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.
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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 should appear on a podcast or receive mentor recognition, Rudy shares the experiences that have changed how he views industry support—and what he expects from the people claiming to provide it.
He also revisits the pool professionals who helped test the alum method for reducing cyanuric acid, the pushback he encountered, and why evidence should matter whether a claim comes from an independent service tech or a company with an enormous marketing budget.
Good reps earn trust. Good companies stand behind their products. And good ideas deserve serious testing. Supporting pool professionals means listening when they ask difficult questions, challenge a protocol, or find a better way to do the work.
In this episode:
Why a rep trashing another pool pro should raise a red flag.
Field-driven innovation and resistance to ideas that could change product use.
Alum, cyanuric acid reduction, and the role of participating pool professionals.
Holding corporate claims and independent research to consistent standards.
Rudy’s account of pressure surrounding podcast guests and mentor recognition.
Recognition for Kelli Clancy and colleagues who helped build education and community for women in pools.
The responsibility to document observations, acknowledge limitations, and correct mistakes.
What meaningful support for service techs, builders, plaster crews, and renovation contractors looks like.
“A nice label is not data. A familiar name is not data.”
An outspoken episode about trust, accountability, mentorship, and giving the people doing the work the credit—and voice—they deserve.
Explicit language.
Featured sponsors: PoolBrain, Service Industry News, AquaStar Pool Products, and BlueRay XL.
2026 Pool Industry Mentor Recognition sponsors: BlueRay XL, United Chemical, LaMotte, Revdup Apparel, and AquaComfort Water Group.
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 sense than a patchwork of requirements and inconsistent enforcement.
Then they turn to the professionals who answer legitimate questions with “hire a professional.” Congratulations, buddy. You found a room full of people trying to learn and contributed absolutely nothing.
The conversation also gets into the business problems that hit closer to home: customers who wait weeks to report cloudy water, return visits that eat your profits, and the uncomfortable question of what to charge when a specialist does the work but cannot find the problem.
In this week’s Insurance Interlude, Pat Grignon of California Pool Association joins Steve to discuss flood coverage, coastal storm damage, and the questions worth asking before water comes through your front door.
In this episode:
Regulation versus red tape: Steve and Wayne discuss licensing, enforcement, and whether ongoing education should be part of being a pool professional.
CPO classes and real-world obstacles: Math anxiety, distracted students, an internet outage, and Wayne’s medical emergency midway through a two-day class.
Your technician isn’t psychic: Why customers need to report problems between service visits—and how to explain that without starting a fight.
The return-visit money trap: Steve explains his preference for charging per visit and setting expectations for additional work.
Facebook’s professional hecklers: Asking for help should lead to useful answers. Apparently, some people missed that meeting.
Stay in your lane—and build partnerships: Steve makes the case for working with leak detection specialists rather than adding every possible service to your business.
A Floating Liner, a Family Business, and the Advice Chris Cavanaugh Wishes He Took Sooner
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 repairable problem into an expensive one.
Chris is a third-generation pool professional and president of Cavanaugh Pool, Spa & Patio in western Kentucky. He shares how his family grew the business into a three-location operation—and how that growth made mentoring new managers and service techs essential.
Natalie also asks about Chris’s first mentor: his mother. She taught him water chemistry, the work behind running a business, and one lesson every seasonal business owner needs to hear: plan for winter while the money is coming in.
In this episode:
Why Chris now sends interested employees to industry shows and asks them to bring back three ideas.
What to consider before putting a salt system on a steel-wall vinyl-liner pool, especially one with an automatic cover.
How groundwater can lift a liner and leave wrinkles when it recedes.
Why Chris says to call a professional before lowering the water in a pool with a floating liner.
What manufacturers could learn from the people installing and servicing their equipment.
Chris’s advice to anyone coming into the industry? Try its different sides. Retail, service, sales, and installation each offer a path. Learn enough to find yours, then help somebody else find theirs.
