Liberty Inspections - November 2017

Liberty Inspections - November 2017

Libertyinspectiongroup.com 610.717.3082 November 2017

As the owner of a business, I’m an endlessly busy man. When you’re the head of an operation, there’s always more work to be done, always a fresh avenue to explore and get lost in, not to mention the constant barrage of time-sensitive business coming in. This is far from a complaint; I love what I do and relish any opportunity to drive the business to greater success. One of the first things people notice about me is my boundless energy and enthusiasm. My family and friends, obviously, notice this, so I get a lot of questions like, “Chris, how do you do it? How do you manage to find a balance between all this work and the rest of your life?” “Work-life balance” is a hot topic among entrepreneurs. Just search it on Amazon and you’ll come up with over 7,000 products, each of them promising to teach you to master the boundaries between your career and your home and reach the pinnacle of your personal and professional potential. Some of these books are, I’m sure, great, but I think the vast majority of them have it all wrong — at least when it comes to my own life. I feel that “balance” is a wrongheaded term. Basically, if you’re “balancing” your life between your career and your loved ones, then you’re parcelling out 50 percent to your job and 50 percent to your family. Each are only receiving half of your attention, which, in reality, is divided up even further when you factor in hobbies, spending time with friends, and taking time for yourself. That’s why I prefer the term “harmony” to describe the way I manage my busy schedule. I strive to ensure that everyone and everything important to me gets the entirety of my focus and energy, never giving anything the short end of the stick. When I used to work for someone else, I’d finish up my work for the week and check out on Friday. But since founding my own operation, with my personal stamp on it, there isn’t exactly a boundary between my personal and professional life. Am I occasionally working from home the instant I spring out of bed? Sure. Do I sometimes have to leave work at 2 o’clock to I strive to ensure that everyone and everything important to me gets the entirety of my focus and energy, never giving anything the short end of the stick. “ Reflecting On Work-Life Harmony This Thanksgiving CULTIVATING AN ABUNDANT LIFE make it to a kid’s sports game? Absolutely. I’m not Batman; I’m not interested in keeping two strict separate personas — “Dad” and “Business Chris.” I’m simultaneously always on when it comes to my business, and available for whatever my wife and kids need. I’ve been thinking about this a lot this month, with Thanksgiving right around the corner and with this book I recently finished reading, “The Pledge” by Michael Masterson. Masterson encourages us to carefully consider the aspects of our lives that truly matter to us, cutting out the parts and the people that slow us down to allow us to live a more fulfilling, present life. This Thanksgiving, in the midst of my wife, kids, mother, and 20–30 of our relatives, I’ll be reflecting on how lucky I truly am to be able to have such abundance in my life. I’ve got a beautiful wife, three healthy, happy kids who I can make time for whenever I need, a business that I love, and an awesome set of clients I have the privilege to serve. There is just so much to be thankful for. –Chris Earley

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Have you been approaching leadership all wrong? Whether you’re an executive or an aspiring leader, Dr. Henry Cloud, author of the groundbreaking book “Boundaries for Leaders,” might have something to say about it. Marrying the fields of clinical psychology and leadership consulting, Dr. Cloud delves deep into the mind to find rich insights into the psychology of leadership. In fact, he literally redefines the word in the process. REDEFINING LEADERSHIP Dr. Cloud defines leadership as simply “the process of turning a vision into a reality.” Sounds simple, right? It’s also completely accurate. Whether your vision is a successful business or a successful family, you need leadership skills to achieve your goals. But you can’t do it alone. You need to achieve your dreams with people and through people. The most worthwhile dreams are only possible with the help of others who can take your ideas and make them actionable. Plus, they tend to make the journey more enjoyable if you hire the right people and set the right boundaries. That’s why leaders need to invest time and energy into creating teams and workplace cultures that support productivity while maintaining employee satisfaction. It doesn’t take a clinical psychologist to tell you that unhappy people don’t stay productive for long. Without a sense of ownership — with you stepping over boundaries onto projects they should own for themselves — they won’t have that motivation. REDEFINING LEADERSHIP WITH ‘BOUNDARIES FOR LEADERS’

Believe it or not, you can maintain that culture while remaining, as Dr. Cloud puts it, “ridiculously in charge.” WHAT TO DO The best leaders set boundaries that empower people and teams to reach goals, while rooting out bad behavior proactively. They have to do this in a way that works with people’s brain functions of attention, inhibition, and working memory. If you’ve never approached leadership from this psychological point of view, it’s a refreshing take that can work wonders on the efficiency and effectiveness of any team. Ultimately, the book encourages you to view leadership as creating the conditions that allow people to use their brains to realize visions in the absence of distraction. That means creating the right boundaries — boundaries that produce freedom without control.

IS SUBPAR STUCCO DESTROYING PROPERTY VALUES?

