Epic Entrepreneurs
Welcome to Epic Entrepreneurs! What does it take to build a real and thriving business in today’s world? As entrepreneurs and business owners, we went into business to have more freedom of time and money. Yet, the path of growing a business isn’t always filled with sunshine and rainbows. In this chart-topping show, host Bill Gilliland; author of the best-selling book “The Coach Approach” leverages his decades of experience coaching proven entrepreneurs to make more money, grow the right teams, and find the freedom of EPIC Entrepreneurship.
Epic Entrepreneurs
What If Your Next Customer Is One Coffee Away with Cameron Fagala
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Some businesses win by going bigger. Punchlist Pros wins by going smaller and doing it with care. We sit down with Cameron Fagula to talk about building a family-owned handyman service in Asheville that focuses on the in-between home repair projects most contractors don’t want, like deck board replacement, drywall repair, carpentry fixes, ceiling fan installs, and quick bathroom upgrades that improve quality of life without the pain of a full remodel.
We get into the real engine behind small business growth in Western North Carolina: relationships. Cameron explains how networking, coffee meetings, and community connections turned a slower launch season into a pipeline of referrals as the busy spring and summer months arrive. If you’re trying to grow a local service business, you’ll hear practical ideas for building trust, finding the right rooms, and staying consistent long enough for momentum to compound.
You’ll also hear the parts people leave out: the scheduling puzzle of running multiple small jobs, the myth that ownership automatically means freedom, and the challenge of stepping away when customers and crews need answers. Cameron shares what he looks for when hiring, why customer service matters as much as trade skills, and how a “buttoned up” team presence can be a competitive advantage in the home services market.
If you enjoy candid, tactical conversations about entrepreneurship, home services, and operations, subscribe for more, share this with a business owner who needs a boost, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.
Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/
All the best!
Bill
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/
Welcome To Epic Entrepreneurs
SPEAKER_01Hi everyone. Welcome to this week's episode of Epic Entrepreneurs. I am Cliff McRae with Action Coach Business Growth Partners, where we work with local business owners to turn big ideas into real scalable growth. Today I'm excited to be joined by Cameron Fagula with Punchless Pros. So, Cameron, thanks for being here. How are you doing today?
SPEAKER_00I'm doing great. Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, we're excited to have you. So let's go ahead and jump right in. So uh so, Cameron, for those of you who may not know it yet, who is Cameron Fagula and what is Punchless Pros?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so
Meet Cameron And Punchlist Pros
SPEAKER_00I am um fairly new to the Asheville area. Originally I'm from Gastonia, which is right outside of Charlotte. Um I went to Appalachian State, and that's where um I kind of started dating my wife, Maggie, and um so from there we kind of were on the younger side. We graduated kind of right into COVID, didn't really know. Or everything we planned kind of you know went went a different way. Um, but she's a lawyer, so our first three years of our marriage we spent in Louisville, Kentucky for her to go to law school at the University of Louisville. Um, and she now works at the Bunkup County Courthouse. Yeah, we've been in Asheville since August, but it's kind of always been the goal to get here and settle down and establish roots. Um as for Punchless Pros, it is um a family-owned business. So her father, my father-in-law, and his partner are the owners. Um I am, but they have a full-time job, so I'm I'm the I run it day to day. I'm in it um in the business pretty much 24-7. Um, it's a little bit like my baby. Um, so we uh we're a handyman service, so we we kind of do all of the uh the smaller stuff, stuff that you know general contractors aren't interested in handling. So our average job size is somewhere between a thousand and two thousand dollars. And uh we we specialize in work that doesn't require permits but improves the the quality and of people's homes.
