We’re thrilled to share that Learning Lever, our signature Digital Training Solution, is getting a series of exciting updates to make your experience more dynamic and user-friendly! Here are the essential details for the upgrade weekend:
Temporary Offline Period: Learning Lever will be offline from Friday, November 15th at 8 PM through Sunday, November 17th.
One-Time Login on Monday: When you log in on Monday, November 18th, you’ll just need to re-enter your email and password. Once saved, you’re all set!
Purchases and Support Available: While purchases won’t be available on the portal during the upgrade, our team is here to help! Contact us anytime at info@rtilearning.com for purchase questions or just to say hi.
During this time, we’ll be implementing updates designed to make learning management smoother, tools more powerful, and overall training even more enjoyable! Here’s what you can expect:
Key Upgrade Highlights
Enhanced Learning Experience: Discover new features that bring even more fun and functionality to your training journey.
Improved Learning Management Tools: Easily manage and track your progress with streamlined navigation and tools.
Updated Portal Interface: Our new design provides a clearer, more intuitive layout, making it easier to find what you need when you need it.
What to Expect When We’re Back
When Learning Lever returns on Monday, November 18th, simply log in with your email and password—just this once! After you re-enter your credentials, they’ll be saved, and you’re all set to explore the new features and enjoy an even better learning experience.
During the upgrade window, purchases won’t be available directly through the platform. But don’t worry—our team will be on standby all weekend! If you have any questions or need assistance with purchases, feel free to reach out at info@rtilearning.comor call at 610-926-0223. We’d love to hear from you!
Thank you for your patience and support as we work to make Learning Lever even better for our incredible community. Stay tuned, and we look forward to welcoming you back on Monday with a refreshed, upgraded platform!
We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new Tip Series, How to Get Your Team to Do the Thing!, in collaboration with C&R Magazine and The Language of Leadership. This series is designed to help you Run. Build. Achieve.—providing essential strategies to reduce frustration, build highly accountable teams, and create a positive work environment.
Why This Series Matters
Leadership in any business is about more than just giving orders—it’s about fostering a culture of engagement, accountability, and happiness. With insights from Erik Berglund, CEO and Founder of The Language of Leadership, we will share practical tips that empower you to motivate your team and achieve outstanding results.
Lisa Lavender, COO of Lever360, emphasizes the importance of these tips, stating, “This is the backbone to all the processes, SOPs, training, and all the other work and resources that go into building a scalable and efficient restoration company.”
Tip 1: Quality of Work Thing
Getting your team to consistently deliver high-quality work and follow through on their responsibilities is one of the biggest challenges leaders face. But with the right approach, you can make this process smoother and more effective. This week’s tip delves into how to motivate and inspire your team to take action and ensure that the quality of work remains high.
Take the Next Step: Master the Language of Leadership
Want to take your leadership skills to the next level? Join our FREE course, Introduction to the Language of Leadership, and learn the secrets to communicating more effectively with your team. This course is designed to give you the tools to lead with confidence, build stronger relationships, and inspire action.
Join the Academy: Practice Leadership in a Supportive Environment
For those ready to dive deeper and apply these lessons in real-time, the Language of Leadership Group Coaching Academy is the perfect place to practice and refine your skills. With hands-on coaching and personalized feedback, you’ll learn how to lead your team with confidence and clarity.
We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new Tip Series, How to Get Your Team to Do the Thing!, in collaboration with C&R Magazine and The Language of Leadership. This series is designed to help you Run. Build. Achieve.—providing essential strategies to reduce frustration, build highly accountable teams, and create a positive work environment.
Why This Series Matters
Leadership in any business is about more than just giving orders—it’s about fostering a culture of engagement, accountability, and happiness. With insights from Erik Berglund, CEO and Founder of The Language of Leadership, we will share practical tips that empower you to motivate your team and achieve outstanding results.
Lisa Lavender, COO of Lever360, emphasizes the importance of these tips, stating, “This is the backbone to all the processes, SOPs, training, and all the other work and resources that go into building a scalable and efficient restoration company.”
