Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Colby
Hi Jason, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I spent my childhood in one of three places: outside exploring, immersed in a book, or by my dad’s side on the job site, where he ran a construction company. It was during these years that I developed a deep love for nature, science, learning, and teaching. After graduating high school, I pursued a degree in Biology.
While in college, I became interested in understanding the nature and process of diseases and causes of declining health. This desire to comprehend the inner workings of illness combined with a passion for helping others led me to pursue a Master’s in Biomedical Sciences and Technology. In the lab, I spent countless hours studying genes and how they function. My goal was to build a career focused on curing diseases and improving lives. However, after graduating, I quickly realized that outside of academia, research was increasingly driven by profit margins rather than the pursuit of cures and helping others.
In 2020, I returned to my family in South Carolina, where I met my wife. At the time, she was working as a functional medicine practitioner at a local health clinic. She found herself helping many patients who were suffering from mold sickness. While treating patients, she would refer them to local mold testing companies and mold remediation specialists, but found that the industry standards were often inadequate. This left many people without solutions, still exposed to mold, and unable to heal. With 15 years of experience in mold remediation before transitioning to functional medicine, she saw a gap in the industry and knew she could make a difference. Determined to address this issue, she dove deep into mold science and within six months, developed a company that would provide a more thorough inspection for an affordable cost. She often jokes that I fell in love with her because of her microscope.
Together, we combine my background in construction and lab work with her expertise in mold remediation and physical health to build a company focused on what I’ve always wanted: helping people. The Great Indoors has been dedicated to helping people get rid of their mold and create healthier living environments for the past five years now.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I had some hard life lessons that I was fortunate to learn early on in life, which prepared me for this role of helping and educating people about mold. I’ve never been the type to thrive in a traditional job setting. While I’ve always had a strong work ethic and a commitment to putting in the effort, I never wanted to be confined by the corporate structure. I believe in working hard, but I place just as much value on playing hard and spending quality time with my family. That’s why owning my own company has been such a perfect fit—it allows me the freedom to shape my career on my own terms and still experience a fruitful family life.
My love for learning and biology, and my previous education and work experience made learning job training for the certifications I needed a breeze. However, building a business from the ground up is no easy feat. It took time to establish our name and differentiate ourselves from other companies in the industry. It also took time to find reputable, high-integrity partners that I felt confident referring my clients to.
One obvious challenge was making enough money in the beginning when we first started the company to pay the bills. That’s to be expected really, though. There was a ton to be done when first getting the company fully up and running. We had to set up the framework for the inspections, write all the documentation the company uses, find clients, set up the website and all the social media accounts, make referral partners, and bring business cards to leave lying around everywhere I went. I even signed up as a subcontractor for a nationwide mold testing company collecting mold samples, and delivered groceries when needed to fill the gaps in income. My wife was an incredible support through all of it.
Another challenge was fighting myself. I can be a bit of a perfectionist at times, and I was spending all my free time working on finding more ways to build value and grow the company. In the beginning, there were some weeks where I would be working more than 80 hours, but most of the time it didn’t feel like work to me. My wife had to keep me anchored and remind me that it’s ok to take breaks, and that I have a family that needs my attention as well. Eventually we found a perfect balance. The company grew pretty quickly, to the point that my wife was able to start her own company working from home.
Last November, we welcomed my firstborn child into the world, and he has definitely made things a little more complicated. However, if it wasn’t for the company, we wouldn’t be able to spend as much time with him or enjoy the blessing of never needing childcare. The only true limitations I face are the ones I set for myself, and over the past five years, I’ve been able to grow this business significantly. Being able to attend every dinner, every baseball game, and take time off to go hiking, camping, or visit family has been a true blessing. I wouldn’t change any of the struggles, because I wouldn’t be the same person I was today.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Great Indoors?
Our company specializes in safeguarding your home from mold, creating a healthier and safer living environment. While many people associate mold with water leaks, over 85% of the mold we encounter in homes has no link to active leaks. Mold, like animals, come in a variety species, each thriving under different conditions. We have created an inspection protocol that is able to find many things that the industry standard misses. Our comprehensive testing not only identifies existing mold colonies but also assesses conditions that could lead to future growth.
