How a Former SWAT Officer Built One of California's Most Successful Pool Companies | Featuring Obie Rodriguez What happens when a 30-year law enforcement veteran and 15-year SWAT officer decides to build swimming pools instead of chasing criminals? In episode # 307 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus and Ryan Morse from Hayward sit down with Obie Rodriguez, owner of Majestic Pool Construction, to share one of the most inspiring business stories in the swimming pool industry. After two frustrating experiences hiring pool contractors, Obie decided to learn the trade himself. He earned his contractor's license, built his own company from the ground up, and today completes more than 200 custom swimming pool and remodeling projects every year across multiple locations. This conversation goes far beyond swimming pool construction. It's about leadership, building systems, growing a company, creating a culture that thrives without the owner, using social media to generate qualified leads, and believing in yourself enough to take the leap into entrepreneurship. Whether you're a pool builder, pool service professional, swimming pool contractor, retailer, distributor, manufacturer, or business owner, this episode is packed with practical advice you can apply immediately to grow your business. In This Episode: • How two bad pool-building experiences changed Obie's life forever • Transitioning from SWAT officer to successful pool builder • Building a swimming pool company that completes more than 200 projects per year • Creating business systems that allow your company to grow without you • Leadership lessons from law enforcement that apply to every business • Why delegation is one of the hardest skills for business owners • Expanding into multiple locations • Surviving COVID without sacrificing profits • The social media strategy that doubled qualified leads • Why transparency creates better customers • The future of pool automation and smart technology • Advice every entrepreneur needs to hear before starting a business Episode Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Pool Nation 01:30 – Meet Obie Rodriguez 04:00 – Family, RV life, and fishing stories 08:45 – Becoming a police officer at 19 10:00 – Fifteen years on SWAT 15:00 – Two terrible pool-building experiences that changed everything 18:00 – Learning the pool industry by working for free 20:00 – Building pools while serving as a police officer 22:30 – Retiring early and betting on himself 24:00 – COVID, supply shortages, and protecting profits 32:30 – Expanding to multiple locations 35:00 – Building systems that allow the business to run without you 41:00 – What today's pool buyers really want 46:00 – The social media strategy that doubled qualified leads 49:00 – Why transparency creates better customers 55:00 – Final advice for entrepreneurs Special Thanks to Our Sponsors Thank you to our incredible partners for helping Pool Nation educate, inspire, and elevate the swimming pool industry: • OnCore Filtration • Hayward Pool Products • Heritage Pool Supply Group • The SPPA • BluRay XL • AquaStar Pool Products • Natural Chemistry • Raypak • Poolside Tech Encore Brands • Pool Brain • Nidec / US Motors The Pool Nation Podcast is the premier podcast for the swimming pool industry, delivering weekly conversations with the industry's top pool builders, service professionals, manufacturers, distributors, educators, and business leaders. Master the Business. Perfect the Craft. Subscribe today and join thousands of pool professionals who are growing stronger businesses through education, leadership, and community.
