In this episode of the Amber Energy Podcast, we sit down with Dusty Hoerler, the founder of Craftsman Plumbing, to explore the journey of building a strong brand and planning for a strategic exit. Dusty shares his experiences from starting Craftsman Plumbing, growing the company over the past decade, and creating a memorable customer experience.

🎙️ Episode Highlights:

• The importance of a strong brand and customer experience.
• Navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.
• Tips for long-term business growth and sustainability.
• Dusty’s approach to community involvement and networking.
• Strategies for planning and executing a successful business exit.

🔗 Connect with Dusty Hoerler:

• Website
• LinkedIn 
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Pinterest
• Google
• Yelp
• Houzz
• Amber Design – Logo & Marketing portfolio page

About Our Guest:

Dusty Hoerler grew up on a small farm in Curlew, Washington. Born into a family of plumbers, you could say that the craft runs in his blood. He started plumbing at age 12 on the weekends, and did the same during the summers every year until he was 18. Commercial dive school took him to Seattle after high school, where he fell in love with the neighborhood of Ballard, where Craftsman Plumbing operates today.

After spending a few years in the Gulf of Mexico as a diver for major construction companies, Dusty realized that plumbing had always been his true calling, and that Seattle was where he felt most at home. To solidify this, he completed a five-year plumbing apprenticeship in Seattle.

In 2014, Dusty started Craftsman Plumbing, and since then it has steadily grown from a one-man operation to a team of five employees. Today, his company is a member of the Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling Coalition (PHCC) of Washington State, where Dusty currently serves on the PAC committee.

📢 Topics Discussed:

1. Building a trustworthy and recognizable brand.
2. Handling the ups and downs of running a business.
3. The role of customer experience in business success.
4. Community involvement as a growth strategy.
5. Planning for the future: setting up an exit strategy.

🔔 Subscribe to Amber Energy Podcast for more insights on entrepreneurship, business growth, and marketing.

#AmberEnergyPodcast #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #CraftsmanPlumbing #ExitStrategy #CustomerExperience #CommunityInvolvement #SmallBusiness #PlumbingBusiness #BusinessTips #Marketing #Branding #Leadership #BusinessSuccess #SeattleBusiness

       

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Transcript:

00:00:00:00 – 00:00:25:24

Welcome to Amber Energy, the podcast. Today, I’ve got dusty boiler with Craftsman Plumbing. Actually, I don’t like that either. That was awful. Oh, that kind of. Get ready. Okay, Get ready. Ready. Do it. Welcome to Amber Energy, the podcast, where you’re going to learn a little bit about entrepreneurship, branding, education, tips and so much more. Today, I’ve got my guest, Dusty Hall, here with Craftsman Plumbing.

00:00:26:01 – 00:00:53:08

Dusty, tell me a little bit about yourself, your business, and how we know each other well, Amber, I was so blessed to meet you about, gosh, it was about 11 years ago, 12 years ago, I think it was 15, 15 years ago. And you actually were the person who created my logo when I went into business. So, yeah, it was great.

00:00:53:10 – 00:01:16:13

We were I think I was cutting the yard and you hollered across the street about borrowing my weed whacker, and we’ve been friends ever since. And it’s just a true pleasure to work with you. Yeah, I was. I was just thinking, recollecting on why I’d moved there. I’d moved there from. I was renting a room and you dub area from a colleague.

00:01:16:15 – 00:01:44:04

And then I decided I didn’t want to live there no more. And I got a moved into to that place off a green lake across the street from you. And the green leaf area off of was at Roosevelt or 90th or something like that. And I move there are three lady roommates not new house. It was a rental property and I grew up in a place where you maintain your property and this place had like dandelions that were bananas everywhere, weeds that were like chest high and the place looked like shambles.

00:01:44:04 – 00:02:00:08

And I was like wildly embarrassed to drive home to it. So, yeah, you were across the street. I don’t know who you were. And so I was like, Hey, can I borrow your weed whacker? I wanted like, weed whacker, front yard full of all of the bits. And so that sort of like, launched us into being my new my new friend.

00:02:00:08 – 00:02:23:18

And we launched into doing like different coffee dates that what was that place called Cloud something. Cloud City Cafe up there in Green Leaf Area For our viewers, if you don’t know where that is, that’s between Green Lake and Northgate Mall up on the hill there. And it was late, oh nine, early 2010 when I lived there and met Dusty.

00:02:23:18 – 00:02:50:04

And it’s been it’s been a fun road because we have been we were neighbors and then turned client because I’m a graphic designer and and you started businesses and then like I went off into my own business doing my own thing, went full time. And then, you know, you’ve done your things and I’ve done my things. And so it’s been a fun, like, neighbor turned client turn colleague sort of relationship over the 15 years that we’ve known each other.

00:02:50:06 – 00:03:13:11

And gosh, I just remember so many fun things. So like I remember when you, you know, wanted to run for state representative and then I remember your time at Urban Yoga Spa while you’re doing stuff there. So there’s been some fun things. You remember that yoga spa? I love that place. And then we I think we did yoga there one time, at least a couple times together.

00:03:13:15 – 00:03:19:09

Yep. Right. Yeah. Yeah.

00:03:19:11 – 00:03:47:07

So good times there. Anyhow, so tell me tell everybody a little bit about Craftsman Plumbing and what what you do in Seattle. Well, I started crafts and plumbing in 2013, 2014, I guess it was, you know, ten year anniversary. Yo yo mar march. I think it was March 14th of 2014, started Craftsman Plumbing and it just steadily grown the company.

