The SpaRetailer Podcast

(left to right) Neal Patel, COO; Nimisha Patel, CIO; Zena Shah, CFO and HR director; Ronak Shah, president and CEO Ronak Shah runs Oklahoma-based Galaxy Home Recreation with his sister and extended family. Two years ago they started construction on a new location in Edmond, Oklahoma, an affluent suburb of Oklahoma City. The store was scheduled to open in March 2020, but then COVID hit. Ronak shares how his father, Mukesh, started Galaxy and its evolution from pool tables, to coin operated machines, to hot tubs and how he and his sister Nimisha took over when Mukesh died unexpectedly. Now, the pair have grown the business even further, with an eye to do more. Galaxy was honored as one of our Retail Stars in 2020. You can read that article here. https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/

Dennis Gentek Dennis Gentek has pretty much seen it all in the hot tub industry. His 32-year career in the industry, spent almost exclusively as a rep for Jacuzzi/Sundance, spans almost every dip, recession and worldwide crisis, which now includes the coronavirus. Gentek shares how his life as a sales rep has changed during the pandemic (a lot less travel), the industry trends he thinks are here to stay and the smart things he’s seen dealers do to stay ahead. https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/

Allen Kalkomey We’ve all become keenly aware of supply chains in 2020 — from toilet paper, to groceries, to all the things that make a hot tub. Custom Molded Products, or CMP, is one of the vital suppliers for hot tub manufacturers making everything from jets, valves, lights, sanitation systems and the list goes on. We talk to Allen Kalkomey, vice president of sales and marketing, and Vic Walker, director of marketing and product design. Kalkomey and Walker bring different perspectives to the hot tub industry, with Kalkomey being relatively new to the industry, and Walker spending time at Dimension One Spas before moving to CMP. We talk how the coronavirus has impacted the industry, and their business (because can you really have a conversation these days without leading with that?), but mostly we discuss what it’s like to design and develop products for distinct hot tub OEMs. Vic Walker It’s a peek behind the curtain of how products come to be and what it’s like to understand, interest and balance manufacturer personalities. Walker is part of the teams that developed D1’s Bay collection and CMP’s SQR System. This episode is sponsored by Marquis. Marquis’ Vector21 hot tubs feature Vector Optimized Laminar Therapy (V-O-L-T) which delivers up to 40% more flow volume, specifically engineered to achieve laminar flow. Variable Velocity Valves (V3) throttles 0 to 100 percent of the available water flow between multiple seats or to only one seat. Conal Jetpods are softer on the skin’s surface. Directional Jetpods offer more targeted sensation into the muscle mass. Orbital Jetpods rotate dynamically to create a kneading sensation. Specialized Massage Seat configurations include: Deep-Tissue, Relaxation, Shiatsu or Swedish Massage. Whitewater-4 jet is high-flow therapy innovation, located in the footwell to enhance the benefits of leg and foot massage. https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/

When Sabeena Hickman joined the newly formed PHTA in the fall of 2019, she thought she knew what her biggest challenge would be — continuing to merge two legacy associations. What neither she, or anyone, anticipated was the world being turned upside down by a global pandemic. Sabeena talks to us about how coronavirus changed the PHTA and industry’s year and how that impacted its new strategic action plan. To become a member of the PHTA/IHTA visit PHTA.org https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/ This episode is sponsored by Marquis. AQUATIC TRAINING VESSELS HIGH FLOW THERAPY: FASTER, FITTER, FIERCER Aquatic Training Vessels are much more than a traditional swim spa. Hydrodynamic flow design and control plus a unique range of pumps and jet arrays deliver water flow users can customize for their aquatic workout. The Kona’s exclusive system design uses six Whitewater-4 jets to deliver water flow beyond the volumes created by the pumps, delivering up to 39% more flow than comparably sized competitive jets, plus two mid-vessel Buoyancy Jets that provide mid-to-lower torso lift during swimming. The V150 party/swim tub utilizes Whitewater-4 jets: three swim jets and two footwell jets, plus Directional, Conal and Orbital Jetpods in eight therapy seats.

