When Scott Colbert left the Marine Corps and later found himself in middle management at a utility company in 2009, he felt something was missing. “At the end of the day, I don’t know what I did each day. I couldn’t see who I was serving,” he recalled. He longed for purpose, camaraderie and a mission – the very things his military career embodied. By Lizzy Yeserski
When Scott Colbert left the Marine Corps and later found himself in middle management at a utility company in 2009, he felt something was missing.
“At the end of the day, I don’t know what I did each day. I couldn’t see who I was serving,” he recalled.
He longed for purpose, camaraderie and a mission – the very things his military career embodied.
So, Colbert and his brother, an Air Force veteran, started making plans to open a greasy spoon diner with Americana flair. However, a chance email from a franchise broker shifted everything, and suddenly, Colbert found himself researching restoration opportunities.
“I was intrigued by the type of work that was done. I’ve been contracting and fixing stuff since I was 13,” Colbert shared.
Passionate about helping people, he began looking for what he described as “a solid team of go-getters that served with a purpose.” That’s when he stumbled upon Paul Davis Restoration’s logo, and 10 days later, Colbert had a franchise.
“I clicked on the ‘learn more’ link. I got an email the next day, and they just happened to have a ‘Meet the Team Event” coming up the following week,” he said.
Additionally, Colbert was very impressed by the culture of the company.
“I think it was the legacy of Paul Davis – who he was, what he did and why he got into business – it resonated with me,” he explained.
Colbert felt that contractors faced a reputation problem and was excited to change it. Fifteen years later, that mission still drives him. Based in upstate New York, Colbert and his team are committed to restoring homes and lives.
“I wanted to show people that you can trust people. There are good people in the industry, and that’s been my focus the whole time: to regain people’s trust, serve with honor and walk the walk,” said Colbert. “Every day, we get to bring families home. That’s powerful to me.”
Outside of helping families displaced by loss, Colbert most enjoys mentoring employees.
“You start to see people make better decisions in and out of work, and that personal growth is rewarding. It’s really cool when I can have an impact on a young person’s life and see them get on a good path,” he said.
In turn, Colbert continues to receive strong support from the company.
“I’m no longer a part of the initial launch phase, but the support of the network is fantastic. I’ve hired people from other franchise operations in this industry, and I don’t think they’ve ever seen anything like what Paul Davis does from a corporate level to support the franchisees and the individual operations,” he explained.
To fellow veterans, Colbert offers simple advice: “Give me a call. If you miss the mission, the camaraderie, the challenge of building a team, and if you want to serve others, this is a fantastic opportunity.”
“Paul Davis is a group of outstanding people,” he continued. “Our values, our mission, our vision – everything is so top of mind with everybody that I know in this network. They have such a high regard for who Paul Davis was and what he created. We want to let that legacy grow and make him proud of what he’s built.”
Lizzy Yeserski