5 Questions: Doug Hoffman

1 | Who are you, and what do you do?

My name is Doug Hoffman, and I’ve been accused of being a “serial entrepreneur.”  Yes, it is true that I don’t think I’d make a very good employee, so I’ve considered myself “self-unemployed” for over 40 years.

As a business owner, having the freedom to make significant mistakes has allowed me to achieve some great successes. I’ve learned to recognize what I know from what I don’t know, so I’ve been fortunate to surround myself with some incredibly talented people, and, as a result, I’ve gotten quite the education in the school of hard knocks.

Overall, I’ve been able to provide a good living for myself, my family, and some good employees. Regarding my companies, I help people learn how to live cleaner, safer, and healthier lives indoors, and it’s incredibly rewarding when they come and tell me that that goal has been accomplished.

2 | How did you get started, and what are you known for?

When I was invited to create a mold training program to support Louisiana’s mold licensing law in 2004, it prompted me to delve deeper into the topic of mold by connecting my construction background with what I had learned about indoor air quality (IAQ) and the water restoration world.

Determined to stop building unhealthy homes and knowing that IAQ problems weren’t always the result of some catastrophic water event, I set out on the mission to help people build better homes with my book at MoldFreeConstruction.com and to teach IAQ assessors and water restoration contractors wholistic solutions to improve the entire indoor environment, not just fix a problem.

I hope that’s what I’m known for. It’s not just about fixing a problem but creating an environment in which the problem will not recur. This includes a good understanding of building science, sanitization techniques, and ongoing monitoring of the built environment.

3 | Who has impacted your life more than anyone else?

In addition to his entrepreneurial activities, Doug Hoffman enjoys spending time with his grandsons. They are pictured, left to right: Douglas, Todd, and Garrett.

Besides my wife, Neva, who puts everything in the proper context and keeps me focused on what’s important, I’d say I’m fortunate to be surrounded by a team of industry professionals, many spiritually minded friends, and a loving family that positively impacts me. I look around and realize how blessed I am every day to interact with good people who want to do things the right way and want to help me become better at whatever I do.

I don’t want to sound Pollyannaish or naive in any way, but fortunately, I naturally seem to avoid people who are negative naysayers. So, for the most part, it’s the positive people I attract. Of course, out of my need for realism, I’ve chosen a few people who can “balance” the scale by their less positive outlook on life, but those few are heavily outweighed by the many who, like me, find solutions in difficulty and pathways through chaos. I feel truly fortunate in that way.

 4 | If you could have dinner with one person from history, who would it be, and why?

The one person in my life who knows me better than I know myself and could speak into my life about my shortcomings and how I might improve would be Jesus. And it would be a very long dinner with multiple courses and desserts because he would have a lot of fuel. However, he would have the ability to be succinct and get to the point, which is what I like. No fooling around; tell me like it is.

5 |  What hobbies or activities do you love, and do you have any that some may not know about?

I love teaching the Bible and playing music. My mom played piano, so I was “forced” to learn at an early age, and it has served me well through the years as an outlet for stress. I taught myself to play the guitar and love playing and singing, although I don’t have as many opportunities now.

Very few people know that I have published a couple of four-part harmony, a cappella hymns, and I love studying the Bible and developing study material. My website, DaleDouglasHoffman.com, has a lot of material that many people who don’t know me well might find surprising. If I ever retired, that’s how I would spend my time besides