Straight Talk – an ISSA Podcast
Straight Talk, an ISSA podcast, presents a curated playlist of the hottest topics facing the cleaning industry today—from health and safety to infection prevention to innovative products to business development and much more. ISSA, the worldwide cleaning association, brings together the top experts and decision makers to give listeners and members the most up-to-date information for their businesses.
Episodes
Is Your Carpet Cleaning Company Built for Commercial Accounts?
Commercial accounts can bring a carpet cleaning company steady revenue and long-term growth. They can also expose every weak spot in how that company is organized.
Where Researchers and Restorers Finally Talked Shop
Research only earns its keep in this industry when it changes something on the next job. That idea sits at the center of the CIRI Science Symposium, held September 28-29 at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas. The two-day event drew 115 people and put speakers from institutions including Yale University, the University of Toronto, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the National Institute of Standa
Ronald Reagan, Liquor Runs … and a Lifetime in a ‘People Business’
Plenty of industry careers start with a training program or an entry-level sales territory. Steve Swigart’s first real memory of the ISSA Show starts with an errand.Swigart, chairman of the board of Spartan Chemical Company in Maumee, Ohio, is the recipient of the 2026 ISSA Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award. The honor goes to an individual whom the ISSA board of directors considers deserving of
A Journey From the Family Soap Business to the ISSA 2026 Manufacturer Representatives' Distinguished Service Award
Jeff Stone has never really worked outside the cleaning industry. He grew up around his family's soap business in Detroit, and he has represented ProTeam since the company opened its doors 39 years ago. This year, ISSA recognizes that career with its 2026 Manufacturer Representatives' Distinguished Service Award, an honor reserved for individuals who support manufacturer representatives,
Why This Restoration Contractor Answers to the House, Not the Carrier
Restoration contractors do more than dry out basements and rebuild fire-damaged rooms. They also have to document what they find, justify the work they perform and communicate with insurers without crossing legal lines. For Scott Huml, owner of TACMIT (Tactical Mitigation Services) in Southern California, one rule guides all of it: the client is the policyholder, not the carrier.
Building Companies and Opening Doors: Meet the Two ISSA VEO Visionario Award Winners
Building a successful cleaning company is one accomplishment. Keeping it growing year after year is another. Helping other people build their own futures along the way is what the ISSA VEO Visionario Award was created to recognize.Nancy Galván, founder and CEO of Unica Enterprises in Dallas, and Veronica Vidal, founder and CEO of Custom Cleaning and Management Services (CCMS) in Florida, were amon
Independent, Not Isolated
Independent restoration companies make up a large share of the industry, and many of them operate without the corporate support, shared systems or national network a franchise brand provides. For the Restoration Industry Association (RIA), that gap is the reason its work for independents has become a priority. Earlier this year the association launched its Voice of the Independent Task Force, an a
How to Turn Government Contracts Into Growth
Eric Marceleño started working for his wife’s janitorial company in February 2016. He didn’t wait until morning to get started. “The night that I was hired, we got immediately to work, stayed up to about two or three in the morning, contacting contracting officers by email, text and just trying to market the company, get our name out in front of all the contracting officers, federal contracting of
From Custodian to CEO: A Family Legacy Built on Showing Up
From custodian to company founder, J. Ernesto Moreno built a business with family at its heart. In this conversation with ISSA Media Director Jeff Cross, Moreno and his daughters, Kyleigh and Kennedy, share how they’re growing Moreno & Associates, earning their leadership roles and building a legacy by putting people first.
Leverage, Language—and a Bigger Table
Victor Lizano has spent more than 30 years in financial services, much of that time working alongside small and medium-sized businesses as a banker, mentor and advisor. Today he applies that experience to the cleaning industry as co-owner and general manager of Amazing 360 Commercial Services, LLC, the Indianapolis-area company he runs with his wife. He is also a bank vice president.
Before the Forecast Becomes the Emergency
Is your business ready for extreme weather? Preparation involves employee safety, buildings, vehicles, equipment and the customers and suppliers you depend on.
ISSA Healthcare Turns Its Booth Into a Hub at ISSA Show North America 2026
More than 600 exhibitors will fill the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas when the expo floor at ISSA Show North America opens on Nov. 17. For someone who manages cleaning in a hospital, or wants to win that work as a contractor, tracking down the companies that actually serve healthcare can eat up most of a day.ISSA Healthcare plans to make that search a lot shorter. At this year's
ISSA Healthcare Takes Its Surfaces Conversation to Melbourne
The format ISSA Healthcare has refined over nine years of U.S. summits is heading overseas. On Oct. 7, 2026, the day before the ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo opens at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, ISSA Healthcare hosts its first Healthcare Surfaces Forum in Australia.
