- Focus | Lead | Execute
- 330.966.0700
- office@violand.com
Michael Johnson
- All
- Author
- Bill Prosch
- business planning management
- business training management
- business training resources
- Chris McQueen
- Chuck Violand
- cleaning and restoration
- company culture
- hiring
- Human Resources
- Improving capacity and profitability
- John Monroe
- Management
- Monday Morning Notes
- negotiating tips
- Published Articles
- restoration business planning
- restoration business training
- restoration project management
- restoration project manager
- Sales and Marketing
- Scott Tackett
- Subject
- Tim Hull
- Tom Cline
- Uncategorized
- women cleaning and restoration
- women industry leaders
November 12, 2021
When it comes to excelling in a certain area, whether it be sports, music, relationships, etc. it’s no secret that hiring a coach is one of the best investments you can make. Coaches push us, help us create measurable goals, provide sound advice, and hold us accountable. When it comes to starting, managing, or recovering a business, a coach may be a worthwhile resource to help you find your inner strengths, provide guidance, and push you to the limits. When you’re a business owner, complacency must be avoided at all costs. The list of tasks is never ending and there’s always room to expand, improve and grow. Whatever phase in the business progression you’re in, you’ll always have new skills to learn and problems to solve. Break Your Self-imposed Limits While the easy route has the least resistance, it also provides the least opportunities for growth. Sometimes pushing ourselves to take the harder route can be a pain and might even seem unnecessary at times. A business coach will see the opportunities in taking on challenges and will push you to break through those self-supposed limits. Catch Your Blindspots When we’re focused on a singular goal or objective, it’s easy
October 19, 2021
Running a business is no easy task. It’s expected and normal to come across hurdles that can test various aspects of your company. Luckily there are resources available to help you navigate through any business challenge you may face. When times get tough for your business, you might consider hiring a coach or an advisor to provide you with extra support. While the two roles are often referred to interchangeably, there are a few key differences to take note: A business coach tends to focus more on improving an individual; for example, the manager or leader of the business. They tend to offer more generalized solutions and advice. A business advisor, on the other hand, takes a more hands-on and specialized approach to provide solutions for the overall business. How Our Business Advisors Can Help You At Violand, we have business advisors who are ready to evaluate your business hurdles and offer helpful solutions to overcome them. They will bring value to you, your employees, your company by providing the following services: Discovery Visits We believe in the value of in-person interactions and visits. While video calls are definitely an option, we prefer to visit your company location and meet
September 15, 2021
Anyone who’s dealt with property damage knows that cleaning and restoration projects are no easy task. Furthermore, managing these types of projects and business can also pose its own set of challenges. It’s not only important that you ensure your team is utilizing the cutting edge of cleaning and restoration techniques, but also that your business functions efficiently. At Violand, we offer restoration business training courses that are designed to help your company stay up-to-date and have a competitive advantage in this industry. Let Violand Help You Elevate Your Business We’re invested in the success of your business, which is why we offer a range of consulting services designed to help your team manage the short and long term tasks required to reach company goals. Discovery Visits There’s no better way to get to know your team than having us come visit you on site. After arriving at your location, we take the time to get to know you and your employees. We’ll evaluate and provide recommendations on business functions, company culture, and employee performance. Our hope with these visits is that you’ll walk away with a greater understanding of where you want to take your business. Comprehensive Focus With
August 5, 2021
Running a successful cleaning and restoration business does not come easy. It takes grit, a talented crew, the right equipment, and a detailed business plan. Not only does a plan help your business run efficiently, but it can help increase your profits, boost your reputation, and grow your customer base. When it comes to restoration business planning, we at Violand Management Associates know what it takes to elevate your business. Through a series of training programs, retreats, and courses, we can create a customized plan for your company. We offer expertise in the following areas: Business Analysis We will walk you through a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis and perform a detailed evaluation of the current financial position of your business. This information will help you make educated decisions and make any changes moving forward. Marketing Plan Investing in a solid marketing strategy can help your profits grow immensely. If you have never considered marketing as part of your overall business strategy, now is a good time to shift that mindset. Marketing may seem daunting to first-timers, but there’s no need to fear. We will walk you through analysis, sales goals, a budget, and strategies for the coming year.
