Episode 303 Pool Nation Podcast is a Best of Episodes. This is a packed three-hour-plus episode with three segments (the Raypak heat pump deep dive, the Women's Summit podcast, and the Pool Nation Awards crew show)

Pool heat pumps are the future of pool heating, and in this episode the Pool Nation crew breaks down exactly how they work, why they beat gas heaters on cost, and how to sell them without scaring off your customers.

Host Edgar De Jesus sits down with Raypak's Brad Duncan and Akshaya Shekhar for a no-nonsense heat pump deep dive built for working pool service pros. Learn how heat pumps work, why they are becoming increasingly important across the industry, and how to position them as a long-term solution that delivers real value for your customers.

Then we hand the microphone over to the women of Pool Nation for a powerful recap of the Third Annual Pool Nation Women's Summit. Hear firsthand stories about leadership, authenticity, confidence, mentorship, and what it takes to thrive in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

We also take a deep dive into the Pool Nation Awards, discuss why nominations matter, spotlight some of the industry's rising stars, and share inspiring stories from pool pros who are making an impact every day.

Whether you're a one-person operation, a growing service company, a repair technician, or a business owner looking to scale, this episode is packed with practical takeaways, business lessons, and industry insights.

00:00 Welcome to Pool Nation: Meet the Hosts & Guests

02:00 Why Heat Pumps Are the Future of Pool Heating

05:00 Meet Brad Duncan & Akshaya Shekhar from Raypak

08:00 Heat Pump Deep Dive Begins

09:00 How a Pool Heat Pump Actually Works

10:30 Heat Pump Performance by Climate & the 80/80/80 Rule

13:00 Can a Heat Pump Heat a Spa?

14:30 COP vs Gas Heater Efficiency Explained

17:00 Why Combining Heat Pumps & Gas Heaters Changes Everything

19:30 Heat/Cool Models: Turning Hot Pools Into Profit Centers

21:00 Initial Investment vs Long-Term Savings

24:00 Selling Heat Pumps Without Scaring Customers

25:00 The Maserati vs Beetle Explanation Every Pool Pro Should Know

26:00 Pool Nation Women's Summit Special Begins

27:30 Women's Summit Recap & Industry Updates

32:00 Meet Janie Flawless & Jeanette Horn

39:00 The Growth of the Women's Summit

46:00 Finding Your Voice & Being Your Authentic Self

53:00 Leadership Lessons & Personal Growth

59:00 Sponsor Break

1:04:00 Pool Nation Live Returns

1:11:00 Pool Nation Awards Nominations Recap

1:18:00 Why Pool Nation Awards Matter

1:24:00 Recognizing Pool Pros Who Make a Difference

1:33:00 Pool Nation Conference & Heritage Event Updates

1:36:00 Education Funds & Industry Opportunities

1:43:00 30 Under 40 Spotlight: James Broderick

1:52:00 Customer Education & Building Trust

2:03:00 30 Under 40 Spotlight: Aiden Dunn

2:08:00 Growing a Business & Right-Sizing Your Route

2:16:00 30 Under 40 Spotlight: Nick LaPoint

2:25:00 Competition vs Community in the Pool Industry

2:33:00 Using Data to Build a Better Pool Company

2:40:00 Final Thoughts & Sponsor Break

2:46:00 Lessons From the Next Generation of Pool Pros

2:51:00 Inside the New Training Headquarters

2:54:00 Gold Medal Pools: The Origin Story

2:59:00 Surviving the 2008 Economic Crash

3:02:00 Building Massive Commercial Water Features

3:11:00 The Dallas Cowboys Connection

3:13:00 Closing Thoughts

A huge thank you to our amazing sponsors and visionary partners who make the Pool Nation Podcast possible:

✅ Encore Brands

✅ Encore Brands

Your support helps us continue our mission of building a nation of pool pros through education, community, and industry advancement.

Episode 302 of the Pool Nation Podcast

What if your pool business has been warning you about bigger problems... and you just haven’t been listening?

