In 2006, Michael J. Baker was a jack-of-all-trades: He was a bartender, selling gym memberships and cleaning pools. His ambition was to be a business owner, so while he worked his other jobs, he started building a pool service company. By 2009, Baker had 50 service accounts and quit his other jobs. In 2011, he…
When Vic Garcia wanted to build a pool in his backyard, he started calling different industry companies. But the operational issues he encountered — high-pressure sales, flakiness, lack of follow up and low design creativity — made him realize change was needed. As an engineer for the Department of Defense, Garcia manages fleet readiness of…
In 1982, the year Brooke Rossi was born, her parents Mike and Michelle DesRochers started DesRochers Pools. She spent her adolescent and teen years heavily involved with the business and has since taken over as second-generation owner, alongside her brother Brian DesRochers. After graduating from Illinois State University in 2005 with a degree in kinesiology,…
“The pool industry is surprisingly lucrative and complex,” says Brian Fernandes, business development manager at Poolwerx. Fernandes oversees multiple Poolwerx franchise partners, helping to enforce best practices and coach business growth via technical excellence, customer service, local area marketing, profit-and-loss management and organizational strategy. Fernandes began working in the pool industry as a retail associate…
I’ve been to a lot of trade shows — and after a while, they all start to run together. Exhibiting is a ton of work, even for a small booth like ours. In the past, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with trade shows: I love to be there and see everyone, and I have some…
Registration and more details available at PoolSpaPatio.com. DallasNovember 16–18, 2021Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Events Tuesday, November 16 5–6 p.m. | Gilley’s DallasPHTA WAVE Young Professionals Network Event Network and socialize with fellow young professionals. Admission includes select alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and appetizers. Registration is free but space is limited, so reserve your ticket…
Rick Woemmel, PresidentBi-State Pool & SpaSt. Louis Rick Woemmel left his computer science job to start Bi-State Pool & Spa in 1994. Like most small business owners, back then he was the president, CEO, janitor and technician. Now, Woemmel can focus on leading, supporting and teaching his employees, making sure they develop within his company…
AquaStar Pool Products Inc., has been making equipment for pools, spas, water features and water parks since 2003 and is continuously striving for innovation. The vertically integrated company is capable of doing everything from designing initial engineering concepts to finishing and producing in-house, says Todd Pieri, chief operating officer. “We always listen to the industry’s…
When a customer dreams up the perfect backyard oasis, supply shortages, delays and communication breakdowns usually aren’t part of the fantasy. But with the state of the pool building industry over the past year and a half, that can often be the reality. When lines of communication are broken with customers, they lose confidence in…
The tides are turning for the pool service industry. With more companies entering the market aiming to acquire smaller pool service companies, the industry is seeing a shift toward consolidation, which started in earnest in 2020 and continues to gain momentum. “There are many people out there who love the industry, but they don’t want…
October through January is prime time for recruiting when you run a business that has its Christmas in July. Everybody starts to ramp up as your season winds down, and if you look at the opportunity correctly, that’s a good thing. It could also be your key to filling your employment needs for the upcoming…
From slowed part production and raw material shortages to job market woes, pool and spa customers are experiencing an increase in the time between purchase and delivery. Jennifer Gannon, proprietor at BonaVista Pools in Ontario, Canada, says customers “are finding out that the supply chain is sort of deeply altered for all retailers.” With this…