488 Managing Legionella with confidence: A Conversation with Patsy Root
Scaling UP! H2O
“Our goal is not zero Legionella pneumophila bacteria. Our goal is zero cases.” – Patsy Root Legionella risk becomes harder to manage when building teams treat every detection as equivalent—or collect samples without first deciding what a positive result will trigger. , Senior Manager of Government Affairs at , explains how a clear water management program can replace uncertainty with defined responsibilities, routine monitoring, and proportionate action. Focus Testing on the Organism of Concern Patsy distinguishes between the broader...
info_outline
487 The 60‑Minute CFO: Tracy Bech on Making Business Finance Less Scary
Scaling UP! H2O
“Our gross profit margin is truly the battle we have to win in order to win all of the downstream wars.” - Tracy Bech Financial statements become useful when leaders can translate the numbers into decisions. , founder and author of , explains how business owners, managers, salespeople, and field professionals can develop financial fluency without becoming accountants. Turn Financial Data into a Meaningful Scorecard Tracy teaches finance through stories and relationships rather than isolated numbers. Revenue alone does not reveal whether a company is...
info_outline
486 Meter Optimization: Air in the water with Anthony Giudice
Scaling UP! H2O
Water meters register the volume passing through them, but what happens when that volume contains both water and entrained air? Anthony Giudice, president of AquaFlow, explains how turbulent flow can influence meter readings and how AquaFlow’s calibrated valve is designed to help meters reflect what he describes as true water consumption. Why Flow Conditions Matter at the Meter Anthony connects entrained air to the pressure required to move municipal water and the turbulence created as water travels through piping, changes...
info_outline
485 Questions from the Nation Around the World with Trace Blackmore, CWT
Scaling UP! H2O
Ten questions from water professionals around the world become a practical decision-making session with Trace Blackmore, CWT. Drawing on earlier Scaling UP! H2O conversations, Trace explains how to evaluate treatment changes, use emerging tools responsibly, begin water reuse projects, strengthen teams, and continue growing professionally. Evaluate the Entire System A proposed treatment change should be evaluated by more than its purchase price. When comparing chlorine dioxide with traditional chlorine, Trace recommends examining biocide consumption, chemical storage,...
info_outline
484 Risk, Resilience, and Water Security with Dr. Newsha Ajami
Scaling UP! H2O
Industrial operations depend on water of a predictable quantity and quality, yet many organizations still treat that reliability as a given. joins Trace Blackmore, CWT, to examine water security as a business continuity issue and resilience as the ability to withstand pressure, maintain operations, and recover quickly when systems fail. Connecting Risk, Resilience, and Recovery For industrial water users, water security means maintaining access to the quantity and quality required to operate without interruption. That reliability depends on...
info_outline
483 From Process Engineer to Process Architect: Alicia Butler‑Pierre on Making Work Flow
Scaling UP! H2O
Industrial water professionals understand flow, pressure, heat exchange, wastewater, boilers, condensers, and process control. Alicia Butler-Pierre brings that same engineering logic into business systems, showing how work, information, decisions, and people move through an organization. Alicia, CEO of Equilibria, joins Trace Blackmore, CWT, to connect process engineering, operations management, Lean Six Sigma, dashboards, professional training, and business infrastructure. Her message is clear: whether you are moving water through a pipeline or work through a company, the question remains the...
info_outline
482 Preserving Our Industry’s Story – Paul Petersen and the Industrial Water Exhibit
Scaling UP! H2O
Industrial water treatment has always supported industry, but much of that story remains invisible to the public. Paul Petersen wants to change that by helping establish an industrial water treatment presence at the National Museum of Industrial History in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Paul Petersen, former president and CEO of Trident Technologies and current leader of the Industrial Water Task Group, joins Trace Blackmore to explain why preserving the industry’s history matters. His vision is not simply a static display of old equipment. Instead, the goal is to...
info_outline
481 From Waterfalls to SOPs: Building Better Utilities with Kalpna Solanki
Scaling UP! H2O
Water utility work depends on more than technical knowledge. It depends on clear procedures, current documents, practical training, and performance conversations that reflect what operators actually do in the field. In Episode 481, Trace Blackmore, CWT, welcomes back , President and CEO at , for a practical conversation on building stronger utilities through standard operating procedures, competencies, and performance evaluations. Kalpna shares how outdated SOPs, disconnected training tools, and top-down documentation can create risk, confusion, and missed...
info_outline
480 From Engineering Numbers to People, Power, and Policy with Sherine El‑Wattar
Scaling UP! H2O
Industrial water professionals work with chemistry, equipment, permits, and performance targets every day. Yet every gallon also moves through a framework of policy decisions: who can withdraw water, how it may be used, what quality must be returned, and whose needs are considered when systems are designed. , a science network officer supporting the Working Group II Technical Support Unit, brings an engineering foundation and a human-centered perspective to those questions. Her work focuses on climate impacts, adaptation, vulnerability, and risk while helping...
