Category: News

Hear Todd Goodwin, a former insurance adjuster tell how his varied career experiences gave him the foundation to start his home inspection business with Pillar To Post.

Todd speak directly about:

• What Pillar To Post is
• What drew him to own a home inspection business after being an insurance adjuster
• What drew him to a franchise
• What kind of support Pillar To Post provides

As a former insurance adjuster, Todd Goodwin witnessed the devastation and loss that can occur in people’s lives. In the aftermath of tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, he helped families find temporary housing, provided funds for food and clothing, and helped coordinate with building contractors to replace or repair the homes.

Goodwin now draws upon his adjuster experience as the owner of local Pillar To Post Home Inspection of greater Houston area. With over 520 existing franchises through the 48 states and Canada, Pillar To Post has been offering stellar home inspection services for more than 20 years.

“I felt that the transition to home inspection would go very smoothly with the skills I was utilizing as an insurance adjuster,” said Goodwin, 49, who also worked for NASA for five years teaching astronauts to work in zero gravity underwater.

“I was in search of a way to help prevent these kinds of home losses from happening.” He researched opportunities and found Pillar To Post ideal for his skill set and “it allowed me to be in control of my own destiny.”

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors recently ranked as the number one franchise in their category by Entrepreneur Magazine (January 2016 issue). Understandable since they represent the evolution in home inspection companies. With the help and support of the franchisor, there is ease of booking, use of sophisticated equipment, same day reports, and most importantly ongoing training and the latest tools and data available in the industry.

“I didn’t want to go this alone”, says Goodwin, “a good franchise is the best way to go independent in business and I had so many of the natural skills for looking for problems on properties. This is the answer for me.”

The company is currently North America’s leading home inspection franchise, whose professional inspectors work with both the real estate community and the buyer or seller of a home to provide on-the-spot inspection reports that allow for rational thinking about an emotional purchase.

What excites Goodwin about the home inspection business is “watching the progress and technology that is now incorporated in new construction.” He also thoroughly enjoys continually learning about the history of older homes and the progress that is made in home construction and safety today. “My main goal is to educate and assure home buyers that their families will be happy and safe in the home they choose.”

In April, John and Cathi Lynch celebrated their 18th year as owners of their Pillar To Post Home Inspectors. As veteran home inspectors, the couple reflects on how, aligned with North America’s #1 home inspection company, they were able to build a career that gave them more control over their life than ever they had before.

For John Lynch, home inspection holds special significance; John’s career working with homes stretches back to his time assisting his father in the construction business. But after a series of career changes for both himself and his wife Cathi, it became evident that it was time for a change. “We wanted to have control over our own success in life and didn’t want to have to worry about a company laying us off,” said John. Emboldened by this desire, the couple came upon Pillar To Post Home Inspectors and, sensing a unique opportunity to be their own bosses while still having a support system for which the franchise is well known, joined as franchisees.

That decision was made in 1998. Today, their Pillar To Post franchise is going strong, a fact John attests to the passion the couple has for their daily work.”We love educating people about their new homes and providing the peace of mind necessary to make an informed decision when deciding to purchase one,” said John. “The services we provide can help ensure that the homes people live in are safe and that they’re getting exactly what they pay for-you can’t put a price on that.”

For the Lynch couple, business is definitely a family affair. “Over the years, all four of our boys have helped within the business,” added Cathi. “They assembled the binders and rode along with John on inspections as assistants. We have grown from an in-home business with just the two of us to having an office, full-time staff and three employee inspectors. It has been awesome to be able to build a team of our own that have the same drive and desire to help homeowners with the largest purchase of their lives.”

As owners of Pillar To Post Home Inspectors of Columbia, the father-daughter duo of Rachel Oslund and Jim Williams have been a model example of a family business team since 2006. Williams, a former chaplain in the U.S. Army moved his family around quite a bit during his military days, while moving from home to home, Oslund and Williams began to pick up on identifying defects in each home. When Oslund grew up and the timing was right, Pillar To Post became a natural fit for the father-daughter team to establish themselves as small business owners.

“I’m extremely proud of this team for all of their dedication and hard work,” said Dan Steward, president and CEO of Pillar To Post. “Their achievements are driven straight from their passion for this business and their love for one another.”

As Williams begins to plan for his own retirement, he has altered his role, allowing his daughter to take over the primary operations, knowing that the business is in good hands.

“Rachel has made sure the focus of our business is on customer satisfaction,” said Williams said. “She has really made us into an integral part of the community, and it has paid off.”

While Williams prepares to retire, Oslund prepares to take the family business over, she knows the importance of being able to work with her father and values the lessons he has taught her along the way, “I wouldn’t be where I am today with my father,” Oslund said. “We have achieved so much in business together, but the real achievement is being able to work with the ones you love each and every day.”

