Good Neighbor Podcast: TN-WNC-SWVA

EP# 365: From Firewood To Full-Service: Building A Trusted Tree Company

• Skip Mauney

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Need more than a quick cut and a pile of brush left behind? We sit down with CJ Bible, owner-operator of Xpert Xteriors Tree Service in Rogersville, Tennessee, for a candid look at what safe, professional tree care really requires—and why the cheapest quote can become the most expensive mistake. CJ opens up about launching his company in 2019, pressing through the uncertainty of 2020, and building a reputation anchored in safety, patience, and respect for the property and the people who live on it.

We get specific about how professional arbor work protects your home: controlled removals inches from power lines and roofs, trimming techniques that keep trees healthy, and storm cleanup that restores access without tearing up your yard. CJ walks through the real costs behind a reputable crew—insurance, training, and the judgment to slow down before something goes wrong. He also shares the ground rules he lives by: everyone goes home safe, no rushing the job, and leave the site cleaner than you found it.

You’ll also hear the human side of a local business that thrives on relationships. CJ talks about raising two sons, weekends on the water, junior football in Rogersville, and how clients become neighbors who offer coffee and breakfast because they know he’ll take care of their property. If you’ve ever wondered how to vet a tree service, what to do when a limb hits your roof at 2 a.m., or why thoughtful cleanup matters as much as the cut, this conversation offers practical answers and local insight.

If you’re in East Tennessee and need trimming, removal, or 24/7 emergency help, CJ makes it simple: call or text directly for a free quote and straight talk from the owner. Enjoy the episode, then subscribe, share with a neighbor, and leave a review to help more locals find reliable tree care.

SPEAKER_00:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Skip Marty.

SPEAKER_02:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. So today I am super excited to have somebody in our studio for the first time and uh really uh excited to learn all about them and what they do. And if you're in need of any kind of tree service, you may be in luck. One's closer than you think. Because today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Mr. CJ Bible, who is the owner operator of Expert Exteriors. CJ, welcome to the show. Thank you, sir. We appreciate the opportunity. Well, we're thrilled to have you. Like I said, excited to learn all about you and your business. So why don't you kick us off by telling us about Expert Exteriors?

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely. Uh my business is Expert Exteriors Tree Service. We're based out of Rogersville, Tennessee. Um we serve all of East Tennessee. Um, we specialize in safe professional tree search tree care, um, removal, trimming, storm cleanup, just overall, anything to do with trees, we got you covered.

SPEAKER_02:

There you go. Well, uh very interesting. Uh uh, how did you get started in the tree business?

SPEAKER_01:

I've always enjoyed being outside and working with my hands pretty much. Um, I grew up cutting firewood and stuff, and then after seeing a need for this service, you know, in my area that was more honest, dependable, and customer focused, I decided to start a tree service for myself. Real small, you know, just me and a whole lot of hard work and determination. Word word of mouth goes a long way in a small town, you know. All right. So, CJ, how long have you been in business? About five years for myself. Um Wow. Yeah. It's it's it's it's definitely took some patience and and you know, sometimes it sometimes it's a lot of worry, but at the same time, I wouldn't trade it for anything else. Once I went in business for myself, I I you know, no offense to anybody else, but I like working for myself. Yep.

SPEAKER_02:

Amen, brother. Me too. It's hard to go back. It's hard and it's it's not easy to start a business, but man, it's very rewarding. Can be very misconceptions in the tree industry?

SPEAKER_01:

One misconception would be that tree work is just going out here and cutting a tree down. It it's there's a lot more to it, you know. I mean, you could get hurt in a real, real quick manner if you don't know what you got going on. Um, it definitely takes a little bit of skill and knowledge, you know, especially when you're near people's houses or power lines, or you know, you never know. Uh you know, it's just one of those things. And then another misconception would be that the cheapest guy weighs the best. You know, people always they think, well, I'll go the cheaper route, but in reality, what you're paying for there is you're paying for your you know, knowledge, insurance, um experience. Um, and what we do is we always focus on doing the job safely. You know, at the end of the day, everybody goes home. And, you know, another thing is professionally, we don't get in no hurry because getting in a hurry, you make mistakes.

SPEAKER_02:

Absolutely. And that's what you're paying for is to make sure that don't happen. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. So um you obviously work a lot of hours. Uh tough job, but very rewarding. If if there is any downtime, uh, what do you like to do for fun?

SPEAKER_01:

Uh well, when I'm not cutting trees or running equipment, most of the time I'm spending time with my two sons. Uh we love getting outdoors whenever we can, you know, just we go fishing, catfishing. Um, we love getting out, you know, getting just outside, period. You know, exploring, just being in the woods, you know, running this business keeps me pretty busy, like you said. So the moments that I get to spend with my kids, you know, is uh it's just slowing down and making memories outside. That's what really keeps me grounded, I guess you could say. Amen, brother.

