Giving Back is Easy

One bad home inspector can substantially impact the profession. That’s according to Mark Goodman, 2024 ASHI National President. He believes mentoring is crucial in maintaining high standards within the industry. Whether formally guiding a fellow inspector or simply offering advice, it is essential that support is given openly and respectfully, without tearing anyone down, he said.

Mentoring can take many forms—assisting with technical issues, report writing, participating in chapter events, taking on leadership roles, attending conferences, networking, training new inspectors, and offering online support, to name a handful. “It’s important to remember that the actions of a single poor or inexperienced inspector can greatly harm the profession’s reputation,” Goodman said. “Through collective efforts like mentorship, we uphold the professionalism and growth of our industry.” 

It’s all part of mentoring and relationships, he said. “Whether you’re newer or have been an inspector for a long time, inspectors have a kinship. We help each other out. Especially when it comes to technical aspects and report writing,” he said. “Regardless of experience level, collaboration makes a difference; anyone can mentor.”

Chapters foster opportunities for peer learning and relationship-building. Post-Covid, many ASHI chapters don’t have as many people attending in-person meetings, as many can attend virtually. While some chapters meet in person and some virtually, some do a mix of both. “Chapters are really good at dealing with local and regional issues and providing local and regional education,” Goodman said. “ASHI is really good at providing education that applies to everyone, but we can’t produce education that applies to every city across the country. That’s where the chapters come in.”

When it comes to “marketing secrets,” conferences are helpful, as inspectors can make connections with people all over the country, and people in different markets are more willing to help in ways locals might not be, Goodman said. He said conferences are essential platforms for networking, enabling inspectors to develop relationships that foster ongoing advice, technical guidance, and business support. Goodman stresses the importance of a collaborative mindset. Many ASHI leaders, he said, believe it should never be about competition. “I’m not worried about me helping somebody else get started. There’s enough business to go around,” he said.

In his role at BPG Inspections, Goodman and his colleagues are actively recruiting, aiming to acquire existing inspection businesses and train inspectors. “Some of them stay with us, and some of them don’t. If we were afraid of training competition, we wouldn’t train as many people as we do.”

Instead, Goodman and many of his peers hope their fellow inspectors will work to train and lift one another up. Instead of belittling someone online for asking a question, for example, he said why not be encouraging? “We shouldn’t be tearing people down. We should be helping them. What’s good for one is good for everybody.”

For Goodman, giving back doesn’t mean serving on a board or holding a leadership role. It can be as simple as answering questions, mentoring a new inspector, sharing technical expertise, or encouraging someone who wants to improve. These small acts not only strengthen individual inspectors but also the profession as a whole.