Scaling UP! H2O

Venture beyond the confines of your comfort zone and embark on an exhilarating journey of personal growth and discovery, all through the power of public speaking. Are you prepared to embrace a challenge that promises to elevate both your professional path and life's trajectory? Our latest podcast episode is a resounding call to action, inviting you to step out of the ordinary and conquer the obstacles that hinder your progress. Picture this: a group of visionaries from The Rising Tide Mastermind, driven by their thirst for excellence, tuned in to the wisdom of Chris Anderson's masterpiece, TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking.  But they didn't stop at absorbing knowledge; they transformed Chris' words into action. Fast forward to May 2023. Imagine a room filled with dozens of Mastermind Members ready to put their public speaking prowess to the ultimate test. Each Member presented on a topic they selected because it was important to themselves, and having that personal connection to the materials being presented shone through in their voices as they took the stage. Within this space, water professionals, much like you, embraced the TED Talk public speaking format, revealing their insights to an audience of peers and professionals. This dynamic event wasn't just about sharing ideas; it was a celebration of pushing boundaries, fostering camaraderie, and nurturing growth. This special episode serves as a testament to what's attainable when you confront a fresh challenge, surrounded by kindred spirits who champion your triumphs. As a water treatment professional, you're no stranger to the transformative potential of processes, and this scenario is no exception. While you listen, keep in mind that the avenue to advancement often meanders outside of your comfort zone. Would you like to nominate a speaker from this episode for the illustrious TED stage? Your path to scaling up the water treatment industry begins below. ⬇️ Discover firsthand the heights achievable when determination meets unwavering support. It's an ode to what can be achieved when you set your intentions and lean on a supportive community to cheer you on toward greatness.   Timestamps Introducing this year's Rising Tide Mastermind Live Event challenge [1:00] James Courtney The Importance of Global Fish Sustainability [22:00]  Mindy Petrocy Embracing Individuality and the Invisible Diagnosis [31:20]  Jill Cavano What are You Waiting For; Start Your Bucket List Today [38:20] Thomas Hardy It is never the right time to Volunteer [44:50] Brett Glenna Seeing The World with Chartreuse Colored Glasses [51:00] Connor Hanrahan Memento Mullet: The Story of Two Fish Learning to Swim [58:28] Closing Thoughts with Trace [1:08:00] Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals [1:14:00] Periodic Water Table With James McDonald [1:15:30]   Nominate a Speaker from this episode to appear on the TED stage. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3: Follow the instructions in THIS link to Nominate a Speaker to TED  Copy the Speaker's professional profile, see links below, and paste the link into the "Please share a brief biography that includes information about this potential future TED speaker's connection to their talk topic" section Copy this podcast episode link (scalinguph2o.com/325) in the "Please provide links to online video or audio featuring the proposed speaker" section *Don't forget to click the "Submit" button in the bottom right once you've completed your Nomination.    Speakers professional profiles: James Courtney: in/james-courtney-cwt-leed-ap-379a6877 Mindy Petrocy: in/mindy-petrocy-71b84599 Jill Cavano: scrantonassociates.com/about_the_owner.html Thomas Hardy: in/thomas-hardy-3410b728 Brett Glenna: in/brettglenna Connor Hanrahan: in/connor-hanrahan-6a19021b   Connect with Scaling UP! H2O Email Producer: corrine@blackmore-enterprises.com Submit a show idea: Submit a Show Idea LinkedIn: in/traceblackmore/ Facebook: @H2OScalingUP YouTube: @ScalingUpH2O   Links Mentioned mulletparty.com The Rising Tide Mastermind Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses Submit a Show Idea AWT (Association of Water Technologies)   2023 Events for Water Professionals Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE or using the dropdown menu.   Books Mentioned The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking by Chris Anderson   Periodic Water Table With James McDonald Some of these words are fun to say and impress your family and friends.  But back to the subject at hand, EDTA.  What is it used for?  What's its chemical formula?  What does EDTA typically react with?  It's called a chelant, but does the word chelant mean?  What are the advantages of using EDTA in a boiler water system?  What are some warnings and precautions with using EDTA in a boiler system?  What are the dangers of overfeeding EDTA?  What about underfeeding?  Does EDTA react stoichiometrically with cations?  What does this mean?  Is EDTA synergistic with any other water treatment chemistries, such as polymers and phosphates?  How do you test for EDTA?  What do the phrases free chelant, combined chelant, and total chelant mean?  Are there any other chelant alternatives to EDTA?  Do you use any treatment products that contain EDTA?  

Welcome to the Scaling UP! H2O Podcast. As water treaters, we have a multitude of tools at our disposal, but it's crucial to understand what we're testing for and how our tests work on a basic level. In this week's episode of Pinks and Blues, we're delving into the intricacies of water treatment by focusing on the difference between two important measurements: Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Conductivity. TDS and Conductivity are crucial metrics in water treatment, as they provide key information about the quality and purity of the water we're treating. However, many water treaters don't fully understand the nuances of these measurements, which can limit the effectiveness of their treatment methods. On this episode of Pinks and Blues, we'll explore the science behind TDS and Conductivity, and how these measurements can be used to optimize water treatment processes. Whether you're a seasoned water treatment professional or just starting out, you'll gain valuable insights and knowledge that will help you scale up your water treatment expertise. Bottom line: Get ready to expand your understanding of water treatment and join us as we explore the critical difference between TDS and Conductivity.   Timestamps Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals [1:00] Periodic Water Table With James McDonald [4:30] Trace Blackmore answers your Pinks and Blues questions about the difference between TDS and Conductivity [6:00]   Quotes "Where you take the temperature really does matter." - Trace Blackmore "The solution to pollution is dilution…or said another way 'The solution to concentration is dilution'." - Trace Blackmore "Calcium Carbonate (equation) - a water treater's nemesis, because it impedes heat most often."  - Trace Blackmore   Connect with Scaling UP! H2O Email Producer: corrine@blackmore-enterprises.com Submit a show idea: Submit a Show Idea LinkedIn: in/traceblackmore/ Facebook: @H2OScalingUP YouTube: @ScalingUpH2O   Links Mentioned The Rising Tide Mastermind Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses Submit a Show Idea   2023 Events for Water Professionals Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE or using the dropdown menu.   Periodic Water Table With James McDonald You might already know that HEDP is a phosphonate, but what does that mean?  What does HEDP stand for?  What is its molecular formula? What percentage of HEDP is phosphate?  Is HEDP used for scale control, corrosion control, or both?  Is HEDP synergistic with anything else?  Does pH have an impact?  Can HEDP precipitate with anything?  If so, how might this be controlled?  Do oxidizing biocides, such as chlorine, have an impact upon HEDP?  How does this impact compare to that of other phosphonates?  Do you use any products with HEDP?  

Is there a magic plan to prepare for the CWT Exam? Can you sign up for the CWT exam and have enough time to study for it in as little as 12 weeks? Connor Hanrahan, the Technical Manager at IWE Industrial Water Engineering found a way that worked for him and his team to feel prepared for the CWT Exam, and all it took was a little planning. If you are looking for a strategy for studying for the CWT Exam, tips for taking the exam at the testing facility, ways you can mentally prepare for a 200-question exam, want to know what to expect prior to having the test in front of you, and numerous resources to help you study, this podcast episode is for you. Bottom line: Connor Hanrahan is going to give you the 12-week strategy for taking the CWT Exam.   Timestamps Trace Blackmore invites all water treaters around the world to scale up on knowledge together [1:00] Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals [5:30] Interview with Connor Hanrahan, Technical Manager at IWE [10:00] Lightning round questions [1:04:00] Are you intentionally putting yourself in environments and situations that help you to get better? [1:08:00] Periodic Water Table With James McDonald [1:21:00]   Quotes "Water is where my passion, my source of living, and something the world needs intersects." - Connor Hanrahan "I love water chemistry. The more I learn, the less I know. I'm always opening new fields of questions." Connor Hanrahan  "Water is endlessly complex, in a beautiful way." Connor Hanrahan "I'll be honest, the CWT Exam was harder than I expected. It is pretty tough, they do not joke around." Connor Hanrahan "Training maintains an excellent organization." Connor Hanrahan "The CWT does such a good job of setting a bar right for water treatment excellence." Connor Hanrahan "My CWT experience was challenging and extremely worthwhile."- Connor Hanrahan   Connect with Connor Hanrahan Phone: 505-280-0561 Email: connorphanrahan@gmail.com Website:  Industrial Water Engineering Website: mulletparty.com LinkedIn: in/connor-hanrahan-6a19021b/ Read or Download Connor Hanrahan's Press Release HERE   Links Mentioned The Rising Tide Mastermind Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses Submit a Show Idea AWT (Association of Water Technologies)   2023 Events for Water Professionals Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE or using the dropdown menu.   Books Mentioned Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir The Martian by Andy Weir Three-Body Problem Boxed Set by Cixin Liu and Ken Liu The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington Traction by Gino Wickman  The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni I Said This, You Heard That Workbook by Kathleen Edelman I Said This, You Heard That (2nd Edition) by Kathleen Edelman The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey   Periodic Water Table With James McDonald The building blocks of polymers. What is a monomer? What are the various forms of monomers used in industrial water treatment? What functionality can each of these monomers bring? Are there synergies between them? How are monomers used to make polymers? When monomers are combined to form polymers, do all the polymers in a batch have the exact same discrete composition of monomers, or is the batch of polymer described more as an average of what the molecules are estimated to be when examined together? How can supply-chain shortages of a monomer impact industrial water treatment?  

