Talking Pools Podcast
Talking Pools Podcast
Rudy Stankowitz
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 theory-first. It’s experience-first—a roster of seasoned pros (with 250+ years of combined “been there, fixed that” wisdom) turning complicated problems into practical moves you can use the same day.  And it’s not one voice, one vibe, one corner of the industry: it’s a network of shows designed to reflect how diverse this work really is—different regions, different specialties, different personalities. Also worth saying out loud: women aren’t “special guests” here—they’re on the mic as hosts, from the beginning, with an intentionally balanced roster.  That matters, because the best ideas in this industry don’t come from one lane—they come from the whole road.If you want a podcast that can make you laugh and make you better at what you do—without pretending the job is easier than it is—Talking Pools is the one you queue up before the first stop, and keep on when the day starts getting weird. 
Pool Remodels: What Lies Beneath the Plaster
Ask a question here 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 ha...
Sep 5
30 min
Ten Things Wrong with the Pool Industry
Ask a question here 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 install...
Sep 4
31 min
Selling Your Pool Business? Protect Yourself Before You Sign
Ask a question here 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...
Sep 3
12 min
Calcium Nodules, Mentorship, and 50 Years of Pool Industry Wisdom with Jerry Wallace
Ask a question here 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 i...
Sep 2
1 hr
The Biggest Pool Technology from Down Under
Ask a question here 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 in...
Aug 31
56 min
Rudy asks Education or Sales Pitch? Know Who’s Teaching You
Ask a question here WARNING: This episode is intentionally abrasive. It contains strong language, blunt opinions, and an alarming lack of patience for sales pitches disguised as education. If professional disagreement offends you, consider this your continuing education credit in hurt feelings. Not all pool industry education is created equal—and “free” education is rarely free. In this episode, Rudy examines the difference between manufacturer-funded seminars, paid independent instruct...
Aug 28
25 min
1099 or W-2? The Expensive Difference Pool Companies Cannot Ignore
Ask a question here Calling someone an independent contractor does not automatically make them one. In this Insurance Interlude, Steve Sherwood and Pat Grignon of the California Pool Association examine the complicated line between 1099 subcontractors and W-2 employees. They discuss what may help establish a legitimate subcontractor relationship, including separate business entities, independent insurance coverage, control over scheduling, and performing work for other customers. They also ex...
Aug 27
17 min
Is There Too Much Pool Industry Education?
Ask a question here In the conclusion of this two-part Mythbusting Wednesday conversation, Natalie Hood sits down with Erik Knight to discuss his move from Watershape University to Pool Brain—and the bigger problems he hopes to help solve. The pool industry has more education available than ever, but is that actually part of the problem? New technicians are often buried under chemistry, equipment, software, procedures, and safety information before they have enough hands-on experience to unde...
Aug 26
35 min
Is Your Pool Business Balanced—or Are You Just Putting Out Fires?
Ask a question here This week on Mondays Down Under, Lee Salisbury—the Pool Shop Coach—and Nick tackle a question every pool business owner should ask: Are you actually running your business, or are you simply reacting to whichever fire is burning hottest today? Lee introduces her new Business Balance Check, a free assessment designed specifically to identify the areas of your business that need attention most. It examines ten critical areas—including branding, communication, team culture, sa...
Aug 24
54 min
If You’re the Local Expert, Stop Charging Like the Local Idiot
Ask a question here WARNING: Intentionally Abrasive Language - Every service business wants to be the company everyone recommends—the local expert called after three other contractors have replaced the wrong parts, collected their checks, and left the customer with the same damn problem. But authority doesn’t come from putting “premier,” “elite,” or “superior” on the side of a truck. It comes from becoming exceptionally good at solving difficult problems, teaching people what you know, docume...
Aug 21
30 min
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