Tip 1: Quality of Work Thing
Getting your team to consistently deliver high-quality work and follow through on their responsibilities is one of the biggest challenges leaders face. But with the right approach, you can make this process smoother and more effective. This week’s tip delves into how to motivate and inspire your team to take action and ensure that the quality of work remains high.
Take the Next Step: Master the Language of Leadership
Want to take your leadership skills to the next level? Join our FREE course, Introduction to the Language of Leadership, and learn the secrets to communicating more effectively with your team. This course is designed to give you the tools to lead with confidence, build stronger relationships, and inspire action.
Join the Academy: Practice Leadership in a Supportive Environment
For those ready to dive deeper and apply these lessons in real-time, the Language of Leadership Group Coaching Academy is the perfect place to practice and refine your skills. With hands-on coaching and personalized feedback, you’ll learn how to lead your team with confidence and clarity.
Image credit: Poca Wander Stock / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
In today’s fast-paced restoration industry, where change is constant, the need for effective training and development has never been more critical. But how can you ensure that your training investments aren’t just ticking a box, but are truly making an impact? This article will show you how to get more from your training initiatives—whether you’re aiming to onboard, grow future leaders, improve operational performance, or retain top talent.
What’s in it for you? The ability to transform your team into a powerful, agile workforce capable of adapting to new technologies, embracing strategic pivots, and growing your business. To do this, we need to get better at managing training for impact—not just learning. When training is properly managed, it drives engagement, strengthens culture, and delivers real-world results that align with your business objectives.
With that in mind, let’s explore how to shift from focusing solely on ROI to creating lasting impact through strategic, well-managed training initiatives.
Creating Training Impact before ROI Calculations
We often hear about the importance of calculating Return on Investment (ROI) for training efforts. However, before we dive into the financial metrics, we need to focus on something even more fundamental—creating impact. After all, it’s the impact of training that ultimately generates a return. But how do we maximize that impact? How do we ensure our training interventions are aligned with business objectives and that they drive real-world results?
According to Brinkerhoff’s HPLJ methodology, the key to creating impactful training lies in designing it as a process, not a one-off event. Traditional training often focuses solely on the learning event (the course, seminar, or workshop), but HPLJ emphasizes the magic that happens before and after the event.
Training isn’t confined to formal classrooms, online workshops, or eLearning. It happens continuously—through on-the-job experiences, informal interactions, and everyday learning. Whether we manage it deliberately or not, our team is always learning—sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. Creating an organization that strategically manages training and development for impact can drive improvements in operational outcomes, culture, engagement, and retention.
This competency not only strengthens our workforce but also positions us to adapt more easily to new technologies, products, equipment, and strategic pivots. It fosters a culture of continuous learning and growth, which is especially crucial in our industry, where success depends on our greatest asset: our people.
The following is not an all-inclusive playbook but offer some tips to help you quickly start improving impact and are structured into three phases—General,Pre-Training, and Post-Training,—to improve the impact of training interventions that align with individual performance and organizational goals. In addition, at the bottom you will find additional resources and free downloads.
General Tips for Maximizing Training Impact
1. Prioritize Onboarding as the Foundation of Training
Impactful training starts on day one, with onboarding. This phase is your opportunity to communicate expectations, instill company values, and demonstrate that learning and development are integral to the organization’s culture. A strong onboarding process sets the stage for long-term success by ensuring that new hires are equipped with the tools, support, and direction they need to succeed not only in their current roles but also in future opportunities.
How:
Use onboarding to create a foundation of trust and engagement by introducing employees to a culture of continuous learning and development.
Provide clear guidelines and resources during onboarding to ensure new hires understand the pathways for their career growth and how they can apply their training to real-world job responsibilities.
2. Treat Training and Development as a Key Operational Area
Training and development should be viewed as a core functional area of your business, just like HR, sales, marketing, and project management. It’s not an isolated initiative but an ongoing, integrated part of your operational strategy.
