Licensed master plumber Eric Raub manages the service division he helped establish at Advance Mechanical Heating and Cooling Company. Eric Raub onboards and manages employees and oversees service repair jobs for residential and commercial customers. His responsibilities align with his years of experience as an owner of a plumbing service company, his licensure as a P-1 master plumber, and his desire to start and manage a service division in an established company.
Mr. Raub enjoys working with budding plumbers, especially training them on maintaining plumbing systems and various essential plumbing tools. His educational background includes studying at Essex County Vocational Technology School. In his free time, he assists low-income seniors with their plumbing issues.
Additionally, Mr. Raub enjoys fitness activities and travelling with his family. His favorite activities include jogging, physical fitness programs, and mountain biking, especially in terrain parks. He explores new cities with his family on their electric scooters, especially in Boston, New York City, and Washington, DC.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
A typical day in service plumbing is fast-paced and unpredictable, so productivity comes from structure, preparation, and good habits.
Typical Day in Service Plumbing:
• Morning prep: Review the day’s jobs, check addresses, parts needed, and load the truck. A well-stocked truck saves time later.
• First calls: Handle emergency or scheduled service calls (leaks, clogged drains, water heaters, fixtures). Each job requires quick diagnosis and clear communication with the customer.
• Onsite work: Inspect the issue, explain the problem and solution, complete repairs, test everything, and clean up.
• Paperwork and follow-ups: Invoices, notes, photos, and sometimes ordering parts or scheduling return visits.
• End of day: Restock the truck, organize tools, and prep for tomorrow.
I Make It Productive by:
• Plan the route: group jobs by location to reduce drive time.
• Stock the truck smartly: keep common fittings, valves, and tools ready so you’re not running to supply houses.
• Diagnose before acting: take a few minutes to fully understand the issue—this prevents rework.
• Communicate clearly: explain costs, timelines, and options upfront to avoid delays or confusion.
• Use downtime wisely: handle paperwork or calls between jobs instead of at the end of the day.
• Stay organized: clean tools and reset the truck daily so every morning starts strong.
In service plumbing, productivity isn’t about rushing—it’s about being prepared, efficient, and professional so each job is done right the first time.
A typical day for me starts at 6 am with a shower and a good breakfast. Then it’s off to work to check in with the office and receive my calls for the day. I usually am onsite at my first plumbing service call between 8-9 am. I really enjoy solving problems for customers and providing them with new innovative products.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I bring ideas to life by turning them into action fast, then refining as I go.
First, I get clear on the problem the idea solves. If it doesn’t solve a real problem, it stays an idea.
Next, I break it down into simple, executable steps—what can be done today, not someday.
Then I test quickly. I don’t wait for perfect conditions. I launch small, learn fast, and adjust.
Finally, I stay consistent. Execution beats motivation every time.
Bottom line:
Ideas don’t succeed because they’re brilliant. They succeed because someone had the discipline to act and the grit to finish.
What’s one trend that excites you?
One trend that excites me is AI being used as a creative tool, not just a technical one—like helping people make music, art, games, and stories, even if they’re beginners.
What’s cool is that it lowers the barrier to creativity: more people can experiment, learn, and express ideas without needing expensive tools or years of training. It’s less about replacing creativity and more about unlocking it.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
One habit that really helps with productivity for me is breaking big tasks into small, clear steps.
Instead of thinking “I need to finish this whole project,” focusing on something like “work on it for 10 minutes” or “complete just the first step” makes it easier to start and keep going. Small wins build momentum and reduce procrastination.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I’d tell my younger self, “be patient with yourself and focus on learning, not just results.” You don’t need everything figured out right away. Mistakes, slow progress, and changes in direction are all part of growth. Show up consistently, ask questions, and build good habits—the results will follow.
I would advise him to believe in himself and rely on his own instincts and abilities.
Tell us something you believe that almost nobody agrees with you on.
I believe most people don’t fail because they lack talent or opportunity—they fail because they avoid discomfort. Growth comes from doing the hard, boring, and uncomfortable work consistently, not from motivation or luck.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
I consistently plan my day before it starts. Taking a few minutes to prioritize the most important tasks creates focus for me and reduces stress. It ensures progress instead of reactions.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
When I feel overwhelmed or unfocused, I fall back on a simple reset process that works in almost any situation:
Pause and slow things down. I stop trying to push through the overwhelm. Even 60–90 seconds of deep breathing or stepping away helps calm the nervous system so I can think clearly again.
Get it out of my head. I write everything down—tasks, worries, ideas. Overwhelm usually comes from trying to hold too much in my mind at once.
Choose one small, clear action. Instead of tackling everything, I pick one task I can complete in 10-15 minutes. Finishing something small rebuilds momentum and focus.
Remove one distraction. I silence notifications, close extra tabs, or change environments. Focus improves fast when distractions are reduced, even briefly.
Reset expectations. I remind myself that progress matters more than perfection. Doing something well beats doing nothing because it feels overwhelming.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
One strategy that consistently helped my plumbing service business grow and help individuals is this: build trust through reliability and follow-up.
Why it works:
In plumbing, customers usually call when they’re stressed or facing an emergency. Showing up when promised, communicating clearly, and following up after the job builds trust—and trust turns into repeat business and referrals.
How this looks in practice (business growth):
• Arrive on time and explain the problem in plain language.
• Send a quick follow-up text or call after the job to make sure everything’s working.
• Ask satisfied customers for reviews or referrals.
• Keep a simple customer database and reach out for maintenance reminders.
Most good plumbing service companies grow primarily through word-of-mouth, and reliability is what fuels that.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
I trusted my wife and supposed business partner to manage critical financial responsibilities in the business. Those responsibilities were not fulfilled—taxes and vendor payments were neglected, and I was misled about the status of the accounts. The consequences were severe: after more than 12 years of building the company, the business failed and Waterhouse Inc. business license was suspended by the NC Department of Revenue. I took full accountability for the outcome, rebuilt my integrity, and learned the hardest lesson of leadership: that trust without verification is a liability. Today, at my new position at a larger company, I operate with strict financial oversight, transparency, and systems that protect both the business and the people involved. I miss my own company but enjoy the stability of strong leadership.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
RazorSync dispatch software. It keeps me organized out in the field.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
$800 on a VMAX electric scooter. I love the freedom of zooming around and love exploring Washington, D.C. and other cities on it.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
I get consistent value from Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. The core lesson—that leaders own everything in their world—reshaped how I approach responsibility, decision-making, and execution. It reinforced that excuses solve nothing, accountability builds trust, and discipline is the foundation of long-term success. It is helpful for my healing process; I’m still licking my financial and emotional wounds from my recent business failure.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
One series I really enjoyed is The Bear.
It captures what high-pressure work actually feels like—tight deadlines, strong personalities, chaos, and pride in craftsmanship. It shows how leadership, communication, and emotional control can either hold a team together or tear it apart.
What stood out most was how growth happens only when people slow down enough to get clear, even in intense environments. That lesson applies to running a business, working in the trades, or building a career: skill matters, but mindset and teamwork matter just as much.
Key learnings
- Trust must be supported by systems, verification, and accountability—especially in business partnerships.
- Discipline, structure, and clear roles prevent burnout and protect long-term success.
- Failure, when owned and analyzed, becomes a foundation for stronger leadership and decision-making.
- Consistent planning and execution matter more than motivation or raw effort.
- Long-term success is built on integrity, transparency, and operational control, not assumptions.