Growing up in Puerto Rico, Omar Falcon spent weekends helping his father with his pool maintenance business.
“At first, I didn’t like swimming pools, but when I turned 16, it was the only job available,” he says. “While I was in high school, I cleaned pools on Saturdays and earned $60, which made me feel like a millionaire at that age.”
While pursuing a degree in political science at the University of Puerto Rico, Falcon continued to work part-time at his father’s company. Although he once imagined a career in law, his experiences with pools shifted his focus. By 2013, Falcon began using social media to promote his father’s business, discovering the broader potential of the pool industry and becoming fascinated by hotel pools, water parks and wave pools.
In 2016, Falcon ventured into independent work, leveraging his father’s support. After Hurricane Maria in 2017, he saw a surge in demand, quickly expanding his business to manage 75 pools within months. Initially handling maintenance, sales and equipment installation, Falcon transitioned in 2020 to focus exclusively on pool construction and remodeling.
Falcon Pools has gained a reputation for innovation and quality, particularly through its Spanish-language educational content.
“The industry is old and doesn’t fully understand the modern world, but we have used this to our advantage, leveraging digital platforms as our primary promotional tool,” he says.
His goal is for Falcon Pools to be synonymous with luxury swimming pools in Puerto Rico, showcasing the company’s ability to thrive despite the island’s economic and political challenges.
“We always achieve a lot with a little,” he says.
Falcon’s passion for the industry is evident in his efforts to elevate the profession and share knowledge with Spanish speakers.
“In both Latin America and the United States, the majority of workers are Latino, and I believe we should recognize our great effort and contribution to this industry,” he says. “I want to be remembered as the Latin American who elevated our minority to be recognized as the most important workforce within the industry and achieved equal access to the opportunities the industry offers.”
Falcon’s aim is to expand his digital presence across Latin America, becoming a leading educational resource. He dreams of opening a specialized store for technological pool equipment and refining his skills in mosaic installation, potentially collaborating with experts like Ray Corral. Above all, he is grateful for his place in the industry.
“All my life, I have been able to fill the refrigerator and have a roof over my head thanks to the swimming pool industry,” he says. “No matter what emergency we face, whether hurricanes or pandemics, we are essential workers for our countries because water is life.”
