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Growing your business

Tap into the community network to buy and sell routes and share information & best practices to help you grow as a business owner and leader.

124 Posts
Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
On-Demand Access: Level Up Your Operation with Automation

In this webinar, ​@nikiacosta and our friends at Pentair joined forces to help you create a plan to leverage pool automation to grow your business.Here’s an overview of topics covered during their discussion:The importance of pool automation for the modern pool owner What automation solutions are available from Pentair Leveraging IntelliCenter® Upgrade kits to grow your business A Technical Introduction: parts and installation preview And much more!Click play to learn from the best and get some ideas and inspiration about how to take your pool service business to the next level 🍿  Scroll down for links to the rest of the resources and feel free to drop your questions in the thread below👇  

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nikiacosta
Team Skimmer
sharonburch
Skimmer Verified Partner
sharonburchSkimmer Verified Partner
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Which QuickBooks Workshop Should You Choose?

Hey there!Last week @Justine launched my upcoming workshop series where I'll guide you on automating QuickBooks for real-time reporting and how to use your monthly intel to inform decision-making in your pool service business. There are two workshop options to choose from: 1. Monthly flat rate invoicing (chemicals included)  - invoiced in advance2. Per visit invoice (chemicals added) - invoiced in arrears So check out this video if you’re not sure which one to sign up for:  To save your seat, choose a session from the options below and register using that link👇 All registrants will automatically be sent an email confirmation with the Zoom link, and don’t forget to add the workshop to your calendar 📅 Date: Thursday, November 21, 2024​​​​​​Session Options: 1. Monthly flat rate invoicing (chemicals included)  - invoiced in advance Time: 2:30 - 3:15 PM ET / 1:30 - 2:15 PM CT / 11:30 - 12:15 PM CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 2. Per visit invoice (chemicals added) - invoiced in arrears Time: 4 - 4

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sharonburch
Skimmer Verified Partner
KerryS
Skimmer Verified Partner
KerrySSkimmer Verified Partner
posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Dive into Profits: Make 2025 Your Splashiest Year Yet!

Can you remember where you were on New Year’s Eve? It feels like just yesterday when the countdown filled the room, and at the stroke of midnight, cheers and hugs erupted in my small family gathering. I even indulged in TWO mini dairy-free Dipped Mocha Frozen Dessert Bars before deciding to go on a diet! Yet here we are, with less than 90 days left in 2024.As the year speeds by, it’s the perfect moment to pause and assess your financial strategies. To set yourself up for a successful and profitable 2025, I want to share three essential financial moves tailored specifically for pool service professionals. These steps will help you optimize your pricing, enhance cash flow management, and maximize your tax deductions, ensuring you finish the year strong.Optimize Your PricingI start here because proper pricing can lead to increased sales volume and improved cash flow. This enables you to invest in opportunities and manage operational expenses more effectively. Setting the right price ensur

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KerryS
Skimmer Verified Partner
sharonburch
Skimmer Verified Partner
sharonburchSkimmer Verified Partner
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
If I'm using Skimmer, why do I need QuickBooks?

Greetings!I specialize in setting up QuickBooks for pool service business owners and bookkeepers to track financial transactions and provide the reports needed to make informed business decisions. In The Pool Deck, I’ll share information to help you learn new tips and tricks for running your business more efficiently with your software.I am going to start my first post with one of the most frequently asked questions I get from clients - “If I’m using Skimmer, do I even need QuickBooks?” The answer is YES! This question is typically asked due to frustration with using QuickBooks. They gave up trying to use it or ended up spending more money than expected to have someone else clean it up. If this sounds familiar, here are a few reasons why it’s worth taking another look. So, why do you need QuickBooks?  The answer is simple. It’s the easiest way to know the true financial health of your business. Yes, you can still send invoices from Skimmer (and should) and see the cost of your chemical

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rhett hartsfield
New Member
Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
On-Demand Access: Seven Operational Habits of Highly Successful Pool Service Companies