Stop Chasing Tactics and Find Your Marketing Recipe
Your marketing isn’t delivering. Should you spend more on ads, make videos, update your website or figure out AI search?
When a Cleaner Quits, the Costs Keep Coming
Employee turnover is more than a staffing inconvenience—it can quietly erode a cleaning company’s profitability.
Why Mold Remediation Shouldn't Grade Its Own Work
After a mold or water-damage remediation job wraps up, someone has to decide whether the space is clean. For Raj Manickam, CEO of SteamMaster Restoration and Cleaning in Colorado's Vail Valley, that decision should never rest with the company that did the work.
John Swigart’s Path to the ISSA Presidency
John Swigart has spent nearly three decades building a career at the company his grandfather founded, and this year he added two significant titles to his name. In April 2026, he added CEO to his letterhead, in addition to serving as company president for 15 years at Spartan Chemical Company, a Maumee, Ohio, manufacturer of cleaning and sanitation solutions. In November, he steps into the role as
Hidden in Plain Sight
The cleaning and restoration industries continue to struggle with recruiting, retention and finding dependable employees. Yet one potentially valuable group of workers is often overlooked—people with disabilities and others who face barriers to employment.
How Allan Industries Brought Robots to Work in a Union Town
Allan Industries is testing what automation looks like on the ground floor of a union town. At a newly built commercial property on Market Street in Philadelphia, autonomous vacuums and a robotic scrubber now work alongside the company’s union cleaning crews, taking over the long hallways and open lobbies that used to eat up hours of every shift.
Who Tells the Boss What to Do?
Accountability comes easily when the conversation centers on employees, supervisors and frontline managers. Expectations get set, performance gets tracked, and someone steps in when results fall short.
Certified to Advocate: Taking Restoration’s Story to Washington
What does the future of advocacy look like for the IICRC and the industries it serves?
From Opinion to Evidence: The Next Era of Professional Cleaning
At The Experience Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas recently, three physicians spent their days talking not with patients but with carpet cleaners and disaster restoration contractors.
When Harassment Shows Up at Work
What happens when a cleaning employee reports harassment—and is your company prepared to handle it correctly?
The Future is Already Here
It’s time to give the next generation the opportunity—and freedom—to lead.
Before the Trucks Roll: Inside Disaster Communications
When a hurricane makes landfall, a tornado tears through a community, flooding overwhelms a town, or a wildfire forces thousands to evacuate, restoration contractors often arrive ready to help—but long before that first truck rolls in, an enormous communication network is already hard at work.
Inside the Creation of Imperial Brady
What did it take to bring two distribution giants to the same table? This is the inside story.
Turning Customer Reviews Into Marketing Fuel
Collecting 5-star feedback is the easy part. Putting it to work is where most cleaning and restoration companies stop short.
Accountability Isn't Punishment. It's Clarity.
Why do so many business owners dread conversations about accountability? The answer may surprise you.
Hiring Without an HR Department
Hiring employees is hard enough. Doing it without an HR department can feel nearly impossible.
The Restroom Metric the Industry Never Tracked
Most facility teams can say how much soap a building goes through in a month. They can pull cleaning frequencies, towel usage, service calls, and complaint logs. What almost none of them track is whether the person who walks into the restroom can finish washing their hands and get back out the door without touching something.
Integrity Commercial Products: A Company Betting on Innovation and Durability Over Commodity
What does it take to launch a manufacturing company in today's commercial cleaning industry?
The Business of Sustainability on Stage at ISSA Show
Sustainability is no longer limited to environmental responsibility. For today’s professional cleaning organizations, it is increasingly connected to efficiency, customer value, risk management, regulatory readiness, and long-term business resilience.
From Industry Marketing Leader to ISSA Executive: Laura Craven's Vision for Members
Laura Craven joins ISSA as Vice President of Marketing and Communications, bringing years of industry leadership and a passion for building strong member relationships.
How Bedside Manner Can Become Restoration's Competitive Advantage
Insurance has always been about managing risk, but many restoration professionals believe the claims process has become increasingly difficult to navigate.
Inside RIA's Fight for Restoration Recognition
For decades, the restoration industry has played a critical role in helping property owners recover from water damage, fire losses, mold contamination, storm events, and other disasters. Yet despite its specialized expertise, restoration has never had its own dedicated federal industry classification. That may soon change.
The New Rules of Winning Customers in an AI-Driven World
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.
