Talking Pools Podcast
If you’ve ever stared at a test kit like it personally insulted your family… welcome home.Talking Pools Podcast is the pool industry’s “pull up a chair” show—part shop talk, part field manual, part therapy session—built for people who actually live on pool decks: commercial operators, service techs, builders, facility managers, and anyone responsible for water that can’t afford to go sideways. The network was created to level up the pool industry with real-world conversations on water chemistry, filtration, troubleshooting, construction, safety, and the business side of keeping pools open and budgets intact. Here’s the hook: it’s not...
Same Pool, Different Math: Rudy & Eric Knight, Part 2
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Rudy Stankowitz and Eric Knight of Pool Brain continue their three-part crossover conversation with a question that gets uncomfortable fast: How can the same water readings look balanced in one calculation and aggressive in another?
They compare the PHTA/NPC calculation Rudy teaches with the Orenda calculator Eric helped develop, explain where their approaches differ, and discuss what those differences mean when you’re standing beside an actual pool.
Then there’s everything your standard test kit might miss, the challenge of managing water between weekly visits, and the diff...
Know Your Numbers, Protect Your Business
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Are you making money on every pool, or just staying busy?
This week on Thursdays with Wayne & Steve, the guys get back to business basics for pool professionals. Steve explains why knowing your costs, understanding your pricing, and building relationships with reliable subcontractors can make the difference between having a full route and having a profitable business.
Steve also shares what his coastal community has been dealing with as storms and beach erosion threaten homes, and he talks candidly about the toll the uncertainty has taken on...
Hot Tubs, Germs & the Microbial Badass - Dr. Roy Vore
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Hot tubs may be small, but the problems hiding in them can be anything but. In this episode of the Talking Pools Podcast, Natalie Hood sits down with microbiologist Dr. Roy Vore to tackle hot tub chemistry, sanitation, and the misconceptions that can leave bathers soaking in more than warm water.
Roy explains why hot tub water chemistry can change much faster than in a swimming pool, how heat and aeration affect it, and why sanitizer residual is only one part of spa care. Natalie and Roy...
Standalone Spas, Lost Accounts & Hiring the Right People
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A clean pool wasn’t enough to keep the customer. In this episode of Tru in the Loop, Pool Boy True shares a hard lesson he learned when a customer asked for service documentation, and he took too long to provide it. Her request was about more than paperwork: she wanted peace of mind.
True joins Christian of Pure Water Pools on Florida’s Treasure Coast to talk about servicing standalone spas. They discuss how spa use affects maintenance, what technicians should consider when pricing service, and why Christian believes spas can p...
Your Pool Business Has Procedures. Does Anyone Actually Follow Them?
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When the schedule fills up, shortcuts start looking pretty reasonable. A missing job note here, a skipped photo there. Then a customer calls, a pump won’t start, and suddenly that five-second video becomes the most valuable thing your technician recorded all week.
On this episode of Mondays Down Under, Lee, The Pool Shop Coach, joins Nick to discuss building procedures that pool professionals actually use. From consistent service standards to employee onboarding, they explore how clear expectations, accessible instructions, and explaining the “why” help keep a growing business runnin...
Fear of Facebook, Part 2: Less Bloodsport, More Pool Knowledge
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Can a Facebook group keep its edge without making every question a public execution?
Rudy Stankowitz rejoins 14 PSI’s Shawn Davis and Dan Chiles for the conclusion of their conversation about toxicity, accountability, and changing the culture of an online pool-professional community.
The goal sounds straightforward: build people up, share useful knowledge, and keep the ball-busting. Putting that into practice? That’s where the conversation gets interesting.
Rudy presses for specifics on consistent moderation, helping newcomers, addressing personal conflicts, and encouraging experienced members to b...
