What does it take to build a dominant restoration company in today’s market?

In this episode of Titans of the Trades, Ryan Englin sits down with Sebastian Williams, Partner at Sasser Restoration. Sebastian didn’t grow up in the industry. He started in high-level consulting in New York City before making a bold move into the trades. From two vans and a handful of employees to a multi-state operation, Sasser has tripled in size by focusing on one simple principle.

Hire the best people. Train them well. Retain them.

But this isn’t theory. It’s a blueprint. Sebastian shares how process, technology, and leadership discipline helped Sasser Restoration scale across North Carolina, Texas, and California. He also explains the mistakes they made early on, especially when moving too fast with technology, and how they built buy-in from field teams who weren’t comfortable with digital tools.

If you’re a business owner, contractor, or trades executive who wants to:

• Improve your hiring process.
• Reduce turnover in your company.
• Build a culture that actually drives performance.
• Implement technology without alienating your team.
• Create confident field leaders who don’t need constant supervision.

This episode will give you practical insight you can apply right away.

Sebastian breaks down how to connect core values to performance reviews, how to create accountability without micromanagement, and why training and “scrimmaging” your team may be the missing piece in your business growth strategy.

If you want to build a company that dominates its market, this conversation is a must-listen.

Key Takeaways

• 00:01 – Why a former NYC consultant walked away from corporate life to build a business from scratch.
• 03:37 – Starting with two vans, wearing every hat, and why getting “mud on your boots” matters.
• 05:28 – The biggest mistake new leaders make when bringing technology into a company.
• 08:14 – Why tech resistance in the trades isn’t about attitude, it’s about confidence.
• 12:20 – How inventory tracking and process upgrades saved money and increased team buy-in.
• 15:48 – “That’s their job” vs. building a team-first culture.
• 18:41 – Why disaster response businesses must master process before the emergency call comes in.
• 19:42 – The power of training and “scrimmaging” your field teams before real-world chaos hits.
• 26:54 – Sasser’s bold goal to double its well-trained team members and why growth starts with people, not revenue. 

Connect With Sebastian:

Website: https://sasser247.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastiancainwilliams/

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