February 26, 2025 • 28 mins
From Chaos to Comfort: Mastering Restoration with Jim Stephenson
In this episode of BNI Business of the Week, Jim Stephenson from Stephenson Restoration shares insights into the restoration industry. He explains the breadth of services his company offers, from disaster cleanup to mold remediation and crime scene aftermath, often transforming disaster sites into improved spaces. Jim discusses his journey from law enforcement to restoration, emphasizing his commitment to helping people and his strong family ties. He reveals how joining BNI has helped triple his business and enriched his personal life. The episode also highlights Jim's family legacy, including an anecdote from a motorcycling adventure that was immortalized in his father's book.
🎥 Full Episodes on our YouTube Channel @RadioDaybreak
00:00 Introduction to BNI Business of the Week
00:33 Meet Jim Stephenson of Stephenson Restoration
00:56 What Does a Restoration Person Do?
01:58 Challenges and Unique Experiences in Restoration
03:36 Transition from Law Enforcement to Restoration
06:18 Family Motivations and Business Legacy
09:16 The Epic Motorcycle Journey
14:04 A Touching Tribute to My Dad
14:40 The Art of Communication in Restoration
15:12 Confessions and Connections
15:30 The Orchestrated Crew
16:47 Navigating Insurance and Emotional Turmoil
18:05 The Power of BNI Networking
21:28 Personal and Business Growth
23:14 Future Plans and Expansion
25:40 Ideal Clients and Services
27:21 Final Thoughts and Invitation
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:09):
Alright, we're here with our BNIBusiness of the Week I-B-N-I-B.
In.
Yeah.
I make sure
you're really enunciated.
I do.
Because when we go back throughthese interviews and I'm looking
at the The transcripts Yeah.
Things.
I'm saying multiple things.
Yeah.
I'm never B and I, but Band I, business Networking.
International.
Yep.
Business of the Week.
(00:30):
Our innovator of Daybreak.
That's right.
Jim Stephenson.
Yes.
Jim Stephenson
with Stephenson Restoration.
Now, Jim.
We already know someof the stuff about you.
Okay.
And we've been
doing our research down.
We have and,
and, and, and I, I'm like alreadyready to skip to some stuff.
I'm like ready to skip to the,the, the cool Do they show
(00:52):
who we are?
But yes.
Tell us first up, just.
What is it you do?
Because I think I asked you thisquestion when the first I met.
Mm-hmm.
What does a restoration person do?
What is
restoration?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, uh, it's a simply put just disastercleanup and, and put back we, we are,
when disasters happen, whether it'sa flood, fire, mold, um, uh, even.
(01:14):
Trauma, you know, God forbid there's,there's a, uh, uh, some kind of a crime
scene cleanup or anything like that.
Oh.
Uh, we do the, the cleanup of it, um,and, uh, and remediate against mold or
any of those other, uh, uh, hazards.
And then we build it all backto return it back to pre-loss.
Um, or if you want, we can also.
(01:35):
Improve on it while we've got it open.
Yeah.
'cause why not?
Like if I want that game room in
my basement.
You're talking about that game room burn
times now?
Yeah.
You're really puttingit out there for 2025.
I'm
trying, I'm trying to,trying to have a gang room.
No, but that's nice that I, you know,'cause that maybe that's not always
the case or people don't realize that.
So not only are you just puttingit back together, sometimes
(01:56):
you can approve upon as well.
Yep.
That's good.
You've seen it all.
Mm-hmm.
I'm sure you've seen a lot.
I've seen a lot I've seen froma uh, uh, a. Pardon expression.
Yeah, no, you're the crapper fan.
The fan fan.
Above the toilet explodes, falls downwho breaks the toilet, and so you've
got the fire, but the fire gets put outbecause the toilet breaks and the F and
(02:17):
the water goes up and puts out the fire.
But then you've got a water loss, andso then the water floods the basement.
So you had.
Kind of a fire loss, multiple waterloss solutions going on there.
Yeah.
So I've seen that.
I've seen some thatpretty nasty stuff too.
Yeah.
And then I've seen some reallysimple, you know, hey, the bathtub
overflowed, it went into the, uh,over the tile and into the hallway.
(02:38):
Okay.
Simple, quick, and easy.
I still can't get overthe other one there.
You talked
about.
Which one?
The one with the water and the fire.
Putting yourself out.
Oh, yeah.
You know what that is?
Do you know what that is?
That's the circle of life.
That's what that is, right?
That's the circle of life.
Oh my gosh.
That is, that's crazy.
Circumstances.
Like probably like
Yeah.
One in a million.
(02:59):
One in a million.
Something like less than evenbeing struck by lighting, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Right.
You're the lucky you wonthe lottery on that one.
So you, me, crime
scenes like you do.
You're not doing crime scene cleanup.
This is like after crime,the crime scene cleanup.
Um, after the police have been there.
Yes.
Don't call me to cleanup your crime scene.
Exactly.
Clarification's importanton that one, Jeff.
(03:19):
Yeah.
So what exactly do you clean up now?
Yeah.
You know, I've about an hour before
the, they
discover the body, Gil.
Oh, well I, I've been involvedin a, in a, uh, prank phone call,
a big boy's phone tap out there.
We did do that, so
Sure, sure.
That's something out there, but.
Restoration for you?
When did it hit you that youwere like, you know what?
'cause that's not something like, youhear, I've said this to other people.
(03:42):
You don't grow up saying, we in your, inyour elementary school, when you're asked,
what do you wanna be, I wouldn't even,I didn't even know what it was now, why
did I say that I was gonna be a ation.
Yeah.
So when did it hit you?
That you wanted to be in this, this field.
So I, uh, I, I like helping people.
I like being able to, to, I relishthe opportunity to help others.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
(04:02):
And so, um, I'd done this a little bit inhigh school, just as a high school job.
Sure.
Um, and then a little bit into college.
And then I, I went into law enforcementto again, help, help others and, and
then, uh, when it, you know, needed tosupplement the income a bit, I decided
to fall back on what I knew from.
High school.
So I started this business with my,uh, with my father, and, uh, and it
(04:24):
started doing well enough that Wow.
Looked more appealingthan the law enforcement.
And yeah, people tend to be happierto see me, so Yeah, I'm sure.
So yeah, I, I decided that it wastime to, to make the switch and so
now I'm able to, to go in and be ableto help people out and, um, I kind
of relish the, uh, the opportunity.
Did you see the flip flop,
(04:45):
like the yin and yangof that, of what you.
Went the law enforcement where tothe other side, most of the time,
if you see the law enforcement, itis going ruin your day at least.
Yeah.
Like something's not good to,he came in to be the one say,
to help we're, we're about torebuild and make your life better.
Like that's, mm-hmm.
(05:05):
What did that do
internally
though?
Well, it, it made it a loteasier for my home life.
Yeah.
There's a lot of stress, uh,when you're in law enforcement.
Going home with that and beingable to shut it off Yeah.
Was very difficult.
Mm-hmm.
And I think, I know when in lawenforcement will tell you, it's,
it's very difficult to shut that off.
Sure.
And so I, um, I think when I, when Iswitched to something where, you know,
(05:26):
my interactions with people were, were.
Nine, you know, 99% per positive,where they're, I'm turning
their mounted into a mole hill.
I'm, I'm showing them fix.
We've got the tools, we can fix it.
We, yeah, it's gonna be okay.
I can, I can, you know, remember ladiescrying and calling me and she's like,
please, I, I don't know what to do.
And I said.
I will be there as fast as I can.