00:03:47:11 – 00:04:17:12

It was the first year it was just me and the truck taking calls and doing the work. And, and we’ve kind of slowly expanded over the years to a team of six now, and we’ve got four trucks in the field, myself, managing operations and then a call taker, CSR client manager as well. Yeah, it’s been amazing to watch you grow your business over the last ten years.

00:04:17:12 – 00:04:38:11

You know, I think that’s just normal in business, yet your highs and lows, right? So like I remember like, oh, you have to start a business and you have like, Oh shit, I just got robbed and then like, yeah, everything is going well. And then like, Oh shit, things happened and like, I think that’s just normal because like, here I am hitting my eight year mark of being full time and amber design and it’s like can cause some business.

00:04:38:11 – 00:05:02:20

And then always something happens and then and always the ebbs and flows of the economy too. So I remember that. I remember, you know, one of your locals and I remember Nolan and I met you out on a coffee date and you’re like, Bro, like, I might like, I might not make it. And I’m like, Crap. So why don’t you tell the viewers a little bit more about, like, that sort of ebb to your business and like what you did to come out of it.

00:05:02:22 – 00:05:27:09

Yeah, that’s a great that’s a great question. I just sort of loaded it a little bit, but that’s good for you. It is. I love you. Does the you know, I think any time you start a business and and you have that undertaking, there’s going to be like ups and downs. It’s going to be like good times can be days where you’re like, why am I doing this?

00:05:27:09 – 00:05:50:04

I don’t know. I really don’t know why I’m doing this. And you’ll actually be like, I don’t want to do this. And there’s days where things are going well and it’s and it’s very rewarding. It’s like having an opportunity to mentor people and serve your clients well. And some of my proudest moments are when clients call and they’re just glowing about the work that we did.

00:05:50:10 – 00:06:22:14

And, you know, that makes me feel really, really great. But I think I think it’s, you know, it’s one of the things that I’ve learned over time, and I’m still learning this is that it’s important to kind of meter your enthusiasm and also meter your like, you know, when when it feels like the floor is falling out, you have to step back and say it’s going to be okay.

00:06:22:18 – 00:06:47:15

Right. Like like kind of straightening out that curve. I yeah, it’s I don’t I don’t remember where I heard this, but I think it was it was like a day trader that was following. And he mentioned that he would like and he had a really rough day. He would go out and buy like a really good steak dinner, you know.

00:06:47:17 – 00:07:17:17

And then when he had like a really good day, he would go to like, you know, to the budget place and get a burger and fries, you know? And I think that that it’s important to have these kind of exercises that we do as business owners to kind of meter that the ups and downs, because the ups and downs are are difficult.

00:07:17:19 – 00:07:51:19

It can feel so amazing. And then and then two weeks later, it’s just like everything drops. So that’s and then the other thing I would say is that it’s I think it’s really easy when you go through really, really difficult times to kind of circle the wagons and, you know, I know I do this, I’ll be like, okay, we’re not spending any money, we’re not doing training, and we’re like cutting all the costs.

00:07:52:00 – 00:08:30:05

You know, we’re going to go down to the bare minimum and we’ve got to get our revenue back up. Mm hmm. And you have to mentally kind of shift gears and say, okay, we’ve gone through this difficult time, but I still need to invest in my people, still need to invest in structure, I still need to invest in advertising, in training, being able to switch training, to be able to switch kind of out of those modes like conservation, like circle the wagons, we’re going to we’re going to survive this to okay, we’re going to push on the gas and we’re going to go into growth mode.

00:08:30:07 – 00:09:01:06

We metering that those different phases and and knowing when the when, when when is the time to switch gears is really important and critical. And something I’m practicing and getting better at and learning how to be better at all the time. Yeah, I think that’s one thing you do as you get older, you mature, you know, you kind of get better at business, get better at relationships, but great conversation, difficult conversations.

00:09:01:06 – 00:09:25:02

You get better at those metering yourself like the good days and bad days and the sky is falling. You know, you can’t do anything right versus, you know, is the best thing ever. And I just want it back on track. And you be, you know, like those like extremes, right? Metering the extremes and the highs and the lows, the business.

00:09:25:04 – 00:09:47:17

And I think what you’re right, like throttling between the two, knowing when to, you know, knowing when to throttle and push forward or no one to like, okay, it’s back off. But like you said before, like not completely like circling the wagons and like that’s it goes down No more spending. Stop everything. No. Because you know, if you want to keep doing this right.

00:09:47:17 – 00:10:01:18

So like, you know, you’ve been doing this now for ten years and you’ve as we know, you know, you’ve worked for other people, you’ve worked for the union, you’ve been a pipefitter out there. You know what the Seattle market’s like. And it’s like, I think, you know, like me now, I’ve also worked for other ad agencies and now I own my own agency.

00:10:01:18 – 00:10:19:04

And I don’t know if you feel the same way, but like I couldn’t imagine probably now going to work for somebody else at this point. You know, now that I’m perhaps hitting my stride almost ten years in business and like the idea of like going to maybe perhaps work for somebody else doesn’t sound overly appealing either on how you feel about that.

00:10:19:04 – 00:10:50:03

What are your thoughts? I mean, there’s days that it does, you know, it doesn’t. So I’ve sat up there through starry, dusty years of like, I just want to lay the responsibility of the business or clock and just go home and do some yard work and not think about anything else. I know it’s so true, like a clock in and clock out and like, not have to worry about the finances or not have to worry about the bits of the business that’s outside your purview of doing the work.

00:10:50:05 – 00:11:15:06

Right? Like, yes, operations and marketing and all the other things h.r. And all the other things you have to manage. As an owner of the small business, it’s a lot, a lot. I think your wheels are constantly churning. I think as a business owner, you’re like, okay, i tell you, i’m doing the business, and then tomorrow I’ll worry about operations of each are and paying bills and the da da da da da da.

