Week 9 – Five Stars and a Full-On Emotional Whiplash

The day I realized I might actually be good at this:

This week I got my first Google review. And I won’t lie—I checked the page about 15 times before it posted. I had convinced myself they were going to mention everything I did wrong, every awkward pause, every time I looked unsure or double-checked a feature in the app. But instead? They said I was professional. Detailed. Kind. Helpful. Five stars.

I honestly sat back in my chair and exhaled like I’d been holding my breath for three days. It was one of those rare business moments where you go, “Okay… maybe I can do this.”

What I thought I blew (but actually nailed):

During the inspection, I kept second-guessing myself. Was I taking too long? Talking too much? Not explaining enough? It turns out, all those moments of “I don’t think I’m doing this right” were actually me slowing down, observing, and being thorough. And the client noticed.

I was surprised by how much I actually knew—and how much I could talk through clearly. I wasn’t guessing. I was observing, explaining, documenting. The training and ride-alongs were starting to pay off. I still have miles to go, but this week gave me proof I’m on the path.

The new habit that’s leveling me up fast:

I’ve started doing a “pre-brief” and “de-brief” before and after every inspection, every coffee meeting, every phone call. Just five minutes of intention-setting beforehand—“What’s the goal here?”—and five minutes after—“What worked? What didn’t?”

It’s helping me improve faster than I expected. I can see patterns: where I stumble, what lands well, what I forget. It’s not about beating myself up—it’s about capturing the lessons while they’re fresh. I feel like I’m compounding experience instead of just going through the motions.

Why that first review felt like a billboard:

In this business, reputation is everything. One review turns into social proof. It makes people feel safer clicking “schedule.” And it’s not just about stars—it’s about *words*. Their review described exactly the experience I want every client to have. That felt like a win beyond stars. It felt like I’m building something real.

Support from the system I leaned on this week:

The report structure made a huge difference. I didn’t have to invent how to explain things—the templates gave me the right language. And the franchise coaching around client interaction helped me know what to say and what not to say. “Educate, don’t alarm” was on repeat in my head the whole time.

Curt also told me early on that your first 10 clients shape your whole reputation. That voice was in my head when I was printing the report and triple-checking my summaries. And I’m glad it was.

Next mission: replicate the experience, not just the outcome

Now that I know what a “great” inspection feels like—for both me and the client—I want to create that feeling again. And again. That means more pre-briefs, more honest debriefs, and never letting confidence turn into complacency. I’ve seen what good looks like. Now I want to build it into muscle memory.

What I’ll absolutely keep doing:

Following every interaction with a short reflection. It’s simple, but it’s sharpening my instincts. I don’t want to repeat the same mistakes—or miss the stuff I got right. Every coffee, every inspection, every follow-up is a chance to improve. That mindset is working, and I’m sticking with it.

→ Next: Week 10: My Schedule is Filling Up — and I Feel Behind

← Catch the first time I got awkward with software: Week 8: My First Inspection! What I Got Right — and Totally Messed Up

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