Scaling UP! H2O

Welcome to the water treater's favorite podcast, Scaling Up! H2O. I'm your host, Trace Blackmore and for my long-time listeners, today's show is going to be a little bit different because for the first time ever, I'm re-releasing one of our most listened to episodes for our newer listeners. I recorded this show on October 27th, 2017 and upon listening to it again, I can see why it is one of our most shared and most downloaded episodes. There are so many good questions that the Scaling Up Nation submitted, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to answer them. My hope, when I first created this podcast, was to inspire a love of learning for any of its listeners. So please join me as I answer your questions, and if you have a new question for me, please reach out, I'd love to do some research and answer your questions on a future episode! Thank you for listening! Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client. -Trace Timestamps: What are LSI, RSI, and PSI? [5:12] How do I attend Association Of Water Technologies (AWT) Events if I'm not a member? [14:55] Get to know your tests [18:40] What should clients do before a boiler inspection? [23:22] Do I really need my Certified Water Technologist (CWT) or LEED Green Associate (LEED GA)? [28:04] Copper and iron [32:00] What is ORP and how do you check it? [39:15] What is the best biocide for my cooling tower? [46:08] What's in Trace's Test Kit? [53:02] What is Magnetite? [1:01] James' Challenge: Calculate the softening capacity of your water softener(s) based upon incoming water. [1:10] Quotes: "We're all trying to make the entire industry better." - Trace Blackmore "If you are sloppy on your procedures and your measurements, your margin of error is going to multiply greatly." - Trace Blackmore "Why would you want to be mediocre?" - Trace Blackmore "I'm doing this show to give you a push to do something new and get better." - Trace Blackmore "One of my favorite things to do is to work with other water treaters." - Trace Blackmore "I want to make sure the show stays fun for you and stays fun for me." - Trace Blackmore "My goal is to pour my heart and soul into each episode." - Trace Blackmore "I truly enjoy teaching and inspiring people to be better than they were." - Trace Blackmore Links Mentioned: AWT Hatch Water Analysis Handbook Certified Water Technologist (CWT) LEED Green Associate (LEED GA) PPM vs. ORP Chart Oxidation-Reduction Potential Rechargeable and Portable Light The Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea Wilfred Langelier's Saturation pH (pHs) Equation: 12.3-(log CaH + log Malk + (0.025xC˚) – (0.011x√TDS)

Welcome to the water treaters' favorite podcast, Scaling UP H2O! Let me introduce you to a friend of mine, Garret "Gary" Garcia. Gary is one of those people who has an incredible amount of knowledge and over the years has been incredibly generous about sharing what he knows. In today's episode, we're going to cover everything from new technologies in the water treatment industry to the things a company should consider before they start blending their own product and also keeping up with government regulations. It truly is a great episode! For those who don't know Gary, he is the Technical Director for Masters Company, Inc., and if you've never heard of them please check them out. MCI is a private label manufacturer to the water treatment industry encompassing test kits, reagents, blending as well as specialty chemical distribution. MCI is also a private label manufacturer for food sanitation test kits, analytical reagents, and other market segments. And if that wasn't enough, Gary is also the Technical Director for MCI's LiquiLogic LLC subsidiary providing liquid ultra-concentrate products to water treatment service companies. LiquiLogic formulates and manufactures super concentrated water treatment products with No Touch dispensing systems. Gary has been involved in AWT (Association of Water Technologies) for more than 30 years serving on several committees as well as currently being Special Project Sub-Committee Chair and Supplier Representative to the AWT Board of Directors. Bottom line: Gary knows what it takes to make great products for water treatment professionals. Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client. -Trace Timestamps: Introducing Gary Garcia [7:11] Beer money to purchasing a company How did you start in the business [12:20] What does Masters offer that they can do that individuals don't think about considerations [14:15] What do warehouse managers need to consider when adding a new product to their line? [18:26] What to consider when developing a new product? [19:26] How does someone decide if they will blend for themselves or partner with a company? [20:50] How to wisely evaluate your needs [22:02] Keeping up with regulations [23:40] Customer success story and funniest water treatment story [24:50] Stop doing that! [27:30] New technologies [29:17] James' Challenge: "Research Practical/Puckorius Saturation Index (PSI)." [38:04] Quotes: "In order to learn something that you deem important, don't be a student of it, learn it well enough to be a professor of it." -Trace Blackmore "Solutions in a drum." - Mark Lewis "Our focus is to make things as easy as possible for our customers." - Gary Garcia "If our customer is out selling and growing their company, we grow by that as well." - Gary Garcia "I wouldn't recommend anyone doing chemical manufacturing unless they have a background in it." - Gary Garcia "Doing the mixing and blending takes away from what most companies do best, selling and marketing." - Gary Garcia "You don't always need to customize. Don't rush new products." - Gary Garcia "Keep the product line as tight and neat as you can to save you time and money." - Gary Garcia "Its a challenge keeping up with regulatory all the time, you need to be aware of DOP, ETA, and everything under the Sun." - Gary Garcia "You never want to assume you won't have an inspection." - Gary Garcia "It gives me a huge sense of fulfillment, watching our clients' companies grow." - Gary Garcia "Be quiet, observe, and learn learn learn." - Gary Garcia Connect with Gary Garcia : Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: company/masters-company-inc Website: www.masterscoinc.com Links Mentioned: The Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea AWT (Association of Water Technologies) Books Mentioned: Paris 1919 by Margaret MacMillan The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand Grant Biography by Ron Chernow

Scaling Up Nation, I'm pleased to introduce you to someone that I've learned a great deal from over the past nine years of our friendship. He retired after working 35 years in the water treatment industry; most recently he served as Regional Manager at US Water Services and he is the Former owner of ChemTechnologies/Solen Inc. If you haven't guessed his name yet, it is the one and only Marty Stephens. I got to know Marty when we served on the AWT Board together. He was one of the directors who didn't say a lot, but whenever he did, it was so profound that the room always went silent. Marty served two terms AWT Board of Directors and in that season, Marty took the time to pour back into this wonderful industry and I am personally and professionally better for it. Marty went to college to become a physician but changed his career direction and became a successful water treatment professional. In today's episode, he shares his career journey and gives some fantastic career advice while entertaining us with his infamous Southern euphemisms. I know you are going to enjoy today's episode. Bottom line: If you are considering joining the water treatment industry, Marty's career journey is something you've got to hear. Your roadside friend as you drive from client to client, -Trace Timestamps: Introducing former AWT board member, Marty Stephens [3:50] Getting involved with the AWT and Marty's water treater journey [8:30] Marty's advice on how to have successful relationships with your customers [15:30] The first day on the job, AKA learning from a shattered Erlenmeyer flask [21:17] From technician to the owner [24:33] Selling your water treatment company [33:10] Advice for those starting in the industry [41:30] Lightning round questions [43:33] James' Challenge: "When using the EDTA titration method for total hardness testing, add a couple of drops of titrant in prior to the indicator to eliminate other metal interference (but take into account those drops in total drop count or usage)." [50:24] Quotes: "I was taught that we all have a responsibility to give back." - Marty Stephens "You get out of something what you put into it." - Marty Stephens "Our focus should always be on the customer." - Marty Stephens "You are always selling, even on a service call." - Marty Stephens "You tend to learn more in life from the mistakes you've made, in your career and life." - Marty Stephens "It's a fatal mistake to prioritize profit over the customer experience." - Marty Stephens "Business should never trump a friendship." - Marty Stephens "Run your business like you are going to sell it tomorrow, just like your truck." - Marty Stephens "When two companies come together there is a lot of change. And you need to be a good broker of change in order for that to be a smooth transition." - Marty Stephens "In every decision you make, think: how does this affect the customer and how will it benefit them?" - Marty Stephens "Life is better and easier when you have fun." - Marty Stephens "Never sacrifice character. Be true to yourself." - Marty Stephens "We have the best job in the world!" - Trace Blackmore "When you get down to it, life is about relationships." - Trace Blackmore "A company is about people." - Trace Blackmore Connect with Marty Stephens: Email: [email protected] Links Mentioned: The Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea AWT (Association of Water Technologies) Books Mentioned: A Time To Kill by John Grisham Good To Great by Jim Collins Mississippi Blood by Greg Iles

One of my favorite things about this podcast is that it has allowed me to meet fantastic people. Today's guest I met at The Hang a few months ago, and we instantly hit it off. His name is John Sandford and even though he lives 15 miles east of Oxford, and I live outside of Atlanta, our passion for water treatment has made us lifelong friends. He has a wealth of experience and a genuine passion for improving the standards of the industry he works in. John is going to give you some insight into how our colleagues across the pond test and treat Legionella bacteria and what their government requires of them. To give you some background, John Sandford CMIOSH is the Director of Water Hygiene Specialists at SMS Environmental. He has four offices across the U.K., and over 140 employees, over 30 years of practical and research experience in the field of water treatment and Legionella and has expertise in the application of Health and Safety in this area. John is on the council of the Water Management Society (WMSoc), one of the founders and Health and Safety Director at SMS Environmental, and he is a UKAS accredited Legionella Risk Assessment provider which is and a national supplier of water hygiene services to over 1000 organizations across the U.K. As many of you know, the U.S. is one of the slowest countries to create legislation around Legionella testing and mitigation. It's only a matter of time for those changes to be written; just ask any water treater living in New York. I would encourage all my listeners to be proactive by learning what other countries are doing in the field that they work in. Bottom line: Nation, when you are aware of what other countries are doing, you can prepare for the unknowns before your local government takes steps towards any new Legionella legislation. Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client. -Trace Timestamps: Introducing business owner and water hygiene professional, John Sandford [5:50] Water certifications in the U.K. [14:10] Understanding Legionella mitigations and regulations in the U.S.A. vs. U.K. [21:40] What happens in the U.K. when the government finds a breach of health and safety? [28:50] John's advice on new construction, taking on a new build [39:15] Global commonality Legionella guidance [44:45] Lightning round questions [54:40] James' Challenge: "Research neutralizing amine distribution ratio." [1:07:00] Quotes: "What a great industry we've got!" - John Sandford "Then I knew absolutely everything. I was an expert in everything. And then 30 years down the line, I realized I don't know anything at all." - John Sandford "80% of our work is Legionella related." - John Sandford "It's funny, we use British thermal units in the U.S.A., but in the U.K., you use metric units." - Trace Blackmore "Your biggest risk in the U.K. now isn't from Legionnaires Disease, it's from risk of being prosecuted for not complying with the guidance and approved code of practice that surround Legionella." - John Sandford "New builds are a problem. I strongly believe you should be doing a water safety plan or water management plan before you've even broken ground." - John Sandford "No matter how good that company is, a good disinfection is not going to cure 18 months of mismanagement." - John Sandford "My advice is if you are taking on any new builds, make sure you know what the state of play is." - John Sandford "Plumbing is a skill." - John Sandford You need to manage your systems during the construction phase." - John Sandford "Don't worry about it, learn about it." - Trace Blackmore Connecting with John Sandford of SMS Environmental Ltd.: Email:[email protected] Phone: 07764534984 Website:www.sms-environmental.co.uk Links Mentioned: 101 The One with Colin Frayne, CWT 102 The Other One with Colin Frayne, CWT 009 The L Word 150 The One Where We Talk Legionella Basics 151 The One Where We Talk About Legionella 152 The One Where We Talk More About Legionella 153 The One Where We Answer Your Questions About Legionella The Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea AWT (Association of Water Technologies) Books Mentioned: Anansi Boys - Neil Gaiman The Blade Artist - Irvine Welsh Articles mentioned: JOHN SANDFORD CMIOSH, ELECTED TO WMSOC COUNCIL The Stafford outbreak of Legionnaires' disease The control of legionella bacteria in water systems Approved Code of Practice and guidance L8 Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 Architect cleared of manslaughter over legionnaires' outbreak Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 Reading Borough Council sentenced after legionella death Fee for intervention (FFI) UKAS Delivering Confidence in the Provision of Legionella Risk Assessments 30-day all-cause fatality subsequent to MRSA, MSSA and Gram-negative bacteraemia and C. difficile infections, 2017/18 (see page 17) Safe water in healthcare premises (HTM 04-01) BBC (2012) Sink taps source of infection that killed three babies

Today's returning guest is a Career Counselor at Texas Tech University's Career Center and one of my dearest friends, Donna Srader. Donna is back on the show to talk about the best networking strategies to use when we are not face-to-face. You see, in March of 2020 Donna Srader, and the rest of the university staff pivoted from meeting in person to have every meeting with students, alumni, and colleagues over Zoom. She adapted quickly, and now she successfully hosts 6-10 Zoom meetings daily. She has found the best ways to conduct and participate in virtual meetings to get the most from them so that she can increase her connections with others. Making virtual connections is hard. Donna takes the confusion, frustration, and exhaustion out of online networking and provides us with easy steps to take so we can increase our network in order to set ourselves apart and thrive in an increasingly digital world. Bottom line: Donna is going to share how to successfully grow your professional network virtually. Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client. -Trace Timestamps: Reintroducing professional Career Counselor, Donna Srader [5:10] How to best prep for your video meetings [9:30] How to ensure we're connecting when we are not in-person through video calls and LinkedIn [15:26] How should we communicate when using LinkedIn and Facebook [17:50] Connecting with others via email and snail mail [23:30] Connecting with individuals after an event or convention [29:30] How to make and build connections in virtual meetings [31:33] Setting the right tone in any written communication [33:45] Networking in a virtual world [38:46] What are the top interview questions everyone should be prepared to answer and ask [40:19] James Challenge: "Learn about breakpoint chlorination and perform breakpoint chlorination test on the water sample." [45:10] Quotes: "Virtual meetings are such a relief to those introverts like me." - Donna Srader "Zoom is wonderful. It lets you interrupt and ask questions". - Donna Srader "When on a Zoom call: look at the camera, you need to have eye contact."- Donna Srader "LinkedIn is a wonderful way to network."-Donna Srader. "Post information on LinkedIn at least once a week. This allows you to build those relationships." - Donna Srader "Reach out and build relationships." - Donna Srader "Remember that the written word is for the reader. Be Positive." - Donna Srader "My new year's resolution is to write a note to someone every week." - Donna Srader "Post something that is helpful to the readers." - Donna Srader "Written communications require you to think about tone and wording"- Donna Srader "People love to help, people love to give advice." - Donna Srader "A phone call is a very old but unique and effective tool to connect with people." - Donna Srader "You have to set goals and you have to meet those goals."- Donna Srader Connecting with Donna: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: in/donnasrader Website: depts.ttu.edu/careercenter/ Phone: (806) 742-2210 Links Mentioned: Episode 96 Donna Srader's first episode CWT Study Group The Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea How to Look Good in Skype Interviews - Tips & Training

