The DYOJO Resources for Contractors
Helping contractors shorten
their DANG learning curve.
their DANG learning curve.
Resources for contractors from The DYOJO and our partners
This page includes resources for education, training, and professional development for small business owners, general contractors, general managers, operations managers, project managers, estimators, superintendents, supervisors, technicians, and carpenters.
These resources will benefit professionals who provide services in the construction industry including water damage mitigation, fire damage restoration, remodeling, renovation, damage repair, hazards remediation, mold removal, asbestos abatement, insurance claims, storm response, hurricane recovery, building science, indoor air quality, environmental professionals, and MORE.
- Construction Books
- Be Intentional series for construction professionals
- Resources For Young Pros series for emerging professionals
- Construction Podcast
- Contractor Blog
- Contractor Library
- Property Restoration History
This page includes resources for education, training, and professional development for small business owners, general contractors, general managers, operations managers, project managers, estimators, superintendents, supervisors, technicians, and carpenters.
These resources will benefit professionals who provide services in the construction industry including water damage mitigation, fire damage restoration, remodeling, renovation, damage repair, hazards remediation, mold removal, asbestos abatement, insurance claims, storm response, hurricane recovery, building science, indoor air quality, environmental professionals, and MORE.
Ready to shorten your DANG learning curve?
- Watch or Listen to The DYOJO Podcast - helping contractors shorten their DANG learning curve
- Buy a Book by The Intentional Restorer
- Join The DYOJO Mailing List
Our Latest Book
In the professional world, we can see an organization doing well and be tempted to think they have an unfair business advantage. In the arena of sports, we hear about performance-enhancing drugs and teams trying to steal other secret signs. In business, we hear about corporate espionage and insider trading.
Good news for business owners, managers, and supervisors. There are ethical and legal ways to create "unfair" advantages in the workplace. Where your peers and competitors are struggling and complaining about working with young professionals, there is a NEW BOOK from The DYOJO that will create win-wins for employers and employees.
Check out P2T: Preparing 2 Thrive in the Modern Workplace by Jonathan L. Isaacson. This is the first book in the Resources For Young Professionals series.
Join the early-release mailing list to acquire your "unfair" advantage TODAY.
TheDYOJO.com/book5
Good news for business owners, managers, and supervisors. There are ethical and legal ways to create "unfair" advantages in the workplace. Where your peers and competitors are struggling and complaining about working with young professionals, there is a NEW BOOK from The DYOJO that will create win-wins for employers and employees.
Check out P2T: Preparing 2 Thrive in the Modern Workplace by Jonathan L. Isaacson. This is the first book in the Resources For Young Professionals series.
Join the early-release mailing list to acquire your "unfair" advantage TODAY.
TheDYOJO.com/book5
Books for Contractors
The DYOJO has published four books to help you achieve your personal and team development goals. They are each available through Amazon.
Check out The DYOJO BLOG for articles written to help you shorten your DANG learning curve as an Intentional Restorer.
PUBLICATIONS from The DYOJO
Check out The DYOJO BLOG for articles written to help you shorten your DANG learning curve as an Intentional Restorer.
PUBLICATIONS from The DYOJO
(COMING SOON) P2T: Preparing 2 Thrive in the Modern Workplace (Resources For Young Pros, Book 1) by Jon Isaacson
(2022) How To Suck Less At Estimating by Jon Isaacson, this book covers the mindset and habits for better project outcomes in the construction industry.
(2022) So, You Want To Be A Project Manager? by Jon Isaacson, this book covers the mindset and habits for the roles and responsibilities of project management.
(2021) Be Intentional: Culture by various talented authors, this book shares real world efforts to elevate workplace culture.
(2020) Be Intentional: Estimating by Jon Isaacson, this book outlines the right mindset and habits for pursuing insurance claims estimating.
Resources for Property Restoration Contractors from The DYOJO
The DYOJO Way: developing Intentional Restorers at every level
- Career development for property restoration technicians
- Leadership skills development for property restoration managers
- Estimating and project management best practices for estimators
- Process improvement for property restoration owners
- Xactimate and negotiation skills development for adjusters
Resources for Construction Business Owners
Are you an intentional property restoration owner and you want to shorten your DANG learning curve for the next steps of your process improvement?
The DYOJO Way teaches us that to be Intentional Restorers, we need to develop the mindset and habits in the Four Pillars (4 P's) of Competitive Advantage:
- People
- Process
- Production
- Progress
Most owners want profitability. It is important to remember that profits are an effect of several factors, or causes, that lead to achievement. When you invest (input) in your people, process, production and progress (The 4 P's) you will see better outcomes (output) towards reaching your goals. Those in a position of leadership must lead by example. Your vision needs to be clear and your process needs to be consistent if you want to have alignment and accountability from bottom-to-top. Pay attention to those small things that either enhance or undermine your effort to intentionally develop a thriving culture.
Work in progress, ask us about the following:
- The DYOJO Intake Form (spreadsheet) and SOP #1 - Set your team up for success by getting the right information from the start
- The DYOJO Project Tracker (spreadsheet) and SOP #2 - Keep your team on track by having your information accessible to all
- The DYOJO Scoping SOP #3 - Thorough data capture (project inspection) is key to starting your projects off right
Resources for skilled trades managers
Are you an intentional skilled trades manager who wants to shorten your DANG learning curve for the next steps of your leadership skills development?
