Sunday Musings

As I sit here in my home office on this mid Missouri morning, I am grateful for the change in weather. For the past couple of weeks we have been under a constant heat advisory. This morning the sky is overcast, windows are open and the cool breeze is bringing us a much needed relief.

As I reflect on my 30 year career as a professional restorer, I realize just how lucky I was in so many ways. I poured my heart (and my savings) into my first disaster restoration business named AERODRY, which represented the Aerodynamics involved in the drying process and the Aerodynamics involved in flying. As a young aviator with a passion for flying, the business name made sense to me, anyway.

The company was built on integrity, helping families weather the storm and emerge stronger. The first few years were a whirlwind. We hustled, fueled by youthful energy and a shared dream. Every new client was a victory, every completed job a testament to my team’s hard work.

But by year five, the cracks began to show. The jobs kept coming, faster than we could handle. While juggling the books I began to fret. Expenses were ballooning, and cash flow was a constant tightrope walk. Sleep became a luxury, replaced by the relentless demands of the business.

Temptation arrived in the form of a "shortcut" suggested by a fellow restorer. They could juggle crews, moving them from job to job, placating clients with promises while prioritizing new, higher-paying projects. It felt dirty, a betrayal of my initial vision. Yet, the allure of staying afloat, of keeping my dream alive, was undeniable. I was now running a Restoration Ponzi scheme.

The first few "rolled-over" jobs went smoothly. But soon, the house of cards began to wobble. Complaints trickled in, then poured, a deluge of frustrated clients and suspicious insurance adjusters. The pressure mounted, a suffocating weight on my already strained shoulders. Sleep became a distant memory, replaced by a gnawing anxiety.

I had been receiving a regularly mailed flyer from a company called JON DON. Each month the flyer would go directly to the circular file. Then one month in a fit of desperation, I actually took the time to read the flyer. It was a promotional piece for a 5 day college level class called Strategies for Success. The advertisement stated that they, being JON DON would be a Partner in Success for anyone that attended the class. The truth is they were already a partner in my success as my primary provider, so with that in mind I signed up and attended the class in January 1998 at Roselle Illinois at their corporate headquarters.

The instructors were Chuck Violand, Bill Yeadon and Steve Toburen. I had already known Bill since he was my first instructor for carpet cleaning. It was during the third day of instruction when Steve dove deep into the subject of business systems. Until this time the subject of systemizing my business and building an infrastructure had never entered my mind. He also highly recommended that anyone serious about systemizing their business should read the E-Myth by Michael A. Gerber. I took his advice!

One night, while slumped over my laptop, a quote by Michael Gerber in the E-Myth, my business bible, jumped out at me: "E-Myth Trap: You don't want to have a technician's mindset, you have to have an owner's mindset." Shame washed over me. I'd become a slave to the business I built, drowning in the day-to-day chaos.

The next morning, a decision made, I called a team meeting. It wasn't easy. I confessed my mistakes, the desperation that fueled the shortcuts. The team, surprisingly, rallied. They saw the toll it had taken, the fear in my eyes. Together, we formulated a plan. Honesty became our new policy, transparency our shield. We prioritized finishing existing jobs, even if it meant turning down new ones.

The road to recovery was long and arduous. But slowly, trust began to rebuild. They invested in systems, streamlining processes and delegating tasks. The business became more efficient, more sustainable.

The dream, though bruised, wasn't shattered. It had evolved, tempered by the harsh lessons learned. With a newfound clarity, I was no longer just a technician in my business, I was an owner, steering our ship with a steadier hand, my eyes fixed firmly on the horizon. Thanks to Chuck Violand, Bill Yeadon, Steve Toburen, Michael Gerber and all of the wonder folks who represent JON DON.