Have you ever hired the wrong person at your company? Have you ever asked for a raise? Have you ever regretted not thoroughly vetting someone before you asked them to join your team? Have you ever started a new job only to walk in the door and discover that there wasn't a computer waiting for you, that you couldn't log into the company wifi, and the drawers to your new desk still had family photos in them from the last person who sat there? EEK. If you answered "Yes" to any of the questions above, this episode is for you. Today my lab partner is Mike E. Hill, Managing Director of Trenton Consulting. Mike has been consulting for over 25 years and he has seen it all, companies that are great at hiring, firing, and onboarding... and the not-so-great companies. Today he is going to share what everyone needs to know if they are looking for a job or looking to hire a new employee. If you ever want to work for a company or wish to add new hires to your company, today's episode is for you. Bottom line: Don't we all want to hire the right people for the job, or work for a company that cares about your interview and onboarding experience as much as you do? Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client. -Trace Timestamps: James' Challenge: "Use your test kit to test your home's water." [4:26] Introducing Managing Director of Trenton Consulting, Mike E. Hill [8:26] Why hiring is important [10:12] How should we start the hiring process? [15:09] How to find quality applicants? [18:55] What is the best interview process? [22:16] Onboarding, training, and the 90 Day Review [33:30] Letting an employee go [39:00] Asking for a raise [45:05] Lightning round questions [46:09] Quotes: "One of the unspoken things about hiring is the cost." -Mike E. Hill "The cost of turnover is about 33% of the annual wage of the employee." -Mike E. Hill "You want to do it right and keep the turnover as low as possible." -Mike E. Hill "Step One: we need to know what we are hiring for." -Mike E. Hill "50% of companies are unready for the new employees starting their first day." -Mike E. Hill "The interview process is the most important part of the hiring process." -Mike E. Hill "Look at style and content on a resume." -Mike E. Hill "Begin interviews over the phone, then do a video call." -Mike E. Hill "There is no "perfect" candidate, but we want to find the best candidate for this job right now." -Mike E. Hill "The biggest mistakes employers make is not taking the time to hire quality employees." -Mike E. Hill "Onboarding requires a checklist." -Mike E. Hill "If we invest in the video training, those new employees can watch it on their off time and have better benefits." -Mike E. Hill "Be slow to hire, quick to fire." -Mike E. Hill "You need to do your due diligence in your hiring process." - Trace Blackmore Contact Managing Director Mike E. Hill: Email: [email protected] Phone: 866-788-5966 Website: TrentonConsulting.com YouTube: Treton Consulting's YouTube Channel Links Mentioned: Episode 200 Submit a Show Idea The Rising Tide Mastermind Books Mentioned: The Extraordinary Business by Mike E. Hill Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey George Washington's Secret Six by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger Turn Washington's Spies by TV Show The Tehran Initiative by Joel C. Rosenberg The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Scaling Up Nation! I want to thank you for listening to 200 episodes! I have been honored to be your host of this weekly podcast over the past 4 years, and I cannot wait to bring you another 200 episodes, thank you for making the podcast what it is today! Looking back, if you had told me when I recorded Episode 1 of The Scaling Up H2O podcast that 4 years later, I'd be celebrating our 200th Episode, I would have laughed. Creating this episode made me realize just how far the podcast has come, and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the listeners and team that makes this weekly podcast possible. I love this industry. Being a water treater has been an outstanding career. It's been so good to me, and I want to return that goodness to the industry I love. Bottom line: My mission is to raise the bar in the water treatment industry. I hope that each episode you listen to elevates you and helps you become a better water treater so that you have more enjoyment for the industry you are serving in. Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client. -Trace Timestamps: Celebrating our 200th Episode by looking back at how much we have grown [0:01] What the past 200 episodes have meant to me [6:30] What the past 200 episodes have meant to you, our listeners [9:28] Using the podcast as a training resource [17:10] Water treatment is a professional profession [19:00] Water is a finite commodity [20:00] More thank yous [21:30] James' Challenge: "Run a jar study on a wastewater sample (or learn how to do one)." [29:13] James' Challenge BINGO Game on our Scaling Up H2O Facebook page [30:55] Quotes: "You can do anything you want to do, and it's not going to be pretty the first time that you do it. The important thing is that you take the first step." - Trace Blackmore "Whatever you want to start, get started!" - Trace Blackmore "I have a passion for this podcast!" - Trace Blackmore "My dad told me whenever I thought I learned everything in this industry was the day I needed to quit because that was impossible." - Trace Blackmore "Congrats! You are in a job that has endless learning. You should never be bored, you should never feel that you have reached a plateau, and if you have you are not trying hard enough." - Trace Blackmore "Please don't fall into the day-to-day rut, there is always something else to learn and always something to get better at." - Trace Blackmore "The biggest thing this podcast has done is that it has created is community." - Trace Blackmore "My hope was this podcast was going to be your onboard companion as you go from account to account and motivate you to learn new things." - Trace Blackmore "The podcast showed me that my work matters, that we can get better, I'm not alone in this industry." -Reid Hutchison "Time flies when you're having fun, keep up the good work." - James McDonald "It's been a great way to know some of the industry titans." - Laith Charles "The podcast acts as a constant reminder that water treaters can be impactful, and we can use the podcast as a training tool." - Adam Sites "Water is a very finite commodity on our planet." - Trace Blackmore "We as water treaters are the most inexpensive bill that our customers will ever pay. You are the most valuable vendor they have. Please make sure they know it." - Trace Blackmore "Scaling Up has been really good for us, it's the place we come to for industry insights." -Russ Baskin "If all of us get better, the industry gets better." - Trace Blackmore "Trace, thank you for helping us scale up our knowledge so we don't scale up our customer's systems." -Mark Lewis Links Mentioned: 001 A New Podcast for Water Treaters 190 The One Where I Celebrate Four Years Of Hosting This Amazing Podcast 004 It's Not Easy Being Green! Scaling Up H2O Facebook Page The Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

Every time I talk to Chris Nagle, I learn something new. I end the conversation more curious than when we start chatting, and I feel energized and empowered to take a deeper dive, so I become a better water treater. Chris has a background in water treatment and works at Evapco, one of the largest cooling tower manufacturers in the world. Chris is a Legionella Bacteria and Cooling Tower Expert because he took the time to comb through years of data and reports to find some truly shocking revelations. He didn't take things at face value. He did the math and research to discover something new about Legionella Bacteria and government regulations that I think every water treater should know. Chris is a passionate investigator and today he is going to touch on what you need to know about Legionella Bacteria transmission, Drift Eliminators, White Rust, Potable Water, Tower Plume, Distributed Water System, Seeding Events, Evaporative Cooling, Tower Louvers, and more. If you were not able to watch Chris Nagle's presentation at AWT's 2020 conference, we've put a link to that below. Bottom line: Chris knows his stuff and you cannot listen to today's episode without learning something new. Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client. -Trace Timestamps: James' Challenge: "Dig through the AWT (www.awt.org) website for resources (both members and nonmembers)." [5:00] Introducing Chris Nagle, Legionella Bacteria and Cooling Tower Expert [7:00] Understanding the 4 types of cooling towers so you can use the right program [10:42] Ways to educate others and the Media on Legionella and Cooling Towers [17:55] What are the government regulations around Cooling Towers and Legionella, and are they reducing the number of cases? [21:48] The problem with the Distributed Water System [25:10] What do we need to know about Drift Eliminators? [28:55] Is there an amount of CFUs of Legionella bacteria that is virtually impossible to get out of a modern-day Drift Eliminator? [37:28] How should we evaluate a Cooling Tower, and talk to our clients? [40:10] What's the difference between a Tower Louver and a Drift Eliminator? [45:40] What is a Tower Plume, and can it spread Legionella Bacteria? [48:18] What resources should every water treater read (*links are below*) [50:05] What's the one thing you want all the listeners to know? [55:12] Lightning Round Questions [57:12] Quotes: "Legionella Bacteria and Legionnaires Disease is not a cooling tower problem, it's a distributive water modern society problem." -Chris Nagle "We educate through data, data sharing, and education." -Chris Nagle "Just because we find Legionella in a cooling tower doesn't mean it is the source of the disease." -Chris Nagle "It's a slippery slope if we start copying and pasting from one regulation to the next, or we start making assumptions based on what someone else has said." -Chris Nagle "Legionella got its name from a Legionnaires convention in Philadelphia in 1976." -Chris Nagle "Legionella regulations have not produced a meaningful reduction of the disease." -Chris Nagle "The data shows that even if we test more often, the regulations are not helping the Legionella rates to go down." - Chris Nagle If we want to get at most of the disease, we need to look more broadly at all building water systems and the supply water systems." -Chris Nagle We used to think "How do we treat the water to stop the transmission of Legionella," but now we can think about "How can we better equip the cooling tower, the device, so it doesn't get out of the machine itself." - Trace Blackmore "Make sure you understand your system volume. We don't want to be overfeeding." -Chris Nagle "We're water treaters. We need to know how much water we are treating." - Trace Blackmore "Legionella Bacteria in low levels in a modern tower is not an indicator of an outbreak or potential outbreak." -Chris Nagle "Plume cannot create a risk for Legionella because it is water vapor, not water droplets." -Chris Nagle Links Mentioned: Dr. Dick Miller's Legionella Recommendations (link to PDF) Submit a Show Idea AWT (Association of Water Technologies) 186 The One Where Conor Parrish Interviews Me, Part 1 187 The One Where Conor Parrish Interviews Me, Part 2 037 The One That's All About White Rust 137 The One That's All About Cooling Towers, Part 1 138 The One That's All About Cooling Towers – Part 2 116 Pinks and Blues: System Volume Chris Nagel's AWT 2020 presentation (YouTube 2020) Cooling Towers, Legionellosis, and Water Management Programs [TRT 59:21] The Rising Tide Mastermind Papers Chris Nagle recommends all water treaters read: Chris Nagle's AWT 2020 presentation (YouTube 2020) Cooling Towers, Legionellosis, and Water Management Programs [TRT 59:21] IWC-08-21 Cooling Towers, Drift, and Legionellosis (Page 30) CTI's TP20-19 Impact of Water Surface Tension on Drift Eliminators International Journal of Epidemiology in 1999, A Community Outbreak of Legionnaires Disease Linked To Hospital Cooling T

On May 11, 2018, on Episode 38 Mark C. Winters the author of "Rocket Fuel " was a guest on the show and he introduced the Scaling Up Nation to Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) in a blitz 100 level introductory course. Today I am pleased to have Mark C. Winters back on the podcast to walk us through his 200 level EOS course, which is all about communication. If you are a new listener, or never had the chance to listen to Episode 38, please check it out today. It will immediately change your business, for the better. In today's episode, Mark C. Winters teaches us how the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) can specifically help businesses of 10-250 people climb a growth path to success, start their leadership teams with clear goals in mind, and confidently lay out which employee is going to do what to accomplish the company goals. Additionally, Mark lays out the framework on how Visionaries (those who come up with the ideas) Integrators (those who make visions happen) can communicate better to take their companies to the next level. When Visionaries and Integrators have a great partnership, there is nothing they cannot do. Bottom line: Mark C. Winters gave my company the tools, confidence, and energy we needed to accomplish more than I could have ever envisioned before we connected. Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client. -Trace Timestamps: James' Challenge: "Test free chlorine in a cooling tower immediately and again an hour later from the same open sample." [2:55] Reintroducing EOS expert, and author of "Rocket Fuel ", Mark C. Winters [6:45] Best ways for a Visionary and an Integrator to work together, communication tools [13:54] What do business owners need to know? [34:54] How do you go about finding an Integrator for your business? [46:08] Rocket Fuel University tools and networking [50:22] What's the one thing you want everyone to know today? [55:00] "I Said This, You Heard That ", Temperament communication strategies by Kathleen Edelman [56:08] The 5 EOS Tools Mark uses to improve businesses [59:16] Quotes: "Simply said: The Visionary makes it up and The Integrator makes it happen." - Mark C. Winters "The worst thing we can do is to sit there stuck without moving forward." - Mark C. Winters "The Same Page Meeting Tool is a way to address issues. We want to be 100% aligned on the issues. Be a united front. You don't want to have conflict in the organization." - Mark C. Winters "The great duos understand each other and play to how they are wired." - Mark C. Winters "We're all different, the more I can understand that, the more effective we can be together." - Mark C. Winters "Understand each other better so we can do a better job getting to the truth and get aligned." - Mark C. Winters "The Accountability Chart: it's different from an org chart because it's not about levels and titles, it's about who is going to do it, and where the accountabilities lie." - Mark C. Winters "As a business owner, you have two rights: 1.) you have your right to the shares of the profit and 2.) your voice in the major decisions of the business. You don't have a right to be "an employee", so if you are acting like an employee, you need to be the best solution to that issue or task." - Mark C. Winters "Understand who you are. And then search for your compliment on the other side of you that loves all the things you hate and stink at." - Mark C. Winters "The words we use are the gifts to the people who listen." - Kathleen Edelman "Learning about the Temperaments has been a game-changer on how I communicate" - Trace Blackmore Connect with Mark C. Winters: LinkedIn: in/markcwinters Links Mentioned: 038 The One That Shows Us How to Run Our Business w/ Mark Winters Rocket Fuel Video Rocket Fuel Tools Visionary/Integrator Assessments Submit a Show Idea 117 The One With Temperament Expert, Kathleen Edelman 179 Another One that Teaches Us to Communicate Better with Others (Kathleen Edelman) The Rising Tide Mastermind Kolbe Index Culture Index DiSC Assessment Books Mentioned: Rocket Fuel the Book by Mark C. Winters Traction by Gino Wickman Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork by Dan Sullivan I Said This, You Heard That Study Guide by Kathleen Edelman I Said This, You Heard That 2nd Edition by Kathleen Edelman Strength Finder 2.0 Tom Rath and Gallup What the Heck is EOS by Gino Wickman and Tom Bouwer

