Sales flowing for Minnesota plumbing franchise after turnaround

Before his 20 years in corporate America and his MBA, Mike Wickam spent his college summers working in the plumbing business.Wickam has tapped that background, along with his marketing and turnaround expertise, to more than double sales at Mr. Rooter Plumbing, the Fridley, Minn.-based franchise he acquired in March. The franchise now averages more than 80 service calls a week, up from 35 a week the month before the acquisition.“This was a really solid business,” Wickam says. “But it really needed that modern touch in marketing and my approach to management.”The company now does less phone directory advertising and more