(05:46):
I get there, take care of it, andjust, and, and I feel so wonderful
to help them in that situation.
Contrast that of course, to inlaw enforcement where you still
have opportunities to help people.
Of course.
You also get a lot who are seeing allsorts of, you know, rude and crude things
for you just doing your job and Yeah,
totally.
Like, I gotta do what Igotta, I'm sorry, but Yeah.
(06:06):
Yeah.
It sold off.
I mean, you,
you kind of hit it right there,like, is that what motivates you?
Is there other stuff that motivates?
Maybe your big picture,maybe your day to day.
What, what are your
motivations?
Uh, well my family's a big partof my motivation, so I wanna be
able to provide for my family.
That's clear.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I want to, uh, but I wanna leave themsomething that they can work with
(06:27):
as well, and building the companyallows that opportunity and, and I'm
building it with my father, which is.
Something hugely important to me.
I, I idolize my dad, so Yeah.
And then being able to buildwith him is wonderfully.
We found out a little bit about your dad.
We did, like I said, we did somedigging and we'll get to that.
So he, but you
got a son, but we'll get to,but you got your son, son.
No, we're right.
(06:52):
Son.
Son to our b and i meeting today, whichis up 9:00 AM on Wednesdays at the DCC.
Yeah.
Cheap plug.
I had to do that.
But you brought him in?
Yeah,
it was gone.
And he
stood up in front ofeverybody and 13 years
old.
13, yeah.
Yeah.
13. What's his name?
Liam.
Liam.
Oh, Liam Mason.
See that now?
I like that.
That's a power name.
Mm-hmm.
(07:13):
So Liam is standing up in front ofwhat, 40 people gotta be nerve wracking.
And basically says that his goal and hisdream is to continue the family business.
Like you had to have been like, oh.
You either melted or you werelike, oh, I don't know about that.
It was maybe house.
(07:35):
You keep
the lizard alive, I think about keeping
the company alive.
No, but that had to make you feelproud, like right there on the spot.
And 'cause you said thatyou look up to your dad.
Hmm.
And you wanna talk about his dad?
No,
no, no.
I was, I was, you andI were aligned there.
We, we really wanted to talk abouthow family oriented you are and
that was such a powerful moment.
So thank you for bringingthat up and Yeah.
(07:57):
And BNI today was so impactfuland, and 13 years old.
I mean, I wish I had thatability at 13 years old.
But diving into the family businessand next generation, you know,
your dad started this company, itsounds like you kind of took over.
Actually grew, grew it together.
We, we grew together.
Okay, got it.
We both, uh, went into it.
He's been an entrepreneur all his life.
(08:18):
Uh, okay.
Uh, from uh, big O Tire stores.
Oh, sure.
He started in Las Vegas pretty much.
Uh, he started, I think 11 differentBig O Tire stores in Las Vegas.
And then, um, he went to thecorporate world and he also started
several other businesses, paint anddrywall and, uh, lending companies.
Um, and so he's, he's done quite a bit.
And so when I was, I'm an author,
(08:40):
I'm gonna throw that in there.
He's an author.
He got a Swiss arm, he's got
all this stuff.
He's the one that convinced meto make sure I always carry one.
Oh, see.
You know what?
But see, I know about, I wanna ask.
Oh my goodness.
He's got the book.
I wanna know about this.
(09:01):
Told Stephenson.
This guy's handsome.
This guy's handsome.
Uh, I wish I'd gotten that.
Yeah, you be glad Hear that.
We don't let your head get too bad.
Check this out though.
'cause chapter 17 there'san incredible story.
Yes.
That you, that, that wes, that yourfather sets up about this Crazy, it's,
it's basically the, uh, the, what youcall it, the, the perfect rendezvous.
(09:24):
Mm-hmm.
Now, so molded on a motorcycle,we wanna call that out.
Yeah.
A writer's journey.
Mm-hmm.
So we
do wanna call that out, what book it is.
There is a,
but there is a verycomplex issue that happens.
And day 10.
Yep.
Mm-hmm.
Chapter 17 here, kind
of mid ride, right?
Yeah.
Someone by the name ofMitch comes to the rescue.
(09:46):
Yeah.
Now, who is Mitch?
So Mitch is actually my middle name.
Uh, and so my family that knowsme by that, they called me that.
And the reason was actually notconfused me with the original Big
Jim, which was my grandfather.
Okay.
Okay.
Um, and so I took on big gym title andkind of an homage to my grandfather.
Oh.
Um, so, uh.
(10:07):
Anyway, in the book Ireferred to as Mitch.
And so, um, what had, what had happenedthere in the book, uh, is, uh, they were
drawing more toward the end of the, ofthe journey, but they still had quite a
few states left to tr to capture mm-hmm.
Um, on this, on this epic of 48states in, uh, in 10 days to the goal.
Wow.
And.
(10:27):
Um, my brother and my dad and I, I thoughtit would be so cool I wasn't able to
join them from the start of it, but Ithought it would be so cool to surprise
my dad by joining him for the end of it.
And so, um, I coordinated with my brotherand my mom to meet him in Rapid City.
Right.
So my brother's secretly trying likecrazy to get them to Rapid City.
(10:51):
Yeah.
And, um, and so they're, they're just.
Turn as fast as they canto get there in time.
'cause I'm, I've now gotten there,but it's like 11 o'clock at night.
Um, and I was going as riding ashard as I could all day from here
in Salt Lake to, to get there.
Yeah.
Uh, going to Wyoming and everything.
And, uh, and so I'mriding on my Suzuki there.
They're on, um, uh, BMW and Harley.
(11:13):
They bought the day before.
Four to replace a bike that hadhad given up the ghost mid-rise.
So they happened to buy a bikethe day before just for it.
Well, it turns out the battery's bad.
Oh.
So they're discovering that ina little town called Kadoka.
Mm-hmm.
So they get stranded there.
Gosh.
And it's like, it's the end of the ride.
They're stranded.
There's nothing they can doafter they already just had
(11:35):
this hiccup and, okay.
Yeah.
Lemme interject here becausethis is, that's the biggest.
Plug for Kadoka that's ever been out here.
Right here.
We mentioned it right here.
We put them on the map.
You got the three of you out there.
You're happy, you're welcome.
You're
happy.
No three of you out there,two of you are in the story.
(11:56):
Yeah.
Anyway, yes.
So, so they're there.
And my brother, he, he's got me onthe phone and, and, uh, hands it over
to my dad and says, uh, you know.
Mi Mitch can can help.
And he's thinking, how canhe help out in Salt Lake?
Yeah.
He said, dad, I found you a battery.
It's in, it's in Rapid City.
Um, and I'll have it toyou in an hour and a half.
He's thinking that's.
(12:18):
What, what?
And I'm like, I'm in Rapid City.
Oh my word.
And
uh, and he was just, hewas just floored by that.
And uh, and so, uh, I was able to, uh,get the battery to take off to him.
Of course, it had to be alittle more dramatic than that.
There was actually alightning storm Oh yeah.
That I had to ride through, andI was a little too obsessed with.
With helping him to think necessarilyabout the fact that I'm six foot four
(12:43):
in a lightning storm on motorcyclein the middle of the planes.
Oh
my
God.
No trees or nothing.
I thinking metal objects.
I probably, we should have thought thisthrough, but, um, but yeah, I, I was
able to, to get there and, and, uh,the get the battery in the bike and
we were able to continue the ride and.
And it was just, it was just a, amiracle that was on top of many miracles
(13:06):
that had occurred during the ride.
And, uh, and something I, I relishthe opportunity and relish the
chance to be part of the story.