How:
Include training and development in your functional chart and any other organizational overviews (e.g., org charts, communication structures) that reflect company operations.
Make it an assigned responsibility in job descriptions for managers, team leaders, and any other applicable roles.
Establish clear expectations, processes, tools, and measurable goals for training, similar to how you would approach jobs, key projects or initiatives.
Regularly evaluate and hold accountable those responsible for meeting training and development objectives.
3. Establish Clear Expectations for Roles and Training Goals
Effective training begins with a clear understanding of job roles, responsibilities, and the specific goals of training. Without these, it becomes nearly impossible to craft a focused training path or hold employees accountable for applying what they’ve learned. Both those responsible for training and learners need clarity around what the training aims to achieve and how it connects to real-world responsibilities.
How:
Start with the End in Mind: When developing training, always begin by asking, What must the employee be able to do by the end of this training? This question helps define the skills or competencies needed for specific tasks, roles, or career growth.
Use Structured Guides and Tools: Utilize resources like the “8 Steps to Train Someone” guide and infographic to outline clear training paths. These steps can help both trainers and managers create a roadmap for each learning objective, from specific job tasks to new technologies or career progression.
Communicate Expectations Early: Make sure that both trainers and learners understand the specific outcomes expected from the training. This includes clear job responsibilities, the skills they must acquire, and how their progress will be measured.
4. Leadership Engagement Drives Training Impact
Leaders must be fully engaged and committed to training for it to create measurable impact. Research by Brinkerhoff found that management engagement accounts for 70% of the impact from training initiatives. Leaders’ influence, attitude, and involvement strongly affect with how well training is applied and sustained in the organization.
How:
Understand Influence: Leaders must recognize that their attitude toward training directly influences its success. When leadership is committed, employees are more likely to engage with and apply the training effectively.
Commit Time and Resources: Leadership must be willing to invest the necessary resources—time, budget, and tools—into training and development. This ensures that learners have what they need to succeed.
Engage Learners: Leadership should dedicate time to actively engage with learners by providing feedback, recognizing achievements, and celebrate progress. This engagement fosters a positive learning environment.
Hold Employees Accountable: Set clear expectations for applying training on the job and hold employees accountable. Accountability ensures that training leads to improved performance.
Provide Feedback and Reinforcement: Offer regular feedback to guide employees in applying their new skills and celebrate their successes. Positive reinforcement helps sustain the impact of training over time.
5. Mitigate Performance Barriers to Training Application
Even the best training will fail to create impact if performance barriers prevent employees from applying what they’ve learned. These barriers could range from lack of work design, process to cultural resistance within the organization.
How:
Identify Barriers: Start by actively identifying what’s preventing employees from applying their training. Survey your organization and gather feedback from employees, supervisors, and managers to gain insight into common challenges.
Mitigate Barriers: Once identified, take steps to reduce or remove these obstacles. Barriers could include:
Access to Equipment or Resources: Employees may learn a new technique but can’t apply it if the required equipment is broken or unavailable.
Cultural Resistance: Negative attitudes from leadership or coworkers, such as “we don’t do it that way,” can discourage employees from using new skills. Leadership must actively support change to mitigate these pressures.
Accountability: Lack of accountability to apply the training on the job can be a major barrier. If there are no expectations or follow-ups, employees are less likely to incorporate the training into their daily work.
Opportunity to Apply Training: If employees don’t have timely opportunities to use what they’ve learned, the training’s impact diminishes. Ensure that employees can apply their skills shortly after training.
Example Action Step:
Download our free Barriers Checklist and use it to survey your organization. Collect input from employees and managers to identify barriers that exist in your workplace. By addressing these obstacles, you’ll help ensure that training has a clear path to creating impact and driving performance.
