OVERVIEW

On this week’s Bucket Talk, we talk with plumber George DeJesus, who calls in from Morris County, New Jersey. He learned how to be a plumber at an early age, taking a plumbing job in midtown Manhattan fixing up five-star hotels. After some time on the job, he realized that there was an opportunity to grow outside of the confines of contracting, so he decided it was time to be his own boss. From there, he got his own gear, started doing his own marketing and built a company that lets him do work on his terms.

ABOUT GEORGE

George DeJesus began his career as a plumber in New York City, leading crews in high rises in downtown Manhattan. He realized that a job as the leader of a plumbing crew was his calling after working some jobs in NYC where he was able to learn and thrive on the job in a really short time.

“My dad was a general contractor and he used to take us to work with [him] because that was just a way for daycare to kind of watch us during our day instead of having someone watch us he took us to work…I'm a plumber, I chose the plumbing trade, because…I just happened to enjoy more of just putting stuff together.”

Working in hotels and in other parts of New York City, he was able to not only see some crazy vistas at the top of high-rises, but he learned skills and work ethic that helped him grow into the plumber that he is today — and the skills that equipped him for a steady career. After some time working with volatile contractors, though, he realized that he was leaving a lot of work, and money, on the table. He was ready to work for himself, in spite of the challenges that lay ahead.

“[My friends] kept telling me, you know, you should be working for yourself. I don't want to do that. I already failed one time. I don't want to do it again. I'm afraid, I don't want to do it. You know, and, and I just fought myself and I came back…I made it to the point where I'm like, yeah, I should be on my own.”

George made that vision a reality — he’s now his own boss, no restrictions, nobody to report to. He has taken on his own clients and does his own marketing, meaning he can work when he wants to. Not only is he crushing it in his day job, but he’s also gained a huge following on social media, reaching over 38,000 followers on Instagram by posting videos of the work he’s doing. Check out George on Instagram @georgetheplumber.