To that point, um,
let's fix volumes to whoyou guys are as a family.
Yeah.
Just generationally, like you justeven brought in your grandfather
and that you took on that name.
There's a lot in that, right.
When your, when your grandpahas that name and big, big gym.
(13:27):
Big shoes to fill.
I'm sure.
So, yep.
Just amazing story all around.
I know just in the shorttime we've known you.
Mm-hmm.
What a family guy you are.
And if you want to hear how the restof that book ends, you got bike.
Oh, purchase that.
If you want to, you canlisten to it on Audible.
My dad actually Oh, is theone reading it on Audible.
Wow.
(13:48):
That's awesome.
You's you want we to narrate it to you?
We'll get, we'll get a shot of bike.
What
kind of bike is that?
That's an Indian, that's a,
that's actually an electric glide.
A hardly.
David's an electric guy.
And the biggest picture right here.
Now you see this picturethat's, that's accurate.
He gets the battery.
Oh, look how relieved.
Mm-hmm.
Oh my gosh.
Said in the
book, he says, he huggedme like I liberated Paris.
(14:09):
Oh, I love that.
So I, I liked that line.
My dad's a good author.
I, I, like I said, I idolized him.
I've memorized his poems and everything.
We saw some of those writing schools.
Skills don't fall.
You know, apple doesn'tfall too far from the tree.
'cause we saw those writing skills today.
That's true.
Or last night actually.
Yeah.
When you typed that up.
So I was like, where'd Jim come from?
I didn't know he was anauthor behind the scene.
(14:30):
Oh yeah.
So creative, so fun.
Do you write on the side?
No,
no.
I You have a talent
there?
Well, I have a talent whenI have my dad helping me.
Oh,
I, I take, take your time to makesure your communications are, are.
Accurate.
Yeah.
Um, and that's the tyback to even restoration.
(14:51):
You know, when you're doing yourcommunications and restoration, you,
you gotta make sure everything is, is.
Articulately put so as to, to with,with insurance to help to make
sure it's covered and everything.
Um, yeah.
And, but, uh, anyway, it's,uh, I I rely heavily on his
wordsmithing ability, wordsmith.
Oh, did a great job.
Oh, yeah.
(15:11):
I, I
do have a confession here.
Go ahead.
Listen, I know a littlebit about Jim's industry.
Okay.
Because I worked in it amount of time.
Y'all didn't know this.
Look at this.
I know, I know.
This the, I've never,never even talked about.
I want to hear this.
Tell us, tell us, you have a lot of pulland connection with the trades, right?
Because you are essentially,when a disaster happens, there's
(15:34):
a lot of moving parts and casesthat are going on during that.
You've got your demo crew,you've got, you know, your
electrician,
electricians, plumber,plumbers, like mm-hmm.
This perfectly orchestrated crewthat comes in to take care of this.
Well, my aunt, I actually, you talked alittle bit how you got into restoration.
(15:54):
My aunt had a cleanup.
She was the cleanup crew.
Or so cleaning services every No.
And cranny.
Um, oh.
Or restoration companies.
So I don't know if yourcross has ever path, your
path have ever crossed,cross, ever passed?
Speaking about communication.
Spit it out today.
Yeah.
Um, but it is hard work.
So first off, I just wantedto say kudos to what you do
(16:16):
because it is a lot of work.
Mm-hmm.
Things that you don't even thinkabout in restoration because of
all the moving parts and pieces.
Mm-hmm.
Um.
But also, you know, just in general,what you doing, taking care of people.
We made that really nice and smoothwhen we were talking about that earlier.
Yeah.
But it can be stressful.
Yeah, I bet.
I mean, there's a lot of emotion in thatand it takes a special person to get in
(16:39):
there and navigate the emotional side.
The physical loss, and thenan entire crew that comes in.
So we really want people and ourlisteners out there to understand
what this guy really does.
He's a miracle worker.
Yeah.
It's, it's, it can be very tough.
You gotta think any of theseevents, they're basically
an invasion of your home.
Exactly.
(16:59):
There you go.
Invaded
your life is turned upside down.
Total chaos.
Exactly.
And you're wondering, becauseeveryone's always heard horror
stories about insurance companies.
I mean, it's practically the, thetheme of almost every movie these days.
Right.
And so.
They, they're just so worriedabout it and, and it's just nice.
We've got a lady in our office, uh,actually my aunt, oh, nepotism strong.
I have it.
(17:20):
That's it.
Uh, but she has years of experience inthe, uh, she'll, she'll be mad if you're
using the word years so emphatically.
But no, uh, she's years of experienceand we call her our insurance whisperer.
She is really good at making surethe communication is so clear
between the insurance, between theinsured and, and making it so that.
People understand your insurance isthere to help you, your insurance
(17:42):
is there, um, on your side.
Mm-hmm.
And, and so we want to find thebest way to define that solution.
And it can
sometimes not feel that way when you'rein the midst of a utter disaster.
Right?
Yes.
The last person you wanna be arguingwith is that insurance claim.
Mm-hmm.
So that's amazing that you reallystreamlined that You had some No, I'm
saying I'm gonna go into this becauseyou talked business already, like
(18:04):
Yep, yep,
yep.
Mm-hmm.
You, you look, you looking for, wehave our own insurance and stuff
like that, but that's, that's agreat referral for somebody like
you or great partner within A BNI.
Yeah.
Here we go.
Yes.
BNI.
What has it done for you?
I know you were already amember of another chapter, so
you've got some more experience.
I've had some experience.
Experience on of them.
(18:24):
We do.
So what has it done
for you?
Uh, it's done a ton.
Yeah.
Um, so I joined in two that the very end of 2000.
Uh.
I think it was 2022.
Okay.
Um, and so for 2023 and 2024, I hadBNI referrals and uh, and through
networking and BNI work and, andalso, you know, some other efforts
(18:46):
we were having, but, but why?
I've seen a triple in my business,triple in, our employees went from me
and a van to me and 13 employees now.
Yeah.
And I've got four vehicles.
I've got guys running on crews right now.
Yeah.
And.
Um.
It's been a, a phenomenalexperience and it's connected me
(19:07):
with people who, you know, I neverwould've connected with before.
Um, one thing I love about the BNI is thatyour chapter, you hold the seat for that.
Mm-hmm.
Right?
Mm-hmm.
And there's no one else in that seat.
And there are your golden geese, likeyour insurance agents, your plumbers,
these people who you can both refer toand get referrals from a wallet, right?
But, um, there's all, and, butthere's only one of them in
(19:30):
that chapter as far as the PNC.
Yep.
But the BNI allows you access to amuch larger network of other chapters.
Yeah.
And I have met with members of chaptersall over northern Utah and I regularly
play golf with a, a friend of minefrom a chapter in, uh, in, um, uh, uh.
Uh, the Northern Utah, uh, uh, uh, it'sescaping my mind from our Ogden area.
(19:54):
Ogden, yeah.
But,
um, but he and I regularly play golfand, and he sends me work and, um,
and I try and send him, uh, people inthe area who are looking for stuff.
You know, you try and send, sendthings according to the areas
in which you're working, but
yeah.
Um, it's, it's incredible whatthe greater network can do
if you take advantage of it.
'cause anyone who's tried to networkbefore in like, let's say if you're.
(20:15):
Uh, uh, let's say if you're evenlike a realtor trying to talk to a
rental office, like, Hey, if anyone'slooking to buy a house, right?
Send it to me.
You just walk in.
They're like, yeah, putyour card on the desk.
