February 20, 2024 • 20 mins
In this episode of the Phenomenal Business Growth Podcast, Jim Klauck chats with Tim Swett, founder of Prism Specialties, an expert in the niche field of restoring artwork for insurance claims. Having been part of the Phenomenal Business Coaching program, Tim shares his fascinating voyage from being a student of Zig Ziglar to launching a rewarding art restoration venture.
With no personal background in the art sector, Tim has successfully propelled an insurance-focused art restoration company that handles damage from house fires and floods impacting various art forms. His guest appearance on this episode offers a rich exploration of the unique interplay of art restoration and the insurance industry, shedding light on unconventional business models and success stories.
Listen to this episode as it takes a deep dive into the emotional value of possessions for individuals, and how art restoration experts strive to restore this value. The conversation reveals the role of insurance companies in the art restoration process, debunking common misconceptions while highlighting their crucial part in putting the clients back in a whole state again.
This insightful discussion presents restoration beyond merely physical structure but also aims at reinstating a customer's sense of home. As you round off the episode, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of the restoration industry, the importance of community in business growth, and the impactful role of support groups like Howard's Inner Circle to entrepreneurs like Tim.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
Jim Klauck on the Phenomenal Business Growth Podcast. It is so great to have you here, everybody.
Tim Swett is joining me here from Prism Specialties. Hello, Tim. How are you?
Hey, Jim. I'm phenomenal, of course. Doing great. Of course you are.
Hey, thank you for joining me today on the podcast.
(00:21):
I wanted to get with you as you are an Inner Circle member with Howard's group
at Phenomenal Business Coaching.
Wanted to talk about you and your business.
But before we get into that, how long have you been part of the inner circle?
So we've been with it since about 2020. So four years.
(00:41):
Fantastic. Or phenomenal, as they say. How did you first meet Howard?
So it was interesting. As a new business owner, I started my business in 2017
and was going through that kind of lonely phase of like, Like,
did I make a mistake? What's going on?
A lot of questions and challenges.
And I remembered listening to Zig Ziglar a lot when I was a kid.
(01:04):
My parents always listened to Zig in the car. And so I got online and looked for Zig.
And it's like, hey, he has a small business coach named Howard Partridge.
And so that was kind of the beginning.
Zig Ziglar. So here's my Zig story. Yeah.
Years ago, before there was digital audio, there was something called a cassette deck.
(01:26):
I used to drive around while working for someone else, listening to this guy named Zig Ziglar.
And Zig told me that I should quit my job.
Now, that's what I heard. And the people tell me the tape didn't say that.
But I'm pretty sure I heard him say, you know, other people can do this,
(01:48):
Jim, and you should do it. That's what I heard.
So anyway, so so, you know, I'd listen to his stories and I read all kinds of
books and I started thinking, it seems like there are people who are less smart
than me who have quit their job to start a business.
So anyway, so so I was I was really formed early on by Zig.
(02:09):
And then my friend Howard Partridge said, hey, Jim, how would you like to come
to one of my conferences?
Zig Ziglar is going to be there.
I said, when and where? So I was able through Howard to actually meet Zig Ziglar.
So that was exciting. Oh, what an honor.
Yeah. Yeah. And that goes back a number of years.
(02:32):
So let's stop talking about me now.
Okay, Tim. So stop throwing it back on me. So you met Howard with a search for Zig Ziglar.
Howard is integral in that company, and they do a lot of work together.
And so you've been on board in the inner circle with Howard and his team for four years since 2020.
(02:55):
Yeah. Yeah. Attended the business owner bootcamp and just thought it was amazing.
And then signed up as an inner circle member.
And you haven't looked back since.
I haven't. It's been a great, great relationship. I really appreciate everything
that Howard and the whole team does.
Let's talk about you and your business. So 2017 is when you started? Yes.
(03:19):
How did you get into the business? And also explain to everybody,
describe what you do and why it's unique and how you got into it.
Of course. So I had a break in employment.
And, you know, the traditional thing is to go talk to a headhunter and get back into the game.
And my heart was not in going back to corporate America.