6. Leverage Learning with Clear Pre- and Post-Training Processes
For training to have maximum impact, both pre-training preparation and post-training follow-up are crucial. A key element of Robert Brinkerhoff’s High Performance Learning Journey (HPLJ) methodology is focusing on strategic learning—ensuring that training is tied directly to job application before the event. As Brinkerhoff emphasizes, “It is not who learns the most, but who learns the most strategically.” This approach prioritizes aligning learning with job performance and business outcomes from the outset.
How:
Pre-Training:
Help learners connect the training objectives to their specific job responsibilities, focusing on how the training will be applied on the job. This allows learners to approach the training strategically, seeing its relevance and value from the start.
Engage learners by aligning the training with broader business objectives. Be clear about the expected performance outcomes, such as reducing callbacks or increasing sales. Where possible, define specific, measurable results.
Use the Leverage Learning Worksheet to guide this process. Learners can record their job responsibilities and reflect on how the training will impact their role. This ensures both learners and managers are aligned on goals before the training begins and prepares learners to absorb information that is relevant to their tasks.
Post-Training:
Create a safe environment for learners to discuss their progress, share additional training needs, and conduct self-assessments. This can be done using a Training Journal to track experiences, reflect on learning, and receive feedback from mentors or supervisors.
Encourage learners and on the job trainers to apply a “Learn-Do-Repeat” model, where they practice their new skills on the job, collect feedback, and continue practicing until they achieve proficiency. This method reinforces learning and mastery through real-world application.
Celebrate achievements and recognize the progress learners have made, ensuring that the training is tied to ongoing development and growth. Engage the learner on the journey and show support for their career goals.
Example Action Step:
Download the Leverage Learning Worksheet to easily execute these pre- and post-training strategies. It will help you guide learners through self-assessments, reflection, and continuous improvement, ensuring training is effectively applied in the workplace.
Incorporating Impact for Lasting Success
By focusing on impact, you ensure that your training efforts go beyond mere learning events to truly drive performance, engagement, and growth. When training is well-managed and aligned with business objectives, it empowers your workforce, fosters innovation, and positions your organization to adapt to industry changes.
I wish you much continued Restoring Success by fostering a culture of learning, accountability, and strategic application. Remember, the journey doesn’t end with the training session—it’s the ongoing process of applying, reinforcing, and refining that creates lasting impact.
For years, there has been much discussion about our profession and industry gaining the recognition and elevation it deserves. Despite our efforts, we often fall through the cracks of formal classifications. Are we janitorial, construction, or something else entirely? The point is there’s a lot of work to be done within our industry. The solution doesn’t rest with a single organization or person; it lies within all of us, making many small but meaningful impacts.
I recall a moment when someone who knew me well complimented me on being a Master Plumber. I had to clarify that I was not a Master Plumber but held IICRC Masters certifications in Water, Fire, and Textile Restoration. This incident underscores our industry’s ongoing struggle for recognition, despite our expertise and the vital services we provide.
We still have work to do to educate consumers about our industry. Who grows up aspiring to be a Restoration Professional? Currently, it seems only the children and grandchildren of those already in the field consider it. Imagine a world where first graders aspire to be heroes in their communities, motivated by training and a desire to help others in times of need. For example, Dr. Jake Avila, inspired by the profession, earned a Doctor of Policy, Planning, and Development, and now serves as an Associate Professor of Construction Management at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). He is leading the charge in launching a new degree program supported by Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU): the Restoration Industry Management Program.
In 2015, I wrote “Restoration Professionals Wanted, No Degree Required,” which tells the story of someone who “stumbled” upon our industry and became one of the most accomplished restorers I know. We cannot rely on chance alone to fill the ranks of our industry. As the saying goes, “It takes a village.”
Here are some actionable steps we can take, followed by Dr. Jake’s story, his passion, and how you can help:
1. Culture: Many current leaders and managers began as “techs.” Foster a culture where every job and position are viewed as a career. Promote opportunities, invest in training and development, and instill pride in every team member. If someone introduces themselves as “just a tech,” I often respond with a reminder: “You are not just a tech. Every role in a restoration company is crucial to its success and to serving our customers. There are opportunities and joy ahead that you can seize.”