Everyone is looking for new ways to increase employee engagement and employee retention, which is why we brought back podcast guest Reid Hutchison of HOH Water Technology in Palatine, IL to talk about the best ways he has found to entice Millennials and Gen Zs to his company. What is your company known for? What reputation does your company have in the professional sphere? Why does top talent opt to apply to your company or remain at your company? If you are looking for the secret sauce to entice the next generation of water professionals to your company, then this episode is for you. Bottom line: Reid Hutchison is going to share how companies that give back create better employee engagement.   Timestamps:  Merry Christmas and Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals [1:01] Thinking On Water With James [08:13]  Interview with Reid Hutchison of HOH Water about his involvement with AWT [10:00]   Why everyone needs to consider joining The Rising Tide Mastermind [22:00] Inspire employee engagement and solve the Global Water Crisis with The Global 6K [32:00]   Thinking On Water With James:  In this week's episode, we're thinking about something a little different. We're thinking about Santa Claus and all the gifts he brings. Assuming you have been a good industrial water treatment professional if Santa Claus could leave you a new piece of water-testing equipment in your stocking, what would it be? Would it be a replacement for something you already have? Would it be something you've always wanted, instead? If either of these, why haven't you already replaced it or why haven't you already gotten it? Could you make it a goal to get it in the new year? What if Santa Claus could bring you a piece of water-testing equipment that doesn't even exist yet? What would that be? Take this week to think about what you carry around for water testing every day and how you might just be your own Santa Claus this year.    Quotes: "It's a challenge, for all of us collectively, to continue to attract talented people." - Reid Hutchison "I would love to be a part of a company that makes a difference, to be a part of an industry that makes a difference in the world." - Reid Hutchison "Ending the global water crisis is a team effort." - Reid Hutchison "It costs about $50 to deliver water to one person." - Reid Hutchison "I am always looking to learn and improve." - Reid Hutchison "By 2030, it is possible that the global water crisis will be solved or ended. The only way to reach that goal is to mobilize more people to engage in the effort to help millions of people." - Reid Hutchison   Connect with Reid Hutchison: Email: ​​rhutchison@hohwatertechnology.com Website: www.hohwatertechnology.com LinkedIn: in/reid-h-3a329431 Press Release   Links Mentioned:  Watch this video as Reid Hutchison shares how you as an individual or as a company owner can participate in this year's Global 6K for Water scalinguph2o.com/ReidGlobal6K Make a donation or Join Team Scaling UP! Nation's Global 6K scalinguph2o.com/6K Team World Vision  The Rising Tide Mastermind   Events:  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE or using the dropdown menu.   Episodes Mentioned:  122 The One with Reid Hutchison  123 The Other One with Reid Hutchison 236 The One Where We Talk About Waters Treaters Changing The World 284 The One About The AWT Convention Experience  

What do you do when you encounter an issue you've never seen before in the field? What is the process you work through to figure out what is wrong? Where do you go to look for the information you need? What do you test for? How do you know if your treatments are working? How do you communicate and collaborate with your customers when there is a problem with one of their systems?  If you want to know the Secret 6 Steps you need to take today to resolve a new problem you encounter in the field, Adam Sites has the solution you are looking for. 1.) Identify the problem  2.) Think through what could be going on in your memory banks  3.) Reach out to others who might have more experience with your problem (the client, fellow Mastermind Members, professionals in your network, mentors, your suppliers)   4.) Test what you think the issue is until you've narrowed it down  5.) After testing and you've figured out what the issue is, treat and observe  6.) Document what you did and learned, and share what you learned with others Adam Sites, CWT has worked with Capital Technologies for over 15 years and, like many smaller water treatment companies, he wears many hats, including service manager and sales manager. Working with his team and finding new opportunities to grow their business are equally rewarding to him. In short, Adam is always up for new opportunities to grow and learn. Podcast host and CWT, Trace Blackmore reminds us that when we educate ourselves, we get better; and when we learn individually, the entire water industry benefits. Trace Blackmore interviews Adam Sites about what Adam did when he was up against a new  Bottom line: Adam Sites shares the 6 steps you need to do in the field when you come up against unexpected challenges.   Timestamps:  Trace Blackmore shares Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals [01:00]   Thinking On Water With James [7:45] The career journey of Adam Sites CWT, Service Manager and Sales Manager of Capitol Technologies [9:00] The Purple Goo Mystery: AKA working a problem until it is solved [18:11] Sales, new business, PSA take care of your Mental Health, Lightning Round questions with Adam Sites [38:00]   Thinking On Water With James:  In this week's episode, we're thinking about the Heat Exchanger Fouling Factor. What is a Fouling Factor? What does it tell about the efficiency of heat transfer across a heat exchanger? How is a Fouling Factor calculated? What assumptions do design engineers make about Fouling Factors when designing a new heat exchanger, and how might these assumptions impact the water flow rate? What can impact a Fouling Factor over time? Why is understanding Fouling Factors important? Take this week to think about and learn more about the heat exchanger Fouling Factor.   Quotes: "I used the Pandemic to work on my messaging, and what I wanted to say. I built up my knowledge in new areas and established a better plan to figure out 'What is the right kind of business and who do I want to talk to?' Now I'm better prepared to talk to new customers." - Adam Sites "One of the cool things about water treatment is the mysteries, and things that are new to us." - Adam Sites "If you don't know the answer, ask and find it out. It's okay to ask." - Adam Sites "PSA - take care of your mental health. There are so many resources out there. Check out the National Suicide & Crisis Hotline - call 988 if you need help." - Adam Sites   Connect with Adam Sites: Phone: 724-747-7446  Email: adam@captec.us Website: captec.us  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/adam-sites-cwt-64a14265  Press Release   Events:  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE  or using the dropdown menu.   Links Mentioned:  The Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea National Suicide & Crisis Hotline  - call 988 Audible   Episodes  Mentioned:  Episode 110 about Boiler Surging (episode question provided by Adam Sites) Episode 257 with TED Talk speaker and author, Drew Dudley  Episode 117 Part 1 with Kathleen Edelman Episode 179 Part 2 with Kathleen Edelman Episode 281 Part 3 with Kathleen Edelman   Books Mentioned:  This is Day One by Drew Dudley  The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.  The Walking Dead: Invasion by Jay Bonansinga and Robert Kirkman I Said This, You Heard That – Workbook by Kathleen Edelman I Said This, You Heard That 2nd Edition by Kathleen Edelman A Grown-Up's Guide To Kids' Wiring by Kathleen Edelman  

/*! elementor - v3.7.4 - 31-08-2022 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=".svg"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block} Trace Blackmore brings back Jim Lauria, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the Mazzei Injector Company, and Adam Tank, Chief Customer Officer at Transcend H2O, to the Scaling UP! H2O Podcast. This time, the hosts of the Water Online sponsored podcast Water We Talking About? will discuss how mindmapping, creative storytelling, and teamwork allowed their podcast to elevate the water industry. The Water We Talking About? podcast started during the pandemic as a way to tell water stories in a meaningful way. Now, 30 episodes in, Jim and Adam have plenty of experience hosting a podcast about water stories, and today we are fortunate enough to hear the things they've learned along the way. Water We Talking About in this episode: Why did Jim and Adam decide to do the podcast, and how do they feel now that they have 30 episodes under their belt? What benefits did they get working with Water Online and vice versa? Why did they decide to join forces rather than have their own individual podcasts? How do Jim and Adam keep up with their engaging and cohesive banter? What have they learned since starting the podcast? What is writing to Jim and Adam, and what is their advice to those hesitant to write? What do they wish people in the water industry would STOP doing? Why should people in the water sector tell water stories? Bottom line: Jim Lauria and Adam Tank share how they educate everyone, both those in and outside of the water industry, by telling water stories. Timestamps: Happy Halloween to the Scaling UP! Nation and Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals [01:00] Thinking On Water With James [08:56] Inspiring interview with the hosts of the Water We Talking About? podcast, Jim Lauria, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the Mazzei Injector Company, and Adam Tank, Chief Customer Officer at Transcend H2O [09:52] Closing thoughts on podcasts about the water industry [39:18] Thinking On Water With James: In this week's episode, we're thinking about resin traps. First, what is a resin trap? Why would resin need to be caught in a trap? What can cause resin to even make it to such a trap? Are resin traps only for capturing resin, or can they be installed on other water treatment equipment with other types of media? What are the various designs for resin traps? How are they cleaned? Do any of your systems have resin traps installed? Take this week to think about resin traps and the benefits they may provide. Quotes: "In the beginning, I was very intent that if we are going to do the podcast, people are gonna learn actual tactics on how to tell water stories in a meaningful way." - Adam Tank "The podcast is a partnership." - Jim Lauria "Jim and I both appreciated the way each other presented our story." - Adam Tank "Talk about general trends in the water industry, and you will get more engagement." - Jim Lauria "If our industry could tell better stories, we could radically elevate the conversation about water globally." - Adam Tank Connect with Jim Lauria: Email: jimlauria@teamchem.com   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimlauria Website: www.mazzei.net Newsletter: To Know Water Is To Love Water Connect with Adam Tank: Email: atank@transcendh2o.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtank/ Website: www.transcendh2o.com Newsletter: At Water's Edge Listen to 'Water We Talking About?' on all major podcast streaming platforms, or on Water Online, where you can watch all 30 of Jim and Adam's episodes! Links Mentioned: 166 Reading The Raven and Haunted Boilers 181 The One Where Water Geeks Talk About Social Media 047 The One with the Guy Who Writes About Water   Water Online Megan Casey Glover of 120 Water Creating A Customer Ecosystem With Megan Glover, Founder Of 120Water Events: Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE or using the dropdown menu. Books and videos Mentioned: The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson The Control of Nature by John McPhee Brave Blue World (2020 film) Halloween (Franchise)

