What does it look like to grow a local contracting business without billboards, gimmicks, or chaos? We sit down with owner-operator Ryan Wooten, who went from a single excavator to a respected residential grading and retaining wall company by doing one thing uncommonly well: finishing what he starts and making clients glad they hired him. Ryan opens up about turning down septic installs that slowed the crew, tightening his focus to driveway work, excavation, and boulder or block retaining walls, and building a culture where showing up, learning fast, and not pretending to know everything beats bravado.
We dig into the backbone of his process—planning the job with the end in mind, sequencing work so there are no half-finished projects, and keeping timelines honest when winter storms threaten progress in Wolf Laurel. Ryan shares why mindset matters more than hype, how math, soil, and drainage drive practical decisions, and why he’ll occasionally take a hit to make a customer right while guarding against a pattern that could sink margins. His hiring lens is simple and sharp: show up, care about the craft, follow through. That clarity sustains a crew that needs little micromanagement and produces the kind of results that travel by word-of-mouth.
The heart of the conversation is time: Ryan has seven kids and a hard stop at five. He makes games, shows up for milestones, and treats presence as a non-negotiable. That boundary doesn’t slow growth—it powers it—because clients feel the same discipline in how he runs projects. If you’re a service business owner chasing reliable referrals, better project flow, and a healthier life outside work, this story offers a field-tested blueprint you can adapt tomorrow.
If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who builds for a living, and leave a quick review—your words help more builders and owners find us.
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
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:36):
Hi there.
Welcome to this week's episodeof Epic Entrepreneurs.
I am your host, Bill Gillilan.
I am the principal at ActionCoach Business Growth Partners
here in Western North Carolinaand also in the triad.
I'm also one of the founders ofthe Actual Business Summit,
which we just finished a coupleof weeks ago, and we're plugging
(00:57):
plans for next year.
So we're super pumped up aboutthat.
But I am more pumped up becausetoday I've got our guest is Ryan
Wooten.
You know, it's Ryan Wootengrading and retaining walls.
So Ryan, uh, tell us a littlebit about yourself and a little
bit about your business and uhwhat you're doing out here in
our community.
SPEAKER_00 (01:17):
Yeah, like you said, I'm Ryan Wooten.
I've been in business for 13years, a little over 13 years.
Um, I'm a husband and father ofseven kids.
Wow.
And uh we've we've been happy tobe in this area for for that
long.
I mean we've we've uh we've donea whole lot of different things
(01:41):
between grading and um for houseseats or or tree removal, a lot
of that after the hurricane, uhland clearing and retaining
walls, uh any excavating.
We we started off smallpart-time kind of thing with a
(02:05):
little excavator, and and nowwe've got several machines and
several trucks and several guys,and and it's just God has
blessed us.
SPEAKER_01 (02:16):
Love that, love that, love that.
So let me ask you some businessquestions.
So, what if you had to startover in business from square
one, what would you dodifferently?
SPEAKER_00 (02:29):
Well, I might not have tried to grow so quickly.
I I I wouldn't have got uh gotthe bigger machines as fast,
maybe, and just stuck with thesmaller machines longer.
Um but uh I mean you we'vecaught up to them now, so so it
it worked out in the long run.
SPEAKER_01 (02:53):
Yeah, anything else that you would have done
differently?
SPEAKER_00 (02:58):
Um, really though we're we're covered up, we're
booking springtime at themoment, and I I can't say I can
complain about any of it.
SPEAKER_01 (03:07):
Yeah, no, I love that.
So, what have been some of yourlearnings?
What are some of your biggestlearnings as an owner and an
employer since you started 13years ago?
SPEAKER_00 (03:18):
Well, uh we've we've uh went through we I went took
classes to do septic systems toto install those and and
realized that just wasn't wasn'tour thing.
I we uh I don't I don't enjoyany aspect of that.
(03:39):
It it seems to slow us down fromwhat we what we normally do.
And uh I I'm happy to uh abandonthose.
We're still licensed to do it,still can do it.
If we're if we're digging thebasement and and and uh the
footers for the house and doingthe clearing, we will set in and
(03:59):
do the septic also.
But it's it's something I I'velearned that I I haven't I don't
I don't enjoy doing it.
It's it's tedious and it's slowand and it's just not not our
thing.
SPEAKER_01 (04:15):
Yeah, I guess so.