Thanks, bye.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Right.
That's it.
And And a stack of the rest of them.
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah.
I
already forgot your name.
I had the door hitch on that.
Yeah, right.
Yeah,
exactly.
But if you call and say, Hey.
(20:35):
I'm such and such.
I'm also a member of the BNI.
Let's sit down, have lunch and let's meet.
Mm-hmm.
They will sit, they will talk, they'lllearn about your business, and you'll
learn about theirs, and there's a hundredpercent more chance of getting a referral.
I mean, it's just, it'sway, way more likely.
That's just, that's justhappened to me actually.
(20:55):
Now he said that I literally, I inviteda cleaning person to come to our chapter.
Yep.
She writes back.
Oh, I just joined the BNIchapter at such and such.
Let's do a one on one.
Let's meet.
And that's what we're,that's our process now.
I love that.
Yeah.
But I thought, I thought that was supercool and now you related it to each other.
(21:17):
Yeah.
This thing, this thing is Magic doc, Dr.Ivan me knew what he's doing, I guess.
Well, he right.
I do.
I
really do want to dive in andunpack that just a little bit
because he went into so many things.
So your business growth, youcan really state like, hey.
This was because of BNI every year.
It
tripled,
it tripled two referrals.
(21:38):
Mm-hmm.
That tripled three friendships, right?
Mm-hmm.
I mean, that's, it is initially youmeet each other and your acquaintances.
Mm-hmm.
And then you build trust andthen it becomes a friendship, and
then it becomes collaboration,referrals, connection there.
Um, so really, reallyimpactful what that's done.
For you personally?
Yes, it is.
(21:59):
It has been huge for me.
Um, and even not, not justlike, you know, for my business,
but also for me personally.
Yeah.
Um, in interactions.
Um, you know, I'm a bit of a millennial,so I, uh, played video games a fair
amount, and it was a great escapeand law enforcement, so my social
skills weren't always the best.
Sure.
Um, but, uh, one of the great things this,this has brought up is my, my ability
(22:20):
to interact and get to know people.
And I, I'm, I'm.
Blown away by a lot of theinteractions that I've had and
the people I've gotten to know.
Yeah.
And the stories that they have.
Just, I, I feel so muchmore enriched mm-hmm.
Just by the people that I now know.
And then of course, it, it has helpedmy business a ton as well, which
is, it is, of course, you know,I'm all in business to make money.
(22:42):
Right.
That's right.
So y'all, y'all want to grow, but,um, it's just, it's been wonderful
and I'm a fervent fan of bni.
That's awesome.
Before we get outta here with you.
What with BNI in your back pocket now?
Mm-hmm.
You got that tool.
What's next for your business?
Like what do you see?
What, what?
What do you want to,what do you wanna, do?
(23:03):
You want to grow?
What do you see in the next year?
Five years, 10 years?
Our
goal for this year is, uh, is a littleclose to basically triple of last day.
We want to, we want tocontinue on that trend.
Our plan to make that happenis, uh, expansion of services.
We plan to.
Get into, um, meth cleanup.
We currently don't.
Right now.
(23:23):
We just refer it out.
Big problem in Utah, y'all?
Yes, yes.
Yeah.
Across the world, really?
Yes.
Um, and, uh, and we also plan to, uh,to expand, um, our footprint as well.
Right now we have one main officeand then, uh, you know, multiple
crews, but we looking to have asatellite office here in Salt Lake.
Uh, uh, and then, um, another, uh.
(23:47):
A couple crews with their own,uh, vehicles at their homes
so they can respond instantlythroughout strategic places.
'cause right now I'll, I'll goanywhere from Nephi to Logan, you
know, I mean, just about anywhere.
Yeah.
I was just gonna ask you, you that,
yeah.
Okay.
So yeah,
Florida disaster.
I go to Park City quite regularly.
Okay.
Um, and I go up there and my course,my assessments are always free.
I, I'll show up and be like, allright, so here's where it is.
(24:10):
I'll use my thermal camera,show 'em where all yeah.
Moisture is.
And, and that way Ican, I can let 'em know.
Right.
Here's where it is.
Here's the layers that are affected.
Here's how those dry, andat what rate, and here's the
rate at which grow mold grows.
Wow.
Here's
what we need to do.
And crazy.
And then, uh, uh, if they want my help,you know, I'm, I'm happy to help 'em.
(24:31):
If they are using insurance, I'llwork with any insurance, but also
I'm not stingy with my opinions.
Yeah, I'm happy as well.
If someone just wants to know,Hey, I want to, I, I, I'm just
gonna try and do this myself.
How do I do that?
I'll tell 'em how, yeah.
I've written up all reports of,all right, here's the things you're
gonna wanna buy and do to follow thestandards out there in the industry.
Let
me help you with theeducation on that too.
(24:51):
Yep.
That's
so powerful.
Well, you got any more questions for me?
Or is there anything you'd like to touch?
Yeah, anything you'd like to touch
on that we didn't, maybe.
Hit on today?
Uh uh.
No.
I feel like that we've kindof touched on everything.
I'm just grateful to be,uh, be here, be at the show.
Um, I think it was, uh,it is a great opportunity.
I mean, uh, again, my,my assessments are free.
(25:13):
Uh, I, it is not like, uh, Idon't do indoor environmental
testing, which is, uh.
Uh, testing of, um, uh, for mold spores.
Okay.
I do, um, refer that out.
Okay.
Uh, but I do have companies that cando that, but I do visual inspections.
I make plans for remediation, and ofcourse I have all the moisture meters
necessary, including the thermalcameras and, uh, and, um, invasive and
(25:35):
noninvasive moisture meters to be able to.
Uh, find it even under tile.
So,
so really your ideal client or referralif, if somebody is noticing moisture
in their house or something, likethey can call you and say, Jim, I'm
thinking this is what I'm saying.
Come out and take a look at this for me.
Help me navigate next steps.
You've got all the tools andresources to help them do that.
Mm-hmm.
(25:55):
Who else are kind of your ideal clients?
You, obviously you'vehad a major disaster.
Mm-hmm.
Um.
Just so that we can beapprised of that too for you.
Yeah.
Ideal clients are, uh, individualswho, who've even nature or even minor
disasters, if they've had water, um,even, you know, kids spilled it over
the bathtub or kept it running and itwent over and it went out into the hall
and they quickly just tried to t it up.
(26:17):
Yep.
And it looks like it's,it's taken care of.
That's a good client for me becauseagain, I'll come out and I'll make
sure it actually is taken care of.
Mm-hmm.
Because you never knowwater is really, uh, uh.
Insidious.
Yeah.
It gets inside of everything.
Yeah.
And so you gotta, yougotta watch for that.
And so I can, I can be able to determinethat, give 'em the peace of mind to
(26:37):
know that it's taken care of properly.
Yeah.
And uh, and like I said,just assessing that is free.
So I. Those, um, those, of course ifyou have a fire, um, God forbid smoke is
the same way.
Smoke
gets into everything and everywhere.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So you
want that, that odor gone.
Um, you need to have itproperly, uh, removed.
And like I said, I'veworked with every insurance.
(26:59):
Um, IM on several insurances programs.
Um, so, uh, by all means give me a call.
Appreciate that.
Really
help.
Helpful.
Thank you.
Yeah, go ahead
Jim Stephenson, Steven.
Restoration.
Restoration.
That's the, that's the business name?
Yep.
Stephenson Restoration.
Big Jam.
Mitch,
what other names?
(27:20):
All names,
but you're an innovator of Daybreak,part of the BNI, which meets
9:00 AM at the DCC on Wednesdays.
