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.

Joseph Ortiz, owner of PuroClean of San Juan, discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by starting a restoration operation in this U.S. territory. 

Andrew Titley, owner and president of Prism Specialties of San Francisco Bay Area, shares why he sees a contents restoration franchise as a good investment.

Leighton Healey, CEO of KnowHow, shares his firm’s findings from a large-scale study on why employees leave the restoration business and what contractors can do to keep them.

Ashley Taylor, executive officer of Content Recovery Specialists, shares why she started a franchise company for entrepreneurs looking to get into content restoration.

Nicholas Hopikins, historic restoration foreman at EverGreene Architecture, discusses his experience as a rising leader in the restoration business. 

Jessica Wicks, president of Ductz, shares her experience as a female executive in the restoration industry.