Talking Pools Podcast

Ask a question here On this Floc It Friday episode of the Talking Pools Podcast , Rudy Stankowitz sits down with Shawn Davis and Dan Chiles , two former admins of 14 PSI Industry Lounge , for a candid conversation about toxic Facebook groups—and the responsibility that comes with helping shape their culture. But first, breaking news on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.  The Washington Post rep...

Ask a question here Talking Pools Podcast | Thursdays with Steve & Wayne Hosts: Steve Sherwood and Wayne Ivusich Insurance Interlude Guest: Pat Grignon That commercial pool account looks impressive on your client list—but is it making you money, or slowly eating your business alive? Steve and Wayne dig into the realities of commercial pool service: unpredictable chemical demand, marathon equip...

Ask a question here The plaster looks like hell, and somehow the guy holding the net is already the prime suspect. Case closed? Natalie Hood and Greg Beard have a few follow-up questions. On this Wednesday Mythbusting Session of the Talking Pools Podcast , Natalie welcomes Greg back for part two of their conversation about plaster problems, hands-on mentorship, and an industry that occasionally tr...

Ask a question here Meet Truman, “Pool Boy Tru,” the newest voice on the Talking Pools Podcast. An Air Force veteran, former basketball coach, and Tampa-area pool business owner, Tru grew from a purchased route of 17 pools to 60 pools and an employee in two years. Now he’s bringing his lessons, questions, and industry connections to Tru in the Loop . For his first episode, Tru welcomes Mike the Me...

Ask a question here A hose left running. A pool that drains overnight. A concrete shell pushed out of the ground. Water has plenty of ways to turn an ordinary service visit into somebody’s very expensive problem. On this episode of Mondays Down Under , Lee, Shane, and Nick share firsthand stories about water damage, forgotten taps, unexpected siphoning, and pools affected by groundwater pressure....

Ask a question here This trailer offers a glimpse into “You Are the Storm—and You Are Allowed to Have Help: Mental Health in the Pool Industry,” released Friday, October 9, 2026, on the Talking Pools Podcast. Join Rudy Stankowitz, Jacobi Truman, Chris Felmer, and Zarah Littlejohn for honest, firsthand conversations about PTSD, grief, bullying, and the struggles that don’t disappear when the workda...

Ask a question here Content note: This episode includes discussions of PTSD, suicide, grief, childhood bullying, and strong language. Listen at your own pace and take a break whenever you need one. We spend a hell of a lot of time talking about what goes into the water. Today, we’re talking about the person standing next to it. In this special Floc-It Friday episode of the Talking Pools Podcast ,...

Ask a question here Talking Pools Podcast | Thursdays with Steve & Wayne Hosts: Steve Sherwood and Wayne Ivusich Insurance Interlude Guest: Pat Grignon, California Pool Association Leslie’s restructuring has the pool industry talking—and Steve and Wayne have plenty to say. From store closures and price matching to homeowner access and supplier relationships, they explore how changes at a major...

Ask a question here What does mentorship look like when you’re standing in a customer’s backyard, staring at equipment you can’t figure out, and someone answers your call? Natalie Hood sits down with Greg “Beard Man” Beard , a two-time Talking Pools Podcast Top Ten Pool Industry Mentor honoree, to talk about the people who shaped his career—and why he keeps paying that knowledge forward. With more...

Ask a question here A pool can look immaculate and still have a dangerous suction system. A renovation can deliver a beautiful finish while leaving the same hazardous plumbing underneath. And a bigger pump can create problems that another bag of chemicals will never fix. This week on Mondays Down Under , Lee, Nick, and Shane welcome Spiros from Next Gen Experts for a serious conversation about suc...

Ask a question here WARNING: INTENTIONALLY ABRASIVE If you want to know what pool professionals need, ask the person in the fucking truck. This week on Floc-It Fridays , Rudy Stankowitz takes on the gossip, gatekeeping, and behind-the-scenes politics that make an already demanding trade harder than it needs to be. From manufacturers’ reps badmouthing pool professionals to private calls about who s...

Ask a question here A truck, a pole, and a Facebook opinion: is that enough to call yourself a pool professional? This Thursday on Talking Pools , Steve Sherwood and Wayne Ivusich tackle a question guaranteed to get somebody typing in all caps: Does the pool industry need more regulation? Steve makes the case for continuing education, stronger professional standards, and a system that makes more s...

