Dan and Maria Jezierski own a plumbing, heating, and air conditioning business. They started the business after Dan decided to leave his previous job due to long hours. Dan had experience in the field through an apprenticeship and working for another company for 8 years. The business has grown from Dan working alone to a 4 person crew. They have faced challenges with difficult customers and employees but overcome them through hard work and dedication. Their advice is that owning a business takes sacrifice and treating customers well through honesty.

1. Dan Jezierski
Business and Society
Nichols College
Interviewed Dan & Maria Jezierski

2. Business Structure
-What Type of business structure did
you choose and Why?
Maria: We chose to set our business up
as an S-Corporation for Tax Purposes.

3. Getting Started
-How did you get started?
Dan: Word of mouth helped me start up. I used to do side jobs after work, then when I
started up the business, those people became my regular customers.
-How did you finance your business?
Maria: We took out a passbook loan and bought a truck and we worked, and still do, out of
our home to save money.
-Why did you start a business?
Dan: My boss had me working a lot of hours so I decided I would rather work for myself.
-What is your background in Plumbing and Heating?
Dan: I did 2 years of post-graduate work at Bay Path. I did a two year apprenticeship at
Patten’s Plumbing. Then I went I went for my Plumbing license and worked at Patten’s for
the next 8 years acquiring a heating and sprinkler license while I was there.
-How does the company compare to the company when it started?
Dan: I started out doing small jobs by myself and today we have expanded to a 4 man crew
and now we do commercial and residential plumbing, heating and air condition.

4. Successes
-What have been the successes?
Dan & Maria: Seeing how much we have grown
since we started
-What is the most rewarding aspect of running a
business?
Dan: The actual hands on work because it gives me
a sense of accomplishment.
Maria: Being able to be your own boss.
-What are the critical success factors for this type
of business?
Dan & Maria: Honesty, fair pricing, and a good
work ethic.

5. Challenges
-What have been the challenges?
Dan & Maria: Dealing with annoying customers and
dealing with the employees.
-What is the most challenging aspect of running a
company?
Dan: The very long hours does not give me a lot of free
time to spend with my family.
-How do you overcome the challenges?
Dan: The challenges are still there, you just have to deal
with them.
Maria: Taking a little time off to go on vacations and just
relax.
-What are the fatal flaws in this type of business?
Dan and Maria: When you stop caring about the customers
and your work effort drops off.

6. Competition
-Who are your closest competitors?
Dan: R.L. Spahl Plumbing and Heating and J&V
Mechanical Contracting.
-How does the business try to achieve a
competitive edge?
Dan: Try to get the fairest pricing and make the
customer feel comfortable with you.
-How do you keep customers satisfied?
Dan: By being dependable, fair, and honest

7. Marketing &
Employees
-What do you do to market your business?
Maria: We advertise in three church bulletins, we
are members of the Better Business Bureau, and
we have a listing on Angie’s List.
-What qualities do you look for when hiring new
employees?
Dan: Honest, and knowledgeable in the field.

8. Future Plans
-What are your future plans for the
business?
Dan & Maria: To keep the company
around the same size until we retire.

9. For Your Information
-My mom is a graduate of Nichols. How has Nichols
prepared you to run a business?
Maria: It gave me a good background in accounting
and bookkeeping to manage the finances of our
business.
-Does anything help you relieve the stress of
running a business?
Maria: Prayer. Even though how successful the
business is how much work we put into it, it helps
to know that God is watching over us.
-What is it like to work together as husband and
wife?
Dan & Maria: (Laughed) It is not bad because we
don’t work alongside each other all day.

10. Advice For You!
-What advice would you give to the class on
owning a business?
Maria: If you are going to start a business, be
prepared to work hard and make sacrifices because
a successful business does not run itself.
Dan: A business takes a lot of hard
work, dedication, and honesty. Try to treat your
customers as you would like to be treated.

11. Lessons Learned
I have learned a lot about running a small
business. It takes a lot of hard work and
can be very stressful. I know the long
hours my Dad has to work and it can take
a toll on your body. I’ve seen the stress
his employees can cause him. I already
knew most of the answers to the
questions but if there is one point I would
want the class to know is that running a
business takes a lot of hard work and
effort and nothing is handed to you. If
you can do that, your golden!