Want to find out what the fastest-growing pool service companies are doing to fuel their success?  In this webinar, Skimmer’s @nikiacosta @FlaviaSwims  share seven operational practices that the most successful pool service companies apply to boost efficiency, improve profitability, and scale their operations.  Here’s an overview of topics covered during their discussion:Streamlining processes to increase efficiency and drive consistency  The KPIs (key performance indicators) you need to track to stay on top Managing cash effectively to drive growth and reduce costs   Upselling and diversifying services to improve growth Leveraging the power of AI to enhance your operations And much more! Click play to learn from the best about how to take your pool service business to the next level 🍿 Access the valuable FREE resources, templates, and sample AI prompts discussed in the webinar here. Feel free to drop your questions for Niki and Flavia in the thread below 👇  

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Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
teresa
Team Skimmer
teresaTeam Skimmer
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
How open are you to change?

There are countless books, articles, and TED talks about why change is hard and how the law of diffusion influences change across organizations and populations. One of my favorite thought leaders is Simon Sinek, who always finds a way to break down theories like this and make them understandable and actionable.Check his short overview about navigating and embracing change: I was prompted to share this video about taking a risk to make a change and having "an infinite mindset" after reading our team's feedback from a customer who recently switched over to Skimmer Billing."OH MY STARS!!!!!I cannot believe how much faster my billing session was. I am absolutely dumbfounded that it took me so long to get on board with Skimmer Billing. I should be slapped! Even with the extra time required to eliminate work orders already billed through QBO, it was unbelievably fast—only two hours! Most of that time was spent double-checking and triple-checking because I could not believe I was done! It was

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GreySharkPools
Conversation Starter
Michelle Kavanaugh
Skimmer Verified Partner
Michelle KavanaughSkimmer Verified Partner
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
The Importance of a Customer Loyalty Program

In today's competitive market, a well-designed customer loyalty program can be a game-changer, providing numerous benefits for both your business and your clients. Here’s why you should consider implementing one and some tips on how to get started. Why Have a Customer Loyalty Program?Enhances Customer Retention: Loyalty programs encourage repeat business, ensuring that your customers return to you for all their pool service needs. Increases Referrals: Satisfied customers are more likely to refer your services to friends and family, helping you expand your client base. Boosts Revenue: Loyal customers tend to spend more over time, increasing your overall revenue. Strengthens Relationships: Building a loyalty program helps create a stronger bond between you and your customers, fostering trust and long-term relationships.Tips for Developing a Customer Loyalty ProgramUnderstand Your Customers: Know what your customers value most. Do they appreciate discounts, free services, or exclusive off

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WWPNSS
Rookie Member
sharonburch
Skimmer Verified Partner
sharonburchSkimmer Verified Partner
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Auto Pay + Auto Invoicing = Auto Cash $$ in the bank

How to set it up, the importance of testing, and key features like auto-generating invoices for pool service. Remember, it's a game-changer, so take the time to set it up right, and test, test, test.Auto Invoicing SettingsHave you tried it out? Need help?Comment below or send a message. 

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sharonburch
Skimmer Verified Partner
J
New Member
John NelsonNew Member
posted in Buying & selling routes & equipment
Looking to buy Nashville area routes

Hello! We’re a small, family owned pool service company based out of Lebanon looking to expand. If you’re looking to sell full or partial routes in Mid-TN, let me know! Or if you’re in the Nashville area and just want to get lunch or coffee, would love to connect and see if there’s ways we can help each other out. JohnPool Ninjashttps://www.poolninjastn.com/

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J
New Member
K
New Member
KevinMundyNew Member
posted in Buying & selling routes & equipment
Pool Routes in North Texas

We are looking to add some more pools to our routes.  If anyone has partial or full pool routes for sell in the Wise, Denton, Parker or Tarrant counties.  Just let me know.  Thanks.

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K
New Member
ClearPoolPartners
New Member
ClearPoolPartnersNew Member
posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Customer Tags

Do you take advantage of Skimmer tags? As a person behind the scenes and someone who loves systems, I have found them vital in creating specific customer lists.I would love to hear how you guys use tags and which tags have been your favorite to use!

