Sometimes, even when it seems like challenges are insurmountable and problems will derail a project, things just come together. It’s not by chance and it’s not some sort of divine intervention; it’s your hard work and preparation paying off.

Sometimes putting together this magazine is the same way. Planning doesn’t always materialize into results, stories fall through, and photos don’t always work out. In your business, blocked pipes don’t clear as easily as they should, bursting heads gets stuck, and terrain can limit access to a section of pipe that requires attention.

In a way, it’s all the same. We each have a job to do; we all face challenges; and in the end, we always get the job done. I’ve served as editor of several publications, and one way or another, every issue has made it to press. It’s not always easy, but neither is your job.

This month’s issue of Cleaner features a few stories that are a testament to seeing the job through. Peerless Plumbing, profiled on page 30, has been in business for 28 years, and owner Randy Rushing attributes the company’s success to its trademark one-stop services offering. They are a complete solutions provider, even handling drywall repair and patching so there are no holes in walls or floors when they’re done with a job. Everything is complete when they leave the site. That is one of the many reasons they’re able to generate business through repeat customers and word-of-mouth advertising.

Affordable Trenchless & Pipe Lining, profiled on page 14, is also a solutions provider, serving as a subcontractor tackling the tasks prime contractors can’t or won’t handle. Owner Ryan Petersen faced a big challenge when he adopted this business model: Contractors were reluctant to hire him because they thought he would try to take their clients. Petersen took a calculated approach, and after doing jobs for a couple contractors, he was able to use them as references for additional work. He proved his ability and never wavered on his word that he would not compete for clients. He says it was the most difficult job of building his business, but he’s proven himself and the company is thriving.

This month’s “Tough Job” feature is a great example of working through challenges to get the job done. TRIC Tools was subcontracted to pipe burst multiple industrial wastewater lines at a food processing plant in San Jose, Calif. They couldn’t interrupt production and had to follow strict sanitary guidelines while working in the facility. At one point, they were bursting under a 4-foot slab that held large liquid storage tanks. At another point, they were short on space for the HDPE pipe they were installing. One section had multiple tie-ins and the back wall of one of the entry pits kept caving in behind the resistance plate they had put in place, but through it all, they got the job done and never interrupted production at the facility.

It’s not by luck that we succeed; it’s through hard work and careful preparation. Those are the ingredients that produce luck and success. I hope these stories help you create your own success.

Enjoy this month’s issue.