Back in the day he was known as DJ Reggie Nell, and he could spin records with the best of ’em. A former DJ while working in the trades, Germaine Nelson, president, Capitol Plumbing & Heating, Bowie, Md., now is a full-service residential plumbing OG, specializing in water heaters, waste and venting for the surrounding DC area.

Nelson started his plumbing career back in high school, working with his uncle at a plumbing company during the summer. He also worked on pluming through his high school vocational program. “I went to school for a half day, then went to the job site the second half,” says Nelson. As soon as Nelson graduated, he started as an apprentice full time. “Seventeen years later, I own a plumbing company—started it from the ground up,” continues Nelson.

Early in his career, Nelson throws kudos the owner of 3D Plumbing, a small plumbing company for which Nelson worked. “The owner Dennis took me under his wing, and we still talk often. I consider him a mentor to this day,” says Nelson.

It wasn’t necessarily all smooth sailing. Throughout the journey, Nelson worked for a well-known company in the area as a service tech. They wanted to expand in a different part of the area, so he was tasked with building that area up, with the current contacts that he had.

Impressively, Nelson made more than $500,000 for that company within six months. “I asked for a raise, and the owner told me, ‘I can’t justify it but I can get you a new truck.’ At that moment, I knew it was time to go. I gave my two weeks’ notice,” says Nelson.

Nelson’s advice for anyone thinking about starting a company? “I would say just do it. You will have bumps and bruises along the way, but through dedication and consistency, you’ll succeed. Don’t give up on your vision.”

Challenges/Rewards

The most challenging aspects of the job, says Nelson, can be dealing with customers. “You have to learn how to put yourself in their position and understand what their needs area.”

Conversely, Nelson says it’s rewarding when you face a difficult challenge, but you overcome it with patience and skill. “I tell people all the time, plumbing is not hard, but finding a solution is the ultimate reward. You can sleep at night knowing you’re making a difference in society.”

And, according to Nelson, it starts early for those thinking of entering the trades, “Learn as much as you can because you will not know it all. Find your niche within the trade and foster that skill,” says Nelson.

Social Media

Nelson (@capitolmech) admits that social media has helped tremendously with making business connections and long-lasting friendships. “If it wasn’t for social media, I would not know about different trade shows, certain tools that makes the job easier and certain companies. I dedicate a lot of time to social media, more than I should, but it’s a lifestyle at this point,” says Nelson.

Through time and dedication on social media, Nelson has become an ambassador for various plumbing manufacturers. “Being an ambassador for different companies is special,” says Nelson. But he also says that it’s big task when a number of companies want to hire you as an ambassador because of your social media footprint. “Oatey, for instance, has really opened the door for a lot of these opportunities.”

And throughout this rise in popularity and visibility with social does Nelson consider himself a mentor to others? “I do consider myself a role model, not by choice, but through social media,” says Nelson. “I feel like I’ve been put into that position.”

When he’s not hard at work on the job or posting to IG, you’ll find Nelson spending time with family, attending his son’s baseball games, bowling, getting together with friends, or perhaps you’ll see him soaring in the sky fulfilling his bucket list of skydiving. Nevertheless, “It’s extremely important to make an effort to put work down and be intentional about taking care of your mental health, and being there for those who really depend on you,” says Nelson.

The plumbing manufacturer welcomed members of its award-winning Ambassador Program to its global headquarters for a two-day immersive event, featuring hands-on training, installation competitions, product ideation and more.

Oatey Co., a leading manufacturer in the plumbing industry since 1916, hosted its third annual Ambassador Fest plumbing influencer event last week in Cleveland, Ohio. A key perk of its award-winning social media Ambassador Program, Ambassador Fest is two-day immersive event for Oatey Ambassadors, focused on providing Ambassadors with robust training and hands-on experiences to enhance and expand their skills as tradespeople and digital content creators.

This year’s Ambassador Fest attendees included Evan Berns, Colin Luttrell, Nick Parlet, Jeff Keller, Nick Meritt, Justin Noftle, Jesharelah (Shay) Lorette, Danielle Browne, Thomas Young, Robert Broccolo, and Germaine Nelson, collectively representing a diverse range of plumbing and building expertise from across North America.

