Articles
Violand Management owes much of our success in getting out our message of continual learning and development for restoration and cleaning small businesses to the many industry trade publications that have so graciously partnered with us. Over the years, the President of Violand Management, Chuck Violand, has had several feature articles published. Each article dives into a particular subject owners and managers in the restoration and cleaning industries deal with while growing their businesses. Listed here are downloadable PDFs of the feature articles that have appeared in Cleanfax Magazine, Cleanfax Insider, Cleaning & Restoration Magazine and Restoration and Remediation.
Living As If
By Chuck Violand
September 2015
Cleanfax Magazine
Remove the rose-colored glasses to see your company clearly. Click here to read article.
Enthusiasm
By Chuck Violand
August 2015
Cleanfax Magazine
Lessons in management we can learn through the eyes of an eight-year-old. Click here to read article.
Alpha Talk, 2014
By Chuck Violand
December 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
Not long ago, one of my son’s friends told me he had gotten a job at a local golf course as a “turf maintenance engineer.” Click here to read article.
Pilgrims
By Chuck Violand
November 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
When you think of the word pilgrim, two images typically come to mind. One is of a person dressed in a black waistcoat wearing a tall, brimmed hat and buckles galore. Click here to read article.
Keep Running
By Chuck Violand
October 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
For years I had a plaque hanging in my office that read: “The race does not always go to the swift but to the one who keeps on running.” Click here to read article.
Making A Difference
By Chuck Violand
September 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
Political commentators Cokie and Steve Roberts wrote an article about a survey Gallup and Purdue University conducted to determine what things have the most influence on successful college graduates who are engaged at work and experiencing high well-being after graduation (This means being productive workers in our companies). Click here to read article.
I Don’t Wanna Grow Up
By Chuck Violand
July 2014
Restoration & Remediation
At some point in our lives, I would expect all of us have been exposed to the story of Peter Pan, either through books, stage plays, or films like the 1991 movie Hook starring Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, and Julia Roberts. Click here to read article.
Residue
By Chuck Violand
June 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
The name Branch Rickey gained renewed recognition with the release of 42, the 2013 movie about Jackie Robinson. Click here to read article.
Affluenza
By Chuck Violand
June 2014
C&R Magazine
As health care professionals around the world struggled to avoid a pandemic brought on by the spread of the Norovirus a couple years ago, another virus was running rampant within the ranks of business owners and their companies, one that continues to go largely unrecognized today. Click here to read article.
Meat Loaf
By Chuck Violand
May 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
During a recent presentation to a group of cleaners and restorers, one of my co-presenters and good friends, Bill Yeadon, made reference to a song by Meat Loaf, a popular recording artist from the 1970s. Click here to read article.
Letting Go
By Chuck Violand
April 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
Entrepreneurs are famous for not wanting to “let go” of the companies they birthed. Click here to read article.
Playing Together In The Sandbox
By Chuck Violand
March 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
When the Chief Executive Officer of a Fortune 500 company gives a talk on business, it tends to fill an auditorium. Click here to read article.
Money Maturity
By Chuck Violand
February 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
If you’re the owner of a business, here’s something your accountant wants to tell you but may be afraid to because he doesn’t want to risk losing his job: stop using your business checking account as a personal piggy bank! Click here to read article.
The Entrepreneurial Paradox™
By Chuck Violand
January 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
If you’ve ever found yourself saying that you’d sell your company if someone offered you twenty bucks, then you’re probably experiencing a condition I refer to as the Entrepreneurial Paradox. Click here to read article.
The Art of Business
By Chuck Violand
December 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
The required attributes for becoming a good artist and for becoming a successful entrepreneur are very similar. Click here to read article.
Overcoming Stage II Stall™
Part 2
By Chuck Violand
December 2013
Cleaning & Restoration Magazine
Part 2 of Chuck’s popular Stage II Stall Series as seen in C&R Magazine. Click here to read article.
Overcoming Stage II Stall™
Part 1
By Chuck Violand
October 2013
Cleaning & Restoration Magazine
Chuck shows many of the reasons why businesses can begin to stall at a certain point and what the symptoms and solutions are to each. Click here to read article.
Explosive Growth!
Quick, instant success or slow and steady growth. You choose.
By Chuck Violand
October 30, 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
The problem with most explosions, including explosive growth in business, is that it’s usually uncontrolled. Explosions cause damage to property and hurt people. It’s no different than with uncontrolled growth in a company. Click here to read article.