(03:41):
And I always had kind of a dream of maybe I could do my own business.
And, you know, when you get a good paycheck in a Fortune 100 company,
it's kind of hard to do that, to jump out and do that. And so it was a perfect
time for me. It's like, you know, it's now or never.
And so I started looking at franchises.
I had talked to a franchise consultant. And so we started evaluating franchises
(04:03):
and came across this one.
And what we do is it's Prism Specialties and used to be called Art Recovery Technology.
And what I do is we restore artwork. And it's mainly insurance work.
Although we have a lot of people that google us and
they bring in a painting that you know grandma had painted and it
needs help now we do that um but most of our revenue comes from insurance claims
(04:25):
and so there are house fires floods that sort of thing and artwork gets damaged
and it could be paintings sculptures it could be photographs even taxidermy
so it's a pretty broad range of of what constitutes art.
Interesting. So what are your qualifications? So my own are pretty thin for the old art thing.
(04:47):
So what I brought to the table was the ability to manage a business and a lot
of experience in the corporate world, a lot of customer service background.
And so I have the ability to provide a great service experience.
That's what I bring. And so I hire people who have art degrees and have tremendous artistic talent.
And then we We teach them our techniques and like I could probably teach the
(05:10):
techniques myself, but I can't implement them.
I don't have that talent, but they do.
And so they they do amazing work. Just create magic.
That is a great answer. So many people start a business,
get involved in a business because they're a good technician,
(05:31):
but not necessarily a great business owner.
And that's what...
Michael Gerber talks about an e-myth,
and you and I have spoken about that together, the e-myth. Great book.
And it's important as a business owner to make sure that you are running it properly.
(05:54):
And you can be in love with your business, but you can't be wearing all the hats. Right.
(06:28):
Owner they think and then they leave to find
out they're really good at the technical part they have no patience
for anyone else get out of my way let me fix it but i've also got to sell market
and run the organization so i applaud you and then they become a slave to their
business slave to their business yeah yes and you're putting the right people
in place give me a background on the business model itself.
(06:54):
Okay. So what we do, we get a claim that comes in.
For instance, we get a call typically from a restoration contractor who's out
at a house fire, out at a flood, and they're doing the structure.
They're taking care of all that.
But they see that there's artwork and they've talked to the homeowner and they've
asked, what can I do about this painting? I'm really concerned about what's
going to happen here. here.
(07:15):
And so if we've done our job properly, we've, we've acquainted ourselves with
these restoration contractors, with the adjusters, they know who we are.
And so they say, I know just the guy to call. And so they refer the business over to me.
So then we go out and we do a walkthrough with the homeowner to get their understanding
of what it is they're most concerned about, provide our expertise,
(07:36):
give them some, some comfort that we can take care of it. And then we pack up all the items.
We do a photo inventory. We pack up all the items, bring them back to our shop,
our studio, and then our artists will put together a detailed estimate.
We get that approved by the insured, by the insurance adjuster, and then we do the work.
And afterward, we package everything, we store it in our secure climate-controlled
(08:01):
facility as long as it needs.
And it could be over a year for a house fire that we're hanging on to this artwork.
And when they're finally ready, we get the call, that's a great day.
We deliver, liver we put everything right back on the wall where it should be
and typically what they're getting back is something better than before the
loss because it's it's clean it's you know it's.
(08:23):
Beautiful often it's much better than it was even before the loss so it's a
happy day getting that artwork back this is white glove service it's i mean
everything is top notch and you know i was Because listening to what you were saying about,
in many instances, it...
(08:45):
Comes back to the home in better condition than prior to the disaster, right?
Right. The fire, the water, and so forth. It reminds me of how they restore old film.
You'll look at a film from the 1930s, and you'd be like, I thought they shot
that in black and white, and how come it's so clean?
(09:07):
Because they actually made it better than the original.
Right. Right. So it's not really like that where you're changing it.
You're just making it as clean and perfect as you can.
And there were probably some imperfections prior to the damage.
Yeah. And, you know, a lot of people don't take great care of their artwork.
You know, so dust builds up over time, you know, it gets discolored.
