In episode #291 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus, John “JJ Flawless,” and Zac “The Pool Boy” Nicholas sit down with Michelle Cook from Heritage Pool Supply to discuss the launch of the Heritage Pro Service Program and what it means for pool service professionals across the industry.

Michelle Cooke Transcript

The conversation dives deep into how Heritage is moving beyond the traditional distributor model to become a true partner in helping pool pros build stronger businesses.

Michelle shares the vision behind the new Heritage Pro Service Program, including:

• Loyalty rewards designed specifically for service professionals • Monthly rebate payouts through a debit card system • Transparent tracking of purchases and rewards • A brand-new education platform and certification opportunities • Vendor training sessions and Pro Talks every week • The launch of the Heritage Pro Service Academy in partnership with Pool Nation

This episode also explores the larger mission of raising the standard in the pool industry by providing pool pros with better tools, better education, and stronger business support.

If you're a pool service professional looking to grow your business, improve your technical knowledge, or connect with a stronger industry network, this episode is packed with valuable insights.

0:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 1:30 – Introducing Michelle Cook and the Heritage Pro Service Program 3:30 – Industry travel, events, and building the pool pro community 9:00 – Michelle’s background in the pool industry 16:00 – Heritage’s culture and commitment to pool pros 20:00 – What makes Heritage different from traditional distributors 26:00 – The origin of the Pool Tech program 32:00 – Why Heritage launched the new Pro Service Program 36:00 – Rewards, rebates, and supporting small service companies 42:00 – How the rebate and loyalty program works 47:00 – Tracking purchases and rewards through Heritage Pool Plus 52:00 – Monthly payouts and financial benefits for pool pros 56:00 – Education and training opportunities for service professionals 1:03:00 – Certification credits and professional development 1:08:00 – The Heritage Pro Service Academy with Pool Nation 1:18:00 – Why education is critical for the future of the industry 1:24:00 – Business growth, leadership, and scaling a pool company 1:35:00 – The vision for raising the professional standard in the pool industry 1:45:00 – Final thoughts and closing remarks

A huge thank you to our Pool Nation Visionary Partners for supporting the podcast and helping elevate the pool industry:

• SPPA

• Blu-Ray XL

• AquaStar Pool Products

• Natural Chemistry

• Raypak

• Heritage Pool Supply

• Hayward Pool Products

• Poolside Tech

• Pool Brain

• Nidec

• Oncore Filtration

Your support helps us continue educating and empowering pool professionals everywhere.

Episode 290 Pool Nation Podcast - Are you stuck at 200 pools and can’t break through to the next level?

In this powerful episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar, John, and Zac sit down with Adam Beech, founder of Pool Brain, to break down the real reason pool service companies struggle to scale.

It’s not hustle. It’s not marketing. It’s not “better techs.”

It’s consistency.

Adam shares how he scaled his pool service company past 1,000 pools and why traditional checklists, rockstar technicians, and reactive management nearly kept him stuck.

If you're a pool service business owner looking to grow from 100 to 500 pools (or beyond), this episode dives deep into:

• Why hiring “better techs” doesn’t solve scale • The hidden cost of inconsistency • Checklists vs. true workflow systems • How green pools destroy profit margins • Why turnover crushes scaling companies • How automation and AI are changing pool service operations • Reducing chemical costs by up to 40% • Eliminating margin bleed • Building a business that runs without you

This episode is packed with real-world operational insights for pool professionals, service companies, and owners who want to build structure instead of chaos.

If you want predictable growth, better margins, and fewer fires to put out; this one is for you.

00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 01:30 – Why most pool companies hit a growth wall 05:00 – The myth of the “rockstar technician” 12:00 – What inconsistency really looks like at scale 18:30 – Hustle vs. structure: why effort isn’t enough 22:00 – Why checklists fail in pool service 30:00 – What a true workflow system looks like 36:00 – PSI readings and preventing green pools 44:00 – Chemical automation & margin control 52:00 – AI tab dosing explained 1:05:00 – Eliminating training bottlenecks 1:15:00 – Inventory automation & Heritage integration 1:25:00 – The future of AI in pool service 1:40:00 – Remote monitoring, Water Guru & automation 1:55:00 – Final thoughts: Building scalable pool businesses

We want to thank our Visionary Partners for supporting the Pool Nation Podcast:

• SPPA • Blu-Ray XL • AquaStar Pool Products • Natural Chemistry • Raypak • Heritage Pool Supply • Hayward Pool Products • US Motors • Encore Filtration • Pool Brain

Your support helps us continue building a Nation of Pool Pros.

If this episode brings value to you, share it with another pool pro who’s ready to level up.

We’re not just cleaning pools.

