Z PLUMBERZ Franchise Review: Q&A with Stephen Piazza
Longtime plumber opens up about why he chose to invest in a Z PLUMBERZ franchise
Stephen Piazza has been a plumber for more than 20 years, and a master plumber for the vast majority of that time. But even still, Stephen Piazza realized all the benefits that come with starting a respected and well-established franchise, and he launched his own Z PLUMBERZ plumbing franchise in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
As a longtime plumber, Stephen Piazza has seen it all, but still gained a vast amount of knowledge and support from the team at Z PLUMBERZ. With an easy to implement franchise model, he was able to get his business off the ground running and focus on plumbing, rather than having to take time to figure all the ins and outs of starting a new business.
In this interview, Piazza talks about what drew him to plumbing, what the advantages of a franchise are over a new startup, and why American needs more plumbers amid a national shortage.
Why did you pursue a career as a plumber and eventually earn a master plumber license?
When I got into plumbing, I enjoyed it very much and I decided that this wasn’t going to be a job, it was going to be a career. I always knew that if I was going to be a plumber, I want to be the best plumber I could be. And that’s what I worked for.
When did you decide to start your own Z PLUMBERZ franchise?
I had looked into other franchises and thought, “let me try this.” I know people who have had franchises and other businesses that have become really successful just by the model. The franchise model makes it easy.
How has the franchise model helped your business grow?
They’ve allowed me to be able to have the potential to grow in any way or shape I can, and the opportunity of growth is just immense. More so than with your individual business because of all the partnerships you have. It’s easier to create that stepping-stone than by yourself.
What are the advantages over running an independent company?
If you’re miserable when you go to work every day, the reason is you don’t have a system and most individual people do not have a system. A franchise model creates a system, and this creates a team effort and a building block to succeed. With an individual company, it’s going to take you double the time.
Was there a strong support network?
After talking to the people here, especially the plumbers, they’ve shown me things that have taken me 10 years to figure out in the matter of a snap of the fingers. The training and the support team alone have been incredible. If you don’t know a problem, someone here will figure it out.
With a national shortage of plumbers, why do you think people should enter the field?
You learn so much, not just about plumbing. I developed skills to actually do my own home projects and it gives you motivation to become a business owner. So you’re not just a plumber, you create a career and something you’re proud of.
What’s your hope for the plumbing industry going forward?
My hopes for the industry overall is that we look at the plumbing industry as a more respected profession where young people can feel proud. A lot of young people don’t want to be a plumber, and not because they don’t want to go to college. But trades are important and I would hate it for when the trades are gone and that’s when people start to realize they’re important.
Ready to start a plumbing franchise?
For in-depth details about how to start a plumbing business with the Z PLUMBERZ franchise, download our Free Franchise Opportunity Report. You also can learn more by visiting our research pages.