(09:31):
Maybe it was framed initially with some acidic components, you know,
cardboard that's now causing yellowing is bad for it.
So we're replacing that with acid-free archival materials. So when it comes
back, it's going to have greater longevity than it would have had otherwise.
So there's a positive there.
Tim, I would assume that you're doing a lot of work with insurance companies.
(09:54):
A lot of this is paid for by insurance, isn't it? It is. Absolutely. Absolutely.
And that's key to the business model, because I'm sure a lot of people are thinking,
how would Tim get business? Well, it's pretty obvious.
You have to network with people in the restoration business because they're
called out after the damage, often fire and water damage. Right.
(10:17):
And and also insurance agencies and so forth, which is kind of a really neat
business because this is a true niche business, isn't it?
Absolutely, it is. So, you know, when I first got into this,
in fact, I would hear was, you know, I was going out and talking to restoration contractors.
And one of the things I heard was, oh, you know, this will never work because
(10:40):
we never see artwork. artwork.
I had people tell me I've been doing this for 20 years. I don't see artwork.
And at first that kind of took me aback, right?
What did I do? But what I found out was just they don't understand what they're looking at.
Nobody has blank walls. At least people I know, right? You walk in a house,
there's stuff on the walls.
It could be photos. It could be artwork that was created by a relative.
(11:02):
It may not have high financial value, but it means a lot to them.
And there's a great emotional connection there.
And if those things aren't restored, You can do a great job replacing floors and walls and all that.
But if you walk back into that house and the walls are blank,
that loss is continuing.
And so what we are doing is closing the loop there and restoring our customer
(11:25):
sense of home, really, is the way we say it. So that's our mission.
Yeah, there are so many things that may not have cost much money,
but they can't be replaced.
Right. Maybe it's your daughter's artwork from the fifth grade.
Maybe she painted something right what
(11:46):
is that worth can't put
a price on it exactly which must
be interesting for the insurance company by the way yeah
but to their credit i'll say most insurance companies don't haggle
over that i mean they understand to the emotional
connection and you know we try to keep our prices reasonable and you know i
(12:06):
think what we do is is we provide a great value for for the what we get paid
speaking of insurance companies I've found over the years that they can be quite
fair when it comes to a claim mm-hmm.
A lot of people think, well, the insurance company, their job is to take your
(12:27):
money, not give it back out. But that's not always the case.
They really want to make you whole, even though they're these large entities.
What's your overall experience with that? Yes, they do really do a good job.
So I think most of the companies, most of the adjusters are good people.
They want to do the right thing.
They've been paid a premium for it, for this very service, right,
(12:50):
of handling these claims.
I think they also want the insured to continue with them, right?
Continue paying those premiums. They don't want to lose a customer either.
And so in general, I think they want to take care of the customer,
the insured, do a good job of settling the claim.
They want that customer talking to others about how great their insurance company is.
So if they're smart they're doing that anyway and so
(13:13):
i think most of them are there's a there's a few bad apples in
the industry that get a give everybody a bad rap but uh
i think most people are pretty good if a restoration company in the tampa area
we're watching this right now what would you like to tell them about the services
you offer yeah so i mean in terms of the the The products that we work on,
(13:35):
it could be paintings, sculptures,
works on paper.
So maybe it's a signed lithograph or a print, anything that's framed, for instance.
Photographs. A lot of people don't think about photographs as art,
but everybody has family photos.
And a lot of times they predated the digitals, right? And so they can't get
another copy. And so that's important.
(13:58):
Even taxidermy, right? And people say, is that art?
Well, tell you what. But if you meet somebody who's into taxidermy,
who's gone on these big game hunts,
sometimes to Africa, they've spent a tremendous amount of money on this.
Yeah, absolutely. It means a lot to them. And there are specific memories tied to those pieces.
And so think of art more broadly, right?
That if somebody puts something up on their wall or up on a shelf,
(14:22):
it's probably because there's an emotional connection.
It means something to them. It's not just decorative often. And so think of that. that.
And so I just asked the restoration contractors to really consider,
you know, what's the overall experience you're trying to create for your customer.
