In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, host Megan Kendrick welcomes back Alex Granlund of King Technology to discuss a new hot tub setup and why new hot tubs should be purged and properly balanced at startup. They explain that hot tubs are wet-tested at factories using reused water, leaving residual water and buildup in plumbing that can sit for months, leading to biofilm, odor and debris that later causes scum lines and sanitizer inefficiency. They recommend filling and heating to about 85–90°F before using a purge product, draining and refilling, and purging again if heavy debris or smell persists. They emphasize balancing source water before use, optionally pre-filtering fill water, avoiding softened water unless corrected with calcium, and adding a startup shock or small amount of chlorine if balancing takes longer than 24 hours. They encourage dealers to test customers’ source water pre-delivery, rely on supplier training, and offer support programs like FROG VIP to improve customer success and reduce buyer’s remorse.

Show Notes with Timestamps:

00:00 Podcast Welcome
01:40 Why Purging Matters
02:42 Wet Testing Reality
08:18 Dealer Upsell Opportunity
09:44 How to Purge Properly
12:22 Balance Water First
14:45 Pre Filter Source Water
17:07 Speeding Up Startup
19:03 Training Dealer Teams
22:15 Support Tools for Dealers
24:59 Improve Setup Experience
30:10 Confidence Based Selling
33:04 Final Startup Checklist
33:44 Wrap Up

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In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, Host Megan Kendrick welcomes Amanda Annis (Ohio Hot Tub and Sauna, IHTA chairman) and Seth Ewing (director of member programs and services at the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance) to discuss how IHTA, under the PHTA umbrella, has evolved and now more strongly serves portable hot tub retailers. They highlight core work protecting the industry through standards, safety, and advocacy on issues like energy regulations, fencing laws, bonding/electrical, water regulations, tariffs, and unsafe noncompliant products sold online, plus relationship-building with government and “Day on the Hill” lobbying. They cover expanded member benefits including a dedicated IHTA retailer membership ($1,000 company fee), a job board (Work in Aquatics), brand-agnostic Certified Hot Tub Technician training, webinars, quarterly and monthly market intelligence reports, and the new Center of Excellence online learning system with 160+ courses and multiple tracks.

Show Notes with Timestamps:

00:00 Podcast Welcome
01:36 Amanda Joins IHTA
03:01 Association Evolution
04:39 New Member Benefits
07:01 Research And Trends
09:54 Workforce Job Board
11:25 Why Advocacy Matters
15:07 Safety And Compliance
16:06 Retailer Membership Perks
20:04 Amanda Member Results
23:40 Behind The Scenes Advocacy
26:06 Day On The Hill
27:30 Sponsor Message
28:07 Crisis Support Updates
32:58 Center Of Excellence
38:30 Final Thoughts

In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, early Caldera Spas owner David Ingram shares his background leaving home at 16, working at Fed Mart/Price Club (later Costco), and moving into spa manufacturing through Custom Fiber Engineering. He describes gaining control of a near-bankrupt Caldera in the late 1970s, building early gel-coat/FRP spas, improving blister resistance through multi-layer resin processes and later transitioning toward acrylic thermoforming as the portable spa market grew. Ingram recounts personally selling shells via delivery routes to dealers and pool builders, emphasizing Caldera’s “pure comfort” positioning, navigating financing challenges (including the 1980s crash), and streamlining operations after hiring a high-level CFO/COO. A major growth driver was launching Costco hot tub roadshows. He discusses selling Caldera to Watkins/Masco, his continued industry involvement, family considerations and product areas he’d still improve (equipment presentation, base details, and covers).

Show Notes with Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
01:04 David’s Early Work Life
02:40 Spa Molds and Job Shops
05:47 Taking Control of Caldera
09:23 Materials Shift and Blister Fixes
13:02 Hustling Sales on the Road
18:45 Dealers, Pool Builders, and Portable Boom
25:18 Reputation, Family, and Real Estate
33:16 Pure Comfort and Profit Machine
38:26 Early Crises and Hard Lessons
38:42 Financing for Growth
39:31 Costco Partnership Breakthrough
41:00 Roadshows and Volume Strategy
42:22 Costco Program Economics
45:51 Family Loss and Motivation
47:21 Why Sell to Watkins
50:57 Masco Resources and PE Contrast
54:46 Life After the Sale
57:43 Back to Retail Expansion
01:00:56 Partnership Rules of Thumb
01:01:24 Durango Connections and Roots
01:03:44 Caldera Legacy and Next 50
01:07:15 Product Improvements Wish List
01:09:05 Cover Problems and Warranty
01:11:39 Wrap Up and Farewell

