Sarah Knieff

Joined May 9, 2025

Articles 12

David Jones, 40

By Sarah Knieff
When David Jones was 11, a family friend hired him to do some gardening work. “After about six months, we noticed that the pool maintenance jobs seemed much easier,” he says. “We contacted [a friend’s] uncle who was a pool cleaner and asked him to teach us the ropes. He took my friend along for a day, and soon after, we placed an ad in the Pennysaver and started acquiring pool service accounts.”

Renee Porter, 38

By Sarah Knieff
Deciding to take a break after college graduation, Renee Porter switched gears from her degree in science and went into commercial insurance. She started working for her “bonus mom,” Jeannette Blanton, in 2010.

Donny Rocovits, 32

By Sarah Knieff
What started as a way to make some extra summer cash for teenage Donny Rocovits, pulling pool lights and installing heaters, turned into a lifelong career full of passion.

Mackenzie Klahr, 31

By Sarah Knieff
During the pandemic, many people began looking at life differently. For Mackenzie Klahr — who spent nine years as a marketer in the construction industry and was a television news reporter before that — this introspection resulted in a career change. 

Raymond da Rosa, 38

By Sarah Knieff
Since 2007, Raymond da Rosa has worked across various segments of the pool service industry, including residential maintenance, chemical treatment and equipment repair and installation. Today, he co-owns Golden State Pools.

Jake Sperounes, 26

By Sarah Knieff
After being raised on the Gulf of Mexico, Jake Sperounes has a lifelong connection to the water and an enjoyment of outdoor activities, so it was natural that he found his way into the pool service industry.