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Ideas & inspiration for business owners

Discuss ideas and opportunities with other business owners and dive into topics like financial management, marketing, hiring, team engagement, and more.

  • 85 Posts
  • 245 Replies
85 Posts
Blue Refuge Pool Services
Rookie Member
Blue Refuge Pool ServicesRookie Member
asked in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
When to hire my first tech?

Hey everyone! I'm new to the pool business. I purchased my first route here in the Atlanta area back in January.  I currently have 36 clients. I really want to expand my business.I have a couple of questions:1. When should I start looking to hire a technician?Do I try and double my existing route before I hire?2. How much should you pay a technician, part time and full time?

301
poolcrew
New Member
Blue Refuge Pool Services
Rookie Member
Blue Refuge Pool ServicesRookie Member
asked in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Whats the best Vaccum?

Im new to owning a pool business and I invested in a riptide.  It's great for picking up leaves and such, but definitely not effective for dirt as it creates a cloud. I have been using a regular hose to Vaccum for that. Are there any vacuums out there that can pretty much pick anything? What the best effective Vaccum for c

392
Blue Refuge Pool Services
Rookie Member
J
General Member
jpandlGeneral Member
posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Pricing Presentation and Structure Matters/Change My Mind

     I think that the way that you present the pricing to a customer matters. Specifically, in recurring services here in Florida. The two services here that have very dominate price presentation “ways of doing it’’ are lawn mowing and pool maintenance. Just look at the Skimmer Service Rate Index and you can see that 94.1% of all skimmer users are presenting with a monthly flat rate with chemicals included. Here in Florida when a customer asks you for your price on mowing or pool services, they are already expecting to receive a monthly flat rate number, with no asterisks or caveats. I like to think that this is happening in a Pavlovian way. Meaning that the customer has been trained or conditioned to expect the price presented in a specific way.     I am not concerned with the “how we got here” in this situation, rather I wanted to discuss the history only so that we can solve the problem of how to fix the problem of flat rate pricing in pool service.     I am new to the pool industry

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Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
J
New Member
John NelsonNew Member
asked in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Cash or Accrual?

Do you guys typically look at your P&L on a cash basis or accrual basis? Also, do you pay sales tax on a cash basis or accrual basis? Thanks!  

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KerryS
Skimmer Verified Partner
Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Virtual owner meet-ups — it’s always a great use of an hour!

Our February meet-ups were packed with insightful and actionable convos and lasting connections — lots of idea-sharing, problem-solving, and open exchange of industry experience and business wisdom. By request, we’re bringing everyone back together for the next quarterly installment! If you’re already part of a regional group, hit the link below to save your spot. We can’t wait to see some familiar faces — and hopefully meet a few new ones this time!Not in a group yet? No problem. Now’s a perfect time to plug in and grow your local network 👉 Click here to check out the regional groups 🗓️ Virtual Meet-Up Lineup Texas – Monday, May 12, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM CT Oklahoma – Monday, May 12, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM CT Northeast – Tuesday, May 13, from 3:00–4:00 PM EDT Florida – Wednesday, May 14, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM EDT Midwest – Friday, May 16, from 3:00–4:00 PM CT Arizona – Wednesday, May 21, from 2:00–3:00 PM MDT Northern California – Tuesday, May 20, from 2:00–3:00 PM PDT Sou

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Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
Michelle Kavanaugh
Skimmer Verified Partner
Michelle KavanaughSkimmer Verified Partner
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Overcoming the Fear of AI: Embracing Technology as a Powerful Business Tool

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a concept from science fiction; it’s a reality shaping the way we live and work. Yet, despite its growing presence in our daily lives, many people still feel hesitant or even fearful of AI. The common concern is that AI will replace jobs, control too much of our decisions, or operate in ways beyond our control. These fears, while understandable, often stem from a misunderstanding of how AI can be used positively, especially in the business world. AI is a ToolAt its core, AI is a tool designed to make processes more efficient, optimize tasks, and provide insights we might otherwise miss. It’s not here to replace human jobs, but rather to enhance them. Think of AI as a powerful assistant that can handle repetitive tasks, analyze vast amounts of data quickly, and automate processes that allow humans to focus on more creative and strategic work.For example, businesses are already using AI to:Automate marketing: AI tools can track customer behaviors

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kris2024
Conversation Starter
nikiacosta
Team Skimmer
nikiacostaTeam Skimmer
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Between Two Stops Episode 7: Digital Marketing, Private Equity, and More with Ryan Flannery of Pool Monopoly

