We’ve really been on a theme kick in 2019, and for this issue it’s safety. The interesting thing about our industry is that when you talk about safety you’ve got two areas to cover — workplace safety and customer safety. When I started working in the industry back in 2008, I remember learning quickly to…
Further, we are FINALLY talking about portable vacuums. I’m not sure there’s a topic or product I see discussed more on industry forums. We did our best to round up what’s available, and cover the pros and cons of each. Another story I’ve wanted to do for awhile is about cultivating and maintaining relationships with…
I recently read a quote that I can’t stop thinking about, from the book Widgets by Rodd Wagner: “Your people are not your greatest asset. They’re not yours, and they’re not assets.” That’s probably something many of us have said, in all sincerity, to point toward how much employees mean to our organization. But, wow,…
Happy new year from all of us at PoolPro. We appreciate your support in 2018, and hope 2019 is great for you personally and professionally. We’ve never before done a themed issue of PoolPro, but we’re starting 2019 with an issue all about retail. If you don’t have a swimming pool retail store, don’t put…
It’s here — the 2018 Pool | Spa | Patio Expo. This will be my 10th show, but it will be my first as the magazine’s owner. We’ve been getting great feedback from our last issue and my stint as a guest on the Pool Chasers podcast, and I hope you’ll stop by our booth…
Last year I received an email about a PoolPro story on online reviews: “After reading The Review Conundrum article I was very inspired because this is exactly what we went after when starting our company three years ago. Taking Yelp and Google serious took our business to a whole new level … If you ever…
You may have heard that last month I bought PoolPro, along with sister publications SpaRetailer, Spasearchand Poolsearch. I love this industry and the people in it, and I’m so happy this is where I will continue my career. This process has given me a new respect for small-business owners. As I make further strides in…
A fresh take on an old gripe has me thinking Have you ever talked with someone whose attitude changes your perspective on a problem? That happened to me when I was talking to Michael Henson, owner of pH Pool Care in Arkansas. We were having a lengthy discussion about how he sources his product, including…
Give your company a stress test Some people would call me a planner. I like to have everything mapped out from work tasks and family vacations to weekend projects around the house. I’ve got my life organized in various spreadsheets and other planning tools. I take comfort in having an idea of what is supposed to…
What’s keeping you from hiring the best? The lack of labor comes up a lot in the pool industry. We hadn’t done a story on it, and I figured it was time — and would be a good read for our show issue. I didn’t expect the article to partly become a debate over whether there…
Time to hold a mirror up to your business On page 35, we take a look at proper shotcrete procedures — it’s quite possibly an article you’ll glance at and then move on without reading. You already know everything you need to know about shotcrete. Not like your competitor down the road. He’s the one…
We’re bringing the magazine straight to your phone or tablet When I tell people I write and edit magazines, they want to know, “Which one?” Of course, the guy changing my oil, a Starbucks barista or the majority of people I come in contact with outside work will likely never see a trade magazine…