And I know you're going to do a great job with that physical structure.
(14:42):
It's going to look amazing.
But again, if they're blank walls in the end, they're going to have a bad feeling
and they're going to feel like
there's still a loss. It had nothing to do with you. You did a great job.
Bring me in, right? We can come them in and kind of put that cherry on top of
the cake, I guess, if you will, and eliminate that sense of loss.
You know, put a smile on their face that it's finished, everything's back.
(15:06):
And Tim, that's important. As I talk to you today here on this podcast,
it appears to me that even though there may be others in the greater Tampa area
doing what you do, you stand out, don't you?
(15:27):
We do and to be fair there aren't that many around who do what we do it's a pretty tight niche.
Um but yeah we've developed a reputation over the last seven years for we do
the right thing you know all of our reviews are five-star reviews because i
mean what we do is so important to people it really touches that that emotional
uh need that they have and it's really gratifying.
(15:49):
Yeah did you ever think you'd be in this business going back a decade Not at all. Not at all.
But my whole career was in customer service and I always loved helping people.
And so it's been a perfect landing spot for me at this point in my career.
And that's just it, right?
Without systems, procedures, customer service, the ability to work with partners
(16:11):
out there, whether it's an insurance company or if it's people in the restoration business,
you have to have all those business pieces.
But customer service is key. Absolutely.
Because you can get referrals from that for sure.
(16:32):
And I'm sure this has happened as well, where you've done a job because a restoration
company came to you saying, we have a client.
We need your help. and then maybe
weeks months or even a couple years later that homeowner may have contacted
you for something totally unrelated because of the great job you did yes it
(16:56):
does it turns into we call it a retail job you know someone's bringing an individual
piece they're paying out of pocket not insurance related at all but yeah absolutely
we get those repeat customers that way.
And that's so great because I'll tell you, I have dealt with companies before
that don't have that professionalism in their model.
(17:17):
So for instance, I've moved before the moving company damaged something.
And then there was a local provider in the new city to fix the leg on the table.
They do a great job, but they didn't have customer service. They were just a technician.
Yes. That's what I'm talking about. out. I didn't even know who to go back to if I wanted to. Right.
(17:42):
Yeah. And that makes a big difference, doesn't it? It sure does.
Yeah. I've had the exact same experience and it just drives me crazy.
I'm so focused on the service aspect, but that's what I'm looking at often.
And you're right. There are plenty of people out there who are good technicians,
but you're often missing the service aspect.
Yeah. And it almost seems like a waste, Tim. There are so many great technicians,
(18:04):
but they don't know how to bring it to market and stay in market.
And there's this balance.
Before we finish today here on the podcast, let's circle back to the inner circle.
When you started with Howard's group, what did you feel you were missing?
Why did you feel you had to join a coaching group? group?
(18:30):
Yeah, I mean, I think I was missing the community was the biggest thing.
So, I mean, there are a lot of great resources with the inner circle,
the website is just chock full of anything you need, it's there.
But really, honestly, I'm not spending a lot of time on the website,
it's more in the community, it's more going into the, you know, the coaching pods,
or we call them uh power of discovery sessions um it's it's attending weekly
(18:55):
webinars and just you know a lot of times the information isn't new um you know
Howard calls himself the chief reminding officer,
uh he's not bringing a lot of new stuff he's he's continuing to remind us of what we need to do,
and having a group a community
of other business owners who are going through the similar things things
really really helpful right you you learn
(19:18):
that you're not on an island and then one of
the things i think is most beneficial is he has a quarterly conference
and you get a chance to go
with you know 200 other business owners rub shoulders and you know see some
great speakers hear some great speakers and that's amazing but often it's the
time during the breaks versus the time in dinner after the sessions are over
(19:40):
sitting down with other business owners and and discussing ideas and common
struggles. And it's just powerful.
I mean, the community, the community is everything.
It is. I've been.
With Howard and the Inner Circle now, gosh, I had a relationship with them, well, 15, 16 years.
(20:01):
And I've seen so many great companies and individuals come into the Inner Circle.
And it is really a community first.
And for those of you who've never been to an event, it's interesting.
