November 20, 2025 • 16 mins
If growth feels random and networking feels like wasted donuts, this conversation will reset your playbook. We sit down with home inspector Michael Van Hall of Blue Mountain Home Inspections, a builder-turned-inspector who shows how stacked hands-on skills and structured outreach can turn a solo service into a reliable book of business. From farm fixes to framing houses with a master carpenter, Michael explains how real-world construction experience translates into sharper inspections and calmer clients—and why that credibility matters to realtors who need clarity, not drama.
We get specific about what actually moves the needle. Michael contrasts unstructured meetups with BNI’s weekly cadence, one-to-ones, and trackable referrals, sharing how accountability turns a room into a sales force. He breaks down a high-converting tactic any service pro can use: offer short, useful presentations at realtor offices. When agents see your process and hear your communication style, you stop being another card on the desk and start being the inspector who makes deals smoother. We also talk systems—online scheduling, easy payments, clean reports—and how lowering friction increases repeat business and word of mouth.
Lifestyle and resilience round out the playbook. Michael highlights the flexibility and strong hourly economics of home inspection, how to pause for life events without losing momentum, and how to use slow markets to sharpen messaging and deepen relationships. Anchored by the Be EPIC mindset—bring energy, pursue education, plan with intent, fuel inspiration through small wins, and commit—this episode gives service entrepreneurs a clear path: get in front of the right rooms with value, make working with you effortless, and keep showing up long enough for compounding to kick in.
Enjoy the conversation? Follow the show, share it with a friend who’s building a service business, and leave a quick review to help others find it.
Guest contact info:
info@bluemountainhomeinspections.com
bluemountainhomeinspections.com
Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/
All the best!
Bill
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All the best!
Bill
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Bill Gilliland (00:36):
Hey there.
Welcome to this week's episodeof Epic Entrepreneurs.
I am Bill Gilliland, your host,and I am also the uh principal
at Action Coach Business GrowthPartners and one of the founders
of the Asheville BusinessSummit.
And today I have Michael VanHall with me.
(00:58):
Welcome to the podcast.
He's with Blue Mountain HomeInspections.
And uh hey, welcome to thecall.
Tell us a little bit about yourbusiness and what all you do.
Michael Van Hall (01:08):
Okay, thank you.
Well, um, yeah, I'm a homeinspector.
I've been doing it for I'mgoing on nine years now, so
quite a while.
I've got my feet wet prettywell.
And um, yeah, I my business isout of Weaverville, but mainly
we call it Asheville.
And um, yeah, it's a goodbusiness.
I wish I had I wish I had foundout about it many, many, many
(01:31):
years ago.
Bill Gilliland (01:32):
What'd you do before you got into that?
Michael Van Hall (01:35):
Uh a hundred things.
Lots of different things.
Um prior to this, I was uhrunning a hot springs resort in
California.
Um I've just done a lot ofthings, a lot of things that uh
businesses I've started, jumpedin, got my feet wet, and just
figured it out as I went.
So yeah, I've had uh I've hadrestaurants, I've had health
(01:59):
clinics, I've had uh apartmentcomplexes, I've done house
flipping, I've built residentialand commercial properties.
Um yeah, I've got quite ahistory of stuff.
Bill Gilliland (02:10):
I think all that stuff probably adds up to being
helpful in the home inspectionbusiness.
It really does.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It seems like uh that's one ofthose businesses that you it's
good to have some experience inaround at least around things
that get built or repaired orwhatever.
Michael Van Hall (02:27):
So yeah, so I grew up on a farm and fixing
equipment.
That gives you a little bit ofan uh that kind of thing.
Then I had an apartment complexand did all the repairs on that
and learned as I went.
I'd call a plumber him and havehim show me what he was doing
and how he did it, those kind ofthings, and then took it from
there.
So um, all things like thathave really, really uh played
(02:49):
into what I look for now on whenI'm doing home inspections.
I I also had an uncle when Iwas in my early 20s that hired
me for three years.
He was a master carpenter, andwe put up houses from the hole
in the ground to the keys givento the seller.