Trace Blackmore invites Antoine Walter, host of the (don't!) Waste Water Podcast and Senior Business Development Manager at Georg Fisher, on the show to discuss their mutual love of hosting podcasts about water.  What started as a way for Antoine to connect with others during the COVID-19 lockdown has transformed into an inspirational podcast show where water professionals share their fields of expertise and explore the latest water technologies with the (don't) Waste Water listeners. In this Episode Trace asks Antoine: What are the lessons we can learn from Jean-Claude Van Damme when it comes to hosting a podcast? Who is Antoine's dream podcast guest, AKA, the White Whale? What will the future of water look like in 30 years? How have sales changed since the pandemic, and are those changes here to stay? Why start a water treatment podcast?  Where to go for podcast topic inspiration?  What did he wish he knew on his first day as a podcast host? Do podcasts transcend borders? Why does Antoine love wastewater? Bottom line: Antoine Walter shares how he educates, entertains, and inspires water professionals globally weekly with his globally-reaching podcast.   Timestamps:  October's Scaling UP! H2O theme is Water Podcasts and Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals [01:00] Inspiring interview with (don't!) Waste Water podcast host and Senior Business Development Manager, Antoine Walter [08:00] Lightning round questions [46:00]  Thinking On Water With James [01:00:00]   Thinking On Water With James:  In this week's episode, we're thinking about how water quality varies within your area. How do parameters such as hardness, alkalinity, silica, and conductivity vary around your area? How do they change between surface water and groundwater sources? Does the city water quality vary according to the water source they may be using at that time? How does this impact the water treatment programs you are managing? How can it impact the pretreatment, chemistry, and water efficiency? Is the end user aware of these potential impacts? Take this week to think about how water quality varies within your area and the impacts it may have.    Quotes: "A conference is a way to take the temperature of the industry." - Antoine Walter "If you build storytelling into your podcast episode you'll catch people and have key take-home messages." - Antoine Walter "I want to be in wastewater. You can do so many rewarding things in this specialty" - Antoine Walter "Water is essential and the bedrock of all other industries." - Antoine Walter   Connect with Antoine Walter:  Email: antoine.walter@georgfischer.com LinkedIn: in/antoinewalter1 Website: www.georgfischer.com Don't Waste Water Podcast: dww.show  The Water Show with Björn Otto: company/the-water-show/about Subscribe to the (Don't) Waste Water Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/don-t-waste-water-6884833968848474112/    Events:  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE  or using the dropdown menu.    Links Mentioned:  Trace's interview on the (don't) Waste Water Podcast Shure SM7B Vocal Dynamic Microphone International Water Association (IWA) SUEZ Water  Sustainable Development Goals - Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all Veolia   253 The One About Biofilms 3 Paths to Reach SDG 6 by 2050: All Our Hopes are on #3! (DWW episode with David Lloyd Owen) What would it Empower, if Water Actually Became a Non Fungible Token? (DWW episode with Katrina Donaghy) Listen Notes: The best podcast search engine The Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea   Books Mentioned:  Where the Water Goes: Life and Death Along the Colorado River by David Owen The Worth of Water by Gary White & Matt Damon Global Water Funding by David Lloyd Owen SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham Water Always Wins: Thriving in an Age of Drought and Deluge by Erica Gies The Sustainability Puzzle by Alice Schmidt and Claudia Winkler  

Today, I invited Aaron Walker AKA "Big A" back on the podcast to talk about his experience when he went on a two-month Sabbatical in 2021.  As a business owner, Big A founded 14 companies over the past 42 years, and going on a Sabbatical was a difficult thing to consider. But with the persuasion of many of his Mastermind group members and his doctor, he went on a Sabbatical on November 1st, 2021, completely unplugging from everyone except his family for the rest of the year. Aaron has credited his wonderful team and his executive assistant to whom he delegated tasks for keeping his business on the right track while he stepped away for two months. I've always thought that a Sabbatical is just a fancy word for rich people to take an extended vacation, but it was so much more. Aaron Walker opened my eyes to what Sabbaticals are truly about. More than that, I learned that the strength of the business isn't due to the strength of the business owner; the strength of the business lies with the team that the business owner has developed. Bottom line: Aaron Walker will talk about his two-month Sabbatical and how it changed his life. Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client.  -Trace    Timestamps:  Goal Setting with The "12-Week Year" [02:00] Events in Water Treatment [04:31] Welcoming Aaron Walker AKA "Big A" back to the podcast [08:00] Aaron's Superpower: Giving hard advice in a caring and tactful way [10:33] Deciding to take a Sabbatical and talking to the staff [15:15] Dealing with the struggles of being a business owner stepping away from their business [18:45] What is a good Sabbatical objective [24:36] Aaron's day-to-day while on Sabbatical [26:50] Aaron's advice to those who want to go on a Sabbatical [31:04] How did Aaron's life, work, and relationships change post-Sabbatical [36:03] Thinking On Water With James [47:21]   Thinking On Water With James:  In this week's episode, we're thinking about how sodium hypochlorite, or bleach, controls microbiological growth? What's happening outside the microbiological cell? What's happening inside? What are the chemical species causing this? How much time is required to get effective microbiological control? How does pH impact these chemical species? Does the "reservoir effect" soften the impact of pH? Take this week to learn more about sodium hypochlorite and its impact on microbiological growth.    Quotes: "I help ordinary men become extraordinary."  - Aaron Walker  "My life's vision is motivation. Helping other people achieve their goals and dreams." - Aaron Walker  "You've gotta say hard things often, (even though) these are things you don't wanna say." - Aaron Walker  "I think we're designed to be in a community. Humanity is designed to have other parts around you that can supplement where you are possibly weak."  - Aaron Walker  "I went into business to be able to have a lifestyle that I wanted to live. I didn't go into business to be a slave to the job." - Aaron Walker  "It was very telling of me, as an individual, taking a Sabbatical, because I'm really having time now to reevaluate things that I was doing, that I wasn't really aware of." - Aaron Walker  "Because we're so busy and clouded with activities, we can't get to a point where we can really think through what we want to accomplish" - Aaron Walker "You have to experience a Sabbatical on your own. No one can convince or talk anybody into doing it. It's a leap of faith." - Aaron Walker "At the end of six weeks [the Sabbatical], I was fired up, I was rested, I had a plan, and I was ready to come back." - Aaron Walker "Everybody can't do a Sabbatical initially, but you can set a target date to get yourself in a position to be able to do it." - Aaron Walker "What I really learned out of the Sabbatical is really doing a deep dive with myself." - Aaron Walker "I'm not where I want to be, but I'm a lot better off than I was." - Aaron Walker "I was amazed by the depth of my thinking. I was able to think through what I wanted to accomplish."  - Aaron Walker "We're so busy and so clouded with activities we cannot get to that level."  - Aaron Walker "My Sabbatical in one word would be 'Energizing."  - Aaron Walker "We're a lot better off being an inch wide and a mile deep because the riches are in the niches." - Aaron Walker   Connect with Aaron Walker: Phone: (615) 207-3018 Email: aaron@viewfromthetop.com Website: ironsharpensironmastermind.com LinkedIn: in/aaronwalkerviewfromthetop TuesdayNoon.Live with Aaron Walker ( Streaming Every Tuesday at 12 PM CST) Iron Sharpens Iron Mastermind View From the Top   The Mastermind Playbook    Links Mentioned: CWT Prep Course The Rising Tide Mastermind 244 The One About Water Treaters For Clean Water (with Steve Spear of Team World Vision) 184 The One Where I Interview My Mastermind Mentor (with Aaron Walker)   Events: International Conference on Biological Wastewater Treatment Technologies and Systems – June 2 to 3 in New York, NY NRWA In-Service Training – June 7 to 9 in Anaheim, CA World Vision Global 6K  Join Team Scaling UP! Nation or make a donation HERE   Books Mentioned: The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington Atomic Habits by James Clear

