Sabrina Salem, 23
Sabrina Salem began working with pools in high school and from the beginning, experienced resistance. “Everyone told me this wasn’t a woman’s industry, and now I do it all … sometimes I even help the guys, too,” she says.
Undeterred by the skepticism surrounding women in the field, she embraced all aspects of the industry, from chemistry balancing to repairs, diagnostics, sales and customer service. After founding a servicing company in 2019, she eventually sold her route and joined the team at Desert Pool Service as the service manager. In 2023, she returned to being a business owner starting her service company, Splashtacular Sab.
What resonates most with Salem about working in the pool industry is the ever-changing nature of the job. Walking into diverse backyards in the Arizona desert presents distinct problems and daily surprises. She especially loves diagnosing issues and making repairs.
“I don’t want to be the top dog in this industry; there are enough pools for everybody,” she says. “I just want to learn as much as I can along the way. I want to educate homeowners about pools and provide the best pool service possible.”
Salem hopes to be remembered as a pool service provider who educated and helped others because of her affinity for pools and her approach to the field. “Pools aren’t easy, and they require a lot of TLC,” she says. “It’s not just simple chemistry balance; there is an art to it.”
She draws inspiration from Mr. Rogers, an author and actor known for his kindness and care for others. Salem hopes to channel these values into her approach to pool service.
“I always communicate and genuinely try to give my clients options,” she says. “The best tool you can bring into a backyard isn’t channel locks or a flathead — it’s the ability to listen, communicate and be kind.”