In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, host Megan Kendrick interviews Stephen Reed, COO of Spa Parts Plus, about his career from pool service work to Hayward, Beachcomber Hot Tubs, and wholesale distribution before acquiring Spa Parts Plus’ wholesale business in 2024. Reed recounts Spa Parts Plus’ 40+ year history: founded in 1986 by Barry and Paulette Knickerbocker, moved to Arizona in 1991, became employee-owned in 2001, returned to Barry in 2008, acquired California Specialty Distributors in 2012, joined Allied Innovations in 2019, and was later bought by private equity in 2022 pursuing vertical integration. Reed explains the company’s renewed focus on wholesale-only support for retailers and service techs, emphasizing fast, accurate shipping from its Memphis-area warehouse, partnerships with OEMs including warranty fulfillment, and using technology (including AI as “augmented” intelligence) to improve service and parts identification amid ongoing challenges from pandemic-era supply chain and mixed-component tubs.

Show Notes with Timestamps:

00:00 Podcast Welcome
01:27 Stephen Reed Background
03:28 Origins of Spa Parts Plus
06:55 Ownership Timeline Explained
09:41 Back to Wholesale Focus
11:46 Why Acquire the Business
12:57 Dealers React and Service Margins
14:51 OEM Partnerships and Genuine Parts
18:27 Service Demand and Tech Expertise
21:32 Dealers Servicing All Brands
24:00 COVID Era Parts Puzzle
25:06 Supply Chain Crunch
26:31 Industry Lessons Learned
28:03 Next Chapter Strategy
28:37 Warranty Fulfillment Logistics
29:45 AI And Technology Plans
30:28 How We Choose Stock
31:45 Sourcing Missing Parts
32:50 Warehouse And Shipping Reach
34:03 Spa Retailer Five
35:22 Career Flops And Wins
38:25 AR Tools And QR Comeback
42:02 Favorite Reads And Wrap Up
45:01 Where To Find Us
45:32 Podcast Closing Credits

In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, host Megan Kendrick interviews brothers and co-owners Harrison (24) and Nick Dale (28) discuss launching the Cover and Supply Company, a hot tub cover manufacturing operation in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, next to their parents’ longtime Pelican Shops spa retail store. The entrepreneur team got into the business after other jobs, then bootstrapping production in a repurposed building while sourcing skins from China and navigating sudden tariffs. They cut EPS foam, draw patterns, seal and stuff covers, deliver with a truck/van, and sell largely through in-person store visits across PA, NJ, NY and nearby states. They’ve launched a dealer portal, built a warranty/serial-number labeling system, plan faster sealing equipment and a new facility, expect hiring soon, and note industry sustainability pressure around EPS and a university capstone effort to develop new cover designs.

Show Notes with Timestamps:

00:00 Podcast Welcome
01:09 Meet The Dale Brothers
02:18 Family Business Roots
03:28 Early Work Lessons
04:20 Life Outside The Store
06:32 Nick and Amazon Shift
07:40 Values From Parents
08:54 Why Start A Cover Company
10:18 Bootstrapping and Tariffs
12:58 Making Covers In House
13:55 Cold Visiting Sales Strategy
16:39 Freight Savings Pitch
18:01 Choosing Sizes and Black
19:02 Surprises and Precision
21:09 Learning Machines and CAD
23:04 Dealer Portal and Warranty
24:33 Production Capacity Push
25:14 First Week Reality Check
26:25 Switching Off Owner Mode
27:30 Tariffs and Figure It Out
30:54 Scaling Up Space and Staff
33:33 Service Area and Delivery Limits
35:04 Spa Retailer Five Stories
38:36 Worst Ideas and Hard Lessons
40:40 Best Ideas and Family Business
42:05 Media Picks and Kaizen Mindset
45:37 Thanks and Sign Off