How he went from being a wild kid, to a star Yellow Pages salesman, to hot tub industry entrepreneur. For every business partnership that’s soured, Greer has the opposite tale. We talk to him about his life in the hot tub industry and what happened to Core Covers during the shutdown and order influx. A masked Core Cover employee works at his station. “We all keep each other safe” says the banner hanging in Core Covers’ partitioned break room. The company hopes it inspires healthy choices outside the workplace. Core Cover employees are sprayed with disinfectant before entering the building each shift. Temperatures are taken twice as employees come onto the property. This episode is sponsored by Strong Spas. Experience true spa convenience at the touch of a button! Strong Spas’ fully-automated Dura-Shield HardCover is another example of Strong’s innovative engineering in a long line of industry firsts! Strong has taken the durability and strength of its HardCover and made the ease of use even simpler. Effortlessly open and close Dura-Shield with a simple turn of a key! Strong’s Dura-Shield HardCover holds 1,000+ lbs. and comes with a limited Lifetime Guarantee! Read more about the Dura-Shield HardCover here. https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/

Neither Jeff nor Megan were able to enjoy the libations during this conversation between two industry legends. Haviland graciously recorded a podcast episode for us, and John “Legend” Bokor, who we had on back Episode #39 chats lakeside with longtime Haviland president Art Harre. Harre is retiring at the end of 2020 and reflects on his time in the industry. Sit back and enjoy fun tales of the industry past, and some ideas on how to tackles challenges of the future. https://sparetailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Two-Drinks-Teaser-Video.mp4 https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/

Aqua-Tech Pools, Hot Tubs and Bathrooms has pivoted to not only survive the pandemic, but to thrive. Showroom manager, Kathi Belcourt, shares what they’ve done to keep sales flowing. https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/ This episode is sponsored by Strong Spas. Experience true spa convenience at the touch of a button! Strong Spas’ fully-automated Dura-Shield HardCover is another example of Strong’s innovative engineering in a long line of industry firsts! Strong has taken the durability and strength of its HardCover and made the ease of use even simpler. Effortlessly open and close Dura-Shield with a simple turn of a key! Strong’s Dura-Shield HardCover holds 1,000+ lbs. and comes with a limited Lifetime Guarantee! Read more about the Dura-Shield HardCover here.

Aqua-Tech Pools, Hot Tubs and Bathrooms has pivoted to not only survive the pandemic, but to thrive. Showroom manager, Kathi Belcourt, shares what they’ve done to keep sales flowing. This episode is sponsored by Strong Spas. Experience true spa convenience at the touch of a button! Strong Spas’ fully-automated Dura-Shield™

Ben Poggemiller is a digital marketer turned hot tub business owner in Manitoba, Canada. He’s used his marketing background to put together a successful system to collect leads and sell spas without ever seeing a customer face-to-face. We interviewed Poggemiller before the COVID crisis, and he was kind enough to record the episode again, updating the information to reflect our new social distancing reality. Check out Poggemiller’s hot tub business at Urban Life. Learn more about Poggemiller’s marketing system. Join Poggemiller’s Mastermind Facebook group Let’s do our best to support each other and the industry right now! Join our Facebook group to share information, vent and find support during these difficult times. Read more of our coronavirus coverage:Retailer Reactions to COVID-19Taking it Day By DayIn Times of CoronaCOVID-19: What to Do NowPivot or PerishAll Updates Let us know what you think about this episode and others by emailing [email protected]. You can also leave us a voicemail at 405-992-0160 and we’ll listen to your question on the air. This episode is sponsored by Marquis. Marquis’ Vector21 hot tubs feature Vector Optimized Laminar Therapy (V-O-L-T) which delivers up to 40% more flow volume, specifically engineered to achieve laminar flow. Variable Velocity Valves (V3) throttles 0 to 100 percent of the available water flow between multiple seats or to only one seat. Conal Jetpods are softer on the skin’s surface. Directional Jetpods offer more targeted sensation into the muscle mass. Orbital Jetpods rotate dynamically to create a kneading sensation. Specialized Massage Seat configurations include: Deep-Tissue, Relaxation, Shiatsu or Swedish Massage. Whitewater-4 jet is high-flow therapy innovation, located in the footwell to enhance the benefits of leg and foot massage. https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/

Listen to a rebroadcast of a free webinar conducted by Clear Comfort and SpaRetailer. Megan is joined by Steve Berens to discuss how to conduct business while also social distancing. A few of the things covered include: Technologies for engagement and revenue Virtual selling Training Staff Build comfort and trust Protect, retain and train staff Sell experience over features Maximize each opportunity You can also watch the video of the webinar, which includes slides and other information here. Let’s do our best to support each other and the industry right now! Join our Facebook group to share information, vent and find support during these difficult times. Read more of our coronavirus coverage:Retailer Reactions to COVID-19Taking it Day By DayIn Times of CoronaCOVID-19: What to Do NowPivot or Perish Let us know what you think about this episode and others by emailing [email protected]. https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/