Fake it until you Xactimate it

The Xactimate Sessions from The DYOJO Podcast 
File 003 - Fake it until you Xactimate it 
The DYOJO Podcast Season 3, Episode 68 
Guest: Nick Sharp, Consulting Specialist at Reets Drying Academy  

If you can't estimate, you become a trainer. Right? Nick Sharp joins us on The DYOJO Podcast to share his experiences from cleaning carpets to learning to fake it until he made it as a reconstruction estimator. Nick shares how his positive mindset and consistent work ethic helped him to progress in his property restoration career. As Nick says, "I never went into anything thinking that I can't do this."   

This week, on The Xactimate Sessions from The DYOJO Podcast, we sit down to discuss Xactimate with a restorer-turned estimator who transformed into a restoration industry trainer. Nick shares a few tips for aspiring professionals and growth-minded estimators, including:   

1. Don't be under-informed. Know your IICRC S500 (and other industry standards related documents) 
2. Don't limit yourself. Always be adapting.  
3. Don't be stagnant. It's ok to make mistakes. Learn the basics and keep expanding your knowledge base.  
4. Don't be just data input. Understand the items that lead to a thorough and accurate estimate so that you can be profitable.   

PODCAST SPONSOR:

The DYOJO Podcast is sponsored by Advocate Claim Service (ACS), "Where you can find solutions to claims that are causing you anxiety." David Princeton and his team are ready to help you navigate doubtful and disputed insurance claims.   

If you are a business owner, manager, or intentional restorer, you will appreciate Nick's insights as well as this key question, "Why are we teaching estimators the program (IE Xactimate) instead of what is going to be profitable?" We supplement our discussion with Nick with clips and comments from many sources including 

• Ben Justesen of Enlightened Restoration Solutions 
• Brian Austin (File 002), Director of Instructional Design at Verisk 
• IICRC Triple Master Restorer Robert More 
• Jon Isaacson's mediocre appearance on the stellar IAQ Radio Ep 633 (the OG's of restoration podcasting) 
• The Founding Father's of Restoration with Pete "The Global Watchdog" Consigli  

NEW BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT:

As this series develops, Gabriel J. Jones and I are transforming content from The Xactimate Sessions into a book that will release shortly after the podcast episodes are all released. This will be a great compliment to our first book, Be Intentional: Estimating.  Please RSVP your copy today. 

This book is intended for:

• Restoration professionals who seek to grow their career opportunities such as project management and estimating through developing the right mindset and habits around Xactimate.  
• New managers and intentional leaders who are looking for some assistance in guiding their team members to develop in their roles and responsibilities that directly intersect with utilizing Xactimate. 
• Business owners who are working to bring their expectations into alignment with their norms (build a winning culture), especially in the areas of estimating and project management.

DEALS FROM THE DYOJO:

The DYOJO collaboration with DocuSketch offering a $200 discount on the initial hardware package to members of The DYOJO Nation who use the custom code "DS-DYOJO1".   
The DYOJO Podcast, the official home of the DYOJO Nation as so declared by The Global Watchdog, Pete Consigli, exists to help intentional restorers to shorten their DANG learning curve for personal and professional development.