What if rebuilding your career didn’t start with ads or a perfect website, but with a simple question: who do I need to help first? That’s the heartbeat of our conversation with mortgage lender and real estate investor, Haley Gant, who moved from Houston to Western North Carolina, weathered Hurricane Helene’s fallout, and rebuilt by doubling down on people, process, and patience.

We dig into the decisions that matter when money is tight and time is short: why a CRM is the first real investment, how “boots on the ground” weekends at open houses create authentic partnerships, and the difference between being seen and being useful. Haley opens her playbook on local networking in Hendersonville and Asheville—from FABA and the Chamber to Hive—and shares why hosting meetups and classes can change your trajectory faster than buying leads. Along the way, she explains how buying a Brevard cabin as a short-term rental shaped her approach to lending, wealth-building, and advising first-time buyers and investors to ignore headlines and act on their own timelines.

This episode is packed with practical tactics and a clear mindset: commit to the long game, set weekly learning goals to master complex loan products, and plan your entire year so life experiences land on the calendar before everyone else’s priorities do. If you’re launching a local service business, growing a mortgage practice, or trying to restart after a setback, you’ll leave with a simple, repeatable blueprint for momentum built on real relationships.

If this conversation helped you think differently about growth, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s building something, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway so we can keep bringing you more founder playbooks.

Guest contact info:

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.EliteMountainMortgage.com 

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill

Thanks for listening. Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!

Bill

What if your grind isn’t a discipline problem but a design mismatch? We sit down with Rachel Buckley of the Wellbeing Project to rethink success from the inside out, trading vague self-care for a practical framework that meets both body and being. Rachel’s story moves from New York sales floors and network marketing calls to single parenting in Asheville and hard-won spiritual clarity. Along the way, she discovered something that changed everything: she’s a wisdom teacher, not a traditional founder. That shift reframed “lack of follow-through” as misalignment—and opened the door to work that fits.

We unpack the seven core concepts of her Wellbeing Project, built to be universal and accessible with free online courses and weekly conversations. Think structure like AA but content for everyone: clear, human-centered language, no jargon, and a focus on what all people need to thrive. Rachel shows how “tending” replaces performative self-care. Instead of optimization, you get rhythms: consistent sleep, real food, movement, and the inner nutrients of connection, inspiration, and knowledge. She shares simple rituals that make life feel livable now—like a weekly, agenda-free gathering that keeps community strong without the performative networking.

We also get into common entrepreneurial myths. Ownership isn’t automatic freedom; freedom comes from fit. Rachel explains why keeping her business small on purpose protected her values and season of life, and how partnering let her stay in her genius as a teacher. Then we explore the Being Blueprint, a living personal manual that uses AI to synthesize insights from multiple modalities into practical, everyday guidance. It’s not about labels—it’s about decisions you can trust.

If you’re craving a humane path to growth, this conversation offers tools and language you can use today. Listen, share with someone who’s running on fumes, and tell us what part you’ll tend first. Subscribe for more conversations that put human thriving at the center of work and life.

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill

Thanks for listening. Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!

Bill

Fires are meant to be comforting, not chaotic. We sit with Ben Seidman, owner of Flue Fighters Chimney Company in Asheville, to explore how modern chimney and fireplace work blends science, education, and leadership to keep homes truly safe. From full-camera inspections and roof waterproofing to code-heavy decisions inside the firebox, Ben explains why an “education-first” approach turns a service call into a clear plan homeowners can trust.

The conversation goes deeper than soot and ladders. Ben opens up about getting laid off, launching a business in 2023, and then getting hammered by Hurricane Helene right as peak season should have started. Calls dried up, layoffs followed, and he stepped away for National Guard activation. When the phones finally roared back, he rebuilt with intention—sending techs for CSIA certification, investing in continuing education and NFPA knowledge, and creating a culture where reviews, good or bad, are shared as lessons. The result is a team that thinks three steps ahead about scaffolding, permits, seasonality, and safety, not just the job at hand.

