In 2017, Chris Cervantes watched a fire tear through his own home. He had spent his whole career in disaster recovery, and even he found the process confusing. That moment stayed with him. Years later, when fires swept through Malibu, the Palisades, and Altadena, he saw people left without an advocate — and he decided to be one. That's how Disaster Restoration Consulting (DRC) was born. Today, Chris and his team step in as the owner's representative when hotels, hospitals, and other commercial properties face major disasters, coordinating the contractors and the insurance company so owners can get back to running their business. The lesson he carries: when someone is having their worst day, slowing down and communicating clearly is the most caring thing you can offer.

What you'll hear:

• How a fire at his own house planted the seed for a new business
• Why respect as a leader has to be earned, not claimed — and the boss who taught him that
• How "bringing calm to the chaos" became DRC's real secret sauce
• What AI is changing in insurance claims — and what it can't replace
• Why qualified doesn't always mean right, and the strength it takes to move on
• Why slow, steady growth protects the boutique feel clients trust

About Chris Bruner:
Chris Bruner is the CEO and founder of Simple AI Solutions, an AI agency in El Cajon, California, that helps small and mid-sized businesses grow through lead generation and automation. He's a husband and father who believes business is about people first.

About The Business Leader's Legacy Podcast:
The show where we go behind the scenes with business leaders to uncover their vision, strategies, and the challenges they've faced along the way.

Connect with Chris Cervantes:
Website: https://disaster-consult.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-cervantes-15625b18
Email: support@disaster-consult.com
Based in La Verne, California

Connect with Chris Bruner:
Website: https://www.simpleaisolutions.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbrunersimpleaisolutions/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The-Business-Leaders-Legacy

Timestamps:
00:46 – Welcome to the show
01:50 – From asbestos abatement to the top of a company
03:48 – The fire that changed everything
06:18 – "I will never call myself a servant leader"
09:27 – What AI can and can't replace
13:46 – Bringing calm to the chaos
20:47 – When qualified isn't the right fit
24:07 – Choosing slow, steady growth
29:15 – The legacy he wants to leave

#BusinessLeadership #ServantLeadership #DisasterRecovery #CommercialRestoration #InsuranceClaims #SmallBusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship