E-244 Pool Nation Podcast - Want to Grow Your Pool Business? Master These 5 Habits First

When Pool Pros Face Their Ultimate Test: Lessons from Hell Week

Running a successful pool service business isn't just about knowing how to balance chemicals or clean filters—it's about developing the habits and systems that keep you afloat when everything hits the fan. In a recent episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, hosts Edgar De Jesus, John "JJ Flawless," and Zach "The Pool Boy" Nicholas dive deep into what separates thriving pool professionals from those who barely survive the busy season.

While the episode promised to cover "5 habits of highly successful pool pros," what emerged was something even more valuable: a raw, unfiltered look at how real pool businesses handle extreme pressure and what it takes to not just survive, but thrive during the most challenging periods.

The Reality Check: When 500,000 People Invade Your Market

John's experience during Coachella weekend serves as the perfect case study for understanding the extreme conditions pool professionals sometimes face. As he explains the chaos:

Just to give you an idea, the city of La Quinta has 40,000 people or 50,000 people total. So to bring in 500,000 people into our little area is a lot of traffic... people were waiting in their cars to go to Coachella for 13 hours.

— John "JJ Flawless," Pool Nation Podcast

This isn't just about traffic inconvenience—it's about how external factors can completely disrupt your service schedule, create logistical nightmares, and test every system you have in place. When you're trying to service pools but can't even get to them because of gridlocked traffic, you quickly learn which habits and preparations separate the professionals from the amateurs.

The Coachella situation also highlights how special events can create a perfect storm of challenges. Not only do you have transportation issues, but you also have an influx of temporary residents who use pools differently than your regular clients.

The Airbnb Challenge: When Pool Care Meets Party Central

One of the most revealing parts of the discussion centers around the unique challenges that come with servicing Airbnb properties during major events. John paints a vivid picture of what pool pros face:

They go out and they party. They then all come and they all just jump straight in the pool and drink and hang in the pool... They've all been there at the festival. All day. Throwing up, sweating, drinking, whatever the hell they're doing. And they just come jump into the pool and it just turns into a nightmare.

— John "JJ Flawless," Pool Nation Podcast

This scenario represents one of the fastest-growing segments in the pool service industry. With the rise of short-term rentals, pool professionals are increasingly dealing with properties that experience heavy, inconsistent use from people who have no investment in maintaining the pool's condition.

The challenge isn't just the immediate mess—it's the unpredictability. Unlike residential clients where you know the usage patterns, Airbnb properties can go from pristine to disaster zone overnight. This requires a completely different approach to scheduling, pricing, and emergency response protocols.

Weather Wars: When Nature Doesn't Care About Your Schedule

The podcast hosts discuss another uncontrollable factor that tests pool professionals: extreme weather conditions. The recent windstorms in their area created compounding problems on top of the Coachella chaos.

Wind and dust storms don't just make pools dirty—they can cause equipment failures, clog filtration systems, and create safety hazards that require immediate attention. When you're already stretched thin from event-related service calls, weather emergencies can push even the most organized businesses to their breaking point.

What's particularly interesting is how these challenges stack. It's never just one problem—it's traffic delays preventing you from reaching clients, combined with equipment failures from wind damage, combined with overloaded pools from party guests. The businesses that survive and thrive are those that have developed systems to handle multiple simultaneous crises.

The Real Habits That Matter: Systems Under Pressure

While the episode didn't explicitly list five specific habits, several critical success factors emerge from the discussion:

Habit 1: Embrace the Chaos
Successful pool pros don't fight against challenging periods—they prepare for them. They understand that events like Coachella, spring break, or holiday weekends aren't interruptions to their business; they are their business. Building capacity and systems around these predictable peak periods becomes crucial.

Habit 2: Develop Multiple Response Protocols
When John mentions getting "three messages since we started the podcast," it highlights the importance of having efficient communication and response systems. Successful pool pros develop different protocols for different types of emergencies and peak periods.

Habit 3: Build Relationships That Withstand Pressure
The camaraderie between the podcast hosts, even during stressful times, demonstrates the importance of having a support network. Whether it's other pool professionals, reliable suppliers, or understanding clients, relationships become crucial during high-pressure periods.

This is what we're built for. And this is what we do.

— John "JJ Flawless," Pool Nation Podcast

Habit 4: Maintain Perspective
Despite the challenges, there's an underlying acceptance and even pride in handling difficult situations. Successful pool pros understand that these challenging periods are opportunities to prove their value and differentiate themselves from competitors who might crumble under pressure.

Habit 5: Plan for the Predictably Unpredictable
Events like Coachella happen annually. Weather patterns follow seasonal trends. Airbnb bookings spike during certain periods. While you can't predict exactly what will go wrong, you can predict when you'll be under the most pressure and plan accordingly.

The Business Growth Hidden in the Chaos

What's fascinating about this discussion is how challenges that could destroy a business can actually be tremendous growth opportunities for those who handle them well. Pool pros who can reliably service clients during Coachella weekend, who can quickly restore trashed Airbnb pools, and who can respond effectively during weather emergencies become invaluable to their clients.

These challenging periods also serve as intense training grounds. Every Coachella weekend teaches lessons about logistics, emergency response, client communication, and resource management that simply can't be learned during normal operations. The businesses that emerge from these periods stronger are those that actively learn from each challenge rather than just surviving it.

The Airbnb market, despite its challenges, represents a significant growth opportunity for pool service businesses. Property managers and Airbnb hosts are often willing to pay premium rates for reliable, fast-response pool service because their business depends on having a pristine property for each new guest.

Building Your Pool Business for Sustainable Growth

The lessons from this episode extend far beyond handling music festivals and party guests. The core principle is about building a business that can handle variability and pressure while maintaining quality and profitability.

This means developing systems that work under stress, building relationships that provide support during challenging times, and maintaining the perspective that difficult periods are opportunities for growth and differentiation. It also means charging appropriately for the value you provide during these high-stress, high-demand periods.

The most successful pool professionals understand that their job isn't just maintaining pools—it's providing peace of mind to clients who need reliable service regardless of external circumstances. When you can deliver that reliability during a Coachella weekend or after a major storm, you've proven your value in a way that no sales pitch ever could.

As the pool industry continues to evolve with more short-term rentals, extreme weather events, and diverse client needs, the businesses that thrive will be those that have mastered the art of performing under pressure. The habits that drive growth aren't just about efficiency during normal times—they're about excellence when everything else is falling apart.

Episode Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Host Banter
• 05:30 Coachella Chaos and Traffic Nightmares
• 12:00 The Airbnb Pool Service Challenge
• 18:45 Weather Complications and Equipment Failures
• 25:20 Managing Multiple Crises Simultaneously
• 32:10 Building Systems That Handle Pressure