So I got a lot of experiencefrom that.
Um, so yeah, yeah, that'sreally helped me.
Bill Gilliland (03:08):
Yeah, that's awesome.
So you've probably got a reallygood answer to this question.
So if you had to start fromsquare one, what would you do
differently?
Michael Van Hall (03:17):
I don't think I'd do anything differently.
Okay.
unknown (03:20):
Yeah.
Michael Van Hall (03:21):
Not that I can think of.
Bill Gilliland (03:22):
Well, you had it, yeah, you had a ton of
experience.
So that that you brought that.
So what have what have beensome of your learnings as an
owner and an employer in allthose businesses?
Michael Van Hall (03:33):
Oh, yeah.
Well, yeah, that's a goodquestion.
Um, what have I learned fromall that?
Uh take things as they come,um, do the best you can and move
forward.
Bill Gilliland (03:46):
I love that.
I love that.
So, what do you think thecommon misconceptions are about
running a business?
Michael Van Hall (03:55):
Well, uh, one misconception, of course, is
that well, two of them.
One is that it's hard, and theother is that it's easy.
And they're both kind of goodmisconceptions.
It's kind of somewhere in themiddle.
Bill Gilliland (04:05):
Right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, I know.
Uh uh, yeah, I like that.
So what do you attribute yourgrowth to?
Michael Van Hall (04:16):
Well, uh uh in this particular business, home
inspection.
Bill Gilliland (04:20):
Yeah, yeah.
Michael Van Hall (04:20):
Yeah.
Well, I started out as well.
I have a lot, I've always runinto difficulty with trying to
get a business off the ground bydoing what's considered in the
past advertising or going nowonline and all Google and all
those things and trying tounderstand if you're getting any
bang for the buck, because it'svery difficult sometimes to
(04:40):
know if somebody comes into yourrestaurant, if uh, you know,
how they got there, they don'ttell they always tell you.
And it's hard to get that kindof feedback, especially you
know, years ago when you didn'thave metrics and everything.
Now it's a little bit easier toknow where they came from when
somebody clicks online, you seethere was a click.
Those kind of things.
So that makes a difference.
But um, what's done the mostfor me, and I'm sure a lot of
(05:04):
other people in the businesswould be able to say the same
thing, is networking.
And networking, there's there'sways to do it that work and
ways to do it that don't.
That's one of the things I'vereally learned.
Networking, there's a lot ofnetworking groups in any city
you go to, and that's a lot ofbusiness people that come and
(05:25):
they join, and then they comeonce a week and they stand
around, drink coffee, and eatdonuts, and you get little
clicks going, and nothing everreally happens.
That's what it's felt for me.
I've never gotten much fromthat.
But when I ran into uh anetworking group that was more
structured and required you todo things and required you to
help the other people in the inthe business, that that's
(05:48):
probably what really took offfor me.
And that way, I don't know, canI you can I say other
businesses?
Bill Gilliland (05:53):
100%.
Yeah, as long as it's as longas it's positive, yeah.
Michael Van Hall (05:56):
Yeah, BNI, Business Networking
International.
Bill Gilliland (05:59):
Yep, great, great organization.
Michael Van Hall (06:01):
That was a huge start for me because they
it's expensive.
At the time, I I quit maybefive years ago because I didn't
need it anymore.
I was in there for three orfour years, and at the time it
was, I believe, $750 a year.
Well, that's a lot more thanyou pay for your maybe $25 a
month to be in anothernetworking group where they're
free.
But there, it's very specific.
(06:22):
You have to go every week.
You only can miss a certainnumber of weeks.
Every week somebody stands upand promotes their business and
talks about it.
And when you join the club, youare required to spend, have
coffee or lunch with everymember separately in the group
to find out what they do, to letfor you to tell them what you
do and how they can help you getpeople.
(06:43):
Um, and so you end up kind ofwith if there's 25 people in the
group, you've got your salesforce out there stumping for you
because you're also required tobring in every week um a list
of who you've recommended othersin your group to.