Today is a special treat because today I have a friend and trusted colleague, Janet E. Stout PhD, president of Special Pathogens Laboratory and research associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. An infectious disease microbiologist, Dr. Stout is recognized worldwide for seminal discoveries and pioneering research in Legionella. Her expertise includes prevention and control strategies for Legionnaires' disease in building water systems. Dr. Stout's more than thirty years of research is published in peer-reviewed medical and scientific journals. She also has authored textbook chapters on Legionella and Legionnaires' disease, including the Legionella chapter in the APIC Text. An advocate for prevention, Dr. Stout assisted in developing the first Legionella prevention guideline (1993) in the United States, which continues to serve as a model for national and global health agencies and organizations. Additionally, she serves on the ASHRAE Legionella standard committee for Legionella Guideline 12 and the SPC 188 committee for ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188-2015 Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems, the first U.S. standard for Legionella risk management. She is the first instructor of the ASSE 12080 Legionella water Safety and Management Specialist Certification training, and TODAY she has agreed to come on the show and share some key updates that our entire industry should be aware of. Bottom line: Dr. Janet E. Stout is on a mission to end Legionnaires' disease by using science and education to prevent future outbreaks.  Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client.   -Trace    Timestamps:  James' Challenge: "Perform condensate survey throughout a facility."  [2:02] Re-introducing my friend and trusted colleague, Legionella Expert, the accomplished Dr. Janet E. Stout [6:00] Why join a peer to peer groups for business solutions and professional growth [13:30] ASHRAE 188 updates  [18:40]  Legislation regulation for Legionella updates [23:22] 12080 Certification [29:55] CDC updates [31:20] Understanding "Percent Positivity" [34:30] The Joint Commission updates [36:37] What does a CWT need to know? [40:20] Staying on top of industry changes [43:15] Standard 514 [45:05] Talking to our clients about changes [47:00] How to stay in the know about local and state changes? [50:33] Lightning round questions [54:00]   Quotes: "I'm on a mission to end Legionnaires' disease." - Dr. Janet E. Stout "It frustrates me that someone has to die in order for changes to be made." - Dr. Janet E. Stout "Change is coming. Some through standards and guidance, and some by regulatory authorities and joint commission." - Dr. Janet E. Stout "We need to raise the bar so that everybody is at the same level of basic understanding of Legionella and Legionnaires disease water management." - Dr. Janet E. Stout "We advance because we say to ourselves 'There are things we don't know' and we seek out the knowledge for those that do and thereby get better at our jobs." - Dr. Janet E. Stout "A water treatment professional needs to be an educator of their client."  - Dr. Janet E. Stout   Connect with Janet Stout PhD: Phone: 412.281.5335 Email: jstout@specialpathogenslab.com  Website: www.specialpathogenslab.com    Links Mentioned: Episode 121 with Dr. Janet Stout Standard 188-2021 -- Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems (ANSI Approved) Special Pathogens Laboratory - Education  Puzzled By Legionella Wednesday webinar series The Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea AWT (Association of Water Technologies)   Events: The Hang Networking Event- @6pm 11.11.21 Michael Warady's Business Webinar -@11am 10.29.21 Smart Water Utilities, Europe (Netherlands) -1.26.22-1.27.22   Books Mentioned: Puzzled By Legionella - Janet E Stout PhD From Good To Great - Jim Collins  Traction - Gino Wickman   

Boilers can feel intimidating the first time you step into a boiler room—the heat, the noise, the pressure gauge, and the weight of knowing that mistakes can be costly. Trace Blackmore opens with a reminder that boilers deserve respect, not fear—and that learning fundamentals is how you replace mystique with clarity.  The talent gap behind the boiler room door Eric Johnson, Founder and CEO of Boilearn, explains why boiler expertise is becoming harder to replace. He points to the shrinking pipeline of boiler-trained technicians—historically strengthened by Navy steam training—and why companies can't rely on "tribal knowledge" and informal shadowing alone to develop the next generation.  Training that scales past the 2–3 day class  Eric shares what pushed him to build Boilearn: technicians and operators need structured, repeatable competency systems—not just scattered classes and a "shotgun approach" to on-the-job training. He lays out why fundamentals can be taught effectively online when it's done well, and why travel-heavy training models often spend a large share of the budget on logistics instead of learning.  Troubleshooting that starts with fundamentals  Troubleshooting is where boiler work can feel like a mystery—until you understand fundamentals and sequence of operations. Eric explains how technicians can isolate problems faster by knowing what should be moving (or not moving), testing one theory at a time, and using electrical diagrams as a practical roadmap when formal sequence documentation isn't available.  Better partnerships between boiler techs and water treaters  The conversation closes with practical steps that reduce friction and finger-pointing: take photos during inspections, package observations clearly in service reports, communicate directly when possible, and over-communicate inspection schedules so the water treater can prepare the program before the boiler is opened.  Listen to the full conversation above. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps  02:20 - Trace Blackmore sets the stage on boiler fear vs. Respect, learning boilers from a Navy-Trained mentor  09:20 - Words of Water with James  10:50 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals   14:20 - Interview with Eric Johnson of Boilearn  16:30 – Eric's Path: HVAC school – Boiler Service Tech – Founder   19:10 – What Boilearn Does  22:10 – The lost "lifeline" problem  33:20 – Electrical Troubleshooting  44:20 – Coordinating Boiler Openings and Inspections    Quotes  "I've learned that boilers are something you definitely need to respect, but definitely not fear."  "There's a career behind boilers. There's a career behind water treatment and not enough people talk about it."    Connect with Eric Johnson Email: eric.johnson@boilearn.com  Website: Boilearn I The Foundation of Boiler Training  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericjohnson2020/   Boilearn: Overview | LinkedIn     Guest Resources Mentioned   Boilearn Boilearn mission and origins  Boiler operator roles and skills  Common steam‑boiler problems   Safe boiler operation guide  Boiler start‑up and maintenance  Safer operation manual    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  AWT Technical Training Seminars   Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea    Words of Water with James McDonald Today's definition is water lost from a cooling tower as liquid droplets are entrained in the exhaust air.     2026 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.     

Industrial water professionals are increasingly pulled into conversations about scarcity, resilience, and "where the next gallon comes from."  Dr. Veronika Zhiteneva, CEO and Co-founder of Waterloop Solutions frames water reuse as an implementation challenge more than a technology gap—and explains where the practical starting points are when the scope feels overwhelming.   Moving reuse forward when the technology already exists  Waterloop Solutions was founded to accelerate implementation: clarifying end-use quality, identifying post-treatment needs on the back end of existing plants, and building risk management plans that fit real operational and regulatory expectations. The conversation stays grounded in what slows projects down (time, permitting, funding, and public acceptance) and where progress can be made without reinventing the toolbox.  Centralized vs. decentralized: why "less regulated" can move faster  Europe's agricultural reuse regulation (noted as coming into effect in June 2023) created shared minimum requirements, but also uncertainty around permitting and responsibility at the local level. In contrast, decentralized reuse is described as an "early adopter" space—often driven by innovative building projects (gray water separation, rooftop rain capture) and, in some cases, easier implementation from scratch than retrofits.  What matters to industrial listeners: partnerships, autonomy, and distance  For industrial teams, Dr. Veronika points out opportunities for synergistic partnerships with municipalities and agriculture—balanced against the realities of infrastructure distance and cost. She also makes the case for industrial autonomy: decoupling from conventional sources through internal reuse to protect future production when municipal needs take precedence.  Communication and the "toilet to tap" problem  Public perception remains a stubborn barrier. Dr. Veronika calls out the long-lasting impact of "toilet to tap" framing and why first impressions can derail technically sound reuse projects.  Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps  03:58 - Trace Blackmore shares how "Pinks and Blues" questions get chosen—and where listeners can submit them  05:05 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals   07:42 – Words of Water with James McDonald  11:47 – Meet Dr. Veronika Zhiteneva and why Trace invited her from LinkedIn insights  12:20 — Veronika's path: UMD → Colorado School of Mines → PhD at Technical University of Munich 15:40 — Why Waterloop Solutions started: progress is slow, but implementation support is missing  19:40 — Decentralized reuse: why interest is rising, and why it can be easier to implement in buildings  20:20 — EU agricultural reuse regulation (June 2023): minimum quality, crop types, and risk plan uncertainty  23:40 — Unique barriers by sector: municipal timelines, industrial ROI, and the difficulty of reaching farmers  33:20 — Lowest-hanging fruit: municipal reuse for street cleaning and parks; industrial autonomy via internal reuse  45:00 — Women and young professionals: visibility, role models, and why the sector's willingness to help matters  47:20 — Where to learn more: US EPA resources, EU work underway, and Australia as a reuse leader    Quotes "It's okay to ask questions."  "But actually, all the technology needed for it already exists."  "What I think is awesome in the US, for example, that you guys are really pursuing this direct potable reuse now."  "I think these are all valid options to have kind of in the water management portfolio on a local level and also on a regional level."    Connect with Dr. Veronika Zhiteneva Email: vzhiteneva@gowaterloop.com   Website: Home – Waterloop Solutions  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vzhiteneva/    Waterloop Solutions: Overview | LinkedIn    Guest Resources Mentioned   Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (Paperback)     European Commission's Water reuse: New EU rules to improve access to safe irrigation  Intermezzo Paperback – by Sally Rooney (Author)   Radical Candor: Fully Revised & Updated Edition: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott   US EPA State Water Reuse Resources  US EPA Water Reuse Information Library  US EPA's "A Framework for Permitting Innovation in the Wastewater Sector Report"  US Department of Energy's About the BuildingsNEXT Student Design Competition  The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)    Water Reuse Europe Policy and Regulations    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)   AWT Technical Training Seminars   Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses   Submit a Show Idea   The Rising Tide Mastermind    Words of Water with James McDonald  Today's definition is a device for removing condensate from a steam line without allowing the steam to escape.  Can you guess the word or phrase?       2026 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.     