Stop Feeding the Skimmer: Wayne’s Pool Service Pet Peeves
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Talking Pools Podcast | Thursdays with Wayne & Steve
Wayne Ivusich is flying solo, and he’s brought a list. Welcome to “Pissed-Off Wayne Thursdays,” where questionable pool service habits earn a finger wag and a reminder that saving a few minutes can create expensive problems.
From chlorine tablets in skimmers to backwashing on autopilot, Wayne tackles shortcuts he sees across the industry. He explains why testing only chlorine and pH leaves part of the picture missing, discusses water balance, and encourages technicians to think about the long-t...
From Malibu Pools to Ocean Solutions: Terry Tamminen on Mentorship
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Before he worked with Arnold Schwarzenegger or led ocean innovation initiatives, Terry Tamminen was servicing swimming pools in Malibu. And when he couldn’t find the comprehensive maintenance reference he wanted, he wrote one.
This week on Talking Pools Podcast’s Wednesday Mythbusting Session, Natalie Hood wraps up the 2026 Top Ten Mentor interview series with Terry, author of The Ultimate Pool Maintenance Manual and a 2026 Talking Pools Podcast Mentor Award finalist.
Terry shares how his pool industry experience helped shape a career in environmental protection, why sharing know...
Stop Collecting Pools. Start Making Money. With Pineapple Pool Boyz
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Tru in the Loop | Talking Pools Podcast
Host: Truman
Guest: Zach of Pineapple Pool Boyz, Arizona
Truman bids a one-day cleanup that turns into a four-day construction-debris nightmare, complete with a long commute and a well-water refill that adds another headache. Then he revisits the morning he fell into a pool and walked face-first into a glass door in front of a room full of realtors. All before 9 a.m. Some business lessons come with spreadsheets. Others leave forehead prints.
This...
Busy Doesn’t Mean Profitable: Put Down the Price Gun and Know Your Numbers
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Link to The Pool Shop Coach’s ‘KNOW YOUR NUMBERS’ CALCULATOR : www.thepoolshopcoach.com.au/knowyournumbers
Your shop is packed, the service trucks are rolling, and bags of salt are flying out the door. So why does the profit disappear?
On this episode of Mondays Down Under on the Talking Pools Podcast, Lee Salisbury, The Pool Shop Coach, and Nick in Brisbane tackle the expenses quietly eating away at pool business profits. From merchant fees and surprise freight charges to fuel, wages, and electricity, those “little”...
Fear of Facebook, Part 1: 14 PSI Says Enough Is Enough. Lincoln Reflecting Pool Failure Analysis
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On this Floc It Friday episode of the Talking Pools Podcast, Rudy Stankowitz sits down with Shawn Davis and Dan Chiles, two former admins of 14 PSI Industry Lounge, for a candid conversation about toxic Facebook groups—and the responsibility that comes with helping shape their culture.
But first, breaking news on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
The Washington Post reports that a contractor-commissioned inspection identified at least EIGHTY-FIVE failures in the pool’s new blue coating following its fourteen-point-seven-million-dollar renovation.
In t...
Popped Pools, Leaking Profits & the Commercial Account From Hell
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Talking Pools Podcast | Thursdays with Steve & Wayne
Hosts: Steve Sherwood and Wayne Ivusich
Insurance Interlude Guest: Pat Grignon
That commercial pool account looks impressive on your client list—but is it making you money, or slowly eating your business alive?
Steve and Wayne dig into the realities of commercial pool service: unpredictable chemical demand, marathon equipment-room visits, failing valves, and bids that leave customers wondering why you charge so much. Steve explains why pricing a hotel pool like a backyard account ca...
Stop Blaming the Pool Guy! Plaster Myths & Industry BS with Greg Beard — Part 2
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The plaster looks like hell, and somehow the guy holding the net is already the prime suspect. Case closed? Natalie Hood and Greg Beard have a few follow-up questions.
On this Wednesday Mythbusting Session of the Talking Pools Podcast, Natalie welcomes Greg back for part two of their conversation about plaster problems, hands-on mentorship, and an industry that occasionally treats collaboration like somebody suggested sharing a toothbrush.
