It’s good to be part of a community, whether it’s your hometown, a profession, recreational group or something else. It’s good to feel connected.

I come from a small town. I never intended to move back, but family circumstances changed that. There are plenty of things I dislike about it, but my best friends are here and I know they have my back. I always have someone I can call if I really need help with something. It’s a good feeling.

I was traveling last weekend and it occurred to me that I have friends nearby almost everywhere I go now. And it’s not because of social media or because I’m so well-traveled that I have friends in every corner of the country. It’s because of this industry, and this magazine.

We’ve told the stories of so many sewer and drain contractors in the pages of Cleaner magazine. I count many among my friends, and they stretch across the U.S. and Canada. I’ve connected with many of you. It’s a good feeling, and it says a lot about the industry. More importantly, the more people I talk to, the better I understand the challenges you face and the significant roles you play in your communities.

Linda Hudek, the owner of LH Plumbing Services in Fairfield, Ohio, knows a thing or two about the importance of being connected to others in the industry, too. Hudek and her company, profiled in this issue, have benefitted greatly from the relationships she’s built with her industry peers.

In fact, a group of one-man shops in her area operate as friendly rather than cutthroat competitors. She says they often work together and refer work to each other when they have too much work to handle. “Most of us are very close, and we don’t talk badly about each other or steal each others’ customers. It works out very well.”

Furthermore, ever since she struck out on her own in 2010, she’s made long-distance friends — mostly via Facebook — who have contributed immeasurably to her success. She credits colleagues like Thomas Carlisle, the owner of Underground Connections in Wooster; Ben Kohn, who runs Sinks to Sewers in Ventura, California; and Nathan Hudelson, the owner of Schlueter Plumbing in Cincinnati.

“By joining the groups and posting pictures of my work and my thoughts on things such as pricing, I’ve met a lot of plumbers, including local guys I actually didn’t know existed,” she says. “I’ve learned a lot from these people — received business advice or heard about equipment I otherwise might not know about.”

Regardless of whether they’re down the street or across the country, it’s good to be connected to the people in your industry. They may be competitors, but they can also be your biggest allies. You never know when you might need a little advice or support, and that help can go a long way.

Enjoy this month’s issue.