SPEAKER_01So, you know, why Western North Carolina? I know you said you had uh you're you're from Gastonia, so uh why'd you choose over here? Obviously, you had some ties to App State, but other than that, why Western North Carolina?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean it's uh I had an uncle that lived in Fairview my whole life. Um my wife's family is from two hours west of here in Cherokee County, so like Murphy Andrews area. Uh it's you know, I've fell in love in the mountains, with the mountains, you know. So it was uh it's kind of always the goal to just kind of settle down and establish roots. And I mean, we uh I mean, you know, we always lived kind of on the western side of the state, too. You know, obviously Charlotte area is pretty flat, but um, you know, we were on the western side of Charlotte and always, you know, two hours away from Asheville. So it was, I don't know, it always just kind of felt like home for us. We've kind of always been called in this direction.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so take us back to the very beginning. You know, what what made you say, you know, yep, I'm starting that business, you know, that this is exactly what I'm doing, and this is the industry I'm doing it in.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, well, it's uh it's kind of something that I fell into where I've always just kind of existed um you know alongside the trades. Um I wouldn't consider myself like you know the most handy person, you know, to be doing the work itself, but I, you know, that's not really the role I'm in currently. Um I'm I'm managing the team and
Why Handyman Work And When To Launch
SPEAKER_00overseeing um a lot of the operations. Uh but it's you know, it's it's a necessary work. Um and it's you know, specifically with the uh the handyman services, it's just something that not a lot of people are doing. Um for homeowners, it's something that they can't really find a lot of. Um, you know, they you don't always need your full bathroom remodeled or your you know a full deck build. Sometimes you just need a couple boards on your deck replaced. Sometimes you just want to replace the vanity in your bathroom, sometimes you just need a ceiling fan hung. Um, and that's kind of the the space that we live in. We just kind of saw a gap in the market and decided to um pursue uh quality and excellence in that field and just provide a service that we didn't see existing in the marketplace.
SPEAKER_01So if you had to start again from absolute scratch, and obviously this is hypothetical, but if you had to start again from absolute scratch, you know, let's say you had no brand, no clients, no safety net, what would you do differently the second time around starting a business, or would you do anything differently?
SPEAKER_00Well, um, I mean, we are still fairly new. Um however, you know, I I think that we're uh likely we would probably launch in a different time of the year. So we we uh we launched into the cold season, which is just kind of naturally a slower season for this kind of work, um, which wasn't necessarily a you know bad thing because we were able to really focus on uh networking and you know building community, just going out and meeting people. Um and you know, as as we get into spring and summer, when it naturally gets a little busier, it's uh you know, all good relationships that we built that are paying off every day. So it's uh yeah, launching into the cold season was probably not our our best move, but it's it's built us into what we are now.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. So it doesn't sound like you really have too much regrets. I mean, you know, you were able to use that slow time to kind of do some other things business-wise, and and uh it sounded like it ended up working out well for you anyways, right?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's you know, there's there's always uh there's always uh an upside to look at. And um, we you know, we've really chosen to just kind of sink our teeth into the community aspect of it and just meet as many people as we possibly can. So that's where we've been spending our time.
SPEAKER_01Okay, okay. So what would you say is a lesson you learned the hard way as a business owner that no one really prepares you for?
SPEAKER_00It's probably the um the scheduling aspect of things. It's just you know, because we're not doing big jobs that take us, you know, weeks and weeks, um, optimizing the schedule is is really um what's where I spend a lot of my time because you know, ideally, where we have one job that lasts a full day or maybe even just a half day, and or potentially I have
The Unseen Grind Behind The Schedule
SPEAKER_00three small jobs that are all kind of in various areas um that I'm trying to fit into one day just to you know maximize and obviously eliminate the white space on the schedule. So um I wasn't necessarily um prepped for that, but it's uh something that we fine-tune every day.
SPEAKER_01Okay. So what would you say is one common myth people believe about running a business that makes you laugh now when you hear it?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, like the if you're you're your own boss or you know you have more autonomy, you can set your own schedule and no one's you know no one's telling you what to do. And I think that's that's a little bit of a fallacy. You know, it's I'm usually waking up before the sun comes up and um answering emails or you know, responding to my guys very late in the evenings. So, you know, it's all good things, but um, you know, definitely not a nine to five per se.
SPEAKER_01So be honest, are you naturally more of an entrepreneur or an employee at heart?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, it's uh that's a good question. I probably cheat more towards employee, um, and I'm I'm learning a lot of this entrepreneurial things as I go. Um I do have the desire to work for myself. I watched my dad be, you know, a business owner my entire uh upbringing. So um I didn't really know where to go for that as far, you know, like what industry I would exist in or anything like that. But um, I think that being an employee in a you know, for some small businesses, for some large companies on my you know, my journey to this role um really helped me and prepared me for the entrepreneurial aspects of things.