It Takes Guts
By Chuck Violand
September 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
Some people think it takes a lot of guts to start a business. Chuck is not one of them. It takes faith in one’s ability. Guts comes into play when asking the bank for money, the million decisions restoration and cleaning business owners make every day, confronting a long time employee, firing that employee, or when you have to change yourself to grow your business. Click here to read article.
Profitability Disasters
By Chuck Violand
June 2012
Cleanfax Magazine
Profitability in a restoration or cleaning business is the direct result of two primary factors, neither of which has to do with the business itself. In a nutshell, profitability is the direct result of our beliefs and our decisions. Click here to read article.
Sailboats, Yachts, and Tall Masted Ships
By Chuck Violand
January 2009
Cleaning & Restoration Magazine
There’s more to the relationship between boats and businesses than just image. There is a need for businesses to change their model as they grow because the model that worked when they were smaller breaks down as they become larger. To sustain profitability as it grows, a business must constantly analyze its performance in light of its changing model. That’s where the relationship between sailing a boat and growing a business comes into play. Click here to read article.
Pace and Intensity
By Chuck Violand
October 2010
Cleanfax Magazine
There is a difference that separates companies that are going along one step at a time and those that are going somewhere. Click here to read article.
Alpha Talk
By Chuck Violand
August 6, 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
Can too much creativity be a bad thing?
Chuck discusses how the business world, in an effort to sound more PC, is instead smothering people when sometimes what we really need to hear is the blunt truth. Click here to read article.
Flying Lessons
By Chuck Violand
July 03, 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
Owning and running a restoration or cleaning business is very similar to learning how to fly an airplane with its up and downs. Click here to read article.
Mind Your Own Business!
Stop looking over your shoulder when running your company.
By Chuck Violand
June 12, 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
Small businesses are reflections of what their owners believe about themselves—what we believe we’re capable of achieving and what we think we deserve to achieve. Click here to read article.
Unexpected Congratulations
A Simple Way to Become a Stronger Leader in Your Company.
By Chuck Violand
April 01, 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
Is it time to let someone in your organization know how much you appreciate them and how pleased you are with the contributions they’re making to your company? Click here to read article.
Somebody Always Pays
Know your costs and what you must charge to make a profit.
By Chuck Violand
January 04, 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
A freebee mentality doesn’t involve only introductory offers to potential customers. It involves the people who work for our company, too. Are “free” health benefits and other “perks” really free? Click here to read article.
Never Give In
By Chuck Violand
October 31, 2012
Cleanfax Magazine
Starting a business is easy. Anybody can do it. Growing a business is the tough part, and it gets even tougher when things aren’t going our way or when we feel conditions are out of our control. Click here to read article.
Are You Loved?
By Chuck Violand
October 01, 2012
Cleanfax Magazine
Businesses will come and go, but being loved and in good health are the truly important things in life. When you get those two things right, you can face the challenges of business from a much stronger foundation, and you’re much more likely to address them head on. Click here to read article.
Six Management Behaviors That Limit Growth
By Chuck Violand
March/April 1997
Cleanfax Magazine
While working on your business instead of for your business is still important, you increasingly need to do more. You also must work on yourself. Here are six management behaviors restoration and cleaning small business owners must look out for and recognize, along with tips on how to change them. For years, Violand Management has had the pleasure of being a monthly contributor to Cleanfax’s Restoration Insider e-newsletter. This is a weekly emailed publication we recommend you subscribe to that offers current information and training on a variety of technical and professional subjects within the restoration industry. Listed below are introductions and links to the articles VMA has contributed by author. Click here to read article.
Profitability Disasters
By Chuck Violand
June 01, 2012
Cleanfax Magazine
Profitability in a cleaning and restoration business is the direct result of two primary factors, neither of which has to do with the business itself. Click here to read article.
Being Humble
By Chuck Violand
February 03, 2012
Cleanfax Magazine
Being humble allows those around you to be humble as well. This is particularly important when you’re the owner of the business and you’re looking for people who share that same quality. Click here to read article.
Second Fiddle
By Chuck Violand
January 09, 2012
Cleanfax Magazine
In my opinion, many “first fiddles” would not have achieved the success they did had it not been for the people who served as their second fiddles, or “sidemen.” Click here to read article.
Develop a Winning Organization
By Chuck Violand
December 29, 2011
Cleanfax Magazine
Developing a winning organization with good employees doesn’t happen by chance. The most successful businesses are those that plot, analyze, and put into action a plan that develops the best team possible. Click here to read article.
