We recap some of the highlights from the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) Convention and Expo with our friend Ed Cross. Items of interest for property restoration contractors include an apology from the stage by Xactimate/Verisk and a face the advocate with four TPAs from the insurance claims ecosystem; Contractor Connection, Alacrity, Sedgewick, and Westhill. 

In Episode 117 of The DYOJO Podcast 
0:00 Sgt Ed Cross 
2:23 Recap of Episode 116 
3:20 Waste Diversion Tracking 
4:31 Insurance Denied by Drone 
6:09 New Position Statements from RIA 
9:46 Xactimate Apologizes to Restorers 
16:32 Weaponizing Xactimate 
24:28 RIA 2024 Highlights 

Clips were used in this Episode from 
​
* InsurTech Trends, Integrations, Pricing, & More - C&R Magazine / Restoration Today Michelle Belvins interviews Aaron Brunko - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E0Ja... 

* Restoration Invoice: PAID - Restoration CrossCheck (Sgt Ed video) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVSUe...

QUESTIONS:
​Are there restoration contractors in Rhode Island or South Dakota? 
Read the article in C&R Magazine
Watch the recap video on The DYOJO YouTube

Tradeshows are an excellent way to expand your knowledge and your network. Industry expos can also be socially awkward. Meeting new people can be harrowing. This is true whether you have been to several large events or you are attending your first convention. One creative way I have found to force myself to meet new people is to try to meet a member from every state at larger industry events. This practice gives me a goal, forces me out of my shell, and has opened up some fun conversations.

READ MORE: C&R Article - Embracing the Social Awkwardness of Industry Tradeshows 
WATCH the video recap (Below) 

Jon Isaacson was a guest on The OG Spotlight from Learning and Mishaps for the skilled trades and construction industry. 

On Episode 110 of The DYOJO Podcast, we talked to Nicole Humber CEO of Bravo restoration, she's going to piggyback on the concept of reaching out to schools and talking to students about opportunities in the skilled trades. She says, "So I've been really involved in those schools coming back and either being a presenter and talking about our specific trade, or being a mentor for women, like women students that are interested, but not like, they only see male, so they think that's allowed. We have a couple of programs outside of schools that focus in on, you know, ages 16 to 24, or right after high school. And so I just get involved in those, you know, reaching out asking if I can be a mentor, or like, Hey, do you need anything like, what can I give you to help?" 

We echo ​what Nicole is saying. And for anyone who hasn't experienced it, and we've had some badass ladies on our crews. It really is, there's no rhyme or reason it's not you're from this generation means that you're a hard worker, I've had people from older generations who have been lazier than young people. I've had young people kick butt and, you know, take in complex concepts quicker than others who've been doing it for a long period of time. So it's really, you know, finding the right people that are a culture fit for your organization. And if you look around, and the culture is pretty monolithic, you know, maybe it's a lead not, maybe it's a leadership issue, it's time to you yourself, need to get outside of your box, expand the parameters for finding new talent, and finding ways to make it open and inviting to not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it will exponentially grow and improve your company having more diverse influences. What are some of those words of encouragement for people that maybe are feeling like, Man, why am I doing this? Do I need to stick with it? How do will I break through barriers? Because whether it's a young person or various genders, or races, you know, there's all kinds of barriers to you know, especially a very traditional old school thinking industry.

Nicole Humber says, "​I think that um, my biggest encouragement or advice would be just, you can only control what you can control what you do. You can't control what other people say or do or, or, and so it's like, what you can control is what you experience. And so when people are in these establishments, that they're like, I can't quite break through this barrier. I feel like there's a seat. A glass ceiling, I just I see it, but I can't get there. Invest in yourself. So invest in reading leadership books, invest in, you know, if you have to pay for your own IICRC classes do that. Do your research, become an expert in the industry where it makes it impossible for anyone to put the lid over you. If you don't have a leader that is invested in your growth, then you have to invest in yourself."

This week on The DYOJO Podcast we share some more property restoration history. If you listen to IAQ Radio on Fridays, you know that Cliff Zlotnik always opens the show with a question. Joe Hughes and the Z Man are the OG's of property restoration podcasting. They were podcasting before that was even an option, broadcasting live in the 2000's over internet radio. 

• Question 1: Who invented the modern air mover? 
• Question 2: From what common household appliance did this industry innovator extract his first carpet dryer? 
• Question 3: What natural disaster was the catalyst for this innovation?

We speak to this restoration founding father's sons and several others about these historic contributions that birthed the water damage mitigation industry. Cliff Zlotnik shared, "His invention of the air mover was probably the most significant invention for our industry. It was a brilliant idea. It was simple. And do you know what's even crazier? His idea to put it underneath the carpet and float the carpet." ​