And that worked for me becauseit was very structured.
Other people don't need thestructure.
I needed that structure, and itforced me to go in, learn how
(07:07):
to talk in front of people, givepresentations, um, and and it
really worked.
It did wonders for my business.
Bill Gilliland (07:15):
Yeah, yeah, B and I is great for uh, you know,
it it yeah, we've I've been amember of several B and I groups
over the years, and and umyeah, it's a it's a great
actually we have a globalstrategic alliance with B and I
and Action Coach to Yeah, towant to mean to stump so much
(07:35):
for the great job for that.
Well, I think one of the thingsthat um I mean, one of the you
know, it is it is hard toparticularly uh for solopreneurs
and people like that to havebecause you got to do the work
and sell the work.
So you you you know, as as ayou know, as a business person
(07:57):
to have a network that can workfor you, I mean that you know,
that's $750,000, whatever it isa year, is pretty cheap if we
you know when it works.
Yes.
And so, yeah, I mean, if you ifyou break it down per lead and
all of that.
So yeah, I've I've I've alwaysthought it was a good system.
And um, yeah, it it it was goodto me in the in the beginning
as well.
Michael Van Hall (08:17):
So yeah, I like that.
I I did the standard run aroundtown, put your business cards
up everywhere, uh, walk into thereal estate offices with a
stack of cards and hand them tothe front desk and say, hey,
please let's make sure everybodysees these.
That didn't do anything, reallydidn't do anything.
Yeah, but what worked for meonce I got my feet wet giving
(08:37):
presentations is to go into areal estate office and say, hey,
can any way that you could setup a time for me to meet with
your realtors and give apresentation?
Huge difference when you cantell them what you do, how
you're different.
Um I've I've always had luckwith that.
That's been a big thing for me.
Yeah, that did a lot for me.
Bill Gilliland (08:58):
So B and I's in realtor meetings was a pretty
good, yeah, and all and all therealtors.
If you're calling on realtors,by the way, every realtor group
in the world has a meeting everyweek for realtors, for their
realtors.
Yeah, I I've done a coupleonline, you know, online.
They wanted me to do some helpthem do some planning and stuff.
So uh yeah, it's been it's beenpretty easy.
(09:21):
So you've been in a lot ofthings.
You know, balancing personallife and business.
What are your thoughts aroundthat?
Michael Van Hall (09:29):
Well, that's another thing.
I get one of the reasons I wishI'd found this um business many
years ago, I would have gottenin a lot a lot sooner.
You you can make good money forthe amount of time you put in.
Now, maybe you're not busy andyou only do one inspection a
week when you get started or amonth, but for that time, you
might make a hundred or twohundred dollars an hour.
(09:49):
Right.
And that's pretty hard to findwithout much experience and not
a lot of training required toget licensed.
And um, people are reallyrealtors are very helpful, they
want you to succeed.
That's what I've learned.
And uh, that's yeah, that'sit's a such a great business for
that.
And if you you can be as busyas you want, you set up your own
(10:11):
calendar.
If you only want to workmornings, you can do that.
You want to work three days aweek, you can do that.
You can work all the time ifyou want to.
It's all up to you.
So it's just such a greatbusiness that way, as far as
balancing your life in whateverway you you want to or whatnot,
whatever necessitates.
Bill Gilliland (10:28):
Yeah, yeah.
It's yeah, yeah.
Well, it's one of the beautifulwhen you do it right, it's you
know, being in business foryourself can can get can give
you some freedom.
So that's that's that'sfantastic.
Michael Van Hall (10:40):
And I've had, you know, I'm I'm getting a
little bit older, so I've hadsome surgeries in the last few
years.
I've had hip replacement, thatkind of thing.
You can just block off yourcalendar for those three weeks
or six weeks, whatever you needto do, and and start coming back
after that.
It doesn't really hurt toomuch.
And um, so taking time off, ifyou need two weeks off for
(11:00):
Christmas vacation to go to theCaribbean, you can do it.
You don't have to ask anybody.
