In mid-September, A&N Plumbing owners Amber and Nathan traded the Wenatchee Valley for a few days in Chicago. They went for Catapult 2026, a planning conference for business owners and leadership teams. For a family-owned plumbing company, time away from the shop is never taken lightly. The phones keep ringing, and the work does not pause.
Stepping back every so often is part of how a business keeps its footing, though. The conference gave them room to look at how A&N runs, where it can improve, and what the next year should look like for the team and for the homeowners they serve.
Here is a look at why they went, what they are bringing home, and a few pieces of Chicago history they found along the way. That includes one that any plumber would appreciate.
Why a Family-Owned Plumbing Company Spends Time at a Business Conference
Most of what homeowners see from a plumbing company happens in the field: a technician at the door, a clear explanation, a repair done right. What they do not see is the planning behind it. That includes how a team is hired and trained, how schedules come together, and how a company decides where to invest.
Catapult 2026 focused on that behind-the-scenes side of running a business. Sessions and planning time centered on topics like these:
- Planning the year ahead. Owners mapped out priorities for 2027 alongside their advisors.
- Building a strong team. Sessions covered hiring, training, and leading the people who do the work.
- Understanding the numbers. Finance sessions covered cash flow and the figures every owner should track.
- Customer experience. Talks focused on how clients are treated from the first call to the finished job.
None of this replaces skill with a wrench. It supports it. A well-run business gives its technicians the time, tools, and backing to do careful work.
Their Biggest Takeaway: Slow Down to Speed Up
“We learned that sometimes we have to slow down to speed up.”
Amber, Co-Owner, A&N Plumbing and More
For a busy plumbing company, that lesson runs against instinct. When the schedule is full, the natural response is to move faster: take the next call, get to the next job, keep things moving. Catapult asked owners to do the opposite for a few days. They stepped away from the pace, looked at the whole business, and planned with intention before jumping back in.
That idea already shows up in how A&N approaches the work. A rushed repair might get water flowing again today, but it can miss the underlying cause and bring the same problem back later. Taking the time to evaluate a plumbing system properly, explain what is happening, and fix it at the source is slower in the moment. Over time, it is what keeps a home’s plumbing reliable, and it is the approach Amber and Nathan plan to keep building on.
A Few Chicago Stops Along the Way
Between sessions, Amber and Nathan made time to see a bit of the city.
Cloud Gate in Millennium Park
No trip to Chicago feels complete without a stop at Cloud Gate, the sculpture locals call “The Bean.” Artist Anish Kapoor built it from 168 stainless steel plates, polished until the seams disappear. The result reflects the skyline and everyone standing beneath it.
An Evening at Wrigley Field
The conference group also spent an evening at Wrigley Field for a Cubs game. After a long day of planning sessions, a night under the lights at one of baseball’s oldest ballparks was an easy way to unwind.
Harry Caray’s and Nitti’s Vault
The most memorable stop was Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse on Kinzie Street, named for the longtime Cubs broadcaster. The restaurant sits in a red brick building from 1895 that is now an official Chicago Landmark. In 1939, the building was bought by a cheese company owned by the family of Annette Caravetta, who later married Frank Nitti, Al Capone’s successor. According to the restaurant, Nitti kept an apartment on the fourth floor.
Today, the basement holds what the restaurant calls Nitti’s Vault, a small museum that is free to visit. Displays inside include:
- Photos and newspaper clippings from Chicago’s Prohibition and mob era
- The “Nitti Family Phonebook,” an address book found hidden in the building’s walls
- An antique police call box from the days before two-way radios
- Photos from a 2018 discovery: a bricked-over doorway in the basement that building plans show leads to a vault
That vault was still unopened as of early 2026, according to local reports. Legend also has it that the basement once connected to tunnels beneath the city, giving certain residents a quiet way to come and go. Nobody has proven that one, but it makes for a good story over dinner.
What Old Buildings and Older Homes Have in Common
Here is the detail a plumber notices. The hidden room at Harry Caray’s was found in 1998, when an electrician drilled into a basement wall and realized it was hollow. The building had kept that secret for decades, and nobody knew until someone looked behind the wall.
Older homes work the same way, just with fewer mobsters. Plumbing that was installed 50 or more years ago often keeps working quietly while it wears down out of sight. Some of the most common findings in older homes include:
- Galvanized steel water lines that corrode from the inside, lowering water pressure over time
- Cast iron drain lines that develop scale buildup or hairline cracks
- Clay sewer lines where tree roots can find their way into the joints
- Past repairs made with mismatched materials that were never meant to last
If your home has some age on it, this guide on why older homes have more plumbing issues explains what to watch for and why these problems develop.
The good news is that finding out what is behind the walls no longer requires a drill. A drain camera inspection lets a technician see inside the lines and address the issue at its source.
Back to Work in the Wenatchee Valley
Amber and Nathan came home with new ideas and a few good stories. The work itself has not changed: careful evaluations, clear explanations, and repairs built for long-term reliability. What the trip adds is a sharper plan for how A&N supports its team and the homeowners who count on it.
If something in your plumbing system has been on your mind, reach out to A&N Plumbing or call (509) 888-1933 to schedule a visit.