We talk candidly about common small business misconceptions, the myth of instant profit, and why taxes, overhead, and weather can stretch even the best plans. Ben shares how he hires for grit, communication, and problem-solving, then teaches the technical skills needed for high-stakes work on roofs and in crawl spaces. He outlines what’s next—adding a technician and an office manager, securing a building for training and meetings, and refining systems so the company scales without compromising safety.

If you care about home safety, trades professionalism, or how real small businesses survive shocks and grow stronger, this story will land. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s renovating or building, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find these practical, behind-the-scenes conversations. What part of home safety are you reconsidering after this one?

Guest Contact Info:

[email protected]

https://flue-fighters.com/

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill

Thanks for listening. Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!

Bill

The story of Allied Home Inspection isn’t about finding a hack. It’s about learning where trust is built, then building there on purpose. Kimi McBurney joins us to share how a Google listing wasn’t enough in a referral-driven market and why the real leverage came from relationships with real estate agents, consistent social content, and showing up where decisions get made. From a single service start to a multi-service operation offering radon testing and mitigation, water and well testing, and septic inspections and pumping, Kimi walks through the choices that turned a technical skill into a steady pipeline.

We dig into the hard parts most owners gloss over: the pressure of payroll, the myth of flexible hours, and the challenge of taking a real vacation when you’re the linchpin. Kimi lays out how she hired and trained six inspectors, set up remote-first admin, and created clean processes so the business runs when she steps away. Her rule of thumb is simple and bold: hire for people skills, then teach the technical. In a high-stakes moment like a home inspection, clarity and calm matter as much as accuracy, and that culture becomes a competitive edge.

You’ll also hear how coaching communities and cross-market peers accelerated growth by sharing pricing models, marketing tactics, and service-line playbooks. Kimi's approach to balance is pragmatic: engineer your day, protect deep work with early mornings, and use systems to keep promises to clients and family. If you work in home services, real estate, or any referral-heavy field, you’ll leave with practical ideas for network marketing, trust-building, and team empowerment that actually scale.

Enjoy the conversation, then tell us your favorite takeaway. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a fellow entrepreneur, and leave a quick review so more builders can find it.

Guest contact Info:

[email protected]

alliedinspector.com

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill

Thanks for listening. Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!

Bill

Some businesses are built on pitch decks; others are forged in kennels at dawn. We sit with Kris Morrill, founder of Revolutionary Canine, to explore how a former gym owner scaled a two-location dog training company by betting on discipline, education, and a relentless focus on results that stick in real homes. The conversation ranges from the harsh summers of South Georgia to brisk Carolina mornings, and how climate, staffing, and live-animal care shape daily operations and culture in ways most entrepreneurs never see.

Kris breaks down the industry’s overlooked truth: great trainers fail when they can’t teach people. His growth came from mastering canine behavior and then translating it into clear steps owners can repeat under pressure. That owner education, paired with obsessive attention to detail, created consistent outcomes, fewer callbacks, and a steady stream of referrals. You’ll hear why he invests heavily in ongoing learning, how he hires for patience and punctuality, and why dogs demand calm, unemotional handling that reads their signals long before problems escalate.

We also dig into leadership and lifestyle. Holidays don’t pause for kennels, so Kris models the standard by filling gaps and keeping welfare first. He shares why he chooses passion over rigid plans, how he “backchains” from outcomes, and the story behind his “It will work” moment at the bank that set his trajectory. If you care about small business, pet training, or building a team that owns the mission, this story will give you practical takeaways on service, culture, and consistency.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s building something demanding, and leave a quick review to help more entrepreneurs find us.

Guest contact info: 

[email protected]

revolutionarycanine.com 

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill

Thanks for listening. Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!

Bill

What does it really take to turn a hands-on trade into a trusted local brand? We sat down with Bret Wooten of Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning to trace the path from employee to owner and uncover the simple, repeatable habits that drive customer loyalty, strong teams, and steady growth. Brett’s journey is grounded in purpose and proof: commit to quality tools, follow the system, finish every job right, and give clients a little more than they expected.

