Acquisitions Highlight What Makes a Good Pool Company
Congratulations are due to Javier Payan and David Hawes, two longtime pool professionals and personal friends, who recently sold the companies they spent decades building.
Javier founded Payan Pool Service in 1987, growing a small route into one of San Diego County’s most respected pool companies. He’s become an industry mentor, contributing to the Independent Pool and Spa Service Association and other industry organizations. David founded H&H Pool Services in the early 1970s and has been a generous contributor to the industry through his leadership with IPSSA, Pool Industry Expo and numerous educational seminars.
Selling a business that carries your name and decades of your work is no small decision. Both men were intentional about finding buyers they trusted to care for their employees, customers and reputations. I’m thrilled for Javier and David as they begin this next chapter, and I hope their sales give other pool professionals a chance to consider what they want the future of their own companies to look like.
Building a company someone wants to acquire begins long before a buyer appears. This issue looks at several parts of that work.
Our feature on workplace culture explores how pool companies are creating places where good employees want to stay. Clear career paths, thoughtful training and leaders who listen are proving far more effective than surface-level perks. In Pool Ops, we take that discussion further with warning signs that a technician may be preparing to leave and practical ways owners can respond before a resignation arrives.
At E-Konomy Pool Service and Supplies, culture is supported by systems. The Arizona company invites ideas from every department, refuses to rush technician training and regularly asks customers for feedback. Its approach shows how everyday operating decisions can strengthen employee and customer relationships.
Whether you are preparing to sell, working to retain a great technician or deciding if your trucks need a new look, I hope this issue helps you build a company that is stronger, more valuable and better prepared for what comes next.
Best,
Megan Kendrick, publisher, CPO
