Today’s guest is Bernard Lee, a longtime property manager who has spent more than thirty years working with elevator service companies. He's seen the value of having technicians who know a building inside and out, and he's also seen what happens when that continuity disappears. In this conversation, we discuss trends he’s seen in elevator service over the years, why technician turnover matters so much to customers, and how mentorship can strengthen the industry as a whole.

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 01:13 - How Elevator Service Has Changed Over 30 Years
• 02:37 - The Customer Impact of Technician Turnover
• 04:04 - Why Long-Term Technicians Know a Building Differently
• 07:25 - What Constant Turnover Signals to Customers
• 09:01 - When Turnover Creates Costly Problems
• 10:19 - Why Mentorship Is Critical to the Elevator Industry
• 12:33 - What Makes a Great Mentor?
• 16:34 - What the Elevator Industry Loses When Experience Walks Away
• 19:27 - Hands-On Learning
• 22:33 - How Elevator Companies Can Rebuild Customer Relationships
• 24:21 - Building the Next Generation of Elevator Technicians

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: linktr.ee/AllredGroup

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today's guest is Lee Gray, an architectural historian whose career took an unexpected turn when a graduate school research paper sparked a lifelong fascination with elevators. More than forty years later, he has become one of the world's leading authorities on the history of vertical transportation. His research has been featured by National Geographic, CBS Sunday Morning, and the History Channel, and today he joins us to explore how elevators transformed cities, real estate, and everyday transportation.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Intro
• 1:19 Lee’s Journey to Becoming an Elevator Historian
• 6:15 Impact on Life and Career
• 8:25 The Impact of Elevators on Urban Development
• 10:05 The Relationship Between Skyscrapers and the Modern Elevator
• 13:55 The Economic Shift in Real Estate
• 17:39 The Importance of Safety Devices in Elevators
• 23:00 Evolution of Elevator Safety Systems
• 26:27 Innovations in Elevator Technology
• 28:45 Global Elevator Revolution
• 33:02 Cultural Perspectives on Elevator Design
• 35:28 The Shift in Elevator Industry Leadership
• 39:00 The Success of Early Elevator Pioneers
• 40:03 Today’s Societal Issues with Elevators
• 41:39 Essential Takeaways from Early Elevators
• 44:27 Outro

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: linktr.ee/AllredGroup

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today's guest is Lee Rigby, an elevator code expert who has spent more than 55 years in the elevator industry as a mechanic, contractor, inspector, instructor, consultant, and now expert witness. In this episode, Lee shares insights from decades of interpreting and teaching elevator codes and explains some of the industry's most common misconceptions about modernization and code compliance. We also discussed what years of expert witness work have taught him about the role safety practices and documentation play when accidents lead to litigation.

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Introduction
• 02:17 - Working on aircraft carrier elevators
• 04:04 - The complexity of elevator codes and evolving standards
• 08:28 - A practical definition of modernization
• 10:02 - The importance of proper documentation
• 11:45 - A code puzzle: the Citrus Tower
• 13:50 - Handling old equipment with missing records
• 16:50 - Code interpretations
• 19:13 - Solving code puzzles and continuous learning
• 22:12 - Code puzzle: Fire service upgrade
• 23:38 - Human nature with accidents and litigation
• 25:17 - Mechanics’ mistakes during deposition
• 26:33 - Critical safety checks for door forces
• 30:37 - The significance of documenting and safety measures
• 32:38 - Most memorable expert witness cases
• 37:01 - The risks of skipping safety procedures
• 40:45 - Shortcuts during inspections and maintenance
• 42:36 - What separates excellent documentation
• 44:44 - Case study: documentation gaps
• 46:34 - What the industry still needs to learn about code and safety
• 48:07 - The roles Lee has peformed: lessons from a well-rounded career
• 51:06 - Lee’s ongoing passion for the industry

