announcer: "Undercover Boss" is back.
- How y'all doing?
[laughter]
- This is ten times harder than the boardroom.
- Ugh. - This is a disaster.
I would never have found out if I wasn't undercover.
announcer: The most devastating economic crisis
for a generation has been tough on American business
and even tougher on America's workforce.
- We all had to take salary cuts.
- My wife, my kids, and I were all homeless.
- Well, how many firemen you think you down?
- 15 just because of the pandemic.
announcer: So there's never been a more important time
to go undercover.
- Coming through.
announcer: This season...
- Wow!
announcer: The toughest challenges...
- This has got to be the worst job in the restaurant.
- It is.
announcer: The biggest shocks...
- I need to rethink everything that we're doing.
- We question whether you are fit for this brand.
announcer: And the most dramatic
life-changing rewards...
- Are you serious?
This doesn't happen to people like me.
announcer: In "Undercover Boss" history.
- I need to break cover right now and shut this down.
[tense music]
announcer: Tonight...
- Oh, my Lord.
announcer: The CEO of one of America's
fastest-growing restoration franchise companies
goes undercover...
- Here's Bobby!
announcer: In one of the most challenging workplaces
imaginable.
- You got to be kidding me.
announcer: Having never workd on the front line...
- So you know anything about the restoration business?
- Absolutely nothing.
announcer: He'll see the cracks are starting to show
as the business grows.
- This company, they're just not up to par yet.
announcer: He'll have to get his hands dirty...
- Good gosh.
I was not excited when she said bodily fluid.
That never means anything good.
announcer: And face harsh realities...
- The worst one was a homicide.
announcer: Before transformig fortunes forever.
- Oh, man.
announcer: All this next on "Undercover Boss."
- It'll change the trajectory of my whole life.
[country rock music]
♪ ♪
- I'm Gary Findley.
I'm the CEO of Restoration 1.
In a nutshell, we're an emergency services
for buildings.
Anytime there's fire, water, smoke, or mold damage
found in a home,
we come in and take care of that problem.
We get the opportunity to help people in times of need.
This a very, very tough time for the homeowner.
And we want to be there for them,
because we're not just restoring properties,
we're restoring people's lives.
♪ ♪
announcer: Founded in 2008,
Restoration 1 has yearly revenues of over $100 million
and is fronted by a boss who's a true Texan.
- I call myself the Redneck CEO.
I don't wear a suit and tie to work.
I have a ranch, and you're much more likely
to find me driving around in a pickup than you are a BMW.
♪ ♪
I grew up in a small town just outside of Waco, Texas.
There was about 150 people in that town.
I married one of them, my wife, Kim.
My dad was an entrepreneur, had his own business.
And I think that's what really led me
to want to be an entrepreneur.
He helped me to understand
it's about ethics and integrity and just hard work.
Restoration 1 is a franchise company.
And I spent most of my life
in the franchise fitness industry
with fitness chain Curves.
I started with two locations.
8 years later, we had 8,000 locations in 32 countries.
I took Restoration 1 over in 2015
specifically because I know
about building franchise companies.
It's really about giving people a playbook
so that the way things are done at one location
is replicated across all locations--
everything from uniforms to technical training.
announcer: Over the last five years,
Gary's franchising know-how has seen the company
grow rapidly from 25 locations
to over 300 across 42 states.
- I love franchising.
But I know absolutely nothing about the restoration business.
I've never done anything out there in the field.
So I need to go undercover to find out
what's going on out there.
The biggest risk with franchising
is that if we're getting something wrong,
if there's a flaw in our playbook,
then it affects every single franchise.
That could cost us millions of dollars.
All right, let's go do it.
There's a lot at stake.
[soft music]
- So are you nervous about this?
- Maybe a little bit. You know, this is the unknown.
So I don't know what I'm gonna find out.
Once I pull out this driveway,
I do not have an idea where I'm going.
Hello.
- Are you ready for your transformation?
- I hope I am.
Over the next five years, I want to grow Restoration 1
to over 500 locations across the country
because we want to be there for more people
in that time of need.
But before I take it to the next level,
I need to know how strong our system is,
and I need to know that now.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
And here's Bobby! [laughter]
- Oh, my God!
- I'm going under cover as Bobby Turner.
Come here, honey.
Give Bobby Turner a little sugar.
Come on. - Oh, my God!
- I'm an unemployed rancher from Colorado.
- Oh, my gosh, the hair. - Nice, huh?
I look just like I did in high school, don't I?