SPEAKER_01So it's you know, and and with this next question, I want you to be as honest as you can. How do you personally handle stepping away from the business, like you know, taking a vacation?
SPEAKER_00Um, well, my wife and I are planning to go to the beach next month. And um I mean, I I've unfortunately I do believe the laptop is coming on vacation with us. Um it's uh you know, the nature of this work is again, it's you know, we're not doing big jobs where I can just kind of put something on pause and and walk away from it. Like we're doing small jobs every day.
Vacations When The Business Follows
SPEAKER_00And I'm you know, I'm also I'm managing a team, and so I have different guys in different locations every day. So yeah, I think that that's just you know, it's kind of part of it, especially in the the phase that we're in now. Um I'm I'm plugging I'm plugged in at least partially uh seven days a week. So yeah, I think that there will be a time for for completely unplugging and walking away for a vacation, but I just I'm not sure that it's right now.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, that was that was actually just answering my next question there. So it sounds like yeah, you said, like you said, you work seven days a week. So you're working pretty much all hours of the day? Or do you have like a cutoff?
SPEAKER_00There's still time for family, of course. Um I I'm working the majority of the days Monday through Friday, but um there is there is work being done on Saturdays and Sundays. Um, you know, I'd not not the entire day, but it's you know, I'll I'll wake up and check the emails with my coffee and that sort of thing, and you know prep the schedule for the next week. Sometimes that requires me to call customers and make sure that they're still good for us to come out the following day, you know, whatever it may be. Um sometimes we have to complete work on a Saturday if someone was sick or if we're under the gun to try and help a realtor or homeowner get something done to meet a deadline. So it's uh it's just kind of the nature of the work.
SPEAKER_01Okay. So looking back, what do you attribute most to your growth in your business so far? I know you said you're fairly new, but uh, I'm sure you've got some growth so far that you can look back on sure.
SPEAKER_00No, I mean we're we're experiencing growth. Um I mean, week to week, we're we're watching things uh ramp up, and uh we attribute a lot of that to relationships that we've built, people's advice and you know, just meeting one-on-one with someone for coffee and you know, I picking their brain and asking them how we can help them, but also who we
Growth Through Relationships In Asheville
SPEAKER_00should talk to next, and going and talking to that person and asking similar questions and you know, just kind of building our network out. And I'm to the point now where I'm going to networking events and running into people that I've seen various places, and you know, just again, it life's about relationships, and um, where we've been, you know, try to be very intentional about um meeting people, understanding what they're doing, making sure they understand what we're doing, and you know, obviously, if there's any overlap, um, working together. But yeah, just uh Asheville's a really awesome community, especially in the business owner sector. And it's uh it's been something I've you know, I've I've fallen in with some really good people that have been um helping us out a lot.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. No, the sense of community in Asheville is is awesome. I'm not sure if you're around. I mean, obviously you you're around during Hurricane Helene and just seeing the the whole community kind of band together and get everything back together. It's just it's just an amazing thing to see. So definitely a sense of community here for sure. So and you do have employees, right, Cameron?
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, yeah, we do. We're they're in our own um branded bands, and we yes, they are they are our guys, and yeah, so I'm I'm in charge of you know getting them where they need to be, making sure they've got the materials they need, um, and they're in charge of making the work really great and being professional with the customers and all that good stuff.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, okay. So, you know, when you're building a team, what traits, you know, you're getting ready to hire somebody, what traits matter more to you than what's on someone's resume?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, well, their their abilities are obviously because we're so diverse in what we what we focus on. Um is you know, it's not we don't just do one thing as it relates to you know home repairs. So their ability to you know kind of be a jack of all trades, they they have to be able to you know really focus on carpentry and drywall, those are our
Building A Buttoned Up Crew
SPEAKER_00two biggest um items that we focus on. Um that's where a lot of our work comes from. But you know, there are so many other things that we're you know, we we do. So being well-rounded in that sphere is very important. But I mean, beyond that, um, you know, the our our guys are sometimes the only people that a customer may interact with. Um so it's it's super important that they're you know kind and well-mannered. And you know, we um we we try and take a different approach to the trades that you know, not saying anyone else is doing it worse than us by any means, but you know, we um we go for a more buttoned up look, you know, we we we try to you know send them out with the the branded vans and the branded clothing and you know, just be a little bit of a breath of fresh air. Um some people have had really poor experiences with with tradesmen in the past, and so we we try to be um, like I said, breath of fresh air. So um customer service is very key, um, ability to communicate and you know the the sense to you know get get the job done, that sort of thing. Um and sometimes we're we're asking them to quote as well, so they need to be able to to diagnose and you know pull the material list and that sort of thing. So um just they need to be well versed for sure.
