From Knowing Nothing About Elevators to Building an Elevator Company | Monika Stypulkowska

Today I am joined by veteran mechanic and Regional Vice President of American Elevator Group, Chuck Sharp. We discuss the difference between elevators that have been running for 100 years and those that are replaced after five. Chuck explains the changes that have happened, whether or not building owners are getting what they’re paying for, and why the cheapest elevator option can become the most expensive one. This is a conversation you’ll want to hear before your next elevator decision.Chapters:00:00 Intro to Chuck01:47 How to Keep an Elevator Running for 100 Years02:38 The Problem With “Breakdown Maintenance”03:59 Are Elevator Modernizations Happening Too Soon?05:32 Why New Elevators Are Being Replaced After 5 Years07:07 The Hidden Cost of Cheap Elevators09:59 What Is a Maintenance Control Program?12:35 Proprietary vs. Non-Proprietary Elevator Equipment14:09 Planned Obsolescence and Shorter Modernization Cycles16:10 What Building Owners Should Know Before Choosing an Elevator22:07 MRL Elevators and the Challenges of Modernization25:57 MRL Elevator Advantages, Maintenance & SafetyResources:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroupJoin our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOMA Message From Our Sponsor: Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights! To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today's guest is Erin Lukowicz Regional Sales Manager at Rath Janus. Erin joined the elevator industry following a career in graphic design and banking, and has gained valuable perspective from working on both the contractor and supplier sides. In this conversation, we discuss collaboration with competitors, changes in the industry's generational knowledge gap, and the traits that make elevator professionals stand out.Chapters:00:00 The Human Element: Why AI Can't Replace Us 01:30 From Graphic Design to Elevators: A Career Journey 04:06 Bridging the Gap: Contractors and Suppliers 06:23 The Knowledge Gap: Challenges in the Elevator Industry 08:55 Continuous Improvement: Adapting to Change 11:14 The Role of Technology in Elevators 13:26 Collaboration and Relationships in the Industry 15:42 The Importance of Networking and Community 18:11 The Human Element: Why AI Can't Replace Us 20:34 Looking Ahead: The Future of the Elevator Industry 22:44 Advice for Newcomers: Embrace Questions and AccountabilityResources:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroupJoin our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOMA Message From Our Sponsor: Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights! To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today's guest is Jeremy Wooden, Business Manager of IUEC Local 93 in Nashville, Tennessee. Jeremy's life took a devastating turn after a tree trimming accident that left him a double amputee. Through faith, determination, and the unwavering support of his elevator union brothers, Jeremy found a way to get back to work and to a life he's proud to live. In this episode, we discussed how union membership, resilience, and perspective helped Jeremy to overcome this life-altering challenge.Chapters:00:00 Intro1:22 Jeremy’s HVAC background3:27 Transition from HVAC business owner to elevator trade05:35 Jeremy's life-changing tree trimming accident8:42 Faith and perspective on his accident11:16 The mentality aspect of pain13:23 The impact of the union’s brotherhood15:10 Learning to walk with prosthetic legs17:54 The ability to help others18:45 The difference the union’s health benefits made19:50 mentorship, purpose, and pride in the work22:19 A changed perspective on society26:43 Handling misconceptions about military service and injury29:08 Jeremy’s advice about union and trade careers32:49 Closing remarks33:09 OutroResources:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroupJoin our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOMA Message From Our Sponsor: Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights! To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today's guest is Johnny LaSalle, COO of Mod Pros Elevator, and an industry leader with experience both in the field and in management. In this interview, we dove into current issues surrounding preventative maintenance, from overloaded service routes and growing financial pressures to why some modern elevators require modernization so soon. We also discussed essential steps to strengthen the partnership between property managers and elevator contractors.Chapters:00:00 Introduction01:24 Changes in the elevator industry over the last 15-20 years02:24 Financial pressures and technology challenges in maintenance02:55 Customer perceptions and the visibility of mechanics04:15 Market pricing, competition, and cost management06:11 Variability in repair costs and equipment obsolescence07:24 Challenges with modern elevator components and safety08:12 Setting proper expectations with property owners10:00 The importance of proactive maintenance and pride in work13:42 The impact of design and technology on rope and component lifespan18:00 Profitability in elevator maintenance and the role of good service20:48 Newer modernization windows based on value engineering21:31 Obsolescence of elevator components and technological change25:17 Maintenance effects on the mod cycle26:00 Proprietary vs nonproprietary equipment27:48 Effects of design and component choices on maintenance cycles32:24 Example of equipment starting to fail34:17 Key questions for property managers to ask elevator contractors37:20 Building trust and partnership through transparency and education40:03 Closing remarks40:44 OutroResources:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroupJoin our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOMA Message From Our Sponsor: Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights! To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

