In 2016, Benjamin Surdi, founder and CEO of PureDry Restoration, purchased a business that was in major debt and all-around bad shape. Since then, the company has quadrupled in size and revenue, and it is a recognized market leader in Washington State. In this episode of Real Stories in Restoration, Surdi shares hardships, triumphs and secrets to his success. A few of the themes covered include: Creating raving fans out of customers, cultivating a culture of employee excellence, attracting talent in a tight labor market, financial literacy as fundamental, systematizing business operations, branding that stands out and emotionally intelligent leadership.

On this episode of Ask The Expert, Megan Hughes shares key moments in her career and advice for women in the restoration industry.

On this episode of Ask The Expert, we’re joined by CJ Bailey of PuroClean, and he discusses how leveraging partnership and AI help improve operations, training, and consistency in day-to-day operations for restoration business owners.

In this episode of Ask The Expert, Howard Wolf shares his insights on commercial drying, that includes system complexity, why soft skills are critical, and documentation demands. This episode highlights how restorers can transition from residential to commercial drying successfully. 

On this episode of Ask The Expert, Helixco’s COO, Mike Allred discusses T&M billing, ROMs, and managing large loss and CAT events. He shares valuable insights on the importance of documentation, preparedness, and financial planning. 

ServiceMaster Restore’s President John Tovar shares why restoration growth is shifting from a market count strategy to a market density strategy that helps improve response times and service.

Voda CEO, CFE Dan Claps explains how restorers can build, scale, and future‑proof their business using KPIs, people‑first culture, and smart growth strategies.