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043 The One with the WaterCycle Guy

Episode\xa043: Show Notes

Did\xa0you know we all have something in common?\xa0 Well,\xa0I'm\xa0willing to bet that we have many things in common but the one I want to\xa0focus\xa0in on is\xa0we all start something new as someone\xa0new to starting that something.\xa0I know that is not very profound, but it's true.\xa0In my career I have been concerned about how someone would\xa0view\xa0my\xa0presentation\xa0or\xa0recommendation\xa0because I was: too new, too young, too...

I\xa0absolutely\xa0love hearing from the Scaling UP!\xa0Nation about how this show has\xa0inspired\xa0people to: try something new, change up the status quo and ask why.\xa0 When we know why something does what it does, we change our role from a task doing to a\xa0tool master.\xa0When\xa0we have command over the tools that we use, we become exceptional water treaters.

If\xa0you have listened to Scaling UP! before, you know I believe it takes the gift of others\xa0investing in you that will lead you to a\xa0successful\xa0future.

Today I\xa0interview\xa0someone\xa0who\xa0has\xa0really\xa0shape the water treatment industry.\xa0Most likely, he has had a hand in\xa0all of\xa0the products you use.\xa0If you use a controller, he has had a hand in creating some of the\xa0algorithms\xa0the controller uses.\xa0He has\xa0authored many papers and spoken at many venues.\xa0But here's the thing, when he started he was:\xa0too new, too young, too...\xa0After\xa0knowing\xa0all\xa0these\xa0accolades, you are ready to listen to him, right?

My guest today is Rob Ferguson, of French Creek Software.\xa0Rob\xa0founded French Creek Software where he\xa0developed\xa0several\xa0programs.\xa0The one you are most likely familiar with is\xa0WaterCyle.\xa0WaterCycle\xa0is a modeling software that allows you to\xa0theoretically\xa0test your product in a simulated\xa0environment.\xa0Rob was new when he started as water treater.\xa0He was new when he\xa0started\xa0WaterCylce.\xa0If\xa0there is one thing I\xa0hope\xa0you get out of this episode is that we all start at the same place and we never get where we are going alone.\xa0Rob explains how many have helped him become what he is today.

Join\xa0me as I\xa0interview\xa0Rob\xa0Ferguson.

More about Rob Ferguson?

Rob Ferguson began modeling\xa0corrosion,\xa0mineral\xa0scale solubility, scale formation,\xa0and \xa0scale\xa0and corrosion control in 1974 and continues to be a major contributor to the practical application of physical chemistry to\xa0identifying\xa0and\xa0solving industrial water treatment challenges. Major career accomplishments include:

• developing the first successful ultra-low dosage treatment approaches for scale control in high volume utility once through cooling systems (1974).
• designing and implementing the first real-time\xa0microprocessor controlled\xa0scale inhibitor controller (1984).
• making advanced physical chemistry and laboratory study results to water treatment professionals through software available in a user friendly, visual format.
• Developing a\xa0user friendly\xa0system for evaluating scale formation and control under extreme conditions.

Rob wrote much of the software in use today for cooling water, reverse osmosis, and oil field chemistry. He co-founded French Creek Software in 1989 and has presented and published papers at AWT, NACE, the IWC, CTI, ACS, AWWA, AMTA and in many trade journals. His motto is "Physical Chemistry for Fun and Profit."\xa0

He opened a scale and corrosion laboratory in 2014 to develop and refine inhibitor performance data and other work not being published by the major service companies and inhibitor synthesizers.

Rob began advocating for change in the approach to evaluating and resolving lead and copper contamination of potable water in 1995 with the release of a municipal water modelling systems, though technology publications, and through editorials such as the\xa0UltraPure\xa0Water guest editorial \u201cParadigm Change Could Drive\xa0Pb\xa0and Cu Crisis Resolution.\u201d

Rob was educated at the US Naval Academy and University of Minnesota and received a BS in Biochemistry and Microbiology in 1971.\xa0 Rob worked in research, marketing, and software development for several major water treatment service companies prior to cofounding French Creek Software in 1989,

Rob received the Association of Water Technologies Ray Baum Water Technologist of the Year award in 2017 for technology contributions to the industry and the association. French Creek was proud to be honored as the AWT Supplier of the Year in 2011.