When it comes to unorthodox leadership wisdom, look no further than my guest today, Michelle Reines. Michelle Reines is a speaker, author of the book "From Bad To Badass Leader: 12 Leadership Lessons", executive coach, entrepreneur, founder of MDR Coaching & Counseling, Inc, and creator of the unconventional Badass Leader Brand. Early in Michelle's leadership journey, she was an absolute Ass as a boss, oblivious to the impact she was having on people! Perhaps, like many of you, she didn't understand how to lead. Today's episode is full of Michelle's thrills of victories and agonies of defeat, with the goal of helping you to unlock the art of leading like a Badass! Michelle Reines' 12 Leadership Lessons: Lesson 1. Don't Be An Ass Lesson 2. Stop, Drop, Take a Selfie Lesson 3. Let's Talk About Trust, Baby Lesson 4. Put Your People First Lesson 5. Be An Epic Coach Lesson 6. Build A Badass Team Lesson 7. Create The Struggle Lesson 8. Suck It Up, Buttercup Lesson 9. Don't Be A Kissass Lesson 10. Be A Groupie For Your Team Lesson 11. Expand Your Tribe Lesson 12. Love Somebody Like You Bottom line: Because, when you think about it, doesn't everyone want to be a Badass Leader or at least work for one? Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client. -Trace Timestamps: Introducing my favorite Badass Leader, Michelle Reines [6:40] Her journey of starting as a bad leader to becoming a Badass Leader [9:15] How to recognize the "symptoms" of bad leadership before they become big problems [11:17] What to do when you realize you are a bad leader [12:29] When teams overcompensate for the bad leadership [14:18] Platinum Style Coaching [16:12] The Peter Principal [18:00] Michelle's cataclysmic fall from grace, AKA the day the whole team walked out [20:32] What are human metrics that should be on your leadership scorecard [24:07] The 12 Leadership Lessons in Michelle's book [29:45] Scaling Up Badass Leader Gift Page [38:08] Lightning Round Questions [40:43] James' Challenge: "Research chlorine dioxide." [47:45] Quotes: "Badass is not a bad word, and being a Badass Leader is actually a strength." - Michelle Reines "Leadership is a choice; it is not a title." - Michelle Reines "If your office has a revolving door on it, it's probably your leadership." - Michelle Reines "If your time is being spent repetitively solving conflicts, it's probably a leadership issue." - Michelle Reines "If your phone is ringing off the hook and you're constantly dealing with customer complaints, it's probably a leadership issue." - Michelle Reines "Invest in yourself." - Michelle Reines "In this day and age, there is no excuse for failing to develop yourself." - Michelle Reines "You need critical feedback to develop our teams and ourselves." - Michelle Reines "Great leaders focus on people development." - Michelle Reines "Instead of making the mistake and assuming you are better than the person in charge, it's important to manage your ego and ambition and find a way to partner for success instead of competing with the leader." - Michelle Reines "Leadership is a choice, it's not a title." - Michelle Reines "You have to prioritize people over performance." - Michelle Reines "Give sugar-free feedback." - Michelle Reines "Peers are partners, not competitors." - Michelle Reines "We cannot be the best leaders if we are not taking care of ourselves and our families." - Michelle Reines "There's nothing more important than spending time with those you love." - Michelle Reines 12 Leadership Lessons Graphic: Connect with Michelle Reines: Website: badassleader.com LinkedIn: in/michelledreines Twitter: @MichelleReines Phone: (949) 378-4242 Email: [email protected] MDR Coaching & Consulting, Inc website: mdr4you.com Links Mentioned: 363 For Leaders Assessment 177 The One Where Disney Meets Water Treatment (with Dennis Snow) 194 The One Where We Learn About Productivity Tools (with Danny Bauer) The Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea AWT (Association of Water Technologies) Books Mentioned: From Bad To Badass Leader: 12 Leadership Lessons by Michelle Reines The Five Minute Journal The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey The New One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson MD Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Pat Lencioni

Hey Scaling Up Nation! It's your weekly host, Trace Blackmore. In today's episode, I answer your questions about communication, healthy habits, being a good listener, and share a story that I hope causes you to reflect on why we work and who we work for I love that so many of our listeners submit show ideas for us, and after looking through dozens of show idea suggestions, I noticed one overarching theme emerge: communication. Good communication can help every relationship you are in from your family members to your clients. Good communication is never "accomplished" like clicking a check box, it is maintained and never ends. One of the things I'm going to dive into today is a book that changed not only my communication style but also how I systematize my life for the better, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. As a reference, here are those 7 habits: Be proactive Begin with the end in mind Put first things first Think Win/Win Seek first to understand, then to be understood Synergize Sharpen the saw After listening to today's episode, I challenge you to get excited when you meet someone who doesn't agree with you because you will leave the conversation better for it. Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client. -Trace Timestamps: Scaling up our knowledge, so we don't scale up our systems [1:25] Upcoming events [2:05] Better communication by "Minding The Gap" [3:55] Why I don't talk politics [5:09] The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People [6:55] The art of conversation [11:40] James' Challenge: "Explain to a non-technical person how a compression chiller works." [18:20] The story of the fisherman and the businessman [21:45] Quotes: "Having a solid foundation grounded in your values, ambitions, and personal creed allows you to not be threatened by other people's ways of thinking." - Trace Blackmore "When you get in a situation where someone does not agree with you, you should instantly say "Yippee, this is my opportunity to learn something from a different point of view than somebody else." - Trace Blackmore "I try not to talk about politics. Politics is frequently used as a shield, not a bridge." - Trace Blackmore "We need to build a bridge to fill in the communication gap." - Trace Blackmore "I think too many people are scared of having their minds changed." - Trace Blackmore "If you know something and keep it to yourself, what good is it?" - Trace Blackmore "The best way to learn something is to learn it with the mindset that you are going to immediately teach someone else." - Trace Blackmore Links Mentioned: The Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea AWT (Association of Water Technologies) Books Mentioned: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

My guest today is Dr. Michael Reinert, an Enterprise Architecture expert and the owner of Reinert Consulting which is the company I use for my Information Technology needs. Now you may be asking yourself, "What is Enterprise Architecture and why would my company even need to hire someone to manage my information?" We are going to answer those questions and so many more on today's episode. As a Navy veteran who operated nuclear power plants, a Ph.D. in information sciences and technology, and an entrepreneur, Dr. Michael Reinert has a refreshingly unique perspective on information and technology. He uses the language of business rather than technical jargon to communicate with his clients and brings alignment of business needs with information and technology needs. An entrepreneur, enterprise architect, speaker, and teacher, Michael helps companies remove doubt about decision making and protecting their important information assets. Confession: I'm a great water treater, but until I met Michael, I didn't know HOW or WHY I needed to protect my company's digital information. Bottom line: Today's episode is going to help you understand the immense value of your company's information, and Dr. Michael Reinert will give you a strategy to protect it. Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client. -Trace Timestamps: Our 200th episode is coming up please let us know what the show has meant to you and your show ideas [2:50] James' Challenge [4:00] "Use your sense of touch to determine which softener vessel is online, if the chemical is pulsing through feed tubing, etc., and report back." Introducing Dr. Michael Reinert [7:00] it vs IT [15:49] Enterprise Architecture [19:08] How should a water treatment company manage its Information Technology? [26:05] Cybersecurity and the Dark Web, what you need to know about risk mitigation [33:58] What bottom-line things do the listeners need to know about Information Technology and Cybersecurity? [49:28] Lightning Round Questions [53:30] Quotes: "I.T., make those two letters small, and it's just the basic word "it", but if you capitalize those letters you are talking about a global phenomenon that has changed the whole world." - Dr. Michael Reinert "IT also represents one of the most powerful forces on the planet. computer hardware and software used to manage and communicate information." - Dr. Michael Reinert "IT, it's about information and it's about technology, we need to take both parts seriously and not just talk about technology." - Dr. Michael Reinert "Enterprise Architecture. It's a business strategy with information strategy and technology strategy." - Dr. Michael Reinert As an Enterprise Architect, I capture information in drawings to make maps and mental models of the work my clients are doing." - Dr. Michael Reinert "Rethink what your company's information is, and the value it has." - Dr. Michael Reinert "Think of your information as an asset at your company." - Dr. Michael Reinert "We need to view our company's information as an asset." - Dr. Michael Reinert "Cybercriminals are attacking your technology to get to your information, ultimately that's where your value lies." - Dr. Michael Reinert "Cybersecurity is risk management. You need to manage it just like any other business risk." - Dr. Michael Reinert "In the old days we made firewalls, then better firewalls, and antivirus software, but over time we keep coming back to the same answer to solve our security issues- we need to teach people ." - Dr. Michael Reinert "Build a company culture around security awareness." - Dr. Michael Reinert "The Dark Web is a dark street or the wild west of the internet, it's a lawless part of the internet where lots of criminal activity happens." - Dr. Michael Reinert "If you use the same password or a slight variation, cybercriminals can easily access your information." - Dr. Michael Reinert "Once these cybersecurity hacks occur, it's easy for cybercriminals to access people's information and impersonate them online." - Dr. Michael Reinert Links Mentioned: Get a FREE Cybersecurity assessment from Michael Reinert's company 194 The One Where We Learn About Productivity Tools (with Danny Bauer) 165 The One All About Cyber Security (with Keyaan Williams) 193 Pinks and Blues Questions From The Nation! ABC (Always Be Closing) Anagrammer.com The Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea AWT (Association of Water Technologies) Connect with Michael Reinert: Website: reinertconsulting.com Email: [email protected] Phone: (814) 441 6100 LinkedIn: in/MichaelReinert Books Mentioned: The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey and Rebecca Merrill The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey Podcast Guest Profits by Thomas M. Schwab Start With Why by Simon Sinek

If you want to get better, you need to surround yourself with people who don't shy away at telling what you NEED to hear, not what you WANT to hear. My guest today is such a person. And between you and me, having him on the show is a bit selfish, because I want to hear how he maximizes every day to ensure his personal objectives are accomplished. Today's guest is Daniel "Danny" Bauer. Danny and I met through our Mastermind several years ago and over the years I've been in awe of his productivity. When he sets out a goal for himself he always reaches the finish line. Danny Bauer is the Chief Ruckus Maker at Better Leaders Better Schools (BLBS). He launched the BLBS Podcast in September 2015. With over one million downloads, the BLBS show is the most influential podcast available for educational leaders. He is the author of The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap, which was released as an Amazon #1 New Release, and he is working on a new book tentatively titled: The Mastermind: Unlocking the Potential Within Every School Leader. He is a catalyst for change and he uses his passion for productivity to teach coaches, businesses, teams, and professionals the skills they need to ensure their objectives become reality. Bottom line: If you want to improve your productivity, Danny has the tools you need to make it happen. In the words of today's guest, keep making a ruckus, -Trace Danny Bauer will walk us through this Focus Funnel Can I eliminate a task?/Do I have to do it? Can a robot do this better?/Can it be automated? Can another human do this better than me?/Can I delegate this? What if I procrastinate on purpose? If you cannot procrastinate, you have to concentrate. Timestamps: James' Challenge: "Convert 300 mg/L Nitrite (as NO2) to Nitrite (NaNO2)." [3:50] Introducing my friend and the Chief Ruckus Maker, Danny Bauer [6:26] The value of being in a Mastermind group together [14:15] Better Leader Better Schools [18:52] Core Values, Sticky Values, your Own Personal Philosophy, and investing in yourself [19:38] Productivity tools, Focus Funnel, and always getting better [25:35] Objectives, Key Results, and Time Blocking [33:23] The one thing you want Scaling Up Nation to know [40:33] Lightning Round Questions [42:48] Quotes: "When you force yourself to learn something new, you force yourself to grow." - Trace Blackmore "I realized that I was my own bottleneck and I created my own ceilings." - Daniel Bauer "Authenticity, belonging, and a challenging environment, that leads to life in leadership transformation." - Daniel Bauer "If you are considering joining a Mastermind group. If you have been testing the waters, dive in, what's the worst thing that could happen?" - Daniel Bauer "Leadership is easy when things are going well, but that's not most days. You need to find a north star to pull you through those hard times." - Daniel Bauer "Integrity, authenticity, honesty... we all expect that from a business, and it's not remarkable." - Daniel Bauer "Be an intentional catalyst." - Daniel Bauer "Each day I try to end it knowing it was better than the last." - Trace Blackmore "Get clarity on what matters and what doesn't." - Daniel Bauer "I ask myself: Is this related to one of my objectives or not? If it isn't one of my big objectives, it drops way down the list... if it even makes the list." - Daniel Bauer "I score myself each day only on the tasks related to my biggest objectives, and if I completed them or not." - Daniel Bauer "I focus on the big picture, even if I measure in the micro." - Daniel Bauer "Time blocking. Gift yourself that deep work time throughout the week. You will get so much more done." - Daniel Bauer "You are not going to save the world. You're not going to run the best business if you're always in your inbox responding to whatever activity is in there." - Daniel Bauer "My challenge to you after listening to this podcast: If you have your notifications on, turn off notifications now. Put the phone on silent. Turn off notifications on your computer. All these things are designed to take your focus away from whatever important stuff you are doing." - Daniel Bauer "Scrolling through email inbox and social media is just a distraction from the harder and emotional labor that is going to provide greater value for your business and clients later." - Daniel Bauer "Examine the issue. Don't just look at the surface." - Daniel Bauer "The next time you are trying to solve an issue, spend time trying to get at what that issue is and what that is behind that issue?" - Daniel Bauer "When you can talk with other people about issues you are having in business and personal. You can get to the next level faster, that's what a Mastermind is." - Trace Blackmore Links Mentioned: 5 Easy Questions That Will Help You Be More Productive Roomba Stanford study about multitasking Anagrammer.com Calendly Scheduling Tool Convert Kit The Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea Connect with Daniel "Danny" Bauer: Website: bette