Ambassador Fest, which took place June 8-9 at the Oatey University training facility, featured opportunities for participants to learn about Oatey’s company and products, as well as to share their perspectives and insights from the field. Among the training experiences provided were solvent welding training, an in-depth product expo with Oatey product managers, and tours of Oatey’s manufacturing and distribution facilities. Ambassadors also participated in product feedback discussions, a product ideation competition and the first-ever Ambassador Olympics event, a hands-on application competition. At a meet-and-greet at the company’s headquarters, Ambassadors were spotlighted in a panel discussion and enjoyed networking conversations with Oatey associates. The Ambassadors also helped cheer the Cleveland Guardians to victory on Thursday evening.

Colin Luttrell, sole proprietor of ColinThePlumberLLC in Rochester, N.Y., joined Oatey’s Ambassador Program in January after following other Ambassadors on social media for years. During his first-ever visit to Cleveland, he says he was blown away by the Ambassador Fest experience. “Oatey’s Ambassador Fest is a once-in-a-lifetime trip,” said Luttrell. “After watching all these wonderful people online for years, being able to meet them in person and experience Oatey University first-hand was something I’ll never forget. I can’t say enough about the Oatey staff – their passion for what they do is what makes it so awesome.”

In contrast, this was the third Ambassador Fest for Danielle Browne, a 17-year industry veteran from St. Johns, Newfoundland in Canada, who is better known as “Twig” or “the littlest plumber” within the plumbing social media community. According to Browne, who was a member of Oatey’s inaugural class of Ambassadors, this year’s event was the most robust and engaging yet. “I have been honored to attend Ambassador Fest every year since 2021, and each year I learn more, build more meaningful connections and leave more inspired than ever about my craft. I’ve never encountered a brand more committed than Oatey to supporting the trades, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to represent them as an Ambassador.”

For the Oatey team, the feeling is mutual. “It was our privilege to host our Ambassadors in Cleveland for Ambassador Fest,” said Katherine Lehtinen, Senior Vice President, Brand and Digital Marketing at Oatey. “Oatey is committed to supporting our end users and the skilled trades, and it is our hope that Ambassador Fest and our overall Ambassador Program help our Ambassadors continue to grow, advance and find opportunities, just as they help us to do so.”

For additional information about Oatey’s Ambassador Program, visit oatey.com.

The program has now doubled in size since its launch last year, expanding its impact on the brand’s robust social media community and digital footprint.

Oatey Co., a leading manufacturer in the plumbing industry since 1916, today announced the addition of six new plumbing and building professionals to its Social Media Ambassador Program. Through its Ambassador program, which launched in June 2021,The program is an extension of the brand’s robust, highly engaged social media community, through which Oatey connects with its end users, provides helpful resources, answers questions and builds relationships with tradespeople around the world.

The 2022 class of Oatey Ambassadors includes experienced licensed plumbers Chris Sbrocco, Germaine Nelson, Robert Broccolo, Laura Giudice, Thomas Young, and Darryl Wong, collectively representing a diverse range of plumbing and building expertise from across North America. The new Ambassadors join existing Oatey Ambassadors Danielle Browne, Trey Young, Alex Goin and Omar Harris.

As Ambassadors for Oatey in the field, program participants champion the Oatey family of brands (including Oatey, Dearborn, Hercules, Cherne and more), creating unique multimedia content to be shared across social media and other digital platforms. Each Ambassador receives curated kits of Oatey branded gear, including Ambassador-exclusive swag. They are provided with a range of products to support their day-to-day work, are among the first to know about new product launches and have the chance to try new products firsthand. Ambassadors also have the opportunity to travel to Oatey’s headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, for a two-day Ambassador event.

“Over the past year, Oatey’s Social Media Ambassador Program has been such a rewarding opportunity for us to connect with some of the most talented tradespeople in our network and amplify their unique perspectives and exceptional work,” said Katherine Lehtinen, Senior Vice President, Brand and Digital Marketing at Oatey. “Now, we are honored to welcome our second class of world-class Ambassadors, whose talent and expertise will certainly speak for itself as they champion Oatey’s products in the field and online.”

A new class of Ambassadors will be selected each year. Individuals interested in becoming a future Oatey Ambassador can submit their information on the Oatey website for consideration.

For additional information about Oatey’s Social Media Ambassador Program, visit oatey.com.