I just would like to gather some information from Y'all about how you became to be professionals in our industry? Did you mostly learn on your own with trial and error? Did you work for many different pool companies first? How many years now have you called yourself a Service/Pool professional and when do you think you made that leap? Did you have much help along the way and where did it come from (before Pool Genius that is)? Your thoughts please.
Eric Stringi
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I started right out of high school cleaning pools for a small local service company. (1991)
I quickly outgrew them, and went to work for the largest service company in the county at the time. 10 months later that company filed Chapter 11, and I decided it was time to go out on my own...
After about 10 years of cleaning pools I was challenged by my best friend's father to broaden my horizons... He gave me my first large scale construction project (his own backyard), and that launched me into construction.
I continued to do both service and construction myself until about 3 years ago when I hired enough guys to fully relieve me from pool cleaning duties, so that I can focus on construction mostly (except for managing the pool routes).
We have always looked for opportunities to furhter our education, through trade shows, manufacturer seminars, etc. In 2006 we stumbled on a little group called Genesis3 and began to attend their courses. Aside from the challenge from my friend's dad, I would say that this has been the greatest factor in the success of our business over the years! Incredible teaching, and wonderful mentoring that I have (and still) recieve from the staff and instructors.
I've been in the construction industry since 1977 (homes, bridges, hardware) and in the pool industry since 1995. The pool industry is by far the most fun, and I am constantly striving to learn more and raise our industry up. Seems like we have been a bit "abused" over the years, mostly due to the inability of builders and service folks who do not portray our industry as the most trustworthy or honest.
Sites like this, and folks like a lot on here, are making a difference. If we all work just a little bit harder to improve our image and build/maintain the swimming pool to a higher level, we stand to make our little niche in the construction industry shine!