Today I'm talking about sales. I know, I know, sales can sometimes feel like an icky word, but an excellent salesperson is a professional who is always trying to solve their clients' problems, instead of trying to sell them a product. And before we can help our clients find solutions, we need to be able to clearly share Why we do it, How we do it, and What we do. In this podcast I'm going to walk us through the lessons I learned after reading Simon Sinek's fantastic book, "Start With Why." This book changed how I sell because it helped me understand why water treatment is so important, to begin with. And the book made me realize that if I couldn't put my deep feelings of love and admiration for water into words, I'll never be able to clearly express to a client why water treatment is essential. In the book, Simon Sinek' writes about "The Golden Circle", which I'm going to break down for you in detail in the podcast but I wanted you to have this visual as a reference. Bottom line: This podcast is going to give you the tools you need to share with your clients why we love working in the best profession in the world. Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client. -Trace Applying Simon Sinek's The Golden Circle to water treatment: Why: We exist to promote the stewardship of the world's most valuable substance, water. How: We optimize how water works in your system by promoting its longevity and efficiency. We reduce our customers operating costs and water usage. What: We are a water treatment company. Behavior: Let us do your water treatment. Timestamps: I love sales [6:30] Simon Sinek's Golden Circle [8:15] How our brains process information [12:45] Measuring your sales with key metrics [16:42] The importance of a good CRM [22:15] James' Challenge: "Research Ryznar Saturation Index (RSI)" [24:15] One of my favorite things to teach: LSI, RSI, PSI [25:55] Quotes: "I love being a salesperson." - Trace Blackmore "Salespeople today are more professional because our customers are more professional, which means we always need to be at the top of our game." - Trace Blackmore "Solve your clients' issues instead of selling them a product." - Trace Blackmore "You don't just need company core values, you need to have your own personal core values." - Trace Blackmore "We know that our industry is more than just a commodity." - Trace Blackmore "Lagging metrics is easy to record because it has already happened. Leading metrics are indicators of future performance." - Trace Blackmore "LSI, RSI, PSI were the first things I dove into when I started teaching math. I like to think about why the equation is set up the way it is and work backward." - Trace Blackmore Links Mentioned: Simon Sinek's The Golden Circle Presentation 182 The One Where We Share How We Create The Podcast Submit a Show Idea The Rising Tide Mastermind AWT (Association of Water Technologies) 139 The One With CRM Expert, Resa Gooding Books Mentioned: Start With Why by Simon Sinek

It's a joy to have Paule Genest (Jen-nes) on the show this week to talk about marketing. She is the founder and President of PGPR, specializing in coaching and growing your company's communications, marketing, and public relations department, elevating your team to the next level. Paule Genest is Co-Chair of WOW (Women of Water at the AWT- Association of Water Technologies). Over the past 35 years, Paule has worked in public, private, cooperative, and philanthropic. Her clients, and I, particularly appreciate her creative spirit, her human approach to business, her kindness, and her great ability to connect people and rally them around a common vision to promote the influence of targeted projects. Furthermore, she is an adjunct professor at Université de Montréal and Université de Sherbrooke, she teaches Social Responsibility and Public Relations. She holds a bachelor's degree in administration and marketing and holds the PRP (Professional in Public Relations) and ARP (Accredited Public Relations Professional) designations. Bottom line: Paule Genest is by far the best marketing person in the water treatment industry. Today, please listen to the things she shares with you, and if you do only one or two of them, your business' marketing is going to be miles above everyone else's. I urge you to start working on your marketing plan today. Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client. -Trace Timestamps: Introducing Paule Genest, Accredited Public Relations Professional, Coach, Professor, and Co-Chair of WOW (Women of Water at the AWT- Association of Water Technologies) [6:50] An introduction to marketing [12:49] What KPIs should we look at in a marketing campaign? [25:08] How to lead a great marketing meeting [27:00] What are some of Paule's favorite marketing campaigns? [32:21] How to start marketing [36:05] How to budget for a marketing campaign [39:50] Lightning Round Questions [45:34] James' Challenge: "Calculate Holding Time Index (HTI) of a cooling tower." [51:55] Quotes: "Anything that has helped me on my career path, I put on this show." -Trace Blackmore "Paule Genest is by far the best marketing person in the water treatment industry." -Trace Blackmore "Life without water is not a life, water is essential." - Paule Genest "All of us will be a "marketer" at some point in our lives." - Paule Genest "Research is at the heart of everything in marketing." - Paule Genest "If you don't know your client's needs, you cannot meet their needs. Take the time to listen." - Paule Genest "When we implement a strategy, it's all about sharing the good news and learning from our mistakes." - Paule Genest "My favorite marketing campaigns move me; they make me cry or laugh." - Paule Genest "A brand is a promise." - Paule Genest "A step that is frequently overlooked, is the maturing of your launch. I stress soft launches with a small target audience to see if you hit your target. It gives you a chance to reassess, reinforce, or change your content." - Paule Genest "Be present and visible in the market." - Paule Genest "Return on investment and influence is key." - Paule Genest "We need to find a breakthrough idea and build around it. Stand out and be proud of what it is that you are and what you do." - Paule Genest Connect with Paule Genest: Website: en.pgpr.ca LinkedIn: in/paulegenest Links Mentioned: Foundation Maman Dion Submit a Show Idea Rising Tide MasterMind Celeste Headlee - 10 ways to have a better conversation from TED Talks Books Mentioned: Playing To Win by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin Live Big: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Passion, Practicality, and Purpose by Ajit Nawalkha Stand Out: How to Find Your Breakthrough Idea and Build a Following Around It by Dorie Clark The Elin Hilderbrand Collection: Volume 2: Nantucket Nights and The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand

Welcome to the Scaling UP! H2O podcast, where we scale up our knowledge, so we don't scale up our systems. Today's guest is TGWT (Tannin Guys Water Treatment) President & Chief Executive Officer located in beautiful Longueuil, Quebec, Canada, Louis-Philippe Cloutier. Louis has fifteen years of experience working as President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board at TGWT, and since TGWT started in 2005 he has been a knowledgeable and passionate advocate for using tannin in water treatment. Louis has been honored with several awards and accommodations including Best Startup Award for TGWT, Sustainable Supplier Of The Year Award, and Eurêka Award Winner: Public and para-public categories. Bottom line: Louis-Philippe Cloutier knows how to run a successful water treatment business and one of those keys to his success is using tannin. Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client. -Trace Timestamps: Louis-Philippe Cloutier shares the history of tannin [6:40] Tannin and food safety: FDA Approved, Organic Certified, and Kosher Certified [17:02] Tannin chemistry [18:30] Feeding the tannin [21:30] Advantages switching to tannins, and operating parameters [24:08] Why have you used tannin since 2005? [35:59] What's the strangest thing to happen to you since you started doing water treatment? [44:10] Lightning Round questions [45:45] James' Challenge: "Question every chemical product you use at each location to ensure they are the best choice for the application." [53:10] Quotes: "Our purified tannin triples cycles in steam boilers. It reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gases." - Louis-Philippe Cloutier "Tannin is a natural extract. There are 3,000 species of tannin. The species we use comes from the bark of trees. It has to be purified to become a purified tannin." - Louis-Philippe Cloutier "Pressure. Temperature. Purification." - Louis-Philippe Cloutier "Tannin replaces your sulfite and your polymer/disbursement." - Louis-Philippe Cloutier "Tannin will interlink with the magnetites and form a thinner and more robust film on metal than the usual products." - Louis-Philippe Cloutier "Tannin is Green Chemistry. It is FDA Approved, Organic Certified, and Kosher Certified" - Louis-Philippe Cloutier "It's the best career out there. I don't know why anyone would want to do anything else, other than water treatment." - Trace Blackmore Connect with Louis-Philippe Cloutier: Website: www.tgwt.com Links Mentioned: Submit a Show Idea Rising Tide MasterMind Books Mentioned: Scaling Up by Vern Arnish Playing To Win by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin

The first time I heard a podcast, I was hooked. I fell in love with a free platform where you could learn as you drove to client's businesses, while mowing the lawn, or simply taking a walk around the block. One of my core beliefs is that you should constantly be learning and helping others learn, so in April of 2017, after a great deal of support and coaching, I decided to start a podcast 'by water treaters for water treaters.' I opened Episode 1 with the following line: "The goal of this podcast is to bring you topics that will expand your general water treatment knowledge, inform you about the industry, and simply have fun around the industry we have chosen to be in." After four years of hosting this podcast, I've learned so much, created a great team, and met people I never dreamed I'd get the chance to meet, let alone interview. I am humbled and grateful you choose to listen to this podcast each week. This can be a lonely industry. This can be a hard industry. We want you to get it right. We at Scaling UP H2O are here to equip you with the knowledge you need to succeed and build a community of water treatment professionals. Thank you, Scaling UP Nation! We wouldn't have the show without YOU! I'm humbled and honored to be your roadside friend as you travel from client to client. -Trace Timestamps: How the podcast started and the people who help make it happen [0:20] What are your top four Successes, Challenges, Opportunities, and Lessons Learned from the podcast? [15:05] If you knew then, what you know now, would you have started the podcast? [33:49] If my Dad were still alive today, would he listen to the Scaling UP H2O Podcast? [35:05] Why do you release the podcast on Fridays? [36:50] Would you ever consider doing a daily podcast? [38:29] James' Challenge: "Learn how a chemical dosing pump works." [41:09] Why do you think the podcast is so successful? [43:10] Quotes: "The goal of this podcast is to bring you topics that will expand your general water treatment knowledge, inform you about the industry, and simply have fun around the industry we have chosen to be in." -Trace Blackmore, Episode 1 of Scaling UP H2O "The biggest challenge is: You don't know what you don't know." -Trace Blackmore "When you decide you want to start a podcast and keep your day job, it's a challenge, but over the last four years we have never missed an air date." - Trace Blackmore "My mission statement: have the podcast be the catalyst to raise the bar in the water treatment industry." - Trace Blackmore "Don't be afraid to start something new." -Trace Blackmore "Don't be afraid to ask for help." -Trace Blackmore "I now have a team helping me get further faster." -Trace Blackmore "The number one reason why this podcast is so successful: You, You, You, You!" -Trace Blackmore "I'm so humbled that we have so many listeners week after week." -Trace Blackmore "This can be a lonely industry. This can be a hard industry. We want you to get it right. We're here to equip you with the knowledge you need to succeed and to build a community of water treatment professionals." - Trace Blackmore Links Mentioned: 001 A New Podcast for Water Treaters 004 It's Not Easy Being Green! 008 The One with Conor Parrish 186 The One Where Conor Parrish Interviews Me, Part 1 187 The One Where Conor Parrish Interviews Me, Part 2 176 The One About Tagged Polymer Technologies (with Mike Standish) AWT (Association of Water Technologies) 182 The One Where We Share How We Create The Podcast (with Sean Dooley and Lauren Vonfeldt) Ray Baum Memorial Water Technologist of the Year Award Rising Tide Mastermind

Today's guest is Bob Niemiec (KNEE-mick), Managing Partner at Twisthink, a digital innovation partner working to help companies bring their new products or services to life. Through hands-on partnerships fueled by strategic insight, human-centered design, and advanced technology, the Twisthink team has consistently unlocked game-changing opportunities for clients. Bob Niemic and Tinktwist are entirely devoted to creating the ideal user experience, which allows their customers to become leaders in their industries and accelerate growth. We're going to take a deep dive into how to bring innovation into our companies, what it takes to build a great team, how AI can help us achieve our goals, and why Lean Management and Human-Centered Design are crucial to any company. Thank you, Bob, for coming on the show, sharing your insight and expertise, so we are equipped to rise above the mediocre grind and elevate ourselves to see a company's bright future driven by human-centered design. Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client, -Trace Timestamps: Introducing Bob Neimic's game-changing approach to think differently [03:00] Great teams: Bringing together multiple skillsets and generations in the workplace [07:45] Operational excellence and innovational excellence [12:57] Lean Management and Human-Ceneted Design [20:51] What are the payoffs of innovation excellence? [24:05] What inspires your clients? [34:01] What's the biggest mistake you see your clients make? [37:30] What's the big takeaway you want people to know? [40:32] Lightning Round Questions [43:25] James' Challenge: "Check makeup water for ammonia." [49:05] Quotes: "Innovate. Accelerate. Grow" - Bob Neimic "There is nothing harder and more worthwhile than developing a great team." - Bob Neimic "You cannot grow without change." - Trace Blackmore "Operational excellence secures the present. Innovational excellence secures the future." -Roger Milliken "The skill of design or industrial design is a way to raise the bar for innovational excellence." - Bob Neimic "Human-Centered Design: Discovery, Analyze, Create, Develop." -Bob Neimic "Now more than ever, we need to take advantage of the digital age." - Bob Neimic "More empathy is critically important right now." - Bob Neimic "We cannot claim to be innovational excellent without diversity." - Bob Neimic Connect with Bob Neimic: LinkedIn: in/robertniemiec Links Mentioned: The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) Charity Water - A nonprofit that deploys pumps to regions of the world where there is no access to clean drinking water, on a mission to end the water crisis A Practical Guide to Understanding AI Rising Tide MasterMind Submit a Show Idea 024 LSI, RSI, and PSI Books Mentioned: Start With Why So You Want To Talk About Race

Are you considering making a career change to become a water treatment professional? Are you feeling burnt out and overwhelmed in your first year working as a water treater? Or are you navigating how to retire from a life spent working in the water treatment industry? If so, today's podcast is for you. Our guest is fellow Mastermind member and Continuous Improvement enthusiast Shawn McGrade. Shawn started as a building engineer and decided six years ago to become a successful water treater. Today we will discuss his water treatment journey, how he became the top sales rep at his former water treatment company, the importance of mentors, continually developing yourself, and some things he wished he would have known the first year starting in this remarkable industry. Being a water treater is an incredible privilege. Our clients allow us to see behind the curtain, revealing to us fortunate few how things are made. They trust us to make the right call so they can keep doing what they need to do. Water treaters are crucial to a wide variety of facilities, and thankfully there are people like Shawn McGrade and our Scaling UP! H2O listeners who daily demonstrate to their clients the importance and benefits a great water treater can be to their company. Nation! Thank you for being astounding at what you do! Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client, -Trace Timestamps: James' Challenge: "Research Langelier Saturation Index (LSI)." [05:01] Changing professions, Shawn's journey to becoming a successful professional water treater [07:02] An average day as a water treater [23:00] What should we be doing when selling new accounts? [31:05] Joining the Rising Tide Mastermind for continuous development [35:04] What are the best ways one can be successful in the water treatment industry? [45:40] What advice do you have for those looking at a career change? [47:02] The importance of mentors [49:30] Resources to help you become a better water treater [57:20] Lightning Round Questions [62:01] Quotes: "I looked at water treatment as an opportunity to make something of myself and take things to the next level." - Shawn McGrade "Being patient, cordial, sharing things in laymen's terms are crucial when communicating with customers." - Shawn McGrade "The day-to-day is never the same, and as water treaters, we need to wear a lot of hats to be successful and bring value to your customers." - Shawn McGrade "If you sit back and let your client show you what they do, let them walk you around the plant, it's a huge way to build trust and build that relationship." - Shawn McGrade "We get the front row seat to see how it's made. To get those private tours, to see how it's made, it is priceless." - Shawn McGrade "If we learn something from each experience, then that means we are going to get better the next time that opportunity comes around." -Trace Blackmore "If we keep doing what we've always done, pre-COVID, we will never be successful in the future. We need to change our sales techniques to the new climate." -Trace Blackmore "You have to be dedicated and committed in order to be successful." - Shawn McGrade "Normally we are busy working 'in' the business, and Mastermind allows us to work 'on the business and 'on' ourselves. " - Trace Blackmore "The advice I'd give to any water treater is to: Be patient. Don't get overwhelmed. Invest in yourself. And to educate yourself to feel confident in those technical topics." - Shawn McGrade "Let's encourage more women to be in the water treatment industry." - Shawn McGrade "When you are with a customer and don't know the answer, don't lie. Integrity is everything in this business. Look it up and get back to them." - Shawn McGrade Connect with Shawn McGrade: LinkedIn: in/shawn-mcgrade-08187114a Links Mentioned: AWT (Association of Water Technologies) Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea For Our Podcast Association of Women in Water, Energy & Environment Wim Hof Cold Therapy Books Mentioned: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People The 12 Week Year ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 118 Traction The Miracle Morning The Advantage The Success Principles Can't Hurt Me Podcasts Mentioned: Lewis Howes Dr. Rhonda Patrick Joe Rogan