00:11:15:11 – 00:11:36:11

And then okay call center one day and okay customer service problem and okay, okay. Now I got to manage a team and work back schedule. And what was that? Did like and then like, oh yeah, business development while you’re at it and then, Oh yeah, marketing and a billboard thing and another thing. I feel like your brain just like constantly churning over a million to do lists as a business owner trying to make it all work.

00:11:36:13 – 00:12:03:15

Yeah, I mean, I don’t know, honestly, why do I do this again? Like, I’m like, you’re right. Yeah. No, I do all that stuff, and I think about it all the time. And, you know, I wake up at 4 a.m., I wake up. 1 a.m. thinking about something and, you know, that’s. But it’s a lifestyle and it’s I aspire to the time where I’m not pushing that hard.

00:12:03:15 – 00:12:29:24

I’m not working hard, I’m not grinding that hard. And it’s important to, you know, have good people around you that you can trust and that can help grow the business. So I’m excited about getting into that phase. Yeah, I think that’s an important phase that you’re in. Like right now you’re in like the growth phase, like building an establishing phase and you know, then hopefully then there’s like, okay, we’re established, okay?

00:12:29:24 – 00:12:49:09

We no longer are like building and like, like building your empire, right? Like you’re building your reputation in Seattle right now. And then it’s like, okay, I got the rep. People know who I am finally. And then it’s like, okay, now we’re going to maintain the bids of like, okay, let’s just maintain growing, sustain, maintain, grow, evolve, do it really well.

00:12:49:14 – 00:13:05:02

Is like your next ten years and then like your 30 year mark is like, All right, buddy, what can we do to sell this sucker? Or like, what can we do to like, it’s like an exit and like, not be a part of the daily grind kind of general manager or do I need someone to help manage the shop or, you know, what was that next evolution of it?

00:13:05:02 – 00:13:24:04

So that way, one day, you know, you don’t have to be at the helm grinding every day in the trenches. You know, you’ve been in the trenches and what can can a little bit lighter trenches look like and then pass that baton off or find the employee owned company and be able to have an employees maybe buy you out?

00:13:24:04 – 00:13:46:09

Or what is that next evolution of a business look like? That is not dusty, you know, in the grind doing the bits for, you know, we’ve been doing it for hopefully 20 years by that point. So what’s the next bits? And like, you know, what does that look like and how do you get there? But I think it’s just normal evolution of like building a business, building an empire and then like, okay, now do we want to have, you know, grow more lot more locations, more trucks, like what are we doing here?

00:13:46:09 – 00:14:10:06

And then sort of like, okay, we’ve built this wonderful, amazing thing. Now how are we going to what’s our exit strategy? What does that look like over the next 30 to 40 years as you enter into the hopeful retirement age where you can travel and do pet projects and passion projects and other fun things that you hope to get to do because you sacrificed a lot to run a business and build your empire, right?

00:14:10:08 – 00:14:28:15

I, I think that’s perhaps I don’t want put words in your mouth. That’s not my goal, right? That’s my like, I’ve been at the grind for ten years and then it’s like, okay, I want to build it and evolve it, make it one even more better over the next ten years. And then what’s my exit strategy towards my hopeful retirement days of much more trouble?

00:14:28:17 – 00:14:48:07

That’s what my goal is. I don’t know what your goal is. That’s my goal. I don’t wanna be doing this shit forever. I intend to build an empire and do the thing and then like, find somebody hopefully won’t take the darn thing over or I’ve had a good run and that’s, well, sunset armor design. I don’t know. That looks like.

00:14:48:09 – 00:15:14:13

Well, but that being said, do you have any fun? You know, you mentioned that obviously, you know, you’ve been doing this now on in Seattle Market for ten years. And you know what would be maybe your top five things as far as like marketing or like how you established your brand in the Seattle industry to to be the reputable name and brand go to plumber in the Seattle area.

00:15:14:15 – 00:15:47:06

Yeah, I think, you know, I think constantly building our reputation with our clients or existing clients, we when I look at our team excuse me, when I look at the calls that come in on a monthly basis, this the second highest source of our of our core volume is referrals. So that’s people that were happy with our services and we’re happy with the work that we did.

00:15:47:08 – 00:16:19:18

They were happy with the work, the way that we treated them, and they referred their friends and family. So that makes me feel really, really great. That’s a really strong foundation for the business to be on. And then also taking that kind of to the next step and saying, okay, how do we how do we create how do we grow the brand in a way that communicates, that tells that story digitally in the in the in the digital sphere?

00:16:19:20 – 00:16:47:09

So Google Maps, map pack, business profile, stuff like that. And we’re we’re constantly working on building that out, creating more visibility so that our our clients can can see us, They can they can hear our story because you can have a great story, but if you don’t have a great microphone or a way to tell that story to the public.

00:16:47:11 – 00:17:11:04

Mm hmm. They don’t they don’t connect with you. So we’re constantly working on how do we tell our story and how do we how do we connect with our with our clientele? Hmm. Yeah, I think that’s obviously, you know, first and foremost, very important with your business. I think, you know, obviously having a, you know, one piece of your brand is just the logo.

00:17:11:04 – 00:17:36:06

One piece of your brand is the website one. You know, one piece of these things is the brand. But how I was talking earlier today to a colleague was it’s really about a brand is how a brand makes you feel when you think about a brand, right? So like we think of big brands like Apple or Nike, you know, we all know what they sell, but we really cling on to how they make us feel.

