Change and evolution rarely come easily or naturally for an entire company. As the founder and CEO of Next Gear Solutions, I have spent years helping thousands of restoration contractors do one primary thing: drive major change in their business. 

Have you ever said about your business, “I just need somebody to answer my phones”? Maybe you consider that a lowly position that anyone should be able to manage, just a warm body talking into a piece of plastic.

I enjoy reading entry level job advertisements for the restoration industry. They remind me of a simpler way of living. Pack a lunch every night, wake up earlier than you want to, perform physical labor before 7 a.m., break for 15 minutes at lunch, and come home tired.

Since the 1990s, experts have been declaring burnout levels are reaching epidemic proportions among North American workers (Maslach & Leiter, 1997). Since that time, most people would probably agree that work related stressors have only intensified with the proliferation of metrics, technology, and the need to be “on” all the time.

The numbers are pointing to this being a solid year for restoration and remodeling contractors. Despite new home construction being a bit sluggish, remodeling and maintenance spending grew as expected thanks largely to storms and continued recovery efforts from hurricanes in 2018.

The RIA’s Advocacy and Government Affairs (AGA) Committee continues to roll full steam ahead. In case you have not heard of us, the AGA is on a mission to advocate for the best interests of restorers, and to achieve a fair and level playing field, both legally and financially, with insurers and their partners. Each month, we report on our progress and recent developments.