Show Notes
He sold his pool company from the middle of a world cruise, then came home with a sharper take on where pool service is headed. Harold Evans returns to the Poohway Podcast Show to share the wild logistics of closing a deal while traveling, why Hasa felt like the right long-term partner for his brand, and what he’s learned after years of building tools and training for working pool pros.
From there, we get practical and opinionated about what actually creates value in a backyard. We talk Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) and why balanced water is about protecting heaters, surfaces, and warranties, not just “passing” a test kit. Harold explains why reducing friction matters, how an LSI app helps techs make better calls faster, and why teaching the “why” beats handing out rote habits that break the moment conditions change.
We also take on the uncomfortable business side: customers watching service visits on cameras, inflation crushing margins, and the temptation to do less work for the same price. Harold makes the case that chem-only service and every-other-week stops can become expectation traps, especially as DIY pool owners gain access to Amazon parts, AI-driven advice, and endless online info. We close with a bigger industry lens on online education, trade shows, consumer demand, consolidation, and what it takes to stay profitable without racing to the bottom.
If you want more profit, fewer headaches, and a pool service business that can compete in the DIY era, listen now, then subscribe, share this with a pool pro friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.
We catch up with Harold Evans on how his family business sale came together mid-cruise and why he believes education is still the strongest differentiator for pool pros. We dig into LSI, the real cost of “faster” service, and how DIY tools, Amazon, and inflation are forcing the pool industry to rethink value.
• The behind-the-scenes story of selling a pool company while traveling
• Why education beats product-pushing for long-term customer trust
• What LSI is for and why it is not a sanitation metric
• Reducing friction so busy techs actually use water balance tools
• Why spending less time on-site can destroy perceived value
• The risks of chem-only and every-other-week service models
• How inflation quietly erodes profit when rates do not change
• DIY customers, AI, and Amazon reshaping parts access and expectations
• Distribution inventory pressure and why pros are ordering online more
• Online training vs trade shows and why consumer education matters
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