Straight Talk – an ISSA Podcast

Episoder

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  The New Rules of Winning Customers in an AI-Driven World 23.07.2026 14min

  Artificial intelligence isn't just changing how service companies operate. It's changing how customers buy. Companies that rely on outdated sales tactics or slow follow-up may lose business before they even know they were being considered.
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  Growing Faster but Making Less? Here’s Why 23.07.2026 10min

  Growth is exciting. More customers, more employees, more trucks on the road all look like success. But behind that growth, many building service contractors are discovering a harder truth: revenue doesn't automatically translate into profit.
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  The Industry We Are Becoming 22.07.2026 12min

  As ISSA President, Laurie Sewell has had the opportunity to connect with professionals from every corner of the cleaning and facility solutions industry.
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  Your Employees Are Using AI. But Are They Still Thinking? 22.07.2026 19min

  AI is transforming the workplace, but is it also changing the way employees think?
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  Meet the Youngest-Ever Female IICRC Certified Restoration Technician 22.07.2026 16min

  At just 12 years old, Olivia Haynes accomplished something few people in the restoration industry can claim: She has earned dual IICRC certifications in Water Damage Restoration (WRT) and Applied Structural Drying (ASD).
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  KB Building Services — Building Growth on People, Not Just Process 21.07.2026 30min

  What does it take to build a cleaning company that thrives for more than 40 years? See how KB Building Services made it all work.
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  Restoration’s Biggest Opportunity May Come Before the Emergency 21.07.2026 20min

  Disaster preparedness doesn't begin when the storm arrives—it starts long before the first warning is issued.
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  Healthy Buildings Movement Puts Cleaning at the Center of Public Health 20.07.2026 15min

  In this episode, Allen Rathey, founder and executive director of the Indoor Exposure Index (INDEX), discusses why ISSA's leadership role within the Healthy Buildings Workgroup through WELL could help elevate the cleaning industry's influence in the broader conversation about occupant health, wellness, and building performance.
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  New Technology Platform Targets the Hidden 90% of Cleaning Budgets 17.07.2026 33min

  How much does your facility really spend on cleaning—and are you measuring real costs?
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  AI in Hiring: What Works, What Doesn't, and What Employers Need to Know 16.07.2026 13min

  Can AI really help cleaning companies hire better employees—or is it just another overhyped technology?
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  Dayspring Restoration: In the Restoration Journey, Success Rises and Falls on Leadership 24.06.2026 32min

  What does it take to build a restoration company that stands the test of time?
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  Southeast Restoration: Family, Faith, and Forward Thinking Build Success 24.06.2026 15min

  What does it take to build a restoration company that scales across multiple states while maintaining a strong culture and family foundation?
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  BioteamAZ: A Company Refusing To Be Everything to Everyone 23.06.2026 25min

  Krystie Reeves, the owner of BioteamAZ, shares the story behind the company’s growth from a family-owned startup to a statewide provider of biohazard remediation, trauma cleanup, and specialty restoration services.
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  AI Mistakes: The Risks, Costs, and Realities 22.06.2026 18min

  Artificial intelligence is no longer the shiny new toy it was a year or two ago. Most business owners have experimented with it, many use it daily, and some are already building AI-powered workflows into their operations. As adoption has matured, so have the mistakes.
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  Paid Ads Can Work! 18.06.2026 10min

  But they won't save a business that doesn't know its numbers.
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  Michigan State University: The Invisible Workforce Behind an Outstanding Spartan Experience 17.06.2026 34min

  What does it take to keep one of the nation’s largest university facilities and housing systems running smoothly?
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  The Startup Window: Where New Cleaning Accounts Are Won or Lost 17.06.2026 7min

  Most organizations invest significant time and effort into winning new customers, but far fewer focus on what happens after the contract is signed.
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  What 250 Years of America Can Teach Business Owners About Leadership 17.06.2026 12min

  America turns 250 years old this year, but according to today’s guest, one thing hasn’t changed: Small businesses still carry the water.
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  The Confidence Trap 16.06.2026 16min

  Experience can be a powerful advantage—but it can also become a liability when professionals stop adapting.
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  Out-Recruiting the Giants: A Cleaning Company’s Edge in the Labor War 11.06.2026 13min

  The conversation about the labor shortage in cleaning and facility services usually sounds the same: “Nobody wants to work anymore.” Add to that, “Turnover is at an all-time high.” But what if the real issue is that cleaning companies are competing against entirely different industries, POWERFUL industries, for the same people—and losing?