I guess the learning is the youknow find your lane and stay in
it as opposed to yeah, no, Ilove that.
Yeah, no, that's great.
SPEAKER_00 (04:24):
Pick what you're pick what you're really good at
and and run with that.
SPEAKER_01 (04:28):
Yeah, so what are some of the common
misconceptions about running abusiness?
SPEAKER_00 (04:35):
Oh, that you're gonna that you got piles of
dollars.
Oh, you you're the owner, youmust you must have lots of
money.
Yeah, uh that's that doesn'tnecessarily work like that.
Yeah, it's a I think lots oflots of bills.
SPEAKER_01 (04:55):
Yeah, I don't think they think about they a lot of
people see the top line andthink, well, they must have
money, but there's you gottalook at the expenses as well.
That's that's probably that'sprobably the one I hear most on
the podcast.
Hey, what do you attribute yourgrowth to doing a really good
job?
SPEAKER_00 (05:14):
Uh we don't r really advertise at all, and it's all
word of mouth.
And I mean, I'm I'm high highlyuh attentive to detail details
and and will go out of my way todo a to do a good job.
I'm kind of a perfectionist.
(05:37):
So so really it's it's makingthose customers happy.
If I have to if I have to losemoney to to make the customer
happy, I've I have done that.
You can't do that too many timesand stay in business, but that's
if whatever it takes to make thecustomer happy, you learn to to
to to do that uh I mean beforeanything else.
SPEAKER_01 (06:03):
Yeah, no, that makes that makes complete sense.
So I mean, yeah, I mean youcan't stay in business if you
don't get the referrals, and theonly way you're gonna get the
referrals is by making thecustomer happy.
So um, so how about I meanyou've got a family, it's uh
seven kids, holy cow.
Um do you how do you balancepersonal life with the demands
(06:25):
of running a business?
SPEAKER_00 (06:28):
Well, I we get it we get started early.
I cut out at five o'clock everyday, no matter what we have
going on, and and run home to tothem, really.
I've gotta spend as much timewith my kids as I can.
They're growing up so fast, andand business, business is one
thing, but I I mean the the mostimportant thing is the family.
(06:52):
Gotta gotta gotta.
I mean, I take off, take offearly to go to volleyball games
and basketball games, and andreally that's that's that's
number one there.
SPEAKER_01 (07:05):
Yeah, so what I'm hearing is you've you've
prioritized the family over thebusiness.
You just don't let the businessget in the way.
You're gonna make sure you makeit to your kids' stuff.
You're gonna make it sure thatyou get there.
So you're very disciplined inyour approach to your time.
SPEAKER_00 (07:21):
It's it's it's very important.
They're not they're not gonnaremember anything but but you
being there.
I mean, that they're not gonna,oh daddy had to had to leave
work or at least, so he he lostall that money.
That they're not going to seethat side of it.
All they're gonna remember isyou you being there when when
they're they're doing theirthing.
SPEAKER_01 (07:42):
Yeah, I agree with you.
And they and you get one shot atthat stuff, right?
SPEAKER_00 (07:46):
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean they grow up tounderstand that.
Oh, yeah.
Understand that they they theythink better of me because of
it.
So they're not they're they'reI'm not losing anything.
SPEAKER_01 (07:58):
Zero uh doing that.
Yeah, I think you're I thinkyou're dead right on that.
So when it comes to hiringemployees, what do you look for
in a great employee and how doyou foster a positive and
productive work environment?
SPEAKER_00 (08:14):
Well, showing up is a big thing, uh, willing to
learn, even if you know nothing,just just willing to to learn
and and not not act like youknow everything from the get-go.
And uh we we're not real, I meanwe we work, we get the jobs
(08:35):
done.
They they I've got some goodhelp now, and they they they
work their butts off, and andI'm I don't rush them, I don't
hassle them or nag them.
We just we just I have some guysthat's been with me for a long
time, so they know what needs toget done.
(08:57):
So I don't I don't have todirect they can the new people
can just fall in and and andjust work like we do.
I don't I don't have to hassleanybody.
And I I've worked for peoplebefore that that nagged and
hassled and and I I refuse to bethat kind of boss.
(09:18):
Yeah.
And and it it works out good.
SPEAKER_01 (09:23):
Yeah, well, I mean, seems like sometimes when you're
I mean, one of the advantages ofin being an employee is you get
paid to learn, and seems likeyou learn some stuff not to do,
as well as some stuff to do.
