A potential misconception about owning a plumbing company is that franchisees need years of trade experience before opening their doors. At Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, part of the Authority Brands portfolio, that's often not the case.
"Success in this system is not about having trade skills," said David Montanez, vice president of franchise development. “It is about creating the right culture. We look for individuals with strong business instincts, leadership experience and the discipline to follow an established system. Everything else can be taught.”
That philosophy reflects the realities of franchise ownership. Owning a plumbing business is fundamentally different from working as a plumber. Franchisees serve as CEOs of their businesses, overseeing operations, financial performance, marketing, customer service and long-term growth while relying on experienced technicians to deliver the work customers depend on.
For many entrepreneurs, that distinction opens the door to an industry they may never have previously considered. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing provides franchisees with operating systems, business coaching, technology platforms and ongoing support covering everything from dispatching and scheduling to pricing, lead management and technician performance.
"If you have not worked in the plumbing industry, you have no idea what to do," said Richard Willard, vice president of customer success at Authority Brands. “Well, that's where you have this great team from Benjamin Franklin Plumbing that leads in.”
The opportunity comes at a time when demand for plumbing services remains steady because repairs are essential, regardless of economic conditions. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also projects employment of plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters to grow 6% from 2024 to 2034. Additionally, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average household's leaks can waste nearly 10,000 gallons of water each year. Homeowners cannot simply postpone fixing broken pipes, sewer backups or failed water heaters indefinitely, making plumbing one of the more resilient sectors within home services.
Oscar Nunez is one example of how leadership experience can translate into franchise ownership. After serving 11 years in the Navy and later working as a civilian security specialist protecting classified information, Nunez reached a point where he needed a change.
"After about 10 years, I hit a breaking point where you reflect and rethink which way you want your life to go," he said.
Although his father spent decades working as a plumber, Nunez himself had never owned or operated a plumbing business. Instead, he found confidence in the franchise model. Today, as the owner of a Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise in Huntington Beach, California, Nunez spends much of his time wearing the hats common to many new business owners.
"Right now, I'm wearing multiple hats: HR, hiring, payroll, dispatching, taking calls," he said.
Jeff Hunter followed a different path but arrived at a similar conclusion. Hunter served six years in the Air Force before moving into corporate leadership, where he managed a family office investment portfolio and oversaw franchise businesses. Although he had experience as an Air Force aircraft technician and had worked in electrical and plumbing, it represented a new industry.
"After years of helping others build their businesses, I wanted to channel my skills into my own business," Hunter said. “Managing two franchise concepts during my time with Henry Investment Group opened my eyes to the value of franchising.”
Once he launched his Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise, Hunter realized that attracting great employees depended less on technical conversations and more on communication.
"Selling people on the vision of what I'm doing and where we're going became paramount in attracting good talent,” he said. “That's when my business really just started to take off. Managing people, no matter where you are, comes down to setting clear expectations. Everyone needs to understand the boundaries and culture we value."
For entrepreneurs without a plumbing background, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing's support system certainly helps shorten the learning curve. Franchisees receive training through onboarding and ongoing coaching, including access to experienced business consultants through Authority Brands and a whole network of fellow franchise owners.
"The support structure that was there, the franchise community, was absolutely phenomenal," Hunter said. “What plumbing company owner can actually call up another plumbing company and ask for advice? It's rare.”
"They were very supportive and always willing to answer questions," Nunez said. “It felt like they had a solid blueprint for managing franchises.”
Rather than expecting owners to become master plumbers, the franchise provides resources to help them become effective business leaders.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing looks for franchisees who know how to lead people, build teams and execute systems consistently. Whether those skills come from military service, corporate management or another industry entirely, they can prove more valuable to long-term business ownership than technical plumbing experience alone.
For aspiring entrepreneurs who have dismissed the plumbing industry because they have never worked in the trades, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing offers a different perspective: You don't have to be the person fixing the pipes. You have to be the person building the business.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/benjamin-franklin-plumbing.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing
SPONSORED
Leaders and professionals from various industries prove that running a successful plumbing business is about leadership and operations, not turning the wrench.