It's kind of like going to church, which is good. um
and yep and and you know Howard is
(20:23):
Howard's the leader of the pack and he brings
just great speakers and energy and he encourages family you'll you know you'll
see his grandchildren running around he encourages you to bring your children
if you'd like to and so there's different you know generations multi-generational
in the room and i just encourage people to to come to to an event and check it out.
(20:45):
Yes. Yeah. Couldn't agree more.
Yeah. Tim, thank you so much for joining me today here on the Phenomenal Business
Growth Podcast. I really appreciate it. Thanks, Jim. It's been a pleasure.
Jim Klauck on the Phenomenal Business Growth Podcast. It is so great to have you here, everybody.
Tim Swett is joining me here from Prism Specialties. Hello, Tim. How are you?
Hey, Jim. I'm phenomenal, of course. Doing great. Of course you are.
Hey, thank you for joining me today on the podcast.
(00:21):
I wanted to get with you as you are an Inner Circle member with Howard's group
at Phenomenal Business Coaching.
Wanted to talk about you and your business.
But before we get into that, how long have you been part of the inner circle?
So we've been with it since about 2020. So four years.
(00:41):
Fantastic. Or phenomenal, as they say. How did you first meet Howard?
So it was interesting. As a new business owner, I started my business in 2017
and was going through that kind of lonely phase of like, Like,
did I make a mistake? What's going on?
A lot of questions and challenges.
And I remembered listening to Zig Ziglar a lot when I was a kid.
(01:04):
My parents always listened to Zig in the car. And so I got online and looked for Zig.
And it's like, hey, he has a small business coach named Howard Partridge.
And so that was kind of the beginning.
Zig Ziglar. So here's my Zig story. Yeah.
Years ago, before there was digital audio, there was something called a cassette deck.
(01:26):
I used to drive around while working for someone else, listening to this guy named Zig Ziglar.
And Zig told me that I should quit my job.
Now, that's what I heard. And the people tell me the tape didn't say that.
But I'm pretty sure I heard him say, you know, other people can do this,
(01:48):
Jim, and you should do it. That's what I heard.
So anyway, so so, you know, I'd listen to his stories and I read all kinds of
books and I started thinking, it seems like there are people who are less smart
than me who have quit their job to start a business.
So anyway, so so I was I was really formed early on by Zig.
(02:09):
And then my friend Howard Partridge said, hey, Jim, how would you like to come
to one of my conferences?
Zig Ziglar is going to be there.
I said, when and where? So I was able through Howard to actually meet Zig Ziglar.
So that was exciting. Oh, what an honor.
Yeah. Yeah. And that goes back a number of years.
(02:32):
So let's stop talking about me now.
Okay, Tim. So stop throwing it back on me. So you met Howard with a search for Zig Ziglar.
Howard is integral in that company, and they do a lot of work together.
And so you've been on board in the inner circle with Howard and his team for four years since 2020.
(02:55):
Yeah. Yeah. Attended the business owner bootcamp and just thought it was amazing.
And then signed up as an inner circle member.
And you haven't looked back since.
I haven't. It's been a great, great relationship. I really appreciate everything
that Howard and the whole team does.
Let's talk about you and your business. So 2017 is when you started? Yes.
(03:19):
How did you get into the business? And also explain to everybody,
describe what you do and why it's unique and how you got into it.
Of course. So I had a break in employment.
And, you know, the traditional thing is to go talk to a headhunter and get back into the game.
And my heart was not in going back to corporate America.
(03:41):
And I always had kind of a dream of maybe I could do my own business.
And, you know, when you get a good paycheck in a Fortune 100 company,
it's kind of hard to do that, to jump out and do that. And so it was a perfect
time for me. It's like, you know, it's now or never.
And so I started looking at franchises.
I had talked to a franchise consultant. And so we started evaluating franchises
(04:03):
and came across this one.
And what we do is it's Prism Specialties and used to be called Art Recovery Technology.
And what I do is we restore artwork. And it's mainly insurance work.
