Episode 89: Approaching the Pool Industry Using a Corporate World Mindset with Mike and Jacob of Sparkle & Splash Pool Care
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In this episode, we sat down with Mike and Jacob of Sparkle and Splash Pool Care. Mike & his wife Amy started the company in 2007 when they moved from the Bay Area to Tucson, AZ. They started out by purchasing a route of 50 customers and now service over 800 pools weekly. Amy actually took care of the pools for the first 6 months or so. Mike shared with us that he could not have done this without Amy and her continued support. Having that stability and trust at home has allowed him to focus on the business. Now 10 years later Amy is coming back on board and bringing her 30 years of corporate experience which will continue to move the company forward for years to come. Coming from a corporate background, Mike viewed the industry a little different than most. Mike saw that growth was one of the most difficult parts of running a service company, so he adopted a unique strategy of acquiring routes to allow for that growth and provide the infrastructure to create new staff positions such as a service manager which we discuss on the episode.
Over the years as they have grown, they have added additional expertise in pool maintenance management. This has led them to be one of the top leading Pool Service companies in Tucson. One of those key hires was Jacob who Mike wanted to have on with him since he is such a key piece to what they do day in and day out. Jacob has the pool industry in his blood, his father has been in the industry for over 30 years. As a child he and his cousin would talk about wanting to be pool guys when they grew up. Being raised around pools and being taught how to work hard by his dad has turned Jacob into an incredible person and asset for the company. After talking with both of them, we can tell you that Jacob is the person we all dreamed about having on our team. It was an honor to have them in the studio and share their story.
Show notes
Who is Mike with Sparkle & Splash Pool Care [02:11]
You came into the swimming pool industry from a corporate background, can you talk about that transition and why the industry was appealing to you? [14:15]
Were you happy with the decision you made transitioning from the corporate job to the pool service job? [20:18]
Why were you attracted to the pool industry? [23:51]
Handling growth can be difficult! Mike purchases pool routes to add more customers which allows him to create new positions like a service manager. [27:17]
Purchasing routes and taking on their pool service technicians [30:34]
When I buy a route I know I am going to lose customers. [34:30]
A bad pool and good pool for the business [37:11]
Marketing taking a backseat to prioritizing the business [44:17]
Meet Jacob and discuss building the team [53:16]
Why is Jacob so dedicated to Mike and Sparkle and Splash Pool Care [57:56]
Who is Jacob with Sparkle & Splash Pool Care [01:00:15]
Jacob worked at Leslies’s [01:04:54]
Jacob’s primary role as a Repair Manager [01:11:09]
Handing over the responsibility to another employee [01:17:49]
The pool guy stigma [01:26:27]
If you could go back and change one thing what would it be? [01:37:25]
Book and Podcast recommendations [01:43:14]