In Episode 242 of the Pool Nation Podcast Get ready to laugh, learn, and level up in this Best of 2024 - Part 1 episode of the Pool Nation Podcast! We’re taking you on a wild ride through the most unforgettable moments of the year – from highway shoutouts and Yelp horror stories to golden advice on running a successful pool business.

We highlight the community spirit of Pool Nation, feature inspirational journeys from retail pros, and dive into powerful strategies on handling complaints, growing your brand through social media, and innovating your business during tough times (yes, even during the tab shortage!).

🚨 Don’t miss this jam-packed episode full of laughs, learning, and legendary guests!

00:00 – Intro: Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 00:50 – Jay Breakfield freeway story & Instagram shoutout 02:15 – Big shoutout to Jeanette – Pool Nation family 03:00 – Interview: Eugene Lockman – “Chlorine and Cashflow” 04:45 – How to handle customer complaints (and the Yelp nightmare) 07:00 – Turning problems into opportunities and loving your customers 08:00 – Nathan joins the podcast and “solves world hunger” 09:15 – Doreen King & Leanne De Jesus join the show – leadership, influence, and podcast debuts 10:00 – Pool Pro Magazine’s 30 Under 40 Winners 11:00 – Zach’s Black Onyx bracelet saga and bad mojo continues… 12:30 – Megan Kendrick joins the show in person 13:15 – Dustin Anderson, Danielle Barr & studio shoutouts 15:00 – Behind the scenes of the photo shoot fail (Poo shirt alert!) 16:30 – Zach, John, and Leanne reunite in Texas – mini road trip meltdown 18:30 – Bootcamp class preview: Hiring Right with Leanne 21:00 – Jeanette spotted on magazine cover at Texas Pool Supply 22:00 – Real talk on car sickness, old photos, and John’s driving 26:30 – Podcast with Omar & Todd (Aquastar) – giveaways, events & banter 29:00 – Failing at promo: the audience tells us what to fix 32:00 – In-studio with Academy Pool Supply (Retailer of the Year) 39:00 – Social media strategy and content that actually works 41:30 – The power of video and building trust before the sale 43:00 – Building long-term customer loyalty through quality installs 45:00 – Back-to-back sponsor shoutouts 48:00 – Javier Pian – 1987 to now: 30+ years of professionalism 54:00 – Damien & Sarah’s $75K idea: Renting liquid chlorine systems 57:00 – Raypak Training Team joins live – Brad, Dave, Ken, and TJ