00:17:36:08 – 00:18:05:00

And they all have rally cries, visions around things that we can all rally behind. Apple’s vision statement. As I think Big and Nike uses. Just do it right. McDonald’s is I’m loving it. Harley-Davidson is right free. You know those are all rally cries that everybody wants to be a part of. And I think that’s one thing that’s really important for our brand is how a brand makes you feel.

00:18:05:02 – 00:18:23:05

Right. So when they when someone calls you dusty on a referral, they have trust in you. They trust you to do a good job and do it well and right the first time, Right. That’s what makes part one of a good brand, how they make you feel, how they how you look. Right. So trust also has to do with your branding, right?

00:18:23:05 – 00:18:49:11

So you’ve chosen a classic, timeless logo. You also have what’s his name? No mansplaining. Mueller I think his name’s Mueller. Remember that sketch? Yeah. So that sketch that you got. And you named a mueller, right? So you got Mueller, who’s like a happy, approachable, friendly tradesman that’s going to come in and like, be an awesome, you know, representative of your of your brand and of your company for that customer experience.

00:18:49:11 – 00:19:08:05

So you’re hoping to give to those people, right? So like when you come up, when a technician comes to someone’s house, you want them that homeowner to feel like, okay, yeah, I’ve hired the right people, they’re trusted, they’re value. They’re going to put their shoes slippers on and are going to respect my home and me and get this job done efficiently, well, and quickly as possible.

00:19:08:07 – 00:19:27:14

And for the right, right, right, right. And then you’re going to do the things right. You’re going to follow up your Senate bill. You’re going to follow up. And I send my thank you card. It’s the entire customer customer experience that I know you do for your clients, Right. Your customers next door. Like, I know that, you know, you send thank you cards, right.

00:19:27:14 – 00:19:44:05

So I know that you do this right. So it’s all part of the customer experience that when you hire craftsman, plumbing that that technician, you know, there’s no mansplaining. They’re going to do your right and they’re going to do well and they’re not going to, you know, jerk your around right? So I think that’s all part of your brand.

00:19:44:06 – 00:20:01:15

Your brand is not just the logo or the website or not just the billboard or not just the Pepsi click ads. It’s the experience where soon as you come, you know, so as you pick up the phone, you know, as soon as you book them, as soon as you come to their door, how you handle the business in their home or residence or commercial property.

00:20:01:17 – 00:20:19:21

And then after the call, what did you do with them or how did you how did you work with them? How did you accept payment or, you know, that thank you card or the ask for that, for that referral or that review? Right. So that’s that core complete customer journey that someone feels good about. Like, wow. Dustin Dusty Craftsman Plumbing gave me white glove service.

00:20:19:21 – 00:20:38:23

That’s rad. Heck, you’re going to refer that outfit again. And we told my neighbors about it and then some because gosh darn it, I want that experience not only for me again, but all my friends and family too. And I think that’s that brand awareness that you’re trying to build with that business. And I think that’s obviously what you’ve done so far, so quickly.

00:20:38:23 – 00:21:06:01

I didn’t see at all because, look, you have a broken word now, but which is something that you didn’t have five years ago, six years ago. Right. When did you get your place done? A shuttle? Oh, let’s see. We’ve been here for about four years. Yeah, okay. That was about right. But you’ve also, like, you got the place down there, which is like, Oh, your dream of having a brick and mortar someday and getting it out of your front lawn, getting it after getting it off.

00:21:06:03 – 00:21:21:01

Was that 91st? You’re like, trucks are parked on the street and then it can me it was hard. We got broken into. I mean, it was like six times and was it really that many? I only remember like the once or twice that you told me about your like I. Beardstown you were, you were parking your trucks like back to back.

00:21:21:03 – 00:21:46:18

Yeah. Yeah. So people can like because I want to break in like, like I need to wake up and like, it’s going to go down and because I, you know, I slept through like, like three of the break ins, you know, it’s like wee hours of the morning and mother of pearl. So anyway, it’s good for my stress levels to have all the trucks here at the shop.

00:21:46:18 – 00:22:12:07

They’re all locked up and secure the security system. Yeah, but your insurance is a lot happier to, too. In the insurance is much happier that they’re locked up and secure with all your tools and all your all your things. Right? So, yeah. So I get a place and she’ll. She’ll you right there in Ballard. Don’t tell everybody about your about what your your new advertisement placement.

00:22:12:07 – 00:22:29:23

Where’s it going. It’s pretty big deal for you. Yes. We have a billboard for the first time which is right by the ballot. Hasn’t gone out yet or is it up? Yeah. Yeah, it it went up June 10th. We so it’s it’s been up for a while. It’s it’s going to be up for a few more weeks. Where’s the location.

00:22:30:00 – 00:22:58:07

What’s that. Whereas it’s location. Remind me it’s right off the ballot bridge. So Yeah, it’s great spot. Great location. Was great to work with the folks at Lamar, the National Billboard company. And they, they were they’ve been great to work with. So excited to see where that goes. We might we might do another one and kind of move them around town.

00:22:58:09 – 00:23:26:17

I’m just not quite sure how that’s going to develop. Yeah, I mean, it’s a really interesting thing. It’s definitely that we were talking in our Discovery call about sort of local creations as the key thing that you’ve been working on as a as a business owner in the Seattle area is that was like the, you know, connecting with other other businesses in the area, getting involved in the community, nonprofits, various bits I’ve been a part of.

00:23:26:17 – 00:23:45:20

But also that said that local creation is not only being a part of like top ten plumbers in Seattle, it’s also like, Oh my gosh, there’s solar, yet they can there have a billboard in Seattle that’s like the next level of like creations. I think that you’ve been working towards, right? So maybe name a couple other creations that you’ve kind of been working on for everybody.

