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Daniel Tsyref: Unlocking Potential

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

For years, Daniel Tseyref rebuffed offers to get into the plumbing business, but when he finally gave it a try, he unlocked an unknown potential that altered his professional trajectory. “Before getting into plumbing, I worked at a car dealership for 10 years,” he recounts. “My brother was a plumber, and for years he kept trying to talk me into joining him. I was pretty adamant about not doing it. I didn’t know if I would like it, and moreover, I wasn’t sure I’d be any good at it. Eventually, he wore me down and I agreed to try it. Come to find out, I was actually pretty good at it! Plumbing requires a mechanical mind, and I never knew I had one until I gave it a shot.”

After working in the plumbing industry for seven years, Daniel took the big step of starting his own business. Today, as owner of Chosen Rooter & Plumbing, Inc., he says his favorite part of his job is bringing relief to stressed customers. “I get a lot of calls from customers who have already talked to other plumbers and want another opinion. In many cases, I’m able to provide a simpler and less expensive solution than what was quoted by the previous plumber. I love to see the relief on a customer’s face when I tell them I can solve their problem quicker and more affordably than they had expected.”

A resident of San Francisco (where he lives with his wife, Sarah, and their four children), Daniel spends his time outside of work on a variety of pastimes. “I read a lot, especially nonfiction books,” he details. “I’m also a DJ and I enjoy doing live sets at dance parties for friends.” Daniel also devotes time to practicing his faith. “We’re an observant Jewish family, so we read the Torah and observe Shabbat on Saturdays.”

In terms of a professional philosophy, Daniel says his mission is to challenge the status quo in the plumbing industry. “When I was in car sales, I didn’t use any of the tricks and gimmicks car salespeople are known for; instead, I took an honest, upfront approach. I knew if I did things the right way, I would succeed—I didn’t need to manipulate people to be successful. Today, I run my company by the same principles. Most plumbing companies pay their employees by commission, which motivates them to upsell customers on unnecessary things. In contrast, I pay my employees a straight salary, so they’re motivated to do a good job and make our customers happy.”

When asked the first thing he’d do if he were to retire tomorrow, Daniel says he’d go to Jerusalem. “As an observant Jew, I’ve always wanted to visit Jerusalem. I haven’t been able to take much time off while running my business, so if I retired, I would definitely start planning that trip.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: What was your first job?
A: Back in Ukraine, my first job was washing car windshields at a stoplight when I was 12 years old.

Q: What’s your favorite book?
A: My favorite book is the Torah, and my second favorite is “Born to Win” by Zig Ziglar.

Q: What’s your favorite type of food?
A: Sushi.

Q: Music or talk radio?
A: Music.

Q: What’s your favorite type of music?
A: Dance music, especially trance.