So well done on on thateducation.
What uh this is a quick fireround.
We I have a acronym called BEPIC, which I which I think is
(09:45):
sort of one of our mantras forsuccess.
So I'm gonna give you theletters of the acronym, and I
just want to get your thoughtson the on it.
So the in the B EPIC acronym, Bstands for bring the energy.
So what are your thoughts aroundbringing energy to everything
you do?
SPEAKER_00 (10:04):
Well, it's all about all about your mindset.
I mean, you've got to you gottaend not not worrying about it.
It's gonna it's gonna get done.
We're gonna get it done.
If the if the rain is slowing usdown, that's that's all part of
it.
And and and nothing is a bigdeal.
(10:26):
Nothing nothing is.
And and that that helps us helpus keep the right mindset from
the I mean from the beginning ofthe job to the end of the job.
SPEAKER_01 (10:39):
I love that.
Yeah, my having the correcthaving the right mindset.
So the the E and B epic isstands for education.
Give me a couple of thoughtsabout education.
SPEAKER_00 (10:52):
Well, there's there's some classes here and
there you could take for likerunning machines and stuff, but
but really getting out there anddoing it is is about the best
way to learn this stuff.
I I've I've had closerelationships with engineers and
(11:14):
stuff on several job sites andand land planners and that kind
of stuff.
People that's went to school forfor a long time for this stuff.
Um, but they all they learnedwas how to put on paper what I
do in in actual life.
Um I guess math, we we use thaton a daily basis.
(11:41):
I'm sh sure there's scienceinvolved with the lay of the
land and and and like landmanagement.
And but besides that, what andwhat I do, you you you kind of
learn on the fly.
unknown (11:56):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (11:56):
Or from from other people that's done it all their
life.
SPEAKER_01 (12:00):
No, no, no substitute for experience.
Absolutely.
That's what I'm hearing.
You gotta experience it, yougotta be able to do it.
Yeah, I I like it.
Yeah, I've got it.
Uh yeah, P stands for planning.
So, what are what are yourthoughts around planning?
SPEAKER_00 (12:19):
That's very important.
Yeah, you gotta start the jobknowing where it's ending, or or
you'll never get there.
I mean, you you you walk into tolike our retain walls, you gotta
know exactly where they'regoing, exactly how tall tall
they're gonna be.
Uh, because there's no room forguesswork.
SPEAKER_01 (12:42):
Yeah, no, I love that.
Yeah, you gotta plan out thejobs.
I love it.
I stands for inspiration.
Where do you find inspiration?
SPEAKER_00 (12:51):
Well, I guess that goes goes back to seven kids.
SPEAKER_01 (12:55):
I of course it does.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (12:59):
I have to get this job done.
SPEAKER_01 (13:02):
No, that's cool.
That's exciting.
Wow.
What's the age range on yourkids?
SPEAKER_00 (13:07):
Uh, they're from from a year and a half to 19.
Wow.
SPEAKER_01 (13:12):
That's exciting.
Yeah, that's that's not boring.
So, yeah, that's cool.
Never, I love never boring.
That's not boring.
Yeah, that's that's that'sthat's cool.
Yeah.
Um C stands for commitment.
What are your thoughts aroundcommitment?
SPEAKER_00 (13:30):
Well, I mean, that's that's keeping the keeping the
job rolling.
You gotta you gotta you won'tget those referrals if they
don't know that you're going tostick with it and get it done.
If you've got a whole bunch ofhalf-finished projects out
there, that nobody is gonnarecommend you.
(13:51):
So so you you start a job, youor us specifically, we start a
job, we work on it till it'sdone before we go start another
job.
Uh, we don't have a bunch ofhalf-fish finished products or
started projects.
Uh, that's something a littledifferent than a lot of people
that do does the same thing withus, that same thing as us, is we
(14:13):
will work on one job till it'stotally finished and before we
jump to another.
We none of nobody likes peoplestarting and then pulling off
and going do something elsewhile while that job's just just
sitting there.
So so we we're committed togetting the job done.
(14:35):
I mean, as soon as we start it,that's I mean, we're there till
it's done.
SPEAKER_01 (14:41):
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, I've never actually heardof that.
I work with a lot of graders.
That's interesting.
That's interesting.
