A Letter From the New President

Looking back at my journey to become ASHI President, I can only say—Wow! It seems like only yesterday that I took the leap to be a home inspector.

I remember very well the day when one of my mentors threatened to give me a swift kick and said, “You need to start booking your own inspections.You know this stuff!” At the time I could only think, “Who, me? You have to
be kidding. I’m too new to the world of home inspections.”

You see, like many of us, I was transitioning from another profession. I’d spent years working with a commercial/industrial sales background, spending many days and evenings in rail yards and power plants. For several years I worked in the overhead door market. I sold doors ranging from your typical entry door all the way up to the rolling steel doors that are big enough to span three tracks of railroad cars delivering materials used by a local brewery.

So how could I know enough to inspect? What if I missed something? How would I find clients? How would I survive starting my own company? And what about the peaks and valleys of the real estate market? I had all these questions in the back of my mind, but my mentor was right. It was time. I was ready. I haven’t looked back since.

So, how did I get started? The answer is somewhat simple—working both hard and smart. I went out of my way to accommodate client and agent requests for weekend or after-hour meetings. I attended as many neighborhood events as possible, and I used that vast network of neighborhood groups to my advantage. The more people who knew me, the greater chance for opportunity.

This volunteer participation not only allowed me the opportunity to hone my skills as an inspector but also to become a more effective communicator. I had to describe the conditions of the home I was evaluating, both to the owner and the organization. It didn’t hurt that along the way I also gained experience looking at turn-of-the-century homes with steam heat and hidden stairs.

I soon became a member of my local ASHI Chapter and the Missouri Association of Building Inspectors and Officials. When I showed interest by stepping forward and volunteering, members took me under their wings to broaden my knowledge. It was in this way that I became aware of a wonderful resource called mentoring. Mentorship is a personal development relationship in which a more experienced or knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person.

With my growing involvement I met more home inspectors. The more I met, the more I wanted to meet. It’s amazing the wealth of knowledge and camaraderie in the profession. True, many of us are competitors, but the community as a whole is generally friendly and cares about the individual. I have seen this countless times through the assistance given to a sick or injured inspector and in the stories and business experience shared at roundtables and educational events. I encourage each of you to take advantage of the many educational events held throughout our industry.

I mustn’t fail to give an essential shout-out to our volunteers. Thank you for your work to support ASHI. Without all your efforts, ASHI would not be the organization it is today.

Please feel free to reach me at wesslingjohn2@gmail.com with any questions.

John Wessling | President 2022

PS. Thanks Don, Paul, and Dave for the encouragement I needed all those years ago.</i