We can all use help and advice on our life’s path from time to time. And getting the right advice versus the wrong advice can mean the difference between success and failure. No one knows that better than Truth Coach Randy G. Howell Jr., who has devoted his life to helping others realize their dreams and find success — no matter how they define that.

Luckily, there are trained and passionate pros like Howell whom we can turn to when we are at a crossroads. He focuses on helping clients see their own personal truths, and making decisions and creating their lives around those truths.

He admits that it’s not easy, but it is well worth it. In his online coaching sessions, he helps clients knock down the walls that keep them from achieving their goals and watches them bloom and succeed with his hard-earned knowledge about personal truth.

“I have had my fair share of problems and trauma that, over time, built up and created barriers within my subconscious that stopped me from reaching my ambitions,” he said. “But because of these experiences and my healing, growth, and development, I was able to create a method that brings about unwavering life-changing results.”

He added that he suffered from anxiety and depression when his marriage broke down and even suffered suicidal ideation until he learned to help himself.

The S.I.M.S Approach

Based on what he’s learned over the years, the Founder of Truth Coach Randy leads clients to the next stages of their journeys. He can help with both professional and personal paths using the same tools, simply applied differently. He has dubbed his exclusive and signature method ‘the S.I.M.S Approach,’ which stands for Story, Implementation, Manifestation Process, and Show and Tell.

The S.I.M.S Approach is unique because it can be applied to nearly every person in almost every situation. It makes people see who they are more clearly and realize how their past continues to affect their present. By going through the process with Howell, clients better learn their impact on those around them and how to stop the cycle of passing their trauma on to others.

Howell knows that the work he encourages is far from easy, but he wanted to share his top three reasons why a life coach can help you reach your dreams in the coming year.

Explore Your Own Needs

Life is busy, and we often place our needs on the back burner to take care of children, work responsibilities, or caring for your extended family. But, to be the best you can be, you need to make sure that you’re taken care of as well.

Working with Howell means taking the time to address your own wants and needs. Doing this will leave you more refreshed and able to enjoy every day, enjoying success with your loved ones and a strong career.

For Howell, he realized that he had hidden the truth about his childhood from his wife out of shame and knew that, in order to break through the distance between them, he’d have to be honest. This meant putting his own needs first, no matter how painful dredging up those memories of pain, insecurity, and invalidation might be for him and his wife.

“In the end, being honest brought me to an equilibrium I didn’t realize was possible. Sharing the truth and analyzing it gave me perspective and brought my wife and me closer,” he shared.

Take Responsibility For Your Journey

“Many people believe that fate throws things at you, and they use that as an excuse to ‘go with the flow,” said Howell.

But, what’s more likely, is that it’s laziness and bad habits that are keeping you from your goals. Howell helps his clients to see that, break patterns, and make a plan for action.

“For me, the best thing about Truth Coaching is seeing our clients embrace their past, take responsibility for their journey, and be able to provide them with the tools they need to fully sort out their issues and be ready to take on the world,” said Howell. “The SIMS Approach is not the only path to truth, but it is uniquely effective and comes with proven results and many satisfied customers.”

Get Excited For What’s Next

Truth coaching is similar to filling a toolbox with the items you need to create a great future. It involved goal setting, planning, identifying issues, and transforming yourself. Many of Howell’s past clients claim that working with the Truth Coach opened doors to self-empowerment that they never knew existed.

“As long as each circumstance is treated with the same openness and honesty by the client and the Truth Coach, then there is no limit to how far we can take them,” said the inspiring coach.

About Randy G. Howell Jr.

Randy G. Howell Jr. is a life coach, mentor and public speaker. He is the founder of the House of Howell and creator of the signature ‘S.I.M.S. Approach’, which helps individuals in their personal and professional lives, via exclusive online coaching and mentoring sessions. He is the author of the recently released book, Truth of the Matter. For more information about Coach Randy and his online coaching sessions, please visit www.truthcoachrandy.com

When Joe Ochal founded The Chimney Scientists he was already backed with experience, as well as chimney industry and hearth certifications. The end result is what ‘The City of Brotherly Love’ gets today, a company which incorporates science and chemistry, while utilizing technology, to maintain, install, and clean fireplaces and chimneys for customers.