SPEAKER_02:

And you live in a beautiful place for it, too.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and then football keeps us pretty covered up, too. They play for the junior chiefs here in Rogersville. It's they're it's basically the same thing as Cherokee, but they're the uh they're the little brothers to Cherokee football. Gotcha, gotcha.

SPEAKER_02:

Very cool. That's a lot of fun, too. A lot of fun to watch. Yeah, keeps us pretty busy.

SPEAKER_01:

I mean it's you know, three days a week, you know, is a is a lot to just swallow the task of trying to work and keep everything going at home and then running with that. That's it's a lot.

SPEAKER_02:

I wouldn't trade it though. Amen, brother. Well, um, let's look here for a second. Can you describe a hardship or a life challenge, either professionally or personally, that you've overcome and how it made you stronger when you came out the other side?

SPEAKER_01:

Well, pretty much uh I guess one of the biggest challenges I ever faced with starting my business in 2019 with no safety net, no guarantees, I just put everything that I had into launching Expert Exteriors Tree Service. You know, my time, my money, my faith that it would grow. And then, you know, in 2020 COVID hit and the world just kind of just shut down. Um, jobs slowed up, and people were scared to even let someone come out on their property to give them an estimate, you know. And that that scared me pretty good, but you know, I just kept my head down and worked every day we could work. And then I guess looking back though, the early struggles that did they didn't break us, though. They didn't break the business, they built it, they built it. Um, they made me stronger, made my company stronger, and made every step forward mean that much more if you know what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_02:

Absolutely. And here you are five years later. I mean, congratulations, by the way.

SPEAKER_01:

I appreciate it. Thank you, sir.

SPEAKER_02:

Nothing to sneeze at. Five years for sure. Well, if uh CJ, if you could think of one thing that you'd like our our listeners and viewers to remember about expert exterior tree service, what would that be?

SPEAKER_01:

Uh I wish people knew how much pride we take in every job that we do. Um we're not the company that rushes in and just cuts a tree down and leaves a mess. Um we're careful. Um we try to be real respectful of the property, and you know, we go the extra mile to make sure the customer feels taken care of from start to finish. You know, we're not in we're not in it for or I mean we're in it for the long-term relationships, not just one job. Like, you know, I've I've got repeat customers, you would be, you know, and they know me just kind of like family now, you know. They they they offer to make you breakfast, sandwiches, coffee, whatever, and you know, I try to, you know, that means a lot, you know. They respect you when they're offering you food.

SPEAKER_02:

Absolutely, absolutely. And that's just that's good old southern people too. So that's a good thing. Well, if um CJ, if we got somebody listening that, you know, they've had the tree come down, they need to take a tree down, they've got some work they need to do, just trim it up and and are interested and would like to learn more. How can they do that?

SPEAKER_01:

Uh, I mean, the best way to reach us pretty much is through Facebook, through my Facebook page or by phone. Um, my phone number is 423-500-8549.

SPEAKER_02:

Very good. So Facebook or or your phone, or just or give you a call.

SPEAKER_01:

Um just give me a call, shoot me a text, that kind of thing, or uh, you know, pretty much I'm easy to get a hold of. Just look me up. It's X Expert Exterior. Starts with the next. Both both of them do. A lot of people get it confused. We do emergency work too. So I mean, if you ever have a tree, you've got some kind of emergency situation you need out of the driveways, got you blocked in, or you've got something up that landed on the house. Hope things like that don't happen, but it does happen, you know. So pretty much just shoot us a message, give us a call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You call me, we'll come out, get you a free quote, check out what you got going on. If we can help, we'll be glad to do it.

SPEAKER_02:

Awesome. Well, I love the fact that when I call a number for a business, I get I talk to the man. So that that's that's that's yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

There's there's nobody answers my phone other than me. So that's a good thing. I love it.

SPEAKER_02:

I love it. Very good. Well, CJ, I really appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to uh come talk to us about yourself and and the expert uh exteriors tree service, and we wish you and your family and all your clients all the best moving forward.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, sir, and I hope everybody has a Merry Christmas.

SPEAKER_02:

You too, and uh maybe we can have you back on the show sometime.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, sir. Be glad to be glad to anytime. All right, appreciate it.

SPEAKER_02:

Have a great evening.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, sir, you too.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNP Tri Dash Cities dot com. That's GNP Tri Dash Cities dot com or call four two two two two two two two two two two three seven one nine five eight seven three.