From rising digital marketing costs to private equity entering the space, the pool service industry is rapidly changing. In this episode, we chatted with ​@Ryan Flannery of digital marketing agency Pool Monopoly. Ryan shared his insights what he’s seeing on the digital marketing front, thoughts on private equity entering the space, route acquisition, and more. This is definitely an episode worth a listen, especially if you’re looking to grow! Listen (and subscribe) on your favorite podcasting platform by clicking here, or watch the video on YouTube Podcasts here.  Have a topic you want to know more about? Want to be a guest? Email me at podcast@getskimmer.com 

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nikiacosta
Team Skimmer
Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
On demand access + BONUS MATERIALS: Hire, Train, Retain: Building a Rockstar Pool Service Team

As many of you know, hiring, training, and keeping great employees is one of the toughest challenges in the pool service industry. Kyle Peter started as a single poler and has since grown his business to service 1,000 pools— watch this replay to learn how he did it. Kyle (AKA ​@KPeter) is also a member of The Pool Deck community, so if you have questions on any of these topics that he discusses with ​@nikiacosta please add them to the thread below to keep this conversation going ⬇️How to attract, train, and develop employees for long-term success How to scale from solo to a larger team Best practices for team structure and setting expectations Ways to boost engagement and retention How technology improves efficiency and reduces hiring need Click the links below to access all of the BONUS resources: Presentation Slide Deck Sample Employee Agreement Sample Onboarding Checklist Sample Employee Handbook Sample Pool Technician Interviewing Guide Sample Technician Levels & Advancement Pa

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Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
sharonburch
Skimmer Verified Partner
sharonburchSkimmer Verified Partner
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Should you use Automated Payout Syncing with QuickBooks? YES!!! Here's why and how...

Thank you, Skimmer! Automated Payout Syncing with QuickBooks is a game changer! Skimmer's new payout syncing update automatically syncs with QuickBooks, creating both an invoice and payment record AND creating a bank deposit that reconciles with the payout. The reconciliation is 98% done for you! So, how do you set it up?Set up the QuickBooks integrations settings as shown below or in the video above.Payout syncing setup in Skimmer  Choose 'undeposited funds' for payment deposit account in QuickBooks for the Skimmer Payouts Choose ‘banking/credit card merchant fees’ expense account in QuickBooks for the skimmer payout feesHere’s why: 💳 Online Payment Processing Skimmer uses Stripe for processing online credit/debit card payments Stripe takes a fee for processing credit cards, debit cards, and ACH online The new payout syncing feature helps reconcile the difference between invoice amount and actual deposit Example: Customer pays $100 - $2 processing fee = you receive $98 🏦 Quick

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R
Rookie Member
R
New Member
rmgaskillNew Member
posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Services other than Pool Cleaning

Does anyone use the program for housekeeping? Any tips or tricks? 

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R
New Member
nikiacosta
Team Skimmer
nikiacostaTeam Skimmer
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Between Two Stops episode drop 🎧

In this episode of Between Two Stops, I’m chatting with a familiar face in The Pool Deck community ​@sharonburch! We discuss the intricacies of managing a pool service business and focus on the importance of setting up QuickBooks correctly for financial reporting and decision-making.Sharon also shares her expertise in bridging the gap between pool service owners and accountants, emphasizing the need to accurately track income and expenses. We also explore pricing strategies, the significance of preparing for business transitions, and the essential reports every pool business should maintain for effective management.You can watch the video OR listen to the audio-only version of Between Two Stops on all major podcast platforms.  To subscribe, visit http://www.betweentwostops.com.Have an idea or want to be a guest? Drop a comment below👇 

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nikiacosta
Team Skimmer
Michelle Kavanaugh
Skimmer Verified Partner
Michelle KavanaughSkimmer Verified Partner
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
The Hidden Cost of Neglecting Marketing: Why Pros Can’t Afford to Put It on the Back Burner

The Hidden Cost of Neglecting Marketing: Why Pros Can’t Afford to Put It on the Back BurnerIn the world of pool service, you're often juggling a dozen responsibilities at once—scheduling routes, managing staff, handling equipment issues, and keeping customers happy. It’s no wonder that marketing often gets pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. But here’s the truth: if you’re not marketing your business consistently, you’re missing out on growth, revenue, and long-term stability.The Problem: Why Marketing Is Often IgnoredMany small business owners, especially in the service industry, operate under the mindset that “good work sells itself.” While great service is essential, word-of-mouth alone won’t grow your business at the pace or consistency you need, especially in a competitive market.Here are the most common reasons pool service professionals put marketing on the back burner:Time Constraints: Daily operations take priority, leaving little time to plan or execute marketing strategi

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Michelle Kavanaugh
Skimmer Verified Partner
Chlorine King
Skimmer Verified Partner
Chlorine KingSkimmer Verified Partner
posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
All About The New "Schedule" Feature Skimmer Just Released! You're Missing Out If You're Not Using It!!!

