Author: byronschramm
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Work-Life Balance or Integration | Are You Open to Reinterpretation?
Could we be misconstruing the idea of work-life balance from its original intent? Is it possible that the presence of millennials in the workforce has affected how this phrase is interpreted today? Employers have been putting tremendous effort into determining the best way to appeal to millennial workers, and this phrase often comes up with…
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Handwerk | Tools of the German Trade
This article was first published in the June 2024 issue of Sweeping Magazine; you can view the article here. So I’m in Germany on a family sabbatical studying chimney sweeping in Europe, and I’m walking around what might be described as an Ace Hardware for chimney sweeps. It’s a brick-and-mortar tool and equipment store exclusively…
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Why I Left My Business for Six Months | Trade Entrepreneur Podcast Feature
Recently, Byron was featured on the Trade Entrepreneur Podcast to discuss his experience leaving behind his U.S.-based national chimney sweep franchise business in the hands of his team while heading to Europe for a nearly seven-month chimney research adventure. Keep reading for details of what led to this once-in-a-lifetime experience for his family and himself,…
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A Visit to the Mr. Soot Training Centre in Wigan, England | Feature in Fireplace Specialist Magazine
While exploring chimney sweep practices across Europe—Austria, Germany, France, and Switzerland—I made sure to stop in England and learn about British techniques and standards.
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Chimney Construction Contrasted USA vs Europe
Austrian castles, German Castles, English Royalty and Peasant fireplaces. Chimney construction contrasted in the USA vs Europe is a subject I am deeply interested in as a USA chimney installer. Chimney stories begin with construction technique, and technique begins with plans. Home and chimney building codes are typically reactionary in nature- stemming from natural or…