In the year 2000, Lisa Lavender believed she had her life perfectly planned: a career in accounting, a growing family, a new home, and a stable path ahead. But when she left her job and her husband unexpectedly lost his position shortly after, their world was shaken. Instead of retreating, they embraced an opportunity — launching a restoration company inspired by her husband’s experience in construction and insurance claims. Lisa stepped into the industry with no roadmap, learning through trial, failure, and perseverance. Over time, she discovered a deep passion for restoration work and grew into a respected leader in the field. Her story is one of resilience, reinvention, and the power of embracing the unexpected. Readers can explore the full journey in her monthly Restoration & Remediation column.

Angela Cremer

Publisher

December 20, 2017

7 Min.

Kids, dog, new house — the year 2000 was supposed to be the perfect next chapter. At 26 years old, expecting her second child and building a life that followed every plan she had carefully mapped out, Lisa Lavender felt she was right where she was meant to be. She had checked every box: a college degree, a stable accounting career, marriage, the family dog, her first home, and another baby on the way.

With her husband working as a claims manager in insurance and Lisa preparing to take time off before finding a job closer to home, everything seemed steady. Predictable. Safe.

And then, in an instant, it wasn’t.

Shortly after Lisa resigned from her job, her husband was sent on a routine business trip — only to be told his entire division had been eliminated. Suddenly, both of them were without the careers they relied on, and the secure future they envisioned felt unbearably uncertain. But in that uncertainty, something new took shape.

Drawing from his background in construction and insurance claims, Lisa’s husband voiced a bold idea:
“I want to start a restoration company.”

What followed was a journey neither of them could have predicted — one filled with steep learning curves, fear, failure, resilience, and ultimately, growth. Lisa stepped into a world she didn’t expect to be part of, navigating the challenges of a new industry while raising a young family. Through hard work, humility, and a willingness to learn, she discovered not just a career, but a passion.

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About the author

Angela Cremer

Publisher

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