The SpaRetailer Podcast

The SpaRetailer Podcast

The Voice of the Hot Tub Industry

Episodes

Episode #130, From Service Routes to Fiesta Pools: Travis Hogan’s Entrepreneurial Journey

September 3, 2025
In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, host Megan Kendrick talks with Travis Hogan, owner of Fiesta Pools and Spas in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They discuss how Travis got into the hot tub and pool business, starting from his humble beginnings in pool maintenance to eventually purchasing and expanding Fiesta Pools. Travis shares insights on business challenges, including transitioning into a well-established company at a young age, lea...
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Episode #129, Navigating Business Growth: Insights from Scott Gettings at Hot Tub Superstore

May 28, 2025
In this episode of the SpaRetailer Podcast, host Megan Kendrick interviews Scott Gettings, co-owner of Hot Tub Superstore, which has locations in Reno, Vegas, and Scottsdale, Arizona. Scott shares his background coming from the car business and how he transitioned into the hot tub industry through a partnership with his roommate and now business partner, Dan. They discuss the importance of consistent sales training, strategic plann...
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Episode #128, Hot Tub Innovation and Leadership: Jim Parker’s Path to Ahh!some Water Care

May 14, 2025
In this episode of the Spa Retailer Podcast, hosted by Megan Kendrick, the owner of SpaRetailer Magazine, Jim Parker, CEO of Ahh!some Water Care, discusses his journey into the hot tub industry, the development and expansion of his family’s business, and the importance of proper water care. Jim shares insights into the origins of Ahh!some Water Care, initially developed by his father and business partner in 1996, emphasizing its co...
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Episode #127, The Enzyme Evolution: Tom Vaughn’s Spa Industry Adventures

April 30, 2025
In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, host Megan Kendrick converses with Tom Vaughn, the president of Water’s Choice. Vaughn shares insights about the development and benefits of enzyme-based water care products, the startup challenges with them and the company’s evolution. They also talk about Water’s Choice’s new Buzz Off product for repelling insects around pools and hot tubs using ion technology. Vaughn provides anecdotes...
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Episode #126, Inside Cada Pools & Spas: AJ Cada Discusses Retail, Challenges, and Triumphs

April 16, 2025 • 42 mins
This episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast features an insightful conversation between host Megan Kendrick and AJ Cada from Cada Pools and Spas in St. Charles, Illinois. AJ discusses his journey into the pool and spa industry, which began in 2012, as well as the evolution and growth of his family’s business over 45 years. The discussion covers the challenges and benefits of working in a family-run business, the importance of staying u...
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Episode #125, Behind the Scenes: King Technology on its Innovations in the Spa Industry

April 2, 2025
In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, host Megan Kendrick welcomes back Alex Granlund from King Technology, where they delve into his experiences and observations from recent industry trade shows. They discuss the unique challenges faced at the Western Pool and Spa show and the Atlantic City show, sharing funny and insightful anecdotes. Alex highlights King Technology’s commitment to innovation, detailing the advances made po...
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Episode #124, Hot Tub History with Steve Hammock of Watkins Wellness

March 19, 2025
In this episode of the Spa Retailer podcast, host Megan Kendrick interviews Steve Hammack, former president of Watkins Wellness. Steve discusses his upbringing as a ‘military brat,’ attending 14 schools, and eventually settling in Southern California. He recounts his entry into the hot tub industry in 1982, his early relationships and travel to find dealers, and the challenges Watkins faced including the Great Recession and a criti...
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Episode #123, Designing Success: Edie Bukenya on Transforming Hot Tub Showrooms

March 5, 2025
In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, host Megan Kendrick interviews Edie Bukenya, owner of Crested Crane Interiors, about her work in store design, specifically for hot tub retail spaces. Bukenya shares her journey from an architecture design firm to launching her business during the COVID pandemic, largely influenced by her work with Don Riling of Olympic Hot Tub. Edie discusses essential elements that enhance customer expe...
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Episode #122, Mastering Sales Events in the Hot Tub Industry with Shawna Mesher

