The Ins and Outs of Job Costing

The Ins and Outs of Job Costing

For many in the pool and spa business, money is looked upon as a taboo topic not to be openly discussed. It is true that in any form of business, competitors are restricted by laws from getting specific when discussing pricing, overhead and profit margins with one another. However, understanding these factors in broad, general terms (which are legally discussable) … Read More

Measure the Success of Your Business Beyond the Bottom Line

Measure the Success of Your Business Beyond the Bottom Line

As a startup owner, you obviously want to figure out the best way to measure success. In the early stages of business ownership, financial gains are not necessarily a good measure of forward movement. Instead, look out for these positive reinforcers as a way to measure your startup’s success. How To Measure Your Startup’s Success 1. The Industry is Taking Note … Read More

Feeling Overwhelmed? Here’s How These Entrepreneurs Stay Productive.

Feeling Overwhelmed? Here's How These Entrepreneurs Stay Productive

Ever feel like you are on a treadmill running through peanut butter? Like there is always more to do than you can possibly get done in a day? If you are a business owner, you probably know this feeling well. Running your own business often means wearing many hats all at the same time and juggling responsibilities that, in a … Read More

Mind the Gap: Strong Teams Are Built Through Communication and Understanding

Mind the Gap: Strong Teams Are Built Through Communication and Understanding

While they have been around for years, millennials seem to be all the buzz in the workplace these days. What do millennials want in the workplace? What do they want from work in general? How are they different from other generations? And, the most common question this author has heard, how does one even communicate with millennials? To answer these … Read More

Using Team-Building Exercises to Achieve Business Success

his author’s company developed what it called ‘The Puzzle.’ This team building exercise was used to help the business set and attain its goals.

Every company has goals, but does every employee know what they are? More importantly, do they know how to measure and attain them? It is easy to determine the top-level goals, but it can be challenging to make sure every employee can state what they are at any moment of the day. It is also difficult to create measurable sub-goals … Read More

Video as a Marketing Tool: Why Businesses Should Use This Media Format

Setting up a slider track for a sliding time-lapse shot of a backyard pool and landscape project.

Chances are, many of you are business owners and/or managers, and part of their responsibilities, in whole or in part, is planning the company’s marketing campaign. This is not a simple task and is certainly one worthy of some serious consideration. In recent years, video has seen rapid growth and development with sites like YouTube recording 1.5 billion monthly users. With … Read More

Tips on How to Find the Best Talent

Finding the next generation of leaders does not just happen. A system has to be set up that encourages those with the willingness and ability to lead to step up and do so.

Great leaders always come at a premium, even more so when unemployment is low and talented people have more choices. That said, no matter the economic highs or lows, all businesses need great leaders to manage the ebbs and flows of the industry, as well as to strategically plan for its future. How does a company attract the best of … Read More

Social Media 101: How to Use Each Platform Successfully

Few people will stay engaged with a brand that is constantly pushing purchases on them—people want information that is beneficial, interesting, and meshes with their lifestyle.

Using social media marketing as a business tool is no longer an option. Whether social platforms are managed in-house or a third-party communication sub-contractor is used, it is important for the business to be present in this space. The pool and hot tub industry has an undeniable advantage when it comes to social sharing, as its products appeal to the … Read More

Communication Skills 101: How to Stay Cool When Things Heat Up

It is important for pool, hot tub, and landscape professionals to be able to maintain their cool, even if a customer, potential client, or co-worker loses their temper.

When things go awry on a job, industry professionals may blame the heat and their reaction on a tiny part of the brain. Called the amygdala, it is one of two almond-shaped groups of nuclei located deep and medially within the temporal lobes of the brain. The amygdala holds emotional memory (e.g. fear, anger) and ‘helps’ one to react without thinking. … Read More