- I hope not. [laughter]
- When my employees meet me as Bobby,
they'll think that they're taking part in a documentary
about changing careers.
They'll have no idea that ths is "Undercover Boss."
This is it. Wish me luck.
I know very little about the industry I'm in.
So going undercover gives me the opportunity
to be out there and really see what's happening
and to make sure we're growig the business the right way,
looking after our people, our customers, and the brand.
♪ ♪
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
Our business model is all about putting the customer first.
It's what sets us apart from our competitors.
Today I'm working with Kurt,
a lead technician at our North Atlanta franchise.
They've had some great reviews online,
and I want to know exactly what they're doing
to keep their customers happy.
[dramatic music]
Hey, are you Kurt? - Yeah. I am.
- Hey, I'm Bobby.
- Good to meet you, Bobby. - Nice to meet you.
Man, I'm here to do a little restoration today.
- So you know anything about the restoration business?
- Absolutely nothing.
- Okay. Well, the first thing
we're gonna do is meet the homeowner.
It's really important to make a good first impression,
so you need to change your appearance.
♪ ♪
We have to appear much more professional.
- Okay.
- Yeah. - I get it.
- I don't appreciate Bobby's look.
I don't appreciate the shirt that he showed up in,
in particular.
The cut-off sleeves-- they looked ripped off.
There you go. - Shirts, T-shirts.
- Hop on in here, get some privacy.
- Will do.
♪ ♪
Kurt was not impressed with my outfit.
That's good, though. That's what we want him to d.
We want to be following a brand.
All right, let's do it.
- Hey. How are you today?
- Pretty good. How you doing? - Good, good.
- So tell me a little bit about what's going on.
- So I noticed water in the utility closet
here around the water heater.
Come this way. - Sure.
- You'll see more damage inside this closet here.
- Well, first of all, our goal is to get your house dry
and not to destroy it.
That right, Bobby? - I don't know anything.
I'm listening to you.
- He's the new guy.
♪ ♪
I would prefer Bobby's interaction
with the homeowners to be limited at this point
because his demeanor could use some work.
So far, so good. He's a good guy, yeah.
- We haven't done anything yet.
- And if nothing came out of his mouth,
then I have nothing to worry about.
I noticed you have some beautiful paneling in here.
We're drying experts.
So we try to do as little invasive damage as possible.
Let me walk you through the process.
Initially, we do our inspection.
If we find any materials that will not dry,
we will remove them.
- Okay. - Mm-hmm.
- And then we set our equipment,
and we dry the space out.
- Sounds good. - Okay.
both: Sounds good. - Happy with that?
- Yeah. - All right.
- I was really impressed with Kurt
and the way that he handled the customer.
I mean, he took his time.
He wanted to make sure that they knew what he was doing.
- This is your home. I know this can seem kind of scary.
- Yeah. - But you're in good hands.
- He talked about wanting to make sure
that their home was taken care of.
So that's what we want out there in the field.
So what's first?
- First thing we have to do is to check the moisture levels.
So we're gonna use this noninvasive method,
because, again, we don't want to do any further damage
if we don't have to.
- You're definitely interested in making sure
the customer's taken care of, so...
- That's the most important thing.
- Without the customer, we don't have a business.
- Right. - So we need to treat them
with respect all the way through the process.
- Okay. - Yeah.
- Your coworkers--they as personal and everything as you?
- Not every customer is treated with respect.
- Really? - Yeah.
For example, a lot of times, you know, we're shorthanded,
we have to hire temporary labor.
And it's difficult because most times they don't care
if they're coming back tomorrow.
- Right.
- So it can be frustrating sometimes,
because if you're just looking to make a dollar,
then, hey, go ahead and make a dollar,
but treat the customer with respect.
- Well, some things that Kurt said
I am a little concerned about--
that there could be a falloff in customer service.
I need to make sure I find a way to keep consistency
even for temp workers.
- All right, hey, we're gonna get to it.
- All right, let's do it.
♪ ♪
- Let me show you how to use it.
It's pretty straightforward. - Okay.
Make sure it's laying flat? - Yeah.
Looks like it's dry. Keep on going that way.
- No.
- So what's that corner looking like?
- It's beeping and red.
- So that is the wettest part.
We have to remove those materials
so that everything behind it can get dry.
We're just going to contain this area to minimize dust.
Stretch it, Bobby.
Just kind of tack it up there as you can reach.
- Here's Bobby.
I'm gonna hold it up. You're gonna have to put it up.