Nation! For those of you who are new to the podcast, I started it as a passion project, and it has grown to become a trusted resource for water treaters around the world. I believe that you should share what you know so that you can enhance others; that is why I make the podcast every week. I'm honored that you've chosen to listen every week as you drive from client to client. Today's episode is Part Two of a two-part series where I am the one in "the hot seat" interviewed by fellow Mastermind member Conor Parrish. It is an honor to have such a highly-regarded water treatment professional interview me. Conor received his CWT (Certified Water Technologist) certification through AWT (Association of Water Technologies) three years ago and has been in the industry for six years. You submitted the questions Conor asks me today, our listeners, so if ever you've had a question you'd like answered on the show, please click the Show Ideas tab at the top of the page and let us know how we can help you 'scale up your knowledge, so we don't scale up our systems.' Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client, -Trace Timestamps: James' Challenge: "Measure the pH of DPD free chlorine test after reagent addition." [1:45] What is your daily routine? [5:02] What are the most significant changes you've observed over time in the water treatment industry since you began in the 1990s? [8:30] What will the future look like for water treatment professionals? [15:30] What is the most embarrassing thing you've done as a water treatment professional? [20:25] If you could have a beer with any historical figure, who would you choose? [27:20] What are some of your favorite non-business books? [29:30] What are some of your favorite SCUBA stories? [33:40] What are some of your favorite podcasts? [43:30] Quotes: "I decide what I want to say "Yes" to on my calendar by saying "No" to the things that are not important." - Trace Blackmore "Our water equipment is getting smarter, and today we're able to make program decisions based on that data." - Trace Blackmore "There is so much we can do today that we were not able to do in the 1990s, thanks to water treatment technology." - Trace Blackmore "There is only so much water. And because of that, we need to utilize it properly." - Trace Blackmore "Without a doubt, the 2030 water treaters' job will be to make sure they are as efficient as possible in their water usage. I think that is going to be their primary job." - Trace Blackmore "Our careers and industry are here to stay, and change isn't something we need to be afraid of as a water treatment professionals." - Trace Blackmore "Water conservation and energy conservation will become crucial in the future." - Trace Blackmore "I believe that you should share what you know so that you can enhance others; that's what podcasts do." - Trace Blackmore Connect with Conor Parish: LinkedIn: in/conor-parrish-cwt-15208251 Links Mentioned: 116 Pinks and Blues: System Volume 183 The One Where We Talk About Artificial Intelligence Rising Tide Mastermind Submit a Show Idea Podcasts Mentioned: The Tim Ferris Show Passive Income - Pat Flynn The Way I Heard It - Mike Row Manager Tools Podcast Books Mentioned: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey The Speed of Trust by Stephen R. Covey The Hunt For Red October by Tom Clancy A Game Of Thrones Books by George R.R. Martin

Hey Scaling Up Nation! Fellow Mastermind member Conor Parrish is interviewing me in part one of a two-part series starting today. Conor Parrish is Director of Business Development at FCT Water Treatment. He attended Drake University, graduated with a degree in Environmental Science, and then moved to Colorado to take an opportunity with FCT Water. He has his CWT and has been in the industry for 6 years; it is a privilege to have him on the show. For those who have been longtime listeners, you'll know that I was hoping that my staff would listen to it when I started the podcast. I never imagined that what began as a passion project would turn into something that thousands of water treaters listen to each week. I am humbled and honored to be the host of this podcast. It has allowed me to teach and give back to the professional water treatment industry I care about so much. I hope you enjoy today's episode! Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client, - Trace Timestamps: James' Challenge: "Determine the volume of a cooling or closed loops system by calculation and tracer addition." [5:25] Conor Parrish interviews Trace Blackmore [7:30] Why do you do the podcast each week? What is your motivation? [8:50] What was the most challenging podcast you've ever created? [11:14] How has the podcast evolved since 2017? [14:48] As the show evolved, what are some of the changes you've seen when asking guests to be on the show or what topics guests want to discuss? [19:00] What have listeners told you about the impact of this podcast? Anything new on the podcast that we can look forward to it? [21:20] How do you balance all of your commitments? [28:25] What advice would you give to a water treater feeling burnout in their job? [45:50] Trace's Challenge: When was the last time you worked on your leadership style? [52:55] Quotes: "I love this podcast because it allows me to teach others about water treatment." - Trace Blackmore "The podcast and Mastermind allow me to help raise that bar in the water treatment industry." -Trace Blackmore "The reason the Scaling UP! H2O podcast is a success is because I have such great guests!" - Trace Blackmore "One of the bad things about this podcast is that there is a lot of technology needed, and I am a technology junkie, so I'm always wanting to buy that next new gadget to make the show better." - Trace Blackmore "I'm humbled and pleased that people enjoy the podcast." - Trace Blackmore "Whenever someone asks me to do something, I always ask myself: If I say "Yes" to this, what am I inherently saying "No" to?" - Trace Blackmore "Have you ever been too busy driving to stop for gas?" - Stephen Covey "When you put a value on your time, you realize what the cost is when you're doing something else." - Trace Blackmore Connect with Conor Parrish: Website: fcwater.com Links Mentioned: 166 The One Where We Celebrate Halloween Ray Baum Memorial Water Technologist of the Year Award Recipient 178 Pinks and Blues Questions From The Nation! Rocketbook Rising Tide Mastermind Books Mentioned: Atomic Habits by James Clear The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Nation! We've received many write-ins from our audience asking how to invest and start saving for retirement. We listened, and I brought in one of the smartest guys I know about those subjects, Wealth Advisor Scotty Neal. Scotty is a friend I met through our Mastermind group, and he has over 25 years of Wealth Advisory experience. Scotty is part of a Wealth Advisory Team that primarily works with a small group of successful business owners, professionals, and executives who are five years out (or less) from an exit. He is an expert at listening to his clients' needs and catering a financially sound investment plan crafted to his clients' specific wealth goals. Scotty is going to share financial advice with Scaling Up! H2O listeners which he would give to people who are just starting their investment journey, to individuals well into their retirement years. We're going to discuss everything from credit card debt to creating your first budget to which program is right for you:401(k), IRA, ROTH IRA, Mutual Funds to BBQ, yes, that's right, BBQ. I hope that if you listen to today's podcast, you will be empowered to take steps towards securing your financial future. We love hearing from you, our listeners! If you have an idea for a future show, or have a question you'd like me to answer in a Pinks and Blues Questions from the Nation episode, please send us a message HERE. Thanks and enjoy today's podcast! Timestamps: Trace's challenge: Everyone has expectations of you. Are those expectations clear? The next time you are talking with someone, make sure both sides clarify the expectations so you can equally move forward with confidence [00:10] James' Challenge: Explain cycles of concentration to a non-technical person. [06:15] Introducing Scotty Neal [10:20] Let's talk about money [16:10] How do I know if I am saving enough? [27:50] What is the best way to invest in your future: 401(k), IRA, Roth IRA, Mutual Funds, SEP? [29:45] How do stimulus checks work? [33:45] Where should I start investing and how do you know what's best for me? [39:00] What is the advice you give to people with different levels of investment experience? [42:12] What is the biggest mistake people make over and over again when it comes to investing? [53:20] Lessons learned from Trace's first financial advisor, his grandfather [59:30] Quotes: "Save money for your future. You need to pay yourself just like you are paying your other bills." - Trace Blackmore "Time. Time. Time spent in the market is the number one thing that affects investment returns." - Scotty Neal "From age 0-18 you are a "consumer" and only take financially from your parents. From age 18-65 you are a "consumer" but you're also a "producer" because you are working; that's your time to make money and save money. From age 65 till the end, you're back to being a "consumer" because you are not working." - Scotty Neal "You've got money coming in and out. The difference is savings and investable dollars." - Scotty Neal "You have to deny yourself in order to invest." - Scotty Neal "Have money make money for you." - Scotty Neal "Ask yourself: Is this a want, or a need?" - Scotty Neal "You make what you make. You need to spend less in order to invest." - Scotty Neal "When it comes to 401Ks, I tell my employees, "Invest at least the minimum that will allow you to take the maximum of what I can give you." - Trace Blackmore "A 401K, is part of your pay. You have to take it. It's free money!" - Scotty Neal "There has never a better time to start investing than right now." - Scotty Neal "Get a Will." - Scotty Neal "Stick. Stay. And Make It Pay."- Scotty Neal "Save. Save. Save. Early and Often." - Scotty Neal Links Mentioned: The Rising Tide Mastermind 173 The One With the Exit Plan 179 The One That Teaches Us to Communicate Better With Others Kathleen Edelman Part 2 184 The One Where I Interview My Mastermind Mentor 178 Pinks and Blues Questions From The Nation! Books Mentioned: The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley The Whistler by John Grisham The Rooster Bar by John Grisham I Said This, You Heard That Workbook by Kathleen Edelman I Said This, You Heard That 2nd Edition by Kathleen Edelman

Nation! I am so excited to introduce you to the man who leads my weekly Mastermind group, Aaron Walker. Aaron Walker has founded more than a dozen companies over the past 42 years. He attributes much of his success to having surrounded himself with his Mastermind counterparts. Aaron spent a decade meeting weekly with Dave Ramsey, Dan Miller, Ken Abraham, and other outstanding entrepreneurs. Aaron is the founder of Iron Sharpens Iron Mastermind that now hosts 20 groups with National and International members. Aaron lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and he has so many wonderful stories and advice to share today! As you know, I lead several Mastermind groups myself. A large reason I can pour into other leaders in the water treatment industry is because of the individuals I meet with weekly in the Mastermind group. Aaron says to think about a Mastermind as "Your own personal board of directors" who help you personally and professionally. Life is way too difficult to do it alone. We are built as human beings to work with other people. I've found that joining a Mastermind can help you grow through vulnerability, coaching, honesty, and camaraderie. If you are a water treater interested in joining a Mastermind, please visit scalinguph2o.com/mastermind to learn how together we can raise up the water treatment industry. Timestamps: Upcoming Events [1:30] James' Challenge: "Review all your accounts to ensure you've lived up to all your obligations. If not, develop a plan." [6:20] Introducing Aaron Walker AKA "Big A" [11:40] A kid working at a pawn shop in Nashville [13:12] Life after "retiring" at 27 years old [18:16] The journey from Aaron's first Mastermind group with Dave Ramsey to leading his own group [22:00] So what is a Mastermind? [32:34] How do you define success? [39:02] Lightning Round Questions [43:35] Trace's Leadership Challenge [47:00] Quotes: "We've all got superpowers and we've all got blind spots." - Aaron Walker "Dang! You don't know what you don't know." - Aaron Walker I've read thousands of books as a result of being in a Mastermind." - Aaron Walker "A Mastermind is your own personal board of directors." - Aaron Walker "It's about legacy and helping others transform."- Aaron Walker "Today I would measure 'success' in terms of others success, instead of my own." - Aaron Walker "If we're not having fun, we need to change direction." - Aaron Walker "If you don't have a mentor, you are missing out on a golden opportunity." -Trace Blackmore "Life is way too difficult to do it alone. We are built as human beings to work with other people." -Trace Blackmore "A leader is somebody who makes other leaders." - Captain David Marquet of The United States Navy Aaron's Southern Sayings: "That's as useless as tits on a boar hog" and "That's a big gentleman." Connect with Aaron Walker: LinkedIn: in/aaronwalkerviewfromthetop Website: www.viewfromthetop.com Links Mentioned: Rising Tide Mastermind Aaron's Mastermind Website 029 The One with the Submarine Captain (with Captain David Marquet) Books Mentioned: Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters by Cole C. Kingseed & Richard D. Winters The Success Principles by Jack Canfield The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss Turn The Ship Around! by Captain David Marquet's