Ask a question here Talking Pools Podcast | Mythbusting Wednesday with Natalie Hood What do you do when heavy rain turns a vinyl liner into a waterbed? Chris Cavanaugh has a clear first instruction: do not drain the pool. In this episode, Natalie talks with the 2026 Talking Pools TOP TEN Mentor about floating liners, groundwater, salt systems on steel-wall pools, and the mistakes that can turn a r...

Ask a question here What does freshwater mean when a pool system has a chlorinating cell? On Mondays Down Under , Lee Salisbury, Nick and Shane welcome Ben Makepeace, SPASA’s policy manager , to unpack SPASA’s new guide to swimming pool and spa sanitisation marketing claims. Ben explains why the industry developed the voluntary guide and how pool retailers, service technicians and builders can use...

Ask a question here A one-star review can damage a reputation built over decades. Rudy breaks down how pool pros can respond without turning a bad review into a public cage match: cool off, check the service records, own genuine mistakes, correct false claims with facts, and know when to stop replying. Then court is in session for the One-Star Tribunal . On the docket: a contractor blamed for a Ca...

Ask a question here A storm strips sand from Steve’s Long Beach neighborhood, tears up the boardwalk, and forces nearby residents to evacuate. That leads Steve and Wayne into a pool professional’s nightmare: a hose left running at a hillside pool, followed by evacuations and damage below the property. They discuss the risks of draining pools, what hydrostatic relief valves do, and why suspected st...

Ask a question here Natalie Hood continues her conversations with the 2026 Talking Pools Podcast Top Ten Mentors with John Poma—the “Ancient Pool Warrior” and a two-time Top Ten honoree. John shares how a summer job pouring precast main drains became a decades-long career spanning commercial pool construction, service, plumbing, equipment installation and heavy machinery. He explains why the best...

Ask a question here Workplace health and safety is not optional—especially when your team handles hazardous pool chemicals, works outdoors in extreme heat and enters unfamiliar equipment rooms every day. On this episode of Mondays Down Under , Lee Salisbury is joined by Shane Sneddon and Nick Day to discuss the safety practices every pool and spa business should have in place. From PPE, chemical s...

Ask a question here This episode is intentionally and unapologetically Gen X, slightly abrasive and definitely not safe for the easily rattled. Beneath the profanity and sarcasm is a serious discussion about accountability, professional communication and knowing the difference between telling an uncomfortable truth and simply acting like an asshole.  Rudy takes on cancel culture, trigger warnings,...

Ask a question here Natalie Hood continues her conversations with the 2026 Talking Pools Podcast Top Ten Mentors by sitting down with Jeff Hampe, a longtime pool professional known for his all-tile pools, artistic glass mosaics and uncompromising attention to detail. Jeff shares how he progressed from repairing hot tubs in New Jersey to cleaning pools, repairing equipment, performing leak detectio...

Ask a question here What happens when a family emergency forces you to leave your business with almost no warning? This week on Mondays Down Under, Lee, Nick, and Shane reunite to discuss Shane’s unexpected six-week absence and how his pool service business continued operating while he was overseas. From trusting an employee with 65 regular clients to managing emergencies across a 12-hour time dif...

Ask a question here Twenty-five years after the attacks of September 11, 2001, this special episode of the Talking Pools Podcast is presented without commercial interruption. Rudy Stankowitz remembers the 2,977 people murdered that day, the passengers and crews who fought back, the first responders who ran toward danger, and the survivors and recovery workers who carried the physical and emotional...

Ask a question here This week on Thursdays with Wayne and Steve, Wayne climbs back onto his favorite soapbox: your skimmer is not a chemical-dispensing system. The guys break down the risks of feeding acid, calcium chloride, chlorine tablets, and other products through the skimmer—and discuss the limited situations where manufacturer directions may call for it. Steve also speaks with Pat from the...

Ask a question here Natalie Hood welcomes 2026 Top Ten Pool Industry Mentor Peter Wiedermann for a conversation about his 31 years in the swimming pool industry, the people who shaped his career, and the technicians he helped develop along the way. Peter explains why a mentor should build independence rather than dependence, why trust is essential, and why challenging someone’s thinking is sometim...

Ask a question here Hiring new employees is only the beginning. If pool and spa businesses want knowledgeable technicians, loyal teams, confident customers, and fewer unqualified operators dragging down the trade, they must invest in professional development. On this episode of Mondays Down Under , Lee Salisbury, Nick Day, and Shane Sneddon welcome Rachel, General Manager of IR Learning—soon to re...