E-Drift
By Chuck Violand
October 31, 2011
Cleanfax Magazine
I refer to this characteristic as Entrepreneurial Drift, or e-Drift for short (a nod to Michael Gerber”s book The E-Myth). I use it to describe the short attention span and easily-distracted personality characteristics many owners bring to running their companies. It seems a lot of entrepreneurs are genetically hard-wired with this condition. Click here to read article.
Hiring Blind
By Chuck Violand
October 12, 2011
Cleanfax Magazine
As owners of small businesses, we’re always looking for talented people for our organizations, so I wanted to share some insights I gained from reading a recent interview. Click here to read article.
The Poverty Trap
By Chuck Violand
January 2007
Cleanfax Magazine
Being busy is great, but is it enough to grow your company? Escape the snapping jaws of the ‘poverty trap.’ Click here to read article.
Success in a New Century
By Chuck Violand
February 1999
Cleanfax Magazine
Building a successful cleaning business in the next century will be a unique challenge for each person, but Chuck recommends seven laws that, if followed, can be a foundation for growth and profitability extending well into the next millennium. Click here to read article.
Stop Dropping the Profits: Gross Profit Harvesting
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
November 4, 2016
Restoration & Remediation
Standing on a 40-foot stage, perched 25 feet in the air, nailing a rake board on the gable end of a home, I reached into my tool belt to grab more nails. Click here to read article.
Ditch the Trash Talk, Up Your Restoration Game
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
August 2016
Restoration & Remediation
On April 10, 2016, professional golfer Jordan Spieth blew a five-stroke lead by taking a quadruple bogey on the 12th hole during the last round of the Masters Golf Tournament. Although he came back to birdie on the 13th hole and tie for second place overall, this collapse may go down as one of the most epic meltdowns in sports history. Click here to read article.
Creating a Scalable Restoration Business
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
May 2016
Restoration & Remediation
Restoration is one of the most unpredictable businesses in the modern economy. Contractors will often go days, or even weeks, without seeing a new and legitimate job opportunity. Then, without warning, generally at 4:30 on a Friday afternoon, the phone will start ringing and the backlog of jobs will pile up two, three, or four at a time. Click here to read article.
Clear, Effective Business Communication
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
November 2015
Restoration & Remediation
Readers BEWARE! The following article contains information that pertains specifically to improving your communication skills in business only. It is NOT intended for personal use with situations involving spouses, significant others or children. Now that we have that out of the way we can get down to business. Click here to read article.
Competing for Employees
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
August 2015
Restoration & Remediation
Hiring and attracting top talent in a job climate where opportunities abound. Click here to read article.
Working For Your Father
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
June 2015
Restoration & Remediation
On the return leg of a west coast business trip last year, I was pleased to be the benefactor of a rare first class upgrade. Click here to read article.
The Ultimate Test of Loyalty
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
February 2015
The Ultimate Test of Loyalty: In the fall of 2003, I was interviewing an insulation installer to do some work on one of my restoration projects. As I asked him questions about his business, he proudly told me about his second generation company and how his father had grown it to over 30 employees and 20 service vehicles. When I asked him how big they were at that time, he humbly replied, “Two – myself and my son.” Too young to know any better, I asked “What happened?”
Click here to read Part 1 of this article.
Click here to read Part 2 of this article.
Click here to read Part 3 of this article.
Start Your Projects the Right Way
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
December 2014
The Disciplined Restorer
The single greatest attribute of companies that are successful in the restoration industry today is discipline. By successful, I am not referring to the thousands of restorers with $1-2 million in annual revenue and 10% bottom lines. Click here to read article.
Start Your Projects the Right Way
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
October 2014
The Top 5 Myths of Quality Improvement
After combing through a successful company’s financial history and seeing gains in both sales and profitability year after year, it can often be difficult to suggest there is still opportunity for improvement. Click here to read article.
Start Your Projects the Right Way
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
August 2014
Restoration & Remediation Magazine
It’s three months after the completion of a fairly routine water loss, and you are still waiting to get paid. Click here to read article.
Surviving the Slump
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
June 2014
Restoration & Remediation Magazine
Coming out of one of the coldest winters in recent history, the restoration industry has benefited from the abundance of frozen pipe and ice-dam claims. Click here to read article.
Playing Business
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
April 2014
Restoration & Remediation Magazine
One of the more rewarding experiences in the life of a business consultant is watching your clients write their business plans. Click here to read article.