In this episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus, John “JJ Flawless,” and Zac “The Pool Boy” Nicholas dive deep into one of the most important business conversations pool pros can have: the signals your business sends you every single day.

From burnout and busy work to growth plateaus, employee problems, customer issues, and financial blind spots, the guys break down why so many pool companies mistake movement for progress. This episode sets the stage for a powerful multi-part conversation on how to recognize the warning signs before they become major business problems.

They also discuss:

If you’re a pool service professional trying to scale your company, improve profitability, build a stronger team, or simply avoid burnout, this episode is packed with real talk and business insight from three pool pros who have lived it.

00:00 – Pool Nation Podcast Intro

A huge thank you to our sponsors and partners who continue supporting the pool industry and Pool Nation:

→ SPPA

Your continued support helps us educate, inspire, and elevate pool professionals everywhere.

Join us in Van Nuys, California for the Heritage Pro Service Academy powered by Pool Nation.

Hands-on training includes:

Registration is FREE thanks to the Heritage Education Fund.

Visit PoolNation.com to register today.

Think you’ve found the dirtiest pool filter in the industry?

Submit your worst filter photos and videos for a chance to win cash and prizes from Encore Filtration.

In Episode 301 of the Pool Nation Podcast, we bring you a special “Best Of Pool Nation” compilation featuring some of the most impactful conversations, emotional moments, business lessons, and industry insights from the podcast.

From pool business growth strategies and operational efficiency to powerful conversations about water safety, leadership, and industry innovation, this episode highlights why Pool Nation continues to be the leading voice for pool professionals across the country.

You’ll hear incredible discussions with industry leaders from Heritage Pool Supply, AquaStar Pool Products, Terry Arko, Steve Barnes, and more as we dive into topics that every pool pro, service company owner, repair technician, and industry professional can relate to.

This episode covers:

If you're a pool service company owner, pool technician, builder, retailer, or manufacturer looking to grow your business and stay connected to the pulse of the swimming pool industry, this episode is packed with valuable insight and inspiration.

00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast

A huge thank you to all of our incredible sponsors and visionary partners who continue to support Pool Nation, pool industry education, and the growth of pool professionals across the country. Your partnership helps us continue building the #1 platform for swimming pool service, repair, business, and leadership education.

→ Heritage Pool Supply Group

In Episode 300 of the Pool Nation Podcast Edgar and John sit down with Mike from Quick Shop Pools and Bellafina Outdoors to talk about the future of pool construction, pool design, and pool business mentorship. If you are a pool service pro, pool builder, or pool business owner looking to grow, this is the pool podcast episode you cannot miss.

Mike spent 20 years in law enforcement working federal fugitive task forces, including the team that helped apprehend Whitey Bulger, before going all in on the pool industry. Today, he runs one of the most innovative pool construction companies and pool design showrooms in the country out of Huntington Beach, California. Pool pros who have walked through Bellafina Outdoors are calling it the Disneyland of pool design.

We also welcome Luz, Director of Operations at Bellafina, who brings over 20 years of brand and marketing experience into the pool industry, plus Thomas from PAL Lighting and Michelle from Heritage Pool Supply for a full Pool Nation studio conversation on pool builder education, customer experience, and elevating the pool trade for the next generation of pool pros.

IN THIS POOL NATION PODCAST EPISODE:

POOL NATION PODCAST TIMESTAMPS:

THANK YOU TO OUR POOL NATION PODCAST SPONSORS:

In Episode 299 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar, John “JJ Flawless,” and Zac “The Pool Boy” break down one of the most important conversations every pool pro needs to hear — the signals your business is sending you every single day.

From pricing mistakes and route inefficiencies to hiring too late and chasing the wrong growth, this episode dives deep into the real challenges pool service companies face — and how to fix them.

But that’s not all…

🚨 BIG NEWS: The Pool Pro Challenge just leveled up — now officially a $20,000+ competition (and pushing toward $25K) thanks to industry partners like BioLab and ProGuard.

If you’re serious about scaling your pool business, increasing profitability, and building something sustainable — this episode is a must-listen.

