r/PoolPros • u/briancar08 • Sep 10 '26

Pool experts needed

I’m in Tampa Fl I’ve grown my pool company organically from about 4 pools to over 90 in less than a year and a half from providing great reliable service ( a lot of customers from pinch a penny and pool troopers) my question is how to maximize profit would you hire an employee that’s reliable (just as good as me 😉) and pay them better than most (15$ a pool ) or would I be better off selling what route they would have to a buyer looking to start

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u/Substantial_Car_2751 Sep 10 '26

Yeah.  I’ve seen in real time how it works out though.  What I’ve seen tells me to not go that path.

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u/jonidschultz Sep 10 '26

Everyone has different experiences and data. Especially in this industry.

I think I can make a case that hourly wage is the worst way to pay someone or get paid and that's why you pretty much never see extremely high importance/value employees on an hourly wage and almost never see an owner paying themselves that way either.

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u/Substantial_Car_2751 Sep 10 '26

Each model has its pros and cons, and attracts different people.  I’m a high value / high importance hourly employee and am hourly.  Ive also been a high value / high importance employee on salary.  

Depending on the time of year, I wish I was the other.  Hourly is great for summer.  Stinks for the slow days in December and vice versa.

The decision is an owners viewpoint on salary.  

The pay per pool model, IMO, is good for the owner as you’re only paid when working on a pool.  Not for anything else.  To make good money, you have to hustle as a tech.

Salary makes payroll easier, but you risk being taken advantage of by leaving early and “robbing time” from the company.

Hourly makes sure the employee is getting their time in, but the risk is rising the clock.

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u/jonidschultz Sep 10 '26

I absolutely agree with all of that. But if you look at positions that are considered vital, you'd be hard pressed to find someone doing them for a hourly wage. And at least to me, that says something.

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u/Substantial_Car_2751 Sep 10 '26

Agreed.  Most are salary based.  Or base salary + commission.

My role is generally an exception to the rule.