"Stay curious. And you only have one reputation. Guard it with your life." Hiring for judgment, not just rehearsed confidence   Industrial water treatment is full of decisions made with incomplete data—on sites, with customers, and inside the business. JD Roth (Managing Director and Co-owner of Guardian Chemicals) builds his hiring around that reality. His aim is straightforward: protect the team and the culture by selecting people who can think, collaborate, and lead under pressure. JD frames the organization as a group of people choosing to work toward a common goal: building a better future for communities, the environment, and staff. That priority shows how Guardian hires, who they keep, and what becomes a deal-breaker. If a candidate is misaligned with core values, JD is clear: performance elsewhere won't override that mismatch. The "Hiring Olympics" structure For a high-bandwidth, project-based role (their Graduate Business Analyst program), Guardian needed a way to evaluate many strong candidates without consuming 40–50 hours of team time. The result is a four-hour, multi-station day that includes: Core values interviews (two-person format) Competency interviews (horsepower and capability) An individual case study (primarily math/business-oriented) A collaborative case study (decision-making and team dynamics) The collaborative case study is the centerpiece. Candidates work with peers who are also competitors for limited roles, using real cases built around business decisions—often with imperfect or incomplete information—so the team can observe how candidates break down problems, delegate, support others, and present recommendations. How decisions get made afterward After candidates leave, the interview team convenes for a group decision. JD starts by looking for any "vetoes," especially around core values to fit (he references an EOS-style standard of meeting 5 out of 6 core values most of the time). From there, the team compares notes across competency, core values, and observed collaboration behaviors. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps    02:20 – Trace Blackmore shares part of a real-world service routine and ongoing professional improvement  05:35 – Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals   12:00 – Words of Water with James McDonald  13:52 – Fun Fact about 1903 from this day  14:28 – Interview with JD Roth, Managing Director and Co-Owner of Guardian Chemicals  15:20 - "A company is people"   19:00 – First solo site lesson: ask for help vs. pretend  25:10 – The GBA Program (Graduate Business Analyst)   27:50 – Hiring Olympics format + Efficiency  33:30 – "Ping pong balls in a jumbo jet" example  39:10 – Selection rules: Core values veto + EOS bar + Values list    Quotes  JD:"And if you've got great people and you take care of great people, they take care of your customers, and your customers take care of you."  JD: "There really isn't a company. There is just a whole bunch of people who have decided to work together towards a common goal."   Trace: "I can only imagine how empowered your team feels because they're so involved in this process and you're involving everybody"   Trace: "I love the fact that we're diving deeper into the most important thing, and that's protecting and enhancing our culture."    Connect with JD Roth Email: jdroth@guardianchem.ca  Website: http://www.guardianchem.ca/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-david-jd-roth-58714113/     Guest Resources Mentioned   Entrepreneurs' Organization   Verne Harnish 'Scaling Up'   About Verne Harnish   Harvard Business Review Case Studies    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  AWT Technical Training Seminars  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind  7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen. R. Covey  Fearless Pricing: Ignite Your Team, Own Your Value, and Command What You Deserve by Casey Brown   Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg   Charles Duhigg — "The science behind dramatically better conversations" (TEDxManchester)   12 Week Year Plan   457 2026: A New Year with New Intentions  Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business    Words of Water with James McDonald  Today's definition is an ion with a net positive charge, formed when an atom or molecule loses one or more electrons.  Can you guess the word or phrase?    2026 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.   

 Trace Blackmore opens 2026 with a practical reset: how to plan with urgency, sharpen the fundamentals that make troubleshooting easier, and use the tools around this podcast to keep your development moving all year. The 12-Week Year: urgency you can use Annual goals often feel "far away" until December forces focus. The 12-week year flips that dynamic by treating each quarter like a year—creating urgency sooner and giving you four chances to reset and improve. Trace walks through the structure: start with a vision (he uses a three-year example), then choose 3–5 tactical goals for the next 12 weeks, so you don't overload and quit. He also ties it to a water treatment reality: quarterly customer touchpoints are simply more productive than an annual "re-introduce everything" meeting.  Trace points listeners to planning support and easy on-ramps:  the book link: ScalingUpH2O.com/12weekyear  the planning guide PDF: ScalingUpH2O.com/12weekyearplan  and an Audible option (free month + free book mentioned in the transcript).  Mailbag: how the show is made—and what's changing  A listener asks how an episode goes from spark to air. Trace lays out the workflow: idea sourcing, research and pre-production, guest outreach, scheduling, outline creation, recording discipline, post-production with audio engineer Sean, then show notes, graphics, social posts, scheduling, and promotion. He also shares a key quality upgrade: guests now receive equipment prerequisites (including budget-friendly mic options) because the Scaling Up Nation can hear the difference.  On what's new for 2026, Trace shares a major personal commitment: he's pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration, including research, data collection, and defending a thesis—with an intent to involve listeners through future surveys.  Skills to build in 2026: foundation, communication, and technology  Trace's recommendations land in three buckets:  Strengthen fundamentals (chemistry, products, and the "why" behind test kits),  improve communication and relationship-building (including temperament-based communication concepts he references), and  Learn what's available in data and technology so you can show up to accounts better prepared—and avoid time-wasting return trips.  He closes with a direct action: browse the ScalingUpH2O.com events section and pick learning opportunities you can attend (especially those nearby), then build a 12-week plan that helps you justify bigger conferences by clearly stating what value you'll bring back.  Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps    02:38 - Welcome to 2026 and what this "first show of the year" is designed to do (reset, tools, and a mailbag).  07:30 – 12 Week Year Planning format  21:09 – Dive Into The Scaling UP! H2O Mailbag   30:54 – What Is New for 2026 for Trace Blackmore  38:05 – Words of Water with James  40:15 – Trace's Favorite Food  46:42 – What Are The Top 2 to 3 skills Water Treaters Should Focus On    Quotes "Now the reason I really like the 12-week year is because it puts the urgency of not having a full year of time, only having a smaller amount of time to work for you." "It also gives you 4 chances a year to reset and improve, not just one." "Everybody in water treatment should focus on developing skills around a solid foundation." "That leads me to my third skill that I want to talk to you about, and that's learning what's available to you when it comes to data and technology."    Connect with Scaling UP! H2O  Submit a show idea: Submit a Show Idea   LinkedIn: in/traceblackmore/   YouTube: @ScalingUpH2O    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind Audible  Book - The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months  12 Week Year Plan   Episode 100 The 100th One  Episode 117 The One With Temperament Expert, Kathleen Edelman Episode 179 Another One that Teaches Us to Communicate Better with Others  AWT – The Analyst - Library  I Said This, You Heard That 2nd Edition by Kathleen Edelman  HACH Water Analysis Handbook    Words of Water with James McDonald  Definition: Today's definition is the ratio of the dissolved solids in a system's circulating water to the dissolved solids in the makeup water. Can you guess the word or phrase?    2026 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.   

 A year-end recap is more than a highlight reel—it's a practical reset. In this New Year episode, Trace Blackmore walks through 2025 using a "12 Days of the Scaling Up Nation" format, tying together performance, community growth, listener engagement, and the sponsor support that keeps the podcast and its companion tools available at no cost.   Year-end by the numbers   Trace explains how he used to track every stat closely—and how that shifted into an unhealthy measure of self-worth—so the team now uses numbers as feedback, not validation. He notes the show released 56 brand-new episodes in 2025 (including the additional releases during Industrial Water Week) and explains why the data still matters: it helps confirm what the community is using, such as discussion guides and other tools, and what needs to be improved.  Most-downloaded episodes and what listeners leaned into  Trace shares the three most-downloaded episodes of 2025:  Episode 405 — cooling water innovation using treated wastewater  Episode 418 — maleic acid (with Mike Standish)  Episode 424 — chlorine dioxide (the most downloaded episode of the year)  Engagement that keeps learning moving  The episode highlights growth in the Scaling Up Nation across newsletter subscriptions, discussion guide downloads, and an expanding LinkedIn community.   Recognition, partners, and momentum into 2026  Trace acknowledges milestones including AWT naming Scaling Up H2O the official podcast of the Association of Water Technologies, and he thanks the sponsors who make the podcast's free content possible—19 sponsoring partners in 2025. The episode closes with a direct invitation for listeners to share what they want to learn next, who they want interviewed, and what stories could help the industry keep "raising the bar."  Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below.   Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps  02:50 — Show open and New Year framing: a reset point for leaders and operators heading into 2026  03:10 — Why the retrospective exists: improve the next year and celebrate what the Scaling Up Nation achieved together  05:00 — The format revealed: "12 days" of highlights built from what happened in 2025  08:40 — The final 2025 "Water You Know" question: hydroxide ion formula—and the answer reveal  16:30 — The top three downloaded episodes of 2025  29:00 — Signature segments and field lessons: community participation, Detective H2O, and "quicker is not better    Quotes "Slow is smooth and smooth is fast." "It's not going to take somebody's job away because of AI, but somebody who knows AI or is familiar with AI over somebody that is not familiar with it and refuses anything with AI, that person will probably take that other person's job." "Lift others as you rise."    Connect with Scaling UP! H2O  Submit a show idea: Submit a Show Idea  LinkedIn: in/traceblackmore/  YouTube: @ScalingUpH2O   Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind 405 Cooling Water Innovation: Harnessing Wastewater for Sustainability  418 Maleic Acid-Based Corrosion Inhibitors: Expanding the Water Treatment Toolbox with Mike Standish  424 Chlorine Dioxide Insights with Greg Simpson  420 Tapping Into Tech: How Ben Frieders Uses AI to Elevate Water Treatment Marketing   422 Inside the Association of Water Technologies with John Caloritis  423 Pushing the Boundaries: Jacob Deak on Innovating Water Treatment Systems   446 Leveraging the Culture Index for Business Success with Danielle Scimeca and Conor Parrish   447 Unlocking Team Potential with Culture Index with Randi Fargen  179 Another One that Teaches Us to Communicate Better with Others    Water You Know with James McDonald Question: What is the molecular formula for hydroxide ion?     2025 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.     

