeter Solutions Group mean for managed repair contractors and carriers? In this exclusive Q&A recorded at INTRConnect, Jonathan Miko, CEO of ⁠ Altimeter Solutions Group⁠ , and Stephen Marquardt, Investment Partner at BV Investment Partners, share inside details on the newly formed Altimeter Solutions Group, formerly known as Alacrity Solutions Group’s managed repair...