SPEAKER_01So what would you say is one thing you do intentionally to keep your workplace positive, motivated, and productive, you know, especially during like a stressful time or a stressful season.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we we communicate, I mean, often I talk to my guys every day in some capacity. Um we take them out to dinner, Christmas parties, that sort of thing. We get to know um spouses and kids' names, and you know, we have a guy whose daughter is in a play and we're sponsoring the play. Um and you know, we're just you know, we try to be really intentional about like, you know, these these aren't just guys, they're our guys. Um, you know, they're not just employees, they're people, they've got families, they've got, you know, they've got a life after 5 p.m. And you know, we try to honor that and you know give them space to do their thing outside of work and give them space to do their the thing that they enjoy from you know eight to five.
SPEAKER_01Okay, okay. All right, so we're gonna go ahead and head into the uh quick fire round. So basically how this works is uh I'm going to give you one word and then I just want you to answer back with the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear each word in regards to running your business, and then expand upon what you what what what the word that you chose, just expand upon it a little bit and give us a little bit of context. Does that make sense?
SPEAKER_00Let's do it.
SPEAKER_01All right, perfect. First word is education.
SPEAKER_00Sorry, I'm gonna pause just a second. Am I answering for my personal, like like my personal experience?
SPEAKER_01Uh no, you yeah, yeah, just in regards to running
Quick Fire On Running The Business
SPEAKER_01your business. So uh does education does it is it really important for you and what you guys do? And how does that and just expand upon a little bit? Okay, yeah. And then let me let me make a note real quick just to cut that part out. Let me make a note on the back. Give me a second. Cut out. Okay, perfect. Yeah. So let me and let I'm just gonna go ahead and ask it again. First word is education.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so I mean, my personal education background is in marketing, so I mean that obviously helps in some of our um, you know, the way we approach, you know, event sponsoring or Google ads or whatever that may be. Um, but you know, education in this, you know, in the trades specifically, you know, we're we're always learning. Um, you know, there's a lot to to know and a lot to learn. Um, so we you know continue to learn about new products or whatever, you know, new new ways to go about things, new tools, that sort of thing, um, and try and try and do things better than they've been done or than we have done in the past. Planning. Planning is everything from going out and doing the inspection to following up with the work itself, um, planning time to follow up with customers about quotes that we've left, um, planning time to meet with people in the community. Um, it is a huge part of my day, and it's where I spend a lot of my time is on planning. Inspiration. Inspiration is is family. Um, I mean, it's it's what keeps me going. Um this is you know a family business, as I mentioned earlier. Um, you know, just really focused on you know trying to grow and be better every day. And um, I take a lot of inspiration from the people around me, the people I've met, and my family. Nice, nice. Commitment. This this wouldn't work without the commitment of my guys and you know, me and my ownership team. We're um we're all very committed to this. Um, lots, you know, lots of hours dedicated to this, um, sacrifices made. Um commitment is strong and has to remain strong. Discipline. Yeah, I mean, similar to commitment, it's uh, you know, there's there's a lot of ways that you can uh focus your time. Um and so making sure that you're you're disciplined enough to to focus on the right thing at the right time is you know very important, um, especially for you know not not so much my text as much as me. Like, you know, I've I've got so many things I can be focusing on. So the discipline to you know focus on the right thing at the right time and give everything the time it deserves is something I I strive for. Risk. This you know the we're we're in people's homes, but so risk is an obvious factor. I mean, obviously being uh a small business has its own risks, but yeah, people are very particular about their homes, and we we are too, but you know that's uh yeah, nothing is ever black and white in this industry, so there is inherent risk involved that we uh we welcome and we um you know focus on ways to to minimize.