Otherwise, I'm gonna get on your shoulders.
Yeah. - [laughs]
- So this company is a franchise, right?
- Correct.
I do have a desire to own my own.
- Franchise? - Yeah.
And I know that's a dream, you know, easier said than done.
You have to put your time in, so that's what I'm doing now.
- I think it's great that Kurt
is working towards getting his own franchise.
- You're gonna need this.
He is a very driven, hardworking guy.
And I think that's exactly
what we look to find in our franchisees.
- All right, so now we're gonna tear some stuff up.
- So we're gonna take out this corner right here?
- Correct. I want you to just score
right between the wall and the baseboard.
Get that pry bar.
Now go all the way to the corner.
[upbeat rock music]
You consider yourself handy, Bobby?
- I think so.
♪ ♪
- Come on, Bobby.
- [grunts] [board creaking]
- Is it wriggling? - No.
- Leverage you need.
All right, let's go a little bit quicker.
I do think Bobby does need a little bit more training.
This job can be pretty tough, physically taxing as well.
Come on, Bobby!
- It was taking a lot of time,
and Kurt was not impressed by that.
I'm hot and tired, but I really don't want to give p
on this first day undercover.
announcer: Coming up...
- So it is considered a biohazard.
announcer: The boss is in for a shock.
- Oh, my gosh.
I got to get out of here.
[dramatic music]
- I'm undercover with Kurt, a lead technician.
- Come on, Bobby.
- And if we don't get this floor up soon,
we're gonna have some very unhappy customers.
- So, hey, Bobby? - Yeah.
- Yeah, let me show you how it's done.
- You're doing a great job.
Just keep at it. - [chuckles]
Maybe when I grow up, I can pull a floor like you.
[both laugh]
[quirky music]
All right, I think we can stop here.
See the waterline? - Yeah.
- So we need to begin the drying process.
- Okay.
- So I'm gonna use a dehumidifier.
- Okay.
It felt like I'm learning a lot today from Kurt.
This isn't an easy job.
There's a lot more to it than I thought.
- The dehumidifier is gonna draw
the moisture out of the air, then tomorrow morning
we'll have a team come out and finish the job.
- All right. - Let's get out of here.
- Think I can do that. - All right.
[pleasant music]
- How long have you been doing this?
- This is going on year three for me in the industry.
In my past life,
I actually owned my own graphic design company.
- Really? - Yeah.
But made a few mistakes,
and my business was not doing well,
and marriage was kind of going downhill and...
- Oh, wow. - I was actually sleeping
on the floor back in Mom and Dad's house.
- What was the hardest part of all that?
- The hardest part, I guess,
is just facing that desperation.
It felt like my mind was unraveling right at that point.
You know, I didn't know how much more I can take.
But then you have to choose
between hopefulness or hopelessness.
- Mm.
- But it really is a choice, and I realized,
"Okay, you know what? I need to do something else."
And then discovered this field.
Said, "Okay, I'm gonna give that a shot."
And I like it, and that was the beginning of,
you know, a three-, four-year journey,
and here I am now.
- Good for you.
You got a great attitude,
so I'm sure whatever you do, you're gonna do great.
I think it's impressive that Kurt was able
to change his career
and really put himself on the right path.
Man, I tell you what--it was great working with you today.
- Thank you so much. I really appreciate that.
It was good working with you, too, man.
- Nice meeting you. Yeah.
He said, "Hey, the only thing you can do
is just hold your head up and keep going."
And those are the kind of people
that we want in our company.
[country music]
♪ ♪
Having learned a bit
about the customer-service side of the job,
now I'm going undercover at management level.
[phone rings]
I'm gonna meet Cristin, one of our operations managers.
She runs one of our business franchises in Colorado.
- How can I help you?
- Running a successful franchise
means having an organized operation.
So I want to see what is working
and what's not working.
♪ ♪
[quirky music]
♪ ♪
Hi, is Cristin here? - That's me. I'm Cristin.
- Hey, Cristin. I'm Bobby. - Hey, Bobby.
- I'm here to learn a little bit
about the restoration business today.
- Perfect. Well, change into those.
- Let me get rolling. - And then we'll get rolling.
- All right.
- We have lots to do and little time to do it, okay?
- Okay. Okay. - Thank you.
- All right, see you in a minute.
[phone rings]
- Okay, Bobby, so, as operations manager,
you are in charge of everything that comes
in and out of this warehouse.
Not only are you doing that, but you're also job costing.
You call all of the clients.