We are thrilled to announce that Pillar To Post franchisee satisfaction has earned Pillar To Post a Top Home Services Franchise award.   Based on franchisee satisfaction survey results from late 2015, the satisfaction levels of Pillar To Post franchisees compared to those of franchisees in other home service franchises, ranks amongst the very best in this industry category.

Dan Steward, President & CEO of Pillar To Post said, “This is an incredible award given the quality of all the home service franchise systems that exist in North America, we are soaring with eagles.  Congratulations to all our Franchisees, your staff and all the staff at Pillar To Post on this award”. 

Pillar To Post is driven to have “happy, successful franchisees who are meeting their goals, shooting for their dreams, delivering a great Pillar To Post experience to our customers and are proud to be part of our Brand”

Pillar To Post was further honored with the cover story to the awards issue.  Thanks and congratulations to Scott & Megan Frederick and their team in St. Louis MO for being great Pillar To Post brand ambassadors, and with a great looking truck, for the cover shot.

 This is the 4th year in a row that Pillar To Post has been ranked in the Top 50 for franchisee satisfaction. Click here to see the full report.

Joseph Lang has run Pillar To Post Home Inspectors of Upland since its opening in 2004. Since 2010, Sylvie Lang has been an active part of the team, turning their marital union into a business one as well. Serving Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties with the largest home inspection company in North America, the couple has endured both a volatile housing market and unfavorable economic conditions to become a top franchisee in the system. Providing inspection services to homes in one of the largest housing markets in the United States, the couple has managed to grow their business through adversity, while also growing their family as well.

Inspired to purchase a Pillar To Post Home Inspectors franchise based on the glowing praises placed on it by Entrepreneur Magazine — praises that now include five consecutive years on the magazine’s Franchise 500® and Top Home based rankings, along with appearances on its America’s Top Global, Low-Cost and Fastest Growing lists — Joseph Lang left his position as a probation officer to become his own boss.

“I grew up watching shows like ‘This Old House’ and ‘Home Time’ with my dad, so I’ve always had an interest in homes,” said Lang. “With the reputation Pillar To Post had in the industry, I was confident that I would have access to a business that would endure.”

Opening his business when the economy was prosperous and the housing market was booming, Lang made quick gains. But when tough times hit, he took stock and refocused on the core tenets of Pillar To Post that had kept the system thriving since the business was formed in 1994.

“There was a reason that Pillar To Post had remained strong through fluctuations in both national and local housing markets,” said Lang. “I came to find that the tough time was great on a personal level for me to reflect about why I had my own business and exactly why I was in the industry. It made me appreciate my clients and put their interests at the center of my business. I saw so many houses where families left overnight; many times I would inspect mostly vacant houses with personal effects like awards and pictures left behind. The experience made me think about what was truly important in life. As I began to put my client first, I also began to truly enjoy working with people and serving their interests, not mine.”

As an example of placing an emphasis on his customers, Lang has hired inspector Raul Mendoza who is bilingual, fluent in both English and Spanish. This has allowed Pillar To Post Homes Inspectors of Upland to better reach the diverse population that makes up the Los Angeles area.

(Tampa, Florida and Toronto, Ontario) – Pillar To Post Home Inspectors, the largest home inspection company in North America, with headquarter offices both in Tampa and Toronto, announced today that in 2015 they have welcomed 75 new franchisees, and expect a similar result for 2016.

Ranked #1 in the Home Inspection Category and 109th on Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2015 Franchise 500 list, the franchise recognized throughout USA & Canada for its comprehensive home inspections also stands among the upper-echelon of 4,000 franchise systems in North America. President Dan Steward adds, “Pillar To Post celebrated its 20th year of service in 2014, so that we can say we’re still growing at a rate like this is all the more impressive. Potential franchisees see the value in joining a franchise that has decades of experience in the industry and that provides a level of support the likes of which not seen elsewhere.”

Lee Kastberg opened Pillar To Post Home Inspectors of Denver in 2011. Providing detailed home inspections, radon testing, mold and allergen testing and more, Kastberg, also an Affiliate member of the Denver Board of Realtors leverages a unique background in nonprofits to provide a much-needed service to homeowners in the Denver Metro real estate market.

Before owning his Pillar To Post Home Inspectors business, Kastberg spent nearly a decade working for Habitat for Humanity, partnering with families in need and community volunteers to build affordable housing. Looking for a career that would allow him to support his family on a single income and inspired by the industry after witnessing a home inspection, Kastberg spoke with another Pillar To Post franchisee and came away convinced that it was the business opportunity for him.

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Making it into Entrepreneur’s 2015 Franchise 500® is quite an achievement. But a select group of franchises has, even more, to brag about. They’re what we call the “best of the best”—the franchises that ranked at the top of their industry categories—and you’ll find all 101 of them listed on the following pages.

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