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 it to question product labels, compare systems and ask suppliers for evidence behind their claims. The conversation gets into “chlorine-free” and “mineral” marketing, the difference between oxidation and sanitisation, and why training matters when a professional has to explain a system to a customer.
They also discuss SPASA’s wider work on standards, contracts and industry advocacy across Australia and New Zealand.
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 Category 5 hurricane, a complaint aimed at the wrong pool company, a review campaign over $139.99, a store faulted for closing at its posted time, and a technician who reportedly serviced the wrong pool. The verdicts are ridiculous; the standard is simple: everybody brings receipts, including the pool company.
Got a one- or two-star review that deserves a hearing? Send the public review, a timeline, supporting records, and what you did to resolve it to talkingpools@gmail.com. Remove customer addresses, gate codes, payment details, and other private information before sending.
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 structural problems call for an engineer. Steve also gets into the business side of service: setting clear expectations for missed visits and vacations, covering a route while you’re away, and explaining to clients how long a pool takes to heat.
The episode closes on a serious note with a reported child drowning in a neighbor’s pool and a reminder to pay attention to barriers, supervision, and swim lessons.
Also in this episode: hurricane stories, phosphate treatments, filter valve frustrations, CPO instructor opportunities, and congratulations to Natalie Hood on launching Natalie Hood & Associates.
Have a question or a topic for Steve and Wayne? Email talkingpools@gmail.com.
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 field professionals must sometimes become their own engineers, how mentorship has evolved from guarded trade secrets to open knowledge-sharing, and why mistakes should be fixed—not used to assign blame.
Then it’s time to bust some myths. John explains why excavating a commercial pool involves far more than “digging a hole,” why bigger equipment is not always more efficient and how aluminum sulfate can reduce cyanuric acid without replacing most of the pool water. He also discusses alum’s ability to remove phosphates, clear green pools and lift certain copper stains—as well as what alum cannot do.
John’s advice to the next generation is simple: learn from experienced professionals, attend industry classes, understand flow rates, protect your body and read the damn manual inside the equipment box.
In This Episode
John’s unexpected entry into the swimming pool industry
More than four decades of friendship and mentorship
Building jigs and solving problems in the field
Why asking “why” helped shape John’s career
Creating a workplace where mistakes are corrected without finger-pointing
The skill and situational awareness required to operate heavy equipment
Why the biggest excavator is not always the best machine
Commercial-pool excavation tolerances and costly layout errors
Using aluminum sulfate to reduce cyanuric acid
What alum can—and cannot—remove from pool water
The long-term physical cost of ignoring proper safety equipment
Why commercial flow rates and equipment installation details matter
Workplace Safety: It’s Not a Problem Until It’s a Problem
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 segregation and spill containment to SDS registers, vehicle storage, staff induction and mental well-being, the crew examines the risks businesses often overlook until an accident or near miss exposes them.
Nick explains how workplace safety became a non-negotiable part of his growing operation, while Shane discusses developing formal policies and procedures for his New Zealand service business. The conversation also covers toolbox meetings, heat exposure, wildlife hazards, confined spaces, first-aid supplies and the importance of documenting employee training.
You do not need to create an entire safety system overnight—but you do need to start. Build one policy at a time, review it regularly and make safe practices part of how your company operates every day.
In This Episode
Cleaning a 600-gram commercial salt cell safely
Employer responsibilities and employee accountability
Making safety part of weekly toolbox meetings
PPE for chemical handling and outdoor pool work
Heat stress, hydration, sun protection and wildlife hazards
Creating and maintaining an SDS register
Separating incompatible pool chemicals
Bunding liquids and containing chemical spills
Securing chemicals inside service vehicles
Spill kits, first-aid kits and expiration-date inspections
Confined spaces and equipment-room hazards
Safe-work procedures and employee induction
Documenting training, inspections and safety meetings
Protecting employees’ mental well-being
Why safety policies must evolve with the business
Cancel Me: Gen X, Cancel Culture and Knowing When to Shut the F*** Up
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, political correctness and the challenge of communicating like an actual human being in a customer-facing industry.