Yep.
Get out there because really it issome just authentic, real organic.
We often get the question, can youcome and visit if you're not Yes.
This is your, this is your invitation.
This is it.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
It is.
It's, it's, it's.
Just genuine relationships.
(27:41):
Thank you.
So appreciate you coming in.
Can't wait to see where you,what you do, where you go.
Thanks Jim.
And if you do come to visit, bythe way, I often end up giving
referrals to the visitors today.
I'm like, wait, I know someonewho can use your service.
Hold on, you stick around.
Come back next week.
I'll, I'll, uh, I've gotsomeone to, to for you to meet.
So
absolutely.
(28:02):
Give her game.
That's game.
That's what we're always all about.
So come and see us.
Alright, we're here with our BNIBusiness of the Week I-B-N-I-B.
In.
Yeah.
I make sure
you're really enunciated.
I do.
Because when we go back throughthese interviews and I'm looking
at the The transcripts Yeah.
Things.
I'm saying multiple things.
Yeah.
I'm never B and I, but Band I, business Networking.
International.
Yep.
Business of the Week.
(00:30):
Our innovator of Daybreak.
That's right.
Jim Stephenson.
Yes.
Jim Stephenson
with Stephenson Restoration.
Now, Jim.
We already know someof the stuff about you.
Okay.
And we've been
doing our research down.
We have and,
and, and, and I, I'm like alreadyready to skip to some stuff.
I'm like ready to skip to the,the, the cool Do they show
(00:52):
who we are?
But yes.
Tell us first up, just.
What is it you do?
Because I think I asked you thisquestion when the first I met.
Mm-hmm.
What does a restoration person do?
What is
restoration?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, uh, it's a simply put just disastercleanup and, and put back we, we are,
when disasters happen, whether it'sa flood, fire, mold, um, uh, even.
(01:14):
Trauma, you know, God forbid there's,there's a, uh, uh, some kind of a crime
scene cleanup or anything like that.
Oh.
Uh, we do the, the cleanup of it, um,and, uh, and remediate against mold or
any of those other, uh, uh, hazards.
And then we build it all backto return it back to pre-loss.
Um, or if you want, we can also.
(01:35):
Improve on it while we've got it open.
Yeah.
'cause why not?
Like if I want that game room in
my basement.
You're talking about that game room burn
times now?
Yeah.
You're really puttingit out there for 2025.
I'm
trying, I'm trying to,trying to have a gang room.
No, but that's nice that I, you know,'cause that maybe that's not always
the case or people don't realize that.
So not only are you just puttingit back together, sometimes
(01:56):
you can approve upon as well.
Yep.
That's good.
You've seen it all.
Mm-hmm.
I'm sure you've seen a lot.
I've seen a lot I've seen froma uh, uh, a. Pardon expression.
Yeah, no, you're the crapper fan.
The fan fan.
Above the toilet explodes, falls downwho breaks the toilet, and so you've
got the fire, but the fire gets put outbecause the toilet breaks and the F and
(02:17):
the water goes up and puts out the fire.
But then you've got a water loss, andso then the water floods the basement.
So you had.
Kind of a fire loss, multiple waterloss solutions going on there.
Yeah.
So I've seen that.
I've seen some thatpretty nasty stuff too.
Yeah.
And then I've seen some reallysimple, you know, hey, the bathtub
overflowed, it went into the, uh,over the tile and into the hallway.
(02:38):
Okay.
Simple, quick, and easy.
I still can't get overthe other one there.
You talked
about.
Which one?
The one with the water and the fire.
Putting yourself out.
Oh, yeah.
You know what that is?
Do you know what that is?
That's the circle of life.
That's what that is, right?
That's the circle of life.
Oh my gosh.
That is, that's crazy.
Circumstances.
Like probably like
Yeah.
One in a million.
(02:59):
One in a million.
Something like less than evenbeing struck by lighting, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Right.
You're the lucky you wonthe lottery on that one.
So you, me, crime
scenes like you do.
You're not doing crime scene cleanup.
This is like after crime,the crime scene cleanup.
Um, after the police have been there.
Yes.
Don't call me to cleanup your crime scene.
Exactly.
Clarification's importanton that one, Jeff.
(03:19):
Yeah.
So what exactly do you clean up now?
Yeah.
You know, I've about an hour before
the, they
discover the body, Gil.
Oh, well I, I've been involvedin a, in a, uh, prank phone call,
a big boy's phone tap out there.
We did do that, so
Sure, sure.
That's something out there, but.
Restoration for you?
When did it hit you that youwere like, you know what?
'cause that's not something like, youhear, I've said this to other people.
(03:42):
You don't grow up saying, we in your, inyour elementary school, when you're asked,
what do you wanna be, I wouldn't even,I didn't even know what it was now, why
did I say that I was gonna be a ation.
Yeah.
So when did it hit you?
That you wanted to be in this, this field.
So I, uh, I, I like helping people.
I like being able to, to, I relishthe opportunity to help others.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
(04:02):
And so, um, I'd done this a little bit inhigh school, just as a high school job.
Sure.
Um, and then a little bit into college.
And then I, I went into law enforcementto again, help, help others and, and
then, uh, when it, you know, needed tosupplement the income a bit, I decided
to fall back on what I knew from.
High school.
So I started this business with my,uh, with my father, and, uh, and it
(04:24):
started doing well enough that Wow.
Looked more appealingthan the law enforcement.
And yeah, people tend to be happierto see me, so Yeah, I'm sure.
So yeah, I, I decided that it wastime to, to make the switch and so
now I'm able to, to go in and be ableto help people out and, um, I kind
of relish the, uh, the opportunity.
Did you see the flip flop,
(04:45):
like the yin and yangof that, of what you.
Went the law enforcement where tothe other side, most of the time,
if you see the law enforcement, itis going ruin your day at least.
Yeah.
Like something's not good to,he came in to be the one say,
to help we're, we're about torebuild and make your life better.
Like that's, mm-hmm.
(05:05):
What did that do
internally
though?
Well, it, it made it a loteasier for my home life.
Yeah.
There's a lot of stress, uh,when you're in law enforcement.
Going home with that and beingable to shut it off Yeah.
Was very difficult.
Mm-hmm.
And I think, I know when in lawenforcement will tell you, it's,
it's very difficult to shut that off.
Sure.
And so I, um, I think when I, when Iswitched to something where, you know,
(05:26):
my interactions with people were, were.
Nine, you know, 99% per positive,where they're, I'm turning
their mounted into a mole hill.
I'm, I'm showing them fix.
We've got the tools, we can fix it.
We, yeah, it's gonna be okay.
I can, I can, you know, remember ladiescrying and calling me and she's like,
please, I, I don't know what to do.
And I said.
I will be there as fast as I can.
(05:46):
I get there, take care of it, andjust, and, and I feel so wonderful
to help them in that situation.
Contrast that of course, to inlaw enforcement where you still
have opportunities to help people.
Of course.
You also get a lot who are seeing allsorts of, you know, rude and crude things
for you just doing your job and Yeah,
totally.
Like, I gotta do what Igotta, I'm sorry, but Yeah.
(06:06):
Yeah.
It sold off.
I mean, you,
you kind of hit it right there,like, is that what motivates you?
Is there other stuff that motivates?
Maybe your big picture,maybe your day to day.
What, what are your
motivations?
Uh, well my family's a big partof my motivation, so I wanna be
able to provide for my family.
That's clear.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I want to, uh, but I wanna leave themsomething that they can work with
(06:27):
as well, and building the companyallows that opportunity and, and I'm
building it with my father, which is.
