Straight Talk – an ISSA Podcast

Success isn’t built on big moments—it’s built on consistent habits. In this conversation, we explore how disciplined habits in preparation, communication, and follow-through can transform performance and build long-term credibility. From showing up prepared to closing the loop on every commitment, these small actions create a foundation for trust, reliability, and growth.

Most sales problems aren’t actually sales training problems—they’re structural. In this conversation, we introduce “The Navigator’s Chart,” a four-layer framework for building a successful sales organization.

If you’ve hired in the past few years, you’ve probably experienced it: A promising candidate applies, interviews well, maybe even accepts the job … and then disappears.  No call. No email. Just silence. Here's how to avoid all of this.

Most cleaning business owners are focused on one thing: the next job. But what if the real opportunity for growth isn’t in constantly chasing new customers—but in maximizing the value of the ones you already have? In this conversation, we explore the customer lifetime value and why it’s one of the most important—and often overlooked—strategies in running a successful cleaning business. Instead of...

What does it take to deliver award-winning cleanliness in one of the busiest environments imaginable—an airport serving millions of passengers each year? In this episode, ISSA Media Director Jeff Cross sits down with Derrick Deadwiler, Senior Vice President of Operations at Flagship Aviation Services, and Benjamin Robins, Vice President of Operations at Tampa International Airport, to discuss thei...

What does it take to maintain a world-class facility that welcomes millions of visitors each year—without missing a beat on cleanliness? In this conversation, ISSA Media Director Jeff Cross visits with Michael Freshour, the Facility Manager at the American Museum of Natural History in New York to discuss what it means to deliver excellence at scale. Freshour’s team was recognized with the Tork Thi...

Facility managers are being asked to do more with less—tight budgets, rising expectations, staffing challenges, and increasing pressure around health, safety, and sustainability. It’s a tough balancing act, and the demands aren’t slowing down. In this conversation, Jeff Cross, ISSA Media Director, sits down with Brant Insero, Chief Engagement Officer at ISSA, to explore how the association is help...

Learning to lead is a lot like learning to swim. You can stand at the pool's edge, listen to an instructor explain the strokes, understand the mechanics in your head, and then jump in and flounder anyway. The knowledge is one thing. The daily practice is another.  This same issue is often seen in business and operations today.

What does it mean to leave a meaningful impact on the next generation? In this episode, we explore leadership through the lens of legacy—focusing on integrity, mentorship, and the quiet influence of leading by example. 

For decades, outside salespeople were the backbone of B2B selling—driving from customer to customer, building relationships face-to-face, and growing business through personal connections. But in today’s changing sales environment, many leaders are asking a difficult question: Is the traditional outside salesperson still necessary?

Artificial intelligence is changing how business gets done—but success in the age of AI isn’t just about adopting new tools.

In healthcare, the conversation around cleanliness often focuses on protocols, products, and compliance—but what about the people on the front lines making critical decisions every day? It's time for the cleaning industry and healthcare to make this a team sport.

When technicians walk into an IICRC-approved class, they see a manual, a schedule, and an instructor at the front of the room. What they don't see is the years of industry experience, the hours of preparation, the careful classroom choreography, and the deep personal investment that go into delivering training at the highest level. This is the story of how three educators give their all.

Thomas Brennan wasn't planning a career in cleaning and restoration. He was just a high school kid looking for a way out of class early. Like most high school kids. But he had an escape plan. Here is his story that launched 30 years in business.

Listen to their story and how they now live their entrepreneurial dreams.

There is more to sustainability than what one might think. This new terminology might add some perspective.