“How did you take a $1 million office and turn it into an $8 million office — in five years?” It’s a familiar question asked of Ryan Vaughn, owner/operator of California Pools – Orange County South in San Clemente, California.
His response is always the same: “I’m different. When you’re different, you shine.”
He credits this maverick approach to a background that didn’t begin in the pool-building industry. He began with a mission in Mexico, then segued to becoming the Spanish radio station producer for the Los Angeles Angels and was involved for 10 years in the splash pad and waterpark business, among others.
Vaughn had been contacted several times by Ryder Steimle, who was transforming California Pools from company-owned locations into a franchise entity, California Pools Franchise. “He liked my personality and my go-getter attitude and thought I’d be a good franchise owner,” Vaughn says. “[But] I kept turning him down.”
Initially hesitant due to previous negative experiences with pool builders, Vaughn finally accepted an offer too good to refuse: the Orange County South territory, which Steimle had originally saved for himself. The bonus: Vaughn wouldn’t have to relocate from San Clemente, his hometown.
Vaughn realized this was an opportunity that would allow him “to do things differently and shine like a superstar.” So, in 2019, Vaughn became the company’s first franchisee and owner/operator of California Pools – Orange County South.
His earlier experiences — like discovering that the planning stage of pool construction will take three to four months before demo can begin — had already taught him the importance of building good relationships through transparency and communication. Homeowners can be impatient, but as he tells them, nobody wants this process to go faster than he does — under California law, he can only collect a maximum of $1,000 when the contract is signed, and he is out of pocket for the planning stage expenses until the permit is granted.
Vaughn says some contractors may claim to handle planning stage expenses only to pass them onto homeowners later. This is one of the pitfalls he cautions clients about as they’re vetting a potential pool builder.
“I want them to see I’m not some salesman with slicked-back hair and a collared shirt just trying to sell them a pool,” he says with a laugh, wearing his flat-bill hat and T-shirt with the California Pools logo. Sometimes, his advice is met with skepticism — that it’s just a sales pitch, he says. But this transparency is where his company stands out.
“There’s no better thing than being clear and communicative,” Vaughn says. “You can avoid so many problems by being 100% transparent.”
Creating a quality customer experience is crucial for Vaughn to satisfy his clients and maintain his reputation.
“I live in this town,” he says. “I don’t want to be going to sporting events or at the local grocery store and see someone who doesn’t feel like we did our best.”
Initially, Vaughn visited clients’ backyards but realized the challenges it presented, from unpredictable weather to pets and kids vying for clients’ attention during the appointment.
He also found himself going through the same information with every new customer.
“After experiencing all that backyard drama, I wondered why I was even going to their backyards — why wasn’t I doing this in my showroom?” That was a game changer, he says.
Now, he meets homeowners in his San Clemente showroom for the initial presentation, which includes processes and expectations. Then, Vaughn sketches out possible designs on a whiteboard using Google Earth. On day two, his project manager goes to the property to take photos, video, drone footage and measurements. Within a week, they all return to the showroom, where the prospective clients are shown exact renderings of their backyard and given a proposal — a quicker-than-typical turnaround.
Vaughn’s company also stands out with its approach to change orders, only signing those initiated by the homeowner.
“I want homeowners to know that we’re not going to try and find ways to nickel and dime and upgrade this and change order that,” he says. “Let’s get it right from day one and sign the contract. If there’s going to be a change order, it’s because the client has come to me and said, ‘Hey, we’re actually thinking about the fire pit after all.’ ”
His sales team plays a crucial role in the company’s success, with a profit-sharing model that fosters a sense of ownership.
“They’re amazing because they’re always looking for ways to make the customer happy and make it a good experience for referrals as well,” he says.
Vaughn’s business involves new construction only; he won’t take on remodeling or work left undone by others. He acknowledges that while expanding into remodels, pool servicing, cleaning and product sales might be a good opportunity, he prefers to improve and grow the core business.
“If someone purchased my office one day, they might want to expand horizontally,” he says. “But I like to expand vertically. I like to keep doing what we’re doing and take that $1 million office and turn it into a $7 or $8 million office instead.”