So it's really great that waywhen you're on your own boss.
Bill Gilliland (11:08):
Yeah, I like it.
So this is the quick fireround.
Uh, B Epic is an acronym that Icame up that we came up with
when I wrote a book.
And so um, I just want like acouple of words or a quick fire
answer to your thoughts around,and I'll give you the thing.
So the B and B Epic is bringthe energy.
(11:28):
What are what are your thoughtsaround that?
Bringing energy.
Michael Van Hall (11:33):
Well, bring the energy to your work,
definitely, and especially whenyou're chatting with people um
and your clients and yourrealtors.
Bill Gilliland (11:40):
Yeah, I love that.
How about the E is education?
Michael Van Hall (11:43):
Education, that's a huge one.
In all the businesses I'vestarted, I've many times just
jumped in with cold feet, notknowing much about it.
I started my or I bought arestaurant and jumped into that,
not being a chef, not everhaving 20, 25 employees,
anything like that.
And then, but if you do theresearch, you talk to other
(12:04):
restaurant owners, you find outwhat they do and take the things
from that that fit for you.
Um, that's kind of what I'vedone.
Bill Gilliland (12:11):
Yeah, so self-education.
Michael Van Hall (12:13):
Yeah, especially now with the
internet, you can just get somuch information, and it's uh
it's been really helpful.
Bill Gilliland (12:21):
Yeah, yeah, I like it.
How about planning, P forplanning?
Michael Van Hall (12:24):
Planning, yeah.
Well, I make I'm a list maker,I make all kinds of lists, so
everything that pops into myhead goes on a list, and then I
look at it later and I startcrossing off the things that I I
uh have done or need to do.
And uh yeah, planning's huge.
Bill Gilliland (12:39):
I love that.
How about inspiration?
I is inspiration.
Michael Van Hall (12:44):
Inspiration comes mainly, um, I would say,
from what's the word?
Um, success.
Every little success breedsmore inspiration to keep on
going and do it more.
Bill Gilliland (12:56):
I like that.
Michael Van Hall (12:57):
Yeah, that's been my and and inspiration, of
course, from others that havehad success.
I've had inspiration from myfather who was a successful
entrepreneur, and um trying touh emulate him has been a big
big thing in my life.
Bill Gilliland (13:11):
I love that.
How about C is commitment?
Michael Van Hall (13:14):
Oh, yeah, commitment's big, absolutely.
Got to be committed to whatyou're doing, or it's not gonna
go anywhere.
Yeah, yeah, I like that.
Bill Gilliland (13:23):
So, what words of advice would you offer to
other business owners who arelooking to grow?
Michael Van Hall (13:29):
Network.
That's that's just the biggestthing.
Get in front of people.
Um, you can slowly move alongas others uh use you, use you in
their business, get to know youthrough your work, but to grow
it, um, you really got to getout there.
And it's not like I said, justhanding out cards or putting up
cards on bulletin boards, justit's just not gonna do it.
(13:51):
I don't mean don't do it.
I just mean it's just you'vegot to get in front of people,
in front of realtor groups, um,network with a good
organization.
That's just everything.
Bill Gilliland (14:02):
Yeah, yeah.
People buy from people.
I mean, that's just they stilldo.
Yes, it's it's it's still athing.
So so what's the next thing foryou and the business?
Michael Van Hall (14:12):
Well, I I think what we were as as many
home inspectors and realtorswere, we were so barraged with
with uh work during COVID, whichstill I can't figure out, but
it was super busy, and nowthings have slowed a little bit,
and you just make your waythrough that, take your time,
take some time for yourselfduring this time, work on
(14:35):
networking and getting aroundpeople during the slow times,
and then it it'll come back.
It always does.
Bill Gilliland (14:41):
Yeah, yeah, appreciate that.
Appreciate that.
So, lastly, what's the best wayfor someone to get a hold of
you if they want to get a homeinspection or just want to talk
to you?
Michael Van Hall (14:51):
Yeah, um, call my phone number, 828-484-2202.