We’re building better businesses.

#PoolNation #PoolServiceBusiness #PoolPros #ScalingBusiness #PoolIndustry #Entrepreneurship #ServiceBusinessGrowth

In Episode 289 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus, John “JJ Flawless,” and Zac “The Pool Boy” recap the energy and momentum from the Western Pool & Spa Show and the Southwest Pool & Spa Show, then dive into powerful conversations featuring some of the brightest rising stars and top sales professionals in the swimming pool industry.

This episode highlights:

• The impact of industry trade shows on pool service businesses

• Leadership development and next-generation talent in aquatics

• The importance of customer relationships and pool education

• What separates top-performing sales reps in the pool industry

• The Pool Nation Awards 30 Under 40 nominees

• Sales Rep of the Year nominees and what drives their success

You’ll hear stories of resilience, entrepreneurship, business growth, and the mindset it takes to build a sustainable and profitable pool service or pool building company.

Whether you're a pool service professional, pool builder, sales rep, or industry supplier, this episode delivers insight, motivation, and practical takeaways to help you level up your business.

If you're serious about growing your pool company, scaling operations, improving customer retention, and becoming a true Pool Pro — this episode is for you.

00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 01:00 – Western & Southwest Pool & Spa Show Recap 03:00 – Zac’s Idaho adventure & team banter 09:00 – Introducing 30 Under 40 Male of the Year Nominees 13:00 – IPSA Education Fund & Investing in Industry Training 15:00 – James Broderick’s Journey: From Pandemic Startup to Growth Through Referrals 21:00 – Pool Education & “Pool School” for Homeowners 24:00 – Sales Rep of the Year Nominee Introduction 28:00 – Sales Rep Leadership, Market Growth & Industry Relationships 32:00 – Andrew’s Career: Distribution to Manufacturer Rep 40:00 – Daniel’s 30-Year Industry Journey: Retail, Service, Building & Manufacturing 48:00 – Relationship-Driven Sales & Building Market Trust 55:00 – Industry Growth, Mentorship & What’s Next for Pool Pros

We want to thank our incredible Visionary Partners for supporting the Pool Nation Podcast and the pool industry:

• SPPA

• BlueRay XL

• AquaStar Pool Products

• Natural Chemistry

• Raypak

• Heritage Pool Supply

• Hayward Pool Products

• PoolSide Tech

• Pool Brain

• Nidec / US Motors

• OnCore Filtration

Your commitment to education, innovation, and supporting pool professionals nationwide makes this platform possible.

Episode 288 Pool Nation Podcast. Are you busy… or are you actually building a profitable pool service business?

In this episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar, John, and Zac break down one of the biggest traps in the swimming pool industry: confusing being busy with being successful.

As we head into peak pool season, many pool pros find themselves working longer hours, adding more pools, and filling every minute of the day — but still feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and underpaid.

This episode dives deep into:

• Why long hours don’t equal profitability • How busyness hides skill gaps and financial problems • The dangerous cycle of “organized chaos” in pool companies • Why scaling without readiness leads to burnout • How to transition from technician to operator • The role of planning, pricing, and financial clarity in sustainable growth

If you’re a pool service business owner trying to grow, scale, or simply survive the busy season without burning out — this conversation is for you.

Because readiness isn’t about knowing more. It’s about making better decisions before chaos hits.

00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 01:00 – Why “Busy” Doesn’t Mean Profitable 05:30 – Western & Southwest Pool Shows + Boot Camp Updates 08:45 – The $10,000 Pool Pro Challenge & Raypak AVIA Giveaway 12:00 – The “Busy Trap” in the Pool Industry 15:00 – Hustle vs. Structure: Why Long Hours Aren’t the Answer 19:00 – How Busyness Masks Skill Gaps in Pool Service 22:00 – Stop Being a “Field Medic” – Fix Root Causes Instead 25:00 – The Illusion of Success in a Packed Schedule 28:00 – Why Adding More Pools Isn’t Always the Solution 31:00 – Warning Signs You’re Running in Organized Chaos 34:00 – Creating Space in the Day for Preventative Work 41:00 – Readiness vs. Reaction: Making Better Decisions 45:00 – Where Pool Businesses Get Stuck as They Grow 50:00 – Financial Readiness as a Competitive Advantage 56:00 – Final Thoughts: Work Smarter, Not Just Harder

A huge thank you to our Visionary Partners for supporting the Pool Nation Podcast and helping us elevate the pool industry:

• SPPA

• Blu-Ray XL

• AquaStar Pool Products

• Natural Chemistry

• Raypak

• Heritage Pool Supply

• Hayward Pool Products

• PoolSide Tech

• Pool Brain

• Nidec

• OnCore Filtration

We appreciate your commitment to helping pool pros grow stronger businesses.