320
ClearPoolPartners
New Member
Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
On-Demand Access: Route to Success - Strategies & Considerations for Buying and Selling Pool Routes

Are you looking to grow your pool service business through route acquisitions or wondering how to position your routes for a profitable sale? Check out this webinar hosted by Skimmer’s @nikiacosta and members of The Pool Deck @KPeter @twalsh to learn practical tips on how to grow your pool service business through route acquisitions and sell routes for maximum profit from these two seasoned professionals.Here’s an overview of the topics covered during their discussion:How to determine the value of a pool route  Key considerations for a smooth transaction The pros and cons of route brokerage services Legal and financial tips for a successful dealClick play to learn from the best about how to take your pool service business to the next level 🍿After watching, if you have any questions for our panelists, ask in the thread below👇 

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M
New Member
sharonburch
Skimmer Verified Partner
sharonburchSkimmer Verified Partner
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Are you struggling with Skimmer Payouts reconciling in QuickBooks? Steps I use

 How I reconcile, or match, Skimmer Online payments to QuickBooks This is my step-by-step process on how to manage payouts when the processing fee is deducted.Here’s how I match payouts, handle processing fees, and reconcile payments in both Skimmer and QuickBooks. If you've been struggling with this process, I hope this helps you out.  Skimmer Billing Report - Payouts Received SummaryClick on Payouts Received Summary - Highlight and copy the payout line that you plan to match in QuickBooksQuickBooks+ New - in the upper left corner of QuickBooks Bank Deposit  - Select the bank account where the payout was deposited at the top and use the date that matches the payout date. Paste the Skimmer payout data in the memo box at the bottom left of the Bank Deposit. Add the payout processing fee in the bottom section as shown in the video. Return to Skimmer in a different browser window.Skimmer Billing Report - Payouts Received DetailPayouts Received Detail Select dates at the top and search fo

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sharonburch
Skimmer Verified Partner
G
Rookie Member
GonzaloRookie Member
asked in Buying & selling routes & equipment
Pools in TX

Does anyone has a pool route or part of a pool route to sale in Fort Bend, or SW Houston, TX?

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G
Rookie Member
A
New Member
AquaproNew Member
posted in Buying & selling routes & equipment
Pool Routes for Sale Fairfield, Vacaville, and Rio Vista Ca

Diamond grade route to launch an empire if desired. All customers understand the expense of having a profession pool service and are billed for all extra chemicals used above normal maintenance. Only the first gallon of chlorine is included in the service rate, everything above that is extra. Most repairs are approved automatically if below $100. During major storms and wind events customers pay extra to have leaves removed. Four weeks of vacation are worked into service rate. National holidays customers only expect chem only service. Nice, established route in the Solano County area. We charge extra for filter cleans; salt cell cleans and conditioner. Approximately: 95% have auto cleaners; 15% have salt systems. Excellent area and room for growth. Selling for 10x service rate.Rio Vista has 49 accountsFairfield has 19 accountsVacaville has 45 accounts

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SWMCLR
Conversation Starter
Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
On-demand access: Transforming Your Pool Service Business with Skimmer

This week, Skimmer’s own @nikiacosta @jcmedrano @sarahrd  hosted a discussion about how Skimmer can optimize every aspect of your pool service business:Simplify scheduling and route planning so you can focus on servicing more pools. Improve communication with your customers to build trust and loyalty. Get paid faster with automated invoicing and online payments. Boost efficiency with new features and resources.Watch the on-demand recording to learn from Skimmer experts who know the platform inside and out!The best part is if you have any questions or want more information, ask our presenters in the thread below👇 

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Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
SWMCLR
Conversation Starter
SWMCLRConversation Starter
posted in Buying & selling routes & equipment
Bay Area, CA 70 Pools For Sale

70 pools for sale in the Tri-valley area of the San Francisco east bay, California. DM for details.

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SWMCLR
Conversation Starter
soflopools
Rookie Member
soflopoolsRookie Member
posted in Buying & selling routes & equipment
Funding for route Acquisition

Hey my fellow operators. I own a small company 300 accounts. Im always looking to add more accounts , organically and by acquisition . Im wondering if anyone knows of lender or funding group specifically designed for our industry . If there aren't  any , then I think we should put a group together to round up some angle investors, or hard money lenders. It should be easy, our business is easy to verify income and its recurring  . It's not passive, and yes there's a risk, but that goes for all small business . Any how, im looking for some names of known funding groups . 