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: linktr.ee/AllredGroup

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today's guest is Dillard Green, a manufacturing and engineering expert with over four decades of experience supporting the elevator industry. Throughout his career, Dillard has worked at the intersection of manufacturing, engineering, code compliance, and innovation, helping develop solutions for everyday buildings and iconic projects like the Burj Khalifa and Disney's Tower of Terror. In this episode, we explore the role of elevator traveling cables and the lessons he's learned throughout his career.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:31 Dillard’s Career Journey
• 03:59 The Importance of Elevator Traveling Cables
• 07:13 Navigating Industry Standards and Regulations
• 09:27 Innovation vs. Code Regulation in Elevator Technology
• 20:46 Audio Visual Code Change
• 21:58 Unique Projects: Burj Khalifa and Disney's Tower of Terror
• 28:46 Advice for New Professionals in the Industry
• 29:45 Outro

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: linktr.ee/AllredGroup

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

This episode is a live discussion about residential elevators and franchise ownership with Casey Dyon and Alex Martin, owners with Nationwide Lifts. Residential elevators are becoming an increasingly practical accessibility solution, and franchising provides experienced elevator professionals a supported path from technician to business owner. Alex and Casey share their journeys from elevator mechanics to business owners while discussing customer misconceptions, hiring challenges, accessibility solutions, and the value of building a business franchise with the support of an established network.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
02:13 Journey from Technicians to Business Owners
10:02 The Importance of Residential Elevators
21:08 Educating Homeowners on Elevator Installation
28:05 Homeowner Insights Before Installation
30:53 Modernization and Lifespan of Residential Elevators
34:24 Challenges in Finding Talent for the Elevator Industry
44:34 The Ideal Franchise Owner Profile
50:25 Franchise Ownership vs. Independent Business Ownership

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: linktr.ee/AllredGroup

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today's guest is Jessica Hellman, a business advisor specializing in mergers and acquisitions with Lift Business Advisors, Inc. With a background in applied mathematics and data analysis, Jessica has helped business owners understand what drives value, growth, and successful transitions. In this episode, we discuss private equity, business valuation, trust, and the steps owners can take today to build a stronger company.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:17 Jessica’s Background
• 02:32 Transitioning into the Elevator Industry
• 06:00 Elevator Business Dynamics
• 08:04 Implementing Change in the Business
• 11:46 People and Relationships: Make or Break the Business
• 14:54 Private Equity and Market Trends
• 20:29 Valuation and Business Saleability
• 22:51 Challenges in Mergers and Acquisitions
• 28:02 Getting into M&A
• 29:39 Advice for Elevator Business Owners
• 32:08 Outro

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: linktr.ee/AllredGroup

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today’s guest is Carlos Escobar, Traction Elevator Aficionado with Hyperion Solutions. Carlos grew up in a machine shop surrounded by craftsmen who could turn raw metal into solutions and that mindset still drives everything he does today. Carlos has spent his career tackling the toughest elevator modernization challenges and preserving century-old machines. More recently, he has been thinking deeply about where AI, training, and the future of the trades are headed next.

Chapters:

• 00:00 From Machine Shop to Mastery
• 04:58 The Allure of Legacy Equipment
• 07:32 Lessons from the Old Machines
• 09:56 Complex Challenges in Modernization
• 12:45 The Importance of Technical Expertise
• 15:42 AI: The Future of Training
• 18:24 Training the Next Generation
• 20:50 Mentorship and Industry Connections

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: linktr.ee/AllredGroup

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

In this episode, I sat down with Robert Schram from Cedes to talk about how technology is reshaping the elevator industry. Robert’s path into elevators started in construction, laying flooring to fund surfing trips, before eventually working his way from field repair into some of the most advanced conversations happening around IoT, predictive maintenance, and smart buildings. We discussed the evolution of elevator safety, what it means to “unleash the voice of the elevator,” and how new technology could transform the way elevators are maintained.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:40 Journey into the Elevator Industry

05:52 Innovations in Elevator Safety Technology

07:49 The Future of Elevator Maintenance

10:14 Data-Driven Decision Making in Elevators

13:35 The Role of IoT in Elevators

15:45 Challenges in Adopting New Technologies

19:22 The Importance of Transparency in Elevator Services

27:41 Smart Behavior and Future Innovations

31:36 Elevators in the Connected Building of the Future

34:38 Advice for the Next Generation in the Industry

35:55 Outro

Resources:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/
Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/
Connect With Us: linktr.ee/AllredGroup

A Message From Our Sponsor:
Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights!
To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com