You Gotta Have FAITH

Go with us on a journey of a restorer who fired most of his team, and now is living the life of freedom that he designed... all in a relatively short amount of time!

Introduction
Chapter 1 - Faithful
Chapter 2 - The Pivot
Chapter 3 - Big Moves
Chapter 4 - Culture Wins
Chapter 5 - Results Also Win
Conclusion

This blog is a detour of our normal content. But one that I think will deliver massive value. I love witnessing and celebrating the success of others. Especially when I was on the journey with them (for the wins and losses)

Introduction

Let’s meet one of the main characters of this story. Nick Lambert owns and operates Faithful Restoration in Billings, Montana. He has built this full-service company with his wife Jennifer and a few key staff members that he would call family.
When we talk about Montana, it is important we not think of the popular TV show Yellowstone. While that stereotype can be found, it is not representative of the hard work ethic that most...

By Klark Brown  (no AI used in this writing)

I would love to think this blog post will be THE THING that finally helps you become a master at recognizing the things that we try very hard not to face or approach.

The phrase “Bandaid for Bullet Holes” sounds like a great anecdote by Mark Twain.
It’s not.

It sounds like something you would hear from a sarcastic comedy actor on your favorite show.
Again…No.

"Bandaids On A Bullet Hole" is a song by a wildly popular young country singer/ songwriter. Morgan Wallen also has a respectable mullet that proves that the 80s may indeed be making a comeback.

I am riding in my truck one day when this song comes on. I look over at my stereo and notice the title. I felt the proverbial WHACK across my face. The phrase seriously struck me.
In an instant, it reminded me of what I often do. I also can surmise that it happens with many people.

The idea or context that I attach to this is we often look for a...

Let's talk onboarding.

In 2016, I met a guy named Andy McCabe.

He was making videos on LinkedIn. I liked what he was saying but I really was drawn to his desire to stand up and talk about things no one else was, and things that most avoided from fear.

We spoke for a while and developed a MOVEMENT called Restoration 2.0.

A reboot

A newer version

An update

An exit from the Matrix.

The carriers were getting more brazen and stronger with their tactics outlined in Delay, Deny, Defend.

A profit driven system applied to the claims process.

Carrier relationships that built incredible companies were no longer as strong and many had deteriorated with the expansion of the MRP's and growth of TPA's.

Quality and Customer service had been removed as KPI's and replaced with Claims Ratios, claims shrink and lowering of overhead by limiting site visits ( pushing the documentation onto the contractor).

Frustration was building.

Franchising was exploding (MRP's) and the quality of work in the industry...

A Tale of Two Contractors

Our experience last summer is a sobering reminder that each small business owner and manager should look down the road and muse, "What will each customer be saying about me when we are finished?"

If you own your own small business, or are thinking of starting one, here's something to remember: There is nothing as damaging as a very disappointed customer.

Take me, for instance. Last summer my wife and I hired a young, inexperienced restoration contractor after a quick google search when we had a pipe burst in our upstairs bathroom over the kitchen. We had just purchased a country house on 60 acres and the young contractor seemed like a nice enough fellow, so I hired him on the spot. Our renovation project was off and running -- or so I thought.

My lack of due diligence instantly qualified me for The Bonehead Decision Hall of Fame. I didn't grasp that this guy had been a great carpet cleaner and had recently gone into business for himself as an unproven...

Anyone asking how to find new employees or get more business should take a close look at their relationships in the community that they operate their business.

While there are many lanes for marketing your restoration business, and all are very important, almost none can be counted on to be as predictable and resilient as having a very strong network that you built with service and trust.

These are your cheerleaders and when the weather is not ideal, when google changes, when FB ads are not working…..these relationships will provide.

They also have a way of multiplying pretty quickly.

When you are doing things well and serving others, your network splinters off and you continue to be introduced to others.

When you put yourself out there in groups, panels, committees and other involvement, you show the kind of character that people feel trusting enough to be an advocate for.