And um, website, just the name,Blue Mountain Home
Inspections.com.
Bill Gilliland (15:02):
I love it.
That's easy.
Michael Van Hall (15:03):
And and the other again, the other thing, of
course, these days too, butmake everything as easy as
possible for the customer.
And that's with your websitesigning up for inspections,
payment, all that kind of stuff.
Spend the money you need to tomake it easy.
Bill Gilliland (15:18):
Perfect, perfect.
So that's fant fantastic.
Listen, thank you so much forbeing part of our community and
all you're doing out there.
Uh, we know that you're gonnabe a continued success.
You've obviously you obviouslylove what you do, and that's
half the battle, right?
Michael Van Hall (15:36):
Yep.
I do.
Bill Gilliland (15:39):
Hey, and until next time, all the best.
Michael Van Hall (15:42):
Thanks so much.
I appreciate it, Bill.
Hey there.
Welcome to this week's episodeof Epic Entrepreneurs.
I am Bill Gilliland, your host,and I am also the uh principal
at Action Coach Business GrowthPartners and one of the founders
of the Asheville BusinessSummit.
And today I have Michael VanHall with me.
(00:58):
Welcome to the podcast.
He's with Blue Mountain HomeInspections.
And uh hey, welcome to thecall.
Tell us a little bit about yourbusiness and what all you do.
Michael Van Hall (01:08):
Okay, thank you.
Well, um, yeah, I'm a homeinspector.
I've been doing it for I'mgoing on nine years now, so
quite a while.
I've got my feet wet prettywell.
And um, yeah, I my business isout of Weaverville, but mainly
we call it Asheville.
And um, yeah, it's a goodbusiness.
I wish I had I wish I had foundout about it many, many, many
(01:31):
years ago.
Bill Gilliland (01:32):
What'd you do before you got into that?
Michael Van Hall (01:35):
Uh a hundred things.
Lots of different things.
Um prior to this, I was uhrunning a hot springs resort in
California.
Um I've just done a lot ofthings, a lot of things that uh
businesses I've started, jumpedin, got my feet wet, and just
figured it out as I went.
So yeah, I've had uh I've hadrestaurants, I've had health
(01:59):
clinics, I've had uh apartmentcomplexes, I've done house
flipping, I've built residentialand commercial properties.
Um yeah, I've got quite ahistory of stuff.
Bill Gilliland (02:10):
I think all that stuff probably adds up to being
helpful in the home inspectionbusiness.
It really does.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It seems like uh that's one ofthose businesses that you it's
good to have some experience inaround at least around things
that get built or repaired orwhatever.
Michael Van Hall (02:27):
So yeah, so I grew up on a farm and fixing
equipment.
That gives you a little bit ofan uh that kind of thing.
Then I had an apartment complexand did all the repairs on that
and learned as I went.
I'd call a plumber him and havehim show me what he was doing
and how he did it, those kind ofthings, and then took it from
there.
So um, all things like thathave really, really uh played
(02:49):
into what I look for now on whenI'm doing home inspections.
I I also had an uncle when Iwas in my early 20s that hired
me for three years.
He was a master carpenter, andwe put up houses from the hole
in the ground to the keys givento the seller.
So I got a lot of experiencefrom that.
Um, so yeah, yeah, that'sreally helped me.
Bill Gilliland (03:08):
Yeah, that's awesome.
So you've probably got a reallygood answer to this question.
So if you had to start fromsquare one, what would you do
differently?
Michael Van Hall (03:17):
I don't think I'd do anything differently.
Okay.
unknown (03:20):
Yeah.
Michael Van Hall (03:21):
Not that I can think of.
Bill Gilliland (03:22):
Well, you had it, yeah, you had a ton of
experience.
So that that you brought that.
So what have what have beensome of your learnings as an
owner and an employer in allthose businesses?
Michael Van Hall (03:33):
Oh, yeah.
Well, yeah, that's a goodquestion.
Um, what have I learned fromall that?
Uh take things as they come,um, do the best you can and move
forward.
