How to Grow a Plumbing Business without the Guesswork: Our Guide to Avoid Burnout

In the 1954, a plumbing business was opened. That business was passed down the line—from grandfather to father and from father to son. In this story, that son’s name was Nate. 

Nate watched his father work tirelessly on the business—he never got to see his father much due to his long work hours. At 14, Nate began working in the family business with his father and moved from the bottom up. 

Then, at the age of 30, everything changed. Nate’s mother was diagnosed with cancer, and nine months later, she passed away. Devastated by the loss, his father could no longer handle the business, and suddenly, all the responsibility of this family business passed on to Nate. He quickly realized he was handed a sinking ship.

He wasn’t ready for the position of leader, and it overwhelmed him. Not only was this affecting the business, but it was affecting his personal life. He was chasing methods of escape, his wife was unhappy, the business was failing, and he was burning out. Nate realized he didn’t like who he had become. 

This business had become his personal nightmare. 

Have you ever felt similar to Nate? Overwhelmed by the responsibilities of your business? Perhaps, like Nate, it’s impacting your personal life, and you feel burnt out by it. If you can relate, you’re not alone. This story is the story of many plumbing owners.

So, in the midst of all this stress, how can you even begin to think about growing your plumbing business?

What if we told you that growing your plumbing business in a sustainable, healthy way is actually the key to avoiding the stress of business and the inevitable burnout that comes with it? We’ll show you how to grow a plumbing business in a way that satisfies all your goals—both personal and professional. 

Unclogging the Pipes: What’s Hindering You?

Do you lie awake at night worrying about your business—thinking of all the reasons you can’t focus on growth at the moment? There’s too much that feels pressing in the here and now. Do any of these 2 AM thoughts sound familiar to you? 

• “I don’t have time to grow right now.” 
• “I have so much to do.” 
• “I know how to run my business. Why should I change?” 
• “My problems are unique. Other business owners can’t relate to my situation.” 
• “I don’t have the money to spend on growth.” 
• “I’m a technician, not a business leader.” 
• “I don’t have the systems or structure in place to scale. And where do I even start?” 
• “I don’t know what comes first. How can I prioritize everything?” 
• “I train talent, and then lose it.” 
• “My personal life is already nonexistent. Why would I add something else to my plate?”
• “I haven’t taken a vacation in years. I’m exhausted.” 

If they do, you’re not alone in feeling this way. It’s hard to see a path forward when everything right in front of you needs immediate attention. But these thoughts shouldn’t stop you from growing your business. Usually, they stem from a place of not having systems that allow you to have space to grow. The key is to identify these thoughts and determine what the root cause of the issue actually is. 

Don’t Put out Fires—Prevent the Forest Fire

Say you or your partner are cooking in your kitchen. As they’re cooking, something in the oven catches on fire. This is an emergency situation. It requires quick action and a steady head. Adrenaline is high, and the fire demands all your attention to prevent something worse. 

On the other hand, imagine you’re out camping. It’s been a dry season, so you see the warning of a high risk of fire. This is not an emergency yet. And you’ll want to keep it that way. You’ll take the proper precautions to keep your campfire contained. With the proper systems in place, you can avoid the forest fire. 

Now, we’re not Smokey Bear, so what do a kitchen fire and a forest fire have to do with growing your plumbing business? Surprisingly, more than you might think. 

Plumbing is a reactive business. Much like the kitchen fire, it requires you to always be on. No one plans to need a plumber—they call when something is wrong and need help now. The longer you’re in the industry, the more you get used to putting out fires for people. This mindset can even follow you when you become a business owner. You’re reactive in your business decisions to keep the kitchen fire from getting worse. 

But what you need to do with your business is to prevent the forest fire—in other words, you need to be proactive instead of reactive. By anticipating what your business needs, you can move away from putting out fires constantly and begin to prevent them from happening in the first place.

Your Roadmap to How to Grow a Plumbing Business

It’s really easy to say, “Don’t be reactive—be proactive!” But how do you actually get there? What you need is a roadmap. At Plumbing CEO, our roadmap has five key steps: 

• Healthy Owner
• Sticky Culture
• Skilled Techs
• Efficient Operations
• Clear Metrics

These five things are essential to success, but there are also corresponding six ways how to get there. 

• Vision: You must have a clear vision of where you want your business to go. Where do you see your business in one, five, or ten years? What does success look like to you? Is it more money, work-life balance, more family time, a thriving team, or something else? Knowing what matters to you can help you set your vision. 

• Values: You should know what guides you in your operations. When you strip the business side away, what is at the core of your business? Who are you as a business leader and how does that impact your business? When you leave a home, what do you want them to say about your service? 

• Goals: While this sounds similar to vision, your goals are the numbers you want to achieve. If your vision is “to become the best plumbing company in our area,” your goal would be to “increase the number of clients by 30% in two years.” This is something tangible and achievable you can measure and reach. It also takes into account the reality of where you are now. 

• Structures: Structures are the systems you put in place to achieve your goal. Is there anything in your business that can be standardized? When you have to put out a fire, what lessons can you take away to prevent it next time? Take note of these things so you can remember for next time.

• Measure: This is the metric you need to determine success. Do you measure by revenue, employee retention, customer satisfaction, service area growth, something else entirely, or perhaps a mix of several? Your goals, values, and vision can be used to help you determine the best measure to use. 

• Plan: You should have a strategic plan in place. A plan will be your guidebook on how to handle your business. It tells you where you are and where you’re going. It helps you find a way around a roadblock. Crisis and change are always coming. The question is, are you prepared for it?

Your Health Is Key

The health of your business depends on your health. Without your health, you may lack the energy to find ways to grow your business. Plumbing can also be a very physically taxing job, so your health plays a big role in being able to continue doing what you love. 

Another consideration is your mental health. Due to long hours and few breaks, plumbers are at a high risk for burnout. Burnout has several mental impacts, such as depression, anxiety, lack of energy, a poor outlook on life, affected decision-making, a shorter attention span, and a general lack of motivation to move forward in your business. But it can also cause physical symptoms: disturbed sleep, exhaustion, and even increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, or other life-threatening conditions. 

To prevent any negative impacts on your health, you need to learn to pace yourself and prioritize what your body needs. Find systems that allow you to take vacations or work shorter weeks. Demonstrate work-life balance to your employees by taking the lead. Ultimately, a healthy leader means a healthy business and employees. 

Growth Starts with You

When you hit rock bottom, the only direction is up. For a while, Nate was blind to the problems in his life—he didn’t realize his path wasn’t healthy. As Nate told us, “Pride blocks you from seeing your true reality… We always think we can think our way out of it, and that’s just not reality.” 

Eventually, Nate reached a turning point. He saw there was no way to go on the way he was going. He had to change personally and professionally. So, he decided to find himself again. He turned himself back to God. He changed the culture of his plumbing business, even if it meant getting rid of some of the best plumbers he had because they didn’t fit what he had created. He found outside help for business operations. For him, the day he made a change was the day everything got better. 

While your story may not exactly be like Nate’s, you too can find a path forward for success. You don’t have to stay stuck in the cycle of putting out fires and feeling burnt out. But we know sometimes, the path isn’t always clear. If you’re ready to revolutionize your business and find a sustainable way to success, you can schedule a 1-on-1 coaching session with Nate himself! Remember, growth begins with you—this is just the beginning.