Week 13 – “We’ve Got Mold” and I’ve Got No Idea What I’m Doing

The moment I froze in a crawlspace and prayed for a lifeline:

This week, I discovered my first big “oh crap” moment on-site. I was inspecting a property—pretty standard stuff—until I saw discoloration under the subfloor insulation. Pulled the flashlight closer. Saw the classic fuzzy pattern. Took a deep breath. And then I heard the words no new inspector wants to say out loud: “We’ve got mold.”

Suddenly, everything got louder. My thoughts. The client questions. My own doubts. “What do I do?” “How do I write this up?” “Am I supposed to evaluate this?” Short answer: No. But also—don’t panic.

The panic about what I didn’t know (and what it could’ve cost me):

Let’s be real—I don’t know how to evaluate mold yet. I haven’t been trained on testing protocols or remediation recommendations. And when you’re standing in someone’s future home, staring at what could be a major problem, that gap in training feels massive. Also? That could’ve been a $500 add-on… if I were certified.

It hit me hard: not just the potential lost income, but the weight of getting it wrong. Say too much, and I overstep. Say too little, and I don’t help. This was my first real lesson in balancing risk, clarity, and calm.

What saved me: one phone call, one rock-solid roadmap:

I called Curt. Immediately. Told him what I saw, how I was documenting it, and that I had no idea what to say next. His response? Calm, clear, step-by-step:

• Don’t call it mold—call it “organic growth.”
• Don’t speculate. Recommend a specialist.
• Document clearly, include photos, reference location and extent without diagnosis.
• Explain to the client that testing, remediation, and post-remediation clearance are handled by licensed environmental professionals.

He even coached me through how to say it, in plain language. Within five minutes, I went from sweating in silence to confidently explaining post-remediation clearance testing. WHO AM I?

What this moment taught me about risk—and reputation:

I don’t have to know everything. But I do need to know where the line is—and how to handle it when I hit it. That’s where the franchise system made all the difference. Without that call, I might’ve mishandled the situation, either by saying too much or too little. Instead, I preserved trust with the client and avoided stepping into a liability mess.

Also, it made me realize how valuable it’ll be to add mold certification and testing in the future. That’s not just extra revenue—it’s better service, more control, and less panic next time.

What I’m doing now to prepare for the next surprise:

I’ve flagged mold certification training on my to-do list. I’m also reviewing more examples of how to write up ambiguous but important findings—those “gray area” moments where phrasing matters. This week proved the importance of calm language, clear photos, and solid guidance.

I’ve also added Curt’s number to my “favorites.” Just in case.

What I’ll keep doing in high-pressure moments:

Pause. Call for backup. Stick to what I know, and lean on the system. That instinct saved me this time—and I have a feeling it won’t be the last curveball this year.

→ Coming up: Week 14: My First Slow Week — I Thought the Growth Was Over

← Catch my first scaling dilemma here: Week 12: First Team Member? Or Stay Solo?

Curious what it’s like to build your own home inspection franchise from the ground up?