Jesse Derr, 31

Jesse Derr started his pool career as a summer job in 2006 at age 15. After graduating high school, he landed a full-time position as a service tech for Leslie’s Poolmart. At 21, Derr was promoted to senior service technician and became the district trainer for new hires.

“I learned so much during my tenure at Leslie’s, not only about pools but also how to run a business,” Derr says. “My supervisor, Doug Haggard, was the best mentor. I owe him the world for everything he taught me along the way.”

Within six years, Derr and his best friend, Josh Parr, were ranked as the No. 1 and No. 2 service technicians in their Leslie’s district multiple times, maxing out their salaries. The only remaining promotion was to service manager, but the position required travel and both men were starting families.

In 2016, Derr and Parr started their own pool service company, Accurate Pool and Landscape, LLC. They started by hiring three coworkers from Leslie’s; they now have eight full-time employees and are nearing $1 million in revenue a year. Derr’s goal is to maintain a secure future for his growing family.

“I feel truly blessed to be where I am today with the people I am surrounded by,” Derr says. “I wouldn’t change a thing and look forward to the many years ahead of me with my pool family. I hope to pass the company along to our children. Most importantly, I want to always provide honest workmanship of the highest caliber to each and every one of our customers. Chlorine is in my blood. I’m doing what I was born to do.” (Pictured: Parr, left; Derr, right)