Bill Gilliland (03:46):
I love that.
I love that.
So, what do you think thecommon misconceptions are about
running a business?
Michael Van Hall (03:55):
Well, uh, one misconception, of course, is
that well, two of them.
One is that it's hard, and theother is that it's easy.
And they're both kind of goodmisconceptions.
It's kind of somewhere in themiddle.
Bill Gilliland (04:05):
Right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, I know.
Uh uh, yeah, I like that.
So what do you attribute yourgrowth to?
Michael Van Hall (04:16):
Well, uh uh in this particular business, home
inspection.
Bill Gilliland (04:20):
Yeah, yeah.
Michael Van Hall (04:20):
Yeah.
Well, I started out as well.
I have a lot, I've always runinto difficulty with trying to
get a business off the ground bydoing what's considered in the
past advertising or going nowonline and all Google and all
those things and trying tounderstand if you're getting any
bang for the buck, because it'svery difficult sometimes to
(04:40):
know if somebody comes into yourrestaurant, if uh, you know,
how they got there, they don'ttell they always tell you.
And it's hard to get that kindof feedback, especially you
know, years ago when you didn'thave metrics and everything.
Now it's a little bit easier toknow where they came from when
somebody clicks online, you seethere was a click.
Those kind of things.
So that makes a difference.
But um, what's done the mostfor me, and I'm sure a lot of
(05:04):
other people in the businesswould be able to say the same
thing, is networking.
And networking, there's there'sways to do it that work and
ways to do it that don't.
That's one of the things I'vereally learned.
Networking, there's a lot ofnetworking groups in any city
you go to, and that's a lot ofbusiness people that come and
(05:25):
they join, and then they comeonce a week and they stand
around, drink coffee, and eatdonuts, and you get little
clicks going, and nothing everreally happens.
That's what it's felt for me.
I've never gotten much fromthat.
But when I ran into uh anetworking group that was more
structured and required you todo things and required you to
help the other people in the inthe business, that that's
(05:48):
probably what really took offfor me.
And that way, I don't know, canI you can I say other
businesses?
Bill Gilliland (05:53):
100%.
Yeah, as long as it's as longas it's positive, yeah.
Michael Van Hall (05:56):
Yeah, BNI, Business Networking
International.
Bill Gilliland (05:59):
Yep, great, great organization.
Michael Van Hall (06:01):
That was a huge start for me because they
it's expensive.
At the time, I I quit maybefive years ago because I didn't
need it anymore.
I was in there for three orfour years, and at the time it
was, I believe, $750 a year.
Well, that's a lot more thanyou pay for your maybe $25 a
month to be in anothernetworking group where they're
free.
But there, it's very specific.
(06:22):
You have to go every week.
You only can miss a certainnumber of weeks.
Every week somebody stands upand promotes their business and
talks about it.
And when you join the club, youare required to spend, have
coffee or lunch with everymember separately in the group
to find out what they do, to letfor you to tell them what you
do and how they can help you getpeople.
(06:43):
Um, and so you end up kind ofwith if there's 25 people in the
group, you've got your salesforce out there stumping for you
because you're also required tobring in every week um a list
of who you've recommended othersin your group to.
And that worked for me becauseit was very structured.
Other people don't need thestructure.
I needed that structure, and itforced me to go in, learn how
(07:07):
to talk in front of people, givepresentations, um, and and it
really worked.
It did wonders for my business.
Bill Gilliland (07:15):
Yeah, yeah, B and I is great for uh, you know,
it it yeah, we've I've been amember of several B and I groups
over the years, and and umyeah, it's a it's a great
actually we have a globalstrategic alliance with B and I
and Action Coach to Yeah, towant to mean to stump so much
(07:35):
for the great job for that.
Well, I think one of the thingsthat um I mean, one of the you
know, it is it is hard toparticularly uh for solopreneurs
and people like that to havebecause you got to do the work
and sell the work.
So you you you know, as as ayou know, as a business person
(07:57):
to have a network that can workfor you, I mean that you know,
that's $750,000, whatever it isa year, is pretty cheap if we
you know when it works.
