Mandatory Questions
Q: Kindly give our readers an introduction to your business.
Bolton Services is a family-run business based in Asheville, North Carolina. We specialize in plumbing and HVAC, serving both residential and commercial clients. We’ve been doing this for over 100 years, and we’re proud to keep earning the trust of the folks in our community. We focus on being dependable, fair, and doing right by our customers.
Q: Kindly give us a brief description of yourself.
I’m Mark Bolton, and I am the vice president of Bolton Services. I grew up around the business, learning the ropes from a young age. I’ve always felt a responsibility to keep what my family built going strong by taking care of our people, delivering quality work, and staying grounded in who we are.
Q: What inspired you to make significant changes in your business?
A big part of it was seeing how the world’s changing, especially how people find and interact with service companies. We knew we had to modernize our brand and marketing without losing what made Bolton special. It wasn’t about chasing trends—it was about making sure we stay relevant for the next generation while holding onto our roots.
Q: What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
- Put people first – your team and your customers.
- Don’t cut corners. How you do the little things says a lot
- Know what you stand for, and stick to it – even when it’s hard.
Q: What are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Patience, persistence, and being a good listener. You have to be willing to show up every day, even when it’s tough, and stay open to learning.
Q: How many hours do you work a day on average?
Probably 10-12 hours, but it depends. When you care about what you’re doing and who you’re doing it with, it’s not always about the clock.
Q: To what do you most attribute your success?
The people around me-my family, our employees, and the community we serve. We’ve got folks who genuinely care about the work and each other, and that makes all the difference.
Q: How do you go about marketing your business? What’s been most successful?
A lot of our growth has come through word of mouth and reputation. More recently, we’ve invested in branding, our website, and some digital marketing. But nothing replaces the trust you build one job at a time.
Q: Where did your capital come from and how did you obtain investors?
We’ve always been privately held and self-funded. We grow carefully and reinvest back into the business when it makes sense. That lets us stay in control of our values and direction.
Q: What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
Stay consistent. Be the company people can count on, no matter what. That doesn’t mean being perfect-it means being honest, being there, and fixing things when they go wrong.
Q: Where do you see yourself and Bolton Services in 5–10 years?
I see us growing-serving more customers, adding more great people to our team-but doing it the right way. Staying local, staying personal, and keeping our reputation strong.
Q: Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
I really respect companies that lead with integrity. Chick-fil-A comes to mind-they take care of their people, they’re consistent, and you know what you’re going to get.
Recommended Questions
Q: How important have good employees been to your success?
They’re everything. We don’t take it lightly that people choose to work here. We try to give them a career, not just a job-good pay, benefits, time with their families, and the respect they deserve.
Q: How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
I try to give things a fair shot, but I also know when to cut something loose if it’s not helping the team or the customer. It’s a balance.
Q: What motivates you?
Honestly, it’s making sure I don’t let people down. Whether it’s our team, a customer, or my family-I just want to do right by them.
Q: What are your ideals?
Do good work. Treat people fairly. Own your mistakes. That’s how I try to live and how we run the company.
Q: How do you generate new ideas?
Most of them come from conversations-with employees, with customers, with my family. You learn a lot by just paying attention to the people around you.
Q: How do you define success?
When your team is proud to wear the logo, and your customers keep calling you back-that’s success.
Q: How do you build a successful customer base?
One relationship at a time. Show up when you say you will, fix the problem, charge a fair price, and communicate along the way.
Q: What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
The people. I like getting to know our employees and customers and being a part of something that has real impact.
Q: What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Seeing our name on trucks with folks I grew up with behind the wheel-knowing we’re still family-run and still doing it the right way after all these years.
Q: What’s the biggest difference between entrepreneurs and employees?
The weight. When you own the business, it’s always with you. You don’t really clock out.
Q: What kind of culture exists in your organization and how did you establish it?
It’s respectful, hardworking, and team-oriented. We don’t yell, we don’t point fingers-we figure it out together. That tone comes from the top down, and I try to lead by example.
Q: In one word, characterize your life as an entrepreneur.
Grounded.
For more information Visit us at : https://boltonservicewnc.com/