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Woodard 75 Anniversary

Founded by a War Hero: Woodard Cleaning & Restoration Celebrates 75th Anniversary

October 19, 2021 12:16 am

Woodard’s story is best told by those closest to it. In conjunction with Woodard Cleaning & Restoration celebrating 75 years of serving the St. Louis area, C&R sat down with third generation owner, Justin Woodard. He shares a story unlike any other – of a war hero shot down over France, a harrowing mountain escape, and a journey to America. Earl Woodard and his wife, Nancy, started a carpet cleaning service out of a trailer pulled by the family car. In time, they grew and grew – and attribute their success to their “unrelenting

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Adding Mindfulness to Your Toolkit

October 18, 2021 5:44 pm

For much of my life, mindfulness and meditation were concepts that I gave little attention to. They were hippy, woo-woo, soft ideas that just didn’t seem relevant to my young, ambitious, business self. Sitting quietly, reflecting, or focusing my attention on my breath felt like wasted time, even if others spoke of myriad benefits.  About eight years ago though, I found myself open to change. I’ve struggled in various ways my whole business life with focus. ADD stuff- hard to sit still, hard to hunker down and do admin work. Spreadsheets and reports killed

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keyboard & pen

Selling & Creating Value Through Risk Management

October 12, 2021 12:00 pm

Part 1: Insurance “need to know facts” when selling your restoration company. Over the past few years, I have seen a lot of change within the restoration industry and an influx of businesses selling. Curious as to why, my perspective is that many baby boomers are at that point in their career. With TPA’s continuing to pinch folks, as well as costs going up, margins have been decreasing. I have heard from many, “It’s not as good as it used to be.” Of course, no one likes change. With interest rates being near historical

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Growth, M&A, Competition, & Pricing: A Candid Conversation with Paul Davis COO Mike Hopkins

October 12, 2021 3:26 am

In this episode of the Restoration Today Podcast, Michelle sits down with Paul Davis COO Mike Hopkins. He has been in the franchise world for some time, and part of Paul Davis since 2015. Michelle and Mike talk about the landscape of today’s restoration industry, what it takes to stay competitive as the industry continues to consolidate, the importance of pricing feedback to influence Xactimate pricing, and what Mike foresees ahead for our industry.

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The ATI Story: Growing the Nation’s Largest Family-Owned Restoration Company | Seller Stories Ep. 2

October 12, 2021 2:26 am

In the second episode of our Seller Stories series, we are turning the tables – talking to the leaders of a company that is not for sale, but is instead positioning itself in the buyer’s seat and looking to grow through mergers and acquisitions. ATI is the largest family-owned restoration company in the U.S, and well into its second-generation of leadership. In this episode of the Restoration Today Podcast, hear the story behind ATI, how generational leadership changes have played out, the organic way these men have found their positions within the family company,

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75 International Restoration Industry Convention

The 75th RIA Expo returned with great enthusiasm and focus while building toward the future

October 11, 2021 3:23 pm

The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) prides itself on unity. And as the world normalizes after the COVID-19 pandemic, the RIA couldn’t wait to hold its 75th Restoration Convention & Industry Expo. For the RIA, it wasn’t just a celebration of their core values, but a chance to bring something completely new to the table. “It was really a celebration of what we’ve accomplished,” said Kelley Dolan, Chief of Staff at Maxons Restorations and Annual Convention Planning Chair. “And also, a peek into what we need to keep working on together.”   RIA STANDS FOR

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Case Study: When Everything Froze

October 11, 2021 10:00 am

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your company. My name is Dallas Nevill, and I was born and raised in Arizona. I own Rainbow International of Southwest Mesa, a Neighborly company, in Mesa, Ariz., and have been in the restoration business for 21 years, operating as independent contractor for 17 years before converting to a Rainbow International franchise in 2017. My wife, Emily, and I have been married for 23 years, and have four children – three of whom work in the family business. My dream is that this business carries

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Tracey Towers

CASE STUDY: Apartment Fire in the Bronx

October 8, 2021 6:06 pm

Maxons Restorations (now First Onsite) project earns RIA Phoenix Award. Restoration in big cities looks a little different than in the suburbs, and small town America. Maxons Restorations, now part of First Onsite, has been serving New York City for more than 75 years. They have learned how to tackle unique challenges that come with big city living – like fires in high rises and historic cathedrals. On March 10, 2020, a compactor chute fire caused extensive damage throughout the Tracey Towers, a large apartment building in the Bronx. Within two hours of getting

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Second in Command, First in Line

October 7, 2021 8:52 pm

This article is the 2022 Golden Quill Award winner! Branch manager, general manager, operations manager, director, vice president of this, assistant of that. These are all titles synonymous with being the second in command of an organization. They are also a list of titles I have held throughout my lifetime, whether they were paid or volunteer positions. In short, I have made a living from running other people’s businesses and organizations. Throughout my journey, there have been many lessons learned from those seats. And while some were harder than others, there is a definite

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Commentary: Breathing New Life into C&R

October 7, 2021 6:34 pm

Mark Springer President, Restoration Industry Association President, Dayspring Construction In this digital age, everything seems to be subject to constant change. Some of this change is a good thing. Gained efficiencies, greater access, faster speeds, broader perspectives are all enhancing our experiences. The impact of these changes is profound in the world of trade association oversight and their efforts to create a compelling value proposition for their constituents. This change has forced many to re-evaluate the status quo and the delivery of their core services. The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) enjoys no exception to

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