Yes.
And so, yeah, I mean, if you ifyou break it down per lead and
all of that.
So yeah, I've I've I've alwaysthought it was a good system.
And um, yeah, it it it was goodto me in the in the beginning
as well.
Michael Van Hall (08:17):
So yeah, I like that.
I I did the standard run aroundtown, put your business cards
up everywhere, uh, walk into thereal estate offices with a
stack of cards and hand them tothe front desk and say, hey,
please let's make sure everybodysees these.
That didn't do anything, reallydidn't do anything.
Yeah, but what worked for meonce I got my feet wet giving
(08:37):
presentations is to go into areal estate office and say, hey,
can any way that you could setup a time for me to meet with
your realtors and give apresentation?
Huge difference when you cantell them what you do, how
you're different.
Um I've I've always had luckwith that.
That's been a big thing for me.
Yeah, that did a lot for me.
Bill Gilliland (08:58):
So B and I's in realtor meetings was a pretty
good, yeah, and all and all therealtors.
If you're calling on realtors,by the way, every realtor group
in the world has a meeting everyweek for realtors, for their
realtors.
Yeah, I I've done a coupleonline, you know, online.
They wanted me to do some helpthem do some planning and stuff.
So uh yeah, it's been it's beenpretty easy.
(09:21):
So you've been in a lot ofthings.
You know, balancing personallife and business.
What are your thoughts aroundthat?
Michael Van Hall (09:29):
Well, that's another thing.
I get one of the reasons I wishI'd found this um business many
years ago, I would have gottenin a lot a lot sooner.
You you can make good money forthe amount of time you put in.
Now, maybe you're not busy andyou only do one inspection a
week when you get started or amonth, but for that time, you
might make a hundred or twohundred dollars an hour.
(09:49):
Right.
And that's pretty hard to findwithout much experience and not
a lot of training required toget licensed.
And um, people are reallyrealtors are very helpful, they
want you to succeed.
That's what I've learned.
And uh, that's yeah, that'sit's a such a great business for
that.
And if you you can be as busyas you want, you set up your own
(10:11):
calendar.
If you only want to workmornings, you can do that.
You want to work three days aweek, you can do that.
You can work all the time ifyou want to.
It's all up to you.
So it's just such a greatbusiness that way, as far as
balancing your life in whateverway you you want to or whatnot,
whatever necessitates.
Bill Gilliland (10:28):
Yeah, yeah.
It's yeah, yeah.
Well, it's one of the beautifulwhen you do it right, it's you
know, being in business foryourself can can get can give
you some freedom.
So that's that's that'sfantastic.
Michael Van Hall (10:40):
And I've had, you know, I'm I'm getting a
little bit older, so I've hadsome surgeries in the last few
years.
I've had hip replacement, thatkind of thing.
You can just block off yourcalendar for those three weeks
or six weeks, whatever you needto do, and and start coming back
after that.
It doesn't really hurt toomuch.
And um, so taking time off, ifyou need two weeks off for
(11:00):
Christmas vacation to go to theCaribbean, you can do it.
You don't have to ask anybody.
So it's really great that waywhen you're on your own boss.
Bill Gilliland (11:08):
Yeah, I like it.
So this is the quick fireround.
Uh, B Epic is an acronym that Icame up that we came up with
when I wrote a book.
And so um, I just want like acouple of words or a quick fire
answer to your thoughts around,and I'll give you the thing.
So the B and B Epic is bringthe energy.
(11:28):
What are what are your thoughtsaround that?
Bringing energy.
Michael Van Hall (11:33):
Well, bring the energy to your work,
definitely, and especially whenyou're chatting with people um
and your clients and yourrealtors.
Bill Gilliland (11:40):
Yeah, I love that.
How about the E is education?
Michael Van Hall (11:43):
Education, that's a huge one.
In all the businesses I'vestarted, I've many times just
jumped in with cold feet, notknowing much about it.
