Last Resort- Music Series Pt. 4

By Klark Brown  (no AI used in this writing)

We called it Paradise……

We can almost kiss it goodbye. 

“They call it paradise

I don't know why

You call someplace paradise

Kiss it goodbye”

Wrapping up our MUSIC SERIES this week, I wanted to share a musing I had as I traveled up I-85 in North Carolina a few weeks ago.

Don Henley and The Eagles wrote more than a lot of classics. The quality of music that practically any generation at least recognizes the melody.

Their most popular and best-selling album was Hotel California. Among the almost endless number of gems on that album was Last Resort.

The song itself has a very important message about the degradation of our native land. The overconsumption of The United States' beautiful resources for the sake of growth and expansion. 

The Curse of MORE. 

What I got from the message was our industry.
If you look at the quote above, which is near the end of the song, I think about our Restoration Trade. Disaster Recovery. Property Restoration…whatever you want to call it.

Some big mouths decades back started talking about how profitable it was. How much money can be made? Price a job, do place some fans, and a dehumidifier, and let it print money!!

Recession Proof is a word that was (and still is) thrown around often. 

Was there truth in that story? Probably to some degree.

But coming from the mouths of those whose only life mission is to make more money, it was misrepresented.

Starting from the carpet cleaning trade, our earlier generations were hard-working entrepreneurs that focused on relationships, customer satisfaction, and quality work. 

Today we face a completely different arena and players in that arena.

So can we kiss it goodbye?

It is certainly MUCH more difficult for many reasons which I discuss in endless blogs and podcasts.

A good friend told me a quote once.

“I have seen the enemy, and it is me”

We are certainly a unique species that feel that things that are great will stay that way when we extort and exploit them. 

OTHER STORIES

Norsemen and Joel Chandler Harris characters.

Other reminders of misrepresentation of places and things deliver a great smirk to my face.

Some who never heard of The Eagles sailed back and forth in the North Atlantic in the 7-9th century and knew well enough to name Iceland and Greenland opposite to deter others from venturing to take it.
They wanted to keep their paradise for a few 100 years more. 

Br’er Rabbit and Br’er Fox played endless games with everyone and begged to NOT be thrown into the Briar Patch, knowing full well, that they would be safe. 

I think we could learn a few things from Vikings and Fictional Characters. 

Keep your mouth shut and do your jobs.

Today when dozen of people a month reach out, about to dive head first into our industry…..I often share a full picture of the struggles they are certainly not taking into consideration. 

We cannot change the direction we are headed….but can we stall the degradation? Can we ever band together as sisters and brothers and keep the monster at the door from busting through?

I am hopeful.

Your best sword is sharpening your axe with education. Learn your numbers, develop processes, and learn to onboard your client like your business depends on it.

Because it DOES.

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