2. Focus on the Positive: We should highlight the positive aspects of a career in restoration. For instance, an 11-year-old wrote about his father, an experienced Project Manager, capturing both the pride and accuracy in the job description: Life As A Project Manager, As Told By An 11-Year-Old. As we inspire others to consider a career in Restoration, it’s essential to emphasize the skills, impact, opportunities, and positives. Every industry faces challenges, but focusing solely on them can be detrimental.
3. Get Involved: Here are some ways to contribute:
Schools: Engage with local schools to showcase our profession as a viable career option.
Serve on committees and boards.
Offer your company as a destination for class or group activities, experiences, and field trips.
Participate in career and job fairs by bringing tools of the trade and discussing the impact and science of restoration.
Support programs and initiatives aimed at helping future professionals find careers in the trades.
Internships: Provide internship opportunities for high school students.
Community Events: Engage young people through events, perhaps with activities like coloring pages depicting professional restorers as heroes.
Supporting these initiatives not only contributes to a long-term vision for the industry but also has several benefits:
Morale: Rallying around a common goal boosts team spirit and pride. Impacting the future generation of restorers is rewarding.
Community: Consider how these efforts reflect on your company’s and the industry’s image within the community.
Positive Impact: Positive actions lead to more positive outcomes. Just thinking about these efforts brings a smile to my face and warms my heart.
True Story of a High School Intern in Restoration: I must share the story of our first high school intern, which profoundly impacted me and my team. Despite the logistical challenges and safety considerations, this intern brought enthusiasm and confidence that lit up the room. His choice to pursue restoration, despite many other “cool” options, intrigued me. During lunch, he revealed that he was from Haiti and wanted to learn about construction and water to help rebuild homes that could withstand hurricanes. He wanted to return to his community with his knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact. His story reminded us that we are part of a connected world, and that each member of the restoration industry plays a role in it.
We asked Dr. Jake to share his insights on making impactful changes in the industry:
Tell us about the journey that led you to earn your doctorate, become a professor, and begin work to launch a degree program in restoration.
Answer: I grew up working in the restoration industry. My Dad (Chuck Avila) worked in the industry for years and started his own restoration business with my Mom (Naomi Avila) in 1990, when I was a kid. I really enjoyed the work and my time working with my parents and my brother, Aaron. I worked in the family business through college and while pursuing my MBA.
After completing my MBA, I was sitting on two advisory boards for a university in town as a local business owner providing perspectives on courses students should be taking and feedback on how to enhance the learning experiences for students. While sitting on the advisory board I was approached by the business chair (who was on the same university committee) of a community college in our town. He needed someone to teach an entrepreneurship course that was starting in a couple of weeks, and I jumped at the opportunity. It was that semester that I was drawn to teaching and decided to begin working on a doctorate so I could, at some point, teach full time.
Part of the work of a professor is conducting research and I decided that I wanted most of my research work to focus on the restoration industry. That led me down a path of working with restoration contractors to determine what they thought would be of greatest value to the industry. From there we launched a study that examined family businesses in restoration, then employee burnout, and burnout among restoration industry estimators. As we wrapped up each study and published articles, I shared all our data and findings with the industry. The response from the industry has been overwhelmingly supportive each time; however, there has been a lingering question at the end of every work session, presentation, focus group, and talk that followed… what can you do to help us attract more people to the industry?
This has been the most pressing question, and my answer has evolved into one that has a couple of key components. There are certainly other factors and more nuanced factors, but the following, I believe, are key if we want to see meaningful and marked improvement in this area.