Growing Faster but Making Less? Here’s Why
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.
The Industry We Are Becoming
As ISSA President, Laurie Sewell has had the opportunity to connect with professionals from every corner of the cleaning and facility solutions industry.
Your Employees Are Using AI. But Are They Still Thinking?
AI is transforming the workplace, but is it also changing the way employees think?
Meet the Youngest-Ever Female IICRC Certified Restoration Technician
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).
KB Building Services — Building Growth on People, Not Just Process
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.
Restoration’s Biggest Opportunity May Come Before the Emergency
Disaster preparedness doesn't begin when the storm arrives—it starts long before the first warning is issued.
Healthy Buildings Movement Puts Cleaning at the Center of Public Health
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.
New Technology Platform Targets the Hidden 90% of Cleaning Budgets
How much does your facility really spend on cleaning—and are you measuring real costs?
AI in Hiring: What Works, What Doesn't, and What Employers Need to Know
Can AI really help cleaning companies hire better employees—or is it just another overhyped technology?
Dayspring Restoration: In the Restoration Journey, Success Rises and Falls on Leadership
What does it take to build a restoration company that stands the test of time?
Southeast Restoration: Family, Faith, and Forward Thinking Build Success
What does it take to build a restoration company that scales across multiple states while maintaining a strong culture and family foundation?
BioteamAZ: A Company Refusing To Be Everything to Everyone
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.
AI Mistakes: The Risks, Costs, and Realities
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.
Paid Ads Can Work!
But they won't save a business that doesn't know its numbers.
Michigan State University: The Invisible Workforce Behind an Outstanding Spartan Experience
What does it take to keep one of the nation’s largest university facilities and housing systems running smoothly?
The Startup Window: Where New Cleaning Accounts Are Won or Lost
Most organizations invest significant time and effort into winning new customers, but far fewer focus on what happens after the contract is signed.
What 250 Years of America Can Teach Business Owners About Leadership
America turns 250 years old this year, but according to today’s guest, one thing hasn’t changed: Small businesses still carry the water.
The Confidence Trap
Experience can be a powerful advantage—but it can also become a liability when professionals stop adapting.
Out-Recruiting the Giants: A Cleaning Company’s Edge in the Labor War
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?
The CIMS Guidebook: How Ikigai Helps BSCs Earn Certification
What does it take to prepare a cleaning company for long-term success? In this episode, Paul Greenland, CEO of Ikigai Management Consultants and an ISSA Consulting partner, discusses how organizations can strengthen leadership, improve operational performance, prepare for CIMS certification, and build systems that support sustainable growth.
How to Build Smarter Teams for a Smarter Industry
The future of facility management is becoming increasingly connected, automated, and data-driven. To help cleaning and facility professionals navigate this changing landscape, ISSA has partnered with Smart Building Bootcamp to provide practical education focused on smart buildings, artificial intelligence, robotics, workplace technologies, cybersecurity awareness, and more.
From Mop Bucket to Industry Advisor: Derek Oliveira’s Mission to Solve Cleaning’s Toughest Challenges
In this conversation, Derek Oliveira, ISSA's Associate Director of Education, Training, and Field Services, shares insights from a career dedicated to professional development, industry advancement, and supporting cleaning professionals at every stage of their journey.
Submit Your Stories - FIFA World Cup 2026: How We Clean!
As the world prepares for the largest FIFA World Cup in history, the focus extends far beyond the stadium gates. With 48 teams, millions of fans, and thousands of support personnel moving through hotels, airports, training facilities, transportation hubs, and public venues across North America, cleanliness, infection prevention, and operational resilience will be critical to the tournament's
From the Jobsite to Capitol Hill: RIA Gives Restorers a Direct Line to Lawmakers
Grassroots advocacy is no longer just a conversation happening in Washington—it’s happening at the state level, and restoration professionals are being called to participate.
Why Two Out of Three Sales Hires Fail
Most companies believe they have a hiring problem. In reality, many have a hiring process problem.
Where Advocacy Meets Sustainability
Steve Ashkin, founder of The Ashkin Group, discusses the key themes from his article about advocacy and sustainability.
When AI Guesses Wrong, Floors Pay the Price
Just how smart is artificial intelligence these days? It depends on whom you ask. And when it comes to resilient flooring, AI may not be as smart as some people think.
Autonomous Cleaning Needs More Than Autonomous Machines
Autonomous cleaning is everywhere right now—but what actually works in the real world? In this episode, Chris Ford, EVP of Robotics and Innovation with KBS, shares a grounded, provider-side perspective on how robotics and AI are being deployed in cleaning operations today.