We pride ourselves on being one of the most affordable and thorough mold inspectors in the state. Our inspections cover the entire home, including exterior, grading, drainage, crawlspaces, basements, interior rooms, attics, and HVAC components. We use tape-lift sampling, which we have found to be the most cost-effective testing method while still providing an in-depth snapshot of mold activity of a given area. Additional tests, like air samples and swabs, are available upon request. We utilize infrared technology to detect hidden leaks or air gaps and use several meters to measure air quality, particulate counts, and gases such as formaldehyde, CO2, and VOCs—key indicators of various molds. At the end of each inspection, clients receive a clear list of direct and actionable steps to keep their home healthy for years to come.
For those on a budget or outside our service area, we offer DIY tape sample analysis, with support from our experts. Each service includes a one-on-one consultation to discuss findings, repairs, and DIY options.
Besides being one of the most affordable options on the market, we also go out of our way to try to save our clients money by providing them detailed instructions and product recommendations for any DIY repairs they can do themselves. We also offer referrals to companies we use regularly who will give free inspections and estimates to my clients. At our company, we focus solely on testing and recommendations, never performing the actual work. We do this to ensure our clients understand that our advice isn’t driven by self-interest—we don’t recommend work that’s not needed for financial gain. Our goal is to empower our clients with the knowledge they need to make their homes safer, while at the same time saving them as much money as possible throughout the process.
In an industry often driven by fear, our mission is to educate and empower clients to understand mold and take control of their home’s health. My goal is to be the expert you trust for all your mold concerns. We build lasting relationships with clients. There is nothing more satisfying than watching a client move from fear and sickness to confidence and safety in their homes.
Mold is a serious issue that is only going to be getting worse in the future as the median age of homes in the country increases while the frequency of people performing proper maintenance decreases. I want my clients to learn everything I know so that they can help me spread this information, and I think that also makes me different from other companies who want to scare people into buying expensive services that may not even fix the problem. I feel like we care more about our clients. You don’t have to look farther than our perfect 5-Star review to see that our clients can tell that they’re not just a dollar sign to us.
Currently we are working on writing a book which will teach people how to inspect their home for mold, get rid of it if they find any, and keep it out of their home for good. We are also working on a home sampling kit that will come with the book so you can have your samples analyzed by us. We are also writing a companion book on how to detox the body after getting out of toxic mold exposure. Looking forward, we’re focused on our next big goal: expanding by creating a franchise. We believe in what we do so strongly that we’re determined to change the entire industry for the better and make The Great Indoors a common household name.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
My mom tells me that I was running and having full conversations with grown ups before I turned one. I was very smart and matured faster than my age. Growing up I was shy and quiet when first meeting new people, but would quickly warm up and then you couldn’t get me to stop talking. I loved to laugh and tell jokes, and I also enjoyed singing and music a lot. I loved to be outside, learn, and explore. I had multiple types of collections, including rocks, keychains, and stamps. My mom often referred to me as her “little scientist.” Some of my favorite childhood memories were made with the family at the local campground. If I had the option, you could find me swimming in the lake there. My mom also frequently called me her “little water bug.” I was also an avid reader and always had a book close by. Unfortunately, I also had an infatuation with electronics in general, but especially movies and video games and wasted a lot of time there. But you’ve got to wind down some time, right? I easily made friends and could travel in any circle, but tended to be the leader and protector of the kids who were picked on. I could see more clearly the injustices in the world, and wanted to make things better. I strived for excellence and worked hard in everything I did. My mom would say that I don’t do anything halfway, not even the bad things.
Pricing:
- Full Home Mold Inspection (up to 2,500 square feet): $500
- Service Call- $50
- Tape Lift Sample Collection & Analysis- $20 each
- DIY Tape Sample Analysis- $10 each
- Air Sample Collection- $75 each
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.SCMoldMasters.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SCMoldMasters
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SCMoldMasters
