Daniel Stark knew from a young age that a desk job wasn’t for him. He often had trouble sitting still and preferred to be doing something with his hands. He started learning about plumbing in high school and quickly realized he had a knack for it. He’s also never been one to shy away from crawling into tight spaces that others might not be keen on entering.
“I’ve always been that guy that just likes to get out there and get things done and doesn’t mind getting dirty,” he says.
Stark views his career as a plumber as much more than simply fixing a leak in someone’s home. Whether he’s working on a pipe replacement, doing a bathroom remodel, or repairing a shower for a local charity, his goal always is to help make someone’s life better.
“It’s a really great feeling to be able to help people, and give them peace of mind, and I take it very personally, getting to take care of them in their home,” he says.
Originally from Huntsville, Alabama, Stark and his wife moved to Nashville in 2012. Since then, he’s worked his way up through different plumbing companies while learning all the different aspects of the trade. In 2021, he took everything he learned and launched his own business, Stark Plumbing. Based in Bellevue, Stark Plumbing specializes in residential services from everyday household plumbing problems to fixture upgrades and bathroom remodels.
“I love getting to meet new people every day and hearing their stories,” he says. “I’ve learned a lot about customer relations over the years and think that people just want you to be nice, fair, honest and do good work.” As his business grows, customers express their appreciation through word-of-mouth referrals.
Stark says he likes to focus on getting to the root of a plumbing issue rather than just doing a quick fix. “I like to diagnose the problem to really figure out what’s going on so you don’t have to see me again,” he says.
Starks says one of the best parts of having his own plumbing business is his ability to give back to his community. Whenever possible, he says he enjoys helping people who may be struggling financially.
“If I’m able to, it’s good to be able to help someone who really needs it, especially with plumbing because it can be expensive and I can do it efficiently,” he says. “That really means a lot to me because I want people to help others.”
Stark has also offered his services to Shower The People, a Nashville nonprofit that offers free shower and laundry services to people experiencing homelessness.
“They’ve had a few issues with the water system on the bus they use for showers that we’ve been able to help fix, which we are happy to do because they are doing good things in the community.”
Stark says he understands customers might not always be happy to see him, as plumbing issues can certainly be frustrating, but he hopes to make their day better by providing quality and honest work.
“At the end of the day, I want to treat it as if it’s my home and walk away knowing they are not going to have another problem.”
“I’ve learned ... that people just want you to be nice, fair, honest and do good work.”