The Power of Giving: How Streamline Services Builds a Thriving Culture and a Team That Stays

“What’s important to me is giving back,” says Bob Sweet, Streamline’s President and Founder. “If you see something during your day and you can help someone, stop and help. That’s what matters. I want to instill that confidence in the team and in our organization—to take time to give back. What’s it worth if we’re not leaving a legacy or setting an example for our industry and the community?”

Streamline’s employees hear those words and live them. The company’s community involvement ranges from supporting veterans through the SkillBridge program to running animal welfare campaigns like “Unclog for Dogs,” which donates dog food for every drain cleared. Streamline Services also participates in Lennox’s annual Feel the Love™ program, installing HVAC systems for families in need.

Bob Sweet, Streamline Services President & Founder, shares his perspective on the power of giving back to his Durham, N.C. neighbors.

“When you open up the opportunity for people to give back and help the community, you see them grow,” Bob explains. “We’re not just a place where they come to work. We’re a place where they can do something beyond the job. That becomes part of who they are. You see everyone come together and celebrate that.”

Kerry Sweet, Streamline’s Director of Marketing & Training, agrees. “Streamline is a small company, and I like our mission,” she says. “We’re really about helping people. Plumbing, electric, and HVAC are almost like the ‘why’ that allows us to do that. We help people—especially in their worst times. Things are clogged, electricity is off—we generally catch people during a bad time, and we go in and try to turn their day around.”

Kerry Sweet, Streamline’s Director of Marketing and Training, chats with her team members.

Streamline’s commitment to veterans is another cornerstone of its culture. Through the SkillBridge program and Streamline’s in-house Top Tech University, the company helps military personnel transition into civilian careers. “We love supporting veterans,” Bob says. “When they come in through the SkillBridge program, they’re transitioning off active duty. There’s a gap there, and we try to help fill it with skill training and then provide a job opportunity after they discharge.”

That investment in people pays off. “Working here—it’s like a family,” says AJ Tuttle, an electrician who came in through SkillBridge. “The military is like a family, so coming here and having that same family environment—where I felt taken care of and able to take care of things outside of work—definitely helped me a lot.”

For Bob, the advice to other business owners is simple: “If you’re not doing anything in the community, just pick something—do something. It can be small. Years ago, we weren’t as fortunate as we are now to give back so much of our time and resources. So it was simple things: stop and help someone load their car; let dispatch know you’re stopping to help someone on the side of the road; buy the person behind you a cup of coffee in the drive-thru. Pay it forward. The community is calling us to help them. If we don’t stop and recognize that—what’s the point?”

At Streamline Services, giving back is a core value that attracts and keeps the best talent while creating a positive ripple effect outwards from the company. It’s good for the community, and it’s great for building strong teams.