At 21, Colby Nicholson, owner of Palmetto Pipe Lining in South Carolina, has already learned lessons many contractors acquire the hard way. His advice is direct, practical and rooted in repetition rather than theory.
1. Don’t Limit Your Capabilities
When you limit yourself, you’re setting failure points. By investing in training and equipment that allows Nicholson’s team to rehabilitate smaller diameters, Palmetto Pipe Lining has carved out a niche competitors avoid, particularly in historic Charleston where demolition is rarely acceptable.
2. Respect the Checklist
Nicholson repeatedly emphasizes process discipline. Don’t forget the basics. Don’t skip the manufacturer steps. When you shortcut it, that’s when you fail. In a trade where liner failures can damage both reputation and margins, repetition and documentation are nonnegotiable.
3. Ensure Success With Preparation
The liner is cheap until it’s in the ground. Thorough cleaning, proper measurements and staged planning reduce risk. For Nicholson, the installation itself is only one phase of a larger system.
4. Invest Continually in Training
Distributors regularly visit Palmetto Pipe Lining for refresher sessions. Nicholson views continuing education as a requirement, not an option.
5. Adapt to the Market
From digital marketing to AI-driven search visibility, Nicholson understands that growth today requires more than technical skill. If you’re not adapting, you’re getting left behind.
For a contractor barely into his 20s, the philosophy is strikingly mature. It may also explain why Palmetto Pipe Lining’s growth shows no signs of slowing.
Read more about Palmetto Pipe Lining in the June 2026 issue of Cleaner magazine.