Make sure you are being smart with your time and investments. Some groups will gladly take and...

As you celebrate Independence Day on the Fourth of July, it’s a good time to celebrate independence in business. This freedom is a primary reason why entrepreneurs take the leap of faith to build their own business.

“For all entrepreneurs, starting a business is the route to ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,’ no matter how risky,” Martin Zwilling says in a story for Business Insider. He calls it “the American dream.”

The following are some areas of freedom that business owners can enjoy when they start their own business. Notice I said “can”. Not all do… that's why Restoration Advisers exists. We exist to help business owners find the freedoms they dreamed of from the start so that they can have a greater impact on their family and community. 

Some of the elements of today's blog are from an investing website called Business to Community.

Freedom to be happy

Happy is a word that more of us could use in our...

Once you’ve identified the key systems that make your business money, it’s now time to extract them.

But here’s where many business owners get tripped up... they try to create all the systems themselves! And once they’ve been created, then they feel an overwhelming pressure to perform all of the systems themselves. 

As a business owner, you’ll never be free from the day to day operations if you’re always deciding to involve yourself in them.

This is a pivotal decision point where businesses can either remain in the stationary stage and continue to decline, or start systemising the right way so they can move to the scalable and saleable stages.

I had a breakthrough moment with a client this week who has been working hard on breaking free from doing things the way he’s always been doing them. 

His words to me (in a troubled tone) were, “It's almost like I don’t care anymore.” 

On the surface that sounds...

We turned this one over to the APA. 

Guess where it went from there?! 

Here is the scenario.
Comment at the end and let us know what you think! 

1. Invoice for complete (agreed upon) services. 
2. Packout from fire.
3. Liberty Mutual.
4. QuickBooks invoice sent to insured.
5. Liberty RECREATED the invoice, with contractor logo and all, with lowered unit rates.

Can you imagine the STONES?

Of Course their reasoning is inaccurate, but that's beside the point.

We posted a letter on Facebook and tagged the company that the adjuster was referring to.
We thought we’d share it here… but we’d love to hear your perspective.
Be sure to drop us a comment below. 

“Greetings Liberty Mutual Insurance, I'd like to extend my knowledge base and services to you and your organization.

I will actually do this once at NO FEE, as I think the overall Net Gain will help and impact endless parties.

From a factual standpoint, I'd like to clear up...

Later this month, I will be traveling to do my 250th (ish) Onsite Business Assessment for the restoration industry and I thought this might be a useful time to capture what this has taught me and what it has often created for the restorers I worked with. Not all have the same results, but most are on the voyage. 

First, we should ask WHY I WAS HIRED. Well, that would take dozens of pages…..but I can summarize one major thing. 

Organization. 

An owner or set of managers know they work hard, have acquired all the technical skills, built a good company and brand…..but they just aren’t launching or where they WANT TO BE. 

That’s fair.
It means there is a dream.
Fantastic start. 

If you were to ask me: “Klark, what is THE largest thing you see missing or holding a company back in the restoration industry?”

The #1 is pretty clear and #2 is very closely related. 

It is:
A strong leadership team
and
an operational...

 Trust me when I say,

"You don’t want to find yourself inside Klarks head."

But if you happen to find yourself there, or at least in his presence, this is the kind of shit you’d hear.

This was a random BLURT moment in the office last week. I had to share it.
I know you know him well enough to know that he speaks what he thinks, especially when he thinks it will help someone. 

The analogy was striking. It really speaks to an issue that we hear about every day.

"Imagine being a restaurant owner and going to alll the grilled cheese making classes every year.

That's what a large percentage of the restoration industry does. The owners and leaders LOVE going to drying classes. They LOVE to get certifications. 

The pursuit of being a better technician often supersedes the need for becoming a better business owner/leader.

 Why? 

So they can get a small percentage points more dry in a small fraction of time faster?

How does that help thier BUSINESS?"

...