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: hgant@nexamortgage.com

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 williamgilliland@actioncoach.com 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 williamgilliland@actioncoach.com or at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!

Bill

What if a wedding could cost less and mean more? That’s the question we explore with Jon-Paul Brown, the founder of Elope at Asheville, who’s spent sixteen years guiding couples to mountaintops, waterfalls, and wild overlooks for intimate ceremonies that trade spectacle for story. He shares how a simple promise—full wedding experience at a fraction of the price—became a resilient business anchored in trust, stunning photography, and adventure.

We dig into the practical playbook behind his growth. Jon-Paul argues that marketing is the job, and social media is the most reliable engine when you remove friction from discovery to booking. He breaks down the profile-to-DM-to-contract flow, why clarity beats cleverness, and how watching trends without chasing fads keeps the brand consistent. He’s blunt about entrepreneurship’s weight: long days, real stress, and the responsibility of your team’s livelihood. Yet he shows how to build a culture that works—hire for writing and storytelling, treat emails like craft, and give great people room to operate.

The conversation turns raw when Jon-Paul recounts a partnership that imploded into lawsuits, missing funds, a hacked website, and a full stop. In 2024 he regained control and rebuilt from zero, a forced reset that sharpened his priorities: rigorous financial oversight, honest pricing, and fast, human communication. We also talk fair fees versus profit maximization, why couples deserve to start married life without debt, and how field research (yes, even in a powder-blue Vegas tux) fuels better processes. He closes with what’s next: spring bookings, local tips, and The Elope Asheville Insider, a new weekly show spotlighting events, eats, stays, and wedding planning advice around town.

If you care about building a brand on integrity and results—whether you run weddings or any service business—this conversation will give you tactics and a spine. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s scaling a service, and leave a quick review to tell us what lesson hit home.

Guest's contact info: www.elope-asheville.com

info@elope-asheville.com or 828-301-2959

Facebook: @elopeasheville

Instagram: @elopeasheville

TikTok:

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 williamgilliland@actioncoach.com 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:

ben@flue-fighters.com

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 williamgilliland@actioncoach.com 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:

kimi@alliedinspector.com

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 williamgilliland@actioncoach.com 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:

kris@revolutionarycanine.com

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 williamgilliland@actioncoach.com 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:

hbofwnc@gmail.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 williamgilliland@actioncoach.com 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 williamgilliland@actioncoach.com or at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!

Bill