Something hugely important to me.
I, I idolize my dad, so Yeah.
And then being able to buildwith him is wonderfully.
We found out a little bit about your dad.
We did, like I said, we did somedigging and we'll get to that.
So he, but you
got a son, but we'll get to,but you got your son, son.
No, we're right.
(06:52):
Son.
Son to our b and i meeting today, whichis up 9:00 AM on Wednesdays at the DCC.
Yeah.
Cheap plug.
I had to do that.
But you brought him in?
Yeah,
it was gone.
And he
stood up in front ofeverybody and 13 years
old.
13, yeah.
Yeah.
13. What's his name?
Liam.
Liam.
Oh, Liam Mason.
See that now?
I like that.
That's a power name.
Mm-hmm.
(07:13):
So Liam is standing up in front ofwhat, 40 people gotta be nerve wracking.
And basically says that his goal and hisdream is to continue the family business.
Like you had to have been like, oh.
You either melted or you werelike, oh, I don't know about that.
It was maybe house.
(07:35):
You keep
the lizard alive, I think about keeping
the company alive.
No, but that had to make you feelproud, like right there on the spot.
And 'cause you said thatyou look up to your dad.
Hmm.
And you wanna talk about his dad?
No,
no, no.
I was, I was, you andI were aligned there.
We, we really wanted to talk abouthow family oriented you are and
that was such a powerful moment.
So thank you for bringingthat up and Yeah.
(07:57):
And BNI today was so impactfuland, and 13 years old.
I mean, I wish I had thatability at 13 years old.
But diving into the family businessand next generation, you know,
your dad started this company, itsounds like you kind of took over.
Actually grew, grew it together.
We, we grew together.
Okay, got it.
We both, uh, went into it.
He's been an entrepreneur all his life.
(08:18):
Uh, okay.
Uh, from uh, big O Tire stores.
Oh, sure.
He started in Las Vegas pretty much.
Uh, he started, I think 11 differentBig O Tire stores in Las Vegas.
And then, um, he went to thecorporate world and he also started
several other businesses, paint anddrywall and, uh, lending companies.
Um, and so he's, he's done quite a bit.
And so when I was, I'm an author,
(08:40):
I'm gonna throw that in there.
He's an author.
He got a Swiss arm, he's got
all this stuff.
He's the one that convinced meto make sure I always carry one.
Oh, see.
You know what?
But see, I know about, I wanna ask.
Oh my goodness.
He's got the book.
I wanna know about this.
(09:01):
Told Stephenson.
This guy's handsome.
This guy's handsome.
Uh, I wish I'd gotten that.
Yeah, you be glad Hear that.
We don't let your head get too bad.
Check this out though.
'cause chapter 17 there'san incredible story.
Yes.
That you, that, that wes, that yourfather sets up about this Crazy, it's,
it's basically the, uh, the, what youcall it, the, the perfect rendezvous.
(09:24):
Mm-hmm.
Now, so molded on a motorcycle,we wanna call that out.
Yeah.
A writer's journey.
Mm-hmm.
So we
do wanna call that out, what book it is.
There is a,
but there is a verycomplex issue that happens.
And day 10.
Yep.
Mm-hmm.
Chapter 17 here, kind
of mid ride, right?
Yeah.
Someone by the name ofMitch comes to the rescue.
(09:46):
Yeah.
Now, who is Mitch?
So Mitch is actually my middle name.
Uh, and so my family that knowsme by that, they called me that.
And the reason was actually notconfused me with the original Big
Jim, which was my grandfather.
Okay.
Okay.
Um, and so I took on big gym title andkind of an homage to my grandfather.
Oh.
Um, so, uh.
(10:07):
Anyway, in the book Ireferred to as Mitch.
And so, um, what had, what had happenedthere in the book, uh, is, uh, they were
drawing more toward the end of the, ofthe journey, but they still had quite a
few states left to tr to capture mm-hmm.
Um, on this, on this epic of 48states in, uh, in 10 days to the goal.
Wow.
And.
(10:27):
Um, my brother and my dad and I, I thoughtit would be so cool I wasn't able to
join them from the start of it, but Ithought it would be so cool to surprise
my dad by joining him for the end of it.
And so, um, I coordinated with my brotherand my mom to meet him in Rapid City.
Right.
So my brother's secretly trying likecrazy to get them to Rapid City.
(10:51):
Yeah.
And, um, and so they're, they're just.
Turn as fast as they canto get there in time.
'cause I'm, I've now gotten there,but it's like 11 o'clock at night.
Um, and I was going as riding ashard as I could all day from here
in Salt Lake to, to get there.
Yeah.
Uh, going to Wyoming and everything.
And, uh, and so I'mriding on my Suzuki there.
They're on, um, uh, BMW and Harley.
(11:13):
They bought the day before.
Four to replace a bike that hadhad given up the ghost mid-rise.
So they happened to buy a bikethe day before just for it.
Well, it turns out the battery's bad.
Oh.
So they're discovering that ina little town called Kadoka.
Mm-hmm.
So they get stranded there.
Gosh.
And it's like, it's the end of the ride.
They're stranded.
There's nothing they can doafter they already just had
(11:35):
this hiccup and, okay.
Yeah.
Lemme interject here becausethis is, that's the biggest.
Plug for Kadoka that's ever been out here.
Right here.
We mentioned it right here.
We put them on the map.
You got the three of you out there.
You're happy, you're welcome.
You're
happy.
No three of you out there,two of you are in the story.
(11:56):
Yeah.
Anyway, yes.
So, so they're there.
And my brother, he, he's got me onthe phone and, and, uh, hands it over
to my dad and says, uh, you know.
Mi Mitch can can help.
And he's thinking, how canhe help out in Salt Lake?
Yeah.
He said, dad, I found you a battery.
It's in, it's in Rapid City.
Um, and I'll have it toyou in an hour and a half.
He's thinking that's.
(12:18):
What, what?
And I'm like, I'm in Rapid City.
Oh my word.
And
uh, and he was just, hewas just floored by that.
And uh, and so, uh, I was able to, uh,get the battery to take off to him.
Of course, it had to be alittle more dramatic than that.
There was actually alightning storm Oh yeah.
That I had to ride through, andI was a little too obsessed with.
With helping him to think necessarilyabout the fact that I'm six foot four
(12:43):
in a lightning storm on motorcyclein the middle of the planes.
Oh
my
God.
No trees or nothing.
I thinking metal objects.
I probably, we should have thought thisthrough, but, um, but yeah, I, I was
able to, to get there and, and, uh,the get the battery in the bike and
we were able to continue the ride and.
And it was just, it was just a, amiracle that was on top of many miracles
(13:06):
that had occurred during the ride.
And, uh, and something I, I relishthe opportunity and relish the
chance to be part of the story.
To that point, um,
let's fix volumes to whoyou guys are as a family.
Yeah.
Just generationally, like you justeven brought in your grandfather
and that you took on that name.
There's a lot in that, right.
When your, when your grandpahas that name and big, big gym.
(13:27):
Big shoes to fill.
I'm sure.
So, yep.
Just amazing story all around.
I know just in the shorttime we've known you.
Mm-hmm.
What a family guy you are.
And if you want to hear how the restof that book ends, you got bike.
Oh, purchase that.
If you want to, you canlisten to it on Audible.
My dad actually Oh, is theone reading it on Audible.
Wow.
(13:48):
That's awesome.
You's you want we to narrate it to you?
We'll get, we'll get a shot of bike.
