Episode 162: August - News and Notes with Megan Kendrick of Pool Pro Magazine

Episode Summary: 

Today’s special episode is the first in a new series we’re calling “News & Notes” in partnership with Pool Pro Magazine. 

We kick things off by sharing our thoughts on some notable pool-related stories—from the recent success of the company known as the “AirBnB” for pools to Will Smith trying out the world’s deepest swimming pool in Dubai, to an arrest made in Florida of a woman who snuck into a retiree’s yard to swim naked in their pool. 

Megan then goes over recent industry news, including a rising trend of pool companies going public as well as acquisitions being made in the industry, the long-awaited apprenticeship program that is finally being launched by the PSATC, BioLab rebuilding their facility, and movers and shakers in the industry. 

Finally, we highlight two of our favorite Pool Pro articles from the latest issue. 

Topics Discussed: 

• 01:03 - Intro to Megan and Pool Pro Magazine 
• 01:50 - Recent notable pool-related news stories 
• 07:05 - Pool companies going public 
• 10:08 - Acquisitions are on the rise 
• 13:05 - PSATC’s new apprenticeship program 
• 16:58 - BioLab rebuilds its facility 
• 18:04 - Pool Industry movers and shakers 
• 19:32 - The issue of plastic, leaky bottles 
• 22:54 - Using different chemicals such as CalHypo 

 

 

Resources Mentioned: 

In the News:  

• Champlain Towers Collapse 
• Deep Dive Dubai
• Swimply (Airbnb For Pools)
• Six Flags Chemical Leak
• California Car in Pool
• Colorado Car in Pool
• Baby Deer Saved
• Skinny Dipping Florida Woman 

Pool Industry News: 

• Companies Going Public (Leslie’s, Hayward, Latham)
• Acquisitions (POOLCORP, NPP, Fluidra/CMP)
• California Apprenticeship Program (Article, Website)
• BioLab Rebuilding
• Jeff Gray to Water Tech
• Jamie Novak to AquaStar
• Wendy Parker to Pool Troopers 

 Pool Pro Magazine Article Highlights: 

• Packaging Perils
• Beyond Trichlor 

Connect with Guest: 

• Episode Webpage 
• Website 
• Facebook 
• Instagram 
• Twitter 

 

Connect with Pool Chasers: 

• Website 
• Instagram 
• Facebook 
• Facebook Group 
• Twitter 
• YouTube 
• Patreon 

 

Key Quotes from Episode: 

• Everybody in the pool industry knows that things are going really well right now. It’s booming. There are a lot of challenges, but there’s a lot of money coming into the pool industry. 
• Make sure that you and your employees are prepared from a safety perspective and are ready to do what you need to do to stay employed and keep your pools cleaned.