Reid Schindler, 34

Reid Schindler started as a design intern for Gohlke Pools in 2005. While attending Oklahoma State University, he accepted a job in design and sales for Claffey Pools in Southlake, Texas, and was hired full time upon completion of his landscape architecture degree. During his eight years at Claffey, Schindler designed and was part of over 25 design awards, including the Southwest Pool & Spa Awards of Excellence; the PHTA Awards of Excellence; and the Master Pools Guild. In 2019, he won the PHTA Young Professional of the Year award.

Schindler also served four years on the steering committee for the PHTA WAVE Young Professionals group, and helped bring the national WAVE events to a more regional scale in the southwest. In 2017, Schindler partnered with Mike Farley to create the PHTA’s Million Dollar Pool Design Challenge. He says he’s most proud of the fact that this competition includes a student winner each year and brings that student to the Pool | Spa | Patio Expo to learn more about the industry.

In 2019, Schindler left Claffey Pools to start Schindler Design Co., in Edmond, Oklahoma. Since then, the company has done over $5 million in business without spending anything on marketing.

“We have quickly developed a reputation as the new company to call in Oklahoma for both high-end design and build projects that range in scope from $100,000 to over $1 million,” Schindler says. “We pride ourselves on keeping up with the latest trends in the pool and outdoor living industry and put a strong focus on making sure each design is unique, but also extremely functional for every client.”

Schindler doesn’t have lofty ambitions for building an empire. “As our company and reputation grows, we will only continue to build in quality and not quantity,” he says. “We are extremely focused on keeping our business small, with constant direct communication from owners to the homeowner.”