The restoration industry is not doing enough to reach young people and attract them to the industry. The issue of dwindling manpower is not one that is unique to restoration. Most industries are experiencing this, and some are simply doing a better job than others at combating this challenge. For example, our university hosts employer events every semester. Last year we had approximately 175 employers on campus recruiting students for careers in concrete and construction management. Of those employers only one was a restoration contractor. This restoration contractor that shows up to our events hires at least one to two students every year and they are reaping the benefits of their efforts. They send their best people to interact with students and they show up excited to talk about the industry, the good work their people are doing, and the opportunities that await. Point is… if we don’t show up to events like this with this attitude, we probably won’t see the needle move. If we aren’t reaching out to high schoolers, community colleges, trade schools, universities, and similar places we can’t expect these challenges to get any better. How can we expect to attract talent if we aren’t showing up to compete for it?
We have examples of other industries that have led efforts to educate, train, and equip young people for careers. The concrete industry serves as a great example of a similar industry, in a similar space, and with similar circumstances. The concrete industry is about half the size of the restoration industry ($110 billion vs. $200 billion). About 20 years ago the concrete industry recognized the need to educate, train, and equip young people for careers in concrete. This led to an initiative to start the first concrete industry management degree program in the country at our university, Middle Tennessee State University. This was an initiative driven by members of the concrete industry in support of the long-term health and sustainability of the industry. Over the past 20 years the concrete industry has expanded this effort to add several other programs at other universities in the country, funded new buildings for these programs, and raise approximately $2 million every year to advance concrete education at the university level. The concrete industry has seen great results from this industry-led effort. The impact has been significant, and we now have graduates from these programs working in many capacities in the concrete industry. Some have moved on to estimating, project management, and plant management and others have started their own concrete companies or moved into general and operations management – among many other roles.
We are excited to be leading a fundraising effort to bring a similar degree concentration to the restoration industry.
How will this program contribute to the future of the industry?
Answer: We are working to raise $1 million to fund a faculty position in restoration and $2 million to fund student scholarships and educational support to advance the restoration degree concentration at MTSU. The donations will go directly into endowments and will fund, in perpetuity, restoration education at MTSU. The money donated will never be less than what is given, and the university endowment will generate a 4% return which will be used to fund the program. We envision the program (1) bringing student interns and graduates to the industry; (2) funding student travel and participation in industry conferences; (3) supporting students earning industry certifications; (4) encouraging student research in restoration; and (5) bringing members of the industry to MTSU every year for conferences, training, and recruiting events.
What steps should we take as an industry in the short term and long term?
Answer: The most important step we can take right now is donate. Our initial goal is to raise $1 million by this December to get the faculty line in place so we can have a dedicated person and staff working on getting the curriculum approved through our industry stakeholders and accreditors. This timeline would put us in a position where we could potentially launch the program within two semesters of meeting this goal. The university is supporting this work and matching the funds, but the most important piece is knowing the industry supports this initiative and, to be candid, donation support from the industry is a key metric in discerning whether the industry is behind this effort.
We have attached a gift commitment form for download that we are asking all donors to complete and send back as soon as possible. This will help with planning on our end so we can start making strides toward getting the program off the ground. Credit card donations may be made at http://www.mtsu.edu/give by entering the amount you want to give, clicking the dropdown menu under “What would you like to give to?” and selecting “Other” before typing in “Disaster Restoration” within the “Other” comment box.
Checks may be made Payable to The MTSU Foundation and sent to P.O. Box 109, Murfreesboro, TN 37132 with “Disaster Restoration” in the memo line. Learn more HERE.
May rallying as an industry to look at the future of our industry bring us much continued Restoring Success.
The Experience Convention and Tradeshow is not just an event; it’s a tribute to the trades, industries, and dedicated professionals who have shaped and continue to advance the fields of cleaning and restoration. This year, we pay homage to the long-standing history of this great event while embracing the future by highlighting the critical field of inspection.
A Time for Friendship, Camaraderie, and Learning
The Experience is a time for friendship, camaraderie, and learning from each other. It is a melting pot where science and business models intertwine, allowing members of the cleaning and restoration industries to share knowledge, forge connections, and celebrate their achievements. This year’s convention is particularly special as it underscores the importance of inspection within our industry.