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soflopools
Rookie Member
wakefieldpoolandspa
Rookie Member
wakefieldpoolandspaRookie Member
asked in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Best Fleet Fuel Card Recommendations

Howdy everyone! I’m shopping around for fleet fuel cards and just wanted to see if anyone had any solid recommendations in their experience.

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J
Rookie Member
Happy Pools
General Member
Happy PoolsGeneral Member
posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Structured pricing vs. “winging” it?

How many of you guys use a pricing structure to generate quotes? At the moment I kind of pull a number out of my butt and see if it sticks. It’s an educated guess of the high end of the range I think I can get without too much price pushback, but it delivers inconsistent results. I am working on a solid price structure that I use consistently, but I’m trying to make sure I cover my bases without being overly complex.  Pro’s and cons- Winging it lets me experiment with pricing on the fly based on the conversation I am having with the customer. Structured pricing would let me delegate the quoting function, or not have to put much mental energy into it (maybe AI can do it for me if I have the right guardrails…).  What do you guys think? If you were building a pricing structure for the first time (or again) what elements would you include in the structure? 

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MicahShaw
New Member
Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
REGISTER NOW: Mid-year Momentum: Strategic Planning and Goal Setting WorkshopCOMPLETED

​The year is flying by as we get ready to head into the long weekend, and it's full-on right now to keep up with everything to ensure your customers, your team, and the day-to-day operations are running smoothly. But it's also important to take a moment to stop working IN the business and start working ON the business as part of a 2024 midpoint check-in! This interactive workshop design is precisely for that, to help you understand how you are tracking against your FY24 goals so you can either stay the course with renewed confidence, revise your goals based on insights and trends, or even set new goals—which it's never too late to do!The session will be hands-on, with worksheets, activities, and live discussion. Its purpose is to help you create clear, actionable goals for the remainder of 2024 and set yourself up for heading into 2025 with aligned business objectives. Even if you didn't start the year with a plan, this is your chance to map out what you want to achieve before the end

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Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
ClarityDerek
Rookie Member
ClarityDerekRookie Member
asked in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Orenda and Skimmer

Does anybody know when Orenda and Skimmer will integrate on Skimmer app?  Thank You!  

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J
Team Skimmer
P
New Member
PoolScientistNew Member
asked in Buying & selling routes & equipment
Trucks

Not Skimmer related, but I am curious what you do for service trucks.  Company or employee owned?Purchased or leased?New or used? Thanks 

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P
Rookie Member
GreySharkPools
Conversation Starter
GreySharkPoolsConversation Starter
posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
From Bland to Branded: How a Wrap Put Our Mascot on the Map

When our pool company started, we noticed that most service companies in our area had plain work trucks with poor signage, if any. It was hard to tell who they were, what they did, or how to contact them.We knew we needed a way to make a splash (pun intended) and stand out from the crowd. Still, when the only available pickup truck that met our budget and equipment needs was a plain white pickup truck, we contacted a highly recommended vehicle wrap company. They assured us they could turn our plain truck into a rolling billboard that would stand out and be memorable.After providing them with our logo featuring our mascot, Greyson the Shark, they got to work on the design. We were pretty excited when we approved the final renderings but were amazed to see the fully wrapped truck in person. The transformation accurately represented the look and feel we wanted for our business. It communicated who we were, what we did, and how to reach us. The visibility of our business skyrocketed after

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Pool Man Mike
Specialist
sharonburch
Skimmer Verified Partner
sharonburchSkimmer Verified Partner
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
REGISTER NOW: July 11 - LIVE Skimmer & QB Office Hours

Are you struggling with reconciling Skimmer payouts in QuickBooks? Would you be interested in a live demo with Q&A to ask your questions?  I understand how QuickBooks can be overwhelming and confusing to set up and use, especially in a business like pool cleaning.No worries, I’m here to help. So take some time to get out of the heat and join me on Zoom by selecting YES in the poll below! Date: Thursday, July 11, 2024Time: 3:30 - 4:15 PM EDT / 12:30 - 1:15 PM PDTLocation: Zoom Select YES to register, and we will email you the Zoom link 👇 

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sharonburch
Skimmer Verified Partner

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