Today's guest is Neil Sahota, an IBM Master Inventor, United Nations A.I. Advisor, professor at UC Irvine, and globally-recognized speaker and author. Neil is a founding member of the UN's Artificial Intelligence for Social Good Committee, and he's here to talk about how we can harness the power of AI and use it for social good. Neil is also the author of "Own the A.I.Revolution", providing a future-forward look at A.I., focusing on how businesses can use it to commercialize while doing good in the world. We'll discuss things like the challenges posed by A.I. and how we can overcome them, as well as which skill-sets are going to be most important in the near future. In our interview, I was amazed by how A.I. can help our businesses, lives, and water infrastructure worldwide. Data allows us to make better decisions. We make better decisions when we have better data. When we don't have data, we're not making decisions; we're making guesses. So how good are your guesses? Timestamps: Upcoming events for water treaters (see links below) [1:50] Introducing Neil Sahota, Artificial Intelligence Expert [8:13] How is A.I. being used to improve our water infrastructure around the country? [14:15] What does a water treater need to know about A.I., and how can they start using it? [16:18] How can A.I. improve our capacity and collection of water in agriculture? [19:36] Why Neil wrote the "Own the A.I. Revolution" and how it can help your business [22:33] Positioning A.I. for social good and working with The United Nations A.I. for Good Initiative [24:33] How do you help people to develop a world-class culture? [28:32] What can't A.I. do? [31:15] Lightning round questions [34:00] Outro [38:11] James' Challenge: Test boiler sulfite, both immediately on a sample, and again an hour later on the same open sample. [41:02] Quotes: "Artificial Intelligence is a machine that can mimic human thinking to do low-level type tasks that require some cognition." - Neil Sahota "Maximize the use of the water we have." - Neil Sahota "A.I. unlocks a toolset that we've never had before, now we can do way more than that." - Neil Sahota "We can use A.I. to influence consumer behavior on their water usage habits."- Neil Sahota "Data is the fuel for A.I." - Neil Sahota "We have to bring people together who want to make solutions." - Neil Sahota "Small things add up." - Neil Sahota "I believe in the power of storytelling so people can hear the actions and outcomes." - Neil Sahota If I can inspire people, soon we are saving a million gallons of water a day." - Neil Sahota "Do something and share that story." - Neil Sahota "Saving money and saving the planet. It's a double win!" - Neil Sahota "Changing the culture takes time and a lot of effort, but it is well worth it." - Neil Sahota Data allows us to make better decisions. We make better decisions when we have better data. When we don't have data, we're not making decisions; we're making guesses. So how good are your guesses?"- Trace Blackmore "We need other people to help us get better." - Trace Blackmore "You never know how far the ripples will reach." - Trace Blackmore "Until next week, try something new, try to learn something new, and do something new; and be the reason that somebody cracks a smile." - Trace Blackmore Connect with Neil Sahota: Website: neilsahota.com LinkedIn: in/neilsahota Links Mentioned: The United Nations A.I. for Good Initiative Episode 168 with Jared Gabel Scaling Up Business Webinar Series Rising Tide Mastermind Books Mentioned: Own the A.I. Revolution by Neil Sahota

Scaling UP! Nation, after multiple listeners called or wrote in asking how we create the weekly podcast, we decided to devote today's episode to how we make the most popular water treaters podcast happen for you, our listeners. Today I have guests Lauren Vonfeldt and Sean Dooley on the show with me. Lauren is my Executive Assistant, and she does everything from booking the guests, to creating the website posts, to designing and executing our marketing campaigns. Sean is our audio magician. He is an Audio Engineer and makes our episodes sound fantastic by eliminating unwanted sounds, making transitions seamless, and polishing the episodes with added touches to make them sound great each and every week. Lauren and Sean have brought their expertise, passion, and positivity to every episode we have done over the past four years, and I could not create this weekly podcast without them. Our show is continually improving because of our listeners, and we would love to hear from YOU! If you have not yet, please click the "submit a show idea" at the top of our site and let us know what you would like on future episodes. Timestamps: James' Challenge "Leave the customer's lab space or work area cleaner than you found it." [00:32] Introductions about the team who creates the weekly podcast show [02:00] First things first: guests, data gathering, planning, strategy, and fact-finding [07:15] Recording the podcast [14:25] Audio editing [21:57] Adding the podcast to the website and making a marketing plan [24:00] Highlighting the best parts of the show with Audiograms [27:45] Monthly brainstorming meetings [30:30] How we came up with "The Best Of 2020 Episode" [32:12] Lightning Round Questions [37:45] Quotes: "He created the show to share his knowledge and the knowledge of all the people he knows with the audience." - Sean Dooley "It's not just me. It takes a team, and I couldn't do the podcast without them." - Trace Blackmore "This week, learn something new and take care of each other." - Trace Blackmore "It's all about improving and making each episode the best one yet." - Lauren Vonfeldt "Our goal is to make this show the best thing possible for the water treatment industry." - Lauren Vonfeldt "Make the show the best it can be." - Sean Dooley Links Mentioned: Submit a Show Idea On Our Website Lauren Vonfeldt's website Sean Dooley on LinkedIn Legionella Episode 150 Legionella Episode 152 Legionella Episode 153 The Best Of 2020 Episode 174 Jeff Henderson Episode 115

I am thrilled to introduce you to two water geeks who love water AND talking about water just as much as I do; friends, bloggers, writers, and the hosts of the podcast "Water We Talking About?", Jim Lauria and Adam Tank. Today Jim and Adam will talk about how to become a water advocate by using social media. Jim Lauria is the VP of sales and marketing for Mazzei Injector Company. He got his chemical engineering degree from Manhattan College, has been working in water for 20 years. Adam Tank has been working in the water industry for 10 years. He started as a microbiologist and quality engineer in the CPG world and he is now Director of Software Solutions for a water startup called Transcend Water focused on automating the preliminary design of water treatment assets, in this case, water and wastewater treatment facilities. If you take nothing else away from today's podcast, please consider that water is something that everyone on the planet needs, and that you, the real people making things happen behind the scenes, owe it to your community to share what you do and why water is essential, and there isn't an easier way to do that then through using social media. Timestamps: James' Challenge: "Draw a process flow diagram for your customers; complete with feed points, water meters, blowdown, pre-treatment, boilers, cooling towers, chillers, etc. [03:15] Jim Lauria and Adam Tank, who are you and how did you meet? [07:30] What are you doing to advocate for water and the water industry and how are you creating content? [14:13] What are your two different approaches to content creation? [21:40] How should someone get started with content creation? [26:20] LinkedIn Advice [28:43] Tagging content [38:25] What's the one takeaway you want people to get from this interview? [41:34] Lightning Round Questions [43:07] Quotes: "When you tell your story on water... the goal is to be focused on the value of water for everybody." - Adam Tank "Water, it is a global good that ultimately is critical for life on earth." - Adam Tank "One of the good things about mentoring is that it is a two-way street." - Jim Lauria "Just keep posting and connecting, you never know what could lead to a direct sale." -- Jim Lauria "Don't be scared of posting something that you think is routine, or wouldn't be interesting, because people outside of the sector or industry don't have a clue what happens in water." - Adam Tank "Catalog the things you find exciting, take a picture, write a sentence, and put it out in the world." - Adam Tank "Think of LinkedIn as a business lunch and Facebook as a backyard BBQ. Dress and act accordingly." -- Jim Lauria "Don't just sell. Provide value and people will come back to you."- Adam Tank "Tell good stories. And get people engaged in the value of water." -- Jim Lauria "Just start. Don't worry about crafting the perfect post. Just post something." - Adam Tank "Never underestimate your ability to influence other people." -- Jim Lauria "Don't be afraid to embrace change." - Adam Tank Links Mentioned: Episode 47 with Jim Lauria Adam Tank's website Jim Lauria's website Water Online Rising Tide Mastermind Imagine H2O 120 Water Jim and Adam's podcast "Water We Talking About?" Books Mentioned: How to Get Your Money Back From Big Companies - Jim Lauria

Hey Scaling Up Nation! If we have a worthwhile goal, it's hard, it takes a long time, and it's probably not fun. Water treaters are constantly on the go, in the car, working long hours, but we need to take the time to take care of ourselves. Today my guest is a physical therapist, Dr. Andrew Kneeburg. Dr. Kneeburg has helped me get out of pain, find some practical steps to keep me healthy, and inspired me to make better choices so I can keep doing the things I enjoy. He is passionate about getting people out of pain and moving again. Dr. Kneeburg graduated from PT school in May of 2016 and has been practicing outpatient orthopedics for 5 years. He has such a refreshing and down to earth approach to stay healthy and I think if you listen to his advice in today's podcast, it could change the trajectory of your life for the better. I hope today's episode inspires you to take better care of yourself. Timestamps: Healthy goals for 2021 [00:01] Dr. Andrew Kneeburg introduction [10:50] What can we do so we stay healthy and not hurt ourselves as industrial water treaters? [15:20] What's water got to do with it? [19:50] Do we need to stretch every day? [22:30] What are the exercises water treaters should be doing? [26:28] What's the key to working out? [33:40] What's the importance of sleep? [35:10] What to watch out for when starting a new exercise routine [36:23] Lightning round questions [40:30] The 7th Habit, the Habit of Self [44:10] James' Challenge: Update your LinkedIn profile to be a calling card for your prospect or customer versus just a resume for your next job. #JC21 and #ScailingUPH20 [ 50:26] Quotes: "Stay active, stay healthy, eat the right things" - Dr. Andrew Kneeburg "Strengthen yourself so you can be healthy for the long-haul." - Dr. Andrew Kneeburg "There isn't one single diet that works for everyone, find a diet that works for you." - Dr. Andrew Kneeburg "Do the exercise movements that simulate what you're doing at work to help you stay healthy." - Dr. Andrew Kneeburg "You don't have to be at the gym 2-3 hour, you just need 20-45 mins of moderate to strenuous exercise." - Dr. Andrew Kneeburg "Bottomline: You only have one body and one life, take care of it." - Dr. Andrew Kneeburg "If we're not taking care of yourselves, then we cannot take care of others" – Trace Blackmore "What are we doing to take care of ourselves?" – Trace Blackmore Links Mentioned: Journal AWT (Association of Water Technologies) Rising Tide Mastermind Books and Articles Mentioned: The Truth About How Much Water You Should Really Drink How much should the average adult exercise every day? A Systematic Review of the Effects of Exercise and Physical Activity on Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain 7 Habits of Highly Effective People 12 Week Year

My guest today is back for part 2 of a lesson in communication. She is Temperaments expert, and I Said This, You Heard That author, Kathleen Edelman. Her mission is to help people use words that build others up. She teaches that "The words you use are a gift that you give to other people". That statement should make us want to think about our words more carefully! Today, Kathleen further explains the Four Temperaments and what to do when we experience miscommunication. If you missed part 1 of this interview, please check it out on episode 117. Nation! I cannot have a conversation with Kathleen and not learn something new about the I Said This, You Heard That study. I would consider myself a diligent student of her material for the past two years, and there is always more to learn. Learning about Temperaments is, hands down, one of the best things I have done to understand how my words sound to people as I am speaking with them. It has been a gamechanger in how I communicate with my team and my family and friends. I hope that the next time you're speaking to someone else, you choose words that are a gift from you to them. Visual Reference: Timestamps: Introducing Kathleen [5:55] Trace, what was your biggest takeaway from the I Said This, You Heard That Book? [10:00] Describe the 4 Temperaments [13:25] How do we use the Temperaments in our communication? [19:50] What to do when you make a communication mistake [29:20] How can we identify other people's Temperaments and communicate better? [32:40] Being aware of how your own weaknesses affect others [42:50] Don't use your Temperament as a weapon or an excuse [48:05] Lightning round with Kathleen [51:51] James' Challenge: "Send handwritten notes to those who have helped you" [1:55] Quotes: "We are responsible for bringing out the best in each other." - Kathleen Edelman "If we take the time to be intentional, the reward is so much greater." - Kathleen Edelman "The person responsible for being the best version of me is ME." - Kathleen Edelman "Your Temperament never changes, but personality can change over time." - Kathleen Edelman "Every Temperament can be a good leader." - Kathleen Edelman "It's never too late to start communicating better." - Kathleen Edelman "Learning about the Temperaments has been a game-changer on how I communicate." - Trace Blackmore Links Mentioned: 117 The One With Temperament Expert, Kathleen Edelman Episode 281 The One About The Power of Kindness with Kathleen Edelman Rising Tide Mastermind Books Mentioned: I Said This, You Heard That Workbook by Kathleen Edelman I Said This, You Heard That 2nd Edition by Kathleen Edelman The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey Atomic Habits by James Clear The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan

This is one of my favorite shows because I always look forward to answering questions from you! My team and I love digging in to gather the BEST answers for you. Thank you for always making these shows such a success by submitting your questions! Today we're going to dive into how do you ensure you have the best result from your sample; what makes a complete service report, what to do if you don't have any other choice than to take a sample from the boiler sight glass; and what are some of my favorite tools? Please join me to hear the answers to your questions, and after listening, if you have a show idea or want to ask me a question, please go to scalinguph2o.com and click the "Submit a Show Idea" at the top of the page. I look forward to hearing from you. Timestamps: Time Management [1:40] Upcoming 2021 Events [3:30] How Do You Ensure You Have The Best Result From Your Sample? /How Do You Know If You Can Trust Your Sample? [13:50] Understanding What Your Test Is Doing [23:50] What Should Be On A Good Service Report? /What Makes A Complete Service Report? [25:02] How Do You Produce A Podcast? [31:47] What If You Don't Have Any Other Choice but To Sample from The Boiler Sight Glass? [33:14] What Are Your Top 10 Favorite Things? [35:30] Can You Give Us More Financial Advice? [45:15] James' Challenge: "Conduct an elution study on a water softener" [50:42] Quotes: "Get in the habit of scheduling time for yourself." -Trace Blackmore "Try to elevate your knowledge and understanding of the tests you run." -Trace Blackmore "The 4 things you need to stay organized: emails, contacts, tasks, and notes from the day." - Trace Blackmore "Money is a tool; it is never the destination." -Trace Blackmore "You need to look at the money you get in 3 buckets: How much do you need to live on? How much do you need to save? What is the money you are going to give to?" - Trace Blackmore Links/Products Mentioned: 175 The First One of 2021 150 The One Where We Talk Legionella Basics 151 The One Where We Talk About Legionella 152 The One Where We Talk More About Legionella 153 The One Where We Answer Your Questions About Legionella 167 The One With John Fenton 092 The One About My TED Talk Experience LED Rechargeable Light Kit 006 Service Reports 111 The One With Eric Russo Rocketbook Erlenmeyer Flask SteriPen Digital Titrator Leatherman Multi Tool Backup Charger Sous Vide Cooker Sense Device Oculus VR Keep Talking And No One Explodes Game 130 How IRA Works Rising Tide Mastermind Books Mentioned: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey

