Today we’d like to introduce you to DAN BARBO.
Hi DAN, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Barbo’s Plumbing started with a dream of going out on my own, a wrench, a work truck, and the support of my wife and kids. I’d been in the plumbing trade since 2000, and for years I had this itch, a belief that if I did honest work, showed up when I said I would, and treated people right, I could build something of my own that meant something. In 2009 I finally took the leap into ownership, and I’ve been building the business one job and one neighbor at a time across Olympia and the South Puget Sound ever since. From the beginning, the goal was simple: show up when you say you will, do clean work, and quote a price that doesn’t change at the end of the job.
What turned Barbo’s Plumbing into something truly special was family. When my daughter Presley decided to pick up a wrench and learn the trade, the business became Olympia’s only father-daughter plumbing team. Watching her grow from a little girl into a skilled plumber working alongside me has been the most rewarding chapter of the journey. Amy, my beautiful wife, keeps the whole operation running smoothly as office manager, making it a true family affair.
Today, we serve homeowners and businesses across Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and the surrounding Thurston County area, handling everything from leaky faucets and water heater installs to full bathroom and kitchen remodels. We treat every job like it’s in our own home, and in a small community, your reputation is everything.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road — but the bumps are part of what makes the story worth telling.
The same year Amy and I started Barbo’s Plumbing in 2009, Amy suffered a spinal cord injury and became quadriplegic. Overnight, life looked completely different. We were launching a business, navigating her recovery, and raising four kids all at once. There were a lot of long days and harder nights. But it also gave us a clear sense of purpose — this business had to work, because our family was counting on it.
Running a small business comes with its own set of challenges on top of that. There’s the constant balancing act of staying busy enough to support the family while not growing so big that we lose the personal touch our customers count on. We’ve turned down chances to expand because that’s not who we want to be. We’d rather stay small, keep showing up personally, and know every customer by name than become just another big plumbing outfit with rotating crews.
The rewards have been worth every bit of the struggle — watching our kids grow up, working alongside our daughter Presley, and building something honest that we’re proud to put our name on.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Barbo’s Plumbing LLC?
We’re a small plumbing outfit based in Olympia. Most days it’s me, my daughter Presley, and our apprentice Roy out on the trucks, with my wife Amy running the office. We’ve actually known Roy since he was in kindergarten with one of our kids — so even the guy we’re training up isn’t really a stranger. We work all over Thurston County and into the surrounding South Puget Sound area.
The work itself runs the gamut — water heaters, leaks, busted pipes, sump pumps, water line replacements, and rough-in and finish plumbing for bathroom and kitchen remodels. Honestly, we don’t really specialize in one thing. We just try to do whatever a homeowner needs, and do it right the first time. Our slogan kind of sums up the attitude: “Because Everybody Poops.” Plumbing isn’t glamorous, but it’s something every single household needs — and we try to keep a sense of humor about that while still doing serious, quality work.
What I’m probably proudest of isn’t any one job — it’s that we’ve kept things small on purpose. We could’ve grown bigger, hired more crews, chased volume. But then I’d be sitting in an office somewhere and customers would be getting whoever showed up that day. That’s not the kind of business we wanted. When somebody calls Barbo’s Plumbing, they get a Barbo — or Roy, who we trust like family. That matters in a small community like ours.
If there’s anything I’d want readers to know, it’s that plumbing doesn’t have to feel like getting taken advantage of. We try to be straight with people about what they actually need, what can wait, and what it’ll cost before we start. That’s it, really.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What we love most about Olympia is the small-town feel and how genuinely friendly people are here. Even as the area grows, it still feels like a community where folks look out for each other. We love the green — all the trees, the parks, being surrounded by so much natural beauty. And we’re big believers in shopping local. The farmers market and local farms are a huge part of what makes this place special, and it’s the same spirit that’s kept our business going. Word of mouth has always been our best advertising, and honestly, every referral feels like a real compliment from someone trusting us enough to send us to their friends, neighbors or family members.
What we like least? I-5, for starters — anyone who’s tried to get anywhere on it knows what I mean. And the cost of living has gotten tough, both for the families we serve and for us as a small business. Running a small business here is genuinely hard these days — between rising costs, regulations, and just trying to keep things affordable for our customers, it takes a lot to make the numbers work. But the community makes it worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://barbosplumbing.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbosplumbingllc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Barbos-Plumbing-LLC-100066488630555/
