The DYOJO Podcast

For episode 132 of The DYOJO Podcast - the podcast that helps contractors shorten their DANG learning curve - we discuss: * The announcement of the Verisk (Xactimate) and Claude (AI) integration and what this means for contractors who assist homeowners with insurance claims response, mitigation, and repairs. * Take a step back in time to discuss some tips for contractors helping homeowners with mo...

On Episode 131 of The DYOJO Podcast we discuss the tragic true story out of Olympia, Washington where a young man lost his life because of an improperly installed tankless water heater. Many lessons to be learned for organizations, managers, technicians, installers, and homeowners as it relates to hazards in the built environment. *The contractors in this incident were initially charged with mansl...

My truck got broken into - a dange smash and grab. Made me mad and thinking about some of the responses by local authorities to crime, including some interesting remarks by the mayor of Seattle. Our vocabulary word for the day is "shrinkage". Listen to find out what it means and why it's important if you are a small business owner. Also, we end on a positive note hearing about the sk...

"Opportunities don't happen, you create them." — Chris Grosser For this episode, we discuss the entrepreneurial journey of Taylor Rivas and the team at H2O Away based in Tumwater, Washington. We touch on some of the history of property restoration in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). We replay some of our past interviews, including clips from industry pioneers Claude Blackburn and Cliff Z...

Why is there NEVER enough time to do it right the first time but ALWAYS enough time to do it again? Every business owner and manager knows, there isn't. So, what are some of the ways we can fix the system, get team members focused on the right things, and crush our goals in the coming year? W. Edwards Deming has some insights on total quality managment that are applicable to any construction o...

Some reports state 75% of contractors and property restoration service providers express slower than expected business in the current billing cycle. On Episode 127 of The DYOJO Podcast we discuss some ideas for how to use entrepreneurial downtime for personal growth and slow seasons for organizational improvement.

In this episode of The DYOJO Podcast we disucss* Jeff Bezos' 1 Hour Rule (Puttering) * Steve Jobs and hiring A Players * Creating clear goals for property restoration technicians * Zac from H2O Away shares how encouraging team members to be just 1% better each day can add up to big wins for employees and the organization* Upcoming restoration training, events, and conferences including The Experie...

For episode 125 of The DYOJO Podcast we review recent video of the senate hearings lead by Josh Hawley (MS) which include sworn testimony from two policyholders with Allstate and State Farm who were affected by improper insurance claims handling for property damages. The extended video includes sworn testimony from two independent adjusters who worked for insurance carrier Allstate and third party...

A few of the questions and topics we will discuss in this episode of The DYOJO Podcast include: * What is the Restoration Industry Association (RIA)? * Should contractors join the RIA? * Is the RIA doing a good job? Episode 124 of The DYOJO Podcast "Construction Ethics, Shared Goals, and a Stronger Future"0:00 More American 1:40 RIA 2025 Recap7:35 Contractor Code of Ethics 13:42 Restorat...

In this episode of The DYOJO Podcast, we explore a case study where a contractor’s attempt to secure payment backfired due to unclear communication and a surprise invoice. After alerting a homeowner to hail damage, the contractor demanded the insurance payout and submitted an unapproved $1,200 invoice, sparking a dispute. The episode highlights the importance of clear contracts, transparent proces...

The discussion in this bonus episode of The DYOJO Podcast emphasizes the importance of trade association involvement, highlighting the upcoming RIA International Restoration Convention and Expo in West Palm Beach from April 28-30. The event will feature member-driven initiatives, including position papers on best practices and ethical standards. The association is working on obtaining a NAICS code...

Will a California Court Finally Follow Through? In this clip from The DYOJO Podcast Episode 123, Jon Isaacson dives into a heated legal battle between Tong and State Farm Insurance over a denied water damage claim. While claims games, tricks, and denials is nothing new, the discussion unpacks escalating tensions, including allegations of discovery violations and obstruction by State Farm. Despite...