The Chimney Scientists is a full-service chimney and fireplace company, one which provides inspections, repairs and cleanings. Located in Southeastern Pennsylvania, and serving most of the greater Philadelphia area, the company also sells, installs and maintains high-quality and environmentally-friendly fireplace enhancements, like gas inserts and wood stoves.

The company remains dedicated to the industry, its employees and in utilizing cutting-edge methods, generating detailed reports and making economically thoughtful decisions for its customers. Additionally, it offers the best warranties available.

The Chimney Scientists stand on a series of values and morals, backed by a group of hardworking and passionate individuals, all of whom provide Philadelphia with superior customer service. Additionally, Ochal and Co. also educate customers along the entire process so as not to leave any confusion.

“We have aspirations of eventually stretching from the East Coast to the West, but Philadelphia is our home and we are proud to be here,” said Ochal. “We will continue to lead in sustainability and environmentally-friendly chimney and fireplace efforts and see where it takes us.”

The Science, Cameras, and Drones

Ochal and Co. utilize special technology and tools, including cameras and drones to inspect chimneys. The methods help the team figure out what needs to be repaired as well as make any suggestions as to how to make customer fireplaces and chimneys safer and more efficient.

The scientific methods and friendly service, as well as a comprehensive evaluation and consultation, that The Chimney Scientists provide makes for a sound peace of mind for customers. Additionally, their eco-friendly practices make families feel safe and secure.

Specializations and Setting the Industry Standard

The Chimney Scientists pride themselves on seeing all of their high-performing projects through, always being on time, and treating customer homes with care and respect, but they also specialize in ceramic restoration services too!

In fact, the company performs ceramic restoration for joint repair. The goal is to help the customer realize a truly safe home with affordable pricing.

What Makes Ceramic Restoration Important

These systems are specifically designed to correct misaligned liners, mortar joints and fractures. These deformities in chimneys can be quite dangerous and create openings that may allow carbon monoxide and heat to trickle out. All the while, they also can result in the build-up of flammable creosote, which are flammable, and could potentially damage a home.

How Ceramic Restoration Works

The company uses a certified, ceramic restoration and mortar joint repair system. The team utilizes a vibration unit, which evokes maximum penetration of mortar joints and fractures that may be too tight. This helps in providing a new and consistent coat distribution. Chimneys without vibration units will see ceramics unable to penetrate the openings and that could spell long-term issues for the homeowner.

“People need ceramic restorations inside their chimneys because it corrects it if there is a hole inside where the fire can escape, into the chimney cavity and eventually the drywall area of the home,” said Ochal. “We use a combination of Thermocrete, Heatshield and FireGuard, which is why we always inspect the flue lining.”

Why Choose Ceramic Restoration

The ceramic restoration system can actually be installed in any size, which accommodates homeowners. It not only costs less than relining the chimney, but also ensures that the structure will continue to perform well while not affecting the appliance, whatsoever. Whatsmore, the entire process typically takes less than 24 hours to complete, alleviating customers of the hassle.

“It makes for a really good option as it’s more affordable and less invasive,” he said. “It ultimately holds up well and carries a great warranty too. We offer a larger arsenal of products than any other company in Philadelphia.”

Passion, Service and Safety

The Chimney Scientists work closely in partnership with industry leaders, but have taken the reins when it comes to improving the industry among wood burning and moisture testing too. Ochal’s mission is to help the industry reduce particulate matter and emissions to help benefit human and animal health, but also make Earth cleaner, not to mention bring costs of cleanings and repairs significantly down for homeowners.

Remaining dedicated to the industry and its customers, The Chimney Scientists only allow for 3-4 inspections on a daily basis, so that they have the optimal time to spend with their customers and answer any questions they have, ensuring every detail regarding safe combustion is covered.