You schedule all of the appointments.
- You do that? - Yep, I do that.
- Wow. - These people are in distress.
- Yeah. - And at the drop of a dime,
you're gonna go, and you're going to help them.
And I deal with their bills.
I deal with the insurance companies.
So I am on call 24-7.
- Wow. - Yeah.
- You wear a lot of hats.
- Ultimately, you're responsible
for every single project.
- Start to finish. - Yep, exactly.
- I had no idea before coming in here
how many roles an operations manager really covers.
She has the weight of the entire business
on her shoulders, I think.
- So we actually have a project that just came through.
- Oh, good.
- We're gonna go put together a scope of work...
- Mm-hmm. - For a biohazard.
- Oh, okay.
The word "biohazard" never sounds good.
It doesn't give me the warm and fuzzies.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- So tell me about you.
- Third generation in ranching.
It's just hard to make money in that industry.
And so I'm looking to change my career.
- Yeah. - So what is this job exactly?
- So this is a home that squatters decided
they were gonna make a mess of it.
♪ ♪
We were called in by the property management company.
And it's considered a biohazard
from bodily fluid.
♪ ♪
- I was not excited when she said "bodily fluid."
That can mean a lot of things, but it never means
anything good.
I am so looking forward to it.
- [laughs] Okay. Let's go in, then.
[door creaking]
Smells pretty raunchy in here.
- Good gosh.
- Our purpose here is to identify the building material
that the technicians are going to remove.
Any type of damage, any urine stains...
- The whole place smells like urine.
So I don't know how you know where it is.
As I walk through this house,
there's just one thing after another.
Holy smoke. That's nasty.
- Holy cow.
- I think they washed some animals in there.
It was a really, really bad, rank.
There's stuff all over this floor.
Say here's one to ten, one being good,
ten being the worst,
looking at this one, where would it fit?
- Probably about a five. - Five?
- Yeah. Oh, there's been way worse.
The worst one that I've ever done was a homicide.
- Okay. - So, yeah, with the job
comes suicides, homicides, crime scenes.
- I just did not have any idea that these are kind of things
that our franchisees are doing.
There's a bathroom in here. Do we want to go here next?
- Yes, we can.
- Is this the worst room?
Oh...my gosh!
Sheesh.
Who craps in a tub?
Oh, my Lord.
People had used the bathtub as their toilet.
I can't believe that people do that.
I got to get out of here.
I'm about to throw up in my mouth.
- Bobby's reaction are the kinds of reactions
that we can't have.
- Ugh. [clears throat]
- We have to hold it together and get through it.
- We're done in here?
- Bobby is not cut out for this.
- Ugh.
♪ ♪
[dramatic music]
- Oh, my Lord.
Who craps in a tub and then puts up Christmas lights?
I'm in Denver, Colorado, with Cristin.
I got to get out of here.
I'm about to throw up in my mouth.
This is a side of the company that I could not picture.
Where's the closest shower?
Had I not gone undercover, there's no way
I would have known anything about this.
- And that is how we scope a job.
- Not sure if I would do that all the time.
- This is gonna make you or break you.
- Yeah, well, I'm gonna have to think
about it a little bit, I think.
- Understood. Okay. I need to get back
and figure out my scheduling for tomorrow...
- Okay.
- Because we'll have a team of four come here
and demo out this house.
- This is way harder than anything in the boardroom.
I have a newfound appreciatin for my employees,
very much so.
[upbeat music]
- You married? - Engaged.
- I have one daughter and three stepdaughters.
I don't get to see them as much as I want to.
You're on call 24 hours a day.
You get called at 3:00 in the morning
telling you you have to go to work,
and it is hard on your family life.
I've seen relationships fall apart.
- This business is hard.
It's a lot of hours, a lot of time,
takes you away from your family.
Cristin's very valuable as an employee.
So I want to make sure she doesn't get burned out.
How long you've been doing this?
- I have been in this industry for 20 years.
- Oh, wow. - I enjoy what I do.
I love what I do, and I make good money.
- Is it mostly all male?
I mean, are there a lot of women?
- No, there is not a lot of women in this industry.
Being in it and earning the respect
has been definitely a struggle.
And I still, to this day, get a lot of pushback.
A lot of men don't want to listen to a woman.
- Really? - So it is tough.
- You think there should be more women in the industry?
- Definitely.
- Before I met Cristin, I really didn't have any idea
of how hard it was for a woman to be in this business.
Cristin, thanks for the day.