 "So one thing I never do is try to start giving remediation or advice before I truly have understood and diagnosed the problem."  Mentorship and certifications don't replace experience—but they can accelerate it when paired with the right mindset and a disciplined approach to learning. Nella Fergusson, CWT (District Manager, Southern California, Garratt-Callahan), lays out what "growing up" in industrial water treatment actually looks like: repeated exposure to real problems, strong diagnostic habits, and a willingness to keep learning long after year one.  Learning that keeps you employable  Water treatment evolves. Nella contrasts today's challenges with what she faced 15 years ago and explains why complacency is the fastest path to getting left behind. She describes water treatment as industry-specific by nature—food processing cooling and commercial real estate operations don't behave the same, don't shut down the same way, and can't be serviced the same way.  Diagnosing before prescribing  Her troubleshooting process starts with questions: the system's history, what changed, when symptoms appeared, and how critical the impacted use is. She emphasizes water sampling across different times of day and refuses to offer remediation before a proper diagnosis—because misdiagnosis creates extra problems instead of solving the original one.  Career decisions, culture, and the 80/20 risk  Nella shares a candid career detour: leaving Garratt-Callahan for GE Water/Suez, then realizing quickly what she lost—support, resources, and "family"—before returning. She frames many job moves through an 80/20 lens: chasing a missing 20% can cost the 80% that already works, especially when recruiters' incentives don't align with yours.  Credentials that signal competence—and protect end users  Nella explains why she pursued the CWT: an industry-agreed benchmark that reflects years of varied problem-solving. She also discusses ASSE 12080 recertification and why correct sampling, shipping, labeling, and interpretation matter—particularly in Legionella and water safety work. Customers may fear testing; she argues the goal is to find risk where maintenance is weak, then build site-specific procedures that facilities can actually sustain with their staffing. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps    02:22 - Trace message: CWT prep course + planning for 2026  09:17 - Water You Know with James McDonald  10:48 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals   14:49 - Interview with Nella Fergusson, CWT, (District Manager, Southern California, Garratt-Callahan)  16: 27- Ongoing education + how the industry has changed  21:06 - Nella's troubleshooting approach: history, what changed, sampling, impact, don't prescribe before diagnosing  31:00 - Nella's 80/20 rule for deciding whether to leave a company  34:22 - Why she pursued CWT + value of certifications in the industry  40:15 - Getting results immediately + confidence while testing Connect with Nella Fergusson Email: nfergusson@g-c.com  Website: http://www.garrattcallahan.com/   LinkedIn: Nella Fergusson, CWT | LinkedIn     Guest Resources Mentioned   ASSE 12080 Certification – ASSE International  Why ASSE Certifications Matter – Garratt‑Callahan  Impact of Cooling Tower Downtime in Food & Beverage Operations – Aggreko  Scheduling Off‑Peak HVAC Maintenance – Facility Response Group  Parenting the Strong-Willed Child: The Clinically Proven Five-Week Program for Parents of Two- to Six-Year-Olds, Third Edition    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  AWT - Value of Certification Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind   Water You Know with James McDonald  Question: What is the piece of equipment called that is a heat exchanger placed in the gas passage between the boiler and the stack designed to recover exhaust gas heat into the boiler feedwater?    2025 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.   

 Industrial cooling is one of the biggest levers industrial facilities can pull on water use—and it's getting harder to ignore as data centers and other high-heat operations grow. Returning guest Dr. Kelle Zeiher (Project Manager at Garratt Callahan) breaks down what water reuse looks like when you move past slogans and into the realities of pretreatment, concentrate management, footprint, and cost.  Cooling water reuse: the scale of the opportunity  Dr. Zeiher reframes "drought" beyond rainfall, emphasizing aquifer recharge and the limits of focusing only on household restrictions. She contrasts domestic use (~12%) with the much larger share tied to cooling (~50%), then connects that to why optimizing industrial cooling matters—especially when operations sit in arid, desert-like regions with limited water availability. She also shares a data-center statistic that puts "the cloud" into physical terms: ~53 gallons of purified water per gigabyte of data stored to keep environments cool enough for microchips.  Higher cycles, RO blending, and the concentrate question  The conversation moves into practical tower strategy: driving cycles up as far as the water and metallurgy allow. Dr. Zeiher describes a case moving from three cycles to six with RO blending and pretreatment, resulting in millions of gallons saved annually. From there, the engineering problem becomes unavoidable: higher cycles create a concentrated cooling-water stream, and RO adds its own waste stream. The key operational question is how to manage both streams without trading water savings for disposal and reliability issues.  Minimal liquid discharge, and the AEROS approach  "Zero liquid discharge" (ZLD) remains a theoretical target, but Dr. Zeiher is clear about the realities: ZLD can require large equipment and high energy demand. She shares a cost example where a 20 gpm ZLD concept came in at nearly $8 million in capital. Her team's approach focuses on minimal liquid discharge (MLD)—recovering roughly 80–90% of water rather than 98–99%, while reducing energy intensity and footprint. She introduces AEROS (Aqueous Recovery Optimization System): rapid precipitation/conditioning, followed by sequential mechanical and membrane filtration, then an RO polishing step to return purified water.  Industry wisdom: proof-first projects, relationships, and AI  You'll also hear Dr. Zeiher's "proof-first" pathway—bench-style testing, then a 5–10 gpm flow-through evaluation in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (with BioLargo)—plus a process guarantee framework and how credits can apply toward a final system. She closes with leadership lessons on documentation, continuity of customer care, and practical guidance for working with AI: feed it strong technical inputs, then apply human critical thinking before recommendations reach customers.  Listen to the full conversation above. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps   02:40 — End-of-year reflection becomes a professional challenge: keep learning fast enough to keep systems stable and clients confident. 05:50 — "Dry December" as a discipline story—used to tee up Trace's broader point: habits beat calendar-based resolutions. 12:00 — Water You Know  13:10 — The events page pitch: planning early protects training time and reduces last-minute operational fire drills. 17:00 — Dr. Kelle Zeiher returns after Episode 351; AWT Louisville hallway energy turns into a deep dive on reuse. 18:40 — Mystery novels as technical storytelling: The Cupcake Caper, real lab practices, and a pen name built for a non-scientific audience. 20:50 — Data centers and water: 53 gallons per GB stored reframes "the cloud" as heat management with real resource costs. 23:40 — Macro water math: 50% of U.S. water use tied to cooling vs. 12% domestic—why industrial optimization moves the needle. 27:50 — "Pretreatment is everything": RO's tiny flow channels make debris control and scale prevention non-negotiable. 30:10 — Cycles example: 3 to 6 cycles with RO blending/pretreatment, plus the caution that RO-softened blends can increase corrosion risk. 31:30 — ZLD vs. MLD: energy-heavy evaporation/distillation compared to a lower-energy recovery target that still returns most water. 33:50 — AEROS explained: rapid precipitation + filtration + RO polish, with solids handling designed to keep water moving back to the front end. 37:00 — Customer pathway: bench demos → Oak Ridge pilot (5–10 gpm) → engineered system; upfront testing credits toward purchase. 43:20 — Performance accountability: process guarantee includes refund/take-back if promised performance can't be met. 47:40 — Trust and continuity: plant presence, documentation, and relationship handoffs prevent "solution drift" when people change roles. 54:40 — Working with AI: feed it strong data, then apply human critical thinking so recommendations don't outpace experience.     Quotes "Water is not a limitless resource. It's a finite resource, and we simply purify it and reuse it over and over again." "We have to learn to work with AI when it's still a toddler before it grows up into the 6th grade bully and beats you up for your lunch money."  "Persistence overcomes almost anything."  "An AI will give you a great outline for a presentation, but it won't give you a full presentation."    Connect with Dr. Kelle Zeiher Phone: (630) 660-3457  Email: kzeiher@g-c.com   Website: Water Treatment Expertise Since 1904 I Garratt-Callahan  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelle-zeiher-6bab221/     Guest Resources Mentioned   The Cupcake Caper (Undercover Cat Mysteries) by Kelle Z Riley  Process Heating and Cooling Show Paper (Cooling Tower Cycles & MLD)  Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI Paperback by Ethan Mollick   Sensitive: The Hidden Power of the Highly Sensitive Person in a Loud, Fast, Too-Much World Paperback by Jenn Granneman (Author), Andre Sólo (Author)  Empower Your Investing: Adopting Best Practices From John Templeton, Peter Lynch, and Warren Buffett Hardcover by Scott A. Chapman CFA  Membrane Technologies for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment: Advances, Challenges, and Applications in Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) and Minimal Liquid Discharge (MLD) Systems  Comparative techno-economic and environmental analysis of minimal liquid discharge (MLD) and zero liquid discharge (ZLD) desalination systems for seawater brine treatment and valorization  Forever Chemicals: A Look at the History, Regulations, Emerging Trends and Technologies to Solve the PFAS Crisis    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind 351 Maximizing Water's Potential: Tech and Water Treaters in Perfect Harmony    Water You Know with James McDonald  Question: How much heat energy does it take to heat 1 pound of liquid water by 1 degree Fahrenheit?    Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.   