What
kind of bike is that?
That's an Indian, that's a,
that's actually an electric glide.
A hardly.
David's an electric guy.
And the biggest picture right here.
Now you see this picturethat's, that's accurate.
He gets the battery.
Oh, look how relieved.
Mm-hmm.
Oh my gosh.
Said in the
book, he says, he huggedme like I liberated Paris.
(14:09):
Oh, I love that.
So I, I liked that line.
My dad's a good author.
I, I, like I said, I idolized him.
I've memorized his poems and everything.
We saw some of those writing schools.
Skills don't fall.
You know, apple doesn'tfall too far from the tree.
'cause we saw those writing skills today.
That's true.
Or last night actually.
Yeah.
When you typed that up.
So I was like, where'd Jim come from?
I didn't know he was anauthor behind the scene.
(14:30):
Oh yeah.
So creative, so fun.
Do you write on the side?
No,
no.
I You have a talent
there?
Well, I have a talent whenI have my dad helping me.
Oh,
I, I take, take your time to makesure your communications are, are.
Accurate.
Yeah.
Um, and that's the tyback to even restoration.
(14:51):
You know, when you're doing yourcommunications and restoration, you,
you gotta make sure everything is, is.
Articulately put so as to, to with,with insurance to help to make
sure it's covered and everything.
Um, yeah.
And, but, uh, anyway, it's,uh, I I rely heavily on his
wordsmithing ability, wordsmith.
Oh, did a great job.
Oh, yeah.
(15:11):
I, I
do have a confession here.
Go ahead.
Listen, I know a littlebit about Jim's industry.
Okay.
Because I worked in it amount of time.
Y'all didn't know this.
Look at this.
I know, I know.
This the, I've never,never even talked about.
I want to hear this.
Tell us, tell us, you have a lot of pulland connection with the trades, right?
Because you are essentially,when a disaster happens, there's
(15:34):
a lot of moving parts and casesthat are going on during that.
You've got your demo crew,you've got, you know, your
electrician,
electricians, plumber,plumbers, like mm-hmm.
This perfectly orchestrated crewthat comes in to take care of this.
Well, my aunt, I actually, you talked alittle bit how you got into restoration.
(15:54):
My aunt had a cleanup.
She was the cleanup crew.
Or so cleaning services every No.
And cranny.
Um, oh.
Or restoration companies.
So I don't know if yourcross has ever path, your
path have ever crossed,cross, ever passed?
Speaking about communication.
Spit it out today.
Yeah.
Um, but it is hard work.
So first off, I just wantedto say kudos to what you do
(16:16):
because it is a lot of work.
Mm-hmm.
Things that you don't even thinkabout in restoration because of
all the moving parts and pieces.
Mm-hmm.
Um.
But also, you know, just in general,what you doing, taking care of people.
We made that really nice and smoothwhen we were talking about that earlier.
Yeah.
But it can be stressful.
Yeah, I bet.
I mean, there's a lot of emotion in thatand it takes a special person to get in
(16:39):
there and navigate the emotional side.
The physical loss, and thenan entire crew that comes in.
So we really want people and ourlisteners out there to understand
what this guy really does.
He's a miracle worker.
Yeah.
It's, it's, it can be very tough.
You gotta think any of theseevents, they're basically
an invasion of your home.
Exactly.
(16:59):
There you go.
Invaded
your life is turned upside down.
Total chaos.
Exactly.
And you're wondering, becauseeveryone's always heard horror
stories about insurance companies.
I mean, it's practically the, thetheme of almost every movie these days.
Right.
And so.
They, they're just so worriedabout it and, and it's just nice.
We've got a lady in our office, uh,actually my aunt, oh, nepotism strong.
I have it.
(17:20):
That's it.
Uh, but she has years of experience inthe, uh, she'll, she'll be mad if you're
using the word years so emphatically.
But no, uh, she's years of experienceand we call her our insurance whisperer.
She is really good at making surethe communication is so clear
between the insurance, between theinsured and, and making it so that.
People understand your insurance isthere to help you, your insurance
(17:42):
is there, um, on your side.
Mm-hmm.
And, and so we want to find thebest way to define that solution.
And it can
sometimes not feel that way when you'rein the midst of a utter disaster.
Right?
Yes.
The last person you wanna be arguingwith is that insurance claim.
Mm-hmm.
So that's amazing that you reallystreamlined that You had some No, I'm
saying I'm gonna go into this becauseyou talked business already, like
(18:04):
Yep, yep,
yep.
Mm-hmm.
You, you look, you looking for, wehave our own insurance and stuff
like that, but that's, that's agreat referral for somebody like
you or great partner within A BNI.
Yeah.
Here we go.
Yes.
BNI.
What has it done for you?
I know you were already amember of another chapter, so
you've got some more experience.
I've had some experience.
Experience on of them.
(18:24):
We do.
So what has it done
for you?
Uh, it's done a ton.
Yeah.
Um, so I joined in two that the very end of 2000.
Uh.
I think it was 2022.
Okay.
Um, and so for 2023 and 2024, I hadBNI referrals and uh, and through
networking and BNI work and, andalso, you know, some other efforts
(18:46):
we were having, but, but why?
I've seen a triple in my business,triple in, our employees went from me
and a van to me and 13 employees now.
Yeah.
And I've got four vehicles.
I've got guys running on crews right now.
Yeah.
And.
Um.
It's been a, a phenomenalexperience and it's connected me
(19:07):
with people who, you know, I neverwould've connected with before.
Um, one thing I love about the BNI is thatyour chapter, you hold the seat for that.
Mm-hmm.
Right?
Mm-hmm.
And there's no one else in that seat.
And there are your golden geese, likeyour insurance agents, your plumbers,
these people who you can both refer toand get referrals from a wallet, right?
But, um, there's all, and, butthere's only one of them in
(19:30):
that chapter as far as the PNC.
Yep.
But the BNI allows you access to amuch larger network of other chapters.
Yeah.
And I have met with members of chaptersall over northern Utah and I regularly
play golf with a, a friend of minefrom a chapter in, uh, in, um, uh, uh.
Uh, the Northern Utah, uh, uh, uh, it'sescaping my mind from our Ogden area.
(19:54):
Ogden, yeah.
But,
um, but he and I regularly play golfand, and he sends me work and, um,
and I try and send him, uh, people inthe area who are looking for stuff.
You know, you try and send, sendthings according to the areas
in which you're working, but
yeah.
Um, it's, it's incredible whatthe greater network can do
if you take advantage of it.
'cause anyone who's tried to networkbefore in like, let's say if you're.
(20:15):
Uh, uh, let's say if you're evenlike a realtor trying to talk to a
rental office, like, Hey, if anyone'slooking to buy a house, right?
Send it to me.
You just walk in.
They're like, yeah, putyour card on the desk.
Thanks, bye.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Right.
That's it.
And And a stack of the rest of them.
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah.
I
already forgot your name.
I had the door hitch on that.
Yeah, right.
Yeah,
exactly.
But if you call and say, Hey.
(20:35):
I'm such and such.
I'm also a member of the BNI.
Let's sit down, have lunch and let's meet.
Mm-hmm.
They will sit, they will talk, they'lllearn about your business, and you'll
learn about theirs, and there's a hundredpercent more chance of getting a referral.
I mean, it's just, it'sway, way more likely.
That's just, that's justhappened to me actually.
(20:55):
Now he said that I literally, I inviteda cleaning person to come to our chapter.
Yep.
She writes back.
Oh, I just joined the BNIchapter at such and such.
Let's do a one on one.