“Our company is customer-oriented and we are ardently working to help reduce emissions and enable our clients to eventually become more climate friendly,” said Ochal.

About Joe Ochal and The Chimney Scientists

Joe Ochal is the Founder of The Chimney Scientists, serving the Philadelphia area. The Chimney Scientists is a full-service chimney and fireplace company that provides chimney and fireplace repairs, inspections, and cleanings, as well as historical restorations. To find out more about chimney repairs, please visit https://chimneyscientists.com/

Throughout much of the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida’s housing market was booming. The Property Advocates points out that home prices throughout the state increased 58% from the pandemic’s start in March 2020 through September of this year, according to data from TD Economics.

That being said, the state’s housing market began its downturn at the start of 2022, with TD Economics reporting year-to-date sales dropping 25% and price growth dropping as well.

Still, Florida’s housing bubble hadn’t burst yet. That is until Hurricane Ian made landfall toward the end of September.

Did the massively damaging storm officially put an end to Florida’s housing boom? Many signs are saying that it did.

Record Number of Insurance Claims

Hurricane Ian is projected to be the most expensive storm to affect Florida in terms of the amount of insurance damage that will be paid out. Already, $207 million has been dispersed to claims. Now, many experts believe the insurance industry in the state may be on the brink of collapse.

It wasn’t an issue that started with Hurricane Ian, but rather started 30 years ago when Hurricane Andrew hit in August 1992. Following the storm, some insurance companies in the state went bankrupt, and others pulled out of Florida altogether because they deemed it to be too risky.

What started 30 years ago is now having a real trickle-down effect on Florida’s housing market, as Hurricane Ian dealt the industry another massive blow.

Insurance’s Tie to the Housing Market

Florida law does not require homeowners to carry insurance on their property. However, homeowners who carry a mortgage on their home are usually required by their lender to purchase insurance. Even those people who have paid off their homes in full typically carry insurance on their property in Florida since it’s likely their biggest asset and because the state sustains damage from storms relatively often.

The insurance industry, as a result, has a direct tie-in with the housing market in Florida. If more insurance companies go bankrupt or pull out of the state following Hurricane Ian, premiums could significantly increase as options decrease.

With so much risk in the state, Florida insurance companies are often forced to get reinsurance, which is insurance for insurance companies. This practice occurs throughout the country but is common in Florida as a way to keep claims more affordable.

If these reinsurance companies pull out of Florida, though, things could get even worse. There’s evidence that these companies are considering pulling out of Florida, as they’ve recently reduced their coverage by about half to Florida insurers.

If this happens, Florida homeowners could be forced to rely more on public insurance, which could be expensive and provide significantly less coverage than they’re used to.

What Happens Next?

The Property Advocates explains that as there are signs that the insurance industry is collapsing in Florida, the state’s housing boom is starting to burst.

With insurers and reinsurers pulling out of Florida, taxes in the state will likely rise. In addition, this could result in it becoming harder for people to get adequate homeowners insurance that would cover them in the event of damage.

Ultimately, this could lead to fewer people being interested in owning a home and current homeowners selling in favor of renting — or leaving the state altogether. This could lead to fewer new homes being built, dealing losses to the construction industry. As all of this happens, property taxes increase, and tourism drops.

It’s why the insurance industry is vital in the continued health of the Florida real estate market and why Hurricane Ian likely dealt a massive blow to the state’s housing bubble.

About The Property Advocates

The Property Advocates, P.A. is a full-service Florida insurance law firm specializing in property insurance claims. With offices in Miami, Orlando, and Tampa, The Property Advocates team consists of nearly 25 experienced attorneys with decades of combined experience who are compassionate, knowledgeable, and not afraid to go to trial for their clients. They have a successful track record of resolving complicated property insurance claims and getting their clients the fair compensation they deserve.

