Five Questions with Phillip Rosebrook Jr.

How has the restoration industry changed most while you’ve been a part of it?

When I started, the industry was fragmented with most decisions made in the local marketplace. Today, decisions are centralized; companies are connected through networks, franchises or other groups. Restoration companies are much more homogenous with standardized pricing, reporting and best practices. The industry now requires a much more professional business approach. Many insurance decisions are centralized and made on a regional and national basis.

What trends do you think will most affect the industry in the next five to 10 years?

I expect the third-party administrator programs to continue to gain market share. I see moves to capture more of the claims market and expand into commercial restoration projects and to become active outside of just insurance-covered jobs. Quality restoration work is a given, and through the TPA programs, restoration companies need to be able to effectively manage reporting and timely communications in addition to providing quality work.

What advice do you have for someone who’s new to the restoration industry?

Spend a lot of time on education – both on the science of restoration and the business of restoration. Attend industry events and network with others in the industry. There are many great companies and leaders in the industry that are willing to share thoughts, lessons and best practices that will help you quickly move down the learning curve. Be cautious with your capital, which will offer a level of safety. Invest in technology so that you have timely information to understand your company through financials and other key metrics and objective measurements. Finally, surround yourself with great people and give them the tools to be successful.

What is one of big professional challenge you faced and how did you solve it?

The biggest challenge came when I managed branch offices for several different companies. These offices had very small staffs, which meant that as the manager, I had to fill all administrative, management and many production roles. We grew a small office on the Oregon Coast from several hundred thousand annually to more than $1 million in revenue and maintained that volume for years, in a town with 25,000 people.

Who are your mentors in the field?

There are many people in the industry that have shared so much and been very helpful in my career. I can think, of three people that greatly influenced my development in restoration and the business of restoration. Martin King was the instructor for our CR class and I learned much from his articles, speeches and conversations. His work along with Cliff Zlotnik and many others on creating the foundation of the technical side of restoration was quite remarkable. Steve Toburen helped me understand how to create systems that allowed us to dramatically exceed our client’s expectations. The simple service systems Steve taught transformed our business. I have also had the great fortune of working with my father for the last 28 years. He gave me opportunity and education on how to run a business. I am fortunate to be able to learn from someone who been working in small business for nearly 60 years and I am thankful of the opportunity to have him as a business partner.