When people ask what sets Wisler apart, I don’t point to a truck wrap or a warranty card. I point to four words on the wall: Faith, Family, Excellence, and Courage. Those are our core values and they’re not decoration. They’re the framework for every decision we make, every customer we serve, and every team member we invest in.
I’m James Wisler. My brother Brian and I own the company together, and our last name is on the building. That means something to us. I hope by the time you finish reading this, it means something to you, too.
Our Four Core Values
Faith: Grace as a Business Practice
Wisler is a faith-based, Christian-owned business. For us, that starts with the idea that we draw our strength from something deeper than the bottom line.
But the part that shows up most visibly in how we do business is grace. The definition of grace is a gift that’s not deserved, and there’s a lot of power in that concept when you apply it to how you treat people.
Family: More Than a Buzzword
Many companies use the word “family” as a stand-in for “team.” I think family is actually a little more than that.
Family means commitment. It means support, care, accountability — and yes, even dysfunction at times. All those things exist in a healthy family dynamic, and we try to bring those attributes into this business. Our definition is that we have both a family at home and a family at work. We take both seriously.
Excellence: Thoroughness First
Our definition of excellence is simple: be thorough in your processes, and excellence follows.
That’s a big part of how we’ve grown. We stuck to our processes and were thorough in them on every plumbing call, every HVAC installation, and every electrical job. It’s not glamorous, but it’s what builds a reputation over forty years.
Courage: Taking Calculated Risks
Growth doesn’t happen by playing it safe. Every major step we’ve taken as a company has required courage and a willingness to take calculated risks to achieve our goals.
Adding HVAC in 2020, doubling down on electrical in 2024, buying the company from my dad in 2014 — none of those decisions were made without uncertainty. Courage is what got us through them.
How We Got Here: 40 Years in the Roanoke Valley
My dad started Wisler in 1986. At that point, we did a little bit of everything — he was a tradesperson across more than one trade.
By 2001, we shifted our focus to service-oriented work for owner-occupied residential customers, primarily plumbing and electrical work. Over the years, we expanded into new construction, turnkey bathroom and kitchen remodeling, and hydronic radiant floor heating — each its own department, each pushing us forward.
Then came the intentional refocusing:
- 2008: We stopped doing new construction
- 2014: Brian and I bought the company from our dad
- 2020: We exited turnkey remodeling and added HVAC as a full-service line
- 2024: We doubled down on electrical services
Every exit was as deliberate as every entry. The goal has always been to be excellent at a focused set of services for Roanoke Valley homeowners.
Why Having Our Name on the Building Matters
Brian and I own this company. Our last name is Wisler. The company’s name is Wisler.
Whenever your last name is the company name, it just means more, especially when you care about your reputation and your family name. I think accountability carries over to our team and our customers. People like doing business with people, not with a machine or a faceless operation. That’s something I never want us to lose, no matter how much we grow.
What Mistakes Have Taught Me
No forty-year story is without hard lessons. The mistakes that have taught me the most are the ones involving people, and I think that’s true for most business owners, whether they’ll admit it or not.
What I’ve learned is that feedback, when you receive it as a gift rather than a criticism, teaches you more than almost anything else. That feedback can come from customers, from team members, from the community. The key is being willing to hear it.
Some of the people who started here as apprentices are now managers and leaders in this company. That’s one of the parts of this story I’m most proud of. It’s not just Brian and me, and it’s not just our dad; it’s the people who showed up, grew with us, and helped build what Wisler is today.
Serving Roanoke Valley Homes Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Wisler Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric has been part of this community for nearly forty years. That means full-service plumbing, HVAC, and electrical work for homeowners across the Roanoke Valley — still with the same family name, still with the same values on the wall.
If you’re looking for a team that shows up with the right skills and treats your home like it matters, we’d love to earn your trust. Contact Wisler today or give us a call to schedule service.
