Finding a new customer is 5%-225% more expensive than keeping an existing one, according to marketing experts. For pool service providers, especially those operating on slim margins, that’s a strong incentive to keep current clients around.
Across the pool industry, leadership doesn’t always come with a title — it’s built over time through real-world experience, hard-earned credibility and doing things the right way. This year’s Power Women represent every corner of the profession, from builders and service leaders to advocates and educators. Each has carved out a path while helping elevate the people around her, proving that the future of the industry is being shaped by women with both purposeful vision and boots-on-the-ground experience.
Like many women who find themselves in leadership roles in aquatics, Kelly Collins started in the industry alongside her husband and the company he built.
Kelly Collins didn’t just join the pool industry — she grew into it step by step. In 2019, she began helping her husband with invoicing and office work at Code 3 Pool Service and then moved into the field as a technician. That combination of office and field knowledge prepared her to be operations manager, where she oversees scheduling, vendor coordination, customer communication and team support. She still jumps in on fieldwork when needed, training new hires or covering routes, which keeps her connected to the day-to-day challenges her technicians face.