 Skimmer just released a brand new feature that is very impactful and very efficient. From the desktop you’ll notice a new tab named “Schedule”. That tab is what this post is all about! If you click into it you’ll see your entire business for the month right before your eyes and there is so much you can do with it. There’s a lot of great features packed into this one tab, but let me point out some highlights that I love about it! Like I say in the video I loathe the word “Game changer” but it really is. You get to choose where you want to focus. When you click into schedule you’ll see three main features on the top part of the page Scheduled - What is currently scheduled Unscheduled - What is unscheduled  Map - See where all your stops for the company are that week In this section you can choose what you want to see. Just check or uncheck the box next to the option and you can see everything at a glance or really focus on what you want to see. Everything is drag and drop. You can dra

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Chlorine King
Skimmer Verified Partner
RR Pool Pros
Specialist
RR Pool ProsSpecialist
posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Benefits vs Salary Increases

Does anyone offer benefits, ie health, vacation, retirement, etc? Over the past few years we started offering all of these to attract employees when it was difficult to find reliable employees. Now I’m seeing employees aren’t as interested in benefits and would rather have better hourly pay or salary. This mostly applies to the field technicians and not office staff or managers. What are your thoughts on taking benefits away and raise pay? 

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A
New Member
Travis
Team Skimmer
TravisTeam Skimmer
asked in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Storm Clean Up Fee?

Given the storms that are making their way across parts of the country, curious how you all deal with clean ups.  Do you charge extra for post storm clean up? If so, how much? 

993
A
New Member
Chlorine King
Skimmer Verified Partner
Chlorine KingSkimmer Verified Partner
asked in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Thoughts and Ideas for This Video Format???

Hey Everyone,I decided to try a different style of content creation and I’m curious to hear what you guys think about it. I think it adds a unique and entertaining perspective to the videos when shooting in this format.I call it “Walkin’ Talkin’ Pools” and essentially I have my drone follow me as I talk about pool related topics. The thought is to be a “me to you” type of conversation that is unscripted and have some scenery to enjoy as I walk about and talk about pools or answer questions from others. I’d like to go to different places to shoot these videos so it’s always different.Thoughts?What are some ideas for topics you’d like covered in these? Here is the first one I just did. I’m curious for your input. Have a great weekend everyone.  

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Chlorine King
Skimmer Verified Partner
K
Rookie Member
Kim HardacreRookie Member
asked in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
QBO and Skimmer synching

When payments are recorded as outside of Skimmer, they import into QB as bank deposits instead of undeposited funds.  So on the QB side of things, when we have a deposit to post, we need to post it against the “payment” but it’s already on the register as a deposit so I can’t match it.  Can you help with this?  

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O
Rookie Member
O
Rookie Member
ohanapoolsofflRookie Member
posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Pool Tech Time Keeping

Hi All!Curious what time keeping apps or programs other Pros are using? While we pay our techs well and their full weekly salary even if they work less than 40 hours, we do not offer overtime currently. And as our company grows, we want to have best practices in place as well as verified protection so there is no question or confusion should there ever be a situation arise down the road. You always hope that people are good and honest but it is not always going to be the case. I do not want to use the same time keeping program as my payroll (ADP) so that it does not mess with the payroll. 

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O
Rookie Member
Chlorine King
Skimmer Verified Partner
Chlorine KingSkimmer Verified Partner
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Pool season is ramping up! What do you do for hiring and training employees???

