Profit & Storm Chasing – Paul Reed & Mike Lyndhurst

Plan your storm markets in advance — map the areas you'd actually work, pre-check pricing and local claim laws, so you don't drive to a market paying $184/square and get stuck.

Learning to say no to the wrong subset of business is one of the hardest but most valuable skills; narrow your focus from a wide net to a 'pinhole' of the work you truly want.

Balance for-profit centers with non-profit/give-back initiatives — driving a better marketplace for consumers is a win even when there's no immediate business.

Know your true overhead: Paul's firm discovered their real office overhead was 14 percent, not the 10 percent 'standard' everyone repeats — meaning they were quietly losing 4 percent off the top.

Understand markup vs. margin — they are not the same; a 25-30 percent margin is a much larger markup, and confusing them can wreck your bids.

Realistic insurance-job margins vary by market: around 30 percent in Iowa, 25-26 percent in Denver/Colorado Springs, and just 12-15 percent on competitive commercial cash bids against corporations.

Switch from cash books to accrual accounting to see the full restoration cash-flow cycle (ACV, supplements, depreciation, material bills) and hire a fractional CFO earlier than you think — ideally around $5M, not waiting until $20M.

High volume without margin is a trap (e.g., State Farm PSP-style programs); growing too fast and over-committing hurts your whole team and community — slow down, plan, and learn from mentors who've done it.