Although we have a lot of people that google us and
they bring in a painting that you know grandma had painted and it
needs help now we do that um but most of our revenue comes from insurance claims
(04:25):
and so there are house fires floods that sort of thing and artwork gets damaged
and it could be paintings sculptures it could be photographs even taxidermy
so it's a pretty broad range of of what constitutes art.
Interesting. So what are your qualifications? So my own are pretty thin for the old art thing.
(04:47):
So what I brought to the table was the ability to manage a business and a lot
of experience in the corporate world, a lot of customer service background.
And so I have the ability to provide a great service experience.
That's what I bring. And so I hire people who have art degrees and have tremendous artistic talent.
And then we We teach them our techniques and like I could probably teach the
(05:10):
techniques myself, but I can't implement them.
I don't have that talent, but they do.
And so they they do amazing work. Just create magic.
That is a great answer. So many people start a business,
get involved in a business because they're a good technician,
(05:31):
but not necessarily a great business owner.
And that's what...
Michael Gerber talks about an e-myth,
and you and I have spoken about that together, the e-myth. Great book.
And it's important as a business owner to make sure that you are running it properly.
(05:54):
And you can be in love with your business, but you can't be wearing all the hats. Right.
(06:28):
Owner they think and then they leave to find
out they're really good at the technical part they have no patience
for anyone else get out of my way let me fix it but i've also got to sell market
and run the organization so i applaud you and then they become a slave to their
business slave to their business yeah yes and you're putting the right people
in place give me a background on the business model itself.
(06:54):
Okay. So what we do, we get a claim that comes in.
For instance, we get a call typically from a restoration contractor who's out
at a house fire, out at a flood, and they're doing the structure.
They're taking care of all that.
But they see that there's artwork and they've talked to the homeowner and they've
asked, what can I do about this painting? I'm really concerned about what's
going to happen here. here.
(07:15):
And so if we've done our job properly, we've, we've acquainted ourselves with
these restoration contractors, with the adjusters, they know who we are.
And so they say, I know just the guy to call. And so they refer the business over to me.
So then we go out and we do a walkthrough with the homeowner to get their understanding
of what it is they're most concerned about, provide our expertise,
(07:36):
give them some, some comfort that we can take care of it. And then we pack up all the items.
We do a photo inventory. We pack up all the items, bring them back to our shop,
our studio, and then our artists will put together a detailed estimate.
We get that approved by the insured, by the insurance adjuster, and then we do the work.
And afterward, we package everything, we store it in our secure climate-controlled
(08:01):
facility as long as it needs.
And it could be over a year for a house fire that we're hanging on to this artwork.
And when they're finally ready, we get the call, that's a great day.
We deliver, liver we put everything right back on the wall where it should be
and typically what they're getting back is something better than before the
loss because it's it's clean it's you know it's.
(08:23):
Beautiful often it's much better than it was even before the loss so it's a
happy day getting that artwork back this is white glove service it's i mean
everything is top notch and you know i was Because listening to what you were saying about,
in many instances, it...
(08:45):
Comes back to the home in better condition than prior to the disaster, right?
Right. The fire, the water, and so forth. It reminds me of how they restore old film.
You'll look at a film from the 1930s, and you'd be like, I thought they shot
that in black and white, and how come it's so clean?
(09:07):
Because they actually made it better than the original.
Right. Right. So it's not really like that where you're changing it.
You're just making it as clean and perfect as you can.
And there were probably some imperfections prior to the damage.
Yeah. And, you know, a lot of people don't take great care of their artwork.
You know, so dust builds up over time, you know, it gets discolored.
(09:31):
Maybe it was framed initially with some acidic components, you know,
cardboard that's now causing yellowing is bad for it.
So we're replacing that with acid-free archival materials. So when it comes
back, it's going to have greater longevity than it would have had otherwise.
So there's a positive there.
Tim, I would assume that you're doing a lot of work with insurance companies.
(09:54):
A lot of this is paid for by insurance, isn't it? It is. Absolutely. Absolutely.
And that's key to the business model, because I'm sure a lot of people are thinking,
how would Tim get business? Well, it's pretty obvious.
You have to network with people in the restoration business because they're
called out after the damage, often fire and water damage. Right.
