Interview with Ryan Stegent, College Station Plumber
Howdy! I’m Ryan Stegent, a College Station Certified Master Plumber serving the Greater Brazos Valley. Give me a shout if you need a plumber in Brenham, dishwasher repair in Bryan, or tankless water heater installation in College Station. If you are building a house in Chappell Hill call Ryan Stegent Plumbing. If you live near Burton, Somerville, Caldwell, or Hearne, Texas and need commercial or residential plumbing, give us a call!
No job is too big or too small. Kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects are my favorite plumbing gigs – so hit me up if you need an expert plumber for a remodel in the Brazos Valley.
Which communities does Ryan Stegent Plumbing service?
Ryan Stegent Plumbing provides emergency plumbing and repair services for new home construction, renovations, and commercial plumbing near Bryan, College Station, Brenham, Chappell Hill, Somerville, Caldwell, Burton, and Hearne, Texas.
Ryan Stegent
Follow me using the links below, or call me for plumbing services throughout the Brazos Valley.
Call me at 979-969-8576 if you need to renovate your kitchen or bathroom, install a tankless water heater, fix a leaky pipe, or install your new dishwasher—I’m the guy for the job.
Interview with Ryan Stegent, Certified Master Plumber.
As owner of Ryan Stegent Plumbing, did you always want to become a plumber?
People always ask me if I always wanted to become a plumber. The short answer is “No.” I graduated Texas A&M class of ’99, and entered the work world in the early 2000s. I always thought I would end up in IT because that was the new emerging trend. But it turns out that plumbing and construction were in my blood!
Caption: Ryan’s grandfather Walter (pictured far left) founded Thieleman Construction in the 1960’s. His father, David, is the founder of David Stegent Plumbing. For the past fifty years, the Thielemann-Stegent family has built high-quality homes and provided exceptional trade services throughout Brenham, Texas, and the Brazos Valley.
How did your family background influence you to start Ryan Stegent Plumbing?
When I was thirteen, my dad took me to my first plumbing job. Both he and my grandfather were Certified Master Plumbers. Together with other family members, they’ve built incredible construction and service businesses in Brenham and throughout the Brazos Valley, including Theilemann Construction Company, Thielemann-Stegent Plumbing, and Lakeway Air.
I think Mike Rowe host of the show Dirty Jobs would be proud of my grandfather’s lineage. We’ve kept the trades alive and are raising the next generation of talented craftsmen and service providers.
How did working with your family influence your decision to start Ryan Stegent Plumbing?
I was a lucky kid. Hanging out with my Dad on the job sites helped me develop important technical skills and a knack for customer service. As an early teen, it was exciting to ride along and help my dad on construction sites. I had no clue how to do plumbing, but I’d willingly crawl underneath the kitchen sink or a pier-and-beam house and help hold or install pipe. When the problem was resolved, I’d say, “Holy moly, I just did plumbing!”
Did working with your dad inspire you to become a plumber?
My experience in the industry gave me the confidence and knowledge that I knew I would enjoy it, but there was no magic spark or lightbulb when I was a teen. I didn’t think I wanted to be a plumber when I was young; we were entering the digital age, and I thought my future would be IT. It turns out that no matter how sophisticated we get in the world of AI, cloud computing, interconnected communication – we all gotta shave, shower, and poo.
Did you try any other career before starting Ryan Stegent plumbing?
After graduating from Texas A&M University, I moved to Dallas and joined a company selling VOIP and other hardware products to installers. This was an emerging industry in the early 2000s, and I thought I’d enjoy it. It turns out that city life and a desk job were not for me. I knew I couldn’t sustain the Dallas lifestyle and I wanted to get home, work with my hands, and serve the people.
When you returned home to the Brazos Valley, did you start your own plumbing business?
After deciding that city life was not for me, I came home to Brenham, Texas, and went to work for my dad’s plumbing company. I discovered I was good at diagnosing plumbing problems, and I knew I liked to help people.