In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, host Megan Kendrick interviews Susan McPhie, VP of Business Development and General Manager at Silk Water Solutions (maker of SilkBalance). McPhie shares her background growing up in Montreal and living in Vancouver, speaking French, and early career paths including cabin safety training for a Canadian airline, real estate development, and the alcohol industry (including Mike’s Hard Lemonade), noting experiences in male-dominated fields. She explains Silk Water Solutions was founded in 2007 by her father, a former CEO of a major Canadian hot tub manufacturer, to simplify water care by preventing problems rather than treating symptoms, leading to patented technology developed with chemist Colin Taylor and updated over time to remain compatible with industry innovations such as monitoring systems and salt generators.

McPhie describes how SilkBalance is used weekly to stabilize pH and alkalinity (supporting sanitizer efficiency), soften water feel, keep particles suspended to reduce buildup, and help protect spa components, while not acting as a sanitizer itself; it is available as a liquid or dissolving “Silk Gems” pods, and the company later launched SilkBalance Plus for saltwater systems. She recounts initially joining the business to build its social media presence, then moving into broader marketing and sales, navigating credibility as the founder’s daughter by learning water chemistry and working across roles, and reflecting on working closely with her father before his illness and departure from the company in 2020 during COVID. The conversation highlights the importance of succession planning, supporting brick-and-mortar retailers with sustainable recurring revenue, continued education and training, and maintaining company values including sustainability. McPhie and Kendrick discuss advocacy for women in the industry, the shift toward broader female representation, and the role of supportive men.

Show Notes with Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome to The SpaRetailer Podcast + Meet Susan McPhie (SilkBalance “Orange Bottle”)
01:49 Susan’s Roots: Montreal to Vancouver, Family Life & the Outdoors
03:38 From UN Dreams to the Airline Industry: Discovering a Passion for Training
05:45 Real Estate & Mike’s Hard Lemonade: Lessons from Male-Dominated Industries
07:22 How Silk Water Solutions Started: Simplifying Water Care with Patented Tech
11:37 What SilkBalance Actually Does: Softer Water, Stable pH/Alkalinity, Cleaner Spas
17:19 How Susan Joined the Hot Tub Industry: First Trade Show & Falling in Love with the People
21:45 From Social Media to Sales: Marketing, Storytelling, and Earning Credibility as the Founder’s Daughter
27:34 Working with Her Dad + Succession Planning During COVID
32:38 Leading Through Crisis: Resilience, Transparency & Team Support
33:47 Why Wellness Products Matter: Hydrotherapy Benefits for Every Age
35:58 Succession Planning 101: Start Now, Revisit Yearly, Align the Team
39:00 Advocating for Women in the Industry: Breaking Bias & Expanding Roles
47:28 Silk Balance’s Next Chapter: Tech, Simplicity, Retailer Support & Values
50:53 SpaRetailer Five: First Sale, First Job (Ms. Ball!), Flops & Big Wins
01:01:24 Favorites & Farewell: Podcasts, True Crime, Gilmore Girls, and Closing Thanks

In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, host Megan Kendrick sits down with Greg Haines, CEO of Compass Digital, discussing digital marketing strategies and trends for the spa and hot tub industry. They delve into the importance of maintaining an up-to-date website and the increasing role of AI in digital marketing. Haines emphasizes practices such as using automations and segmentations in email marketing, and the value of working with either local or specialized national agencies. They also cover the significant role of AI and search engine adaptations, illustrating how businesses can optimize their online presence for 2026. The conversation further outlines budget considerations for marketing, the balance between awareness and lead generation efforts, and practical advice for using customer relationship management (CRM) tools effectively.

