When Brent and Abby Thompson launched a Paul Davis Restoration franchise in July 2017, their mission was to make a difference in people’s lives. Former owners of a facilities management company, the couple recognized a need for property restoration in the area and switched gears after realizing their personal strengths aligned perfectly with the company’s focus on customer service. By Jessica Petrucelli
When Brent and Abby Thompson launched a Paul Davis Restoration franchise in July 2017, their mission was to make a difference in people’s lives. Former owners of a facilities management company, the couple recognized a need for property restoration in the area and switched gears after realizing their personal strengths aligned perfectly with the company’s focus on customer service. And when a special local project recently tested their skills and business acumen, the husband-wife team rose to the challenge.
“We were tasked with drying a historical home while keeping as many of the original pieces intact as possible,” Brent Thompson said, describing a three-story, antebellum-style property that was severely damaged by an air-conditioning leak while the owners were out of town.
Water overwhelmed the entire home, which contained original floors from 1836, plaster walls, 80-year-old carpets and a desk that was once owned by Napoleon Bonaparte.
“We were drying from the top, bottom, sides – basically any angle where we could get dry heat into the materials,” Thompson said. “We used drying mats, infrared panels and specialty floor drying systems. It took nine days, but everything was saved.”
Specializing in restoring residential and commercial properties damaged by fire, water, storms, mold and other disasters for more than 55 years, Paul Davis is a one-stop disaster mitigation and restoration company, which grew over the past year to encompass cleaning services for biohazards such as COVID-19. The company has more than 300 independently owned franchises in both the U.S. and Canada.
The Thompson’s outpost, which is located in the Golden Triangle region of Mississippi, servicing residential and commercial properties from Philadelphia to Tupelo, occupies two offices and maintains a staff of 20 employees.
Priding themselves on offering heart, warmth and comfort along with their restoration services, the couple is quick to credit their entire team for the branch’s success.
“Our mitigation manager, J.P. Burke, has a unique ability to calm people down and put them at ease,” Thompson said. “And anytime there is a client who has a fire, our sales and marketing manager, Nicole McKenzie, brings dinner to the family. It’s a small touch, but it’s extremely comforting during a difficult time.”
For more information about franchise opportunities with Paul Davis Restoration, visit pauldavisbusiness.com.
– Jessica Petrucelli