Embracing the Discipline of Inspection
Inspection is a discipline in and of itself. It is a crucial aspect that permeates all our work, from initial assessments to final evaluations. Whether identifying pre-existing conditions, establishing protocols, or determining root causes, inspection is an integral step in our processes. This year, we are excited to introduce a dedicated focus on inspection within the Cleaning and Restoration Pavilion, featuring experts on flooring inspection, moisture and water intrusion, roofs, asbestos and more.
Cleaning and Restoration
Through the event, you will experience a wide variety of Cleaning and Restoration presentations and demonstrations. Inspecting and assessing as a general principle is vital as it pertains to everyone in our fields. By inspecting and assessing, we lay the groundwork for all subsequent tasks, ensuring that we address pre-existing conditions accurately and establish effective protocols. We can avoid mistakes and issues that may arise and have meaningful communications that build relationships based on our expertise when communicating with those we serve.
Bringing Together Cleaning, Restoration, and Inspection
This year, The Experience unites the pillars of cleaning, restoration, and inspection, tying together our collective efforts into a comprehensive, industry-wide initiative. This holistic approach underscores the interconnectedness of these disciplines and highlights their essential roles in our work.
We are deeply grateful to the numerous industry professionals who have generously contributed their time, talents, and expertise to The Experience 2024. Their dedication not only enriches the event but also fosters a spirit of unity and collaboration within our industry. By sharing a diverse range of backgrounds and insights, these experts help ensure the success and growth of all attendees. In addition to the formal programs, the exhibition hall is full of products, equipment, and resources that help support success and gives access to additional passion and expertise of the exhibitors.
Here are some thoughts from a few of the experts who will be sharing their knowledge and passion at The Experience:
Industry Expert Insights
Lisa Wagner, Founder, RugChick.com
“The Experience is a ‘mind-meld’ of masters at their craft. An opportunity for specialists in cleaning, restoration, remediation, and inspection to collaborate, share, and learn from one another. The Pavilion Program brings education to life through relevant hands-on demonstrations and critical insights from experts in the care of textiles, flooring, structures, and indoor living environments. This event attracts the BEST from our industries which takes an excellent program and adds even more inspiration, value, and fun to the entire experience of Experience.
What I love about the event is the opportunity for experts in various related fields coming together to collaborate. I learn from taking a deep conceptual dive with bigger brains than mine in other fields. Asking questions and more questions.
With the topic of “strong inspection skills” and their importance in cleaning and restoration, in the cleaning world specifically right now, both flooring and furnishings have more risks than ever before because of manufacturing quality issues. Having strong pre-work inspection skills is a critical skill because the wrong choices in cleaning and care can cause damage to rugs, carpets, fabrics, and floors.”
Claudia Lezell, President, Inspections Too, Inc.
“Lessons learned and continue to learn!
From over 40 years in the design, build, and flooring industry, thirty in floor failure analysis, a lesson at times learned too late is that flooring, by surface area, is the single largest product by surface volume within the built environment and the most misunderstood.
The presentation will cover “A holistic approach to floor failure avoidance.” When is a floor not just a floor?
Understanding the importance of pre-inspection and evaluation before cleaning and restoring flooring is essential. It’s not just a step but a strategic move that keeps you informed and prepared for potential challenges.
Avoid costly floor failure post-analysis (inspection) by avoiding it, as subject matter experts, peers, and colleagues converge to interconnect the interrelated industries at the Experience.”
Branden Adams, Director of Education, Amerestore
“As a species, we put human life above everything. Because without life, there would be no us! Considering this, we constantly try to improve, prolong, and preserve the lives of others. As trade professionals, we all contribute to the indoor environmental health of every building. It’s our job to ensure that every part of a building is safe for occupants, no matter the trade. We have so many safety guidelines for each trade just for this. Whether that be for plumbers, electricians, water restorers, construction contractors, foundation contractors, industrial hygienists, or HVAC contractors. There is a reason why safety is always referred to as the most important aspect of any job, and why we have rules, guidelines, and regulations to make sure our work contributes to the wellbeing of building occupants. Each trade professional is responsible for knowing their respective trade and the safety that goes into it. I would broaden that, however. The more we know about each trade that goes into the indoor environment, the better professionals we can be. Events like the Experience contribute to just that, a gathering of industry professionals from different trades coming together to share information. Over the years this event has broadened from just flooring and cleaning. I look forward to the day where we can have an event experience that brings together all indoor environment trades, allowing us to learn from each other.