With more than 35 years of pool experience, Greg shares his perspective on what can happen before a pool is filled...
Tru in the Loop Premiere: Stop Eating Repair Costs, Charge Your Worth & Hire with Purpose
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Meet Truman, “Pool Boy Tru,” the newest voice on the Talking Pools Podcast. An Air Force veteran, former basketball coach, and Tampa-area pool business owner, Tru grew from a purchased route of 17 pools to 60 pools and an employee in two years. Now he’s bringing his lessons, questions, and industry connections to Tru in the Loop.
For his first episode, Tru welcomes Mike the Mechanic, owner of Swimming Pool Mechanics, the mentor who sold him his original route. They talk troubleshooting, expensive mistakes, and why unders...
Forgot the Hose? Water Damage, Floating Pools & the Chlorine Merry-Go-Round
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A hose left running. A pool that drains overnight. A concrete shell pushed out of the ground. Water has plenty of ways to turn an ordinary service visit into somebody’s very expensive problem.
On this episode of Mondays Down Under, Lee, Shane, and Nick share firsthand stories about water damage, forgotten taps, unexpected siphoning, and pools affected by groundwater pressure. Lee’s hidden dishwasher leak kicks off a conversation about the damage you don’t see until it’s already done—and the reminders that might keep a simple top...
You never know what someone is carrying when they show up to work
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This trailer offers a glimpse into “You Are the Storm—and You Are Allowed to Have Help: Mental Health in the Pool Industry,” released Friday, October 9, 2026, on the Talking Pools Podcast.
Join Rudy Stankowitz, Jacobi Truman, Chris Felmer, and Zarah Littlejohn for honest, firsthand conversations about PTSD, grief, bullying, and the struggles that don’t disappear when the workday starts. About checking on your people—and allowing yourself to ask for help, too.
🎧 The full episode is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere great podcasts can be found...
You Are the Storm - and You Are Allowed to Have Help: Mental Health in the Pool Industry
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Content note: This episode includes discussions of PTSD, suicide, grief, childhood bullying, and strong language. Listen at your own pace and take a break whenever you need one.
We spend a hell of a lot of time talking about what goes into the water. Today, we’re talking about the person standing next to it.
In this special Floc-It Friday episode of the Talking Pools Podcast, Rudy Stankowitz opens an honest conversation about mental health and the struggles that don’t disappear when somebody puts on a...
Leslie’s Restructuring: What It Could Mean for the Pool Industry
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Talking Pools Podcast | Thursdays with Steve & Wayne
Hosts: Steve Sherwood and Wayne Ivusich
Insurance Interlude Guest: Pat Grignon, California Pool Association
Leslie’s restructuring has the pool industry talking—and Steve and Wayne have plenty to say. From store closures and price matching to homeowner access and supplier relationships, they explore how changes at a major pool retailer could affect businesses throughout the industry.
Wayne shares his perspective from his years at Taylor Technologies, including the enormous orders and private-label partnership that...
Answer the Damn Phone: Greg “Beard Man” Beard on Real Mentorship | Part 1
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What does mentorship look like when you’re standing in a customer’s backyard, staring at equipment you can’t figure out, and someone answers your call?
Natalie Hood sits down with Greg “Beard Man” Beard, a two-time Talking Pools Podcast Top Ten Pool Industry Mentor honoree, to talk about the people who shaped his career—and why he keeps paying that knowledge forward.
With more than 35 years in the industry and a pool service business he started in 1990, Greg has plenty of experience to share. But helping some...
“I Just Test the Water” Won’t Cut It: Entrapment, Bad Plumbing & Professional Responsibility
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A pool can look immaculate and still have a dangerous suction system. A renovation can deliver a beautiful finish while leaving the same hazardous plumbing underneath. And a bigger pump can create problems that another bag of chemicals will never fix.