Um so what words of advice wouldyou offer other business owners
who are looking to grow?
SPEAKER_00 (14:56):
Well, we we uh again, we just try to do do the
best job we can.
We we uh we we we uh pr promisewe're gonna do something and we
do it.
And and that right there hasgotten us the most work out of
(15:21):
anything.
SPEAKER_01 (15:23):
Yeah, do what you say you're gonna do.
And do it when you say you'regonna do it.
That's that's a pretty good uhthing for success.
So just I don't we probablyprobably should have dug into it
a little bit on the beginning,but um what kinds of work do you
do?
Just for people listening.
SPEAKER_00 (15:42):
We do we do grading and like driveway work, and we
do retaining walls, we buildthem out of boulders or block,
uh tree removal, land clearing,excavating, uh some hauling.
We got a couple dump trucks.
Nice.
SPEAKER_01 (16:02):
Yeah, is it uh is it mostly residential construction,
agriculture, or what?
SPEAKER_00 (16:06):
Yeah, it's mostly residential.
SPEAKER_01 (16:08):
Got it.
Yeah, got it.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, that's awesome.
So what's the next big thing foryour business and you?
SPEAKER_00 (16:19):
Well, we we've got a whole lot of retaining walls
lined up in the Wolflow area,and winter time shuts us down up
there pretty good.
So we're in we're in uh hurry upand get it done mode, trying to
get everything done up there uhbefore wintertime sets in.
(16:40):
So we've we've got we've got uheight to ten retaining walls up
there.
We've got to get done beforewintertime sets in, and and
we're running out of time.
SPEAKER_01 (16:53):
Yep.
Yep.
No, I love it.
I love it, I love it.
So if someone is interested, itsounds like it'll be next year
sometime before you could getthose retaining walls or those
excavation projects done orthose driveways.
What how would what's the bestway for someone to get in touch
with you, Ryan?
SPEAKER_00 (17:11):
Uh they can they can find me on Facebook, uh Ryan
Wooten grading and and retainingwalls is one way they can and
they can check out all my workthere.
I I try to post prettyconsistently on on my my
business page there.
SPEAKER_01 (17:31):
And they can just reach out there to if they
wanted some work done or what'sit absolutely yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (17:37):
So just kind of my phone number and my emails on on
that.
Um and that they can check outwhat I what I do, and and if
they they like any of it, theycan they can reach out to me.
SPEAKER_01 (17:54):
Perfect.
No, I love that.
I love that and get in touchwith you.
So hey, this has been fantastic.
I've enjoyed hearing the storyand learning about you.
We appreciate what you're doingin our you know, in our Western
North Carolina community.
I'm sure you played a you'replaying or still probably still
playing a big role in thecleanup uh from Hurricane.
Um yeah, certainly wish youcontinued success.
SPEAKER_00 (18:18):
Thank you very much.
SPEAKER_01 (18:20):
Hey, and until next time, all the best.
Hi there.
Welcome to this week's episodeof Epic Entrepreneurs.
I am your host, Bill Gillilan.
I am the principal at ActionCoach Business Growth Partners
here in Western North Carolinaand also in the triad.
I'm also one of the founders ofthe Actual Business Summit,
which we just finished a coupleof weeks ago, and we're plugging
(00:57):
plans for next year.
So we're super pumped up aboutthat.
But I am more pumped up becausetoday I've got our guest is Ryan
Wooten.
You know, it's Ryan Wootengrading and retaining walls.
So Ryan, uh, tell us a littlebit about yourself and a little
bit about your business and uhwhat you're doing out here in
our community.
SPEAKER_00 (01:17):
Yeah, like you said, I'm Ryan Wooten.
I've been in business for 13years, a little over 13 years.
Um, I'm a husband and father ofseven kids.
Wow.
And uh we've we've been happy tobe in this area for for that
long.
I mean we've we've uh we've donea whole lot of different things
(01:41):
between grading and um for houseseats or or tree removal, a lot
of that after the hurricane, uhland clearing and retaining
walls, uh any excavating.
We we started off smallpart-time kind of thing with a
(02:05):
little excavator, and and nowwe've got several machines and
several trucks and several guys,and and it's just God has
blessed us.
SPEAKER_01 (02:16):
Love that, love that, love that.
So let me ask you some businessquestions.
So, what if you had to startover in business from square
one, what would you dodifferently?