Industrial water professionals sit at the intersection of risk, regulation, and community trust. In this episode, Dr. Annette Davison ("the water risk doctor") joins Trace Blackmore to show how disciplined governance, clear supply chain thinking, and community engagement can turn fragmented water systems into coherent, defensible risk management frameworks.  Water risk from source to customer  Annette starts with a simple question most customers never ask: "Where's your water coming from?" She walks through a conceptual supply chain from source to end point—collection, transfer, treatment, distribution, and customers—then layers governance on top. Who holds custody at each handover point? Are water quality objectives clearly defined and documented? What happens when something "stuffs up," and how is that communicated downstream? For leaders, it's a practical reminder that risk isn't just about treatment performance; it's about clearly assigned responsibilities along the entire chain.  Governance, ISO 31000, and the Water31K framework  Drawing on her background in microbial ecology and environmental law, Annette explains why "you can't do a good risk assessment unless you've got the context right." She describes how ISO 31000 inspired the Water31K framework—an approach that is jurisdictionally agnostic and capable of spanning drinking water, recycled water, and recreational water guidelines. Using Water31K, her team walks into any jurisdiction and systematically maps stakeholders, legal and formal requirements, reporting lines, and internal obligations so utilities can see their governance landscape clearly before they start scoring risk.  Critical control points, AI, and learning from incidents  Critical control points may have started in the food industry, but Annette shows how they can be sharpened for water. Her test— "would a computer understand this?"—forces teams to close logical gaps and define thresholds and responses precisely enough to be automated. She also explores how AI and "agents as a service" could help analyze incident data, while warning that AI is useless if utilities haven't done the basics: monitoring the right things, at the right place, at the right time, with a firm grasp of supply chain risk. Her mantra: never waste a good incident; dissect it and make sure it doesn't happen again.  Regulations, public–private contracts, and community projects  Using Australia as an example, Annette unpacks the complexity of layered laws—Commonwealth, state, local—and the different regimes governing public, metro, and private utilities. She shares a five-part checklist for public–private contracts (quantity, quality, maintenance, ownership, operations) and explains how weak agreements can undermine water quality objectives and monitoring. In parallel, she talks about social initiatives like One Street and One Creek, community-led work on Rocky Creek, and bringing STEAM (not just STEM) into high schools so the next generation sees water as a diverse, creative career path.  Strong water risk governance isn't just about compliance; it's about making better decisions for customers and communities over decades. This conversation gives leaders language, frameworks, and examples they can use to tighten their own systems and engage people beyond the plant fence.  Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps    02:15 — Trace reflects on the end of 2025, recap planning, and how goal setting shapes a stronger 2026 for sales and learning. 11:12 — Introducing lab partner Dr. Annette Davison and her diverse day-to-day across mediation workshops, field work, and high school outreach. 12:10 — The Risk Edge Group mission: protecting people, processes, and the planet from contaminated water with documents, templates, tools, and audits. 13:14 — "Incidents Online" as a free learning resource and how sharing real events helps others protect themselves. 14:10 — Becoming Australian Water Association's Water Professional of the Year and launching the One Street and One Creek social initiatives. 15:29 — From microbial ecology and contaminated sites to environmental law and a career focused on water quality governance. 19:47 — Training as a core "case study": lighting up operators and directors by finally explaining the "why" behind procedures and funding. 22:00 — Walking the water supply chain from source to end point and identifying governance handover points and quality objectives. 24:22 — Strategy-to-operations workflow: from planning and design to commissioning and operations, and why design must serve operators. 24:45 — Critical control points, space diarrhoea origin-story, and the discipline of defining CCPs so clearly "a computer would understand." 30:30 — How Water31K creates a common language for teasing out complex legal and regulatory structures across jurisdictions. 33:03 — The multi-layered Australian governance example: Commonwealth guidelines, state acts, and differing regimes for local, metro, and private utilities. 36:23 — Rocky Creek and the Karingai "Kraken" network: turning an unloved creek into a pilot for community care and data-driven education. 38:19 — onestreet.earth, mobilising your community, and building a playbook so others can replicate a "One Creek" model. 39:21 — STEAM power in schools: bringing science, technology, engineering, art, and maths together to improve water communication. 42:01 — Public vs private utilities, the Water Industry Competition Act, nimble private operators, and the five-part contract checklist. 44:39 — Emerging hazards (microplastics, PFAS) and the reminder not to take our eyes off the basics while we monitor new risks. 46:19 — Annette's core message: we've got to love water and help customers understand what it takes to keep it safe and reliable.   Quotes "You can't do a good risk assessment unless you've got the context right."  "Where's your water coming from? How do you collect it? How do you transfer it to where it needs to go to? How do you treat it?"  "We now just keep asking ourselves the same question, will the computer understand this?"  "AI's not going to help us until we get the right inputs to AI. Let's get the basics right first."  "We've got to love water. We've got to make sure that people are aware of water, not only the technocrats, but also the people who are using it."    Connect with Annette Davison Email: annette@riskedge.com.au  Website: https://www.riskedge.com.au/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annettedavison/    Guest Resources Mentioned   The Risk Edge Group – Water31K Framework & Services  Incidents Online (Risk Edge)  Risk Edge Training (e.g., CCP and Governance Courses)  Ku-ring-gai Community Rotary Network ("the Kraken")  Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG)  WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality  The Overstory – Richard Powers  The Three-Body Problem – Cixin Liu  The Covenant of Water – Abraham Verghese    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind    2025 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE. 

