Matthew Boranian, 36

Matthew Boranian

36
Owner
Doctor Pool
Kailua, Hawaii
yelp.com/biz/the-pool-doctor-kailua

Matthew Boranian has been in the pool industry off and on since 2005, when he started as a swim instructor during college. It was there that he developed a desire to pursue a career in water chemistry. He worked for a few independently run businesses, and in 2012 was diagnosed with kidney disease.

“It was awful,” Boranian says. “In the five years following my diagnosis, I went from a college athlete to barely being able to walk up a flight of stairs.” Boranian counts himself lucky to be alive due to the generosity of his youngest brother, who was a match and donated one of his kidneys.

“During recovery, I thought about what my life was going to look like,” he says. “I felt like working for myself was going to be the best move for my family and me.” Initially, Boranian was going to purchase an existing pool service route to get started but decided against it.

“I realized that, if I was ready to start this journey, I’d better start from scratch and build my own brand and reputation — really earn it,” he says. “I’m so thrilled and honored that every day I get to go out to beautiful pools, work hard, problem solve and learn on the way.”

Being in the pool for years and growing up on an island, Boranian says he was always aware of the dangers of water, but it wasn’t until later that he realized water chemistry was also dangerous if not properly maintained. Plus, now a father, he is acutely aware of all water safety concerns.

“I got out of the water and began to study and learn about water chemistry, local laws pertaining to pools and spas, and what I could do to prevent any water related injuries while I wasn’t there to jump in and pull the person back to safety,” he says of his passion for developing awareness. “Hawaii is super chillax, which is great, but sometimes we need to be reminded or made aware of things that pose a risk to ourselves and our loved ones.”

Moving forward, Boranian and his brother are in the process of purchasing a pool and spa leak detection company to expand Doctor Pool offerings.