This week on Mondays Down Under, Lee, Nick, and Shane welcome Spiros from Next Gen Experts for a serious conversation about suction entrapment, hydraulic design, and what pool professionals need to notice beyond the water test.
Spiros shares examples from the entrapment cases he...
Pool Pros Deserve Better: Industry Politics, Product Claims & Corporate Bullshit
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WARNING: INTENTIONALLY ABRASIVE
If you want to know what pool professionals need, ask the person in the fucking truck.
This week on Floc-It Fridays, Rudy Stankowitz takes on the gossip, gatekeeping, and behind-the-scenes politics that make an already demanding trade harder than it needs to be.
From manufacturers’ reps badmouthing pool professionals to private calls about who should appear on a podcast or receive mentor recognition, Rudy shares the experiences that have changed how he views industry support—and what he expects from the peop...
Pool Pros Need More Regulation - and Fewer Facebook Assholes
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A truck, a pole, and a Facebook opinion: is that enough to call yourself a pool professional?
This Thursday on Talking Pools, Steve Sherwood and Wayne Ivusich tackle a question guaranteed to get somebody typing in all caps: Does the pool industry need more regulation? Steve makes the case for continuing education, stronger professional standards, and a system that makes more sense than a patchwork of requirements and inconsistent enforcement.
Then they turn to the professionals who answer legitimate questions with “hire a pr...
A Floating Liner, a Family Business, and the Advice Chris Cavanaugh Wishes He Took Sooner
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Talking Pools Podcast | Mythbusting Wednesday with Natalie Hood
What do you do when heavy rain turns a vinyl liner into a waterbed? Chris Cavanaugh has a clear first instruction: do not drain the pool. In this episode, Natalie talks with the 2026 Talking Pools TOP TEN Mentor about floating liners, groundwater, salt systems on steel-wall pools, and the mistakes that can turn a repairable problem into an expensive one.
Chris is a third-generation pool professional and president of Cavanaugh Pool, Spa & Patio in western Kentucky. He...
“Chlorine-Free” With a Chlorinator? SPASA Takes on Pool Sanitizer Claims
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What does freshwater mean when a pool system has a chlorinating cell? On Mondays Down Under, Lee Salisbury, Nick and Shane welcome Ben Makepeace, SPASA’s policy manager, to unpack SPASA’s new guide to swimming pool and spa sanitisation marketing claims.
Ben explains why the industry developed the voluntary guide and how pool retailers, service technicians and builders can use it to question product labels, compare systems and ask suppliers for evidence behind their claims. The conversation gets into “chlorine-free” and “mineral” marketing, the difference between oxidation an...
One-Star Tribunal: Pool Pros vs. People Who Shouldn’t Have Wi-Fi
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A one-star review can damage a reputation built over decades. Rudy breaks down how pool pros can respond without turning a bad review into a public cage match: cool off, check the service records, own genuine mistakes, correct false claims with facts, and know when to stop replying.
Then court is in session for the One-Star Tribunal. On the docket: a contractor blamed for a Category 5 hurricane, a complaint aimed at the wrong pool company, a review campaign over $139.99, a store faulted for closing at its posted time, and...
When Water Goes Where it Shouldn't
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A storm strips sand from Steve’s Long Beach neighborhood, tears up the boardwalk, and forces nearby residents to evacuate. That leads Steve and Wayne into a pool professional’s nightmare: a hose left running at a hillside pool, followed by evacuations and damage below the property.
They discuss the risks of draining pools, what hydrostatic relief valves do, and why suspected structural problems call for an engineer. Steve also gets into the business side of service: setting clear expectations for missed visits and vacations, covering a route while you’re away...
Ancient Pool Warrior: John Poma on Mentorship, Machinery and Alum
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Natalie Hood continues her conversations with the 2026 Talking Pools Podcast Top Ten Mentors with John Poma—the “Ancient Pool Warrior” and a two-time Top Ten honoree.
