Ep. 203 Houston Tomasz, President at Travel Safe | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast

Episode 203 of the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast features an interview with Houston Tomasz, President at Travel Safe. What you'll learn:

Discover why turnkey data center decommissioning covers far more than ITAD, from removing generator concrete pads to restoring drywall, ceilings, and floors to pre-lease condition.
Understand why your real estate and legal teams should review the lease and negotiate move-out terms with the landlord long before any contractor shows up.
Learn how a secondary market channel can turn used 4000 amp switchgear into far more value than its scrap copper price.
Explore how the move from copper to fiber made thousands of legacy telco sites redundant and created a steady stream of decommissioning work.
Recognize why 597 kilowatt racks, the switch from DX units to CDUs, and unclear refrigerant rules are changing data center cooling.

Uncover why "front loading" leadership talent protects service quality when average employee tenure is only nine months.
Examine the shortage of skilled data center electricians and Liebert-trained mechanical technicians, and why their wages keep climbing.
Identify local permitting hurdles, including strict inspectors, difficult permit portals, and FAA crane approvals near airports that take at least six months.
Gain a view of why sole-source partnerships and owning up to mistakes win more long-term work than competitive bidding.
Hear why buying contact lists to reach the C-suite fails, and how the right questions help your buyer get internal approval instead.
Grasp why data center sales reps need hands-on technical experience to earn credibility with today's well-informed buyers.
Evaluate the case for 415/240V and 48V DC power over traditional 480V/208V three-phase designs, based on what Google, AMD, and Meta are testing.
Consider how behind-the-meter generation, including gas turbines on depleted West Texas wells, could supply data centers with cheap power.
Anticipate how an AI market correction could produce half-built sites that new investors finish for a fraction of the original cost.
Weigh whether space-based data centers could one day compete with terrestrial hyperscalers.

Uncover why "front loading" leadership talent protects service quality when average employee tenure is only nine months.
Examine the shortage of skilled data center electricians and Liebert-trained mechanical technicians, and why their wages keep climbing.
Identify local permitting hurdles, including strict inspectors, difficult permit portals, and FAA crane approvals near airports that take at least six months.
Gain a view of why sole-source partnerships and owning up to mistakes win more long-term work than competitive bidding.
Hear why buying contact lists to reach the C-suite fails, and how the right questions help your buyer get internal approval instead.
Grasp why data center sales reps need hands-on technical experience to earn credibility with today's well-informed buyers.
Evaluate the case for 415/240V and 48V DC power over traditional 480V/208V three-phase designs, based on what Google, AMD, and Meta are testing.
Consider how behind-the-meter generation, including gas turbines on depleted West Texas wells, could supply data centers with cheap power.
Anticipate how an AI market correction could produce half-built sites that new investors finish for a fraction of the original cost.
Weigh whether space-based data centers could one day compete with terrestrial hyperscalers.

Host:

Joshua Feinberg, CEO
DCSMI

Special Guest:

Houston Tomasz, President

Travel Safe

Overview

Travel Safe’s turnkey data-center decommissioning model is positioned for sustained growth as legacy facilities retire and AI-driven infrastructure changes cooling, power, and facility requirements.

Business Model

Houston described Travel Safe as a vertically integrated provider covering electrical, mechanical, concrete, finishing, restoration, and asset resale, with limited subcontracting for fire alarms, cranes, and waste.
The company differentiates itself from scrappers and general contractors by combining equipment removal with lease-compliant restoration and by valuing reusable equipment above scrap value.

Growth Constraints

Staffing capacity, especially experienced data-center electricians and mechanical technicians, is limiting expansion into adjacent services.
Houston said Travel Safe is prioritizing quality and culture over faster growth and is front-loading leadership talent to support training.

Strategic Risks

What new refrigerants and code interpretations will support increasingly dense AI facilities?
How much demand will remain if AI projects are delayed, underutilized, or displaced by alternative power and space models?
How can owners define restoration requirements and asset ownership in leases before major improvements are installed?

Outline

Travel Safe Offering

Turnkey data-center and telecommunications-site decommissioning
Electrical, mechanical, concrete, drywall, ceiling, floor, and restoration work
Asset resale through an e-commerce channel, alongside waste and recycling management

Market Drivers

Redundant telco sites created by the shift from copper to fiber
Lease expirations, mergers, acquisitions, and facility relocations
Bitcoin-to-AI conversions and demand for liquid cooling, CDUs, and higher-voltage distribution

Scaling and Quality

Average employee tenure creates onboarding and quality-control challenges
Experienced data-center electricians and mechanical technicians are difficult to recruit
Expansion into SwiftWall and electrical services has been deprioritized when it threatens the core business

Customer and Sales Strategy

Long-term relationships, reliability, transparent mistake ownership, and partner pricing
Sales personnel need site experience and technical fluency, not only a scripted sales process
Travel Safe earns executive access by helping facility-level buyers build internal approval

Lease and Compliance Risk

Real estate and legal teams should define restoration obligations before signing a lease
Projects become more expensive when landlords, owners, and contractors lack an agreed scope
ITAD is distinct from full facility decommissioning; certification and environmental handling remain important

Future Outlook

Large telco retirements and expiring leases may sustain demand for years
Underused AI sites could create repurposing opportunities for regional, local, or academic users
Behind-the-meter generation, closed-loop cooling, and alternative data-center locations may reshape development

Guest Resources

Resources

Do you want to stay up to date about upcoming episodes?

Subscribe to the Data Center GTM Briefing

Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast, Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast | Guest Interview