SPEAKER_00 (02:29):
Well, I might not have tried to grow so quickly.
I I I wouldn't have got uh gotthe bigger machines as fast,
maybe, and just stuck with thesmaller machines longer.
Um but uh I mean you we'vecaught up to them now, so so it
it worked out in the long run.
SPEAKER_01 (02:53):
Yeah, anything else that you would have done
differently?
SPEAKER_00 (02:58):
Um, really though we're we're covered up, we're
booking springtime at themoment, and I I can't say I can
complain about any of it.
SPEAKER_01 (03:07):
Yeah, no, I love that.
So, what have been some of yourlearnings?
What are some of your biggestlearnings as an owner and an
employer since you started 13years ago?
SPEAKER_00 (03:18):
Well, uh we've we've uh went through we I went took
classes to do septic systems toto install those and and
realized that just wasn't wasn'tour thing.
I we uh I don't I don't enjoyany aspect of that.
(03:39):
It it seems to slow us down fromwhat we what we normally do.
And uh I I'm happy to uh abandonthose.
We're still licensed to do it,still can do it.
If we're if we're digging thebasement and and and uh the
footers for the house and doingthe clearing, we will set in and
(03:59):
do the septic also.
But it's it's something I I'velearned that I I haven't I don't
I don't enjoy doing it.
It's it's tedious and it's slowand and it's just not not our
thing.
SPEAKER_01 (04:15):
Yeah, I guess so.
I guess the learning is the youknow find your lane and stay in
it as opposed to yeah, no, Ilove that.
Yeah, no, that's great.
SPEAKER_00 (04:24):
Pick what you're pick what you're really good at
and and run with that.
SPEAKER_01 (04:28):
Yeah, so what are some of the common
misconceptions about running abusiness?
SPEAKER_00 (04:35):
Oh, that you're gonna that you got piles of
dollars.
Oh, you you're the owner, youmust you must have lots of
money.
Yeah, uh that's that doesn'tnecessarily work like that.
Yeah, it's a I think lots oflots of bills.
SPEAKER_01 (04:55):
Yeah, I don't think they think about they a lot of
people see the top line andthink, well, they must have
money, but there's you gottalook at the expenses as well.
That's that's probably that'sprobably the one I hear most on
the podcast.
Hey, what do you attribute yourgrowth to doing a really good
job?
SPEAKER_00 (05:14):
Uh we don't r really advertise at all, and it's all
word of mouth.
And I mean, I'm I'm high highlyuh attentive to detail details
and and will go out of my way todo a to do a good job.
I'm kind of a perfectionist.
(05:37):
So so really it's it's makingthose customers happy.
If I have to if I have to losemoney to to make the customer
happy, I've I have done that.
You can't do that too many timesand stay in business, but that's
if whatever it takes to make thecustomer happy, you learn to to
to to do that uh I mean beforeanything else.
SPEAKER_01 (06:03):
Yeah, no, that makes that makes complete sense.
So I mean, yeah, I mean youcan't stay in business if you
don't get the referrals, and theonly way you're gonna get the
referrals is by making thecustomer happy.
So um, so how about I meanyou've got a family, it's uh
seven kids, holy cow.
Um do you how do you balancepersonal life with the demands
(06:25):
of running a business?
SPEAKER_00 (06:28):
Well, I we get it we get started early.
I cut out at five o'clock everyday, no matter what we have
going on, and and run home to tothem, really.
I've gotta spend as much timewith my kids as I can.
They're growing up so fast, andand business, business is one
thing, but I I mean the the mostimportant thing is the family.
(06:52):
Gotta gotta gotta.
I mean, I take off, take offearly to go to volleyball games
and basketball games, and andreally that's that's that's
number one there.
SPEAKER_01 (07:05):
Yeah, so what I'm hearing is you've you've
prioritized the family over thebusiness.
You just don't let the businessget in the way.
You're gonna make sure you makeit to your kids' stuff.
You're gonna make it sure thatyou get there.
So you're very disciplined inyour approach to your time.
SPEAKER_00 (07:21):
It's it's it's very important.
They're not they're not gonnaremember anything but but you
being there.
I mean, that they're not gonna,oh daddy had to had to leave
work or at least, so he he lostall that money.
That they're not going to seethat side of it.
All they're gonna remember isyou you being there when when
they're they're doing theirthing.