February 19, 2025
In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, host Megan Kendrick, owner of SpaRetailer magazine, brings back Shawna Mesher, director of sales and marketing at Evosus, to discuss strategies for planning and executing successful sales events in the hot tub industry. Shawna shares her insights on the importance of events, drawing from her experience with Oregon Hot Tub and Nordstrom. She emphasizes the need for creating urgency and bui...
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Episode #121, From Chaos to Clarity: Shandi Evertsen’s Tale of Resilience at Tropical Spas

February 5, 2025
In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, host Megan Kendrick interviews Shandi Evertsen, the General Manager of Tropical Spas in St. George, Utah. Shandi shares her background in hospitality management and how the pandemic led her to transition into the hot tub industry. She details the rapid growth and sale of Tropical Spas, as well as the challenges faced, including a devastating fire that occurred shortly after the business c...
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Episode #120, Revolutionizing Hot Tub Maintenance with Gecko’s Waterlab

January 22, 2025
In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, host Megan Kendrick speaks with Jerome Landry, a product manager at Gecko Alliance. They discuss Gecko’s latest innovation, the waterlab — an inline water testing device for hot tubs. Jerome shares insights into the product’s development, how it simplifies water chemistry for users and its impact on the hot tub industry. He also delves into his background in the tech industry and the coll...
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Episode #119, Jacuzzi True Water

January 8, 2025
In this episode, guests Larry Ovalle, vice president of innovation and technology, and Erica Moir, senior vice president of design, engineering and product marketing at Jacuzzi, discuss the development and features of True Water, a revolutionary water care system. The True Water System utilizes nanobubble technology to maintain cleaner water with significantly less chemical usage and effort from the consumer. Over a three-year deve...
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Episode #118, Water by Design Celebrates 40 Years

November 20, 2024
Oops — missed last weeks release due to the Pool | Spa | Patio Expo. Paul Madden Sr. and Paul Madden Jr. of Water By Design join the podcast to talk about their company’s 40th anniversary. The father-son duo bring an admirable respect and deference to the family business.
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Episode #117, Hot Tub History with Don Elkington of Coast Spas

October 30, 2024
Don Elkington, the now retired founder of Coast Spas, joins the podcast to tell his hot tub history. Elkington shares how he got the business started and the unique challenges he faced being a hot tub manufacturer in Canada.
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Episode #116, Patio Pleasures Converts to an ESOP with Rene Huston

October 16, 2024
Patio Pleasures in Madison, Wisconsin, is the latest hot tub retailer to convert to an employee stock ownership plan. One of the former owners, Rene Huston, joins us on the podcast to talk through their ESOP process.
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Episode #115, Selling a Family Business with Elle Hansen

October 2, 2024
As the managing partner and successor president at REGENERATION, Elle Hansen has worked with 100s of companies as they work through their succession plans. Hansen joins the podcast to talk about her experiences and some of the common pitfalls she sees. Hansen joined us on several succession planning webinars, which you can watch here. Join Hansen in Dallas November 11, 2024, for an in-person succession planning workshop.
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Episode #114, Selling to Watson’s with Craig Ecelbarger

September 18, 2024
After 49 years in the hot tub industry, Craig Ecelbarger sold his The Recreational Warehouse to Watson’s in March. With a pathway to retirement, Ecelbarger shares how he started the business and grew it to the spa sales behemoth it is today.
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Episode #113, Energize Your Sales Team with Steve Hasenmueller

September 4, 2024
You may have heard that SpaRetailer has launched a sales training program for the industry. Today on the podcast, Steve Hasenmueller joins us to talk about that program. He explains why sales training doesn’t often doesn’t improve results and how this program breaks that narrative.
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Episode #112, Two Power Women Share the Hot Tub History of Ultra Modern Pool & Patio

June 12, 2024
Listen to the amazing history of a 70-year-old family business with current mother-daughter business partners Kara Weed and Rita Rowlen. Sponsored by Watkins Wellness
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Episode #111, Building a Creative Succession Plan from Within with Ron Perkins

May 29, 2024 • 81 mins
Ron Perkins joined Seven Seas Pools and Spas intending to own the business eventually. COVID fast-forwarded that plan and Perkins outlines how he and his boss developed a purchase plan that benefited them both. Read more > Brought to you by:
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