Brett explains how he broke free from early decision paralysis—agonizing over ads, vendors, and offers—by acting faster and treating mistakes as “expensive education.” We dig into how this shift powers everything else: hiring coachable people, maintaining high standards without shortcuts, and turning first-time clients into recurring customers. You’ll hear how he builds a calm, productive crew culture where feedback is direct, respectful, and focused on outcomes. We also explore the real economics of ownership, dispelling the myth of instant riches and highlighting the true reward: dependable freedom built on consistent execution.

Beyond carpets, Heaven’s Best handles upholstery, leather, tile and grout, area rugs, hardwood floors, stretching and repairs, plus HVAC ducts and dryer vents. Brett shares how the franchise’s ongoing innovation keeps quality high while keeping processes simple. He walks through practical growth plans across Western North Carolina into neighboring Tennessee and Virginia, using a radius approach anchored by travel time and reliable staffing. Along the way, we talk planning routines, vacation coverage, and why family time and faith keep him grounded through busy seasons and quiet spells.

If you want a candid blueprint for service business success—systems over guesswork, people over ego, commitment over shortcuts—this conversation will stick. Subscribe for more stories from owners who build the right way, leave a review to help others find the show, and share the episode with a friend who’s ready to grow.

Guest contact info: 

[email protected]

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill

Thanks for listening. Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!

Bill

Emergencies don’t wait for office hours, and neither does Howard Jones. As the owner-operator of Healthy Home Environmental, he steps into flooded rooms and damp crawl spaces with a simple promise: fast response, straight talk, and work done the right way. We explore what that looks like behind the scenes—where planning, education, and trust separate real pros from rushed jobs.

Howard explains why there’s no such thing as an ironclad mold guarantee and why honest post-job testing is the only responsible way to talk about spore counts. He lays out the operational playbook that keeps clients calm and projects on track: staging materials ahead of time, moving quickly to prevent microbial growth, and staying personally involved on site. Instead of pouring money into ads, he invests in relationships with realtors, homeowners, and adjusters. That network, built over decades, powers a steady flow of referrals and five-star reviews without the hype.

We also get real about leadership and lifestyle. Hiring for punctuality and grit, Howard leads by example and isn’t afraid to crawl where the work demands. He shares why staying small by design helps maintain quality, how a single bad job can dent years of goodwill, and what it takes to keep boundaries when the phone never stops ringing. There’s heart here, too—family as inspiration, pride in a son’s successes, and the quiet discipline of showing up even when it’s hard.

If you care about building a service business that lasts, you’ll find practical lessons on reputation management, client education, moisture and mold best practices, and the power of doing the simple things well. Subscribe, share this with a fellow owner, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find stories that cut through the noise.

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill

Thanks for listening. Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!

Bill

A five-star review doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built on numbers, people, and promises you keep. We sit down with Dennis Koval of FixnCarolina Pro Handyman Service to unpack how a local home services company scales with profit discipline and a people-first mindset. From job-level cost tracking to a satisfaction guarantee that holds final payment until the client is truly happy, Dennis shares an operating system any service business can adapt.

We start with the real problem a pro handyman solves: all the small but critical tasks homeowners don’t know who to call for. Dennis explains why tracking materials, labor hours, and target gross profit per job is non-negotiable, and how quietly stacking $19.99 subscriptions can bleed cash if no one audits the tools. He walks through the playbook for clear communication—owning setbacks, explaining fixes, and leaving homes cleaner than they were found—so the only visible change is the improvement. That discipline turns one-time visits into repeat business and over eighty five-star reviews.

The conversation turns to culture. Dennis treats employees as the first customers, hiring for openness, friendliness, cleanliness, and attention to detail. He shows how that approach drives rapport with homeowners, fewer callbacks, and a calmer schedule. We also talk boundaries: setting work hours, planning vacations with coverage, and resisting the urge to reply from the beach. The quick-fire segment hits education, planning for the worst while hoping for the best, and drawing inspiration from family and local founders. We close with practical advice for owners: invest in your team, obsess over service, keep learning, and build peer circles that keep you out of the weeds.

