I can tell you how to clean, dry, deodorize, defend a bill, sell, or some other things to help you propel your business forward, but I thought that my first few articles here should be about helping you live. Not just live but have a fulfilling life. I have been in the business now for 30+ years. I have sat in almost every seat, and I find that my passion is to help people become better. Better people, better leaders, and better cleaners and restorers is the way I look at my industry. I love the people that sacrifice so much to make better lives for others, and while you and I may work for a different colored truck, we are still brothers and sisters in this industry, and I want GREAT things for you!

It was June 13^th, 2025. We just completed our first annual Voda Cleaning and Restoration conference for our entire franchise network, and we were all over the moon. Sure, we were tired, but we were all proud of the hard work that we put in and the value we were able to bring to our system. I just turned 50 the day prior and it was time to go home and celebrate with my family. When I got home, I could not reboot. Usually, I need a day, my system resets, and it is time to do it again. This time I could not make it happen. I was concerned. Days became weeks, and weeks became months of me trying to get my mojo back (thank you, Austin Powers).

A little history on me: I weighed as much as 510 lbs. at one point. I invented a method of shoveling McDonald’s French Fries in my mouth without taking my eyes off the road. As a technician I was known to go from job to job and I would eat while heading to the next project, as I am sure many of you do. I would start my day early and end it late after a networking event and then do it all over again. Physical fitness was not even a tertiary concern. I got married at 18 and weighed 210lbs, which is pretty good for a guy who is 6’4. Unfortunately, I did not grow to be 14’8, which is approximately what I would have needed to be to achieve height/weight proportionality when I was 510 lbs.

In May of 2020 I thought I was having a heart attack. Just turned out I did something physical for too long and my system freaked out on me. At this point I lived a mostly sedentary lifestyle and I ate a lot, which is to say I essentially grazed all day. At this point I had an A1C of 9.4 as a full-fledged Type II diabetic, I was on six medications for hypertension and two for my high cholesterol. In September of 2021 I had gastric bypass surgery after losing about 100 lbs. and then I lost close to another 100 lbs. My energy was great and I could do things I hadn’t done in years (like see my feet...lol).

Fast-forward to 2025, I thought I was just being weak. I needed to “man up” and get over it. You know, “this too shall pass.” The problem was it wasn’t passing. Every day I would get up earlier and I could not get my brain and my body to connect. I tried energy drinks, I tried the nicotine pouches that everyone uses, then I tried a lot of those nicotine pouches, and I also tried THC to help my brain kick back into gear. Nothing was working. I needed to make a change, so here is what I did:

1. I started eating better. I noticed I was snacking more than I needed to. By September my weight was 338 lbs. This did not put me in the danger zone with my bariatric surgeon, but I knew things were not right. By January of 2026 I was down to 320.
2. I started prioritizing physical activity — walking early, walking late, walking from the back of the parking lot, and lifting weights — nothing crazy, but something to get the blood flowing and maintain some flexibility while putting stress on my body.
3. I began Testosterone Replacement Therapy with the guidance of my doctor. I learned that TRT isn’t just for the “man stuff” but it can help your body repair and have the energy needed to support your lifestyle goals. 

NOTE: My health insurance does not cover this because my numbers were not in the danger zone according to the insurance company (I am still not talking about restoration, but you get it), but my doctor told me that my numbers needed to be a bit higher. The investment in myself was well worth the money I spent.

I started TRT in October of 2025. It took until the end of the year for me to start getting back to being me again. I did my best to be a reasonable facsimile of the person I was used to being, but I did not tell anyone what I was doing at first because I wanted to be careful and see what the results were. Once I saw positive results, I told a few people about the treatment so they would understand how this could impact them. I remembered back when I had gastric bypass surgery and that early on, I decided that I would not tell anyone that I had it. The shame I felt that I became complacent and let myself go quickly changed to, “I need to tell the world about this because I just got my life back.” I was able to be more present with my family and a better husband and father. My goal went from “I hope I can make it retirement age” to “retirement age can’t hold me.”

I had similar thoughts about telling people about TRT. The first thought was that people will assume I lost my virility or that I was not “man enough” anymore. Guess what?  I wasn’t the man I was 30 years ago. Thank goodness for that! There is no room for shame and pride. Those are only tools that keep us from being everything we were meant to be. People who know me know I love the NBA, and I have been fascinated, if not obsessed, with the notion of what happens when you are hitting your mental prime, but you are no longer at your physical prime. I am 50 now, and I am not going out to handle three cleaning jobs, or two water losses a day, every day, for the next month. Toby Keith did tell some truth when he said, “I not as good as I once was, but I’m as good once as I ever was.” I can go out and work on some jobs, but it is not an everyday thing for me anymore as my role has changed.

The next two parts of this series will not be as male-centric. I see you ladies out there and your amazing contributions to our industry, but being that I am a male, I am uniquely qualified to talk about my struggles. Guys, do me and yourselves a few favors. First, improve the diet. I am not saying you must go crazy, but make some better choices. Get rid of the sugary drinks and opt for a water from time to time. Skip Taco Bell and pack a lunch with something healthier that you enjoy. Get up thirty minutes early and go on a walk to start the day. When you get home, go on another walk. Skip that beer when you get home for tea or coffee. Finally, bump a cleaning job in the morning and get your annual physical. Make yourself a priority now so you can enjoy the life you deserve for all the work you do for those around you.