directly to the Crisis Center. The center hires other veterans to handle
those calls. Many residents wouldn’t realize this but, on average they
the facility with now retired Director, Sandy McLaughlin, I told her
that I went through some very tough times in my life and that ten
years ago, I could’ve been one of her hotline callers. I committed right
then and there to support this group in whatever way I can. Another
great organization is the Community Food Pantry. I love these people.
They’re not a big organization, so they don’t get big funding support
but they work directly in our community to help those in need. I choose
to focus my time and resources on an organization who is located and
working in the local community vs. a conglomerate organization. We’re
right there side by side with them at their events. We take food and
money donations from the community when they attend and 100% goes
directly to the organization.
When I started this business, I really wanted to fuse giving back
to the community into my business model. My guys and I all carry
cards that say, ‘When you think you’ve done enough, do more.’ So in
addition to our events, when we service a residential customer, my
my guys we want to make somebody cry from happiness every month.
Cam Caudle, a local Army veteran and philanthropist, sat down
with us for an interview at Grillsmith at the Shops at Wiregrass.
He shared with us a little about his life and his unique perspective
on giving back to the community through his business, Shred360.
in that truck – answering calls, trying to set appointments. One of my
on her shredding job, she mentions that the reason they’re moving is
because they’ve lost their house. I heard that little voice inside that said,
‘you’ve gotta do this for free,’ so I told her, this one’s on the house. She
immediately started sobbing and gave me the biggest, longest hug. I
decided right then that I needed to keep doing this…and often. Now
I give my team the latitude to give a free service when they want to.
Often they’ll choose a veteran, an elderly person in an assisted living
and many others in a tough situation. I always want to do something
to help out and something that people would never expect. I don’t do
the free events or freebies to grow my business or for PR reasons – these
things make me feel good and this is how I want to run my business. I
also want my children to live this way too, so sometimes when we’re
out having a meal, we’ll anonymously pay for a random couple’s
dinner. It makes their day and it makes us feel good too.
What are you most passionate about?
My kids are my passion. It’s been just me and the kids for the last 13
years. I have a 16 year-old daughter, Ava, who will be starting her junior
year at Academy at the Lakes this fall. My son Nate, who turns 15 in
September will be attending Wiregrass Ranch this year as a freshman.
They make excellent grades and that’s important, but I’m much more
concerned with them being good people, and they are. I’m very proud
of who they are as people. They’re just really good, respectful, solid kids
that do the right thing. I guess I’d also say I’m passionate about growing
a business that’s doing the right thing too. Google us, we have almost
300 5-Star reviews. Those ratings mean a lot to me.
If you could back in time and change anything,
what would it be?
Actually, I wouldn’t change anything. I’ve become stronger from every
and very easy. Then at 35, I went through the loss of a job, a separation,
a divorce, splitting the custody of my children, a Stage 3 colon cancer
diagnosis, and two resulting major surgeries. When I spoke to Sandy
McLaughlin at the Crisis Center and told her that I could’ve been one
of their callers, this was the time in my life that I was referring to. Even
BY SANDY PARRISH
still, I wouldn’t change my cancer experience. It was a very protracted,
made me stronger. When I was diagnosed, I remember just thinking,
’Ok. Well what do we do? Let’s just take care of this thing.’
When you’re not working or serving the community,
what do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?
I have shared custody of my kids, so when I have them, we do lots
of fun stuff together. We all enjoy going to the movies and my son and
I love going to Bucs, Lightning and Rays games. The three of us love
watching crime shows together like Investigation Discovery but we also
really like getting outdoors and zip lining, axe throwing, and heading
to the mountains. We take several trips a year to see my parents at their
house on the coast in North Carolina. They’re getting older so we really
need to make those trips now. I’ve got a little group of friends here in
Wesley Chapel, and we go to the Brass Tap a lot. They have great trivia
and karaoke nights and that’s a lot of fun. Another one of my favorite
things to do is go to see comedians live at local venues.
If you could put up a billboard anywhere in town and it
could say anything you wanted, where would it be and
what would it say?
I’d put it on I-275 and I would want it to be my life’s motto,
“When you think you’ve done enough, do more.”
Cam Caudle was presented with the
New Business of the Year Award by the
Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce
in 2016 and also won the Tampa Bay
Business Journal’s 2018 Heroes at Work
Award, given to veterans who, through
their professional and personal efforts,
are making a positive impact throughout
the community.
VOLUME VI • ISSUE VIII Wesley Chapel Magazine 7