Are you a contractor caught in the crossfire of red tape and denied claims? In our latest podcast, Who's The Bigger Headache for Contractors: The Government or Insurance?, we will review two headlines that discuss this complex issue. Not surprisingly, these two rebuild issues both are hatched in the beautiful state of California. While the land and ocean views are unmatched, unfortunately so is th...

This clip from Episode 123 of The DYOJO Podcast discusses tips for training team members to minimize the impact of mistakes in the field.

The DYOJO Podcast episode 122 focuses on project management, offering resources for career development and team guidance. Host Jon Isaacson promotes a book for aspiring project managers and another for entry-level professionals, emphasizing their utility for company growth. The podcast discussion highlights the importance of a master noting system for project updates, suggesting a simple Google Do...

In Episode 122 of The DYOJO Podcast we dive into the fundamentals of construction project management, breaking down what it takes to complete projects on scope, on budget, and on time. Listeners will learn about key milestones like understanding the contracted scope, meeting deadlines, maintaining quality, ensuring site safety, and keeping clients happy. Whether you're part of a small team or...

This clip from Episode 122 of The DYOJO Podcast introduces six keys to success for construction project managers. The discussion emphasizes the importance in completing tasks on scope, budget, and schedule. The video highlights the multifaceted role of project management. Key milestones for success include delivering the agreed-upon scope, meeting the client timeline, providing quality controls, a...

This video clip from Episode 121 of The DYOJO Podcast emphasizes the importance of project management, stressing the need to complete projects on scope, on budget, and on time to ensure profitability and customer satisfaction. It highlights the challenges in planning, executing, and adapting to changes, and the consequences of failing to meet these benchmarks, such as financial repercussions and d...

Episode 121 of The DYOJO Podcast focuses on the challenges of project management in construction, emphasizing the need for profitability and customer satisfaction. Key metrics for success include completing projects on scope, on budget, and on time. Various scenarios of lackluster outcomes were examined, such as projects that are on budget and on schedule but off scope (potentially leading to frau...

This clip from an upcoming episode of The DYOJO Podcast (#121) centers on common pitfalls in construction project management, emphasizing the importance of completing projects on scope, on budget, and on time. Host Jon Isaacson highlights that failure in any one of these areas can lead to negative outcomes, affecting both financial performance and reputation - The Carousel of Project Management La...

Episode 120 of The DYOJO Podcast focuses on the importance of contractors, homeowners, and insurance representatives letting the structure speak during the insurance claims process. The discussion emphasizes the restoration triangle involving policyholders, contractors, and insurance companies. Stressing the need for thorough data capture (TDC) to create defensible estimates, advocating for restor...

This podcast clip from Episode 119 revolves around the risks and challenges faced by construction companies, particularly in the aftermath of storms. We discuss the importance of making informed decisions to avoid large financial losses and the pitfalls of not doing things correctly, both technically and politically. We remind the audience of our prior series of episodes (starting with TDP 92) rev...

The conversation in this podcast clip, from Episode 119 of The DYOJO Podcast, revolves around the issue of insurance companies potentially altering claim estimates to pay out less than the actual damage. We discuss how independent adjusters, who document damages and write estimates, find their work significantly reduced by insurance representatives. An example is given where an adjuster's $488,000...

The conversation revolves around the issue of insurance claims fraud, where independent adjusters allege that insurance companies manipulate damage estimates to save costs. The discussion highlights a case where an adjuster's initial damage estimate was altered, with the adjuster's name still attached, leading to significant financial discrepancies affecting the storm-damaged homeowner. The conver...

The DYOJO Podcast discusses a $200 million wrongful death trial in Oregon over the fatal shooting of Freddie Nelson Jr. in a Lowe's parking lot by a security guard, Logan Gimble, who is now serving life for second-degree murder. Nelson had a verbal altercation with a Lowe's employee over pallets, despite having permission from store staff. Gimble, who was not authorized to carry a firearm,...