The Human Side of Artificial Intelligence
Laurie Sewell, president of ISSA, shares insights and strategies for C-Suite professionals.
What to Do When AI Does Not Deliver
Most business owners have experimented with AI—but many walked away frustrated by generic answers, weak output, and complicated prompts. In this conversation, Dean Mercado explains why the problem usually isn’t the AI tool itself. It’s the missing foundation behind it.
Stop the Information Dump: Why Clearer Proposals Win More Cleaning Contracts
A great proposal should build confidence—not confusion. In this conversation, we explore why clarity often outperforms complexity in cleaning and restoration proposals, how overloaded estimates can hurt sales, and what business owners can do to create proposals customers actually understand and trust.
From the Lab to the Reprocessing Floor: How Enzymatic Detergents Get Tested, Chosen, and Trusted
What does it take to develop effective enzymatic detergents for today’s healthcare environments? In this episode, we explore how detergent manufacturers validate cleaning performance, differentiate their products, and support healthcare facilities searching for safer, smarter cleaning solutions.
Where Cleaning Contracts Are Really Won or Lost
Winning a contract is only half the battle—executing a smooth transition is where the real pressure begins. In this episode, Randy Burke and Jason Little at DCS Global break down one of the biggest hidden challenges in the cleaning and facility services industry: transition anxiety.
Cleaning in the Age of AI and Automation
What happens when a university engineering project turns into a global technology company helping major facility service organizations digitize operations?
Hantavirus and Beyond: Is the Cleaning Industry Ready for What’s Coming?
Biohazard incidents can happen anywhere—schools, offices, healthcare facilities, public spaces, transportation hubs, and commercial buildings. When cleaning professionals encounter blood, bodily fluids, infectious materials, or other potentially hazardous contaminants, the stakes climb well beyond routine cleaning. For ISSA members and the global cleaning and facility services industry, knowing ho
Is Your Website a Pretty Brochure or a Powerful Business Tool?
A great-looking website doesn’t always mean great results. In this episode, we explore why so many cleaning company websites fail to convert—and what you can do about it.
Why New Cleaning Employees Quit Before They Even Settle In
Over 55% of cleaning industry new hires quit within the first 60 days—and many companies are asking the wrong question about why. In today’s program, we explore what separates cleaners who stay from those who leave almost immediately. From onboarding breakdowns and poor communication to scheduling instability, training gaps, and workplace culture, this conversation uncovers the hidden reasons behi
Why Most Quarterly Business Reviews Fail
Most business owners in the cleaning and facility solutions industry are good at what they do. They know how to run a crew, manage a job, and keep clients happy. What they're less comfortable with—and what could be costing them real money—is a deeper kind of client conversation. Not a check-in. Not a quick follow-up call. A strategic business review.
Fraud Isn’t Black and White: Inside Restoration’s Gray Areas
In this episode, we take a closer look at insurance fraud in the restoration industry—from every angle.
The Long Game of Restoration
Tim Miller has seen the inside of a lot of restoration companies. After more than 30 years in the cleaning and restoration industry—starting at a mom-and-pop janitorial supply house, moving through specialty chemicals, a decade at Jon-Don, a construction company in New Mexico, and eventually founding Business Development Associates (BDA)—he has developed what he calls a body of knowledge that keep
Three Industries, One Mission: The Future of Indoor Air Quality Starts Here
A new alliance between two well-known industry organizations is opening the door for home inspectors to expand into indoor air quality assessment—and the timing, both groups say, couldn't be better. NORMI (National Organization of Remediators and Microbial Inspectors) and InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors) have formalized a partnership designed to bring togeth
Good Salespeople Fail in Bad Systems
If your sales team isn’t hitting its numbers, the instinct is often to blame the people. But what if the real problem is the system they’re operating in?
Breaking Away: How Contractors Are Growing Without TPAs or Franchises
There's a growing movement in the restoration industry—one that says independent contractors don't need a franchise or a TPA to build a thriving business. Trusted Restorer has been making that case for years, and under its recently refreshed identity, the platform is reaching more contractors than ever with a simple but powerful message: you can scale, compete, and win on your own terms.
Navigating the Storm: Why Good Data is Your Business Playbook
If your cleaning business feels harder to run right now, you’re not imagining it. Rising costs, labor challenges, and constant uncertainty are putting pressure on every part of the operation. But what if the answer isn’t working harder—it’s working smarter with better data? In this episode, Steve Ashkin breaks down why sustainability reporting is no longer just a compliance exercise—it’s a practic
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