In this episode, Monika Stypulkowska proves that you don't need decades in an industry to make an impact. Monika arrived in the United States with no prior elevator knowledge and just six years later founded Alfa Elevators. With curiosity, relentless persistence, and a commitment to serving customers, she overcame obstacles, earned trust in a male-dominated field, and built a respectable business. In this conversation, Monika shares what it's like to build an elevator business, why persistence beats experience, and how putting customers first has become the foundation of her company's success.Chapters:00:00 Intro01:44 Monika’s journey to America and entrepreneurial spirit02:58 Discovering the elevator industry03:30 Choosing an unfamiliar career path04:07 Overcoming doubts and challenges05:40 Being underestimated and building trust06:36 Solving an “unsolvable” problem: determined to find a way10:06 Customer care essential methods12:41 Hardest lessons early in business ownership15:47 What separates thriving industry professionals17:21 Building trust with property managers and your own team21:18 Advice to younger self and goals24:00 OutroResources:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroupJoin our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOMA Message From Our Sponsor: Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights! To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

If implemented, ISO 8100 elevator code could have a major impact on the future of elevator standards and regulation in North America. But what exactly is being proposed, and what could it mean?In this livestream, I met with Don Gelestino, John Koshak, and David Guerin. We discussed ISO 8100 and A17.1, the differences between the two standards and the questions surrounding this potential change. We’ll discuss what could be at stake for elevator safety, manufacturers and companies, and other stakeholders, as well as concerns around maintenance, inspection, proprietary equipment, documentation, capacity and accountability. We’ll also look at whether changing the standards would actually address safety challenges and discuss alternative approaches to these issues. This discussion is intended to explore concerns surrounding elevator codes and what elevator professionals & companies, regulators, and building owners should know as the conversation develops.Article written by David Guerin & John Koshak about this proposed code change, published in Elevator World Magazine: https://elevatorworld.com/article/the-case-for-a-federal-elevator-safety-floor/Resources:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroupJoin our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOMA Message From Our Sponsor: Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights! To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today’s guest is general contractor Zane Andersson, who's spent decades coordinating projects that depend on successful elevator installations. In this conversation, he offers an external view of elevator projects: what general contractors appreciate from elevator companies, where projects often go wrong, and how communication can prevent costly mistakes. This conversation shares valuable ways that contractors, project managers, and elevator companies can build stronger partnerships.Chapters:00:00 Intro01:18 Experience as a General Contractor03:52 The Most Costly Elevator Mistake Zane Witnessed06:27 Requirements for Elevator to be Emergency Egress08:40 How it Could Have been Caught Sooner10:16 Lessons for Architects, Owners and Developers12:15 Why Elevator Problems Show Up Late in a Project14:57 Percentage of Elevator Projects That Cost More Than Expected17:11 The Difference a Pre-Inspection Makes18:53 The Headaches Caused by Elevator Issues19:55 How Building Owners Accidentally Create Elevator Problems21:37 Flipper vs Owner Mindset23:56 Innovative Solutions for Accessibility…A Decade Late29:54 How Much a Project’s Success Depends on Relationships31:46 What Companies Could Change34:17 The Way Toward Better Collaboration with the Elevator Trade38:13 OutroResources:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroupJoin our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOMA Message From Our Sponsor: Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights! To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

