From high school sweethearts to business owners, Maryland couple, Gigi and Milton Guerrero, Sr., are paying it forward through their plumbing business, Guerrero Plumbing, LLC.
Milton told Los Cafetales that when he moved to the United States at 14 years old, one of the biggest challenges that he faced was the language barrier, as he did not speak or understand English. He said that he also missed his home and family back in El Salvador.
Over time, he learned English, made friends, and graduated from high school, where he enjoyed playing on the varsity soccer team. He and Gigi – who moved from El Salvador to the United States when she was six years old – were high school sweethearts, married in 1996, and welcomed two children in the early 2000s. Having spent years working at various jobs, and with Gigi’s encouragement, Milton decided to try a new trade: plumbing.
That is not something he planned for, however, as he just happened to read a newspaper ad about a company needing a plumber. Milton added that even though the ad called for a licensed plumber, he still called the company and asked for an opportunity.
The company’s owner gave him the interview and when they met, “I told him that I didn’t know anything about plumbing, so he gave me a quiz,” Milton said, adding with a laugh that when the company’s owner showed him his answers, Milton realized that he had not answered any question on the quiz correctly.
Still, the company’s owner gave him a shot and soon after, Milton began his new job. He added that after about a year, the company’s owner offered to pay for his education, as Milton needed to take courses to first become a journeyman and then to graduate as a master plumber. He noted that the offer was contingent upon Milton passing his courses and upon staying with the company for at least a year after graduation. Milton said that he adhered to that agreement and one year after graduating as a master plumber, he and Gigi started their own company, Guerrero Plumbing.
In doing so, Gigi and Milton joined a growing number of Latino business owners in the United States. As noted by the U.S. Small Business Administration, citing the November 2021 Joint Economic Committee Hispanic Entrepreneurship and Business Brief, nearly 5 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States contribute more than $800bn to the American economy annually.
Around the time of launching their business, Gigi became a stay-at-home mom in order to take care of their two young children and to volunteer more at their elementary school. She told Los Cafetales that she left her previous 9-to-5 job because she used to travel for work and often felt that she was missing out on too much of her family’s life.
Gigi and Milton said that what appealed to them the most about starting their own business was the ability to make their own schedules in order to spend more time with their family. Gigi said that they both agreed to not let their business obligations interfere with family time and that “we were going to run the business – the business was not going to run us.”
Joining them at Guerrero Plumbing from the start was Milton’s cousin, Hector Zelaya. The company has since grown and recently opened new office space in Silver Spring, Md.
Looking ahead, Gigi and Milton said that they want to help people interested in plumbing to succeed in the industry by offering them the same opportunity that Milton was granted years ago. Gigi said that she encourages everyone who is interested in becoming plumbers, electricians, and mechanics, for instance, to look into trade schools.
Milton agreed and noted that while it was challenging to attend school while working full-time at his previous job and being a dad to two young kids, it was also rewarding because he learned so much about the industry as a student. He also acknowledged that even though plumbing “is not a clean job and it’s hard work,” people should remain motivated and realize that such career paths can one day lead them to owning their own company.
People looking into a plumbing career should also remember to remain professional at all times, as they interact with customers on a regular basis, Milton said.
Gigi further noted that all people – whether they are recent high school graduates or older individuals seeking a career change – should not be afraid to take on new challenges. For instance, she said that when they first started their company, she “had to learn everything” about how to successfully run a business, and ask questions to those who had more experience in the matter. For instance, one of the people she reached out to early on was a family friend, who shared information about Guerrero Plumbing through a neighborhood listserv, which further helped get the company’s name out there, Gigi said.
She recommended, “Don’t feel bad if you don’t succeed at something right away” because with hard work and faith, everyone can achieve their goals.
Editors’ note: High school students in Montgomery County, Md., who are interested in plumbing, may find information about a plumbing program offered in certain schools at the MCPS website. Also, Montgomery College in Maryland offers Building Trades Technology Degrees and Certificates as well as Small Business and Entrepreneurship courses.
Image courtesy of Guerrero Plumbing, LLC