July 1, 2021
When it comes to hiring capable and motivated people in the cleaning and restoration industry, the task is much easier said than done. With an increasing shortage of individuals pursuing trade jobs, the talent available is in short supply. As a boss or hiring manager, how do you find the talent necessary to run a successful business? How do you decrease the employee turnover rate? How do you manage a winning team? From the team at Violand, here are some tips on finding and hiring the right employees for your cleaning and restoration business. Make Your Company Known Step up your hiring game and make your job openings known through multiple channels and platforms. We live in a digital-friendly business environment that makes advertising jobs easier. Be sure to establish a strong presence online that allows you to share your brand and expertise to all your potential hires. Building an online presence takes time and persistence, but it will pay off in the long run by helping you recruit qualified hires. Don’t Cut Corners In The Hiring Process While it may be tempting to hire anyone who submits a resume, avoid taking shortcuts in your hiring process. It’s a risk
June 7, 2021
The cleaning and restoration industry is moving in a positive direction as more women join the ranks in what was once considered a heavily male-dominated space. Beyond just working on restoration crews, more women are taking leadership positions on industry boards within the IICRC, RIA, and IRCA. This provides them opportunities to have a voice that directly impacts how restoration companies are run. Some women are often asked “why” they’re choosing to work in a male-dominated industry. While the answers vary from person to person, here are some important points of consideration: Women Value Independence & Security We’re seeing more women take the reins in managing their own companies, and this goes beyond cleaning and restoration businesses. The reasons for starting and managing a business vary from attaining financial security, making a meaningful impact, securing independence and more. Women taking on leadership roles in the restoration space are using their voices to not only make a positive impact on the industry, but also secure a future for them and their families. Stereotypes Don’t Matter Women in the industry have faced incidents of being questioned when managing a restoration job, conducting a job interview, and making executive decisions. These assumptions can
May 23, 2021
It’s common to be hesitant about bringing an outside party into your business. No one likes to change how they’ve been doing things, but you’d be amazed at the progress you can make by implementing just a few simple changes. We at Violand are dedicated to helping you do just that. Here are a handful of simple ways that we can help you grow your restoration business. A Trusted Partner You Can Rely On Managing your business is a high-stakes endeavor. You want to do everything you can to succeed for yourself and for your employees. One of the best things you can do to increase your likelihood for success is work with a trusted partner with valuable experience in the industry. That’s what we at Violand are all about! Along with the specific advising we offer, we also know it’s important for you to simply have someone on your team helping you succeed. Just as partnership with us can help you with this, it’s also smart to surround yourself with other trusted partners you can count on to help you succeed. Financial and KPI Reviews Unless you have a background in finance, managing the nitty-gritty financial details for your
April 20, 2021
Excellent Project Management = Profitability While also common in many ways, every cleaning and restoration project is unique. Each requires a different set of skills and training to handle appropriately. This is where the importance of a restoration project manager comes into play. Project managers deal with all the issues on the ground and are the key to making or breaking a restoration project. From our cleaning and restoration experts at Violand, here are four tips for improving the profitability of your restoration project managers. 1. Engage Your Team Members One of the essential aspects of effective teamwork is that every member of the team be engaged and have an important role This can be tricky on cleaning and restoration jobs since they are all different, and it’s hard to know exactly how many man-hours are needed for a job until you are already neck-deep in it. Nonetheless, it’s worth going well out of your way to train your restoration project managers on effective leadership skills so they can effectively engage all the restoration technicians on their team. 2. Base Your Analyses On The Numbers It’s incredibly common for business leaders to make critical decisions based on conjecture or a
March 15, 2021
Four Negotiating Tips For Cleaning And Restoration Companies Negotiation. This is a critically important, but often overlooked skill for professionals in the cleaning and restoration industry. From insurance companies, vendors, agents, or clients negotiation is a part of everyday life in this industry. That’s why it’s important to develop your negotiation skills to be as strong as possible. You’ll be amazed at the difference that even marginally improved negotiation skills will make for you and your business. Here are a few tips for the next time you’re faced with a situation that requires negotiating. 1. Know Who You’re Talking To The banal old poker mantra, “play the opponent, not the cards” rings true for negotiations as well. You can successfully negotiate without an understanding of who you are negotiating with. By simply knowing their perspective and what they want, you are already halfway toward your desired outcome. Do your homework ahead of time and get to know who you’re working with. This will improve your likelihood of success. 2. Listen, Listen, Listen In the same vein, great listening skills are a must for effective negotiating. Unless the one you are negotiating with feels heard and understood, they are unlikely to