E-218 Pool Nation Podcast Business Growth: Franchise vs. Independent and Unlocking Employee Training Success

The pool service industry is experiencing unprecedented growth, but with that expansion comes crucial decisions that can make or break your business. Should you go the franchise route or stay independent? How do you effectively train employees in a skilled labor shortage? These aren't just theoretical questions—they're the reality facing pool pros across the nation right now.

The Current State of Pool Industry Growth

The pool service industry has transformed dramatically over the past few years. What was once dominated by small, local operations is now attracting significant attention from venture capitalists and private equity groups. This shift is creating new opportunities—and new challenges—for business owners at every level.

As our pool industry has grown and people have seen the possibilities or how lucrative it could be, you get a lot of bigger companies that are coming in. VCs, private equity groups. That are buying up some of the smaller shops out there and other companies that are creating franchises are really starting to grow.

— John JJ Flawless, Pool Nation Podcast

This growth isn't just about money—it's about the industry maturing. Pool service companies are no longer just seasonal side hustles; they're becoming sophisticated businesses that require strategic thinking, proper training systems, and scalable operations.

Franchise vs. Independent: Making the Critical Choice

One of the most pressing decisions facing pool service entrepreneurs today is whether to join a franchise system or build an independent operation. Each path offers distinct advantages and challenges that can significantly impact your long-term success.

Franchises provide immediate brand recognition, proven systems, and ongoing support. For new entrepreneurs, this can eliminate much of the guesswork involved in starting a business. You get marketing materials, operational procedures, and often access to preferred vendor pricing.

However, independence offers complete control over your business model, pricing, and growth strategy. You keep all profits, make your own decisions, and can pivot quickly when market conditions change.

The key factors to consider include:

• Your experience level in business management
• Available startup capital and ongoing franchise fees
• Local market conditions and competition
• Personal preference for autonomy vs. structured support
• Long-term growth and exit strategy goals

The Employee Training Crisis and Solutions

Perhaps nowhere is the industry's growing pains more evident than in employee training. The skilled labor shortage has made finding qualified technicians increasingly difficult, while the complexity of modern pool systems demands more sophisticated knowledge than ever before.

As we were growing, we talk about culture. We talk about buying. We talk about investing in our people. And a lot of times, as I was coming up and still am, it's hard to find training for my people and kind of facilitate that into one place. You know, it's always like searching over here, searching out there. You have to find it. You have to get them set up. And it's time consuming.

— Zach Nicholas, Pool Nation Podcast

This training challenge isn't just about technical skills—it's about creating consistent service standards, building company culture, and ensuring every team member represents your brand effectively. Traditional apprenticeship models, while valuable, often lack the structure and consistency needed for rapid scaling.

Introducing the Pool Man University Business Solution

Recognizing this critical need, the Pool Nation team has developed a comprehensive solution that addresses the training bottleneck head-on. The new Pool Man University business platform represents a significant evolution in how pool companies can approach employee development.

The system allows pool companies to:

• Sign up employees directly into a centralized training platform
• Assign specific training modules based on experience level
• Create custom training templates for different roles
• Upload company-specific content and procedures
• Track progress and ensure completion of required training

We have a lot of content for a lot of the individual pool pros. We got a lot of feedback from a lot of companies that they wanted it for their companies. And what we've done is we've created a tool that now allows pool companies to sign up. And what they can do is they can sign up their employees. And then what they could do is they basically can go in and assign all the content to the individual pool pros.

— Edgar De Jesus, Pool Nation Podcast

This approach solves multiple problems simultaneously: it standardizes training across the company, reduces the time managers spend on training coordination, and ensures new hires receive consistent, comprehensive education regardless of their starting knowledge level.

Building a Community of Growing Pool Businesses

Beyond individual company training, there's a growing recognition that pool service businesses face similar challenges regardless of their location. The Pool Nation team is addressing this by creating a structured community for growing pool companies.

The initiative focuses on businesses with a minimum of two employees—companies that have moved beyond the solo operator stage but haven't yet reached the level where they can afford high-end business consultants or complex management systems.

We're going to get a group of all these pool pros together. And we're going to go in and we're going to talk about creating a group for those pool companies that have a couple employees that are trying to grow. And what we want to do is we want to figure out what are the biggest pain points.

— Edgar De Jesus, Pool Nation Podcast

This community approach recognizes that while every market is different, the fundamental challenges of scaling a service business remain consistent. Topics likely to be covered include:

• Hiring and retention strategies
• Operational efficiency improvements
• Technology integration and route optimization
• Financial management and pricing strategies
• Customer service standardization
• Seasonal business management

The Seasonal Reality and Business Planning

The podcast hosts' different experiences with seasonal changes highlight an important aspect of the pool business—market variability. While some regions are winding down for winter, others are just getting started with their peak season.

My phone has just been blowing up as far as customers arriving, coming down from the magic land where they go live at during the summertime. And they come here for the winter... Because this is when our season officially starts middle of October, end of October.

— John JJ Flawless, Pool Nation Podcast

This seasonal variation affects everything from cash flow management to staffing decisions. Successful pool businesses must plan for these fluctuations, whether that means diversifying services, managing seasonal staff, or building sufficient reserves during peak periods.

Technology and Systems Integration

Modern pool service businesses can't rely solely on experience and intuition—they need systems that support consistent service delivery and efficient operations. The training platform represents just one piece of a larger technological ecosystem that successful companies are building.

Key technology considerations include:

• Route optimization software
• Customer communication platforms
• Inventory management systems
• Financial tracking and reporting tools
• Employee scheduling and time tracking
• Quality control and inspection systems

The integration of these systems with comprehensive training ensures that technological investments actually improve operations rather than creating additional complexity.

Preparing for Industry Evolution

The pool service industry is clearly in a period of rapid evolution. Companies that adapt to these changes—whether through franchising, independent growth, or hybrid approaches—will be positioned for long-term success. Those that resist change or fail to invest in proper systems and training may find themselves struggling to compete.

The emergence of private equity investment, franchise opportunities, and sophisticated training platforms signals that the industry is maturing. This maturation brings both opportunities and challenges that require strategic thinking and professional management approaches.

For business owners, this means making deliberate choices about growth strategies, investing in employee development, and building systems that can scale with demand. The days of running a pool service business purely on technical expertise are ending—today's successful operators must also be skilled business managers.

The combination of franchise vs. independent decision-making, comprehensive employee training solutions, and peer learning communities provides a roadmap for navigating this transition successfully. Whether you choose to franchise or stay independent, the key is making informed decisions based on your specific situation, market conditions, and long-term goals.

As the industry continues to evolve, those who invest in proper training, systems, and community connections will be best positioned to thrive in this new landscape.

Episode Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Host Updates
• 05:30 Business Growth Discussion
• 12:15 Franchise vs Independent Business Models
• 18:45 Employee Training Challenges
• 25:20 Pool Man University Business Platform
• 32:10 Building Pool Professional Communities
• 38:55 Conference Announcements and Future Plans