Command the Chaos: A Sense of Urgency and Shifting of Priorities
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
February 2014
Restoration & Remediation Magazine
Project management is defined as the discipline of planning, organizing, securing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives. Click here to read article.
Quality Control
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
November 4, 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
If contractors want to differentiate themselves and grow in increasingly competitive markets, they need to focus their quality efforts on their methods of delivery. Click here to read article.
The Art of Selling Upgrades
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
July 31, 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
Selling upgrades to a homeowner who has just experienced a loss without coming across as a vulture requires tact and skill. The restorer must pay close attention to see if the customer indicates a desire to make a change. Click here to read article.
How to Get Mortgage Companies to Pay Faster
By Timothy E. Hull, CR
April 29, 2012
Cleanfax Magazine
While a contractor does not choose his customers’ insurance and mortgage companies, he can protect his payments by holding the responsible parties accountable for their obligations. Click here to read article.
The Power of Persistence
By Scott Tackett
October 2016
Cleanfax Magazine
Learn from these superb, real-life examples and never give up. Click here to read article.
The Candidate
By Scott Tackett
September 2016
Cleanfax Magazine
How to find your next rock star. Click here to read article.
Celebrating Small Successes
By Scott Tackett
June 2016
Cleanfax Magazine
Big success story celebrations do little in the long term for motivating and retaining employees. Smaller successes should not be ignored. Click here to read article.
The Hardest Part
By Scott Tackett
November 2015
Cleanfax Magazine
Five recommendations to dealing with one of the toughest parts of being a boss. Click here to read article.
The Organizational Chart
By Scott Tackett
September 2015
Cleanfax Magazine
What better structure means for your business. Click here to read article.
The True Cost
By Scott Tackett
July 2015
Cleanfax Magazine
What it costs your company to hire or replace just one employee. Click here to read article.
What Would Your Personal Mission Statement Say?
By Scott Tackett
July 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
What would yours have to say about you? Click here to read article.
Is Failure an Option in Business?
By Scott Tackett
May 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
Setting expectations for your staff is one thing. Holding them accountable is another. Click here to read article.
Are You A Seagull Manager?
By Scott Tackett
March 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
Yes, you are going to have problems, issues, and concerns. How you handle them is the question. Click here to read article.
Change Without Pain
By Scott Tackett
January 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
Plan carefully to avoid creating anguish and organizational chaos. Click here to read article.
Managing Up
By Scott Tackett
December 4, 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
Scott Tackett shows why the person who needs managing the most in many organizations is the boss. Click here to read article.
Time to Clean Your Windows
By Scott Tackett
August 30, 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
Take ownership for solving the problems that you are encountering in dealing with employees. Click here to read article.
The Real Reasons Behind Employee Turnover
By Scott Tackett
June 01, 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
By understanding why people leave, organizations can also gain a better idea of why people stay and then learn how to influence these decisions. Click here to read article.
The 21st Century Leader: Leading Beyond the Basics
By Scott Tackett
March 15, 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
Your ability to determine direction and to influence others toward a goal or mission is directly proportional to your knowledge, skills, and abilities. Click here to read article.
Performance Management
By Scott Tackett
December 03, 2012
Cleanfax Magazine
One of the most misunderstood and confusing terms in modern management centers on the use and misuse of the phrase “performance management.” Click here to read article.
Workplace Bullying
By Scott Tackett
September 02, 2012
Cleanfax Magazine
The breakdown in trust in a bullying environment may mean that employees will fail to provide you with their best work, not giving extra effort or generating ideas for improvement. Click here to read article.
Managing the Boss
By Scott Tackett
May 29, 2012
Cleanfax Magazine
In almost every training session I conduct, at some point a manager will ask, “How do I manage up?” or “How do I get my boss to listen to me?” or “This stuff is great, but now tell me how to get my boss to buy into it.” Click here to read article.
Ethical Policies Versus Ethical Practices
By Scott Tackett
February 03, 2012
Cleanfax Magazine
Obviously, a written policy does not ensure ethical behavior. Therefore, it is my belief and experience after 35 years in business that we, the leaders of organizations, need to do more—much more—if we have any hope whatsoever of creating conditions in our organization where valid ethical behavior occurs as part of “normal workplace performance.” Click here to read article.
The Business of Business
By Tom Cline
April 2016
Restoration & Remediation
Contrary to today’s popular feel-good wisdom, in business, winning is everything. Click here to read article.