(10:17):
And and also insurance agencies and so forth, which is kind of a really neat
business because this is a true niche business, isn't it?
Absolutely, it is. So, you know, when I first got into this,
in fact, I would hear was, you know, I was going out and talking to restoration contractors.
And one of the things I heard was, oh, you know, this will never work because
(10:40):
we never see artwork. artwork.
I had people tell me I've been doing this for 20 years. I don't see artwork.
And at first that kind of took me aback, right?
What did I do? But what I found out was just they don't understand what they're looking at.
Nobody has blank walls. At least people I know, right? You walk in a house,
there's stuff on the walls.
It could be photos. It could be artwork that was created by a relative.
(11:02):
It may not have high financial value, but it means a lot to them.
And there's a great emotional connection there.
And if those things aren't restored, You can do a great job replacing floors and walls and all that.
But if you walk back into that house and the walls are blank,
that loss is continuing.
And so what we are doing is closing the loop there and restoring our customer
(11:25):
sense of home, really, is the way we say it. So that's our mission.
Yeah, there are so many things that may not have cost much money,
but they can't be replaced.
Right. Maybe it's your daughter's artwork from the fifth grade.
Maybe she painted something right what
(11:46):
is that worth can't put
a price on it exactly which must
be interesting for the insurance company by the way yeah
but to their credit i'll say most insurance companies don't haggle
over that i mean they understand to the emotional
connection and you know we try to keep our prices reasonable and you know i
(12:06):
think what we do is is we provide a great value for for the what we get paid
speaking of insurance companies I've found over the years that they can be quite
fair when it comes to a claim mm-hmm.
A lot of people think, well, the insurance company, their job is to take your
(12:27):
money, not give it back out. But that's not always the case.
They really want to make you whole, even though they're these large entities.
What's your overall experience with that? Yes, they do really do a good job.
So I think most of the companies, most of the adjusters are good people.
They want to do the right thing.
They've been paid a premium for it, for this very service, right,
(12:50):
of handling these claims.
I think they also want the insured to continue with them, right?
Continue paying those premiums. They don't want to lose a customer either.
And so in general, I think they want to take care of the customer,
the insured, do a good job of settling the claim.
They want that customer talking to others about how great their insurance company is.
So if they're smart they're doing that anyway and so
(13:13):
i think most of them are there's a there's a few bad apples in
the industry that get a give everybody a bad rap but uh
i think most people are pretty good if a restoration company in the tampa area
we're watching this right now what would you like to tell them about the services
you offer yeah so i mean in terms of the the The products that we work on,
(13:35):
it could be paintings, sculptures,
works on paper.
So maybe it's a signed lithograph or a print, anything that's framed, for instance.
Photographs. A lot of people don't think about photographs as art,
but everybody has family photos.
And a lot of times they predated the digitals, right? And so they can't get
another copy. And so that's important.
(13:58):
Even taxidermy, right? And people say, is that art?
Well, tell you what. But if you meet somebody who's into taxidermy,
who's gone on these big game hunts,
sometimes to Africa, they've spent a tremendous amount of money on this.
Yeah, absolutely. It means a lot to them. And there are specific memories tied to those pieces.
And so think of art more broadly, right?
That if somebody puts something up on their wall or up on a shelf,
(14:22):
it's probably because there's an emotional connection.
It means something to them. It's not just decorative often. And so think of that. that.
And so I just asked the restoration contractors to really consider,
you know, what's the overall experience you're trying to create for your customer.
And I know you're going to do a great job with that physical structure.
(14:42):
It's going to look amazing.
But again, if they're blank walls in the end, they're going to have a bad feeling
and they're going to feel like
there's still a loss. It had nothing to do with you. You did a great job.
Bring me in, right? We can come them in and kind of put that cherry on top of
the cake, I guess, if you will, and eliminate that sense of loss.
You know, put a smile on their face that it's finished, everything's back.
(15:06):
And Tim, that's important. As I talk to you today here on this podcast,
it appears to me that even though there may be others in the greater Tampa area
doing what you do, you stand out, don't you?
