E-315 Pool Nation Podcast - How to Build a Pool Business That Does It All | Hot Springs Pools & PoolGoods.com

About this episode

In episode 314 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus and Ryan Morson sit down with Jake Riggs and Stuart Lockhart of Hot Springs Pools & Spas and PoolGoods.com for a powerful conversation about building and scaling a swimming pool business, family-business succession, pool construction, service, retail, e-commerce, marketing, AI, leadership, and creating opportunities for the next generation.

Hot Springs Pools & Spas started in 1989 with Jake's father and uncle and has grown from selling hot tubs into a business spanning nearly every vertical of the pool industry. Today, the company has four locations with a fifth on the way, more than 100 employees, builds approximately 400 pools per year, and operates PoolGoods.com, an e-commerce platform shipping to 48 states.

Jake and Stuart share how they're taking the foundation the previous generation built and combining it with new technology, better marketing, e-commerce, data, content, and new ways of thinking about the customer experience.

One of the biggest conversations in this episode is about the changing way customers find pool companies. Stuart shares how Hot Springs tracks marketing attribution across Facebook, Instagram, Google and other channels, and reveals that customers are already discovering the company through ChatGPT and other AI platforms, including a customer who purchased an approximately $25,000 hot tub after finding them through ChatGPT.

This episode is about more than growth. It's about building a business that creates opportunities for employees, serves customers for the entire life of their pool, and leaves something stronger for the generation that comes next.

IN THIS EPISODE

00:01:00 – Meet Jake Riggs & Stuart Lockhart and the Hot Springs Pools & Spas story

00:07:00 – Jake's journey from growing up in the family business to building his own path

00:10:00 – Stuart's path from commercial and residential sales to retail, service and marketing

00:12:00 – How PoolGoods.com was born and why convenience changed their strategy

00:15:00 – Building multiple pool business verticals: construction, service, retail and e-commerce

00:20:00 – Content, SEO, AI and why pool companies can't assume customers know who they are

00:23:00 – Why e-commerce can strengthen and protect your brick-and-mortar pool store

00:31:00 – Taking an old-school family pool business into the next generation

00:34:00 – HubSpot, marketing attribution, Facebook, Instagram and tracking where leads really come from

00:35:00 – The ChatGPT effect: how AI is already driving customers and high-ticket sales

00:40:00 – The future of Hot Springs, finding great people and expanding into new markets

00:42:00 – Building a pool business ecosystem where retail, service, construction and e-commerce feed each other

00:49:00 – Advice for young pool professionals and the next generation entering a family business

00:53:00 – Legacy, leadership and what Jake wants to leave behind

00:57:00 – Why money alone won't build a successful or fulfilling business

KEY TAKEAWAY

There isn't one single blueprint for building a great pool business.

Jake and Stuart's story shows what can happen when you respect the foundation that was built before you while still being willing to challenge old ways of doing things.

Whether you're running a pool service route, building pools, operating a retail store, selling online, or trying to grow into multiple revenue streams, the lesson is the same:

Know your customer. Build great people. Tell your story. Use the data. And never stop looking for ways to make the business better.

For second and third-generation pool professionals, there's another important message: respect the people who paved the way, but don't be afraid to bring new ideas to the table. Come prepared with the data, the plan, and the willingness to put in the work.

And ultimately, build something that's bigger than you.

THANK YOU TO OUR VISIONARY PARTNERS

The Pool Nation Podcast is made possible by the companies that continue to invest in pool pros and the future of the swimming pool industry.

Thank you to:

SPPA
BlueRay XL
AquaStar Pool Products
Natural Chemistry
Raypak
Heritage Pool Supply
Hayward Pool Products
Encore Brands
Poolside Tech
PoolBrain
Nidec / U.S. Motors
OnCore Filtration

Thank you for continuing to support Pool Nation and our mission to help pool professionals grow their businesses, strengthen their teams, and elevate the industry.

If you're a pool service professional, pool builder, pool retailer, business owner, or anyone looking to grow in the swimming pool industry, this is an episode you don't want to miss.

🎧 Listen now, subscribe to the Pool Nation Podcast, and share this episode with another pool pro.

Master the Business. Perfect the Craft.