 Entamoeba histolytica nearly ended Ron Blutrich's scientific career. Instead, it pushed him to rethink how we protect people in multi-family buildings, senior facilities, and dense urban centers from invisible microbiological risks in their drinking water. In this episode, he joins host Trace Blackmore to unpack what whole-building UV can (and can't) do for Legionella, biofilm, and real-world water safety.  When One Bad Cup of Water Redefines a Career  In the middle of his PhD in molecular genetics, Ron drank from an under-sink reverse osmosis tap at an Airbnb and contracted Entamoeba histolytica. The infection triggered more than three years of severe gastrointestinal symptoms and a 100-pound weight loss, despite being "clinically cured." That experience—and the lack of clear answers—led him to dig into how governments, utilities, and buildings actually manage microbiological risk in water. He discovered that even in urban centers, there is "a lot left to be desired" in monitoring, guidelines, and the epidemiology of waterborne disease.  UV at the Point of Entry: Why Medium Pressure Matters  Ron explains why he chose UV as the primary disinfection tool for CLEAR's whole-building solutions. He contrasts conventional filters (carbon, RO, media) that remove contaminants but do not kill biology with UV systems that directly target DNA and other cellular structures. He walks through the differences between low-pressure and medium-pressure UV, including temperature independence for hot water recirculation and the broader wavelength spectrum that can damage DNA, proteins, membranes, and even DNA repair enzymes. That same technology is being used for multicellular control in marine environments, ballast water, and mollusk control, and Ron argues it is uniquely suited to domestic hot water systems facing Legionella and biofilm.  Legionella, Biofilm, and the Limits of "Good Enough"  Drawing from CLEAR's field work, Ron describes how often Legionella shows up in single homes, condos, and new buildings, and how standard practices typically focus on remediation and short-term clearance instead of long-term prevention. He highlights the gap between ASHRAE 188's recommendations for hot water temperatures and real constraints in senior housing, where anti-scalding concerns keep tanks too cool to reliably control Legionella. He also shares stories of property managers and public agencies reluctant to test because they lack cost-effective treatment options or don't want to confront what the data might show.  Scaling UV from Towers to Single Homes  Ron walks through why conventional media and RO systems don't scale well to large towers—footprint, cost, and pressure loss—and how CLEAR instead installs inline UV systems at the point of entry. These systems can handle up to roughly 2,000 gallons per minute, require minimal head loss, and are designed as a single point of installation and service. From there, he explains how his team layered on monitoring and a tenant-facing dashboard so that properties can see UV dose, transmittance, and flow in real time, and service can be triggered based on performance instead of fixed schedules. He also discusses emerging opportunities in UV LEDs and next-generation media that could make fully comprehensive point-of-entry treatment feasible in more buildings.  For leaders responsible for building portfolios, senior living, or high-density residential properties, this conversation offers a rigorous look at what it really takes to move from "we hope the water is fine" to a defensible, data-backed stance on microbiological safety.  Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps  04:59 - Trace talks about skipping turkey and ham this year and explains his usual turkey-stock "ice cube" tradition  13:59 - Trace introduces today's lab partner, Ron Blutrich of Clear Inc., and sets up the UV-in-buildings topic  13:03 – Events page shout out   10:57 - Water You Know with James McDonald  16:21 – Drinking from an under-sink RO line at an Airbnb, contracting Entamoeba Histolytica  19:15 - Why unmaintained RO and carbon filters can increase microbiological risk  23:27 - UV to keep post-UV systems cleaner   34:51 – Installation  40:23 – Cyanotoxins, Great Lakes algal blooms, and using medium-pressure UV to denature toxins, not just microbes  43:31 – Ron's current habits  48:08 – Future Opportunities: UV LEDs   49:04 – Multi-spectral UV LED arrays    Quotes "And what I learned really changed my life, because what I understood is that even in urban settings, not just in remote communities, there's a lot left to be desired when it comes to water quality, water quality treatment, guidelines, monitoring" - Ron Blutrich  "I think that in general, we need to understand with our eyes open exactly what it is that we do when we treat." - Ron Blutrich  "So generally, there's a lot left to be desired in terms of what we're trying to do for Legionella. It turns out that Legionella is extremely susceptible to UV. Legionella can be reduced almost 6 logs with most conventional UV systems" - Ron Blutrich  "So, at this point, our UV systems, it's an inline system. It's basically a section of pipe that happens to disinfect the water going through it. It's a single point of installation, a single point of service. There's no head loss, there's no pressure loss" - Ron Blutrich    Connect with Ron Blutrich Email: ron@clear.inc  Website: Clear - UV Treated Purified Water at Point of Entry  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-blutrich-50262b2a3/     Guest Resources Mentioned  ORIGINS OF ORDER: Self-Organization and Selection in Evolution by Stuart Kauffman  Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space by Carl Sagan  Clear Inc – Whole-Building UV Water Purification  Entamoeba histolytica Infection  CDC Household Water Treatment   EPA Guidance Manual: Filtration and Disinfection Requirements  WQA Guidance for Sanitizing Residential Treatment Systems  Application of Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diodes (UV-LED) to Full-Scale Drinking-Water Disinfection  Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines on Water Treatment for Wilderness, International Travel, and Austere Situations    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind   Water You Know with James Question: What is the interaction called when chemicals react on a mole-to-mole basis that could possibly be considered the opposite of the Threshold Effect?    Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE. 

What happens when you build a company around one niche, listen obsessively to customers, and never stop improving? In this episode, host Trace Blackmore finally sits down for a full-length conversation with Frank Lecrone, Founder, President, and CEO of AquaPhoenix Scientific. What started in a small 60' x 60' space in Hanover, Pennsylvania, with three employees, maxed-out credit cards, and endless Staples runs has grown into a 300+-person organization serving industrial water professionals around the world.   Frank shares how AquaPhoenix became "the booth everyone wants to be next to" at AWT, why they built their entire business around industrial water treatment instead of trying to be everything to everyone, and how a simple continuous improvement system now generates hundreds of ideas a year from frontline team members. He also pulls back the curtain on acquisitions and private equity, explaining EBITDA in plain language, how to think about "add-backs," and what owners should understand long before they think about selling. Whether you're leading a growing company, running a route, or thinking about your own "second chapter," this conversation is a masterclass in culture, courage, and caring deeply about the people you serve. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps   02:20 - Trace Blackmore shares a recap from the recent 2025 AWT Conference, The Hang, and a Blood Donation Story   14:02 - Water You Know with James McDonald  15:20 - Upcoming Conference for Water Professionals  18:16 – Introduction of Frank Lecrone, CEO of AquaPhoenix Scientific (eight years in the making)  24:52 – Why Hanover?   26:59 – Supporting AWT  37:38 – Color-coded caps & QR Codes  42:30 – Learning from mistakes  45:31 – Core Values   48:26 – Acquisitions and Culture   1:03:32 – Valuations and EBITDA    Quotes  "We didn't grow by doing everything for everyone. We grew by doing exactly what one market needed and wanted—and then doing it better every year."  "The lack of information is almost always interpreted negatively. That's why you have to over-communicate, especially during acquisitions."  "EBITDA equals freedom. The more EBITDA you have, the less anybody can tell you what to do with your own company."  "We're not perfect. We screw things up like everyone else—but we fix it, and we fix it quickly, and we make doing business with us as easy as possible."  "I don't want to be the smartest person in the room. I want great people around me, giving ideas and pushing things forward, so I'm not the bottleneck."  "Business is like standing in a bathtub while the water rises. It feels fine until it reaches your mouth. The trick is noticing when it's at your knees and fixing the bottleneck then."  "We give a darn. We have 'GAS'—Give a #$%@—and if we can make it right and do it better, we absolutely will."    Connect with Frank Lecrone Email: frank@aquaphoenixsci.com   Website: Water Quality Testing Products | AquaPhoenix Scientific  LinkedIn:  Frank Lecrone | LinkedIn       Guest Resources Mentioned   AquaPhoenix Scientific   Aliquot – AquaPhoenix's Water Management Software  QR-coded Custom Test Kits (AquaPhoenix EndPoint® ID)    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind  American Red Cross    Water You Know with James McDonald  Question: What industrial water treatment word is derived from the Greek word meaning "claw?"    2025 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.   

"The More You Know" - Robin Deal A million-gallon-a-day perspective, distilled into actionable steps. Robin Deal, AquaPure Product Manager at Hubbard-Hall unpacks how seasoned pros can squeeze more performance—and less sludge—out of industrial wastewater systems without compromising compliance or plant uptime.    From "clear water in a jar" to stable discharge in the field  Robin details a practical jar-testing workflow: start from upstream processes, target pH using hydroxide/sulfide solubility curves, choose the right coagulant (aluminum, iron, calcium, lanthanum, or organics), and validate against metals/COD/BOD/phosphorus before scaling. The test bench isn't the finish line; it's the feasibility gate when you're treating 150,000+ gpd.  Lean wastewater: cost center or controllable system?  Commodity choices (lime, alum, ferric) can generate 70–85% more sludge than optimized blends—driving hazardous waste hauling, clogging lines, and shortening pump life. Robin reframes the "penny-per-pound" price war into a total-system economics conversation: sludge recyclability, maintenance cycles, and realistic break-even targets.  PFAS: remove now, plan to destroy  For hex-chrome platers and other industrial dischargers, Robin shares near-term and emerging options: carbon filtration for immediate removal, evaporation/condensation where capital exists, and destruction pathways under evaluation—advanced oxidation, electrochemical oxidation, "thermobotic agglomeration," and ball milling—with an eye on evolving limits and cost realities.  One Water thinking for manufacturers  "Water is water." Robin introduces the One Water mindset for plant leaders: tighten internal loops, reduce community draw and discharge impact, and align non-contact, potable, and wastewater under one stewardship model. It's not a club—it's a decision framework that's already influencing global brands and drought-stressed regions.  Treat each round of testing as a hypothesis check, each chemical as a system lever, and each gallon as a shared resource. That's how leaders turn compliance into predictable results. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps  16:45 - Trace Blackmore shares insights on current industry events, an upcoming conference, the "magic button" idea for user-friendly wastewater control and announces The Hang to build community engagement 17:50 - Water You Know with James McDonald  23:04 - Interview begins: Robin Deal introduced as AquaPure Product Manager, origin story and family context   28:12 - First Jar Test Story   32:17 - Jar testing Workflow  42:34 - One Water concept  54:12 - Regulations   Quotes  "Just say yes to the job." "Lime is not a lean." "Best available technology does not mean best economic." "So just deep breath, stay calm and do the best that we can do and wait for those regulations to come out because they are coming" "Turn off the water in the polymer tank."    Connect with Robin Deal Email: robin.renee47@yahoo.com  LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/robin-deal    https://www.linkedin.com/company/hubbard-hall-inc./      Guest Resources Mentioned   The Wandering Inn: Book One in The Wandering Inn Series by pirateaba  Water Reuse Organization   American Water Works Association  Water Environment Federation    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind Start With Why Simon Sinek TedTalk  The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team by Patrick M. Lencioni  James McDonald's Be Like Water Series  Drop by Drop: Articles on Industrial Water Treatment by James McDonald     Water You Know with James McDonald  Question: What is the device called that is installed on the effluent line of an ion exchange unit to prevent resin from ending up downstream where it doesn't belong?    2025 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.