What creates excellent customer service experiences resulting in clients becoming passionate fans of your company? What if some simple steps could change a client's experience with your company from mediocre to magical; would you take them? Today my lab partner on Scaling UP! H2O is Dennis Snow. Dennis honed over 20 years of customer service skills with the Walt Disney World Company. Today Dennis is a full-time speaker, trainer, and consultant who helps organizations achieve customer service, employee development, and leadership goals. Dennis launched a Disney Institute division responsible for consulting with some of the world's largest companies. This division quickly became the fastest-growing venture of the Disney Institute and experienced nearly 100% repeat business. He also spent several years with Disney University, teaching corporate philosophy and business practices to cast members and the leadership team. In his last year with Walt Disney World, Dennis' leadership performance ranked in the top 3% of its leadership team. Scaling UP! Nation, join us today as we learn from Dennis's tried and true methods to turn your business from unimpressive to the most impressive in the industry when it comes to excellent customer service. My challenge to you is this: "Do a little something that pushes you to become better at whatever it is that you deem you need to become better with" [57:17] Timestamps: How a 3-month job at Disney became a 20-year career [05:55] Turning a "Tragic Moment into a Magic Moment" [09:50] Empowered Employees and Coachable Moments [11:29] What Is the Customer Asking [13:05] What Is Backstage Vs. On Stage [16:10] How To Create Moments of "WOW" For The Customer [20:50] Seeing And Solving The Potential Points of Pain [25:58] Communicating The Right Message Throughout The Company [30:18] What Is Your Book, "Lessons From The Mouse" About? [39:33] What's The Bottomline [42:28] Lightning Round Questions [44:15] James' Challenge: "Clean, Organize, and Update Your Water Testing Kit And Equipment" [56:13] Quotes: "From the moment you express interest in a job, to the moment you leave, everything in between is training." -Dennis Snow "Maintaining your guest or client's dignity is critical." - Dennis Snow "Take what is important to you as an organization and build it into every process that impacts your employees." -Dennis Snow "Don't generate tasks, create experiences." -Dennis Snow Connect with Dennis Snow: Website: www.snowassociates.com LinkedIn: in/dennissnow Phone: (407) 294-1855 Links Mentioned: 167 The One with John Fenton AWT (Association of Water Technologies) James McDonald's LinkedIn #JC21 and #ScalingUpH20 Books Mentioned: Lessons From The Mouse by Dennis Snow Unleashing Excellence by Dennis Snow Story 10X by Michael Margolis The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek Hamilton by Ron Chewnow

As water treatment professionals, we must continue to expand on our knowledge of the industry. Learning from others in the industry is a great way to do that! One key aspect of the water treatment industry is understanding polymers. Many of us regularly use these products but have no idea how they are created and where they come from On the podcast today, we are joined again by Mike Standish, co-founder of Radical Polymers. Mike has over 28 years of experience in polymer additive design and development. Before forming Radical Polymers, Mike served in technical and business leadership roles within global, publicly-traded chemical companies. He is responsible for developing and patenting industry-leading polymers for use in the water treatment, oilfield, and detergent industries. Mike will be talking all about tagged polymers and what's new in this space over the last few years in today's episode. After Mike's presentation at the most recent AWT conference, I knew we needed to talk further and get this information to the entire industry. As James McDonald has said about Mike from him joining me on episode 14, "Mike is one of those presenters that you'd listen to even if he was reading from a phone book. He's well-spoken and always highly informative in very relatable terms. Good guest!" I hope you learn something today and enjoy hearing from my friend Mike Standish! Time Stamps: Introducing Mike Standish [15:00] What's new since Mike's last appearance on Scaling UP! H2O [17:11] How does a product go from a concept to something we can use with a customer [18:22] What does field testing look like? [21:28] How we test for polymers [24:21] How do we traditionally test for polymers? [32:45] What do people need to consider when updating their polymer technology? [38:30] How stable is the tag polymer with halogens? [43:14] Where to learn more about tag polymers [45:18] James' Challenge: "Check makeup water for phosphate" [54:53] Quotes: "It's been helpful to me to translate the complexities of polymers into practical use." -Mike Standish Links Mentioned: Submit a show idea 12 Week Year Rising Tide Mastermind The Hang Business Webinar Series 014The One with Mike Standish Reach out to Mike directly Mike's AWT Presentation

Even though most of us were ready for 2020 to be over and never speak its name again, it is essential to take the time to reflect on the past year and what we learned. This is something that I love doing every year no matter what. There were some valuable lessons and many challenges we overcame that we should all be proud of. Once we have taken the time to process the progress we made in 2020, we can turn our attention to the year ahead. In today's episode, I discuss some tips on productivity, goal setting, and being intentional with your time as we move into the new year. When we take time to be intentional instead of just reacting to the year, it can make all the difference in our success. Please enjoy today's episode and happy New Year! Timestamps: Importance of using a calendar [4:20] How Trace uses his calendar [10:26] Using Tribute Statements to be intentional with your time [15:20] How to prioritize your task list [17:20] How Trace uses Outlook with his task list [31:30] James' Challenge [40:50] Quotes: "In the first week of the year, start planning your year." -Trace Blackmore "I hope 2021 is your most productive year yet." -Trace Blackmore Links Mentioned in this Episode: 119 The First One of 2020 Submit a show idea The Hang Rising Tide Mastermind The Business Webinar Series Franklin Covey Planning Method Books Mentioned: 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran & Michael Lennington

First of all, Merry Christmas! How about this? An episode releasing on Christmas Day. Consider it my gift to you! 2020 has been a year like no other. We have faced many challenges, but I think there are also valuable lessons for each of us to learn from 2020. My favorite thing to do at the end of every year is reflecting on what worked well and what did not work well to make the necessary changes for the next year. And of course, always celebrating how far we have come. Although much was out of our control in 2020, I believe we made the most of it and grew together as a water treatment community. In today's episode, we are doing something we have never done before. We are looking back at the top five episodes of 2020 to re-visit some of the lessons we learned together this year. What would you say you learned this year? Enjoy, and cheers to a new year! Time Stamps: Episode 119 - S.M.A.R.T Goals [1:44] Episode 120 - Legionella [13:39] Episode 122 - EOS [19:32] Episode 125 - Safety [27:22] Episode 137 - Cooling Towers [38:02] Quotes: "When it comes to goal planning, less is more." -Trace Blackmore "We need to use the knowledge we learned this year so we can make next year even more effective." -Trace Blackmore Links: Episode 119 12 Week Year Planner Episode 120 Episode 122 Traction Episode 125 Rising Tide Mastermind Episode 137

Have you lost sleep wondering what will happen to your water treatment business when it is time for you to retire? If you don't have an overall plan for your exit strategy, it's time to get one. Even if you don't plan to exit for a long time. In today's episode, I speak with Michael Warady, President and Co-Founder of the Sylmar Group. Before founding Sylmar, Michael led project development efforts and was a member of the growth-stage equity investment team at AquaTECTURE where he led the development of new water treatment projects such as cooling towers and wastewater reuse facilities. In addition to running the Sylmar Group, he is an Industrial Advisory Board member of the International Desalination Association and sits on the non-profit Access Books board. Michael and I talk about some different options for exiting your business when that time comes. It's so important to be comfortable and confident in your long-term plan, and in today's episode, we talk about how to make that happen. Enjoy! Timestamps: Introducing Michael Warady [10:30] Starting The Sylmar Group [17:25] How to plan for your business after your retirement [22:54] What are some of the ways to valuate a business? [29:15] Transitioning to a more formal balance sheet and income statement [33:39] What to do when someone reaches out to you about buying your company? [37:24] Top concerns when it comes to selling your business [40:51] What is the first priority if you want to exit your business soon [46:41] A real life example of one of The Sylmar Group's customers [51:45] Quotes: "Water is the one irreplaceable thing on earth." - Michael Warady "What is the type of business I want to pass onto the next owner?" - Michael Warady "A typical sales process is a six to nine-month process." - Michael Warady Connect with Michael Warady: Website: sylmargrp.com LinkedIn: in/mwarady Links Mentioned: Rising Tide Mastermind 127 The One With Tom Hutchison Trusted Advisors Network The Hang

How much money do you think you'd be able to save if you had better information when making daily purchases? I'd suggest that it is a lot. By having better data, we could also reduce our energy consumption and positively impact our environment (and our pocketbooks.) The truth is, we need better information so that we can make better choices. Our guest today is Ron Kamen, an expert in clean energy. He believes firmly that making a transition to clean energy is necessary for our future. In today's episode, we discuss clean energy, ways to save money and reduce our carbon footprint at the same time. I hope you walk away from today's episode with some tangible steps to move towards clean energy, save money, and have a positive effect on the environment at the same time. Timestamps: James' Challenge [05:50] Introducing Ron Kamen [13:00] What are some simple ways to move towards clean energy [19:05] Lighting [20:45] Air filters [22:08] ROI in clean energy [26:50] Solar energy [36:27] Electric vehicles [47:58] What is the most significant barrier people face towards making clean energy choices [24:15] Quotes: "We are all forces of nature. We can have a dramatic impact." - Ron Kamen "Go clean, save green." - Ron Kamen Connect with Ron Kamen: LinkedIn: in/ronkamen Podcast: Awesome Earthkind Podcast Awesome Earth Kind x ScalingUp! H2O Website: earthkindenergy.com Links Mentioned: The Hang Fusion Capitalism Sense Energy Monitor

2020 has been quite a year. It has required all of us to be flexible and creative to keep our businesses running successfully. Earlier this year, I pulled together the best and brightest and hosted a webinar series to help our Mastermind Group navigate different aspects of the Covid-19 Pandemic. From Human Resources to Self-Care, we covered it all. You can go back and watch those videos anytime by clicking here . In today's episode, Jill Cavano and I wanted to follow up with everyone since the webinar series. We discuss the best practices we have learned about navigating work in the water treatment industry during the past few months of this pandemic. We touch on company culture, core values, economic recovery, and more. I hope that today's episode allows you to continue to pivot and work successfully during these unprecedented times. Timestamps: Company culture [08:28] Core values [13:08] Economic recovery [23:17] PPP Loan Forgiveness [28:44] What we have learned so far this year [30:15] Coming HR questions during this time [47:44] Goal setting and long term planning [1:05:25] Self-care during a pandemic [1:15:24] Quotes: "Core values are the bedrock of a good culture." - Trace Blackmore "How can we learn from each other's mistakes and victories so that we don't have to go through this alone?" - Trace Blackmore Links Mentioned: Proactive Webinar Series Rising Tide Mastermind 092 The One About My TED Talk Experience The Hang Video Presentation Part 1 Video Presentation Part 2 Books Mentioned: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran Traction by Gino Wickman

In today's episode, I am doing one of my favorite things – answering your questions! As water treaters, it is so vital that we stay curious and continue to learn all that we can about our industry. That is why I love these episodes so much. It gives us a chance to discuss some common questions that many water treaters have. In today's episode, we get technical! We will be discussing wet analysis, keeping track of stack temperatures on boilers, and more. Please enjoy this episode of Pinks and Blues, where I answer some of the questions submitted by members of the Scaling UP! Nation, and let's remember to scale up on knowledge so that we don't scale up our systems! Timestamps: More about wet analysis [05:30] Logging stack temperatures on a boiler [14:20] Boilers with feed water tanks and oxygen corrosion [20:54] Quotes: "You, as the water treater, are the biggest advocate for the boiler." "When we understand what we do better, not only do we get better as individuals, but we get better as an industry." Links Mentioned: Submit a show idea Register for the Scaling UP! Hang Rising Tide Mastermind

Happy Thanksgiving Scaling UP! Nation! I am so thankful for each and every one of you! I am also thankful for the organizations out there that help each of us do our jobs better. There are so many organizations out there that support us in the water treatment industry. Usually, people tend to think about large-scale global organizations, but there are so many local resources that we can work with and learn from as well. My guest today is Max Herzog of the Cleveland Water Alliance. The Cleveland Water Alliance is a collection of forward-thinking research institutions, industry leaders, environmental organizations, and public utilities that together advance a new way of thinking about regional economic development. Max talks to us all about the Cleveland Water Alliance and how organizations like this are moving the water industry forward. I hope you enjoy today's episode, and it inspires you to look into some local organizations in your area that you can learn from and partner with. Timestamps: Introducing Max Herzog [06:57] What is the Cleveland Water Alliance? [08:16] Some of the Cleveland Water Alliance's current projects [10:05] What does the process with the Cleveland Water Alliance look like? [16:36] How do people engage with the Cleveland Water Alliance? [19:00] What Max sees as the most significant issue when it comes to water [22:38] Where to find out more about the Cleveland Water Alliance [29:02] The one thing Max would like to communicate in this episode [31:07] Quotes: "Our focus is on the value of water innovation." "Consider innovation and invest in innovation." "I encourage folks to think about the possibilities. Don't shut out innovation as something that's a waste of time." Connect with Max Herzog: LinkedIn: in/max-herzog-59975688 Website: clevelandwateralliance.org Links Mentioned: Rising Tide Mastermind Erie Hack Submit a Show Idea Books Mentioned: The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran

In our industry, it is so important to stay on top of new technology. Did you know that feed pumps can now use intelligent pumps, cloud connectivity and digital services? This new technology can enable real-time monitoring, remote control, fault prediction and system optimization to help you reach a new level of performance. In today's episode, I am speaking with Jared Gabel. Jared is a market development manager at GRUNDFOS, the largest pump manufacturer in the world. In addition to knowing a lot about feed pumps, Jared is in a Green Day cover band. I think that's pretty cool because Green Day may or may not be my music of choice when it comes to singing karaoke. We talk about all types of boiler feed pumps and all upcoming technology and improvements in the space. Enjoy! Timestamps: Introducing Jared Gabel [08:12] Metering pumps [10:30] Different types of drive mechanisms [12:45] New features of pumps [17:25] How should we be sizing pumps? [21:10] Calibrating a pump [26:05] Changes in technology with metering pumps [30:10] Metering pump installation [37:22] What is the one thing you want people to stop doing? [45:08] Quotes: "You can make it as complex or as simple as you want, depending on the technology you choose." - Jared Gabel "Don't be opening the brains of the pump if you are not a brain surgeon." -Jared Gabel "Be open to the new technologies that are out there." -Jared Gabel Connect with Jared Gabel: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jaredgabel Links Mentioned: Chemical Compatibility Database Scaling Up! Hang Rising Tide Mastermind GRUNDFOS Technical Institute Jared's Green Day Cover Band

