The DYOJO Podcast

132 Insurance Claim Rejection Robots

For episode 132 of The DYOJO Podcast - the podcast that helps contractors shorten their DANG learning curve - we discuss: * The announcement of the Verisk (Xactimate) and Claude (AI) integration and what this means for contractors who assist homeowners with insurance claims response, mitigation, and repairs. * Take a step back in time to discuss some tips for contractors helping homeowners with mold damage removal and remediation. Revisiting a video clip with our first guest David Princeton of Advocate Claim Service.

131 Death by Water Heater (Carbon monoxide poisoning)

On Episode 131 of The DYOJO Podcast we discuss the tragic true story out of Olympia, Washington where a young man lost his life because of an improperly installed tankless water heater. Many lessons to be learned for organizations, managers, technicians, installers, and homeowners as it relates to hazards in the built environment. *The contractors in this incident were initially charged with manslaughter for the improper installation of a tankless water heater We also have details about Winter Break 2026 - check out the article in C&R Magazine SOURCES: Contractors Agree to Diversion Plan in Carbon Monoxide Leak That Killed 21 Year Old Evergreen State College Student Jonathan Rodriguez - https://www.king5.com/article/news/crime/contractors-diversion-plan-carbon-monoxide-leak-that-killed-evergreen-student/281-3a77f49d-1fa4-42e7-80cc-68878a52c32d Winter Break 2026 info - https://www.candrmagazine.com/winter-break-week-2026-set-to-deliver-expanded-education-networking-industry-collaboration-in-bonita-springs/

130 Shrinkage & Aggressive Patience

My truck got broken into - a dange smash and grab. Made me mad and thinking about some of the responses by local authorities to crime, including some interesting remarks by the mayor of Seattle. Our vocabulary word for the day is "shrinkage". Listen to find out what it means and why it's important if you are a small business owner.Also, we end on a positive note hearing about the skilled trades and entrepreneurial journey of Joyce Gabriel, co-owner of Expert Restoration (Rochester, WA). Our second vocabulary word is "aggressive patience". Listen to find out what this concept means and how it can help you as you pursue personal development as an aspiring professional.

129 The Essence of an Entrepreneur

"Opportunities don't happen, you create them." — Chris Grosser For this episode, we discuss the entrepreneurial journey of Taylor Rivas and the team at H2O Away based in Tumwater, Washington. We touch on some of the history of property restoration in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). We replay some of our past interviews, including clips from industry pioneers Claude Blackburn and Cliff Zlotnik. In the middle of all this we take a trip down memory lane to learn about building a unique culture at beloved brand Snappled and the corporate implosion after big money got involved. "I mean, they may have the appearance of riches, but beneath the clothes, we find a man... and beneath the man we find his... nucleus." - Nacho Libre The DYOJO Podcast: * Listen on Spotify and Apple * Watch on YouTube * Read The DYOJO Blog and sign up for our newsletter - thedyojo.com * Support us by purchasing one of the construction estimating and project management books written by Jon Isaacson

128 Identifying and fixing issues

Why is there NEVER enough time to do it right the first time but ALWAYS enough time to do it again? Every business owner and manager knows, there isn't. So, what are some of the ways we can fix the system, get team members focused on the right things, and crush our goals in the coming year? W. Edwards Deming has some insights on total quality managment that are applicable to any construction organization. Also, mark your calendars for Pete Consigli's Winter Break 2026 - February 16-20 in Bonita Springs, Florida!!!