In Episode 289 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus, John “JJ Flawless,” and Zac “The Pool Boy” recap the energy and momentum from the Western Pool & Spa Show and the Southwest Pool & Spa Show, then dive into powerful conversations featuring some of the brightest rising stars and top sales professionals in the swimming pool industry.

This episode highlights:

• The impact of industry trade shows on pool service businesses

• Leadership development and next-generation talent in aquatics

• The importance of customer relationships and pool education

• What separates top-performing sales reps in the pool industry

• The Pool Nation Awards 30 Under 40 nominees

• Sales Rep of the Year nominees and what drives their success

You’ll hear stories of resilience, entrepreneurship, business growth, and the mindset it takes to build a sustainable and profitable pool service or pool building company.

Whether you're a pool service professional, pool builder, sales rep, or industry supplier, this episode delivers insight, motivation, and practical takeaways to help you level up your business.

If you're serious about growing your pool company, scaling operations, improving customer retention, and becoming a true Pool Pro — this episode is for you.

00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 01:00 – Western & Southwest Pool & Spa Show Recap 03:00 – Zac’s Idaho adventure & team banter 09:00 – Introducing 30 Under 40 Male of the Year Nominees 13:00 – IPSA Education Fund & Investing in Industry Training 15:00 – James Broderick’s Journey: From Pandemic Startup to Growth Through Referrals 21:00 – Pool Education & “Pool School” for Homeowners 24:00 – Sales Rep of the Year Nominee Introduction 28:00 – Sales Rep Leadership, Market Growth & Industry Relationships 32:00 – Andrew’s Career: Distribution to Manufacturer Rep 40:00 – Daniel’s 30-Year Industry Journey: Retail, Service, Building & Manufacturing 48:00 – Relationship-Driven Sales & Building Market Trust 55:00 – Industry Growth, Mentorship & What’s Next for Pool Pros

We want to thank our incredible Visionary Partners for supporting the Pool Nation Podcast and the pool industry:

• SPPA

• BlueRay XL

• AquaStar Pool Products

• Natural Chemistry

• Raypak

• Heritage Pool Supply

• Hayward Pool Products

• PoolSide Tech

• Pool Brain

• Nidec / US Motors

• OnCore Filtration

Your commitment to education, innovation, and supporting pool professionals nationwide makes this platform possible.

Episode 288 Pool Nation Podcast. Are you busy… or are you actually building a profitable pool service business?

In this episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar, John, and Zac break down one of the biggest traps in the swimming pool industry: confusing being busy with being successful.

As we head into peak pool season, many pool pros find themselves working longer hours, adding more pools, and filling every minute of the day — but still feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and underpaid.

This episode dives deep into:

• Why long hours don’t equal profitability • How busyness hides skill gaps and financial problems • The dangerous cycle of “organized chaos” in pool companies • Why scaling without readiness leads to burnout • How to transition from technician to operator • The role of planning, pricing, and financial clarity in sustainable growth

If you’re a pool service business owner trying to grow, scale, or simply survive the busy season without burning out — this conversation is for you.

Because readiness isn’t about knowing more. It’s about making better decisions before chaos hits.

00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 01:00 – Why “Busy” Doesn’t Mean Profitable 05:30 – Western & Southwest Pool Shows + Boot Camp Updates 08:45 – The $10,000 Pool Pro Challenge & Raypak AVIA Giveaway 12:00 – The “Busy Trap” in the Pool Industry 15:00 – Hustle vs. Structure: Why Long Hours Aren’t the Answer 19:00 – How Busyness Masks Skill Gaps in Pool Service 22:00 – Stop Being a “Field Medic” – Fix Root Causes Instead 25:00 – The Illusion of Success in a Packed Schedule 28:00 – Why Adding More Pools Isn’t Always the Solution 31:00 – Warning Signs You’re Running in Organized Chaos 34:00 – Creating Space in the Day for Preventative Work 41:00 – Readiness vs. Reaction: Making Better Decisions 45:00 – Where Pool Businesses Get Stuck as They Grow 50:00 – Financial Readiness as a Competitive Advantage 56:00 – Final Thoughts: Work Smarter, Not Just Harder

A huge thank you to our Visionary Partners for supporting the Pool Nation Podcast and helping us elevate the pool industry:

• SPPA

• Blu-Ray XL

• AquaStar Pool Products

• Natural Chemistry

• Raypak

• Heritage Pool Supply

• Hayward Pool Products

• PoolSide Tech

• Pool Brain

• Nidec

• OnCore Filtration

We appreciate your commitment to helping pool pros grow stronger businesses.

In Episode 287 of Pool Nation Podcast is Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Edgar , John “JJ Flawless,” and Zac “The Pool Boy” Nicholas break down the real difference between information and actual training—and why most pool professionals aren’t truly prepared when they walk into a backyard.

This episode dives deep into training readiness, skill gaps, and why mistakes keep happening at customer pools instead of in controlled learning environments. If you’ve ever felt confident in a class but froze when things went sideways in the field, this episode explains exactly why—and how to fix it.

You’ll hear real-world stories from the field, honest conversations about YouTube education, hands-on training, repetition, and why confidence only comes from practice, not just knowledge. The team also explains how seasonality, pressure, and poor training structures hold pool businesses back—and what owners must do differently moving forward.

This episode is a must-listen for:

• Pool service techs

• Repair technicians

• Business owners

• Managers training teams

• Anyone serious about growing skills, confidence, and profitability in the pool industry

If you want to stop learning the hard way in customers’ backyards and start building real readiness, this episode is for you.

00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 01:00 – Why Part 2 matters: Training vs information 03:00 – YouTube education: Helpful or harmful? 07:00 – Why information feels like progress (but isn’t) 10:00 – The real danger of learning under pressure 15:00 – Why mistakes show up at customer pools first 19:00 – Repetition, muscle memory, and real confidence 23:00 – Hands-on training vs classroom learning 28:00 – Why “figuring it out in the field” became normalized 33:00 – Seasonality and why training gets pushed aside 37:00 – How skill gaps show up operationally, emotionally, and financially 42:00 – Why owners stop training themselves 47:00 – What effective training actually looks like 52:00 – How to choose the right education for your team 58:00 – Final thoughts: Raising the standard in pool education

A huge thank you to our Pool Nation Visionary Partners who make this podcast possible:

• The SPPA

• BlueRay XL

• AquaStar Pool Products

• Natural Chemistry

• Raypak

• Heritage Pool Supply

• Hayward Pool Products

• PoolSide Tech

• Pool Brain

• Nidec / U.S. Motors

• Encore Filtration – Welcome to the Pool Nation family

Your continued support helps elevate education, professionalism, and profitability across the pool industry.