{"id":20100,"date":"2026-05-14T17:24:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T17:24:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/hilo-hi-puroclean-the-big-island\/?post_type=blog&p=20100"},"modified":"2026-05-15T04:27:39","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T04:27:39","slug":"riot-hits-maine-restoration-leaders-bring-big-ideas-bigger-growth-and-candlepin-chaos-to-auburn","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/hilo-hi-puroclean-the-big-island\/blog\/riot-hits-maine-restoration-leaders-bring-big-ideas-bigger-growth-and-candlepin-chaos-to-auburn\/","title":{"rendered":"RIOT Hits Maine: Restoration Leaders Bring Big Ideas, Bigger Growth, and Candlepin Chaos to Auburn"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The RIOT crew rolled into Auburn, Maine, and did exactly what the name promises \u2014 shook things up, challenged the norm, and pushed each other to grow. The latest RIOT (Restoration Industry Over Takers) Impact Group meeting was packed with high-level conversations, game-changing ideas, plenty of laughs, and enough business strategy to light a fire under any restoration company looking to level up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a day and a half, restoration leaders from across the PuroClean Network gathered together with one goal in mind: get better, grow faster, and help each other win bigger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Attending the meeting were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chad Crowther, Regional Director at PuroClean<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avi Sohal, Owner, PuroClean of Center Valley, Stroudsburg & Saylorsburg, and Easton & Nazareth, PA<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jiri Smetana, Owner, PuroClean of Southlake, Keller, and Northwest Fort Worth, TX<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brandon Burns, Owner, PuroClean of Auburn, ME<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eleanor Terlecki, Owner, PuroClean of Auburn, ME<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dan Irmscher, Owner, PuroClean of Southern Indiana, IN<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nick Ondrejka, Owner, PuroClean of San Rafael, CA<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gregory Arianoff, VP of Operations, PuroClean of The Big Island, HI, and East Las Vegas, NV<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A powerhouse group of operators and leaders, all bringing different perspectives, experiences, and expertise to the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s exactly what an impact group is all about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An impact group isn\u2019t just a networking event or a room full of people talking shop. It\u2019s a trusted circle of business owners and leaders who are willing to open the playbook, share the wins, talk honestly about challenges, and sharpen each other through collaboration. In an industry that moves as fast and aggressively as restoration, isolation can be one of the biggest threats to growth. The companies that evolve the fastest are the ones willing to learn from others, embrace new ideas, and stay ahead of the curve together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That energy was alive and well in Maine!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RIOT group tackled some of the biggest topics shaping the future of restoration today \u2014 AI integration, marketing strategies, employee relations, operational efficiencies, leadership development, and of course\u2026the famous P&L deep dives. Because let\u2019s be honest, nothing gets restoration owners fired up quite like talking numbers, margins, job costing, and growth opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One of the hottest conversations centered around AI and how rapidly it\u2019s changing the restoration industry. From estimating improvements and documentation processes to marketing automation and customer communication, the group discussed how companies embracing AI now are positioning themselves miles ahead of competitors still operating with outdated systems. The future of restoration is evolving fast, and the RIOT crew is determined to stay on the front lines of innovation instead of playing catch-up later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marketing was another major focus, with conversations revolving around community visibility, branding, relationship building, and the importance of becoming the go-to authority in local markets. The room buzzed with ideas about creating stronger customer experiences, improving digital presence, and standing out in an increasingly competitive landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employee relations also took center stage \u2014 because every successful restoration company knows great people build great companies. The group exchanged ideas on leadership culture, accountability, training, employee retention, and how to create teams that don\u2019t just perform well, but genuinely buy into the mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One of the highlights of the event was the presence of restoration industry legend Bud Summers<\/a>. Having Bud in the room was like having a masterclass in restoration leadership unfold in real time. With nearly four decades of experience in mitigation, restoration, construction, franchise operations, consulting, and training, Bud has become one of the most respected voices in the industry. He helped develop PuroClean\u2019s nationally recognized training programs, oversees the advanced PuroClean Academy and Flood House training facility, and has played a major role in mentoring countless restoration professionals across the country. Bud shared invaluable nuggets on leadership, scalability, operational systems, technology adoption, and the importance of investing in people and training. When someone with that level of experience speaks, you listen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But RIOT meetings aren\u2019t all spreadsheets and strategy sessions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The group also took time to enjoy one of Maine\u2019s unique traditions: Candlepin Bowling. Unlike traditional bowling, candlepin uses smaller balls and tall, narrow pins that somehow make the game hilariously harder and wildly entertaining at the same time. Competitive spirits came alive fast, plenty of trash talk was exchanged, and for a few hours, the conversations shifted from drying plans and gross margins to strikes, spares, and questionable bowling techniques.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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That balance is what makes groups like RIOT so impactful. Serious growth. Serious conversations. Serious accountability. But also real friendships, trust, and the kind of relationships that push both businesses and people forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Auburn meeting proved once again that the restoration industry\u2019s future belongs to the leaders willing to collaborate, innovate, and constantly improve. RIOT isn\u2019t just a name \u2014 it\u2019s a mindset. And judging by the momentum coming out of Maine, this group is only getting started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big Mahalo to PuroClean of Auburn for hosting us!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Of Course, When in Maine! Gregory Arianoff & Avi Sohal are enjoying fresh lobster.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

#purocleanofthebigisland #purocleanofeastlavegas<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The RIOT crew rolled into Auburn, Maine, and did exactly what the name promises \u2014 shook things up, challenged the norm, and pushed each other to grow. The latest RIOT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":750,"featured_media":20101,"template":"","blog-category":[16],"class_list":["post-20100","blog","type-blog","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","blog-category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/hilo-hi-puroclean-the-big-island\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/20100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/hilo-hi-puroclean-the-big-island\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/hilo-hi-puroclean-the-big-island\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/hilo-hi-puroclean-the-big-island\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/750"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/hilo-hi-puroclean-the-big-island\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/20100\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/hilo-hi-puroclean-the-big-island\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/hilo-hi-puroclean-the-big-island\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"blog-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/hilo-hi-puroclean-the-big-island\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog-category?post=20100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}