I started my or I bought arestaurant and jumped into that,
not being a chef, not everhaving 20, 25 employees,
anything like that.
And then, but if you do theresearch, you talk to other
(12:04):
restaurant owners, you find outwhat they do and take the things
from that that fit for you.
Um, that's kind of what I'vedone.
Bill Gilliland (12:11):
Yeah, so self-education.
Michael Van Hall (12:13):
Yeah, especially now with the
internet, you can just get somuch information, and it's uh
it's been really helpful.
Bill Gilliland (12:21):
Yeah, yeah, I like it.
How about planning, P forplanning?
Michael Van Hall (12:24):
Planning, yeah.
Well, I make I'm a list maker,I make all kinds of lists, so
everything that pops into myhead goes on a list, and then I
look at it later and I startcrossing off the things that I I
uh have done or need to do.
And uh yeah, planning's huge.
Bill Gilliland (12:39):
I love that.
How about inspiration?
I is inspiration.
Michael Van Hall (12:44):
Inspiration comes mainly, um, I would say,
from what's the word?
Um, success.
Every little success breedsmore inspiration to keep on
going and do it more.
Bill Gilliland (12:56):
I like that.
Michael Van Hall (12:57):
Yeah, that's been my and and inspiration, of
course, from others that havehad success.
I've had inspiration from myfather who was a successful
entrepreneur, and um trying touh emulate him has been a big
big thing in my life.
Bill Gilliland (13:11):
I love that.
How about C is commitment?
Michael Van Hall (13:14):
Oh, yeah, commitment's big, absolutely.
Got to be committed to whatyou're doing, or it's not gonna
go anywhere.
Yeah, yeah, I like that.
Bill Gilliland (13:23):
So, what words of advice would you offer to
other business owners who arelooking to grow?
Michael Van Hall (13:29):
Network.
That's that's just the biggestthing.
Get in front of people.
Um, you can slowly move alongas others uh use you, use you in
their business, get to know youthrough your work, but to grow
it, um, you really got to getout there.
And it's not like I said, justhanding out cards or putting up
cards on bulletin boards, justit's just not gonna do it.
(13:51):
I don't mean don't do it.
I just mean it's just you'vegot to get in front of people,
in front of realtor groups, um,network with a good
organization.
That's just everything.
Bill Gilliland (14:02):
Yeah, yeah.
People buy from people.
I mean, that's just they stilldo.
Yes, it's it's it's still athing.
So so what's the next thing foryou and the business?
Michael Van Hall (14:12):
Well, I I think what we were as as many
home inspectors and realtorswere, we were so barraged with
with uh work during COVID, whichstill I can't figure out, but
it was super busy, and nowthings have slowed a little bit,
and you just make your waythrough that, take your time,
take some time for yourselfduring this time, work on
(14:35):
networking and getting aroundpeople during the slow times,
and then it it'll come back.
It always does.
Bill Gilliland (14:41):
Yeah, yeah, appreciate that.
Appreciate that.
So, lastly, what's the best wayfor someone to get a hold of
you if they want to get a homeinspection or just want to talk
to you?
Michael Van Hall (14:51):
Yeah, um, call my phone number, 828-484-2202.
And um, website, just the name,Blue Mountain Home
Inspections.com.
Bill Gilliland (15:02):
I love it.
That's easy.
Michael Van Hall (15:03):
And and the other again, the other thing, of
course, these days too, butmake everything as easy as
possible for the customer.
And that's with your websitesigning up for inspections,
payment, all that kind of stuff.
Spend the money you need to tomake it easy.
Bill Gilliland (15:18):
Perfect, perfect.
So that's fant fantastic.
Listen, thank you so much forbeing part of our community and
all you're doing out there.
Uh, we know that you're gonnabe a continued success.
You've obviously you obviouslylove what you do, and that's
half the battle, right?
Michael Van Hall (15:36):
Yep.
I do.
Bill Gilliland (15:39):
Hey, and until next time, all the best.
Michael Van Hall (15:42):
Thanks so much.
I appreciate it, Bill.
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