Fellowship of Construction Knowledge and Entrepreneurial Development (FoCKED)

FoCKED is a networking group for local contractors and claims professionals who specialize in insurance damage response and repairs, based on the West Coast.

Scroll down to see our EVENTS CALENDAR.

Please RSVP for our Next In-Person Meeting for Washington Restoration Contractors and Insurance Professionals

Donate to FoCKED

Please RSVP

STAY TUNED - SEE CALENDAR BELOW

Podcast Episode about Program Insurance Work

FoCKED 2023 Calendar of Events (List):

AUGUST

*Assemble Your SOCKTember Teams by Monday, August 21, 2023

SEPTEMBER

ALL MONTH: 4th Annual SOCKTember - This year we are partnering with Restoring Kindess! 
Starts Monday, August 28, 2023
Ends Friday, October 6, 2023

2ND TUESDAY 
9/12/23 10-1130am
​Location: See Eventbrite for details and to RSVP 
Topic: Productivity, Profitability, and PIZZA!
Cost: Free, Donations appreciated as these go towards our larger events. 
Please RSVP through Eventbrite so that we have a head count. 
​

OCTOBER

PNW CONTRACTORS FALL 1/2 DAY SYMPOSIUM
2ND TUESDAY
10/10/23 8am - 130pm 
Location: Aramsco (Tukwila, WA) 
Topic: Creating Value Within Your Team
Half-Day of Educational Presentations by subject matter experts, roundtable discussions, networking, vendors, and FOOD! 
Cost: Suggested donation $24 
Please RSVP through Eventbrite Event agenda and details ​

NOVEMBER

2ND TUESDAY 
Location: Arken (Tacoma) 
Topic: TBD
Cost: TBD
Please RSVP through Eventbrite so that we have a head count. ​

FOCKED MEETING NOTES

lien_presentation_-_ben_cushman_-_mtg_004.pdf
File Size:	945 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

Video for interview with Ben Cushman (Olympia, WA) on the topic of Mechanics Liens for Contractors in Washington 

socktember_finale_event_flyer.pdf
File Size:	117 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

focked_meeting_001.pdf
File Size:	94 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

Video for interview with Joyce Gabriel, GM for Landall Group (Tacoma, WA) on Training Others to Use Xactimate

Video for interview (part 1) with Roger Howson (Seattle, WA) on Insurance Claims Appraisals

Video for interview (part 2) with Roger Howson (Seattle, WA) on Insurance Claims Investigations

Video for discussion with Ben Justesen (Moses Lake, WA) on the topic of Overhead and Profit for Contractors

Networking for Washington (PNW) based insurance claims professionals and contractors

FIVE FoCKED QUESTIONS:

1. Are you located in the Pacific Northwest (PNW)? 
2. Are you located in Washington State? 
3. Are you involved in property restoration, construction, and/or insurance claims services? 
4. Would you benefit from meeting face to face with local peers who are committed to increasing their construction knowledge? 
5. Would you like to engage local peers to help them elevate their entrepreneurial development? 

THE FoCKED COMMITMENTS:

• CONNECT 
• COLLABORATE 
• CONQUER

I commit to CONNECTING with my peers in the property restoration and insurance claims ecosystem. I will do this in a group setting, as often as I am able, by meeting in person once a month on the second Tuesday. I will also do this through one-on-one meet ups with my peers throughout the year. 

I commit to COLLABORATING with my peers in the property restoration and insurance claims ecosystem. I will do this by engaging in efforts to implement industry best practices, discussing creative solutions for common issues, and contributing to the sustainability of my craft. 

I commit to CONQUERING with my peers in the property restoration and insurance claims ecosystem. I will do this by contributing to endeavors to elevate the professional growth of myself, my team, my local market, and my industry as a whole. 
​


Networking group for local contractors who specialize in insurance claims response and repairs, based on the West Coast.

Selective (not exclusive) Fellowship.

