Straight Talk – an ISSA Podcast

Jorge Villalobos, the founder of The Best Restoration in Gainsville, Florida, is the 2023 Ralph Bloss Humanitarian Award recipient. Villalobos, a banker by profession who fled his home country of Columbia in 1999 due to security issues, found his new home in the United States and was quickly drawn to the cleaning and restoration industries. Since then, and with the founding of his cleaning and res...

Steve Toburen is the founder of Home Front Success and is known for presenting a seminar entitled Hiring the Very Best! In this episode of Straight Talk!, he shares what he calls "negative moments of truth" when technicians engage with customers.

As you engage in growing your company, what is your marketing and sales integration strategy? This is an important question because, at times, the marketing and sales teams run independently, supporting each other, of course, but perhaps losing out on opportunities. Ed Marsh is a growth and strategy consultant and the founder and principal of Consilium Global Business Advisors. In this episode of...

If you are involved in sales of any type, for any segment of the industry,  you can’t ignore the impact that sales and marketing automation campaigns can do for you. These powerful catalysts can earn you the results you need for your cleaning or restoration company. Dean Mercado , the CEO of Online Marketing Muscle , shares his favorite strategies in this episode of Straight Talk!

Rehan Staton is a recent graduate of Harvard Law School. Not too many years ago, he was hanging on the side of a sanitation truck, unsure what to do with his life. While getting into Harvard changed him, in many ways, it did not. Here is his story. Learn more about Rehan's non-profit organization:  https://www.thereciprocityeffect.org

How a sustainability program can give your company or corporation a competitive edge.

This video interview supplements the Cleaning & Maintenance Management article on the same topic, to be published in the September/October 2023 issue. The issue will be in mailboxes soon.

We live in a world of hacking, cybercrime, and digital attacks. It affects us personally and professionally, and some of the main targets of cybercriminals are companies and organizations like yours, which have a huge payoff if the effort is successful. That payoff for criminals means you will suffer, and even be shut down for a time, or even forever.  ISSA now offers a security protection program...

Becky Kaufold is the manager of government affairs and sustainability at Spartan Chemical Company, and the chair of the Floor Care Products Division with the Household & Commercial Products Association, or HCPA. In this episode of Straight Talk!, she shares strategies for educational facilities to consider as they tackle challenging hard floor care issues. Learn about the first article and vid...

Lead generation is crucial to company growth as it fuels the sales pipeline with potential customers who have expressed interest in the products or services offered. By capturing and following up on leads, businesses can build a steady stream of qualified prospects, ultimately driving revenue. That all sounds easy, but we know describing it is not doing it. Dean Mercado , the CEO of Online Marketi...

Everything you need to manage the custodial operations of your company or facility is inside the CompuClean platform. Learn more in this episode of Straight Talk!, sponsored by Spartan Chemical Company.

In this episode of Straight Talk!, learn about the tools you need to measure the results of your sales force. With proper tools, such as a CRM system, among others, you know exactly how your team is performing and what you can do to empower them to improve. Today's guest is Ed Marsh , a growth and strategy consultant and the founder & principal of Consilium Global Business Advisors. 

Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner is the senior director of GBAC, a division of ISSA, and in his travels, he has seen and experienced situations that should just not happen, such as blood on a plane. In this ISSA/GBAC Alert, he digs into a global issue with contamination situations on airplanes and what the industry needs to do about it right now. For any cleaning or disinfecting questions or concerns,...

Diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, are three words that most embrace as an important concept, but many aren’t sure how to truly implement and onboard an effective DEI strategy. Marcela Sztainberg is the head of human resources at Essendant, and Amie Kromis is the DEI director at Essity North America. Together, they team up on this episode of Straight Talk! to describe what they do with thei...

From building relationships to landing new business, networking can be a valuable marketing tool for those attending events. In this episode of Straight Talk!, Dean Mercado , the CEO of Online Marketing Muscle , shares a three-phase system that if implemented will work for anyone looking to maximize networking opportunities. 

There are many reasons why ESG can be confusing to individuals and company leadership, but when you break it down, it's easy to see the importance of knowing the components and embracing them.  Randy Burke is the CEO and founder of DCS Global, and in this episode of Straight Talk! he discusses what the acronyms really mean when you analyze how to run a company or organization. He also lists t...

Steve Ashkin is the founder of The Ashkin Group, and has created a new paradigm for the industry to consider. In this episode of Straight Talk!, he presents his thoughts and invites others to consider joining the ISSA Sustainability Council. All that information is here .

Ed Marsh is a growth and strategy consultant and the founder & principal of Consilium Global Business Advisors. He believes the operational mindset can do more than drive workplace productivity and quality. In this episode of Straight Talk!, he digs into the concept of using the same type of system to drive revenue for companies.

Technology is evolving. Innovation is rampant and can’t be ignored. And at the top of the food chain with innovation is autonomous floor cleaning equipment. Increasing productivity without sacrificing quality is the goal of all working in the cleaning industry, and it is now possible with the products produced by Kärcher .  Gary Ashurst is the Executive Vice President of the Institutional and Afte...

Jason Welch is a microbiologist with Spartan Chemical Company , and has been involved in formulating approximately 100 products during his tenure. In this episode of Straight Talk!, he describes how cleaners and degreasers work, the pH component of cleaning, the science behind the chemistry, and much more. All of this so that you, as a cleaning industry professional, have the information you need...

Zephyr Manufacturing Company is a valued member of ISSA and has a proven track record of serving the industry. This is their story spanning nearly 100 years.

Does the rapid growth of artificial intelligence alarm you? Or perhaps it intrigues you? Either way, AI is here to stay and the use of this type of technology might benefit your company. In this episode of Straight Talk!, Dean Mercado , the CEO of Online Marketing Muscle , shares three specific strategies you need to know to stay ahead of the competition.

Dave Kahle is a leading sales consultant who works with sales teams to help them succeed. In this episode of Straight Talk!, he explains how to handle chronic whiners and complainers and strategies to address the issue before it becomes a larger concern. Get your copy of " How to Kreate Kahle’s Kalculation of Sales Productivity ".

In this episode of Straight Talk!, Dr. Felicia Townsend, the program director of the ISSA Hygieia Network , discusses what the organization is doing now and what it plans for the future. The various programs, events, and opportunities offered by the Hygieia Network continue to grow and help those connected to it.

Johnathan Tal is the CEO of TAL Global, an international security consulting and risk management firm. In this episode of Straight Talk!, he shares strategies to stay as safe as possible when traveling overseas and some unique situations that travelers may not think about when away from home. This video complements the articles on the following ISSA media sites on  CMM & Cleanfax .