If you’ve been renting out a sofa, bedroom, guesthouse, or investment property on Airbnb, the world’s number one short-term rental expert, YouTuber, and influencer, Sean Rakidzich, has advice for you.

Airbnb community insiders have been buzzing, thanks to a quietly launched new customer service algorithm introduced last month. Usually, these incorporations leave travelers in a worse situation, but this time, the changes focus on traveler satisfaction as a means of customer retention.

“They are moving away from their former model and are now putting customer satisfaction first. This is a big deal,” said Rakidzich, an Airbnb host with over $10 million in revenue and Founder of Airbnb Automated. “They changed the way that hosts are showing up in searches. You can use this for market research and to target certain demographics of customers in a way that’s never been possible before.”

YouTube’s top rental arbitrage creator was not surprised that the new algorithm update puts guest satisfaction first as he believes Airbnb has been eyeing to steal market shares from hotels since its inception in 2008-09.. But it can help property owners, too, with a little strategic and cognitive thinking.

“Every time Airbnb makes a change, it’s much like any other market force. It’s an opportunity for some hosts to respond and make real-time adjustments to continue to perform well in the space,” said Rakidzich. “I have nearly 1000 students, and we conduct weekly strategy and coaching calls, so we became aware of this change before the more general community. That allowed us to get ahead of other hosts in searches and outperform those hosts for a significant period of time.”

Thankfully, the world’s top mind in short-term rentals has some advice for understanding and harnessing the power of this newly adjusted algorithm.

Research the Market

You can use the new adjustments to conduct market research, but it needs to be done from a computer, not mobile, warned Rakidzich.

He noted that users will now notice new tags on some listings, such as ‘long stay,’ ‘group stay,’ ‘weekend trip,’ and similar entries. “This was the first hint that the algorithm changed,” he said.

“You can use this to find out what other people are making on the long stays, and use that info to take the average from multiple listings and determine what your prices should be,” he said.

To get started, head to Airbnb and search for reservations for a five or six-week stay in five to six months. Next, select an Airbnb listing with a robust number of reviews and scroll down to the reviews section, and you’ll see ‘long stay’ next to some of the top reviews. That’s something new.

Now, search for a reservation just a few months into the future, but for a group of 14-15 people. Look at the reviews again and notice that some of the first page results are labeled ‘group stay.’

“So now Airbnb is not just looking at interest metrics, they are incorporating and this may compound or back-data and market fit to set guests up with the best possible host for their specific kind of stay,” said Rakidzich.

You can use the long trip and group trip algorithm changes to figure out what other hosts are making on certain stays in certain areas. This applies directly to the midterm rentals — when people book for a month or longer – that are becoming more and more popular as well as lucrative.

Understand How Data is Used

So, now Airbnb is using back data to help the guest, in addition to the standalone info they have always used. “The thinking is, ‘This person is searching for a monthly stay. Who do we know that had a good monthly stay and gave a five-star review?’ It’s putting the listings best suited to the customer first, where previously their algorithm was primed for adoption” explained Rakidzich. “This led them to populate search on which listings seemed most interesting in real time. This is why Airbnb has always said, even to this day, that their algorithm is an ‘interest algorithm’.  But I think this is something they’ve quietly changed.”

These properties might not get a lot of interest, high occupancy rates, or even a lot of views, but they do provide great long-term stays or excellent group hosting — exactly what the customer is looking for.

“They’re making these changes for satisfaction. So that guests will come back and continue using the platform,” said Rakidzich.

Reach for First Page Status

What you do for specific types of guests — families, travelers with pets, couples, or people who love hot tubs, for example — is what gets you on the first page of Airbnb search results now. It’s all based on what the customers are searching for.

So, if this theory proves true, you will no longer have to be booked all the time to get on the first page of Airbnb; you just have to be a good host.

Rakidzich says that astute hosts that use this information to improve their listings and search result placement will be in a good position since many hosts — for whom Airbnb is a side hustle, not their main income source — don’t keep up with these sorts of changes at all or have interest in continued education in the space.