AI is changing how businesses operate, and the elevator industry isn't immune. In this live conversation, I met with Jonathan Taub, President of Fieldboss, who has over twenty years of experience in software strategy, implementation, and customer success running high-performing operations. We discussed what AI means for elevator professionals and companies, what opportunities and concerns are emerging, and how it could affect company valuations, job responsibilities, and the value of employees’ skills. The goal of this conversation is to clarify: where an elevator company should start with AI, what risks companies should consider before adopting new technology, and what AI could mean for your business, your skills, and your career.Chapters:00:00 Intro: AI and the Elevator Industry00:54 Jonathan’s Journey Into Software and Elevators07:03 How AI Has Changed Since the NAEC Conference10:28 Why Elevator Companies Need to Pay Attention to AI12:35 What AI Means14:24 AI Governance, Security, and Guardrails20:26 What AI Can Do for Elevator Companies 23:22 The Future of AI, IoT, and Predictive Maintenance26:19 Where AI Can Have the Biggest Impact31:00 AI Opportunities for Independent and Large Contractors34:33 AI Adoption Starts With Operations38:01 Making Technology Transformations Work42:59 AI, Technology, and Elevator Company Valuations45:51 How AI Could Change Elevator Careers49:18 The Human Skills That Will Matter More52:16 How Elevator Companies Can Start Using AIResources:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroupJoin our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOMA Message From Our Sponsor: Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights! To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today, I’m joined by Evelyn Adams, General Manager of Texacone, whose career is a great example of what can happen when you’re willing to learn, step up, and do whatever needs to be done. Evelyn began her career as an accounts payable clerk and, through hard work, curiosity, and a willingness to take on new challenges, eventually worked her way into leadership. In this conversation, we talk about her career journey, what makes the elevator industry feel like a family, and her creation of Elevator 101 to help newcomers better understand the industry. This is a conversation about curiosity, lifelong learning, and the opportunities that can open up when you're willing to keep growing.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Evelyn Adams 03:59 Discovering the Elevator Industry 07:26 The Birth of Elevator 101 10:35 Career Growth and Learning 12:26 Overcoming Limitations Without a Degree 16:15 The Importance of Knowing Who to Ask 17:51 Traditions and Values of Texacone 18:40 Private Equity in the Elevator Industry 20:16 Women in the Elevator Industry 22:27 Opportunities for Women Today 23:54 Advice for Newcomers to the IndustryResources:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroupJoin our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOMA Message From Our Sponsor: Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights! To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com

Today’s guest is Bernard Lee, a longtime property manager who has spent more than thirty years working with elevator service companies. He's seen the value of having technicians who know a building inside and out, and he's also seen what happens when that continuity disappears. In this conversation, we discuss trends he’s seen in elevator service over the years, why technician turnover matters so much to customers, and how mentorship can strengthen the industry as a whole.Chapters:00:00 - Intro01:13 - How Elevator Service Has Changed Over 30 Years02:37 - The Customer Impact of Technician Turnover04:04 - Why Long-Term Technicians Know a Building Differently07:25 - What Constant Turnover Signals to Customers09:01 - When Turnover Creates Costly Problems10:19 - Why Mentorship Is Critical to the Elevator Industry12:33 - What Makes a Great Mentor?16:34 - What the Elevator Industry Loses When Experience Walks Away19:27 - Hands-On Learning22:33 - How Elevator Companies Can Rebuild Customer Relationships24:21 - Building the Next Generation of Elevator TechniciansResources:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@elevatorcareers/Submit a Topic Idea for the Podcast: https://elevatorcareers.net/Connect With Us: https://linktr.ee/AllredGroupJoin our Newsletter - Episodes, Elevator Jobs, Insights, and more: https://eepurl.com/jnVaOMA Message From Our Sponsor: Looking for top-tier talent to join your team? Call The Allred Group for your elevator recruiting needs! With a deep network and unmatched industry expertise, we quickly connect you with skilled professionals who are ready to elevate your team. Let us handle the hiring process, so you can focus on growing your business with the best in the industry. Reach out today, and let us help you take your business to new heights! To contact us go to: https://allredgroup.com