Key Points\xa0From\xa0This Episode:

• How to elevate tasks\xa0[0:01:20]
• Advise on learning\xa0about the reagents\xa0[0:02:18]
• What is\xa0WaterCycle?\xa0[0:05:20]\xa0
• Back story of Rob Ferguson\xa0[0:08:10]\xa0
• Test Markets\xa0[0:15:02]\xa0
• Water analysis\xa0[0:18:05]
• What's going to interfere with my inhibitors?\xa0[0:20:15]\xa0
• WaterCycle\xa0Treatments\xa0[0:21:45]
• Evaluating the system\xa0[0:22:23]
• Applications Research\xa0[0:28:01]
• Corrosion\xa0Rates\xa0[0:30:03]
• Holistic\xa0Treatment Approach\xa0[0:33:15]
• Troubleshooting formulations\xa0[0:39:20]
• What happens when you blend two (2)\xa0inhibitors\xa0together?\xa0[0:39:40]
• Safety Factor\xa0[0:41:15]
• What water treaters should stop doing?\xa0[0:42:05]

• And much more!\xa0

Tweetables:

"People can teach us the WHAT TO DO, they can teach us the HOW TO DO IT and we can learn those things. But the magic happens when we connect the WHY to the HOW and the WHAT."\xa0@traceblackmore\xa0#scalinguph2o #scalingup\xa0#watercycle\xa0#frenchcreeksoftware\xa0#scalinguppodcast\xa0#watertreatment\xa0#traceblackmore

"You are\xa0inspired\xa0to do things, to answer questions about WHY! And that is how we make ourselves great at anything that we do."\xa0@traceblackmore\xa0#scalinguph2o #scalingup\xa0#watercycle\xa0#frenchcreeksoftware\xa0#scalinguppodcast\xa0#watertreatment\xa0#traceblackmore

"Don't think that you\xa0can't\xa0locate\xa0what is done in the past instead of reinventing the wheel. You can refine that wheel but there's no need to reinvent a lot of it."\xa0@traceblackmore\xa0#scalinguph2o #scalingup\xa0#watercycle\xa0#frenchcreeksoftware\xa0#scalinguppodcast\xa0#watertreatment\xa0#traceblackmore

"Quick\xa0Advise\xa0from Rob: "Trust yourself, trust your instincts. Make us many contacts within the industry as you can, rely on friends and work with others!" #robferguson\xa0@traceblackmore\xa0#scalinguph2o #scalingup\xa0#watercycle\xa0#frenchcreeksoftware\xa0#scalinguppodcast\xa0#watertreatment\xa0#traceblackmore

"No matter how hard you start up a business, you probably did not do it all alone."\xa0#robferguson\xa0#scalinguph2o #scalingup\xa0#watercycle\xa0#frenchcreeksoftware\xa0#scalinguppodcast\xa0#watertreatment\xa0#traceblackmore

"Looking outside of my area of expertise and see if there's something else that would help."\xa0#robferguson\xa0#scalinguph2o #scalingup\xa0#watercycle\xa0#frenchcreeksoftware\xa0#scalinguppodcast\xa0#watertreatment\xa0#traceblackmore

"Take away from\xa0https://scalinguph2o.com/43 : It's not about how much grey hair that you have, it's the fact that you want to get something done."\xa0#robferguson\xa0#scalinguph2o #scalingup\xa0#watercycle\xa0#frenchcreeksoftware\xa0#scalinguppodcast\xa0#watertreatment\xa0#traceblackmore

Links Mentioned in Today\u2019s\xa0Episode:

Robert\xa0Ferguson\xa0Website\xa0(French\xa0Creek\xa0Software,\xa0Inc.):\xa0http://www.frenchcreeksoftware.com/watercycle/\xa0

Robert Ferguson on\xa0LinkedIn:\xa0https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-ferguson-1607a69/

Robert Ferguson on\xa0Facebook:\xa0https://www.facebook.com/French-Creek-Software-508227242598833/

John\xa0Zibrita\xa0Show:\xa0https://scalinguph2o.com/7

Audible:\xa0https://scalinguph2o.com/audible

The Foundation series by Isaac Asimov:\xa0https://scalinguph2o.com/43book1

Aquatic Chemistry by Stumm & Morgan:\xa0https://scalinguph2o.com/43book2