The DYOJO Way teaches us that to be Intentional Restorers, we need to develop the mindset and habits to build:
- Clarity
- Consistency
- Accountability
Most managers want accountability, but we often forget the importance of the two factors that will build and enhance these pursuits. Accountability comes from building a culture of clarity and consistency in your processes. Be clear with your vision and consistent with your execution and you will build accountability from the top-down which will contribute to buy-in from the bottom-up. Aligning your team will help everyone focus on those little things that enhance and elevate your culture.
WATCH Ryan Strickland share some of his creative ideas for employee engagement and celebrating as a team at 911 Restoration (Fayetteville, NC):
Resources for estimators and project managers
Are you an intentional property restoration estimator and you want to shorten your DANG learning curve for the next steps of your estimating and project management?
The DYOJO Way teaches us that to be Intentional Restorers, we need to develop the mindset and habits for estimating and project management, which include:
- Be professional
- Be polite
- But don't get played
Often we allow ourselves to be caught in the hamster wheel of busyness, telling ourselves that we are working “harder” and therefore never stopping to develop a process for working “smarter”. It’s difficult to do, but you and I have to take a step back if we are going to improve the process. One area that I would like to direct our attention towards, that assists our team members to perform their functions much more efficiently and leads to much better project outcomes, is business relationships.
If we rate our relationships on a scale of niceness, perhaps we can compare this feature to the familiar story of Goldilocks the Adjuster and the Three Estimator Bears:
- Pushover Bear
- Pragmatist Bear
- Pertinacious Bear
We go into greater detail on developing the mindset and habits to succeed with insurance claim estimating and project management in my book, Be Intentional: Estimating which is available in Kindle and paperback. We also provide some deeper dives into topics like fire damage restoration estimating both in video and through our accompanying article in Restoration and Remediation Magazine (R&R).
WATCH as we discuss resolving insurance claims disputes with the author of When Words Collide, Bill Wilson, and our friend David Princeton of Advocate Claim Service (ACS):
Resources for restoration technicians
Are you an intentional property restoration technician and you want to shorten your DANG learning curve for the next steps of your career development?
The DYOJO Way teaches us that to be Intentional Restorers, we need to develop the mindset and habits to:
- Do it Right
- Do it Efficiently
- Do it Excellently
Before you can do anything excellently, you must first learn to do it right. Pursue being proficient in technical as well as practical training. The difference between knowledge and wisdom, is knowing how to apply what you have learned to your daily work. As you become skilled in doing things the right way, increase your ability to be efficient with your movements. Contribute to increased production by reducing waste. When you know how to do it right and you have developed the skills to be efficient, you will be able to focus on those little things that enhance your culture and elevate the experience for your client.
WATCH as we discuss property restoration career development opportunities with Randy Carley of Reclaim (Vancouver, WA) :
How do I start a property restoration company?
You do not have to be a rocket scientist to START a restoration company, but there are unique aspects of this industry. If you want to shorten your DANG learning curve for starting a water or fire damage restoration company, we have resources that can help you.
In property restoration and other service-based industries, opportunities often come at all of the oddest hours of the day or night, testing your commitment to the cause. Identify the opportunities that are best for you and your team. Structure yourself and your team to see, understand, and meet the needs, values, and opportunities that the market presents.
If you want to learn more about starting and growing a restoration company:
- Read this article from The DYOJO - How to Start Your Restoration Company with Pennies
- Watch this video from The DYOJO - Asking Better Questions for Your Business
How do I get more insurance claims work?
Some contractors think that the insurance companies are a golden goose. While there is money to be made in work on property insurance claims, there is are unique processes and nuances that you will need to skillfully navigate if you want to achieve your goals.
In his first book, Be Intentional: Estimating, author Jon Isaacson outlines many of the mindset and habits that will help owners, managers, estimators, and growth-minded professionals to thrive in the world of insurance claim response and repairs.
If you want to learn more about the insurance claims process:
- Watch this video from The DYOJO Podcast addressing - Common Estimating Shortfalls
- Read this article from The DYOJO - The Mindset and Habits for Claims Estimating Success
How do I improve my project scoping and estimating?
Perhaps you have started your restoration company but you are struggling to achieve consistent outcomes with your production process. The DYOJO has created several resources that will help owners and managers to achieve clarity, consistency, and accountability within their organizations.
Watch our six part video series from The DYOJO Podcast, The Benchmarks of Growth, where we dig into the factors that helped industry veterans persevere through their obstacles and lead their teams through various stages in their company evolution.
If you would like to level up your estimating process:
- Watch this video, an episode of The Xactimate Sessions, from The DYOJO Podcast - Improving as an Xactimate Estimator
- Read this article from The DYOJO - If You Want to Succeed, Row Together
Professional development resources from The DYOJO
- I am a technician wanting to career growth development
- I am a manager looking for management and leadership skills development
- I am an estimator looking for estimating and project management skills development
- I am an owner looking for process improvement and team development
- I am an adjuster looking for Xactimate and negotiation skills development