Accountability: The Key to Success
By Tom Cline
November 2015
Restoration & Remediation
A manager’s success is based on the performance of the department, people, and function for which they are responsible. Click here to read article.
The Right Person for the Job
By Tom Cline
September 2015
Restoration & Remediation
Learning to hire & promote to foster your company’s success. Click here to read article.
Maximizing the Return on your Marketing and Sales Investments
By Tom Cline
July 2015
Restoration & Remediation
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Click here to read article.
Okay, So Now You’re The Boss…
By Tom Cline
June 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
It’s finally happened. You are now “the boss.” What’s next? Click here to read article.
Differentiation: The Key to Success in Selling and in Business
By Tom Cline
April 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
Focus your efforts, do your research, and tap into existing streams of available information. Click here to read article.
Leadership and Performance: Get by Giving
By Tom Cline
February 2014
Cleanfax Magazine
“Get by giving” and see real benefits to your company. Click here to read article.
Own Your Mistakes
By Tom Cline
July 08, 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
My recommendation is to start celebrating your mistakes. The next time you or someone on your team messes up, admit it, celebrate it, and learn from it. Tackle the situation with honesty rather than with fear and shame. Click here to read article.
The Value of Benchmarking
By Tom Cline
April 01, 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
The first step is to measure and understand your company’s current performance. The second is to set a standard or goal for comparison in order to assess how well you are performing. Click here to read article.
The Glue That Holds It All Together
By Tom Cline
January 04, 2013
Cleanfax Magazine
When is it time to hire an office manager/administrator? Right now!
If any of you are at the point of considering whether bringing an office manager or administrative manager into your restoration or cleaning business is a good idea, the answer is yes! Click here to read article.
Leadership Traits
By Tom Cline
October 24, 2012
Cleanfax Magazine
Demographic shifts in the workforce and changes in priorities among younger generations are driving new approaches to attracting, motivating, developing, and retaining top talent. Click here to read article.
Culture Matters
By Tom Cline
July 04, 2012
Cleanfax Magazine
A company’s culture defines how they operate, what makes them proud, and how their purpose leads to the decisions they make. Finding the people with the skills, experience, and education we expect and the personality, work ethic, and core values that match those of our company will result in improved performance, reduced turnover, motivated employees, and increased teamwork. Click here to read article.
The Indispensable Bad Apple
By Tom Cline
April 03, 2012
Cleanfax Magazine
Continuing to accept the inappropriate behavior of these employees is a blatant slap in the face to the principles of “firm, fair, and consistent” treatment, which are the hallmarks of effective leaders and successful organizations. Click here to read article.
How to Conduct Effective Sales Meetings
By Tom Cline
October 21, 2011
Cleanfax Magazine
One of the most critical factors in successful selling is consistency—consistency of effort, consistency in the message, and consistency in the quality and service that are provided to the customer. Click here to read article.
The Power of Effective Sales Meetings
By Tom Cline
August 30, 2011
Cleanfax Magazine
If you want to increase sales and profits, you need to get together and plan how to do it.
As a sales manager, the most important one to two hours of your week is the time spent with your team in weekly sales meetings (you do have weekly sales meetings, don’t you?). Click here to read article.
Relearning the ABCs of Sales
By John Monroe
July 2016
Cleanfax Magazine
The sales mantra “Always Be Closing,” or ABC, is what every salesperson learns in their first sales class. Yet, in today’s technology-driven society, is ABC really the best way to approach a potential customer or make a sales presentation? Click here to read article.
The Gold Standard
By John Monroe
October 2016
Cleanfax Magazine
Hard work pays off in the long run. And it feels really good when it does. Click here to read article.
Wearing Two Hats
By John Monroe
April 2016
Cleanfax Magazine
Cleaning and restoration business owners and managers perform many tasks, and have to do all of them right. Click here to read article.
A Winning Enterprise
By John Monroe
November 2015
Cleanfax Magazine
What attitudes and expectations can do for your business. Click here to read article.
Accountability Starts Here
By Bill Prosch
November 1, 2016
Cleanfax Magazine
To understand the issue, let’s draw a parallel and make the assumption that employing people is very similar to raising kids. Click here to read article.
I Hate Being Wrong
By Bill Prosch
August 24, 2016
Cleanfax Magazine
Take restoration job management to a new level. Click here to read article.
How to Fly a 747: Strategies for Enabling Employees to Soar
By Bill Prosch
May 29, 2016
Cleanfax Magazine
Training of technicians should be given much more respect and attention than most currently give. Click here to read article.