I appreciate you taking the time to show me around.
Not sure about that bathtub, though.
I'm gonna have to think about that one.
I'd really like to find out, how do we attract
and keep more women like Cristin in Restoration ?
[insects chirping]
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
I've already discovered that in terms of customer service
and opportunities for women,
there are ways our system must be improved.
But I'm keen to find out what other issues
we have on the front line.
♪ ♪
Today I'll be working with Ted, a lead technician
at our largest franchise in the D.C. area.
Our lead technicians are in charge of all the kit
and crew at the worksite,
as well as assessing and actually doing the work.
♪ ♪
Bobby's got to wake up.
Bobby doesn't normally work on Saturday.
We don't work with the cows on Saturday.
[quirky music]
♪ ♪
Hey. Are you Tedd?
- Hey, hey, how's it going? - Good. Bobby.
- Nice to meet you, man. both: Nice to meet you.
- Gonna teach me a little bit
about the restoration business today?
- Yes, I am. You ready to work?
- I think so. - All right.
So this is my office on wheels, man.
We have dehumidifiers.
We have HEPA vacuums, box fans for air movement.
I try to keep my van nice and tight,
you know, make sure I have everything
- My first impression with Tedd
was he was very meticulous.
His van was very neat and organized.
- Here you go.
- It's not something I think about much in the head offic,
but seeing it with my own eyes,
this is exactly how we can make a good impression
and protect the brand.
So what kind of job are we gonna do?
- Today we got a crawl space.
Are you okay in tight spaces?
- I'm a little claustrophobic, so...
- A little claustrophobic.
Hope that won't, you know, affect anything.
Bobby may not fit in, to be honest.
He said he was claustrophobi, so if that's the case,
then he has to get over his fears.
- I don't like small spaces.
Holy smoke.
It's tighter under this building than it looks.
That's for sure.
- Here's the crawl space.
You're gonna be working in that area over there.
It's a little tight.
- You got to be kidding me.
I feel anxious.
I'm not happy about going in any crawl space.
- All right, so I want you to crawl
all the way to the left side, where the pink insulation is.
- I have not been in a crawl space
for at least 30 years.
And I certainly have never been in one like this.
What happened down here? Why are we doing this?
- Condensation started building over time, and the homeowner
just wants to make sure there was no microbial growth
or any funky things going on down here.
- Right. - So we're gonna be pulling out
all the insulation.
Go ahead and get to work.
Just start pulling. Keep your face down.
Watch your eyes.
Bag it as you go. - I got it.
It's hot under there. That suit is so stinking hot.
- The next side to the right of you seems a little smaller,
but I think you got it.
- And, you know, you've got dust flying everywhere.
- I'm glad you're here, man.
We can always use the extra help if you like it.
- Oh, I'm loving it. I'm loving it.
Bear crawling across, flipping over on your back.
All right.
I am sure not happy,
but I do not want Tedd to think that I can't cut it.
[dramatic music]
- I'm undercover in Washington, D.C., with Tedd.
- You're gonna be working in that area over there.
It's a little tight.
- He's got me in a crawl space, and I'm claustrophobi.
You got to be kidding.
I am sure not happy.
- You all right over there? - Yep.
- All right.
- So how long have you been doing this?
- For almost four years now. - Okay.
So you think I could do it?
- Based off this job right now, I think you can do it.
Just don't doubt yourself.
I tell my kids that all the time.
I say, "No matter what it is, even if you need help with it,
do not tell yourself that you can't do it."
- Good thought to live by.
- Just get that last piece right there.
- Yeah.
All right, we done?
-Yeah, let's get up out of here.
- It's clear that Tedd's a leader in what he does.
- I'm waiting on you.
- It's great to see his passion for his job.
It made it all worth it today to get in that crawl space.
- Whoo. - Is that it?
- The last two right here.
That's what I'm talking about.
All right.
Here you go. - Thank you.
- You deserve it, man. Good job.
- Thank you.
Is this the kind of work that you do every day?
- I've done my fair share of crawl spaces.
Are you on call? Are you on call 24-7?
- Oh, yeah, yeah, my company is actually a 24-hour service.
- Okay. - So we got to go out
at 2:00 in the morning, we got to go.
But I made sure that I got Saturday and Sunday off...
- Okay. - To dedicate to my kids.
- Right. - They're seven, six, and five.
- Okay. - Me and the mother
of my children are no longer together.
So that really broke my family up.
I had to move back with my mother.
There's no space for my daughters to come.
