The Restoration Playbook Podcast

In this episode of Mission Critical, Leighton Healey speaks with Dan Claps, founder and CEO of VODA Restoration, about building one of the fastest-growing restoration franchise networks in North America after exiting his previous company to private equity in 2022. Dan shares how he partnered with Dragan Krstic, a Serbian immigrant who built a cleaning and restoration business from nothing, rebranded to VODA ("water" in Serbian), and launched franchising in April 2023. He breaks down his approach to scaling across 108 franchise partners in 32 states, including how he uses a Franchise Advisory Council to source strategy from operators, why he forces the network to commit to one priority per quarter, and the two daily frameworks (Five Whys and 1-3-1) he uses to keep decisions from bottlenecking at the top.Looking for more expertise from restoration industry experts? Head to https://tryknowhow.com

In this episode of Mission Critical, Leighton Healey speaks with Kyle Chason, president of Best Option Restoration, about building a 70-location restoration franchise network across 26 states after starting as the system’s first franchisee in 2017. Kyle shares his early experience as a one-person operator, including working alone on a New Year’s Eve mitigation job with $2,500 left, and how that shaped his focus on commitments, purpose, and perseverance. Kyle also outlines lean operating principles centered on fast communication, decision empowerment, and avoiding slow, opinion-heavy bureaucracy.If you're a restoration leader struggling to navigate turbulent times while maintaining culture and finding operational margin, this conversation delivers battle-tested tactics from the trenches.Looking for more expertise from restoration industry experts? Head to https://tryknowhow.com

A new show from KnowHow dropping into The Restoration Playbook feed: What's Next in Franchising is a weekly podcast built for leaders scaling home and commercial services franchises, tackling the biggest news stories, and sitting down with the most innovative voices and leaders in the industry.In this first episode, Leighton and Travis Martin break down three developments shaping service businesses in 2026: new FTC franchise disclosure rules, what the Franchise 500 rankings signal about where the industry is heading, and why consumers are moving back toward professional service providers after years of DIY.If you've ever wondered how the franchise world thinks about training, consistency, and scaling without chaos, this is worth 30 minutes on your commute.

In this episode of Mission Critical, host Leighton Healey, CEO of KnowHow, speaks with Chris Hembrough and Matt Wike from Peerless Restoration. Together, they discuss the unique challenges and strategies employed by their three-generation family business in Central Illinois. From managing three major projects simultaneously to fostering leadership and communication within the team, Chris and Matt share how they turn crises into opportunities for growth. With an emphasis on keeping promises and building strong relationships, Peerless Restoration proves that resilience and adaptability are key in the ever-demanding restoration industry.If you're a restoration leader struggling to navigate turbulent times while maintaining culture and finding operational margin, this conversation delivers battle-tested tactics from the trenches.Looking for more expertise from restoration industry experts? Head to https://tryknowhow.com

On this episode of Mission Critical, Leighton Healey interviews Jamar Plater, COO of Thomasville Restoration, one of the top restoration providers in the Mid-Atlantic. Jamar shares how radical transparency has transformed Thomasville's operations, turning their 150-person team into problem-solvers rather than spectators. He unpacks the LEAST framework (Listen, Empathize, Apologize, Solve, Thank) that empowers teams to handle issues before they escalate, reveals the daily KPIs he tracks to maintain operational health, and explains how they successfully expanded 100 miles into Richmond by communicating goals company-wide instead of solving problems in isolation.If you're a restoration leader struggling to navigate turbulent times while maintaining culture and finding operational margin, this conversation delivers battle-tested tactics from the trenches.Looking for more expertise from restoration industry experts? Head to https://tryknowhow.com