It’s that time of year again… the start of POOL SEASON! Along with that usually comes hiring and training new staff to prep for the season ahead. My question to you is what do you do for hiring and training employees?? The video above is a cliff notes version of my successes and failures with hiring new staff. There’s been a lot of growing pains with this topic to figure out what we are looking for as a company and how to find them. The team I have now is the best I’ve ever had. Some luck is involved, some is “knowing” someone and the rest is just sifting through hundreds of applications to find the right fit. I’ve hired a lot of bad eggs along the way before I found the solid team I have now. So it’s not all unicorns and rainbows when wanting to grow. Believe me on that one! Hiring: We’re to the point now where we keep an Indeed listing open 24/7 to keep applications coming in to build up a list of applicants you'd like to hire when the time comes. Hopefully, this will create a quick

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Chlorine King
Skimmer Verified Partner
J
New Member
JoeNew Member
asked in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Marketing by Pool Monopoly

Considering using Pool Monopoly.  Does anyone here use them?  What’s been your experience?

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Carter.n.Ash
Rookie Member
FlaviaSwims
Team Skimmer
FlaviaSwimsTeam Skimmer
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
How do you collect from someone who has passed on?

I hosted our first collections workshop this week with ​@BriannaL, and we had an intriguing question: How do you collect from someone who has passed on?I did a little research, and we've learned this. Reminder: we are NOT lawyers.Context: Estates are handled by the probate process, which is handled at the county level.Contact the Probate Court/Clerk of Court:Reach out to the Probate Court or the Clerk of the Circuit Court in that county. You can request information about the probate case associated with the deceased. Many counties offer online case lookup tools that allow you to search for probate records using the deceased person's name. The case file should list the executor or personal representative in charge of the estate. Example: Here is a link to Lee County's case lookup Review Public Probate Records:Once you locate the probate case, review the publicly available documents. These records typically include the name and contact information (or at least the registered attorney's c

692
FlaviaSwims
Team Skimmer
Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
On-demand access: A deep dive into The State of Pool Service 2025 findings

Tune in for an in-depth discussion with our friends at AQUA Magazine about The State of Pool Service 2025 industry report. This live discussion covers key insights, priorities, and challenges from the report findings that can help you thrive in 2025, including:How pool professionals are navigating economic challenges such as inflation and labor shortages Strategic pricing tactics to remain competitive in 2025 Insights into the growing influence of private equity in the industry Changes in marketing strategies over the past year The gradual adoption of the "plus chems" pricing model This is an excellent opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and enhance your knowledge in the pool service industry. Whether you are a seasoned professional or just starting out, there will be valuable takeaways for everyone 🍿  

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Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
nikiacosta
Team Skimmer
nikiacostaTeam Skimmer
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Between Two Stops Episode 5 is out! Check out "Cool Pool Tools: Cyclone Filter Cleaners with Jordan and Maria Thiessen"

In this episode, we speak to Jordan and Maria Thiessen, makers of the Cyclone Filter Cleaner, an innovative product designed to make cleaning filters faster, easier, and with less mess. The best pros use the best tools, and this is one you'll definitely want on your truck! Learn more about the Cyclone Filter Cleaner at cyclonefiltercleaner.com and use code POOLPRO to get 10% off your order! Like and subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform! Audio Podcast: www.betweentwostops.comYoutube Video/Podcast: https://youtu.be/uzL4gjD5_TQ Want to be a guest on our podcast? Email us at podcast@getskimmer.com and tell us what you’d like to discuss!

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nikiacosta
Team Skimmer
Ryan.BrosPool
Rookie Member
Ryan.BrosPoolRookie Member
posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Pool Guy Wisdom

What is some of the best knowledge or wisdom that you have learned related to the pool business? I would particularly love to hear from some folks who have been in the industry for a while.

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Chlorine King
Skimmer Verified Partner
Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Virtual Owner Meet-Ups — Don't Miss Out On These Discussions

​We launched Groups in The Pool Deck to connect members with other entrepreneurs in their surrounding community to discuss topics related to owning a pool service business specific to their region. So, it's time to gather our group members, make introductions, and start having discussions to share learnings, collaborate on new ideas, and solve some challenges. If you have already joined your regional group, respond to the meet-up post in your group forum to save your seat and join this industry brain trust's initial gathering. If you haven’t joined your regional group yet, connect now so you don’t miss this opportunity to expand your local network – click here to check out the current groups. Virtual Meet-Up Dates Arizona on Monday, February 3rd @ 2 - 3:15 PM MST Northeast on Tuesday, February 4th @ 2 - 3:15 EST Florida on Wednesday, February 5th @ 3 - 4:15 EST Nevada on Thursday, February 6th @ @ - 3:15 PST Midwest on Friday, February 7th @ 2 - 3:15 CST Northern California o

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Chlorine King
Skimmer Verified Partner

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