National Small Business Week Puts Spotlight on Local Plumbers

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Every day thousands of people across the country deal with unexpected plumbing disasters. Toilets overflow, pipes burst and garbage disposals give out. Because of this, every day local plumbers are answering these calls. They’re showing up, day or night, to help get your home or commercial property back in working order, because as we all know, water emergencies don’t wait for office hours and they don’t respect weekend schedules.

Who exactly are these local heroes answering the calls? In many cases, they’re a small business owner and local franchisee operating under a nationally respected brand.

As America celebrated National Small Business Week, April 30 – May 4, it is the perfect time to spotlight the local plumber franchisees who tackle our dirty jobs.

But aren’t all franchises run by big corporations? They don’t care about our small community. Wrong! One of the most common misconceptions about a franchise brand is that each location is just another dot on a map. In reality, the local franchisee that’s answering your call and getting your bathroom back in working order on a Saturday is more than likely a member of your community. Just because they’re operating under a larger company name doesn’t make them any less of a small business owner than if they had started it all from the ground up.

The reality is that franchises are a network of small business owners that come together to champion the same brand. And together, they make a huge impact.

In fact, small businesses make up the majority of plumbing services in the U.S. Local franchisees, like ours at bluefrog Plumbing + Drain, are part of the nearly 90% of American businesses that employ fewer than 20 workers.

Individually they may seem small, but these so-called small businesses are a mighty force, celebrated each year by the U.S. Small Business Association during National Small Business Week.

As they continue to answer the call to handle “dirty jobs,” a plumbing franchise has staying power in the small-business realm. Able to weather recessions, plumbing has proven to be a need. No matter the economic conditions, plumbing services are always in demand.
As U.S. homeowners face more pressing water-related issues, including environmental impacts like water quality, professional plumbers are ready to jump in and get their hands dirty. Be it leaky faucets, running and/or overflowing toilets or tree root removal, no job is too large or small, or too dirty, for a local plumber.

So, as we celebrate National Small Business Week, I urge everyone to see the bigger picture and appreciate the local heroes that show up each day to answer our plumbing disaster calls. It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it. And we’re glad to be that solution.

Gary Findley is the CEO of bluefrog Plumbing + Drain headquartered in Waco, Texas.

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