Gather with like minded pros who agree to contribute to this concept and do our best to keep things professionally focused - Construction Knowledge and Entrepreneurial Development.

Elevate our Construction Knowledge.

This is primarily for insurance related work (selective, but not exclusive). By joining this group you agree to give as much as you get from the group - in fact we encourage, “Give first and the get (your return on investment) will develop naturally.”

If you want to hard sell our members join another networking group. We will share in the responsibilities for hosting, developing, and sharing relevant content, and agreed costs (if necessary).

Inspire our Entrepreneurial Development.

Ideas, Processes, and Execution. Help each other grow. There is no competition and good competition is the best thing for our industry(s). Come prepared to share the lessons learned from your failures more than you brag about your successes. ​

If you can’t handle these basic outlines, please utilize the plethora of OTHER online resources available to you.

​If you want to have some fun and help each other be the best we can be, welcome aboard.

JOIN Our Mailing List

Networking for Pacifc Northwest (PNW) based insurance claims professionals and contractors

Networking group for local contractors who specialize in insurance claims response and repairs, based on the West Coast.

WHEN:

• Once a month. 2nd Tuesday of every Month, 9-10am 
• See "Events" tab in our Facebook Group for current meeting information or see below and please RSVP

WHERE:

• Rotating location (when possible) - currently hosting in-person meetings in the Tacoma, Washington area.
• Recommended (not required) that the host provides coffee and light snacks.
• Sponsors relevant to the topic will be invited to contribute.

WHAT:

• Topic driven to provide value and keep us on track.
• Discussion based; I.E. more sharing, less lecturing.

VISION:

Meet once a month to dive into a topic. Our host will share about their unique approach to the business and provide a tour of their facility. When relevant we will have outside speakers and/or sponsors that bring value to the topic.

Through Facebook the discussion can continue among members of the group.

SOCIAL MEDIA POSTING AGREEMENT:

We want to encourage everyone to follow a precedent that all posts follow THE JEOPARDY RULES, as such all posts should be presented in the form of a question. We want to encourage DISCUSSION relevant to the day-to-day Construction Knowledge and Entrepreneurial Development of insurance claims repairs; respectful disagreement is encouraged.

LinkedIn Group

Facebook Group

Resources for West Coast Restoration Contractors

In various formats we have heard contractors discussing the idea of self regulating. The terminology may change, where a positive expression might be something like, "We need to raise the bar in property restoration." Or negative phrases such as, "It's disgraceful what we see now-days, something needs to change," are spread throughout industry social media pages. So, what does it look like for members of the property restoration industry to hold each other accountable to established standards of care? READ MORE in our Blog

Video for interview (part 2) with Roger Howson (Seattle, WA) on Insurance Claims Investigations

Video for interview with Joyce Gabriel, GM for Landall Group (Tacoma, WA) on Training Others to Use Xactimate

Video for discussion with Ben Justesen (Moses Lake, WA) on the topic of Overhead and Profit for Contractors

Video for interview (part 1) with Roger Howson (Seattle, WA) on Insurance Claims Appraisals

Video for interview with Ben Cushman (Olymipa, WA) on the topic of Mechanics Liens for Contractors in Washington 

Washington State Meetings and Topics for Restoration Contractors & Insurance Professionals

Meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of each Month.

• Physical meetings are usually held in Puyallup, Washington.
• Remote meetings will be hosted through Zoom.
• Join our Facebook or LinkedIn pages to stay up to date and check for the Eventbrite invite to confirm location:

Watch the video below to get some immediate tips on the use of mechanics liens to help you secure payment for work completed as a contractor in Washington state. ​​ 

Prior education and networking events for property restoration contractors on the West Coast

FOCKED 2023

FOCKED 019 (JUNE 2023) 1st PNW Water Damage Mitigation Mini-Symposium 
THANK YOU to our host: Andrea Florescu and Marin Caba from American Water Damage Restoration (Edmonds). 

