PHCPPros: How did you enter a career in the trades?  

DeJesus: My father's a contractor, so he got me working out in the field when I was younger. He didn't mainly do plumbing, but he did some minor plumbing. So, I always liked playing with the pipes and doing plumbing and playing with the torch. As I got older, I had a decision to make where I wanted to go –  it was either computers or plumbing. My father's friend told me that if you always want to have a job and never not work, be a plumber. And it's been true. I've never actually not had a job. It's been 29 years now. 

PHCPPros: You specialize in drain cleaning services. How did you pick that niche?  

DeJesus: The last job I had, that's all they did. I realized that it was always busy and that not many people actually want to do that. There’s a really big need for that part of the trade. It's not the cleanest part of trade, but it's really satisfying when you get the job clear and all of a sudden you hear that water gushing down, which I post a lot of videos of. You hear the water suction, and that’s just the best feeling. Again, you do a job no one else wants, and you make the most money. It just happens to be that no one else wants to do that job, and I don't mind it. I'm really cautious of houses and don't make a mess, so I really don’t get that dirty anyway.  

PHCPPros: Why did you decide to start using social media to share what you do with the world at large? 

DeJesus: I work by myself a lot, so I figured I’d take a camera, record and post it. It was just one of those things I did. Then, I went to a show and met someone I actually followed who inspired me. I was like, “I need to do the same thing he does.” And, I just started posting every single day. All my content, whether it was good or bad, whether it worked or failed, I posted anyway. And it just happened to become what it is now. And it's still fun – after 29 years I still get up every day and love what I do. Posting is like a whole other entire job that I added for myself, and I still enjoy doing it. 

PHCPPros: What is your favorite type of content to share with your followers? What gets the most engagement?  

DeJesus: Oh my god. I set toilets in Plaster of Paris. It's a thing that we do in the tri-state area. It gets a lot of interaction on my page, some of it bad. But, it’s not anything I’m creating specifically for my page — it’s just what we do. If you don't work in our area, you don't see that, because a lot of our area is old. I've gotten people to actually really try it and say, “This is awesome.” That’s what I like about social media. We watch and share and learn from each other. It's like a whole new classroom for us. 

PHCPPros: What kind of advice would you give to people in the industry who may want to do something similar and promote their trade and knowledge via social media? 

DeJesus: It is frustrating at times, because you don't always get the engagement you want. You’ve just gotta keep pushing through. I don't use social media for any other reason than the fact that I enjoy doing it. Sometimes there are some perks, but they aren’t the main reason I post online. Just post what you want to post, enjoy what you do, and keep doing your job.  

PHCPPros: How do you think the industry can use social media as a tool to recruit the next generation to the trades? 

DeJesus: I think it shows kids that the trades are actually fun. It's not what it used to be, where the perception is so negative. Tradesmen and women post fun pictures of installs, and people can actually see the work is beautiful. That's the other thing social media has done for us – it has stepped our work quality up. You can't post a bad job. If you post a bad job, you're going to hear about it from your audience. So, you have to make sure a job is actually post-worthy, and we want to do that in every job. That also reinforces that the work we're doing is like artwork, which I really like. 

PHCPPros: So, what kind of advice would you give people who are looking to enter the trades? 

DeJesus: Find a company that's willing to train you. There are a lot of companies out there that are willing to train people and actually start someone green. I would rather have someone who doesn't know much and train them my way. Also understand that you have choices. If you’re working at a place you don't like, don't hate the career – just go find a job somewhere else, because there are a lot of companies out there looking to hire people who want to be in the trade. Trades are fun. My new apprentice is 22 years old. It’s frustrating some days because he's young and doesn't understand everything. But, he's learning and he comes to work every day, and I'm happy about that. 

 Follow George on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn @georgetheplumber.  

For Brand Ambassadors: Want to join PROS REPS as a client? Email PROS REPS Business Development Manager Nicole Meyer at nicole@phcppros.com.  

For Manufacturers: PROS REPS can connect manufacturers with individuals like George to create custom brand ambassador campaigns. Learn more by emailing Nicole at nicole@phcppros.com.