Small Business Feature - SMART Restoration, LLC
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Did you know water damage left untreated in your home can lead to mold, and mold in your home can lead to illness?
That’s why Marie Gronberg, owner of SMART Restoration, LLC., began her company two years ago. “There was an industry need for better knowledge, quality, service and professionalism, which is why I started SMART Restoration. Those qualities set us apart from our competition,” said Gronberg. Her company specializes in mold remediation, water mitigation, construction cleaning, sanitization cleaning and pressure washing services for both residential and commercial customers in the Kansas City metro area.
Prior to starting SMART Restoration, Gronberg worked as a property adjuster and then managed local vendors for a major insurance carrier for 16 years. She was in charge of onboarding restoration companies (such as the one she currently owns) or removing them from the program if they weren’t servicing the customers properly. Additionally, her team reviewed the vendor's work and billing for their customers. She received her water certification training from the Institute of Inspection Cleaning Restoration Certification (IICRC), which is the same certification field technicians require in order to dry out properties. While working with the vendors and managing her team, she not only handled and resolved customer complaints, but she was able to identify how a restoration company should be run. “I ended up starting my business with one of the best restoration directors in the industry who I had known for many years,” said Gronberg. “My partner has the most water and mold knowledge hands down in the local industry. With our combined strengths and knowledge, we are able to provide the level of service, expertise and professionalism that customers should expect.”
It’s no secret that Gronberg has high standards for her company and that is also what she expects from her banking partner. “My experience working with CapFed® has been phenomenal! My parents were, and still are, customers and they opened up my first bank account when I was little. I’ve never had another bank for my checking and savings ever since,” Gronberg said. “I also have my mortgage through CapFed®, and when I started SMART Restoration, it was just a natural transition to use them for that as well. I worked with a commercial loan officer and it was very quick and easy to get my business line of credit set up. I definitely would recommend CapFed® to others.”
Gronberg shares some helpful tips if you’re seeing issues in your home. “When we visit our customers, we provide a great deal of information. It is very important to determine how the water or mold damage began. A great piece of advice is if you own a home or property, regular maintenance is required,” she said. “This can include cleaning your gutters at minimum yearly, changing your HVAC filters often, getting your HVAC serviced yearly, and keeping the vents in your house open for proper circulation and air flow. Getting water away from the foundation and from entering into the property can prevent water or mold issues. If you do have water damage, it is very important you have a professional inspect and/or complete the water mitigation as soon as possible. The cost of the water mitigation is less than what the cost of mold can cause to your property,” Gronberg said.
“The reason I get up every day is that I know my company is making a difference in our customer’s lives,” said Gronberg. “We are improving our customer’s health and quality of life. Most people don’t link prior water damage to an issue that could be occurring within their house. Many of our customers call us after they have been living with an illness, which could be multiple symptoms, and they believe it is just allergies. The issue we see frequently is that customers are living or working in a mold environment which is causing them to feel sick and they didn’t even know it. Some of these symptoms are less severe, but others can be damaging to their health,” she said.
Gronberg recalls one customer in particular that had been living with fatigue, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and itchy and watery eye symptoms for more than 10 years. “This woman had visited multiple doctors, and no one could determine why she was sick. We completed the mold assessment in order to determine the location and severity of her mold situation. After we removed the mold, she was able to finally live and breathe again in her own home," said Gronberg. "I keep her hand written thank you letter pinned up on my bulletin board in my office as a reminder of how we help customers every day!”
If you would like to learn more about this company, click here.
Smart Restoration is being recognized as Johnson County Community College’s (JCCC) and the Small Business Development Center’s (SBDC) 2022 emerging business of the year. The Kansas SBDC is part of America’s Small Business Development Center Network, the most comprehensive small business assistance network in the United States. Through the Kansas SBDC’s assistance, they help existing and aspiring Kansas business owners achieve their goals. This award is provided to several businesses in each of the service regions that exemplify small business success. Marie Gronberg will visit and receive the award at the Kansas Capital in Topeka in February 2022. “It is an honor to receive this award because JCCC’s SBDC has provided enormous support for Smart Restoration this past year, and their staff’s mentorship and guidance has contributed to our success. I also highly encourage any existing or emerging small business owner to contact their local SBDC because it is a wonderful resource to help your business succeed,” said Gronberg.
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