The Pool Pros Podcast

Pool Pros
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Interviews with pool service company owners who've built successful businesses. Each episode, we sit down with a pool industry pro to hear how they started their pool route, grew their team, and scaled their business. Real strategies and lessons learned from the people actually doing it — covering everything from pool maintenance and service to marketing, hiring, and operations.

  1. 2d ago

    20 Acquisitions in Two Years: Scaling a Pool Service Roll-Up with Ryan Marcinik

    Ryan Marcinik has completed more than 20 acquisitions in less than two years and built one of the fastest-growing pool service platforms in the country.   In this episode, Ryan breaks down the systems, incentives, leadership structure, and acquisition strategies that have fueled that growth. We discuss: Why the pool industry is ripe for consolidationFinancing acquisitions with seller financing and cash flowBuilding a leadership team that scalesUsing phantom equity and profit sharing to retain talentThe KPIs every operator should trackIntegrating acquisitions successfullyRaising prices without significant customer churnGrowing repair revenue without neglecting serviceBuilding a culture of transparency and accountabilityCreating career paths for techniciansRyan also shares why recurring service accounts remain the foundation of a great pool company—and why many operators overlook their true value.

  2. Jul 14

    The Future of Pool Service: AI, Consolidation, and Scaling with Skimmer’s Niki Acosta & Hal Denbar

    The pool industry is changing fast—and technology is driving much of that change. In this episode, I sit down with Niki Acosta and Hal Denbar from Skimmer to discuss where the industry is headed and what operators need to do to stay ahead. We cover everything from AI-powered phone systems and workflow automation to industry consolidation, professionalization, and building businesses that can scale without depending on the owner.   We discuss: Why the pool industry is maturing rapidlyHow AI is changing customer service and lead managementThe risks of relying on disconnected software toolsBuilding systems that remove owner dependencyIndustry consolidation and private equity trendsWhat makes a pool company valuable to buyersWhy many operators struggle to grow past a certain pointThe future of technology in pool serviceSafety, insurance, and professionalism in a changing industryIf you’re building a pool company for long-term growth, this episode offers a look at what’s coming next.

  3. Jul 7

    How Adam Courter Doubled His Pool Business and Built a Performance Pay Culture

    Adam Courter didn’t grow up in the pool industry. After a career in banking, he acquired a pool service company and has since grown it from roughly 630 pools to more than 1,100.   In this conversation, Adam shares the systems, hiring practices, and performance-pay structure that helped fuel that growth while maintaining a strong company culture. We discuss: Transitioning from banking into pool serviceLessons learned from acquiring an established companyHow to build a hiring process that attracts the right peopleWhy culture is created through daily decisionsImplementing performance-based pay for techniciansTracking productivity without sacrificing qualityBuilding custom software with AI toolsTechnician onboarding and training systemsUsing technology to improve accountability and efficiencyManaging growth while keeping your team engagedAdam also shares why some customers aren’t worth taking on and how protecting your team can be more important than chasing revenue.

  4. Jun 30

    Why Customer Loyalty Beats Growth in the Pool Business with Ronny Barrett of Top Notch Pool Management

    Most pool companies focus on getting more customers. Ronny Barrett focuses on keeping them. Ronny is the owner of Top Notch Pool Management in the Atlanta area, where he’s built a business around high-touch service, strong client relationships, and a concierge approach that stands apart from the industry’s “splash and dash” model.   In this episode, we discuss: Why customer loyalty matters more than rapid growthHow to maintain relationships as your company scalesThe systems Ronny uses to deliver a premium customer experienceHiring, training, and retaining high-performing techniciansPerformance pay, sales incentives, and upselling opportunitiesThe shift to flat-rate pricing and what customers really wantWhat concierge pool service looks like in practiceHow to vet customers and know when to say noThe impact of private equity on the pool industryWhy Ronny stepped back into the service manager roleRonny also shares lessons learned from route acquisitions, building a premium brand, creating trust when mistakes happen, and staying focused on your niche as you grow.

  5. Jun 23

    Scaling to 1,000 Pools Without Burning Out with Dave Hawes of H&H Pools

    Dave Hawes has spent decades building H&H Pools into one of the most respected service companies in Northern California, growing to nearly 1,000 pools while staying intentional about culture, pricing, profitability, and lifestyle design.   In this episode, we talk about: Why most pool companies struggle when they start hiringThe difference between being a great technician and a great business ownerHow Dave thinks about payroll, margins, and route densityWhy he pays techs hourly instead of commissionThe operational bottlenecks that show up as you scaleHow they structure service tiers and pricingLessons learned from growing too fast geographicallyThe role delegation and middle management play in scalingWhy intentional vacations and lifestyle design matter for entrepreneursDave also shares practical insight on private equity in the pool space, route acquisitions, CRM tools like Skimmer and Pool Brain, and the long-term mindset required to build a sustainable home service business.

  6. Jun 16

    How Gohlke Pools Built a 1,250-Pool Service Business with Systems, Training & Long-Term Thinking with Nick Day

    Nick Day, GM of Gohlke Pools in Texas, breaks down what it really takes to scale a long-standing pool company from a small local operation into a 90-person business servicing more than 1,250 weekly accounts.   We cover: Why the 2008 recession pushed them to double down on serviceThe systems and org structure required to scale route operationsHow they track technician production and compensationTheir approach to training, onboarding, and retentionWhy they include chemicals in flat-rate pricingThe operational lessons learned from growing too fastHow software and technology changed the businessTheir perspective on private equity entering the pool industryIf you’re building a service business and want practical insight on scaling operations, managing techs, and creating long-term stability, this episode is packed with takeaways.

  7. Jun 9

    How Dazzle Pools Wins in Arizona with Better Service, Better Techs & Zero Discounting with Chantel Dooley

    Chantel Dooley shares how Dazzle Pools built a premium pool service company in one of the most competitive markets in the country—without racing to the bottom on price.   We cover: Why answering the phone is still a massive competitive advantageHow Skimmer helps them deliver a premium customer experienceTheir philosophy of “quality over quantity”Why they refuse to discount or compete on cheap pricingHow they recruit and retain great technicians in Arizona heatThe systems and culture that keep their team engaged long termIf you want to build a high-quality service company with strong culture and loyal customers, this episode is full of practical takeaways.

  8. Jun 2

    How The Pool Butler of Atlanta Grew 57% by Training Techs, Firing Bad Customers & Selling More to Existing Clients

    Pool Butler services 550–600 pools in Atlanta with 30 employees, but their real growth came from systems, training, and higher-value services—not just adding more pools.   We cover: Why they prioritize attitude over experience when hiringHow weekly training drives consistency at scaleTheir strategy for “weeding the garden” and firing bad-fit customersHow technicians generate high-margin upsells in the fieldWhy Google Ads + reviews outperform postcardsHow they’re using AI and automation to scale operationsIf you want to build a more profitable pool company without chasing endless route volume, this episode is packed with practical insights.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Interviews with pool service company owners who've built successful businesses. Each episode, we sit down with a pool industry pro to hear how they started their pool route, grew their team, and scaled their business. Real strategies and lessons learned from the people actually doing it — covering everything from pool maintenance and service to marketing, hiring, and operations.

Information

  • Creator
    Pool Pros
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Pool Pros
  • Show Website
    The Pool Pros Podcast

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