In Episode 287 of Pool Nation Podcast is Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Edgar , John “JJ Flawless,” and Zac “The Pool Boy” Nicholas break down the real difference between information and actual training—and why most pool professionals aren’t truly prepared when they walk into a backyard.

This episode dives deep into training readiness, skill gaps, and why mistakes keep happening at customer pools instead of in controlled learning environments. If you’ve ever felt confident in a class but froze when things went sideways in the field, this episode explains exactly why—and how to fix it.

You’ll hear real-world stories from the field, honest conversations about YouTube education, hands-on training, repetition, and why confidence only comes from practice, not just knowledge. The team also explains how seasonality, pressure, and poor training structures hold pool businesses back—and what owners must do differently moving forward.

This episode is a must-listen for:

• Pool service techs

• Repair technicians

• Business owners

• Managers training teams

• Anyone serious about growing skills, confidence, and profitability in the pool industry

If you want to stop learning the hard way in customers’ backyards and start building real readiness, this episode is for you.

00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 01:00 – Why Part 2 matters: Training vs information 03:00 – YouTube education: Helpful or harmful? 07:00 – Why information feels like progress (but isn’t) 10:00 – The real danger of learning under pressure 15:00 – Why mistakes show up at customer pools first 19:00 – Repetition, muscle memory, and real confidence 23:00 – Hands-on training vs classroom learning 28:00 – Why “figuring it out in the field” became normalized 33:00 – Seasonality and why training gets pushed aside 37:00 – How skill gaps show up operationally, emotionally, and financially 42:00 – Why owners stop training themselves 47:00 – What effective training actually looks like 52:00 – How to choose the right education for your team 58:00 – Final thoughts: Raising the standard in pool education

A huge thank you to our Pool Nation Visionary Partners who make this podcast possible:

• The SPPA

• BlueRay XL

• AquaStar Pool Products

• Natural Chemistry

• Raypak

• Heritage Pool Supply

• Hayward Pool Products

• PoolSide Tech

• Pool Brain

• Nidec / U.S. Motors

• Encore Filtration – Welcome to the Pool Nation family

Your continued support helps elevate education, professionalism, and profitability across the pool industry.

In episode 286 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus is joined by co-hosts John “JJ Flawless” and Zac “The Pool Boy” Nicholas for a powerful, honest conversation about training, readiness, and real-world skill development in the pool industry.

With trade show season, boot camps, and certifications ramping up, the guys break down the difference between consuming information and being truly prepared to execute in the field. They explore why watching videos and attending classes feels productive—but often falls short when real-life variables, customers, and safety risks enter the picture.

You’ll hear why:

• Information alone doesn’t equal competence

• Pools are one of the most challenging environments to learn in

• Repetition, practice, and hands-on training matter more than ever

• “Figuring it out on the fly” has been normalized—and why that’s a problem

• The right education now leads to fewer mistakes, more confidence, and more time with your family later

This episode is a must-listen for pool service techs, repair techs, builders, retailers, and business owners who want to stop guessing, sharpen their skills, and approach training with the right mindset in 2026.

00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 01:00 – Why this conversation about training matters right now 03:30 – Kicking off 2026 & returning to show season 08:00 – Industry shout-outs & community updates 10:00 – Trade shows, boot camps & upcoming Pool Nation events 16:30 – Upskilling vs. reskilling: what pool pros actually need 18:30 – Information vs. training: why most education doesn’t stick 22:30 – Why confidence disappears in the field 27:00 – YouTube learning vs. real-world execution 31:30 – Why repetition and practice are missing in education 36:30 – Sponsor break 41:00 – Why pools are one of the hardest environments to learn in 47:00 – Working alone in backyards & pressure from homeowners 52:30 – The danger of “figuring it out on the fly” 58:30 – How the industry must evolve training standards 01:06:00 – Final thoughts: education now = freedom later 01:19:00 – Closing & where to see Pool Nation next

Big thank you to our sponsors for supporting Pool Pros and helping us keep the education and conversations rolling:

• SPPA • Blu-ray XL • AquaStar Pool Products • Natural Chemistry • Raypak • Heritage Pool Supply • Hayward Pool Products • Poolside Tech • US Motors / Nidec

Also, thank you to Pool Invoice and PoolManUniversity.com for supporting pool industry training and business systems.

In episode 285 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesús sits down with leadership expert Leanne De Jesús for an in-depth conversation on how pool business owners, service techs, retailers, and builders can grow without burning out, falling behind, or constantly starting over.

What is upskilling? Upskilling means improving and expanding the skills you already use in your role — not changing careers, but getting better, smarter, and more effective at what you’re already doing.

