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ColumnsManaging Your Restoration BusinessGuest Columns

The Intentional Restorer

Tripping Over Nickels While Leaving Behind Thousands of Dollars

By Jon Isaacson
November 23, 2020

Chris Stanley went from never having changed his own oil to learning automotive appraisal and claims adjusting. His father-in-law became the Mr. Miyagi to his Daniel-Son (this is a Karate Kid reference for our younger audience), teaching him the ways of the independent adjuster from a sailboat on the East Coast. 

Fast forward nearly two decades later and Chris' resume is packed with experience as an adjuster and appraiser as well as the founder of IA Path which helps train people for a career in insurance claims in 90 days. Chris shares his belief that insurance is still a people business. He says the key is to understand and learn to optimize "the box" that all parties are working with to increase claims collaboration. 

To quote my father-in-law, "You can shear a sheep multiple times but you can only skin it once." Mr. Stanley shares his lesson for making a consistent payout over several claims rather than trying to retire on one claim. 

In this clip from The DYOJO Podcast Episode 38, Jon Isaacson and Chris Stanley discuss the mindset and habits that will help contractors to communicate those items that are outside of "the box" in an insurance claim. Often this starts with understanding what the hot button items are for the carriers and adjusters that you work with. Communicate with them to learn what their box is so that you optimize your approach to those common items. As you come across unique scopes of work, communicate with all parties to determine an approach that will work for all. 

Mr. Stanley has written 8 books in his professional series for the insurance industry as well as several children's books co-authored by his own kids and devotionals for those seeking to develop spiritually.  Chris most recently collaborated with John Bachman to write Insurance Company Adjusters Playbook. They are offering a FREE copy of the book to anyone who is unemployed and interested in pursuing a career in insurance adjusting. 

You can watch and/or listen to the entire discussion with Chris Stanley on The DYOJO Podcast - the INFOtainment podcast for the skilled trades. Helping you shorten your DANG learning curve. Please subscribe, like, and share with your network.  

KEYWORDS: insurance adjusters insurance claims insurance restoration

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Isaacson

Jon Isaacson, The Intentional Restorer, is an author and host of The DYOJO Podcast. The goal of The DYOJO is to help growth-minded restoration professionals shorten their DANG learning curve for personal and professional development. You can watch The DYOJO Podcast on YouTube on Thursdays at 9 a.m. PST, or listen on your favorite podcast platform. 

Jon recently released, So, You Want To Be A Project Manager? written to help restorers develop the mindset and habits for success with project management. This is the third book in the Be Intentional series. Previous titles address the topics of Insurance Claims Estimating and Workplace Culture. 

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