Scaling UP! Nation, it's hard to run your life. Everyone expects the most from you, and you expect the most out of yourself. This leaves most of us running faster and faster until we run out of gas. We all need to take time to get gas and make sure we take care of ourselves before we take care of everything else. The problem is, we don't. Stave yourself too long without that needed gas, and you may not have the option of refueling. My lab partner in today's episode is John Fenton, the "CEO Sensei." John J Fenton is a Certified Success Principles™ Trainer, an award-winning speaker, best-selling author, and leading authority in Leadership. Following a successful 30+Year career as a Managing Partner and CPA in one of the world's largest accounting and consulting firms, John launched his business in 2013 in executive coaching and consulting to help busy executives be the best leaders they can be. John shares his personal story with us to better take care of ourselves as we become better business owners, managers, technicians, and everything in between. Please enjoy my interview with John Fenton. Timestamps: Introducing John Fenton [7:45] John's breakthrough goal [18:41] Taking five minutes each day to re-focus [23:00] Advice for choosing to be different [25:45] Being selective with the information you absorb [31:38] John walks us through a short meditation [40:04] John's advice on where to start [49:04] Discussion Questions: Is there an area in your life where you need to choose to be different? Where can you carve five minutes out of your day to focus on what you are grateful for? Do you have a clear vision of your purpose and passion in life? Quotes: "Enjoy your success now." - John Fenton "Frequency and repetition is so important in everything we do." - John Fenton "Take just five minutes in the day... focus on some breathing and focus on what you are grateful for." - John Fenton Connect with John Fenton: Website: johnjfenton.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnjfentonceocoach Links Mentioned: 092 The One About My TED Talk Experience 131 The One About Standard Operating Procedures 156 The One with Tricia Molloy The 5 Minute Mastery Brene Brown's TED Talk

In this week's special episode on the day before a spooky holiday, I only felt it would be appropriate to celebrate Halloween! Did you know that there are legends of haunted boiler rooms throughout the country? A lot of boiler rooms feel a little spooky. I know you probably have your own story about a haunted boiler room. If an operator is there long enough, the operator is bound by some operator code to come up with a guest story about the boiler room. Or they take his operator card away. In today's episode, I am reading a Halloween-time favorite, The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe, to get us in the spirit. Enjoy! Timestamps: Famous haunted boiler rooms [2:15] The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe [4:50] Why we read The Raven today [14:55] Upcoming Virtual Hang [17:40] Links: Register for the After Hours Hang Here Rising Tide Mastermind

When I recorded this interview some months back, I didn't realize how important this topic would become. For so many of us, our lives have moved to the digital space due to the pandemic. We are online now more than ever! Our kids are learning online, our meetings and even our conferences have moved to virtual spaces. We must know how to navigate this new world safely. Our guest on today's episode is Keyaan Williams. Keyaan is the director of Cyber Leadership and Security Solutions, LLC. He helps customers solve their people, processes, and strategy problems related to enterprise risk management and cybersecurity. In today's episode, we talk all about cyber attack prevention. I hope you will put some of these practices into place both personally and at work to set yourself up for success when it comes to cybersecurity. Timestamps: Introducing Keyaan Williams [11:57] Similarities between Keyaan's early career in the military and his work in cybersecurity [14:37] Why should we care about cybersecurity? [16:10] What kind of procedures should we have in place [22:13] What are phishing emails, and how can we protect ourselves against them? [27:22] Ransomware attacks and how to prevent them [32:45] The importance of backups [38:43] How to approach a business impact analysis [42:15] What should we be doing as water treaters to protect our customers and ourselves? [44:52] Keyaan's advice for home cybersecurity [47:38] Keyaan's number one piece of advice [52:07] Quotes: "Cyber security is for everyone." - Keyaan Williams "Good practices and behavior will help decrease your risk drastically." - Keyaan Williams Connect with Keyaan Williams: LinkedIn: in/keyaan Website: class-llc.com Links Mentioned: Rising Tide Mastermind NIST Cybersecurity Framework

Have you ever felt like you had the best made plans but you did not achieve your goal? Or your team did not achieve the goal? Well... you are not alone. If only we could apply some disciplines that allow us to see potential pitfalls and help get everyone on the team engaged to achieving the goal. Today, Chris McChesney from the Franklin Covey Organization is joining us on Scaling UP! H2O. He is the author of #1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller, The 4 Disciplines of Execution. The 4 Disciplines of Execution is a set of practices that have been tested and refined by hundreds of organizations and thousands of teams over many years. When a company or an individual adheres to these disciplines, they achieve superb results, regardless of the goal. I am so excited for you to learn from Chris McChesney on today's episode and apply his teachings to your goals! Timestamps: Introducing Chris McChesney [05:45] Chris' background [07:28] Who should be reading The 4 Disciplines of Execution? [10:00] Four principles behind the disciplines [12:15] Focus on the wildly important [22:51] Act on lead measures [28:00] Keep a compelling scoreboard [31:40] Create a cadence of accountability [39:00] What is the most common stumbling point with The 4 Disciplines of Execution? [43:33] What can we look forward to in the new edition of the 4 Disciplines of Execution? [51:12] Quotes: "What are the fewest battles necessary to win the war?" "Don't be afraid to put disproportionate amounts of energy against very tactical wins." "Keep the focus small." Connect with Chris McChesney: LinkedIn: in/mcchesney4dx Links Mentioned: Rising Tide Mastermind Scaling Up! H2O Shop Chris' LinkedIn Profile Books Mentioned: The 4 Disciplines of Execution by Sean Covey, Chris McChesney, & Jim Huling The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

We are wrapping up our special series for Industrial Water Week. Today's episode is all about careers! Which means we are celebrating YOU – the fine people within the noble Industrial Water Treatment profession. Thank you to each of you that sent in clips of your kids telling us what you do. If anything, we've learned that what we do isn't the easiest to explain. Join me as we celebrate: Water Management Specialists, Technical Support Engineers, Application Engineers, Business Development Managers, Accountants, Supply Chain Managers, Management, Administrators, Marketing Specialists, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Human Resources, and many more! Don't forget to use the hashtag #IWW20 and post a picture of your water cake! We would also love to hear how you got into the water treatment industry. Be sure to check out our new Scaling Up! H2O shop to see our new water treatment merchandise. Timestamp: Water treatment careers [01:55] The importance of mentorship in the water treatment industry [03:45] Industrial Water Treatment Jeopardy [04:37] Doctor H2O [06:55] Scaling Up! H2O Shop [17:35] Our kid's explanations of what we do as water treaters [18:20] Closing Industrial Water Week 2020 [20:30] Links Mentioned: Water Cake Recipe Scaling Up! H2O Shop

Hello, and welcome back to our special series for Industrial Water Week. Today's episode is all about wastewater! Test your water treatment knowledge with Industrial Water Treatment Jeopardy and find out what Detective H2O has been up to since we last talked. In regards to wastewater we will discuss filtration, coagulants, flocculants, microbiological treatment, filter presses, oxidation, gray water, recycling, equalization basins, dissolved air filtration, induced air filtration, settling tanks, mixing tanks, water analysis, recycling, reuse, polymers, and much more! Thank you so much for joining us as we celebrate the best week of the year! Don't forget to use the hashtag #IWW20 and post a picture or video to celebrate Industrial Water Week. Be sure to check out our new Scaling Up! H2O shop to see our new water treatment merchandise. Timestamps: Kevin Cope on wastewater treatment [03:05] Scaling Up! H2O Shop [07:45] Industrial Water Treatment Jeopardy [08:26] Detective H2O [10:09] Challenge to use #IWW20 [18:50] Links Mentioned: Industrial Water Week 078 The One with The Waste Water Guy (Part 1) 079 The One with The Waste Water Guy (Part 2) Scaling Up! H2O Shop Water Cake Recipe

Hello, and welcome back to our special series for Industrial Water Week. Today's episode is all about cooling! We will celebrate everything cooling in today's episode! From Trace's favorite cooling tower stories to finding out what Detective H2O is up to next, this episode has something for everyone! open-recirculating cooling towers evaporative condensers chillers closed loops cooling chemistry cycles of concentration energy efficiency water efficiency microbiological control biocide corrosion minimization scale/deposit minimization safety water analysis blowdown control calculations Don't forget to use the hashtag #IWW20 to share with the Nation! what you are doing to you celebrate this week! Have you seen our new merch? Visit the new Scaling Up! H2O shop to see our new water treater products! Timestamps: Industrial Water Treatment Jeopardy [02:50] Detective H2O [04:43] One of Trace's favorite cooling tower stories [14:30] Brett Alexander's episodes on cooling towers [20:10] Links Mentioned: Industrial Water Week Scaling Up! Shop 137 The One That's All About Cooling Towers, Part 1 138 The One That's All About Cooling Towers – Part 2

We are continuing our special series of episodes for Industrial Water Week and today's episode is all about boilers! Boiler Tuesday is about celebrating: boiler chemistry cycles of concentration energy efficiency water efficiency, safety boiler water analysis blowdown control calculations corrosion minimization scale/deposit minimization water analysis Much more! If these topics excite you, you do not want to miss today's episode! Detective H2O will make an appearance. It's the perfect way to celebrate Industrial Water Week. Use the hashtag #IWW20 and let everyone know how you celebrate the most important week of the year. Gather the family and give our water cake recipe a try to celebrate #BoilerTuesday. (Can we link the water cake recipe here - I uploaded a PDF to the file) Be sure to check out our new Scaling Up! H2O shop to see our new water treatment merchandise! Timestamps: Water cake recipe [02:00] Introduction to boilers [03:02] Industrial Water Treatment Jeopardy [03:45] Difference between steam boiler and hot loop boiler [06:20] Detective H2O [07:06] Trace's boiler story [13:50] Links Mentioned: Industrial Water Week Scaling Up! Shop

Today we are kicking off Industrial Water Week, and I couldn't be more excited! This week is truly one of the best weeks of the year. We have created a week of episodes to help you celebrate this wonderful holiday! James McDonald, Mr. Industrial Water Week himself, will be sharing with us each day. You do not want to miss hearing what Detective H2O has been up to. Today is what we are calling Pretreatment Monday. In this episode, we will celebrate water softeners, reverse osmosis, demineralizers, dealkalizers, filters, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, cold lime softeners, hot lime softeners, clarifiers, deaerators, electrodeionization, water chemistries, water analysis, and much more! Don't forget to use the hashtag #IWW20 and try the water cake recipe today! Be sure to check out our new Scaling Up! H2O shop to see our new water treatment merchandise. Timestamps: James McDonald welcomes us to Industrial Water Week [03:27] Industrial Water Treatment Jeopardy [05:20] Importance of pretreatment [07:05] Detective H2O [08:55] Water Cake recipe [19:42] Links Mentioned: Industrial Water Week 097 The One About Filtration on Cooling Towers Scaling Up! Shop Water Cake Recipe

Happy Association of Water Technologies 2020 Convention week! If it weren't for COVID19, we would all be together right now. However, through the magic of technology, we are virtually together. Proving once again, we can get through COVID19. We can get through anything! We are Water Treaters! Every year the Association of Water Technologies bestows an award called The Ray Baum Memorial Water Technologist of the Year Award. The Association of Water Technologies describes this award as follows: The Ray Baum Memorial Water Technologist of the Year Award, recognizing "outstanding entrepreneurial spirit and contributions to the field of water treatment," will be awarded at the Annual Reception and Awards Dinner held during the Annual Convention. The award is named after Ray Baum, one of AWT's founders. Baum viewed the association as a nurturing support network for small and medium-sized companies, to provide knowledge and activities to allow these companies to grow and compete in the worldwide marketplace. He was committed to the industry whose growth he helped build throughout his career. The recipient should exemplify these characteristics. I am humbled to be the recipient of this award for 2020. Something to celebrate in a year that hasn't had a lot of celebration! Thank you to all who nominated me, and thank you to the AWT board for selecting me as this year's recipient. I look at this award as a symbol of the effect the Scaling UP! Nation! has had on so many, including me. Thank you for being part of The Nation! and being part of something that can elevate the entire water treatment industry. This award is given every year. Who do you think will be next? Will it be someone you know? A guest of this show? Or will it be you? I urge you to look for the qualities that this award celebrates in all water treaters, including yourself. If you would like to nominate someone, please click here. Please enjoy this special episode. Timestamps: The Ray Baum Memorial Water Technologist of the Year Award [01:50] The importance of mentors [07:05] The acceptance speech [07:45] Winner's history in water treatment [08:20] Scaling Up! H2O Podcast [10:00] Rising Tide Mastermind [11:09] Navigating the Pandemic while Innovating for the Future [20:15] Links Mentioned: AWT Interactive Annual Convention and Exposition Ray Baum Memorial Water Technologist of the Year Award 154 The One With AWT President, Tom Brandvold, CWT Rising Tide Mastermind Industrial Water Week

Our test kits are our greatest tool. But what happens when the tests we rely on don't do what they are supposed to do? Yes, your tests know how to lie! They also know how to have a bit of fun and not react the way you are expecting. Adds a bit more fun to our job, doesn't it? Well, the fact is our test will always react within the confines of chemistry, even if we don't understand the chemistry. The only way to truly understand your tests is to understand the chemistry that allows them to work. And there again, another thing to learn in water treatment. This is why I always say that you should learn something every day in the water treatment industry! Today, we are going to talk about understanding our tests better. I have chosen questions from the Scaling UP! mailbag about tests. What happens when our pinks don't turn pink, and our blues don't turn blue? That's what we are talking about today. Timestamps: Knowing the basics of your tests [8:10] Importance of clean test kits [10:00] Importance of measuring accurately [10:40] Chloride test [11:32] Alkalinity test [22:00] Nitrite test [27:47] Alkalinity relationships [28:42] Free Chlorine test [32:01] Sulfite test [36:45] Phosphate test [40:00] Quotes: "As a professional water treater, you need to know the procedures of your tests." "It's better to be consistently wrong than to be all over the map." Links Mentioned: Rising Tide Mastermind AWT Annual Convention and Exposition Scaling Up! H2O After Hours Hang Industrial Water Week 116 Pinks and Blues: System Volume 046 The One About Phosphate Testing Hach Water Analysis Handbook Submit a show idea 1 Chloride SN Hach 10 Organic PO4 heat (total) 11 UV Digestion PO4 2. Chloride M Hach 3 Tritation Manipulation 4 Alkalinity Hach 5 Chlorine FAS-DPD_APS 5.5 Total Chlorine Hach 6 Free DPD Hach 7 Sulfite Hach 8 Ortho PO4 Phosper3 9 Ortho PO4 moly Chloride APS Hardness Hach