In the pool industry, upskilling can look like:

• Developing leadership and people-management skills

• Improving pricing, financial clarity, and decision-making

• Learning new equipment, technology, and automation

• Building sales and customer communication skills

• Training your team so the business doesn’t rely only on you

Reskilling, on the other hand, is learning an entirely new role or function — like moving from service into building, retail, or management.

Throughout this episode, Edgar and Leanne break down why most frustration, burnout, and leadership struggles aren’t people problems — they’re skill gaps. They also explain why access to information alone doesn’t create better leaders, and how structure, mentorship, and intentional learning are what actually drive growth.

Whether you’re a one-truck operator or scaling a multi-location business, this conversation will help you:

• Understand when to upskill vs when to reskill

• Recognize early signs of burnout and stagnation

• Build stronger leaders and more accountable teams

• Create growth without chaos

• Shift from operator thinking to owner thinking

This episode isn’t about working harder — it’s about thinking differently so your business can grow with clarity and control.

00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 01:05 – Why upskilling and reskilling matter right now 03:00 – Pool Nation events, shows, and upcoming education 06:10 – What upskilling really looks like in real life 09:45 – AI, technology, and staying relevant 13:20 – How pool pros upskill without realizing it 16:10 – The difference between upskilling and reskilling 18:50 – When you should reskill vs improve your current skills 21:40 – Why people think they need to quit when they really need new skills 25:10 – Learning, testing, applying, and sharing knowledge 30:00 – Burnout, overwhelm, and hidden skill gaps 33:10 – Leadership problems vs skill problems 37:20 – Why information alone doesn’t create better leaders 40:50 – Time, structure, and intentional learning 44:30 – Sponsor break 46:00 – Upskilling business owners for growth and scale 50:30 – Hiring for skill vs hiring for personality 55:10 – Upskilling pool techs: sales, safety, and trust 1:01:40 – Retail teams, product knowledge, and relationships 1:07:30 – Why training fails without structure 1:12:00 – Train-the-trainer mindset and leadership confidence 1:17:40 – Why guided learning and mentorship matter 1:21:10 – The most important mindset shift: growth mindset 1:26:30 – Final thoughts and takeaways 1:30:00 – Closing remarks and where to find Pool Nation

A huge thank you to our visionary partners who make Pool Nation education possible:

• SPPA –

• US Motors (Nidec) –

• Blu-Ray XL –

• AquaStar Pool Products –

• Natural Chemistry –

• Raypak –

• Hayward Pool Products –

• Heritage Pool Supply

Your support helps us continue to educate, elevate, and strengthen the pool industry.

In episode 284 of the Pool Nation Podcast, we sit down with Rocco Russo, the 2025 Pool Nation Trainer of the Year, to break down what it really takes to become an elite pool professional.

Rocco shares his journey from the HVAC and mechanical trades into the pool industry, how early failures shaped his career, and why confidence, training, and preparation are the true differentiators between average techs and top performers. This is not just a conversation about equipment — it’s about mindset, leadership, and professionalism in the pool service and repair industry.

We dig deep into:

• Why most pool techs undervalue themselves

• How proper training builds confidence and profitability

• The parallels between HVAC, mechanical systems, and modern pool equipment

• Why calling tech support is a strength — not a weakness

• How trainers and manufacturers can elevate the entire industry together

Whether you’re a new pool tech, a seasoned repair pro, or a business owner trying to level up your team, this episode delivers insight you can apply immediately.

👉 If you care about doing the job right, charging what you’re worth, and building a sustainable pool business, this is a must-listen episode.

00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 02:00 – Introducing 2025 Trainer of the Year, Rocco Russo 06:30 – Rocco’s early career in HVAC & mechanical systems 14:45 – First pool heater failure & lessons learned the hard way 22:30 – Why pool techs need confidence, not just tools 32:00 – Training vs. guessing in the field 44:15 – Manufacturer support & why tech support matters 55:30 – Selling value, not price 1:09:00 – What separates average techs from elite professionals 1:25:00 – Rocco’s transition into training & industry impact 1:38:00 – Winning Trainer of the Year & final reflections 1:55:00 – Final thoughts on leadership, education, and growth

This episode is brought to you by our Pool Nation Visionary Sponsors, who continue to support education, training, and growth in the pool industry:

• SPPA (Swimming Pool Pro Alliance)

• Blu-Ray XL

• AquaStar Pool Products

• Natural Chemistry

• Raypak

• Heritage Pool Supply

• Hayward Pool Products

• PoolSide Tech

• Pool Brain

• Nidec / U.S. Motors

We appreciate your continued commitment to elevating pool professionals across the country.