For many pool professionals, Memorial Day marks the point when the season shifts. Demand accelerates and the pace of day-to-day work changes almost overnight. At the same time, May is Water Safety Month, which should be a reminder that as activity increases, so does the responsibility that comes with it.
In the home services industry, reliability and professionalism often determine whether a customer makes a one-time call or builds a long-term relationship. For The Pool Butler, a Georgia-based pool service company, those qualities are not just goals — they are the foundation of the business.
Whether your new pool customers are first-timers or previous owners, they’ve likely bought into at least one of the persistent myths of pool care: pools only need minimal maintenance, more chemicals mean a cleaner pool or clear water means clean water. And, of course, many believe they only need maintenance when there’s a problem.
For Maddy Vandiver, pools have always felt like home. A competitive swimmer in her youth, her first jobs in the industry were as a lifeguard, swim instructor and coach. That early connection to the water eventually led her to the service side of the business, where she found her true calling.
In high school, Tim Bolden worked for a pool company, where he learned to build and maintain pools. “It was simply a way to earn extra cash after school,” he says. “I never could have imagined I would build a lifelong career in the industry.” After graduation, Bolden joined the U.S. Navy and was stationed…