The Opportunities You Can’t Predict

There’s no roadmap for where this industry takes you.

You just keep showing up.
Doing the work.
Saying yes when it matters.

Disaster Podcaster on Friday was a interview with Scott Rutkowski with Restoration HQ. It was a conversation that turned into a valuable lesson about how strong leaders get built. You can get watch or listen to the episode here. 

TLDR; Strong leaders are built one decision at a time.

Most people think growth is a formula.
It’s not. It’s a choice.
And it’s rarely convenient.

Leadership grows in the unglamorous places.

Your future is likely hidden in something uncomfortable you’re resisting today.

People want proof before they commit. But clarity usually shows up after you move.
Saying yes won’t always make sense in the moment—but it’s how doors open.

Here are a few quick takeaways from the conversation:

• Don’t wait until it’s perfect—just go.

• Your family can grow stronger in unfamiliar places.

• Leadership is built in the field, not behind a desk.

• If you want the next opportunity, act like the person who’s already earned it.

• Saying yes creates momentum. Saying no guarantees nothing.

Scott didn’t have a five-year plan to become President of Operations at a major restoration company.
What he had was a history of showing up.

From sucking up water in his twenties
…to taking a job across the country
…to leaning into a new team, new climate, and new challenges.

None of steps he took looked like a clear next step.
But he kept saying yes anyway.

Yes to moving his family in record-breaking heat.
Yes to leaving comfort behind.
Yes to leading something bigger than himself.

And guess what? It worked.

Not because he forced the outcome.
But because he stayed in motion long enough to meet it.

There was no guarantee he’d end up where he is.
But there’s also no doubt he wouldn’t have—if he’d played it safe.

The story is simple.
But the message hits:

Leadership is often a long walk in the same direction.

It’s not built in titles or strategy decks.
It’s built in showing up when others flake.
It’s built in caring about the people around you—personally, not just professionally.
It’s built in keeping your word.

Scott said something that stuck:

“The one thing I’m taking into the golden years is making sure the people who matter know it.”

That’s not just leadership.
That’s legacy.

So if you’re sitting around wondering how to grow…
how to lead…
how to create opportunity…

Try this:

Say yes to the uncomfortable thing.
Say yes to the person who believes in you.
Say yes to the next right move, even if it’s not on the plan.

Because the yes opens the door.
And the work you do after that?
That’s what earns you the room.