But... - Yeah.
- My next plan, I'm saving up enough money
to get a down payment so I can buy my own house.
- Taking care of your kids,
that seems to be your motivation.
- Yeah.
- Tedd is a great guy.
And you can really tell that passion that he has
for what he does goes back to why he does it.
He does it for his family. That's why I do what I do.
Always has been, even when I was at his age.
It was all for my family.
- There's definitely gonna be more to do on this job,
but we're gonna head up out of here,
and then I'll deal with it tomorrow.
- Sounds good to me. - All right.
- Today I've been blown away
by how professional and organized Tedd is.
And I need to figure out how we can adapt our system
so we make sure all our employees
approach their work in the same way.
[soft music]
[country music]
♪ ♪
Today I'm going undercover in Dallas
at the fastest-growing franchise in Texas
with Kandeh, a lead technician.
I've been impressed so far
with how our teams go about their work,
but I need to make sure our busiest operations
aren't letting their standards slip.
[quirky music]
You Kandeh? - Yes, sir, I am.
- First thing I see when I pull up
is Kandeh taking his tools out of his own personal car.
I just don't think it looks professional
coming out of the back of their car.
Well, the good news is I'm here to help you.
The bad news is I know nothing
about what we're about to do, so...
- Well, the good news is you got me.
And that's all you need. [both laugh]
[upbeat music]
♪♪
- So what happened?
- The house flooded. It was a busted pipe.
The flood worked its way all the way down.
So there's still mold behind this wall.
- If you leave it there, what happens?
- There's gonna be growth.
- This stuff's pretty dangerous.
- Yes. So we're gonna remove this wall.
We're gonna do it all the way across the whole room
and then clean it and treat it. - Okay.
- Ready to get started? - Yep.
- Have you ever used a power saw?
- No.
I am nervous a little bit about using the saw.
- Now push the button.
It's easier if you start it before you go to the wall.
Ooh. - Ah!
- [chuckles]
- I don't do lines very well.
[quirky music]
♪ ♪
- When he used the tool, he was stabbing it.
[laughs] He was stabbing it into the wall.
- Whoa.
- Go sideways. You're trying to go into it.
♪ ♪
- Okay. - And then from there...
You see how it's green?
- Right. - That's mold.
The green is aspergillus, which is the most common mold.
Anything with mold, we're supposed to bag it out quick.
- You're supposed to bag it right up?
- Mm-hmm. 'Cause mold spores do travel.
- Kandeh seems to be a mold expert.
That's great to see.
To me, that shows his dedication.
So do you like what you do?
- This line of work, yes, but this company, no.
- Why?
- The main thing would be training.
- Did you have to go to school for this?
- Yeah, and it's a course you take.
You got to be certified.
- The company did that,
or you do it, or how do you do it?
- No, I did that by myself. I got tired of waiting.
- Waiting? - For them to do it.
So I just decided to do it on my own.
- As we expand as a company,
making sure our teams are properly trained is critical.
- We got to bag that quick.
- Growth is great.
But in the long run, you have to do it right.
Tell me what's next.
- We're gonna finish cutting this wall.
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
You got to spray it down
to kill all that bacterial growth.
♪ ♪
This is strong peroxide.
- How long you been doing this? - Six years.
To me, personally, it's a very good feeling.
You help out people. - Mm-hmm.
- And I like helping people.
All right, so let's take this trash out.
♪ ♪
- Feel like Santa.
- [laughs]
- Kandeh is a hard worker. You can tell that.
That work ethic-- it's a great trait
that we want in our company.
- Would you like to go somewhere,
get something to eat?
- Yeah, let's do it.
♪ ♪
So you have to drive your own vehicle, right?
- Usually, as a lead technician,
they provide you with a van, a work truck.
So I would not be using my vehicle.
- But do you think it's the corporate's fault?
- Yeah, this company, they're just not up to par yet.
[dramatic music]
- We want to make sure
the employees are taken care of.
And so, you know, him driving his own car,
that is something I'd like to look at and address.
- So you being as old as you are...
- I don't think you have to say it that way.
[both laughs]
Why, how old do you think I am? Don't be mean either.
- [laughs]
45.
- 45? - Mm-hmm.
Man, I'm gonna buy you dinner now.
- [laughs]
[steady music]
How long have you lived here?
- I lived in Dallas basically my whole life,
but I wasn't even born in the U.S.
- So where are you from originally?
- Sierra Leone, West Africa. - Really?
So you were born there, and then you moved here when?
