5 Questions with a Pipe Cleaning PRO – Matt Daniel

Name: Matt Daniel

Employer: Compliance EnviroSystems LLC (CES)

Job Title: Project Manager

Years in the Industry: 8

1. How did you get your start in the industry?

I had just graduated from Louisiana State University with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. I was on the fence of which graduate school I wanted to apply to. A college buddy of mine who does business development for CES told me I should work in the field until I make up my mind. I had help from great mentors and was able to move up from a helper on a CCTV van to a project manager within a year. From there, I never looked back.

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2. What does your typical day look like?

I head to the office around 5:50 a.m. to get the crews going for the day. I make sure they have all the necessary tools and personal protective equipment. Once the safety meetings, paperwork, and work notifications are done, I drive to the job site to do recon. I will check on the crews and look at locations for future jobs. My number one priority every day is to ensure that our teams have the proper safety equipment and are working in the safest manner possible; safety is our number one priority in everything we do. Sewer work can be extremely rough on our equipment, so I spend a lot of time working on cleaning trucks, cameras, as well as the logistics of getting cleaning crews what they need. As a project manager, I work closely with civil engineers to ensure our client receives the best product. That entails coming up with a cost-effective rehab recommendation or locating a significant blockage for repair.

3. What is the No. 1 challenge facing our industry?

Finding the right person to do this type of work is the biggest challenge. It takes a hard-working, dedicated, and safety-oriented kind of person to show up and do what we do every day. When we find those people, we bring them in, and they become part of our family.

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4. What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with your fellow PROs?

Stay organized and over-communicate. Communication is the key to success. There is always someone out there who knows more about any given subject. Use all available resources and always have the right tool for the job.

5. When you are not at work, what is one thing you enjoy as much as being a Pipe Cleaning PRO?

When I am not at work, I like to spend my time catching speckled trout and redfish in the Biloxi Marsh, south of our family camp in Waveland, Mississippi. If the tide and weather are not right, I like looking for the golf balls I attempt to hit in play. This industry has taught me a lot of skills I can use around the house and helping friends and neighbors with their DIY projects.