From a Honda CRV to a Growing Family Business: Our Story at FNP

Last year, Friendly Neighborhood Plumber was just two people. A husband and a wife trying to figure out how to run a business. Joe and me.

Joe knew how to plumb. I knew how to market. Beyond that, we had no idea how to run a company. We learned quickly that owning a business meant wearing a lot more hats than we ever expected.

We focused. And Joe spent many long nights and early mornings doing whatever it took to get the job done and help our neighbors. Plumbing emergencies do not care about business hours, and neither did he.

This was back when Joe was running service calls out of his Honda CRV. It is actually the same vehicle I still drive today hauling our kids around. When Joe needed to install toilets, water heaters, or larger equipment, he would call me to help haul everything because there simply was not enough room.

Like many small businesses, we started with grit, long days, and a lot of figuring things out as we went.

A Family Owned Business Since 2023

Friendly Neighborhood Plumber officially started in January 2023. From the beginning, this was a family owned business in every sense of the word.

Our kids have been part of the journey from day one. They help with parades, videos, marketing ideas, and community events. If you have seen us at a local event, you have probably seen them right alongside us.

Our middle kiddo will talk to absolutely anyone. She takes stacks of our business cards to school, hands them out at the grocery store just for fun, and recently told someone about us at the dog park. That conversation turned into a real phone call this week.

They are invested. And we would not have it any other way.

Growing One Step at a Time

In October 2023, we bought our first larger vehicle. We called her Big Bertha. She was an old church van that got the job done, but she also came with constant repairs and unexpected costs. It was not glamorous, but it taught us a lot.

In October 2024, we took a huge step forward and purchased our first box truck. That decision allowed us to invest in better tools, work more efficiently, and better serve our Knoxville neighbors.

Throughout 2024, we continued to invest back into the business. More tools. Better equipment. Smarter systems.

In 2025, we added another fleet vehicle and made the decision to use a payroll company. For the first time, we were writing checks and actually paying ourselves for the work we were doing. That milestone meant more to us than we can easily explain.

We also added employees one by one. Growth came with challenges. Organization and communication were some of the hardest lessons to learn. We stumbled. We adjusted. And after stumbling enough times, we built better systems.

That is real growth.

Neighbors Serving Neighbors

Recently, we participated in community events like Light Up the Valley, and once again, our kids were right there with us. Those moments remind us why we started this in the first place.

Today, Friendly Neighborhood Plumber operates with multiple trucks on the road and a growing team behind the scenes. But our values have not changed.

We are still neighbors serving neighbors. We still believe in honest work, clear communication, and showing up when our community needs us.

We are incredibly proud of how far we have come since 2023, and deeply grateful for the Knoxville community that continues to support us.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Friendly Neighborhood Plumber start?
Friendly Neighborhood Plumber started in January 2023 as a family owned plumbing business in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Is Friendly Neighborhood Plumber locally owned?
Yes. Friendly Neighborhood Plumber is a family owned and operated local plumbing company serving Knoxville and surrounding areas.

What type of plumbing services do you offer?
We provide residential plumbing services including repairs, replacements, maintenance, and emergency plumbing for homeowners.

Why choose a local Knoxville plumber?

Local plumbers understand the community, show up when needed, and build long term relationships with their neighbors.