- When I was four. - Wow.
- Four years old.
- What made you move over here?
- The war. - Mm-hmm.
- I moved here with a older brother and his wife.
- Your mom and dad, why didn't they come, too?
- They both passed when I was at a young age.
[somber music]
- I would think that had to be pretty tough.
- Yeah. But losing my brother...
- Losing your brother? - Yeah.
Hardest thing I've been through.
- Really?
- Yeah, he was my younger brother.
- What happened? - He was on his way to work.
And he stopped to help somebody who was stranded.
And a lady, she was driving under the influence,
and she ended up hitting him.
Oh...
it's tough.
- Kandeh's had a lot of tragedy in his life.
I don't know how he does it.
He's a pretty amazing young guy.
- Well, I will tell you it's been great hanging out
with you today, getting to know you.
You seem like a great guy, so...
- I appreciate that.
- You know, awesome meeting you, man.
- All right. - Good luck to you.
- You too.
- I rarely run into people that just have
that much everything-- energy, desire.
He's just a really good person.
I need those people.
[insects chirping]
[dramatic music]
Going undercover has been way more draining mentally
and physically than I thought it would be.
I've seen things that are a little bit eye-opening.
My employees have really helped me to understand
that there's a lot more to the restoration business
than I thought.
And there's a lot of things that I learned
where I think I can take those back to corporate
and make some positive changes.
♪ ♪
I'm about to reveal my true identity
to the team members I shadowed this week.
- They are doing a show on, like, starting over.
- The workers I've met will be told they're meeting
to help us with some research for the documentary.
- They said today was supposed to be the interview.
- Okay.
- No one has any idea that this is "Undercover Boss."
♪ ♪
Do you recognize me?
So I am not Bobby.
- You're not Bobby?
- My name's Gary Findley.
- [laughs]
- I'm actually the CEO of Restoration 1.
- The CEO?
- Is this real?
- You're on...
"Undercover Boss."
- Oh, wow. Oh, wow.
announcer: Coming up... - Oh, my gosh.
announcer: The boss delivers life-changing news.
- You look ahead. There's a lot to look forward to.
- [sobbing]
♪ ♪
- Cristin, one thing I figured out real quick--
you're not doing a good job.
[dramatic music]
You're doing a great job. - [chuckles]
- When we were in that stinky house, I was thinking,
"This is pretty bad."
You have a very tough job.
And you're doing it in an industry
where there's not a lot of females in it.
Right? - True.
- So you've had to fight your way through it.
- I'm not gonna let my gender
prevent me from getting where I want to go.
If I could bring more women into this industry, I would.
- I can help you do that. - Really?
- I want to start up a mentorship program
that I want you to be over that.
- Oh, wow.
- For you helping us put that together,
I want to give you $10,000.
- Oh, my gosh.
- I'm confident that you can make that happen
'cause you don't seem to stop at anything.
- [laughs]
- As an operations manager,
you've got all these different things to do.
It takes a lot, not just mentally, physically,
but with your family, too, right?
- Correct.
My family is very supportive.
- I would like to do something for you.
I would like to give you $15,000...
- No way.
- To take your family on a luxury vacation.
- Wow.
Thank you. - Mm-hmm.
- [sniffles] Oh, man.
[chuckles]
- Well, I need more Cristins out there, right?
Thank you so much. - Thank you so much.
- Mm-hmm.
[heartwarming music]
♪ ♪
- I feel so overwhelmed.
I feel grateful and... [sniffles]
Definitely feel appreciated.
Wow. [chuckles]
- Tedd, how are you? - I'm good. How you doing?
- I'm doing well.
Really enjoyed working with you.
Your positive attitude-- very, very professional.
I will tell you, as a CEO, that was a great thing.
But more than that was that van.
Oh, my gosh. - My office on wheels.
- Office on wheels. - [laughs]
- You know, I would love to have you come
and help us put together some protocols
on how you put a good van together,
how you have your equipment set up,
and take those protocols
and put them in our operations manual.
Would you be willing to do that?
- Yes. That's a great opportunity.
Other coworkers are gonna actually take me serious.
[both laugh]
- You've had a few trials in the last year or so.
- Oh, yeah. Didn't have the opportunity
to have my kids with me.
- You told me eventually you want to buy your own house.
I want to help you do that now.
I want to give you $20,000 for that down payment.
- Oh, my God.
♪ ♪
That would--Oh, God.
I don't know how to take this in.
[both laugh] I don't.
That's life-changing.