00:23:45:22 – 00:24:06:16

Let’s see, we sponsored the we’re a sponsor of the Seattle Storm. Oh, yeah, that’s right. The NBA team for for three years. It was a great experience. I, I remember that you had it on their truck for a little while. You got to put their logo on your bits. Yep. Yep. It was on our truck and our logos were up the games.

00:24:06:18 – 00:24:24:15

So cool. We did a couple a couple of promotional in-game things with them. Oh, yes. Right. Did you do it like an ad? Did you like it? Because I think I remember you’ve been sending me like a video ad. Yeah, there was. Yeah, we did some. Yeah, we actually shot a couple of TV ads with one of them.

00:24:24:17 – 00:24:44:24

I thought so. I think I remember seeing one that was like a few years ago. Yeah. Yeah. I think we ran the last one last summer. We had a contract with, with the storm. And then we also had a contract with the player. So we were able to use both of those in our advertising and it was a great experience.

00:24:45:01 – 00:25:08:14

After three years, the, the ROI just wasn’t there. So we had to explore some other things. But maybe we’ll come back to it someday and just time will tell. It’s good to try. Keep trying new things. You needed that for three years and maybe you’ll do, I don’t know, maybe a board at the cracking down on their rink as a better location and or it gets more visibility.

00:25:08:14 – 00:25:25:13

I don’t know. Like, you’ll figure it out. Like, you are really creative and coming up with various areas to to be a part of. I think you’re on the right track of like a nonprofit I think you’re working with or, you know, you can also as you know, you know, you’ve been a Washington state representative, a running person.

00:25:25:15 – 00:25:44:17

You know, you know how to get involved in your community. I think being, you know, if you can do part of like the chambers, you know, the chambers or be a part of, I don’t know, the city council or something, it’s always something to get your butt involved, obviously, out of business. And you’re like, Yeah, I just want you to like, you’re like, Yeah, good idea.

00:25:44:19 – 00:26:12:07

I think it goes down to is, is really tracking like where, where’s the where’s the best aro I. And if we know where the calls are coming from we can tell like hey if this is working, if we’re getting an X factor on this type of thing, then we can, we can take that budget and put more towards it and, and make the phone ring.

00:26:12:07 – 00:26:43:18

I mean, it’s all about customer contact and being front of mind. So we’re constantly watching that and working to develop that and maximize that and, you know, to the best to be the best at telling our story as we possibly can. Yeah, I like your new sort of like running social media campaign of like you reading a testimony I think has been really valuable and powerful.

00:26:43:20 – 00:27:15:07

Like, Hey, Dusty, we’ve got a new review. I’ve been I mean, me personally, I mean, I’m enjoying you reading those because I love to see you go on camera. I think that’s one thing. As a business owner, you tend to sort of maybe we perhaps shy away from the camera, but whomever is running your bits right now is definitely getting to be on set a little bit more, which for me as your friend now, you know, it’s been entertaining to say the least, but I know you so well known you for 15 years.

00:27:15:07 – 00:27:53:16

I’m like, Oh, Dusty’s can come set now. Yeah, well, wait, wait. We’ve got some. We’re doing it. We’re rolling out another aspect of that. Oh, yeah. Where we are like, you know, it’s like Friday. It’s like, it’s like food on Fridays. So tacos on Fridays, you know, offers on Fridays. So you mean like you’re going to like. So we go out to a local eatery here in the neighborhood or, you know, we eat the food.

00:27:53:18 – 00:28:21:08

Usually it’s a group of at least two of us or maybe three of us, and something kind of fun we do to celebrate Friday and getting through the week. And then we’re filming it and then highlighting that local business in kind of business to business advertising. I think that’s a good round robin of of community relationships totally, because like, that’s a really great way of community, right?

00:28:21:08 – 00:28:49:09

Community and networking. And if you do good, I do good. We all rise together idea. You know I like you when I when we went together and I think that’s a great business mentality to have to have with people honestly like I think that’s probably why I that you know not probably that’s a dumb thing to say but I value very much my colleagues and clients and friendships and partnerships and relationships.

00:28:49:11 – 00:29:17:12

I value them very, very much. And I genuinely want to reconnect or or catch back up or I genuinely want to write things down because I won’t remember your dog’s name. I want to remember I don’t know your wife’s name, your whatever his name like I want. I genuinely care because I want to remember it. And I think that is one thing that will definitely set you apart as a business owner is by, you know, genuinely building those types of partnerships and relationships in your community.

00:29:17:14 – 00:29:48:14

So I think that’s a really, really cool I might have to steal that idea because that’s super rad. Well, I think you’ve touched on something that’s really key and it’s the genuine part. And you know, that’s our goal. And as we as we shoot and produce these little spots is like kind of, you know, having a real genuine experience with the plumbing team and what we do to celebrate each other and celebrate success and celebrate hard work.

00:29:48:14 – 00:30:14:20

And that’s really fun. It’s really fun to to be able to do that and to be able to use it actually in our marketing scheme as well. Well, I think that’s one thing is I think good business owners, I think a lot of businesses have gotten away from this is that treating valuing their employees, not seeing them as just labor persons that make them money or business.

00:30:14:22 – 00:30:37:10

I think of all I think I think for some reason, whether it be tech giants, big companies, they like their employees become a number and they’re just a number on a chart and they’re they’re they’re the how how much money, how much they can produce is what’s more important. And if you’re not producing, then you’re out or whatever that is.

00:30:37:10 – 00:30:56:24

Like it’s just it’s it’s profit over people. And I think that’s one thing that I think business has got it wrong right now. I think at the end of day, it’s all about people. People make business better. If your people are happy working for you and your business, then they’re going to do better jobs out in the field and they’re going to do better work for your customers in the field.

