“Charge What You’re Worth," Rich Gallo Says. (Gen Z, Cover Your Ears)

From Tonka Trucks to Bobcats: The Making of a Pool Industry Veteran

What happens when a 10-year-old watches his father's pool construction crew transform dirt into backyard paradise? For Rich Gallo, founder and CEO of Pure Swim, that childhood memory became the foundation for a 34-year career that's redefined what premium pool service looks like. In a recent episode of the Talking Pools Podcast, Gallo shared the insights, mistakes, and philosophies that built his concierge-level pool service company in Los Angeles—and why he believes the industry needs to stop undercharging for expertise.

Gallo's story isn't just about business success; it's about understanding that every interaction, every mistake, and every investment in people shapes not just a company, but an entire industry's future.

Early Lessons: When Heavy Machinery Meets Childhood Wonder

Rich's introduction to the pool industry came through pure childhood fascination. At 10 years old, he was mesmerized watching excavation crews work their magic:

I remember going to, you know, on the weekend Saturday jobs, you'd watch the pool being, the excavation being done. And that was unbelievable for a 10-year-old to see, you know, you know, a bobcat and to see, you know, never have seen one of those before, you know. You know, we had Tonka trucks, but I never saw a bobcat... It's like you're watching something being created.

— Rich Gallo, Talking Pools Podcast

This early exposure to craftsmanship and creation left an indelible mark. But it wasn't all smooth sailing—Rich's one attempt at operating a bobcat at 14 ended with him flipping the machine, a humbling experience that taught him respect for both the equipment and the skilled operators who make it look effortless.

These formative experiences instilled something crucial: an appreciation for the artistry and skill involved in pool work. That respect for craftsmanship would later become central to how Pure Swim operates and charges for its services.

The Reality Check: From Graduation Stage to First Customer in Four Hours

While most teenagers are planning summer vacations after graduation, Rich Gallo was planning his business launch. The day he graduated high school at 11 AM, he secured his first customer by 3 PM—a customer he still serves today, over three decades later.

But the entrepreneurial journey wasn't the fairy tale that business books often portray:

You know, everybody and everything you heard about business is like, hey, it's going to take three years before you make a profit. They all lied. It took nine. You know, it was just, it was tough. It's tough to build something.

— Rich Gallo, Talking Pools Podcast

When Rich became a father at 21, the stakes changed completely. Suddenly, business wasn't just about personal success—it was about providing for family. This shift in perspective became a defining moment, not just for his approach to work, but for how he would later build his team.

The Family-First Hiring Philosophy: Building Teams That Care

Rich's experience as a young father didn't just motivate him—it gave him a blueprint for hiring that most business owners never consider. He realized that employees with families bring something irreplaceable to the table: genuine motivation to excel.

I want a guy that has a kid or is going to have a kid, wife, girlfriend, what have you. Someone that's building a family. Right. They have a meaning and a purpose. And it's the same meaning and purpose that I have, that I had, that I have now. You know, we do this for our families.

— Rich Gallo, Talking Pools Podcast

This philosophy comes with a cost—literally. Employees with families require higher wages and better benefits. But Rich recognized that this investment pays dividends in loyalty, work quality, and shared values. It's a contrarian approach in an industry where many companies compete primarily on price, both for services and labor.

The results speak for themselves. Rich can make a remarkable claim about his 34-year-old company: every employee who has worked there for more than one year has seen their income increase every single year, including through recessions, natural disasters, and industry downturns.

Charging What You're Worth: The Premium Service Revolution

In an industry where price competition often drives decision-making, Pure Swim has built its reputation on a completely different model: premium service that justifies premium pricing. This isn't about being expensive for the sake of exclusivity—it's about delivering value that makes the cost irrelevant.

Pure Swim's "same-day, same-hour responsiveness" isn't just a marketing slogan—it's a business model that requires significant investment in staffing, training, and systems. But it creates something invaluable: customer loyalty that transcends price sensitivity.

The key insight here is understanding the difference between cost and value. While competitors focus on being the cheapest option, Pure Swim focuses on being the most valuable option. This approach allows them to maintain higher margins while investing more in their team—creating a virtuous cycle of better service, happier employees, and more loyal customers.

Learning from Million-Dollar Mistakes

Even 24 years into his business journey, Rich encountered a situation that could have destroyed everything. A routine pool draining job at a California historic landmark turned into a nightmare when salt water flooded the homeowner's basement, destroying irreplaceable heirlooms and causing massive damage.

And there was six and a half feet of water in this basement. And everything that wasn't floating was completely damaged because of the salt water. So that's how I started that day. And I'm thinking, God, I have insurance, but do I have enough?

— Rich Gallo, Talking Pools Podcast

What happened next reveals both the value of building genuine relationships and the importance of clear communication. The homeowner, recognizing his own role in not disclosing the basement's existence, took responsibility for the damage. But the experience reinforced crucial lessons about preparation, communication, and the unexpected ways that small oversights can have massive consequences.

This story illustrates why premium pricing isn't just about profit—it's about having the resources and systems in place to handle the unexpected, communicate effectively, and maintain the quality standards that justify customer trust.

The Contrarian Approach: Thinking Outside the Pool Brush

When asked what lesson he'd want his younger self to learn from having to clean a pool with just a garage broom, Rich's answer revealed his core business philosophy:

I'd want him to know that you can utilize anything around you to do anything and to pivot and to be able to get through any task... if you start to look outside and you start to think outside the box and you start using the principles of being an outlier, a contrarian, and you do things your way and it makes sense to you, there's nothing you can't do.

— Rich Gallo, Talking Pools Podcast

This contrarian thinking permeates everything Pure Swim does—from hiring practices that prioritize character over experience, to service models that emphasize responsiveness over efficiency, to pricing strategies that focus on value over competition. It's about solving problems in ways that others won't or can't, then building systems around those solutions.

Key Takeaways for Pool Service Professionals

Rich Gallo's journey offers several crucial insights for pool service professionals looking to build sustainable, profitable businesses:

• Invest in people with purpose: Employees with families and genuine motivation will outperform those who see the job as temporary.
• Price for value, not competition: Focus on delivering service that makes price irrelevant rather than competing on cost.
• Build systems around responsiveness: Customer loyalty comes from reliability and availability, not just technical competence.
• Learn from every mistake: The biggest failures often provide the most valuable lessons and business improvements.
• Think like a contrarian: Success often comes from doing things differently, not better than the competition.

The Long Game: Building Legacy Beyond Profit

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Rich's approach is his long-term perspective. With customers he's served for over 30 years and a track record of helping employees start their own successful businesses, Pure Swim represents something rare in service industries: a company built for legacy, not just profit.

This perspective shift—from quarterly thinking to generational thinking—changes everything about how you approach pricing, hiring, training, and customer relationships. It's the difference between building a job and building a business that can weather any storm.

For pool service professionals tired of competing solely on price, Rich Gallo's story offers a different path: one where premium service commands premium pricing, where investing in people pays long-term dividends, and where thinking like a contrarian can create sustainable competitive advantages.

The question isn't whether you can afford to charge what you're worth—it's whether you can afford not to.

Episode Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Rich Gallo's Background
• 05:30 Early Memories: Watching Pool Construction as a Kid
• 12:15 Starting Business at 18: From Graduation to First Customer
• 18:45 Becoming a Young Father and Its Impact on Business
• 25:20 Hiring Philosophy: Building Teams with Family-Motivated Employees
• 32:10 Charging What You're Worth in the Pool Industry
• 38:55 Learning from Major Mistakes: The Basement Flood Story
• 45:30 Contrarian Thinking and Problem-Solving Approach