If you’re a restoration contractor in Florida and you’re not paying attention to industry advocacy, you may be leaving your business exposed.

In this episode of The Restoration Rundown, I sit down with Richie Kidwell to break down the role of the Restoration Association of Florida (RAF) and why it matters more than most contractors realize.

We cover who Richie is, how he got involved in advocating for restoration companies, and what RAF is actually doing behind the scenes to protect contractors and influence the future of the industry.

🎯 In This Episode We Cover:

• What the Restoration Association of Florida actually does

• Why organizations like RAF exist in the first place

• How legislation and policy decisions impact restoration businesses

• Why staying uninvolved can put your business at risk

• How to get involved and stay informed

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📌 Show Notes

Guest: Richie Kidwell

Organization: Restoration Association of Florida (RAF)

👉 raflorida.org

If you’re a Florida restoration contractor and not currently involved with RAF, this is something worth taking a closer look at.

Are restoration contractors unintentionally training the AI systems that could eventually challenge their estimates?

That’s the question we explore in this episode of The Restoration Rundown.

A year ago, Doug Weatherman wrote an article in C&R Magazine titled “We Have a Big Problem,” raising concerns about how artificial intelligence could influence the restoration claims process.

Shortly after that article was published, Doug joined me on The Restoration Rundown for an episode called “AI and the Future of Restoration.”

Now, a year later — after massive advances in AI — we’re revisiting that conversation.

In this episode we discuss:

• How AI may already be influencing insurance claims

• Whether contractors could be unintentionally training AI systems

• The growing value of restoration industry data

• What AI could mean for negotiations with carriers

• How restoration owners should approach AI moving forward

📖 Read Doug’s Article

“We Have a Big Problem” – C&R Magazine

https://www.candrmagazine.com/letter-to-the-editor-we-have-a-big-problem/

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https://ironcladrestorationmarketing.com/contact/

📱 Curious how live video can help you win more restoration jobs?

Check out LiveSwitch

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In this episode of The Restoration Rundown, I’m joined by Rod Cruce, founder of Trifecta Growth Institute, to break down why leadership identity is often the missing link holding restoration business owners back.

We talk about the shift from operator to leader, how identity shapes culture and decision-making, and practical steps owners can take to lead with more clarity and consistency as their companies grow.

If your business feels reactive, chaotic, or harder to lead than it used to, this episode is your starting point.

👉 Take the next step: Learn more and enroll in Rod’s Shaping Your Leadership Identity class at

https://trifectagrowth.com

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⏰ Enrollment deadline: 2/3/26 — seats are filling fast