Sometimes the best builders are the ones who never planned to build. And Cammie Hancock Beckert proves that taking the long way around can lead to exactly where you're supposed to be. As the founder of Cameron Custom Homes & Renovations and a third-generation member of the Camelot Homes family, Cammie spent years avoiding the family business only to discover it was her calling all along.

On this episode of Builder Straight Talk, Cammie breaks down how she went from market research and land brokerage to leading a custom division that's redefining luxury building in Arizona.

"I had to prove to myself that I could have a career. I really didn't have any long-term goal of working in the family business."

Her unconventional path through news stations, market research, and land data gave her skills nobody else in the family business had. But joining Camelot Homes meant proving her worth under a father who's "off the charts" on the leadership scale. The turning point came when she stood her ground over something as simple as sign placement.

"Are you kidding me? I can't make a decision about a sign?"

That moment launched everything that followed. When a friend approached her about a 1970s remodel project, Cammie said yes despite having zero experience. That single project became the foundation for Cameron Custom Homes & Renovations.

Five years later, Cameron Custom has 10 homes under construction, averaging $4-5 million. Cammie's approach centers on assembling the full team from day one: architect, interior designer, landscape architect, all at the table before ground breaks.

The business model is equally strategic. Eight of ten current projects use client-owned lots with draw-based financing. Only two are spec builds using internal equity. It's risk-managed growth without overleveraging.

"Pretty much everything that we have written down has come to fruition. It is wild to look back and see."

Working within the EOS framework, the family maps out everything in strategic planning sessions. From their National Housing Quality Award Gold status to the custom division's launch, it's all been planned years in advance.

Cammie discusses:

• How family business dynamics actually freed her to focus on custom work
• Why succession planning can't be left to chance
• The difference between working in the business versus on the business
• How to structure separate entities for individual ownership
• Why collaborative building puts the client's vision at the center

 

"To be able to have the ability to make that kind of impact is really epic."

 

For builders thinking about custom work or navigating family business transitions, Cammie's story offers both practical systems and a refreshingly relationship-focused approach to an industry that's often seen as purely transactional.

Cammie Hancock Beckert is the founder of Cameron Custom Homes & Renovations, a division of Camelot Homes, the award-winning home building company founded by her grandparents in 1969. 

A native Arizonan and graduate of Arizona State University, Cammie spent more than 20 years at Camelot Homes where she led the sales and marketing department for the luxury home builder. In 2023, Cammie took on a new challenge by founding Camelot's new custom home and renovation division. 

Cammie is a member of Young Presidents' Organization (YPO) and is currently working on a nine-year executive degree program at Harvard University. As one of the few female founders in custom home building in Arizona, she is proud to bring decades of industry experience and a grounded warmth to each client relationship and to every Cameron Custom project.

To learn more about Cameron Custom Homes & Renovations, visit https://cameron-custom.com

For Camelot Homes, visit https://CamelotHomes.com

 

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

01:45 Sound Capital

02:02 Cammie's Background

04:12 Early Career and Challenges

09:44 Transition to Family Business

17:08 Building Confidence and Leadership

21:47 Custom Remodel Division

29:37 Family Dynamics and Influence

35:39 Discovering the 'Why' Behind the Business

37:49 Financial Benefits of Homebuilding

40:11 Family Dynamics in the Business

42:46 Strategic Planning and Succession

50:51 Financial Strategies for Growth

52:31 Advice for Aspiring Builders