From a very young age, we are taught the importance of having a successful career. Whether it’s our parents or a teacher, we know that by the time we reach adulthood, we will have a job. But not every job is created equal.

The home service industry is constantly evolving. Although they’re based on traditional trades like HVAC, plumbing, electrical and piping, home services are also expanding into less charted territory. Today’s homeowners are modernizing and aspiring to more eco-friendly living situations supported by radiant heating, geothermal and solar thermal energy.

As business leaders, we often make assumptions about what our field service personnel know. In addition, they make their own assumptions about us. The result is they know less than we think, and think they know more than they do. Here are seven things your service plumbers should know about their profession.

You ever have one of those jobs where nuisance heating system lockouts drove you crazy?

Whether you’ve been in business for a week, a year or a decade, you have undoubtedly experienced more than just a few setbacks. We’ve all had major setbacks in our lives and businesses, and we generally respond to setbacks with our world-conditioned responses involving pain. We have pain, we have trauma, and we have turmoil, challenges, etc.

In March 2010, a nine-month-old boy rolled off his sister’s bed in Jersey City, New Jersey, and got stuck between the bed and a cast-iron, steam radiator that was as hot as it’s supposed to be. The radiator delivered third-degree burns to the infant and left him with permanent scars.

If your office routine is anything like mine, you’re probably typing cryptic passwords into your desktop computer, laptop, smartphone or tablet throughout the day to access websites or cloud-based software that’s essential to your business.

December has always been my favorite month of the year. And it’s not just because it’s my birthday month! It’s also not because of the holidays — though I do enjoy spending time celebrating with family and friends. 

The baby boomer generation is reaching retirement age, and many are planning to age in place. As the body ages, the use of plumbing fixtures changes. The aging body no longer has the strength and flexibility of the younger body.