(15:27):
We do and to be fair there aren't that many around who do what we do it's a pretty tight niche.
Um but yeah we've developed a reputation over the last seven years for we do
the right thing you know all of our reviews are five-star reviews because i
mean what we do is so important to people it really touches that that emotional
uh need that they have and it's really gratifying.
(15:49):
Yeah did you ever think you'd be in this business going back a decade Not at all. Not at all.
But my whole career was in customer service and I always loved helping people.
And so it's been a perfect landing spot for me at this point in my career.
And that's just it, right?
Without systems, procedures, customer service, the ability to work with partners
(16:11):
out there, whether it's an insurance company or if it's people in the restoration business,
you have to have all those business pieces.
But customer service is key. Absolutely.
Because you can get referrals from that for sure.
(16:32):
And I'm sure this has happened as well, where you've done a job because a restoration
company came to you saying, we have a client.
We need your help. and then maybe
weeks months or even a couple years later that homeowner may have contacted
you for something totally unrelated because of the great job you did yes it
(16:56):
does it turns into we call it a retail job you know someone's bringing an individual
piece they're paying out of pocket not insurance related at all but yeah absolutely
we get those repeat customers that way.
And that's so great because I'll tell you, I have dealt with companies before
that don't have that professionalism in their model.
(17:17):
So for instance, I've moved before the moving company damaged something.
And then there was a local provider in the new city to fix the leg on the table.
They do a great job, but they didn't have customer service. They were just a technician.
Yes. That's what I'm talking about. out. I didn't even know who to go back to if I wanted to. Right.
(17:42):
Yeah. And that makes a big difference, doesn't it? It sure does.
Yeah. I've had the exact same experience and it just drives me crazy.
I'm so focused on the service aspect, but that's what I'm looking at often.
And you're right. There are plenty of people out there who are good technicians,
but you're often missing the service aspect.
Yeah. And it almost seems like a waste, Tim. There are so many great technicians,
(18:04):
but they don't know how to bring it to market and stay in market.
And there's this balance.
Before we finish today here on the podcast, let's circle back to the inner circle.
When you started with Howard's group, what did you feel you were missing?
Why did you feel you had to join a coaching group? group?
(18:30):
Yeah, I mean, I think I was missing the community was the biggest thing.
So, I mean, there are a lot of great resources with the inner circle,
the website is just chock full of anything you need, it's there.
But really, honestly, I'm not spending a lot of time on the website,
it's more in the community, it's more going into the, you know, the coaching pods,
or we call them uh power of discovery sessions um it's it's attending weekly
(18:55):
webinars and just you know a lot of times the information isn't new um you know
Howard calls himself the chief reminding officer,
uh he's not bringing a lot of new stuff he's he's continuing to remind us of what we need to do,
and having a group a community
of other business owners who are going through the similar things things
really really helpful right you you learn
(19:18):
that you're not on an island and then one of
the things i think is most beneficial is he has a quarterly conference
and you get a chance to go
with you know 200 other business owners rub shoulders and you know see some
great speakers hear some great speakers and that's amazing but often it's the
time during the breaks versus the time in dinner after the sessions are over
(19:40):
sitting down with other business owners and and discussing ideas and common
struggles. And it's just powerful.
I mean, the community, the community is everything.
It is. I've been.
With Howard and the Inner Circle now, gosh, I had a relationship with them, well, 15, 16 years.
(20:01):
And I've seen so many great companies and individuals come into the Inner Circle.
And it is really a community first.
And for those of you who've never been to an event, it's interesting.
It's kind of like going to church, which is good. um
and yep and and you know Howard is
(20:23):
Howard's the leader of the pack and he brings
just great speakers and energy and he encourages family you'll you know you'll
see his grandchildren running around he encourages you to bring your children
if you'd like to and so there's different you know generations multi-generational
in the room and i just encourage people to to come to to an event and check it out.
(20:45):
Yes. Yeah. Couldn't agree more.
Yeah. Tim, thank you so much for joining me today here on the Phenomenal Business
Growth Podcast. I really appreciate it. Thanks, Jim. It's been a pleasure.
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