00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast

A huge thank you to our incredible partners who make this podcast possible:

👉 Want to grow your business faster?

In Episode 298 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar and Zac are joined by industry experts Robbie Walker and Michael Viegas from Solenis to break down one of the most misunderstood areas in the pool industry — spa, hot tub, and cold plunge water chemistry.

If you’ve ever treated a spa like a pool… this episode will change everything.

We dive deep into:

This is a must-listen for pool service pros, repair techs, and anyone looking to level up their understanding of water chemistry — especially in smaller bodies of water like spas and hot tubs.

👉 Bottom line: If you're not treating spas differently, you're doing it wrong.

00:00 – Intro: Welcome to Pool Nation Podcast

A huge thank you to our Visionary Partners for supporting the Pool Nation Podcast:

We appreciate your continued support in helping us grow the pool industry and build a nation of pool pros.

In Episode 297 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus, John “JJFlawless,” and Zac “The Pool Boy” sit down with Jose Perez, founder of Encore Filtration also now officially known as The Duke of Dirty Filters.

This episode goes deep into one of the most overlooked yet critical components of pool service: filtration  and why it directly impacts water quality, efficiency, customer trust, and profitability.

Jose shares his journey from air filtration into the pool industry, why most pool pros are losing money on filters without realizing it, and how innovation, pricing strategy, and protecting the service professional are reshaping the industry.

This isn’t just a product conversation it’s a business conversation about margins, competition from online retailers, and what it really takes to build a sustainable pool service company.

If you’re a pool pro, service company owner, or industry professional this episode will change how you think about filtration, pricing, and long-term growth.

00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast

We want to thank our amazing Pool Nation Visionary Partners for making this podcast possible:

Follow us for more content, training, and industry insights:

In Episode 296 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar breaks down the pool service business systems that help companies scale without losing control. This is Part 2 of the series and it moves from the problem to the solution. If you want to know how to scale a pool service business, this episode walks through the systems that protect profit, improve consistency, and make growth sustainable.

Edgar covers the real structure behind pool business growth, including chemical systems, route structure, service consistency, repairs, customer communication, and the numbers every pool pro needs to know. If your company is adding pools but still feels chaotic, these pool business systems can help you create repeatable results and build a stronger operation.

This episode is for pool service business owners who want better route efficiency, stronger margins, improved customer retention, and a clearer path to scaling. If you are trying to grow your pool service company without breaking your operations, this episode gives you a practical roadmap.

00:00 Intro and Part 2 overview

Special thanks to our Pool Nation Visionary Partners for supporting the podcast and the pool industry.

SPPA

EnCore Brands

E-295 Pool Nation Podcast. If you’ve ever felt like your pool business is growing… but somehow getting harder, more stressful, and less profitable—this episode is for you.

In this episode, Edgar breaks down one of the biggest problems in the pool industry: why companies break when they try to grow. And more importantly, what you need to fix before it happens to you.

This isn’t about working harder. It’s about understanding what growth actually does to your business.

Because growth doesn’t fix your business…

In this episode, you’ll learn:

If you’re serious about scaling your pool business the right way—and actually making money doing it—this episode will change how you think about growth forever.

This is Part 1 of a 2-part series. In Part 2, we’ll break down the systems and operational structure you need to scale the right way.

00:00 – Podcast Intro & Welcome

A huge thank you to our Pool Nation Visionary Partners for making this podcast possible:

These companies are investing in the future of pool pros and helping us build a stronger industry.

In episode # 295 of the Pool Nation Podcast, we sit down with Jeff Morrow Jr. to talk about something that can completely change how you look at your business…

👉 More revenue without adding more pools.

This isn’t about working harder.

This is about identifying opportunities already sitting in your customers’ backyards—and turning them into high-margin revenue streams.

Jeff shares his journey from grinding through the 2008 recession…

…to building multiple successful product lines and scaling into thousands of retail stores nationwide.

But more importantly for you as a pool pro…

We break down a real-world opportunity that can generate $5K–$10K+ jobs with the customers you already service.

00:00 – Podcast intro & guest introduction

SPPA