• Presentation 1 Colby Wynn, Affordable Restoration (Arlington) - Topic: Optimizing Technology for Mitigation Excellence
• Presentation 2 Joyce Gabriel, Landall Restoration (Tacoma)- Topic: Creative Solutions for Challenging Water Damage Scenarios
• Presentation 3 John Walker, MAS Solutions (Seattle) - Topic: Where Water Damage Insurance Claims Go Bad

​FOCKED 018 (May 2023) The "P" Word - Program Work. Hosted by Jon Isaacson of ARES 

​FoCKED 017 (April 2023) - Valuing Your Business (Even If You Aren't Selling) Hosted by Arken (Tacoma)

FoCKED 016 (March 2023) Is Elecronics Cleaning Dead? hosted by FRSTeam (Puyallup) 
​​
FoCKED 012 (September 2022) What data do you collect and how does it help you make better decisions in your business? Email Jon for a copy of the slideshow. 

FoCKED 013 (January 2023) Identifying and abating hazardous materilas hosted by RSG Abatement (Tacoma) 

​FOCKED 2022

FoCKED 012 (September 2022) What data do you collect and how does it help you make better decisions in your business? Email Jon for a copy of the slideshow. 

FoCKED 010 Meeting Recap with announcements, resources, and discussion highlights. Thank you to Luke Draeger and Aramsco for hosting and providing lunch!​

JUNE 2020 (009) First meeting with our NEW TIME 10-1130am (due to member feedback). TOPIC: Bad Faith in Insurance Claims with Roger Howson (Claims Simple). HOST: Tom Lyman from Considerate Construction and Design (CCD). LUNCH SPONSOR: CCD


May 2002 (008) Tukwila, WA - Hosted by Rich Rye of 1800-Water Damage of Seattle, discussion on building vendor relationships 

April 2022 (007) Tacoma, WA - Hosted by David Kean of DLS/Arken, contractors discussion of collection issues and creative solutions, emphasis on insurance claims projects.  Ed Cross, The Restoration Lawyer, donated a FREE copy of The Book on Restoration Collections. 

​March 2022 (006) - Puyallup, WA - Guest speaker Ben Justesen (Moses Lake, WA) on the topic of customizing and defending Xactimate estimates for insurance claims.  Thank you to our hosts, the Puyallup-Sumner Chamber of Commerce. 

February 2022 (005) Puyallup, WA - Restorers Discussion 

January 2022 (004) - Puyallup, WA - Presentation by Ben Cushman (Deschutes Law Group) addressing Mechanics Liens for Contractors in Washington. Thank you to our hosts, the Puyallup-Sumner Chamber of Commerce. 

FOCKED 2021

December 2021 - NO MEETING - We encourage you to attend the Business Roundtable hosted by The Puyallup Sumner Chamber of Commerce. Moderated by Stephen Harrington (Cross Insurance) and Jon Isaacson (ARES Restoration)

November 2021 - NO MEETING - We encourage you to attend the Business Roundtable hosted by The Puyallup Sumner Chamber of Commerce. Moderated by Stephen Harrington (Cross Insurance) and Jon Isaacson (ARES Restoration)

October 2021 - SOCIAL EVENT - We celebrated the finale of the 2nd Annual SOCKTember 2021 with our 1st Annual Restoration & Insurance Professionals Costume Dance Party hosted by Reliable Contents Services (Tukwila, WA) 

September 2021 (003) - Puyallup, WA - Contractors discussion of issues and creative solutions going into 2022.  

August 2021 (002) - Puyallup, WA - Contractors discussion regarding creative solutions for hiring employees in light of recent challenges in the workforce.  

July 2021 (001) - Puyallup, WA - Contractors discussion regarding the recent updates to the IICRC S500 Water damage mitigation and restoration standards

Annual Community Event - SOCKTember

Join us September 2022 for the Third Annual - The DYOJO SOCKTember NEW Sock Raising Competition. We have a LOT of fun and do a LOT of good as we compete with each other to raise NEW socks for local charities.