John shares how a summer job pouring precast main drains became a decades-long career spanning commercial pool construction, service, plumbing, equipment installation and heavy machinery. He explains why the best field professionals must sometimes become their own engineers, how mentorship has evolved from guarded trade secrets to open knowledge-sharing, and why mistakes should be fixed—not used to assign blame.
Then it’s time to bu...
Workplace Safety: It’s Not a Problem Until It’s a Problem
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Workplace health and safety is not optional—especially when your team handles hazardous pool chemicals, works outdoors in extreme heat and enters unfamiliar equipment rooms every day.
On this episode of Mondays Down Under, Lee Salisbury is joined by Shane Sneddon and Nick Day to discuss the safety practices every pool and spa business should have in place. From PPE, chemical segregation and spill containment to SDS registers, vehicle storage, staff induction and mental well-being, the crew examines the risks businesses often overlook until an accident or near miss exposes them.
...Cancel Me: Gen X, Cancel Culture and Knowing When to Shut the F*** Up
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This episode is intentionally and unapologetically Gen X, slightly abrasive and definitely not safe for the easily rattled. Beneath the profanity and sarcasm is a serious discussion about accountability, professional communication and knowing the difference between telling an uncomfortable truth and simply acting like an asshole.
Rudy takes on cancel culture, trigger warnings, political correctness and the challenge of communicating like an actual human being in a customer-facing industry.
Pool professionals should never be afraid to correct dangerous work, challenge technical bullshit or tell a customer an uncomfortable truth. F...
Jeff Hampe: Mentorship, Mosaic Mastery and Pool-Tile Myths
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Natalie Hood continues her conversations with the 2026 Talking Pools Podcast Top Ten Mentors by sitting down with Jeff Hampe, a longtime pool professional known for his all-tile pools, artistic glass mosaics and uncompromising attention to detail.
Jeff shares how he progressed from repairing hot tubs in New Jersey to cleaning pools, repairing equipment, performing leak detection and eventually becoming a licensed pool contractor and sought-after mosaic specialist. He also discusses the craftsmen who mentored him, why he freely passes that knowledge forward and the satisfaction of watching someone build a better...
Can Your Pool Business Survive Without You?
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What happens when a family emergency forces you to leave your business with almost no warning?
This week on Mondays Down Under, Lee, Nick, and Shane reunite to discuss Shane’s unexpected six-week absence and how his pool service business continued operating while he was overseas. From trusting an employee with 65 regular clients to managing emergencies across a 12-hour time difference, the conversation offers an honest look at delegation, communication, and building a company that does not depend entirely on its owner.
The team also recounts a late-night equipment-room fl...
Reflecting Absence: The Engineering Behind the 9/11 Memorial Pools
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Twenty-five years after the attacks of September 11, 2001, this special episode of the Talking Pools Podcast is presented without commercial interruption.
Rudy Stankowitz remembers the 2,977 people murdered that day, the passengers and crews who fought back, the first responders who ran toward danger, and the survivors and recovery workers who carried the physical and emotional consequences home with them.
The episode then examines Reflecting Absence, the two enormous memorial pools built within the footprints of the former World Trade Center towers. From nearly 1,400 feet of precision waterfall weir and more...
Chemicals in the Skimmer, Insurance Gaps & the Pool Guy Who “Feels” the Water
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This week on Thursdays with Wayne and Steve, Wayne climbs back onto his favorite soapbox: your skimmer is not a chemical-dispensing system. The guys break down the risks of feeding acid, calcium chloride, chlorine tablets, and other products through the skimmer—and discuss the limited situations where manufacturer directions may call for it.
Steve also speaks with Pat from the California Pool Association about liability coverage for residential, commercial, and high-end aquatic facilities. They examine diving boards, slides, expensive equipment, property-damage extensions, revenue audits, and why landing a massive commercial account ma...