With his advice and keen insights, we’ll be looking a lot closer at our Airbnb search results.

About Sean Rakidzich

With over $10 million in revenue generated as an Airbnb host, Sean Rakidzich (previously of Airbnb Automated) is the leading expert, entrepreneur and influencer in short-term rental education and operations on the Internet. He will soon be expanding his teachings beyond just Airbnb to include Peerspace, Turo, VRBO, Booking.com, and more. For more information, please visit rakidzich.com/

Buying life insurance is something that many people put off for another day, perhaps because they don’t have time to do the research to find the right policy, don’t want to spend the money, or simply don’t like thinking about the demise of themselves or their loved ones.

It’s understandable, but Andrew Davis and Kiana Johnson, co-owners of SAAK Insurance Group, encourage everyone to buy a policy that will keep their loved ones safe in the event that something happens to them.

SAAK Insurance Group offers a multitude of insurance options: burial, final expense, term, whole life, and many more. They also have affordable rates, a recommendation from the Better Business Bureau, and are recent winners of The Plato Award.

The co-founders think of their products as protection with a purpose. “The purpose of life insurance — in all its forms — is to provide peace of mind to you and your family should something unforeseen occur,” said Davis.

The partners deeply believe that life matters and that belief is at the core of all that they do. “That is truly at the core of our company culture, and we put it into each policy we write. Our company values commitment, respect, and honesty, both between us and our clients and our clients and their families,” said Johnson.

The pair regularly urge people to make sure they are taking responsibility for their own lives and remind even the youngest of policyholders that their life insurance decisions affect every member of their family too.

Here are their top five reasons that you should have a life insurance policy.

The Option for Dividends

Many people don’t realize that certain life insurance policies can pay dividends to their policyholders. Whole life insurance policies can award holders dividends that can be sent to you in cash — or used to pay your premiums.

“Another option for your dividends is to use them to increase your policy coverage, and having more coverage is always better — especially when you don’t need to lay out cash for it,” explained Johnson.

Peace of Mind Protection

Most of us have people that depend on us financially — a spouse, children, parents, and even extended family members. Always remember that your life insurance policy is really a gift to them and yourself. It provides everyone with peace of mind and assures that they will be taken care of, no matter what.

Think of it as a monetary safety net that always lies below your bank accounts, trusts, inheritances, and investments. It means that your loved ones will be sent a lump-sum amount when they need it most.

Growing Value

A life insurance policy is one investment that always builds in value. The more you put in, over time, the more your family can benefit, should the need arise to cash in the policy.

With each premium you pay, your life insurance policy grows in its cash value and is tax-deferred. With that ever-growing value, you can rest easy knowing that your assets are safe, your family will have an emergency fund, and all of your other family financial goals can still be met.

Replace Your Income

When you pass on, your income abruptly stops, and everyone that depends on you might be left uncared for. You can choose to avert this possible disaster by choosing a policy that offers income replacement instead of a lump sum payout.

This replacement makes it easier on your loved ones if you have many installment loans and higher monthly spending. It can be applied to mortgage and car payments, healthcare and medical insurance premiums, childcare, tuition, college funds, and more.

Consider Add-on Riders

“Life insurance policies can be adjusted and made bespoke for every policyholder — and we are happy to walk through every option with our clients,” said Davis.

Add-on protections usually don’t require additional underwriting and can offer options for a payout if you become disabled or face a chronic illness diagnosis. People often don’t realize that life insurance can compensate for these circumstances.

Considering these reasons for buying life insurance, there are very few good reasons to keep putting off buying that policy that will protect your family for life.

About Andrew Davis and Kiana Johnson

Andrew Davis and Kiana Johnson, co-owners of SAAK Insurance Group, provide affordable burial insurance, final expense, term, whole life, and more. SAAK Insurance Group has been recommended by the Better Business Bureau and the couple has recently won The Plato Award. For more information about protecting yourself and your family, please visit www.saakinsurancegroup.com/