SPEAKER_01Perfect. And the last word is execution.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we uh I mean the the execution of my guys is very important. I mean, how they uh perform the work and you know that they've been asked to do is um is really what makes this whole thing tick. Um execution on my part to ensure that they're uh they're not wasting time or having to to drive you know back and forth in what you know, trying to streamline things and um it's all very important and all part of the uh the greater puzzle.
SPEAKER_01Okay, okay. All right, so I appreciate you participating that quick for our round. So, and and I want you to be as candid as you can on the next answer to this question here. But let's say, you know, I'm a small business owner, I'm listening to the podcast episode today, listening to Cameron here speak, you know, right now. And and let's say I'm just having a bad 2026, I'm I'm I'm feeling stuck, I'm feeling overwhelmed, uh, just not having a great start to the year so far. What's a piece of advice you would give them today?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, well, for starters, we're you know, late May, early April at time right now. So,
Action Steps, Networking Picks, Contact Info
SPEAKER_00I mean, they're you know, we're just we're just getting started. Um, you know, don't decide what the year is based on the first couple months. We have we're you know, we're not even to the halfway point yet. Um also, you know, take action. Um go meet someone new this week. Um, go find a new networking event that you haven't been to before, put yourself out there in a way that you haven't, you know, evaluate what's working, what's not working, change something for the better. And You know, don't give up.
SPEAKER_01Okay. Okay. And uh, you know, any wise words of advice for small business owners who are looking to grow their business?
SPEAKER_00I think I've said it three or four times, but I'm gonna just continue to say it. Networking, who you know is everything. And you know, just like that. That's if I've learned one thing in 2025, uh, that I'm taking into 2026 is that you know you are you are who you know, and you can um you can gain momentum just by a couple good positive relationships, or you know, having a connection that introduces you to one of their connections, and you know, this of just meet people.
SPEAKER_01Now, digging into that a little bit more, you did you know, like you have said, you know, networking events and stuff like that. Do you have any networking groups that you would like to recommend? Like to shout out?
SPEAKER_00I'm in a BI group. I've gotten a lot of value out of that. Um and I mean obviously there's multiple chapters through Bungham County and Henderson County. Um local chambers are a good way to meet people. Um there's an organization called Incredible Towns. They they do a lot of things around town. Um just, I mean, there's you have to seek them out a little bit, but once you start going to a couple, you'll start getting invited to more, and you know, you'll run into some from familiar faces or meet some new folks along the way. Um so yeah, it's uh once you plug in, it's um it's easier for that can you know those connections to continue to grow and build on themselves.
SPEAKER_01Okay, okay. So what's next for Punchlist Pros? What should people be excited about coming up in the near future? I know you guys are heading into a warm season or busy season, but anything else we should be excited about.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, we're we're looking to grow organically, you know, and make sure that we've um established good roots for ourselves. Um it's you know tax return season. So if you're uh you know looking to get some stuff done around the house, now is a really good time. You know, keep us in mind for you know, if you're listening, keep us in mind for yourselves, keep us in mind for your friends and family. Um we're uh happy to help you know anyone that we can. Um we give out a free estimate so we can come on site and do a do a free estimate. And uh yeah, looking forward to the uh the busyness that spring and summer provide.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, no, it's an exciting time. So, and finally, what's the best way for someone to connect with you or learn more about what you all do?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, um punchless pros.com is uh that's our website. You can go look at our um all of our uh offerings and um give us a shout. Um, we you know you can always reach out to us directly, uh 828-672-3656, or email me at cfagola at punchlesspros.com.
SPEAKER_01Okay, perfect. Any social media?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, we're on uh Facebook, we're on Instagram. Um, yeah, definitely check us out there as well.
SPEAKER_01Perfect, perfect. All right, Cameron, yeah, this has been fantastic. Yeah, thank you so much for coming on and sharing your story, your perspective, and your real behind the scenes of building your business. Really appreciate you coming on. It was uh it was an honor speaking with you today.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, thank you.