SPEAKER_01 (07:42):
Yeah, I agree with you.
And they and you get one shot atthat stuff, right?
SPEAKER_00 (07:46):
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean they grow up tounderstand that.
Oh, yeah.
Understand that they they theythink better of me because of
it.
So they're not they're they'reI'm not losing anything.
SPEAKER_01 (07:58):
Zero uh doing that.
Yeah, I think you're I thinkyou're dead right on that.
So when it comes to hiringemployees, what do you look for
in a great employee and how doyou foster a positive and
productive work environment?
SPEAKER_00 (08:14):
Well, showing up is a big thing, uh, willing to
learn, even if you know nothing,just just willing to to learn
and and not not act like youknow everything from the get-go.
And uh we we're not real, I meanwe we work, we get the jobs
(08:35):
done.
They they I've got some goodhelp now, and they they they
work their butts off, and andI'm I don't rush them, I don't
hassle them or nag them.
We just we just I have some guysthat's been with me for a long
time, so they know what needs toget done.
(08:57):
So I don't I don't have todirect they can the new people
can just fall in and and andjust work like we do.
I don't I don't have to hassleanybody.
And I I've worked for peoplebefore that that nagged and
hassled and and I I refuse to bethat kind of boss.
(09:18):
Yeah.
And and it it works out good.
SPEAKER_01 (09:23):
Yeah, well, I mean, seems like sometimes when you're
I mean, one of the advantages ofin being an employee is you get
paid to learn, and seems likeyou learn some stuff not to do,
as well as some stuff to do.
So well done on on thateducation.
What uh this is a quick fireround.
We I have a acronym called BEPIC, which I which I think is
(09:45):
sort of one of our mantras forsuccess.
So I'm gonna give you theletters of the acronym, and I
just want to get your thoughtson the on it.
So the in the B EPIC acronym, Bstands for bring the energy.
So what are your thoughts aroundbringing energy to everything
you do?
SPEAKER_00 (10:04):
Well, it's all about all about your mindset.
I mean, you've got to you gottaend not not worrying about it.
It's gonna it's gonna get done.
We're gonna get it done.
If the if the rain is slowing usdown, that's that's all part of
it.
And and and nothing is a bigdeal.
(10:26):
Nothing nothing is.
And and that that helps us helpus keep the right mindset from
the I mean from the beginning ofthe job to the end of the job.
SPEAKER_01 (10:39):
I love that.
Yeah, my having the correcthaving the right mindset.
So the the E and B epic isstands for education.
Give me a couple of thoughtsabout education.
SPEAKER_00 (10:52):
Well, there's there's some classes here and
there you could take for likerunning machines and stuff, but
but really getting out there anddoing it is is about the best
way to learn this stuff.
I I've I've had closerelationships with engineers and
(11:14):
stuff on several job sites andand land planners and that kind
of stuff.
People that's went to school forfor a long time for this stuff.
Um, but they all they learnedwas how to put on paper what I
do in in actual life.
Um I guess math, we we use thaton a daily basis.
(11:41):
I'm sh sure there's scienceinvolved with the lay of the
land and and and like landmanagement.
And but besides that, what andwhat I do, you you you kind of
learn on the fly.
unknown (11:56):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (11:56):
Or from from other people that's done it all their
life.
SPEAKER_01 (12:00):
No, no, no substitute for experience.
Absolutely.
That's what I'm hearing.
You gotta experience it, yougotta be able to do it.
Yeah, I I like it.
Yeah, I've got it.
Uh yeah, P stands for planning.
So, what are what are yourthoughts around planning?
SPEAKER_00 (12:19):
That's very important.
Yeah, you gotta start the jobknowing where it's ending, or or
you'll never get there.
I mean, you you you walk into tolike our retain walls, you gotta
know exactly where they'regoing, exactly how tall tall
they're gonna be.
Uh, because there's no room forguesswork.
SPEAKER_01 (12:42):
Yeah, no, I love that.
Yeah, you gotta plan out thejobs.
I love it.
I stands for inspiration.
Where do you find inspiration?
SPEAKER_00 (12:51):
Well, I guess that goes goes back to seven kids.
SPEAKER_01 (12:55):
I of course it does.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (12:59):
I have to get this job done.
SPEAKER_01 (13:02):
No, that's cool.
That's exciting.
Wow.
What's the age range on yourkids?