Ready to turn small jobs into big wins? Listen now, subscribe for more conversations with builders and owners, and share the one change you’ll make this week. If this helped, leave a review so others can find the show.

Guest info: 

[email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/fixncarolina/

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill

Thanks for listening. Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!

Bill

What happens to a mountain home when the owner is a thousand miles away and a sudden freeze cracks a pipe? We sat down with Nick Gomez, founder of Mountain Vantage Properties, to explore how a home watch and property caretaking company protects vacant luxury homes across Asheville, Hendersonville, Weaverville, and Black Mountain—and what it really takes to build trust in a niche that runs on discretion and reliability.

Nick shares why he would invest in marketing first if he could start over, even with a career rooted in operations and engineering. We unpack pricing for a luxury market, the risk of being “the cheapest,” and how to reach a tiny, hard-to-find audience by building relationships with realtors, trades, and clubs where seasonal owners actually spend time. The conversation goes deep on integrity-first hiring—what it means to vet people who can walk into a five-million-dollar home and do the right thing—plus the systems that keep field work calm and decisive when a leak or storm hits.

We also get practical about work-life integration: ruthless calendar blocks, weekly non-negotiables for content and outreach, and the role of a supportive spouse when entrepreneurship stretches the schedule. Mentors show up as force multipliers—pushing clear goals, reframing setbacks, and keeping the long game in focus. Looking ahead, Nick outlines a shift to think like a marketing company that does home watch, along with a growing project management arm that coordinates vetted vendors so owners handle less while outcomes improve.

If you care about building a recurring revenue business on trust, or you own a second home and wonder how to make it worry-free, this conversation delivers concrete tactics and candid lessons. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s scaling a service business, and leave a review to let us know the one takeaway you’ll put into practice this week.

Guest contact info:

Website: mvpwnc.com

Phone: (828) 585-4889

Email: [email protected]

Email: [email protected]

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill

Thanks for listening. Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!

Bill

Storms don’t just hit mountains—they hit companies. We sat down with Ryan Ducker, CEO of Ducker Land Management in Western North Carolina, to explore how a contractor that repairs landslides, builds engineered retaining walls, and crafts complex hardscapes built a culture that runs toward the storm and comes out stronger. Ryan’s operating system is simple and demanding: hire hungry, humble, and smart people; resolve problems immediately; and keep the wheelhouse staffed with leaders who can steady the ship when conditions change fast.

We get practical about money and growth. Ryan shares the early mistakes of buying shiny equipment too soon, why renting strategically protects cash flow, and how clear positioning—hardscape, slope stabilization, and concrete, not mowing or mulch—attracts the right jobs. He opens up about marketing that fits their terrain, from geofencing target areas to refining a website that signals “heavy hardscape and landslide repair” at a glance. Underneath the tactics is a people-first strategy: build a business that grows employees from unskilled to skilled to operator to foreman, and clients will feel the difference on every job walk.

Purpose sits at the center. Ryan credits his faith for keeping the focus on service, character, and long-term decisions that outlast any contract. He admits balance is hard, so he uses a monthly “balance wheel” and invites his wife to grade family time, then schedules it like mission-critical work. Expect candid advice for owners: don’t try to pay your way out of culture problems, coach fast, remove bad fits when needed, and give your best leaders real authority so they carry the weight with you. We also preview what’s next: a dedicated large-project crew, a tighter org chart, and smarter media that meets ideal clients where they are.

If you care about building teams that can handle tough sites, tougher markets, and the toughest conversations, this conversation will sharpen your playbook. Listen, share with a fellow builder or founder, and leave a review to tell us your biggest takeaway.

Guest Info:

[email protected]

www.duckerlandco.com

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill

Thanks for listening. Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!

Bill