#342 - Jimmy Villegas’s 10-Year Plumbing Success

Jimmy Villegas was born in Bogotá, Colombia and moved to South Florida at the age of 3. His father, Jaime, was an algaculture engineer who, after facing drought challenges, made the tough decision to move the family to the U.S. He later purchased a bread delivery route in Miami and Miami Beach, where Jimmy, alongside his siblings Alex and Ana, helped pack bread and make deliveries, as well as join their mother on newspaper routes at 1 a.m. Those early experiences instilled in Jimmy a deep work ethic and resilience. From ages 13 to 18, he worked in construction—ranging from glass block to shell work on high-end custom homes in Palm Beach County. His time with Leebuilt Construction gave him valuable structural knowledge and the ability to work with a wide range of personalities. He later became a superintendent for his brother's company, Alcor Inc. The 2008 collapse forced Jimmy to pivot into property maintenance and project management for a Fort Lauderdale attorney, where a chance encounter with Bob Smith introduced him to tunneling. Within a month, he joined Bob Smith Plumbing, learning the ins and outs of underground plumbing. Eighteen months later, Bob's father passed away, and Bob offered to sell him the company.