I was so thankful to be back home in the country; I might have even kissed a cow or two. 😉
“I realized I liked plumbing because I could solve challenges and serve my community.”
Most people might not think of plumbers as being able to solve complex challenges, but we do. We gauge the slope of the land, we engineer ways to resolve problems that have built up after years of retrofits and renovations, and we help our clients get what they need to function and live full-productive lives. That might sound dramatic, but try going a few days without water, a flushing toilet, or your hot water heater. We take these things for granted, but they enable us to move forward and be productive.
How do you juggle a large family while building a successful plumbing company?
IDK – check with me in twenty years! 😉
For the past sixteen years, I’ve kept my business small, working as a solopreneur while my wife and I became parents to ten awesome kiddos! We’re a great team and have enjoyed the opportunity to raise kids and build businesses together.
“The choice to run my operation and scale over time was very intentional.”
The choice to run my operation and scale Ryan Stegent Plumbing over time was very intentional. As a young father, I read an article about a man who had built a successful business. He was lamenting that despite his successful business career, he didn’t have a relationship with his own children.
His story was haunting, and I consciously chose not to win in corporate while losing as a family man. My dad was a great father; he taught us the value of hard work and was always present in our lives for the important stuff. I wanted to do the same with my kids.
Did your family of 12 really live in a travel trailer and tour the US for two years?
Yes, crazy backstory here. In 2019, we decided to sell the big house (where everyone had their own space) and move into a 40-foot 5th wheel. For the next two years, we crisscrossed the United States, visited major cities and historical sites, and stayed in almost 100 different park sites.
Is Ryan Stegent Plumbing a certified RV repairman?
While traveling in the US, I became a certified RV technician. This was very intentional as today I offer RV repair services to customers throughout the Brazos Valley.
Who is more adventurous, you or your wife?
My wife loves novelty and has created a lifestyle of fun and adventure for our family. It might not have been my most natural tendency, but over the years, I’ve learned to welcome change and find ways to create new adventures.
What was it like traveling in a 5th wheel as a family of 12?
Traveling with Kristin and our ten kids for two years in a 40 ft RV was an incredible experience. I would have never dreamed of doing something like that if it weren’t for my adventure-loving, daring, and highly organized wife. She made the crazy dream a reality, and it’s a season in our lives that we will never forget.
What was one of your favorite RV destinations for young families?
Over two years, we saw all kinds of places and participated in various excursions. One of my favorite trips was visiting South Dakota. While there, we made a very popular drive up a winding mountainside and drove our 15-passenger van through a very small tunnel cut into the rock that locals call “the eye of the needle.” I made it through without losing even one side mirror!
You grew up in the building trades, do you think it’s important to teach your kids to work and pass down these skills?
I say absolutely! As a father to ten kids, I always advise parents to help their kids develop marketable skills. Does anyone else have carpel tunnel from using your Venmo app? LOL.JK, my kids are pretty darn self-sufficient. 😉
Regardless of what your kids end up doing professionally as adults, it’s critical to teach them the value of hard work.
Have you seen the local Career and Technology programs in Bryan and College Station ISD?
YES! As I mentioned, I was fortunate to gain hands-on experience while working with my dad. Most kids don’t have this opportunity. I would highly recommend kids attend a trade program offered through local schools. Many include some type of certification upon graduation.
Because Texas is one of the fastest-growing state in the nation, there’s increase demand for these types of skills. We need electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, CDL drivers, as well as other technical trades professionals.
The Bryan ISD Career and Technology website includes a job board connecting students and employers. Also, check out the great work at the Bryan ISD Career and Technology Campus. Finally, kudos to the College Station ISD Career and Technology leaders.
Thanks to the educators and community members who have made these programs available to our youth. As a committed father, I appreciate all the instructors and mentors who pour into our kiddos. With ten kids, I know my wife and I can’t do it alone.
If you’ve found an alignment in this article or need high-quality plumbing services for your family’s home or business, give me a call – and thank you for your business. I hope you’ve seen how it is needed and appreciated.
All the Best,
Ryan
