EP #242: Diving Deep: How Pool Pros Transforms Backyard Maintenance

What makes Blake Owens with Pool Pros a good neighbor?

What happens when litigation-level ethics meets the pool service industry? Blake Owens, founder of Pool Pros, joins Sophia on the Good Neighbor Podcast to reveal how he transformed from legal industry veteran to swimming pool expert – and why this unlikely career shift resulted in a company that's changing customer expectations.

After 25 years in the litigation support world, Blake was shocked to discover the pool service industry's reputation problem. Customers repeatedly shared horror stories about companies that didn't follow through on promises, neglected proper chemistry, and damaged expensive pool surfaces. Drawing on his background where trust was non-negotiable, Blake built Pool Pros around a core value that seems surprisingly rare: actually caring about customers' pools.

Now celebrating 10 years in business, Pool Pros stands apart through certified technicians who stay with the company three times longer than industry average. This stability translates directly to better service, with equipment repairs completed within a week and comprehensive offerings from weekly maintenance to complete pool remodels. Most telling? Three-quarters of their new customers come through word-of-mouth referrals rather than advertising.

Whether you're struggling with your current pool service or considering adding a pool to your property, Blake's insights reveal what questions to ask and red flags to watch for. Discover why proper pool care is about more than chemicals – it's about creating a relationship where your pool service sees themselves as partners in maintaining one of your home's most significant investments.

To learn more about Pool Pros go to:

https://poolprostexas.com/

Pool Pros

972-590-8161

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of afull-service pool company?
Well, one may be closer thanyou think.
Today I have the pleasure ofintroducing your good neighbor
Blake Owens, with Pool Pros.
Blake, how are you doing today?

Speaker 3 (00:26):
I'm doing great, Sophia.
Thanks for having me on.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
It's a pleasure to have you on and we're so excited
to learn all about you and yourbusiness.
Can you tell us a bit aboutyour company?

Speaker 3 (00:39):
Well Pool Pros started in 2015, so we're in our
10th year.
Our core focus is on weeklyservice, equipment repairs and
pool remodeling.
Regarding our weekly service,we specialize in a higher level
of service through well-trainedand certified techs who, on

(01:00):
average, have been with us overthree years.
One of the biggest hurdlesother companies have is their
frequent turnover in staff, andwe just don't experience that,
as we've created a companyculture that techs want to work
for and that attitude translatesinto happy customers into happy

(01:28):
customers.
Regarding our equipment repairs, our customers count on us to
diagnose the issue and provide aquote, then repair the issue
quickly.
Our average turnaround timefrom diagnosis to repair is less
than a week.
We also provide brand newequipment, set sales and
installation with a dream up,from plaster tile coping to new

(02:09):
decking, patio covers, pergolas,sun decks, beach entries, pool
leveling, and the list goes on.
So that's pretty much, in anutshell, what we do.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
Amazing.
And so, blake, how did youoriginally get into this
business?

Speaker 3 (02:28):
Well, my journey started 25 plus or actually 35
plus years ago.
I spent 25 plus years in thelitigation support industry.
Most of that time was in salesand sales management, and for

(02:49):
almost all those years I had aresidual income based on my
sales and my team sales.
And so when I became burned outon that industry, when I was
looking for a new industry, Iwas looking for something that
would provide the same type ofresidual income and that I've

(03:11):
been accustomed to.
And my research kept comingback to the pool industry, and
so I got a job with a poolcompany a big, big company so I
could learn the ropes and justbe a sponge and soak everything
up, and then stayed with themfor two years and then branched
out and started pool pros.

(03:32):
And here we are today.

Speaker 2 (03:36):
And so, blake, what is the number one myth or
misconception you typically comeacross in your industry?

Speaker 3 (03:43):
Okay, that's a good question.
Really, when I first got intothe industry, I was shocked at
how many people had badexperiences with pool companies.
There just wasn't a lot oftrust in pool companies to do
what they say they were going todo.
And then me coming from thelegal industry, where ethics is

(04:07):
paramount, I started Pool Proswith the goal to bring those
same ethics to the pool industry, which we have successfully
done.
I was also able to migrate someother key must-haves I've
learned from the legal industrythat fit right into the pool
industry, such as communicationorganization and records

(04:30):
retention.

Speaker 2 (04:33):
Let's go ahead and tell us who are your target
customers and, in terms ofmarketing, how do you attract
them?

Speaker 3 (04:42):
Okay, our target customers want their pool taken
care of on a higher level.
They're not really as muchconcerned about monthly rates,
rather a well-taken care of pooland a safe pool to swim in.
We've taken over from anothercompany that maybe charged a

(05:09):
little less than we did, just tofind, you know, just a
nightmare and cool chemistry anddamage to you know the plaster
due to the chemistry and justmany other scenarios that just
can't believe another companywould do that to their customers
.

Speaker 2 (05:30):
And, in terms of marketing, how do you attract
these customers?

Speaker 3 (05:37):
Marketing-wise we, you know we do the, you know
same marketing that othercompanies do.
You know the Yelp and and youknow home advisor things like
that.
But really we typically get newcustomers by referral.
I would say 75% of our newcustomer signups are by referral

(06:03):
and that's across the board,whether it be remodels or
equipment sales or just weeklyservice.

Speaker 2 (06:13):
Let's go ahead and switch gears.
Can you describe a hardship orlife challenge you overcame and
how it made you a better andstronger person today?
What comes to mind for you?

Speaker 3 (06:25):
Well, what comes to mind is I go all the way back to
when I was 18 to 20 years olddown in Waco, texas.
I had a lot of offers tocontinue my athletic career
through basketball and I just,you know, kind of got led down
the wrong path and for a coupleof years, and I woke up one day

(06:50):
and decided I didn't want tolive that way and moved to
Dallas and first job within aweek I got a job in the legal
industry that I spoke of andstayed in that for 25 plus years
and really all of that, youknow, made me who I am today.

Speaker 2 (07:12):
And really all of that you know made me who I am
today.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
So, blake, please tell our listeners one thing
they should remember about poolpros, I would say by far.
It's the fact that we careabout our customers.
We think of them as friends andpartners in the care of their
pool, which is a big investmenton their part, and we don't take

(07:40):
that lightly.
We've even had some reviewshere recently where customers
had stated just that that theyhaven't seen a company that like
us, that actually care aboutthe product that we give them
each and every week.
So I would say that would bethe biggest factor.

Speaker 2 (08:00):
And where can our listeners go to learn more about
Pool Pros?

Speaker 3 (08:22):
um.
Our website iswwwpoolprostexascom.
You can also contact us or textus at 972-590-8161.
That's our office line, and youcan also email me directly at
bl at PoolProsTexascom.

Speaker 2 (08:32):
Well, Blake, I really appreciate you being on the
show.
We wish you and your businessthe best moving forward.

Speaker 3 (08:39):
Thank you, sophia, appreciate you having me on.

Speaker 1 (08:42):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to gnpfriscocom.
That's gnpfriscocom, or call469-221-9345.
© transcript Emily Beynon.