Today we’d like to introduce you to Krystl Michalek.
Hi Krystl , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In January of 2018, my husband Thomas Michalek obtained his Responsible Master Plumbing license with the intent of starting his own business. In July of that same year, we officially started Michalek Plumbing. We had a plan that in two years he would leave his full-time job to work full-time in our company. At that time, he worked evenings and weekends building our new company.
A friend of ours from church who owned Pat’s Plumbing shared with us that when he retired, he planned to turn the business over to us. While we thought that it would be several years away, little did we know that within a month, he would retire. Overnight we had our customers and all of his customers. That fast tracked Thomas leaving his full-time job. In January of 2019, he left his full-time job to work Michalek Plumbing full time. I came on board to run the business side in June of 2019.
I would like to say that we have been going strong ever since, but that would be untrue. It has been a series of hard lessons, continually adjusting the business plan, constantly learning along with our strong faith and giving back that has had us staying in business these past 8 years.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has not been smooth. From the beginning, it has been filled with ups and downs, and twists and turns. For starters, I knew nothing about plumbing and very little about running a business. Once I came on board, I spent 6 months as an apprentice working with Thomas learning about the plumbing side of the business.
As I knew very little about running a business, I knew I needed to hire people who had strengths where I had weaknesses. I immediately hired a CPA, bookkeeper, and a business coach who were all excellent teachers. They spent a lot of extra time teaching us about business basics, helping us make a business plan, setting boundaries, and deciding how we wanted to run the company. Essentially, helping us to lay the foundation of our company.
Over the years, we have constantly adjusted our focus to meet the current needs of our clients. In the beginning, we focused primarily on residential repair, installations, and the plumbing portion of remodels. After Covid, the demand for remodels decreased, which required a pivot in our business model. We shifted our focus from remodels to residential and commercial generator gas lines, while maintaining residential plumbing work. We spent over a year cultivating relationships with generator companies growing that part of the business.
When the economy tightened, we added licensing for backflow devices. We are actively developing that part of the business. The ability to shift what we do when external factors impacted our business has saved us multiple times throughout the past 8 years.
We are a small FAMILY run business. Our family is a priority as we have two boys still at home, one grown, who is serving our country, and our bonus son, who is in college. They keep us busy evenings and weekends. We can get out of balance when things get busy and we can lose focus on the priorities. When this happens, we reset the boundaries to put things back in order.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Michalek Plumbing is primarily a residential plumbing company that also does light commercial work. We specialize in under slab repairs, commercial and residential generator gas lines, residential repairs and installations, backflow testing, repairs and installations and light commercial work.
As a company we are known for our personal approach. We love technology; however, we believe in customer support where the client talks directly to us. We have a hands-on approach to everything we do as a company.
Our differing backgrounds play an integral part in how Michalek Plumbing operates and what sets us apart from other companies.
Thomas has been a licensed plumber for 25 years. He comes from a long line of tradesman-plumbing, welding, and bricklaying. He understands anything trade related. He is a master at what he does due to his vast knowledge of the trades.
Thomas’ years of experience in the plumbing industry has added a wealth of knowledge that is passed on to every job we do and to our customers, further emphasizing the personable approach our company is known for. His knowledge helps to shape our day-to-day operations- scheduling, finances and customer connection.
My life has been filled with amazing opportunities to do multiple things before helping my husband run Michalek Plumbing. From running my own swim school in high school, to working in the high-tech field as a customer support representative, to serving, leading and teaching in ministry, my background has been very eclectic. All of these experiences and my education influence our company daily.
Working in sales taught me the value of working directly with clients, adding a personal touch that, in my opinion, is missing from today’s automated world. Serving and leading in ministry taught me to see people, the importance of giving back and helping others. Serving in missions taught me how to be flexible, rooted in our foundation but having the ability to pivot when change is needed and/or necessary.
Serving also laid the foundation of giving for our company. Giving back to our community, helping our military and seniors are all extremely important to our company.
Overall, we have taken our differing experiences and utilized them in how Michalek Plumbing operates. These experiences helped shape our company’s personal approach, which we are known for and what sets us apart from other companies.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
For those starting out, I would say it matters who is in your corner. We would not still be here without the mentorship and encouragement from many people. Surrounding yourself with people who hold you accountable, who cheer you on and walk with you on this journey is vital.
The advice we would give:
Stay teachable and never stop learning.
Set boundaries, what works for another company may not necessarily work for your company. For us, our faith and family are of utmost importance, therefore we structure our business to reflect that.
You will make mistakes running a business. Learn from them and take them as an opportunity to grow.
Don’t be afraid of your weaknesses. Surround yourself with people whose strengths compliment your weaknesses.
Most of all, do not give up!
The things we wish we knew when we started out are many. We were a bit naive when we started out. We did not realize how hard it would be and how much work it would take to start a company and keep it running. Those first few years were a whirlwind of learning and hard knocks. It some ways, the naivety was a blessing! We didn’t know better and therefore we just kept plugging away. If we had known how hard it was or saw the setbacks we would face, we may not have said yes to this endeavor. However, we would have missed out on the many blessings it has brought.
Owning and operating a business is hard and it requires a lot of hard work and sacrifice. In our experience, the rewards and blessings far outweigh the hard parts. There will be many days you want to quit. Don’t do it! Remember, every day is a new day to try it all over again.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.michalekplumbing.com
- Instagram: @michalekplumbing
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/michalek-plumbing-hutto
- Other: https://share.google/vb3iidXaKkrAJzVwB
Image Credits
1st image taken my Mike Vollmer. All other pictures were taken by Krystl Michalek of Michalek Plumbing