Let's meet.
And that's what we're,that's our process now.
I love that.
Yeah.
But I thought, I thought that was supercool and now you related it to each other.
(21:17):
Yeah.
This thing, this thing is Magic doc, Dr.Ivan me knew what he's doing, I guess.
Well, he right.
I do.
I
really do want to dive in andunpack that just a little bit
because he went into so many things.
So your business growth, youcan really state like, hey.
This was because of BNI every year.
It
tripled,
it tripled two referrals.
(21:38):
Mm-hmm.
That tripled three friendships, right?
Mm-hmm.
I mean, that's, it is initially youmeet each other and your acquaintances.
Mm-hmm.
And then you build trust andthen it becomes a friendship, and
then it becomes collaboration,referrals, connection there.
Um, so really, reallyimpactful what that's done.
For you personally?
Yes, it is.
(21:59):
It has been huge for me.
Um, and even not, not justlike, you know, for my business,
but also for me personally.
Yeah.
Um, in interactions.
Um, you know, I'm a bit of a millennial,so I, uh, played video games a fair
amount, and it was a great escapeand law enforcement, so my social
skills weren't always the best.
Sure.
Um, but, uh, one of the great things this,this has brought up is my, my ability
(22:20):
to interact and get to know people.
And I, I'm, I'm.
Blown away by a lot of theinteractions that I've had and
the people I've gotten to know.
Yeah.
And the stories that they have.
Just, I, I feel so muchmore enriched mm-hmm.
Just by the people that I now know.
And then of course, it, it has helpedmy business a ton as well, which
is, it is, of course, you know,I'm all in business to make money.
(22:42):
Right.
That's right.
So y'all, y'all want to grow, but,um, it's just, it's been wonderful
and I'm a fervent fan of bni.
That's awesome.
Before we get outta here with you.
What with BNI in your back pocket now?
Mm-hmm.
You got that tool.
What's next for your business?
Like what do you see?
What, what?
What do you want to,what do you wanna, do?
(23:03):
You want to grow?
What do you see in the next year?
Five years, 10 years?
Our
goal for this year is, uh, is a littleclose to basically triple of last day.
We want to, we want tocontinue on that trend.
Our plan to make that happenis, uh, expansion of services.
We plan to.
Get into, um, meth cleanup.
We currently don't.
Right now.
(23:23):
We just refer it out.
Big problem in Utah, y'all?
Yes, yes.
Yeah.
Across the world, really?
Yes.
Um, and, uh, and we also plan to, uh,to expand, um, our footprint as well.
Right now we have one main officeand then, uh, you know, multiple
crews, but we looking to have asatellite office here in Salt Lake.
Uh, uh, and then, um, another, uh.
(23:47):
A couple crews with their own,uh, vehicles at their homes
so they can respond instantlythroughout strategic places.
'cause right now I'll, I'll goanywhere from Nephi to Logan, you
know, I mean, just about anywhere.
Yeah.
I was just gonna ask you, you that,
yeah.
Okay.
So yeah,
Florida disaster.
I go to Park City quite regularly.
Okay.
Um, and I go up there and my course,my assessments are always free.
I, I'll show up and be like, allright, so here's where it is.
(24:10):
I'll use my thermal camera,show 'em where all yeah.
Moisture is.
And, and that way Ican, I can let 'em know.
Right.
Here's where it is.
Here's the layers that are affected.
Here's how those dry, andat what rate, and here's the
rate at which grow mold grows.
Wow.
Here's
what we need to do.
And crazy.
And then, uh, uh, if they want my help,you know, I'm, I'm happy to help 'em.
(24:31):
If they are using insurance, I'llwork with any insurance, but also
I'm not stingy with my opinions.
Yeah, I'm happy as well.
If someone just wants to know,Hey, I want to, I, I, I'm just
gonna try and do this myself.
How do I do that?
I'll tell 'em how, yeah.
I've written up all reports of,all right, here's the things you're
gonna wanna buy and do to follow thestandards out there in the industry.
Let
me help you with theeducation on that too.
(24:51):
Yep.
That's
so powerful.
Well, you got any more questions for me?
Or is there anything you'd like to touch?
Yeah, anything you'd like to touch
on that we didn't, maybe.
Hit on today?
Uh uh.
No.
I feel like that we've kindof touched on everything.
I'm just grateful to be,uh, be here, be at the show.
Um, I think it was, uh,it is a great opportunity.
I mean, uh, again, my,my assessments are free.
(25:13):
Uh, I, it is not like, uh, Idon't do indoor environmental
testing, which is, uh.
Uh, testing of, um, uh, for mold spores.
Okay.
I do, um, refer that out.
Okay.
Uh, but I do have companies that cando that, but I do visual inspections.
I make plans for remediation, and ofcourse I have all the moisture meters
necessary, including the thermalcameras and, uh, and, um, invasive and
(25:35):
noninvasive moisture meters to be able to.
Uh, find it even under tile.
So,
so really your ideal client or referralif, if somebody is noticing moisture
in their house or something, likethey can call you and say, Jim, I'm
thinking this is what I'm saying.
Come out and take a look at this for me.
Help me navigate next steps.
You've got all the tools andresources to help them do that.
Mm-hmm.
(25:55):
Who else are kind of your ideal clients?
You, obviously you'vehad a major disaster.
Mm-hmm.
Um.
Just so that we can beapprised of that too for you.
Yeah.
Ideal clients are, uh, individualswho, who've even nature or even minor
disasters, if they've had water, um,even, you know, kids spilled it over
the bathtub or kept it running and itwent over and it went out into the hall
and they quickly just tried to t it up.
(26:17):
Yep.
And it looks like it's,it's taken care of.
That's a good client for me becauseagain, I'll come out and I'll make
sure it actually is taken care of.
Mm-hmm.
Because you never knowwater is really, uh, uh.
Insidious.
Yeah.
It gets inside of everything.
Yeah.
And so you gotta, yougotta watch for that.
And so I can, I can be able to determinethat, give 'em the peace of mind to
(26:37):
know that it's taken care of properly.
Yeah.
And uh, and like I said,just assessing that is free.
So I. Those, um, those, of course ifyou have a fire, um, God forbid smoke is
the same way.
Smoke
gets into everything and everywhere.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So you
want that, that odor gone.
Um, you need to have itproperly, uh, removed.
And like I said, I'veworked with every insurance.
(26:59):
Um, IM on several insurances programs.
Um, so, uh, by all means give me a call.
Appreciate that.
Really
help.
Helpful.
Thank you.
Yeah, go ahead
Jim Stephenson, Steven.
Restoration.
Restoration.
That's the, that's the business name?
Yep.
Stephenson Restoration.
Big Jam.
Mitch,
what other names?
(27:20):
All names,
but you're an innovator of Daybreak,part of the BNI, which meets
9:00 AM at the DCC on Wednesdays.
Yep.
Get out there because really it issome just authentic, real organic.
We often get the question, can youcome and visit if you're not Yes.
This is your, this is your invitation.
This is it.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
It is.
It's, it's, it's.
Just genuine relationships.
(27:41):
Thank you.
So appreciate you coming in.
Can't wait to see where you,what you do, where you go.
Thanks Jim.
And if you do come to visit, bythe way, I often end up giving
referrals to the visitors today.
I'm like, wait, I know someonewho can use your service.
Hold on, you stick around.
Come back next week.
I'll, I'll, uh, I've gotsomeone to, to for you to meet.
So
absolutely.
(28:02):
Give her game.
That's game.
That's what we're always all about.
So come and see us.
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