Learning, education, and training in every trade that contributes to indoor environmental safety and health should be the goal and aspiration of every individual in any trade. A broad perspective understanding will not only let us become more successful, but it will help us keep the occupants of every building safe, improving, prolonging, and preserving the lives of others.”
Barry Rice, EHS Director, Signal Restoration Services
“In addition to the trades and sciences, there are many complexities related to the built environment that are related to regulated and hazardous materials. Many restorers misunderstand or chose to ignore OSHA and EPA asbestos regulations. My presentation will review requirements as they relate to restoration work. Restorers not completely familiar with asbestos management are encouraged to attend and pick up useful tips to remain compliant and productive. Those already familiar are encouraged to attend, possibly to get a refresher, and also share their experiences and best practices.”
John Perella, Curriculum Manager, Lever360, (Restoration Technical Institute)
“For me, The Experience is about learning and evolving. Adding inspection to the spotlight this year is a natural progression. It highlights our industry’s dedication to quality and precision, ensuring we deliver the best possible outcomes for our clients. In the real world, we see that any given job scenario involves a wide variety of knowledge and expertise. I am thrilled to work with so many people in the industries at large to bring it all together for this convention. Emphasizing the attention to the skills involved in inspection adds immense value to our program. I will lean on a quote from one of my own personal mentors, Destry Ransdell, which says it all: ‘Inspect the first day, to set it up the best way.’”
Annissa Coy, Co-Founder of Firehouse Education and Mobile Clean Systems
“‘As restoration and cleaning professionals, we are caretakers of the human condition.’ ~ Jeff Jones, founder, BioSheen Services
To be a restoration professional is one of the biggest ways you can serve your fellow man in their time of need and provide hope to others.
I truly love how the cleaning and restoration industry has evolved into a caretaking of the human condition and not just restoration or cleaning of tangible items. Most of the time we are working in someone home thus we are in their sacred and safe space. Their refuge and sanctuary. So, it is our primary objective to protect and care for others. We can only do this with the right tools, confidence and capabilities. Quality education and hands on experience is how we equip ourselves for success in this very important work.
I am constantly fascinated by how much importance we as people put on physical material things. Primarily, it is because we associate a memory or a feeling with an item and then that item becomes a part of our life story. When it becomes damaged or tarnished in some way, they need the help of a trained, skilled and knowledgeable professional. As Jeff said, this is where we as “caretakers” come in to help our clients navigate the process.
We as cleaners and restorers become a part of that life story when we restore an item and return it unharmed once again.
There is no greater service.
And there is no greater event to learn about these tools we need, build confidence thru connection and educate ourselves with proper techniques then The Experience Trade Show and Convention.”
By bringing together cleaning, restoration, and inspection, The Experience Convention and Tradeshow 2024 not only celebrates the past achievements but also sets the stage for future advancements. Join us in this unique tribute to our industries and the dedicated professionals who make it all possible.
Call to Action
As coordinator of the Restoration Pavilion, I encourage you to join us in Vegas: REGISTER HERE. We invite all attendees to visit the Cleaning and Restoration Pavilion to engage with our experts, participate in discussions, and gain invaluable insights into the field of inspection. Let’s make this year’s convention a milestone in our journey toward excellence and innovation.
Let’s celebrate the past, embrace the present, and shape the future together at The Experience Convention and Tradeshow.
May embracing and celebrating cleaning, restoration, and inspection as a collective industry bring you much continued Restoring Success.