A potential misconception about owning a plumbing company is that franchisees need years of trade experience before opening their doors. At Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, part of the Authority Brands portfolio, that's often not the case.
"Success in this system is not about having trade skills," said David Montanez, vice president of franchise development. “It is about creating the right culture. We look for individuals with strong business instincts, leadership experience and the discipline to follow an established system. Everything else can be taught.”
That philosophy reflects the realities of franchise ownership. Owning a plumbing business is fundamentally different from working as a plumber. Franchisees serve as CEOs of their businesses, overseeing operations, financial performance, marketing, customer service and long-term growth while relying on experienced technicians to deliver the work customers depend on.
For many entrepreneurs, that distinction opens the door to an industry they may never have previously considered. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing provides franchisees with operating systems, business coaching, technology platforms and ongoing support covering everything from dispatching and scheduling to pricing, lead management and technician performance.
"If you have not worked in the plumbing industry, you have no idea what to do," said Richard Willard, vice president of customer success at Authority Brands. “Well, that's where you have this great team from Benjamin Franklin Plumbing that leads in.”
The opportunity comes at a time when demand for plumbing services remains steady because repairs are essential, regardless of economic conditions. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also projects employment of plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters to grow 6% from 2024 to 2034. Additionally, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average household's leaks can waste nearly 10,000 gallons of water each year. Homeowners cannot simply postpone fixing broken pipes, sewer backups or failed water heaters indefinitely, making plumbing one of the more resilient sectors within home services.
Oscar Nunez is one example of how leadership experience can translate into franchise ownership. After serving 11 years in the Navy and later working as a civilian security specialist protecting classified information, Nunez reached a point where he needed a change.
"After about 10 years, I hit a breaking point where you reflect and rethink which way you want your life to go," he said.
Although his father spent decades working as a plumber, Nunez himself had never owned or operated a plumbing business. Instead, he found confidence in the franchise model. Today, as the owner of a Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise in Huntington Beach, California, Nunez spends much of his time wearing the hats common to many new business owners.
"Right now, I'm wearing multiple hats: HR, hiring, payroll, dispatching, taking calls," he said.
Jeff Hunter followed a different path but arrived at a similar conclusion. Hunter served six years in the Air Force before moving into corporate leadership, where he managed a family office investment portfolio and oversaw franchise businesses. Although he had experience as an Air Force aircraft technician and had worked in electrical and plumbing, it represented a new industry.
"After years of helping others build their businesses, I wanted to channel my skills into my own business," Hunter said. “Managing two franchise concepts during my time with Henry Investment Group opened my eyes to the value of franchising.”
Once he launched his Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise, Hunter realized that attracting great employees depended less on technical conversations and more on communication.
"Selling people on the vision of what I'm doing and where we're going became paramount in attracting good talent,” he said. “That's when my business really just started to take off. Managing people, no matter where you are, comes down to setting clear expectations. Everyone needs to understand the boundaries and culture we value."
For entrepreneurs without a plumbing background, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing's support system certainly helps shorten the learning curve. Franchisees receive training through onboarding and ongoing coaching, including access to experienced business consultants through Authority Brands and a whole network of fellow franchise owners.
"The support structure that was there, the franchise community, was absolutely phenomenal," Hunter said. “What plumbing company owner can actually call up another plumbing company and ask for advice? It's rare.”
"They were very supportive and always willing to answer questions," Nunez said. “It felt like they had a solid blueprint for managing franchises.”
Rather than expecting owners to become master plumbers, the franchise provides resources to help them become effective business leaders.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing looks for franchisees who know how to lead people, build teams and execute systems consistently. Whether those skills come from military service, corporate management or another industry entirely, they can prove more valuable to long-term business ownership than technical plumbing experience alone.
For aspiring entrepreneurs who have dismissed the plumbing industry because they have never worked in the trades, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing offers a different perspective: You don't have to be the person fixing the pipes. You have to be the person building the business.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/benjamin-franklin-plumbing.
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