SPEAKER_00 (13:07):
Uh, they're from from a year and a half to 19.
Wow.
SPEAKER_01 (13:12):
That's exciting.
Yeah, that's that's not boring.
So, yeah, that's cool.
Never, I love never boring.
That's not boring.
Yeah, that's that's that'sthat's cool.
Yeah.
Um C stands for commitment.
What are your thoughts aroundcommitment?
SPEAKER_00 (13:30):
Well, I mean, that's that's keeping the keeping the
job rolling.
You gotta you gotta you won'tget those referrals if they
don't know that you're going tostick with it and get it done.
If you've got a whole bunch ofhalf-finished projects out
there, that nobody is gonnarecommend you.
(13:51):
So so you you start a job, youor us specifically, we start a
job, we work on it till it'sdone before we go start another
job.
Uh, we don't have a bunch ofhalf-fish finished products or
started projects.
Uh, that's something a littledifferent than a lot of people
that do does the same thing withus, that same thing as us, is we
(14:13):
will work on one job till it'stotally finished and before we
jump to another.
We none of nobody likes peoplestarting and then pulling off
and going do something elsewhile while that job's just just
sitting there.
So so we we're committed togetting the job done.
(14:35):
I mean, as soon as we start it,that's I mean, we're there till
it's done.
SPEAKER_01 (14:41):
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, I've never actually heardof that.
I work with a lot of graders.
That's interesting.
That's interesting.
Um so what words of advice wouldyou offer other business owners
who are looking to grow?
SPEAKER_00 (14:56):
Well, we we uh again, we just try to do do the
best job we can.
We we uh we we we uh pr promisewe're gonna do something and we
do it.
And and that right there hasgotten us the most work out of
(15:21):
anything.
SPEAKER_01 (15:23):
Yeah, do what you say you're gonna do.
And do it when you say you'regonna do it.
That's that's a pretty good uhthing for success.
So just I don't we probablyprobably should have dug into it
a little bit on the beginning,but um what kinds of work do you
do?
Just for people listening.
SPEAKER_00 (15:42):
We do we do grading and like driveway work, and we
do retaining walls, we buildthem out of boulders or block,
uh tree removal, land clearing,excavating, uh some hauling.
We got a couple dump trucks.
Nice.
SPEAKER_01 (16:02):
Yeah, is it uh is it mostly residential construction,
agriculture, or what?
SPEAKER_00 (16:06):
Yeah, it's mostly residential.
SPEAKER_01 (16:08):
Got it.
Yeah, got it.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, that's awesome.
So what's the next big thing foryour business and you?
SPEAKER_00 (16:19):
Well, we we've got a whole lot of retaining walls
lined up in the Wolflow area,and winter time shuts us down up
there pretty good.
So we're in we're in uh hurry upand get it done mode, trying to
get everything done up there uhbefore wintertime sets in.
(16:40):
So we've we've got we've got uheight to ten retaining walls up
there.
We've got to get done beforewintertime sets in, and and
we're running out of time.
SPEAKER_01 (16:53):
Yep.
Yep.
No, I love it.
I love it, I love it.
So if someone is interested, itsounds like it'll be next year
sometime before you could getthose retaining walls or those
excavation projects done orthose driveways.
What how would what's the bestway for someone to get in touch
with you, Ryan?
SPEAKER_00 (17:11):
Uh they can they can find me on Facebook, uh Ryan
Wooten grading and and retainingwalls is one way they can and
they can check out all my workthere.
I I try to post prettyconsistently on on my my
business page there.
SPEAKER_01 (17:31):
And they can just reach out there to if they
wanted some work done or what'sit absolutely yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (17:37):
So just kind of my phone number and my emails on on
that.
Um and that they can check outwhat I what I do, and and if
they they like any of it, theycan they can reach out to me.
SPEAKER_01 (17:54):
Perfect.
No, I love that.
I love that and get in touchwith you.
So hey, this has been fantastic.
I've enjoyed hearing the storyand learning about you.
We appreciate what you're doingin our you know, in our Western
North Carolina community.
I'm sure you played a you'replaying or still probably still
playing a big role in thecleanup uh from Hurricane.
Um yeah, certainly wish youcontinued success.
SPEAKER_00 (18:18):
Thank you very much.
SPEAKER_01 (18:20):
Hey, and until next time, all the best.
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