00:30:57:01 – 00:31:27:13

And I think at the end of the day, it’s all about people relationships. If you show obviously that you value your customer a value your client, your employees just as much as your customers, well, of course, they’ve got your back. Of course they’re willing to go the extra mile. And obviously for your team building and camaraderie together, shoulder to shoulder in the trenches, that’s how you build good leadership and have you have good leadership, then they’re going to work harder for you and and they’re going to be willing to work a little bit extra on a bit because they know that, you know, you’re in the trenches with them, too.

00:31:27:15 – 00:31:46:11

And I think that’s also what shows good leadership. And that’s why you can build a team the way you have it. That’s just my opinion on it. But what are your thoughts on that idea? Oh, absolutely. I mean, it’s it’s it’s having a team that’s bought into the vision and truly buys into what it is that we’re providing.

00:31:46:15 – 00:32:14:04

And, you know, we have we’ve done quite a bit of work on this. And, you know, there’s there’s it’s a value based, you know, one of our values to our to our clients is we’re never going to sell them something that they don’t need. And that’s our commitment to our clients. And we as employees of the company all bought into that.

00:32:14:06 – 00:32:50:06

That value. And we when we talk so when we talk about it to our clients or each other, you know, it’s it’s very it’s a very genuine conversation. And I believe that the consumer, especially today with as much media and video that we’re or I don’t want to say subjected to, but it’s it’s just out there. Right. And we as humans have gotten really good at noticing and we crave genuineness very much.

00:32:50:06 – 00:33:32:06

So I think that that that having true genuine relationships and as you’re building the foundations of the business and expanding beyond the foundation, incorporating that genuine spirit is very, very critical to the growth and longevity. Yeah, and relationship. I couldn’t agree more. I remember one of your first ads being your headline, being a capable and honest, and you ran with that for a year because I think that’s one thing, as you know, is sort of lacking in your industry or maybe perhaps in the trades industry altogether.

00:33:32:08 – 00:33:56:07

This idea of being, yeah, I’m capable, but honest, I’m not going to like you said before, I’m going to sell you something you don’t need or I’m not going to tell you you need something that you don’t need or am I going to try to sell you this big fat plumbing project or whatever? If it’s a two buck check project, like I think it’s that comes down to the honesty trust worthy, genuine values I think you’re talking about.

00:33:56:09 – 00:34:14:17

I think at the end of day, obviously, as you know, and it’s obviously worked pretty well in the last ten years, but I think that’s obviously what builds good businesses that genuine, honest, capable, everyday, everyday guy that everybody wants to, you know, have a have a drink afterwards. Hey, let’s go. Here’s a beer. Let’s go have a beer together.

00:34:14:19 – 00:34:34:21

Thanks for all your hard work. Let’s let’s go have a drink. And some of you would actually want to go have a drink with. We can have a drink. I know. Can we go have any ever after this? After the trucks are parked. Okay. I’m all for sure. Of course. Dusty, Come on. You know, man, never on this job site.

00:34:34:21 – 00:35:13:00

Never, ever write off a liability issue. And. No, no, of course not. So that is a big OSHA. No, no, don’t do that anyhow. So, yeah, I do remember that being one of your first ads. Also, along with a really good ad of is your porcelain ready for the holiday season? Don’t forget that line. It’s great. It’s bringing me back to all that you know you mentioned are thank you cards earlier and I, I just like that ad I remember drawing that ad for you Is your porcelain ready for holiday company?

00:35:13:02 – 00:35:31:23

We put that in a magazine spread. It was so good, though. Yeah. Yeah, I think that was it. The Stranger with the Christmas Moyer Christmas people. I put a Christmas hat on. Mueller Yep, yep. Oh, that was a good one. Yeah, that was great. I was a stranger. It wasn’t a stranger. Yeah. Oh, that’s a good one. Oh.

00:35:32:00 – 00:35:55:20

Oh, this doesn’t. I don’t believe it’s a it’s a I don’t believe it’s in print anymore. No way. I didn’t know that. Yeah. No, come on. A stranger can’t be gone. Yeah. Away. Right. Times change. Oh, I know that. But like, for real, I thought for sure they’d be a stronger magazine than that. Remember that I saw Use in the Stranger?

00:35:55:22 – 00:36:15:05

Oh, wow. Oh, no. The Strangers online publication. But I don’t. But you’re right. Perhaps I don’t know if it’s still printed. I don’t know if they print any more. Let’s look into that for a while, to take that one offline to see if the stranger is still in print. I know that I’m on their website right now. I don’t know if they’re if they’re in print, though.

00:36:15:07 – 00:36:38:00

Fascinating. Anyhow, okay, so that was so. Yes. Back to the thank you card. Not only do I think I did thank you card that was like print like in your brand colors, but I think like four years ago we did a different version for a month. Oh yeah. Yeah. We still, we still have those, so we send them out there.

00:36:38:00 – 00:36:55:22

Yeah. During June. So that was the rainbow. The cross your, your logo on a rainbow. Yeah. I haven’t done, I’ve looked at those in a little while but I know you’re, I believe you’re still using them. Yeah. Yep. Yeah. So that’s another thing I think. I think that is a good touch point and that’s about that customer experience, right?

00:36:56:01 – 00:37:20:08

For complete customer experience from end to end, the customer journey experience and while you’re going to have a problem, probably not, probably going to have a successful business, is that customer experience again, going back that really how you make your customers feel? That’s what a brand is, goes back to a feeling the elements of your brand are. Yes, your identity and your logo and your website.

