You may have heard that last month I bought PoolPro, along with sister publications SpaRetailer, Spasearchand Poolsearch. I love this industry and the people in it, and I’m so happy this is where I will continue my career.
This process has given me a new respect for small-business owners. As I make further strides in an industry where I’ve worked for 10 years, I can’t imagine starting from scratch. This magazine was healthy and growing, yet there was still an overwhelming amount of work to do to transfer ownership. I’ve always wanted my own business, but I probably never would have pulled the trigger if I’d had to build from the ground up like so many of you have.
That’s been on my mind quite a bit, especially as I worked on this story about franchising. The pool industry — especially pool service and maintenance — has become ripe for franchise companies. For people who want to be their own boss and also want a roadmap for how to do it, franchising is an amazing way to go.
I also imagine it might be intimidating for independent companies to suddenly have to contend with a franchise brand in their territory. But if you have a track record of taking care of your customers, you will have room to grow. Competing with a national brand may push you to try new and interesting things.
Thank you for your well wishes as the news of the ownership transition spreads. I’m so grateful for the loyal readers, advertisers and partners who make PoolProwhat it is, and I appreciate your continued support.
Best,
Megan Kendrick, editor-in-chief
