Welcome to a different version of our Hub Highlight collection the place do a deep dive into the women and men who make the trades nice. This spotlighted tradesperson tells us that he actually enjoys trashy actuality TV. “Nothing like kicking your toes up and watching somebody making horrible life choices on 90-Day Fiancé on a Sunday night.” Joking apart, for Keith McGillivary (@mps_207)—full-time enterprise proprietor of McGillivary’s Plumbing Companies (MPS), Gardiner, Maine, for the previous two years—his story into the plumbing trades is an fascinating one.

McGilivary’s path began in a small city when a small plumbing enterprise was on the lookout for a helper, and he was on the lookout for a job. “Little did I do know it will be the beginning of the place I’m now,” says McGillivary. Earlier than faculty, McGillivary began working for a small plumbing enterprise that primarily targeted on service work. The proprietor, Russell, was/is a superb mentor and actually took the time to assist him perceive not solely what they have been doing, however why they have been doing it.

After deciding to pursue plumbing, McGillivary attended Southern Maine Neighborhood School (SMCC) for its plumbing and heating program. By faculty, he continued to work alongside his mentor, and after commencement, continued to work for him full time for 3 years. McGillivary then took a job at Bathtub Iron Works (BIW) as a pipefitter constructing destroyers, ships for the USA Navy. “The piping programs have been advanced, and though it was “plumbing on a ship,” it was utterly totally different. I discovered it enjoyable to be taught the ins and outs of that individual plumbing,” says McGillivary.

Ultimately, McGillivary joined the Pipefitter Check Crew and examined the piping programs after they have been constructed. He labored there for six years, however the entire time he continued to work nights and weekends doing plumbing work on the facet. “This allowed me to realize hours and information for my Grasp’s check. After passing my Masters, I made a decision to make the plunge into self-employment as a result of I wished the schedule flexibility for my household,” says McGillivary.

In truth, McGillivary’s greatest motivation for self-employment was time, reasonably than cash. “I’ve realized to set agency boundaries for myself when scheduling and taking up jobs. I’ve been capable of take extra break day for my household than ever. Being a service plumber, on this day in age, you might work 24/7 in case you wished. I attempt to work ‘regular’ hours, and if I can take a day without work for household stuff, I all the time do,” says McGillivary.

Shout Out to Mentorship

In accordance with McGillivary, Russell taught him every little thing he is aware of about plumbing and proudly owning a enterprise. “He taught me all of the hands-on work, the right way to write estimates & bid on jobs, buyer relations, and the right way to stability a small enterprise/household life,” says McGillivary.

And McGillivary desires to pay it ahead. “I undoubtedly contemplate myself a task mannequin for others trying to be part of the commerce. I really feel I’m an excellent instance that onerous work and dedication pays off,” says McGillivary. “My mentor was so vital to my journey that I attempt to give again what I can by being clear about my plumbing information.”

Uplifting the Trades

Lately, there was a giant push for teenagers to attend commerce faculty so there was a shift in youthful folks displaying curiosity, says McGillivary. “Commerce faculty was useful for me to be taught the code facet of issues, in an surroundings totally different from the hands-on work. I believe we might get extra curiosity within the trades if the colleges showcased all of the totally different avenues somebody might go as soon as they accomplished their education, and the monetary alternatives that include them. Everybody expects a physician to make six figures, however not everybody is aware of you may make that within the trades with out large scholar mortgage debt,” says McGillivary.

“Everybody expects a physician to make six figures, however not everybody is aware of you may make that within the trades with out large scholar mortgage debt.”

Social media may also be used to draw extra folks to the trades. “I see all of it too usually when guys within the commerce are means too harsh on folks for asking questions on Fb plumbing pages. There are such a lot of folks asking questions for the aim of studying and gaining information. We have been all there sooner or later, so be sort sufficient to reply the questions in a useful method. Social media may also be used to kind “new-to-the-trades” communities and to offer seminars,” says McGillivary.

Social media additionally has performed an enormous function within the progress of McGillivary’s enterprise. Beginning as a small, part-time enterprise with the assistance of word-of-mouth suggestions on small city Fb pages, which made McGillivary understand that social media could possibly be used to showcase the work he’s doing on a day-to-day foundation. “I take advantage of my Instagram to indicate what I’m about as a enterprise and the work I put out. I’ve discovered that if a buyer can see why you might be dearer than the opposite man, then they’re extra more likely to go together with you. I take advantage of it as an open-door perception to my enterprise each in reels and every day tales,” says McGillivary.

McGillivary makes use of social media to be taught little tips of the commerce that he simply wouldn’t have been uncovered to, being from such a small city. For McGillivary, this can be very useful to have the ability to have conversations with such nice tradesmen. He additionally talks to apprentices every day or weekly about initiatives, and provides them recommendation. “I want after I was studying, I had this platform to be taught and meet others. As visible learners, very like lots of trades guys I do know, it’s modified the way in which we will be taught,” says McGillivary.

Making Time

Summers in Maine are quick, so McGillivary tries to spend each good weekend tenting in his camper. Within the winter months yow will discover him on his snowmobile at camp. “I’d like to journey my snowmobile from camp in northern Maine to the Gaspe Peninsula to finish the “Nice Gaspe Snowmobile Tour,” a six-day, 1,500-mile journey round a number of the greatest trails,” says McGillivary.

And the final day McGillivary stated it was an awesome day? “You understand it’s humorous, as I look again on simply yesterday—tenting with my household, lovely climate, everybody smiling, does it get significantly better than that? So, the reply to that query could be yesterday!”