Stucco can be a stylish decorative surface to adorn many homes, but it can also be a pain. Most stucco applications completed within the past 15–20 years are improperly installed — approximately 90 percent of all stucco applications in the

Northeastern United States, in fact. In these cases, stucco can lead to leaks, mold, and structural damages, not to mention declining property values. Since the damage is usually inside the wall, most of these problems are invisible to buyers — and sometimes even sellers — until it’s too late to fix. That’s why we at Liberty Inspection Group offer stucco testing on homes and buildings. After a visual inspection, in which we determine the type of siding used and whether it was properly installed, we’ll check particular problem areas, such as windows, doors, and gutters. After our thorough inspection, we may choose to move forward with moisture testing. In order to get an accurate reading, stucco inspections involve drilling two small holes into the surface so that a moisture meter can be inserted to determine levels of moisture within the wall. This will eliminate the guesswork involved in the condition of a home’s stucco. Though repairs can be costly and time consuming, it’s important to know whether a stucco surface will become a problem in the future. You certainly don’t want to be liable for plummeting property values and health risks down the road. Call Liberty Inspection Group today and get to the bottom of your sticky stucco situation.

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As a real estate agent, when you’re looking to put a client in a home that they’ll love for years to come, you obviously want to ensure that it’s a safe environment for them and their family. Not only that, but if you take on a property that is later found to be festering with invisible health concerns, it can cause long-term damage to your reputation and, in the worst cases, even end your career. For these reasons, few things are more important when inspecting a home pre-sale than testing the water quality. Unfortunately, this isn’t obvious to everyone, and it is sometimes neglected, resulting in health problems and plummeting property values down the road. Everyone knows that clean water is vital for the survival and longevity of human life, but few people actually stop to consider how much their home water supply permeates their day-to-day life. From the shower to the food you cook and the clothes you wash, hard or contaminated water can cause all sorts of problems. WHY YOU NEED TO TEST A PROPERTY’S WATER QUALITY

Public water systems are federally required to test their water, but those tests occur before the water leaves the plant and travels across miles and miles of piping to reach the home. Sometimes, those pipes are damaged, letting in common pollutants like road chemicals and manure runoff. Because of this, the EPA recommends that homeowners test their water at least once a year. We know the importance of clean water, for both real estate agents and their clients. That’s why we’ve become experts at testing water for all sorts of harmful chemicals, as well as determining whether well flow meets the minimum required standards.

Don’t let poor water quality sneak up on your or your clients. Call Liberty Inspection today to give you both the peace of mind you deserve.

HAVE A LAUGH ON US!

It only takes 3 ingredients to make these crispy, flavorful potatoes. They’re the perfect side dish for any meal. ROASTED PARMESAN PESTO POTATOES

Ingredients:

INGREDIENTS:

Recipe courtesy of TwoPeasAndTheirPod.com.

•

2 pounds red potatoes, quartered

•

Salt and pepper, to taste

•

2 tablespoons basil pesto

•

3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

3. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 2. In large bowl, combine potatoes and pesto. Toss to coat. Transfer potatoes to large baking sheet or shallow roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast 20 minutes and remove from oven.

evenly over potatoes and put pan back in the oven. Roast for additional 10–15 minutes or until potatoes are tender and crispy. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Directions:

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: PAGE 1 Cultivating an Abundant Life PAGE 2 Are You Approaching Leadership All Wrong? PAGE 2 Is Subpar Stucco Destroying Property Values? PAGE 3 Do You Know What’s In Your Water? PAGE 4 Mark Your Calendar for These Great Local Events

CALENDARS! MARK YOUR

Brancusi’s “Kiss” on a romantic stroll, or get transported to Paris during brunch on Main Street.

Red Herring Where: Act II Playhouse, Ambler, PA When: October 24 through November 19, daily except Monday 8–9:30 p.m. Admission: $29 - $43 Website: act2.org/cms2/index.php/onstage/2017-18-season/red-herring

Inside Out Where: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA When: Daily through November 30, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission: Free Website: www.philamuseum.org/exhibitions/863.html

Three love stories ... plus, a murder mystery and nuclear espionage plot. A hilarious noir comedy about marriage and other explosive devices.

Inside Out brings large-scale replicas of favorite works from the museum’s collection to neighborhoods in and around Philadelphia. Head outdoors and experience beautiful images by Vincent van Gogh, Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, and other artists right in your community. Picnic in the park alongside Monet’s waterlilies, visit

Wild Wizarding Weekend Where: Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA When: November 24-26, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission: $15.95 and up Website: www.ansp.org

Explore the magical world of the Academy’s phenomenal beasts with a weekend of spellbinding, hands-on activities! Meet the museum’s live animals and learn about the actual animals that inspire your favorite wizarding stories. Play a Bunny and Broomsticks game, make a magic wand, and take home a dragon’s egg during this wild weekend where all wizards are welcome. Wear a costume and get a $2 discount at the door or save when you purchase online.

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