Show Notes with Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Casual Conversation
01:34 End of Year Reflections
02:33 Meeting Agenda and Playbook Discussion
05:36 Podcast Introduction and Guest Background
06:56 Greg’s Career Journey
15:18 Digital Marketing Insights
28:42 AI and Future Trends
30:34 The Shift to AI in Search Engines
31:07 Optimizing Websites for AI
31:39 Importance of FAQs and Local Content
32:37 Structured Data and Site Audits
34:25 Custom GPTs for Clients
37:12 AI in Business Operations
45:23 Digital Marketing Strategies for 2026
55:00 Personal Insights and Experiences
59:01 Engaging Content and Lead Generation

In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, host Megan Kendrick sits down with Greg Haines, CEO of Compass Digital, discussing digital marketing strategies and trends for the spa and hot tub industry. They delve into the importance of maintaining an up-to-date website and the increasing role of AI in digital marketing. Haines emphasizes practices such as using automations and segmentations in email marketing, and the value of working with either local or specialized national agencies. They also cover the significant role of AI and search engine adaptations, illustrating how businesses can optimize their online presence for 2026. The conversation further outlines budget considerations for marketing, the balance between awareness and lead generation efforts, and practical advice for using customer relationship management (CRM) tools effectively.

Show Notes with Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Casual Conversation
01:34 End of Year Reflections
02:33 Meeting Agenda and Playbook Discussion
05:36 Podcast Introduction and Guest Background
06:56 Greg’s Career Journey
15:18 Digital Marketing Insights
28:42 AI and Future Trends
30:34 The Shift to AI in Search Engines
31:07 Optimizing Websites for AI
31:39 Importance of FAQs and Local Content
32:37 Structured Data and Site Audits
34:25 Custom GPTs for Clients
37:12 AI in Business Operations
45:23 Digital Marketing Strategies for 2026
55:00 Personal Insights and Experiences
59:01 Engaging Content and Lead Generation

In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, host Megan Kendrick sits down with Royce Manuelo, the brand and product development manager from PAL Lighting based in Houston, Texas. Manuelo shares his journey from marketing various products to specializing in the lighting industry, ultimately making commercial lighting exciting. They discuss the evolution of pool and spa lighting and its significant impact on creating a bespoke and emotionally resonant backyard experience. Manuelo highlights PAL Lighting’s mission to ‘own the backyard’ by offering integrated lighting systems that sync with music and create relaxing environments. He encourages hot tub retailers to consider landscape lighting as part of their offerings to enhance the overall customer experience. Manuelo also recounts his first job, marketing insights, and the importance of understanding customer emotions in sales. This episode is a deep dive into how innovative lighting solutions can transform outdoor living spaces.

Show Notes with Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to the Spa Retailer Podcast
00:36 Meet Royce Manuelo from PAL Lighting
01:31 Royce’s Journey into the Lighting Industry
03:13 PAL Lighting’s Innovations and Market Expansion
06:11 The Importance of Lighting in Backyard Design
11:25 Integrating Lighting Solutions for Hot Tub Retailers
21:12 Support and Resources for Retailers
22:21 Introduction to the Spa Retailer Five
23:42 First Job Experiences
26:05 Marketing Failures and Lessons Learned
30:57 Marketing Success Stories
35:58 Favorite Books and Podcasts
38:35 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of The SpaRetailer Podcast, Megan Kendrick interviews Fred Bachmann, owner of Bachmann’s Pools, Spas and Saunas in Wisconsin. They discuss Fred’s journey from a building contractor to a prominent figure in the hot tub industry. Fred delves into his early challenges, including renovating his showrooms during COVID and acquiring a failing business, which eventual turned out to be beneficial. Fred also shares insights into how aggressive marketing, top-notch service, and rigorous staff training have driven the store’s continued growth. Winning the Locksin Thompson Award affirmed their success. Additionally, Fred highlights his interest in cold plunge products and ambitious plans for his business’s future.

Show Notes with Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:13 Showroom Success and Awards
01:44 Store Renovations During COVID
02:22 Fred’s Background and Entry into the Hot Tub Industry
03:37 Early Business Challenges and Growth
09:46 Marketing Strategies and Turning Points
12:51 Expansion and Real Estate Investments
15:25 Navigating the 2008 Recession
16:23 COVID-19 Impact and Adaptations
23:48 Post-COVID Growth and Future Outlook
27:50 Navigating Supply Chain Challenges
28:27 The Impact of Tariffs on Pricing
30:02 Consumer Demand for Hot Tubs
30:18 Marketing Strategies and Industry Trends
32:06 The Rise of Cold Plunges
37:48 Training and Development
40:05 Future Business Plans
41:30 Winning the Locksin and Thompson Award
43:18 Personal Reflections and Insights
50:43 Conclusion and Final Thoughts