E-215 Pool Nation Podcast - Business Scaling and Financial Goals with Josh Sandler

From Humble Beginnings to Industry Leadership

The pool service industry has always been a testament to the American dream – where hard work, determination, and smart business practices can transform a simple route into a thriving enterprise. In this episode of Pool Nation Podcast, we dive deep into the world of business scaling and financial success with Josh Sandler, CEO of Gold Medal Pools, whose journey exemplifies what's possible when passion meets strategic thinking.

As host Edgar DeJazuz noted, this conversation promises to be packed with actionable insights for pool professionals at every stage of their business journey. Whether you're managing 30 pools or 300, the principles and strategies discussed offer a roadmap for sustainable growth and long-term success.

The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Energy, Motivation, and Continuous Improvement

One of the most striking aspects of successful pool business owners is their cyclical nature of motivation and their ability to harness energy when it matters most. Co-host Zach Nicholas perfectly captured this phenomenon when he shared his recent experience:

It goes through these lulls throughout the year, right? Where you're on fire and you're killing it and you're motivated and your brain's firing on all cylinders, and then sometimes it's just not, and you're unmotivated and going through the motions. And it was like yesterday, the switch flipped back into the motivational category and my brain was just going and I'm thinking about a lot of the things that we might get into on this and processes and how can we improve and where our inefficiencies and things like that.

— Zach Nicholas, Pool Nation Podcast

This insight reveals a crucial truth about entrepreneurship in the pool industry: success isn't about maintaining constant high energy, but rather about recognizing these natural cycles and maximizing the productive periods. Smart business owners use their high-motivation phases to analyze inefficiencies, develop new processes, and plan strategic improvements.

The key is building systems and processes during these peak periods that can sustain the business during the inevitable slower phases. This approach ensures consistent service delivery regardless of daily energy fluctuations.

Breaking Barriers: The Blue-Collar Path to Success

The pool industry represents one of the most accessible paths to business ownership and financial independence. As John JJ Plawless eloquently explained, the barriers to entry are refreshingly low compared to many other industries:

This is the beautiful thing about this industry you can be and do whatever you want. It doesn't matter. You can be successful at 50 pools, 100 pools, live a wonderful life with your family or if you want to take the next step and grow into a bigger operation and get into the thousands of pool service and start building and doing it all it can happen as well, right? You don't need to be in college for eight years you don't have to have this amazing educational or go to university or anything be a blue-collared worker, bust your butt work really hard, learn from your mistakes and then you can be anything you want to be.

— John JJ Plawless, Pool Nation Podcast

This democratization of opportunity is what makes the pool industry so compelling. Success isn't predicated on advanced degrees or substantial startup capital – it's built on work ethic, customer service, and the willingness to continuously learn and adapt.

The scalability factor is particularly important. Pool service businesses can be profitable and fulfilling at various sizes. Some entrepreneurs find their sweet spot at 100 accounts, providing excellent work-life balance and steady income. Others are driven to build larger enterprises with hundreds or thousands of pools, multiple crews, and comprehensive service offerings including construction and repairs.

Strategic Business Development: Building for the Long Term

One of the most valuable aspects of Josh Sandler's experience comes from his perspective on both organic growth and strategic acquisitions. The discussion revealed that successful pool companies often serve as acquisition targets for larger organizations, but this doesn't happen by accident – it requires deliberate planning and execution.

The concept of building a business with an eventual exit strategy in mind is crucial for maximizing long-term value. As Edgar DeJazuz pointed out during the episode preview, this isn't something you can decide three months before selling – it requires years of strategic planning and operational excellence.

Key elements of building a valuable pool service business include:

• Systematic processes that don't depend on the owner's daily involvement
• Documented procedures for all aspects of operations
• Strong financial management and transparent record-keeping
• Diversified service offerings beyond basic maintenance
• Trained and reliable staff who can operate independently
• Strong customer relationships and retention rates

The Power of Continuous Learning and Industry Engagement

Throughout the conversation, the importance of ongoing education and industry involvement became clear. Josh Sandler's willingness to engage with the Pool Nation community, from spontaneous training sessions to podcast appearances, demonstrates the mindset that drives continued success.

That's twice now that I threw him two curveballs at him and he come out swinging, John because the first one was when we met at the Haas event... And we joked around and you started talking to me and I'm like hey I have an idea you want to come over and train some classes just without skipping to be like yeah of course I'll do it and then we're having a conversation two, three days ago and I'm like hey kind of curveball do the podcast it's done, I'll be there.

— Edgar DeJazuz, Pool Nation Podcast

This adaptability and openness to sharing knowledge reflects a key characteristic of successful entrepreneurs: they understand that teaching others and contributing to their industry ultimately benefits everyone, including their own businesses.

The Pool Nation Conference mentioned in the episode exemplifies this collaborative approach to industry development. Rather than treating education as separate courses, they've developed integrated curricula where each class builds upon previous knowledge, particularly in their business track covering the complete employee lifecycle.

Practical Implementation: From Theory to Action

The most valuable business insights mean nothing without implementation. The episode's focus on practical, actionable strategies reflects the real-world approach successful pool entrepreneurs must take. Whether it's optimizing routing efficiency, improving customer communication, or developing pricing strategies, success comes from consistent execution of proven principles.

The discussion of business scaling inevitably touches on the human element – hiring, training, and retaining quality employees. This remains one of the biggest challenges in the pool industry, but also one of the most important factors in enabling growth beyond what a single owner-operator can manage.

Smart pool business owners recognize that their role must evolve from technician to manager to leader as their companies grow. This transition requires developing new skills in areas like:

• Financial management and budgeting
• Marketing and customer acquisition
• Operations management and process optimization
• Human resources and team development
• Strategic planning and goal setting

Looking Forward: The Future of Pool Business Excellence

As the pool industry continues to mature and consolidate, the opportunities for well-run businesses actually increase rather than decrease. Companies like Gold Medal Pools serve as both inspiration and proof that excellence is rewarded in this industry.

The key insight from Josh Sandler's journey is that scaling a pool business successfully requires balancing growth ambitions with operational excellence. It's not enough to simply add more pools to your route – sustainable growth comes from building systems, developing people, and maintaining the quality standards that created success in the first place.

For pool service professionals at any stage of their journey, the message is clear: the industry rewards hard work, continuous learning, and strategic thinking. Whether your goal is a comfortable lifestyle business or a major market player, the fundamentals remain the same – deliver exceptional service, manage your finances wisely, and never stop improving.

As we look toward events like the Pool Nation Conference and the ongoing evolution of industry education, it's clear that the future belongs to those who combine traditional work ethic with modern business practices. The opportunities have never been greater for those willing to embrace both the challenges and rewards of pool industry entrepreneurship.

Episode Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Host Welcome
• 02:30 Energy and Motivation Cycles in Business
• 05:45 Josh Sandler Introduction
• 08:15 Housekeeping: Pool Nation Conference and Events
• 12:30 The Accessibility of Pool Industry Success
• 15:00 Business Scaling and Strategic Planning