- The hard work you put into the company,
you deserve a break.
- Thank you, man.
I greatly appreciate it.
- Having the positive attitude that you've had,
you're gonna grow in the company.
Don't go anywhere.
- I don't plan on going anywhere.
- Don't go anywhere. - All right.
Mr. Bobby is gonna help us out, girls.
You want to know what he's gonna do?
all: Yeah.
- You're gonna have more space now.
You'll have your own bedrooms. - [speaking indistinctly]
- [laughs] - [squeals]
- All right, I can't wait to see you guys.
I'ma call you later, okay?
- Okay. - All right. I love you.
- Hello, Kurt.
- You look really sharp, man. - I appreciate that.
- You'll definitely be able to meet a homeowner now.
- Yeah. - [chuckles]
- And that was a big thing to you--meeting a homeowner.
Everything you did from the minute you got there
till you stepped in that house was about being professional.
When you run a franchise company,
unfortunately, you cannot control everything.
So, when I find somebody
like you doing it right, that is a great thing.
I want to create a customer-service video
that we can show out to our other franchisees out there,
and I would like to have
you be the face of our customer service.
- Me? [chuckles]
I'm having a loss for words right now.
- But you're a busy guy.
I don't expect you to do that for free.
So I'd like to pay you $10,000 for creating that video.
- Are you serious? - I'm serious.
- [laughing] I don't know what to say.
Thank you.
When do we start? [both laugh]
- No, we're not gonna start right now.
So...
you told me you had a business before.
- I did. I was into graphic design and animation.
- That business didn't work out?
- It didn't.
You know, I can remember doing the math and saying,
"Yeah, you're failing.
You're failing at life, brother."
You know, I had to make a choice.
And it kind of put me into this field.
- I think you needed somebody there to help you.
You needed that support system.
You mentioned your desire to own your own franchise.
- That's a dream of mine.
- I would like to give you...
the franchise fee for a franchise of your own.
That fee is $55,000.
♪ ♪
How does that help?
♪ ♪
- It'll change the trajectory of my whole life.
- I see you as somebody that's gonna do some great things.
- Thank you, Gary. You won't be disappointed.
I can promise you that.
I'm absolutely overwhelmed.
- Good luck.
- This is genuinely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,
and I can make a promise that I will not squander it at all.
This is the stuff that dreams are made of.
And let's make it happen.
- Kandeh, I got the opportunity to come hang out with you,
and I enjoyed every minute of it.
You're resourceful, and you're gonna make things happen.
- Thank you.
- That is a great quality to have in our business.
- Hold on to those for just a minute.
You told me on our ride that you wanted to have a truck,
that that truck would help you with your business.
I am buying you a truck.
- [sniffles]
And you truly deserve it.
♪ ♪
- It's gonna do a lot for me.
- We got to do that mold job,
and I listened to everything you told me.
You were doing your own training, right?
I think you got lost in the crowd.
I want to turn that around.
And I do not want you to feel unappreciated.
- [sniffles] - I want to give you $5,000
to go towards whatever training you think
will help you the most.
- [sobbing] Thank you.
- Is this the first time you've ever had anybody
really support you? - Yeah.
- [sniffles, clears throat]
You did not have-- [clears throat]
You had a rough life.
Fled Sierra Leone during the civil war
when you're four years old.
Then you get to the States,
and a brother that you love gets hit by car and killed.
♪ ♪
One other thing that I'd like to do...
♪ ♪
I'd like to donate $20,000
in your brother's name
to the Sierra Leone War Trust Fund for Children.
- [sobbing]
♪ ♪
- I also don't want you to go anywhere, okay?
I want to personally mentor you.
- [crying]
- I am looking forward to working with you, young man.
- Thank you.
- Hey, man, get up.
♪ ♪
- [sobbing]
♪ ♪
Just--You look ahead.
There's a lot, a lot to look forward to.
Don't look backwards.
♪ ♪
- Life is gonna be better moving forward,
especially knowing that he's gonna be there
as a mentor and help guide me.
It's a different feeling. I like it.
It's... [chuckles]
It feels good.
♪ ♪
- Going undercover has been invaluable to me.
I'm an expert in the franchise business,
but I clearly had no idea about the restoration business.
This is a really tough job.
I got a great understanding
of what's really going on out in the field
and discovered ways we can improve our customer service,
training, and opportunities for employees.
I believe what I learned going undercover
will definitely move the company forward.
♪ ♪
announcer: Stay tuned for scenes from our next episode.