You need to be a hard worker. This job is not for everyone. There is weather to deal with, wind, rain, heat, humidity, and snow. You are doing physical labor all day long. So, if you don't like hard work or working in 100-degree weather, this job might not be for you.
A book I read years ago helped me and it might help you also is called The Go-Getter: A Story That Tells You How to Be One by Peter B. Kyne. It was first published in 1921. This book will give you a good lesson on what it takes to be successful.
You can learn the trade by watching my YouTube videos and by taking courses in your local area if they are offered. A fantastic way to make sure you are qualified and ready is to get CPO certified or Residential Certified through Bob Lowry’s course.
People skills are essential because you are running a service business and are providing specific “work” in return for payment. You are not selling a product; the product is you and the service you provide. So, you will make mistakes and customers will get mad and you will need to develop good people skills.
Good solid business skills are essential. You are in business to make money and you are not just out there “spinning your wheels.” So, you need to learn how to draw up a business plan which includes charging enough per pool so that you turn a profit. Service prices vary from region to region so it is up to you to set the best price for your area.
Getting your finances in order is a fantastic way to get your business finances in order. A great resource that I used successfully was the Dave Ramsey plan to become Debt Free myself. Learning how to run your finances is critical and if you can't manage your finances you certainly won't be able to manage your business finances.
Be an honest person. Being a person of Integrity takes a lot of effort. I was never taught as a youngster the value of being honest, so I had to learn it as an adult. If you lie to your customers and they find out, your reputation will be damaged. And in the service business, your reputation is everything.
So how do you get started in the business? You can get a truck, open an account at Leslie’s Pool Supplies and receive wholesale pricing. Or open an account at PoolCorp, the parent company of SCP and Superior Pool Products, and get your equipment and chemicals at wholesale pricing.
Then you can solicit accounts to service. This is a hard way to get started but is doable if you start part-time and build up a route while working at another job. Over time you can build up a good business.
You can also work for a pool company for a year or two and learn the trade. This is also a good method and you can learn a lot that will help you later when you are on your own.
You can also purchase a full or partial pool route from a Pool Service Broker. You purchase pools in your area. If you have the money to invest this is a fantastic way to do it. Look at it like purchasing a business. If you started building a pool route from scratch and already know the trade, this is a wonderful way to make your route bigger and bring in more income. In many cases buying pools makes sense.
You must get a good Liability Insurance Policy. This will protect you from lawsuits if you do make a mistake that damages the customer's property or person. For instance, you add water to the customer's pool and forget to turn it off. It floods their house and causes $30,000 in damage. They sue you for $30,000 and you are out of business. Instead, get a policy for less than $80 a month that will transfer the risk from you to the insurance company. It is just good business sense and you will sleep better at night.
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