On Episode 131 of The DYOJO Podcast we discuss the tragic true story out of Olympia, Washington where a young man lost his life because of an improperly installed tankless water heater. Many lessons to be learned for organizations, managers, technicians, installers, and homeowners as it relates to hazards in the built environment.

*The contractors in this incident were initially charged with manslaughter for the improper installation of a tankless water heater

We also have details about Winter Break 2026 - check out the article in C&R Magazine

SOURCES:

Contractors Agree to Diversion Plan in Carbon Monoxide Leak That Killed 21 Year Old Evergreen State College Student Jonathan Rodriguez - https://www.king5.com/article/news/crime/contractors-diversion-plan-carbon-monoxide-leak-that-killed-evergreen-student/281-3a77f49d-1fa4-42e7-80cc-68878a52c32d

Winter Break 2026 info - https://www.candrmagazine.com/winter-break-week-2026-set-to-deliver-expanded-education-networking-industry-collaboration-in-bonita-springs/

My truck got broken into - a dange smash and grab. Made me mad and thinking about some of the responses by local authorities to crime, including some interesting remarks by the mayor of Seattle.

Our vocabulary word for the day is "shrinkage". Listen to find out what it means and why it's important if you are a small business owner.Also, we end on a positive note hearing about the skilled trades and entrepreneurial journey of Joyce Gabriel, co-owner of Expert Restoration (Rochester, WA).

Our second vocabulary word is "aggressive patience". Listen to find out what this concept means and how it can help you as you pursue personal development as an aspiring professional.

"Opportunities don't happen, you create them." — Chris Grosser

For this episode, we discuss the entrepreneurial journey of Taylor Rivas and the team at H2O Away based in Tumwater, Washington. We touch on some of the history of property restoration in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). We replay some of our past interviews, including clips from industry pioneers Claude Blackburn and Cliff Zlotnik. In the middle of all this we take a trip down memory lane to learn about building a unique culture at beloved brand Snappled and the corporate implosion after big money got involved.

"I mean, they may have the appearance of riches, but beneath the clothes, we find a man... and beneath the man we find his... nucleus." - Nacho Libre

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