Mentorship, AI, and Common Sense with Peter Wiedermann
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Natalie Hood welcomes 2026 Top Ten Pool Industry Mentor Peter Wiedermann for a conversation about his 31 years in the swimming pool industry, the people who shaped his career, and the technicians he helped develop along the way.
Peter explains why a mentor should build independence rather than dependence, why trust is essential, and why challenging someone’s thinking is sometimes the greatest help a mentor can provide. He also shares how recognizing burnout led him away from daily pool work and toward business networking and teaching people to use artificial intelligence more ef...
Training Today Builds a Stronger Pool Industry Tomorrow
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Hiring new employees is only the beginning. If pool and spa businesses want knowledgeable technicians, loyal teams, confident customers, and fewer unqualified operators dragging down the trade, they must invest in professional development.
On this episode of Mondays Down Under, Lee Salisbury, Nick Day, and Shane Sneddon welcome Rachel, General Manager of IR Learning—soon to return to the name SPASA Training—to discuss the education and qualifications available to pool and spa professionals across Australia and New Zealand.
The group explores Recognition of Prior Learning, competency conversations, transferable skil...
Pool Remodels: What Lies Beneath the Plaster
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A pool remodel is rarely as simple as replacing the tile and plaster. Once the old surface comes off and the ground is opened, contractors can uncover structural cracks, deteriorated rebar, undersized plumbing, missing hydrostatic relief, unsafe electrical work, and decades of questionable shortcuts.
In this bonus episode, Kelli speaks with Jose Gonzalez of Adams Pool Solutions in Pleasanton, California. Jose grew up working alongside his father in the pool industry and has spent nearly 12 years with Adams, advancing from plaster and pebble application into field management, project management...
Ten Things Wrong with the Pool Industry
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This episode is intentionally abrasive.
The pool industry wants the respect, credibility, and compensation of a skilled trade. But are we willing to establish, demand, demonstrate, and charge for skilled-trade standards?
Rudy asked pool professionals what they believe is wrong with the industry, and the responses came flooding in: inadequate training, nonexistent licensing, bargain-basement pricing, oversized egos, unqualified technicians, social-media experts, bad installations, fragmented education, private equity, manufacturers selling around the trade, and customers who expect luxury service at Dollar General prices.
The individual complaints...
Selling Your Pool Business? Protect Yourself Before You Sign
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Private equity has entered the pool industry, and companies looking to acquire thousands of service accounts are knocking on the doors of independent pool professionals.
But what happens when they knock on yours?
In this Insurance Interlude, Steve Sherwood and Pat Grignon discuss what pool company owners need to consider before selling their business, route, or customer accounts. Steve shares his own experience with an acquisition offer and explains why a bigger salary was not enough to convince him to surrender the freedom he spent a decade building.
<...Calcium Nodules, Mentorship, and 50 Years of Pool Industry Wisdom with Jerry Wallace
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What does nearly 50 years in the swimming pool industry teach you? According to Jerry Wallace, there are no shortcuts, you never stop learning, and sometimes you need to show up with a rolling suitcase full of textbooks.
Natalie Hood sits down with Jerry Wallace, president of Swim Chem and one of the 2026 Talking Pools Podcast Top Ten Pool Industry Mentors. Jerry shares how he entered the family business as a teenager, the mentors who shaped his career, and why mentoring is about leaving the industry better than you found it.
<...The Biggest Pool Technology from Down Under
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For this special Mondays Down Under episode, Lee, Shane, and Nick are finally together in the same room after two exhausting days walking the floor at SPLASH! 2026.
The team shares the products, technology, conversations, and innovations that caught their attention, including smarter chlorinators, Bluetooth pressure monitoring, automatic backwashing, direct free-chlorine testing, advanced commercial sanitation systems, and robotic cleaners that are becoming increasingly independent.
They also speak with representatives from Waterco, Davey, Fluidra, Brauer Swim, Maytronics, and other industry leaders about equipment designed to reduce maintenance, conserve water, improve chemical...
