For Eli and Abby Power, plumbing has always been a family affair. The couple began their journey early, joining Abby’s father’s plumbing business right out of high school before taking ownership in their early 20s. What they lacked in business experience, they made up for in determination — and a willingness to learn from others. That drive would eventually lead them from a small, family-owned shop in rural Colorado to becoming a long-standing and successful Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise.

“We came to work for my dad very early, out of high school, and then we ended up buying the business from him when we were only 22 years old,” Abby said. “Eli could plumb houses and I could answer the phone, but as far as business, we knew nothing.”

To bridge that knowledge gap, the couple sought outside guidance, joining Plumber Success International (PSI), a business coaching group for contractors. That decision proved transformative — PSI later became the foundation for Benjamin Franklin Plumbing’s franchise model. The Powers joined the system at the very beginning, holding one of the earliest franchise numbers, and have been growing with it ever since.

Their timing, Abby says, couldn’t have been better. Montrose, a town of about 20,000 people at the time, offered both opportunity and challenge. “We live in very rural Colorado,” she said. “The largest town near us was about an hour away with around 100,000 people, but they weren’t going to hire us to travel an hour for service. So, we changed our name, got a local phone number and went to work the next day. And we grew from that.”

By embracing the structure and brand credibility of Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, the Powers turned their local operation into a recognized name across Western Colorado. Their growth eventually included dual-branding with One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning — a natural fit for their existing service mix.

“When the One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning franchise became available, we just married the two together,” Abby said. “It seemed silly not to. We changed to more of a replacement company, focusing on bigger installs for our customers.”

The decision turned their operation into a true multi-brand home services platform. With plumbing and HVAC under one roof, the Powers can build deeper relationships with customers, solve more problems in a single visit and become the first call when a homeowner needs help.

That adaptability has paid off in a big way. Since joining the brand, the Powers have seen significant growth in their business. “We hired sales staff and install crews,” Abby said. “Instead of one person trying to fix it, sell it and then install it, we put processes in place to get the right person to the customer’s house to really talk about their needs and wants and try to satisfy that.”

Their success in Montrose opened the door for expansion beyond Colorado. Today, the Powers own and operate multiple Benjamin Franklin Plumbing locations, as well as One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning and Mister Sparky Electric territories, stretching into Arizona and Minnesota.

That expansion, Abby says, has been about more than growth for growth’s sake. “Startups are difficult,” she said. “So being able to help fellow franchisees who are ready to retire — leaving their companies in capable hands, with their customers and employees cared for — that’s been really important to us. We’ve been honored to provide that.”

Looking ahead, Abby and Eli plan to continue strengthening their operations while mentoring new franchise owners within the network. Their daughter and son-in-law currently run one of their Minnesota locations, continuing the family tradition.

“Eli’s always on the hunt for who we can help next,” Abby said. “My personal goal is to bring our daughter home. That means finding the right people and putting management in place so we can keep growing and keep our family close.”

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/benjamin-franklin-plumbing.