00:37:20:08 – 00:37:42:14

Those are elements of the brand and, you know, the marketing and advertising, those elements of your brand. But how you make it, how you make someone feel is a brand. It is so because it doesn’t matter your product or service, right? Like, I bet right now people still perhaps don’t know completely your products and services, but they know you and they know your brand and they don’t have know all of your services to know your brand.

00:37:42:16 – 00:38:03:05

Like Nike, for example, has like a million shoes and now apparel and this and that. And that added it up. But they just focus on really good athletes and really good sports, and the rest just comes like, of course you’re going to buy their shoes because it’s how you make them feel. People love good athletes. They love rallying behind good sports.

00:38:03:07 – 00:38:23:13

Same thing on Apple. People don’t care about the products. They just like that. They got really cool, innovative technology and think they think big and they think innovation and people don’t really give a shit about the products. Maybe not the best products, but people like the way they feel when they use those products and how Apple makes them feel about thinking big thinking innovation.

00:38:23:15 – 00:38:43:01

They know Harley Davidson. Everybody wants a Harley. Maybe you want a Harley. I want a Harley because I want to ride free. Maybe I want to go fast. We went in my hair all went to my beard and I want to go fast. I want to be free. And because that’s what I want, a Harley. I want really loud exhaust.

00:38:43:02 – 00:38:59:16

That’s what I want when I. Right. So those little someday things, right? Like I wish I had the money to go and buy a Harley. Right. That sounds like a lot of fun. But for now we’re going to have to run around and like a Honda Shadow or something that actually. Or what are you what are you driving around right now?

00:38:59:18 – 00:39:21:05

I’ve got a couple of old vintage BMW that don’t run that fast, though. Time to work on them. So they need some love. Oh, well, someday you’ll have more time for it, Hannah. You’ll hire a really good foreman or a really good GM. And then you’ll find some past time to go. You know, work on those, do some more hunting, do some more hiking, camping, right.

00:39:21:07 – 00:39:33:03

Know or whatever else Dusty likes to do yoga, spa time. Yeah. Oh, my goodness. Do everything else you want to promote about your business.

00:39:33:05 – 00:40:03:04

I don’t think so. I, I think that you just said it really Well, it’s about the customer experience, right? Yeah. And that’s what we’re focused on, is creating an amazing customer experience from start to finish. And that’s our goal, to replicate that as much and as often as we can. I think that’s winning right there. Yeah, I think that is also one thing I really focus on my business.

00:40:03:04 – 00:40:15:22

I really care about, you know, when they come in, how I handle them as far as like my customer experience, sending them in a proposal and estimate, you know, doing the work with them and then how I wrap it up right? So I want to make sure that they get a brand box. I want to make sure they get a brand box.

00:40:15:22 – 00:40:37:03

And I thank you card. I want to make sure that you know, that they had a good experience because I care and I matter. How can I make it right? Because your success is my success and I want to make sure that you enjoyed your logo experience, that you enjoyed your marketing experience about working with Amber Design and me and my team because, well, if you don’t, then you’re gonna tell your friends that you hate me.

00:40:37:09 – 00:40:58:22

Or if you don’t, you know, I’m. I can get that referral business. Obviously I care about what you say about me and my brand and my business because your reputation is really your bond. So it can we bring it full circle? And I’ll just talk a little bit about the process with you. Develop the brand so. Well, no, that’s fine.

00:40:58:24 – 00:41:25:10

Okay, fine. Go for it. So that was one of the things I really appreciate about working with you, like right off the bat. And it was so organic, your notebook, you know? So we would sit down, we’d have coffee at at the coffee shop, Cloud City, probably Cloud City. It was probably Cloud City most of the time. But at that time I was living though in Lynnwood.

00:41:25:12 – 00:41:53:00

Yeah. So anyway, we sit down, have coffee, and you would just show me like you’re brainstorming and I would be like, Yeah, you know, let’s kind of go this direction. And then, you know, you would come back. And I think actually those original notebooks are on your website. They are. And those original sketches and directions. We thought for a while because you chose the word craftsman, which obviously is a big brand in itself.

00:41:53:02 – 00:42:14:16

And Obviously, they are a, you know, Sarah Frost and Sarah font and they are red. And I was like, Dusty, this name has got a problem. Yeah. So we have to stay as far away from Red and Serifs are our sincerest as much as possible because you don’t want a cease and desist letter. Yeah. And it unfortunately it never, you know, that never happened.

00:42:14:16 – 00:42:36:14

Although there was my trademark attorney was concerned about it too. But yeah, it was a different enough thanks to your skill. And I was like, I don’t want you to do a cease and desist letter, so we cannot do anything like that. And I think, you know, if I go back to that, that time I think I was looking at another name as well, which was Reliant.

00:42:36:16 – 00:43:04:02

Oh, yeah, I remember that, actually. So glad I went with Craftsman. It just, you know, it’s like when you look back on something and in the past tense and it’s like, you know, an arduous decision to decision in the moment. When you look back in hindsight, it’s like a perfectly written novel. So it was always the right name and it felt right to be the right logo, too.

00:43:04:02 – 00:43:25:01

So thank you for that. I remember coming up with ideas and I was like, Oh my God, there’s too much tools or there’s too much whatever, because it’s craftsman tools, right? And I was like, Oh my gosh, I can’t do this, can’t do this. And all of a sudden I remember it. But I so I, I write in cursive for my audience, like I write broken in, you know, broken cursive is what I write in.