info_outline
479 Water Treatment: The Next Generation - Hustle Culture Meets Emotional Literacy with Tiffany Wentz‑Root
Scaling UP! H2O
In today’s episode of Scaling UP! H2O, host Trace Blackmore sits down with workplace resilience expert and U.S. Marine veteran to decode how different generations show up in the industrial water treatment industry. From the Silent Generation’s post‑war loyalties through Baby Boomers’ commitment to long hours, Gen X’s distrust of corporate loyalty, Millennials’ desire for purpose and feedback, and Gen Z’s demand for emotional literacy, the conversation illustrates how each cohort was shaped by historical and technological upheaval. The discussion reframes “hustle...
info_outline
Like you, we all want our water business to be profitable.
Embark on a journey to make your water business not just successful, but wildly profitable! While many believe that sales alone can solve all challenges, the truth lies in understanding the intricate dance of profitability and cash flow.
In the wise words of Stephen Covey, "No margin, no mission." We all share the conviction that a thriving business is one that can afford to invest in its people and resources. Even for non-profits, the bottom line remains crucial — successful organizations, whether for-profit or not, need to pay their bills and ensure sustainability.
Sales are undoubtedly a driving force, but the misconception that more sales always mean more success can lead businesses astray. Ever witnessed a company sell itself out of business on Shark Tank? It happens when the demand exceeds the capacity to deliver due to a lack of cash flow.
Enter the eye-opening world of Profit and Loss statements and explore your business through the lens of the Eight Cash Flow Drivers, outlined in the groundbreaking Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) by Gino Wickman. These drivers — Price, C.O.G.S. (Cost of Goods Sold), Margin, Ancillary Sales, Service Time, Errors, Compensation/Labor Costs, A/R Days, and G&A Expenses — form a strategic roadmap to enhance your water business's cash flow and profitability.
This new Scaling Up H2O episode unravels the secrets behind these drivers and shows how implementing them can transform your business landscape. Don't miss the chance to elevate your company's profitability starting tomorrow — tune in now to scale up your financial success knowledge!
Your friend as you drive from client to client,
Trace Blackmore, CWT
Timestamps
01:00 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals
04:40 - How to know if a conference is worthwhile to attend
05:30 - Showing up with a full cup mentality
10:45 - Trace Blackmore invites you to Scaling UP! Your Cash Flow
39:23 - Drop by Drop With James McDonald
Quotes
"Sales for sales’ sake can put you out of business" - Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics
"No margin, no mission." - Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Connect with Scaling UP! H2O
Email Producer: corrine@blackmore-enterprises.com
Submit a show idea: Submit a Show Idea
LinkedIn: in/traceblackmore/
YouTube: @ScalingUpH2O
Links Mentioned
Ep 204 Being Profitable with the Boilermaker Hamburger
Ep 315 The Intentional Growth Framework with Ryan Tansom
Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses
Books Mentioned
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman
What the Heck Is EOS?: A Complete Guide for Employees in Companies Running on EOS by Gino Wickman
Drop By Drop with James
In this week’s episode, we’re thinking about what happens when a large steam user in a facility suddenly starts using steam. What happens inside the boiler? How is the steam pressure impacted? How does the water level change in response to this suddenly large steam demand? When is feedwater triggered? What is the impact of this cooler feedwater upon the hotter water inside the boiler? How could this impact steam output rate? Could it cause boiler carryover and why? How could low level alarms be triggered if the high demand continued long enough?
The answers are actually very interesting and interrelated. Spirax Sarco has a nine-part series on YouTube called “The Inside Story.” This is a CLASSIC series that every industrial water treatment professional should watch. They actually let you view inside the boiler as steam is being produced and show what happens at low pressures, high pressures, increased demand, etc. If you’ve already seen the series, they are worth watching again. If you haven’t seen it, get your popcorn and pocket protector, because you’re in for a treat! Part 6 addresses the topic of today’s Drop by Drop episode on increased demand. I’ll be sure to get the links to Trace so he can hopefully include them into the show notes for this episode. Otherwise, if you search for “steam boilers the inside story” in your favorite search engine, you are likely to find the series.
Spirax Sarco's Steam Boilers - The Inside Story: Part 1 - Introduction
Steam Boilers – The Inside Story: Part 2 – Basic Boiler Control
Steam Boilers – The Inside Story: Part 3 – Water Level and Gauges
Steam Boilers – The Inside Story: Part 4 – Feed Water Control
Steam Boilers – The Inside Story: Part 5 – Low Pressure Operation
Steam Boilers – The Inside Story: Part 6 – Increased Demand
Steam Boilers – The Inside Story: Part 7 – Very High Demand
Steam Boilers – The Inside Story: Part 8 – TDS Control
Steam Boilers – The Inside Story: Part 9 – Summary
2024 Events for Water Professionals
Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we’ve listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE or using the dropdown menu.