00:43:25:03 – 00:43:41:20

And I had written Craftsman Plumbing on the side of my notebook, like as like a footnote or something. And you’re and you all of a sudden were like, Hey, what’s that little thing down there? I was like, I don’t know. I just wrote, I just wrote your brand. I just wrote your name. And he’s like, Oh, well, I think I like that.

00:43:41:20 – 00:44:01:18

And I was like, It’s dusty. It’s just my handwriting. And you’re like, No, no, for real. I was like, Oh, for goodness sakes. So anyhow, Dusty’s logo actually has a little bit of my cursive. I actually, Victor ized my herself and then judged it with using a faucet and some drips and some various bits. And we explored the brand.

00:44:01:18 – 00:44:41:17

I think at one point we had a go swoosh for crest and plumbing. Almost like a baseball logo. Yeah, for a quick moment. And we looked at a bunch of different things and then but it was too much. And so we looked at a bunch of different things and finally landed on Craftsman Plumbing. I was like, It was vintage font vibe, script, font with a very professional plumbing tucked underneath a curved version of your logo, which I think is very successful as a timeless classic vintage feel to it that sort of lays into the, you know, sort of like genuine, classic, genuine old time vintage, timeless feel that I think you and a lot of

00:44:41:17 – 00:45:08:08

your customers connect with as like sort of the base of your brand, which is the foundational piece of your logo. And I think that’s probably what people connect with. And then yeah, then they got to transpire into all parts of your brand that you know from your business cards and thank you cards and website marketing. But then also I think eventually you want to do like a, a neon sign with like the drip, drip, drip, drip neon sign saying, Yep, God, someday, right?

00:45:08:08 – 00:45:28:21

You this massive neon sign with like the dripping cross and plumbing logo, which will be super badass someday. I want the drip to go down and then it. And then it lights up, you know, and then it starts over. Drip, drip. So good someday. But obviously, we think no neon signs are not going to be very cheap. Yeah, Yeah, but it could be cool, right?

00:45:28:23 – 00:46:17:14

It’d be super cool. Yeah. All right. They’re big things you’re launching or big changes or, like, things you’re hoping to succeed in your business the next ten years. So have you been in business for ten years? What are some of those big goals you’re going to try to do for your next ten? I mean, gosh, the next ten, I, I want to be I hope that in ten years, my goal in ten years is to be less involved with day to day operations and more involved with training, leadership, mentoring, working on kind of the vision and the path and charting out where we’re going, how we’re going to get there and not as is involved

00:46:17:14 – 00:46:41:09

with day to day operational. Yeah, more of a CEO visionary cherry pick the fun parts, maybe community outreach. I think you’re obviously really good at that. Mr.. I want to be a Washington state representative kind of guy, kissing babies, shaking hands. Hey, how’s it going? You know, it’s interesting that I, I have never really wanted to be the face of the company.

00:46:41:09 – 00:47:08:01

And so it’s been hard. It was hard for me to kind of sign off on this social media stuff that’s focused on me. I’ve specifically not been in the commercials. I just have never wanted to be like the face of the company. But I’m enjoying it. I’m actually into the social media stuff. It’s been a lot of fun.

00:47:08:03 – 00:47:28:10

Well, it’s your baby, it’s your business. And I think it’s common for businesses when they’re young and just starting out, you know, their ten year mark to be. Yeah, it’s it’s use your face is your business. You’re coming in the day when a customer service has got a problem. It’s you, baby. You you’re on the phone. It’s your problem, sir.

00:47:28:12 – 00:47:50:23

So I think it’s common. And then, yeah, the next ten years is like, okay, I’ve built it. People know who I am. I’m going to start working towards. I’m going to step back a little bit slowly and I’m going to cherry pick the things I enjoy doing and I’m going to find a foreman or a director or a manager or somebody that takes care of the things that I don’t do as well or don’t want to do as much, which is something I know I’m working on in my business.

00:47:50:23 – 00:48:09:16

You know, I really want to stay in my lane and do the things that I like to do, but I don’t really like cold calling in business, so I’m going to hire that out. I don’t really like bookkeeping and and doing that kind of stuff. I’m going hire that out so that way I can focus on doing really, really good design work and really, really good warm warming.

00:48:09:18 – 00:48:32:02

I’ll be in the community more. I’m going to be networking more. I won’t be shaking hands, kissing babies, right? So I don’t want to be doing the things I don’t want to do as much like cold calling or doing this bookkeeping because that I’d be bald like you. That’s why I’m bald. Amber But what it is secrets is I want your head like my future.

00:48:32:02 – 00:48:49:14

If I keep it’s done this to me. Let me just make sure I get you some really good up and glow. Well, your beard is so grimly, you know, grimly done there. And also, it’s moved from your head up down to your beard. Looks really nice, right? Well, hey, at least it’s not white. Your beard is still colored.

00:48:49:16 – 00:49:15:13

Still colored? Yep. I’m hanging on and it’s not fake. All natural. So you must be doing something wrong. All right. See? All right. Well, thank you, Dusty, for another great episode. It’s been a wonderful conversation. I’ve really enjoyed our 15 years of friendship, our neighborly friendship turned client turn now more colleague and friendship, which has been a fun journey over these last 15 years.

00:49:15:13 – 00:49:37:05

So thank you for that. And and I thank you for being a guest on Amber Energy, the podcast. Yeah, my pleasure. It’s been it’s been awesome knowing you all these years, and it’s just been fantastic to work with you and and I’m really excited to see you succeed and grow your business. Thank you so much. Dusty Well, thank everybody for tuning in to another episode of Amber Energy.

00:49:37:05 – 00:49:55:05

The podcast likes this grade share, and we’ll see you on the next one. Cheers. And then I’m going to hit this whole three button thing and stop recording. So you want to go listen to.