Pool professionals should never be afraid to correct dangerous work, challenge technical bullshit or tell a customer an uncomfortable truth. Facts do not stop existing because somebody dislikes the delivery. At the same time, “that’s just how I am” is not a free pass to say whatever launches out of your mouth while wearing the company logo.
This episode explores the increasingly narrow space between sanitized corporate nonsense and uncontrolled verbal chaos. Rudy discusses context, intent, accountability, social media outrage, abusive customers, generational differences and why being offended does not automatically make someone correct.
The answer is not silence. It is judgment.
Say what you mean. Know why you are saying it. Read the room. Stand behind the facts. Correct yourself when warranted. Refuse dishonest outrage. And occasionally, learn when to shut the fuck up.
Also featured: an update on the 2026 Talking Pools Podcast Top Ten Pool Industry Mentor awards and the championship belt.
Listener advisory: Explicit language, blunt opinions and enough 1980s Gen X references to make your Trapper Keeper nervous.
In This Episode
Cancel culture versus legitimate accountability
Why intent matters but does not erase impact
The difference between discomfort, offense and actual trauma
Jeff Hampe: Mentorship, Mosaic Mastery and Pool-Tile Myths
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 detection and eventually becoming a licensed pool contractor and sought-after mosaic specialist. He also discusses the craftsmen who mentored him, why he freely passes that knowledge forward and the satisfaction of watching someone build a better life through a skilled trade.
The conversation then shifts into Mythbusting Wednesday territory. Jeff explains why a tile labeled “pool rated” may still be the wrong choice, what he prefers for submerged applications and why translucent glass tile can become an expensive failure. He and Natalie also tackle waterproofing, calcification, efflorescence, thermal expansion, delamination and the limitations of cementitious installation products.
Jeff closes with his growing interest in fully tiled fiberglass pools, why field experience remains essential and what would come packaged with the official Jeff Hampe action figure.
In This Episode
Jeff’s journey from hot-tub repair to high-end mosaic and all-tile pools
How Jimmy Reed and Danilo Bonazza influenced his craft
Why Jeff considers attention to detail a professional advantage
Turning a landscaper into a highly skilled, well-paid tile installer
How mentorship spreads when students begin teaching others
Why “pool rated” does not automatically mean suitable for every pool
Jeff’s preferred tile thickness and construction for submerged applications
The risks associated with translucent glass tile
How UV exposure and different expansion rates contribute to delamination
Why waterproofing alone does not eliminate calcification or efflorescence
The expensive mystery leak: A complicated infinity pool, a customer reporting a $6,000 monthly water expense, and testing that fails to identify a leak.
Getting paid without screwing the customer: Paying specialists fairly, documenting their work, and protecting your reputation when the outcome is inconclusive.
Flood insurance questions: Pat and Steve discuss separate coverage, risk-based pricing, and what an emergency declaration means for coverage.
Episode chapters
00:00 — Is the pool industry overregulated? 03:29 — Continuing education, licensing, and enforcement 09:41 — An internet outage derails an online class 12:38 — Insurance Interlude: flood coverage with Pat Grignon 26:11 — Wayne’s medical emergency during a CPO course 28:57 — Math anxiety and keeping students engaged 31:00 — Customer communication and return visits 37:50 — Pool closing advice and regional differences 39:07 — Facebook groups and professional courtesy 43:00 — Specialist partnerships and the mystery leak 47:29 — What do you charge when no leak is found? 52:13 — Listener questions and closing storm discussion
Have a question, an opinion, or a situation we should tackle? Email talkingpools@gmail.com.
Explicit language. Strong opinions. Bring something more useful than “hire a professional.”
John’s ancient pool battle gear: alum and a pool brush
Featured Guest
John Poma Commercial pool construction professional, field researcher, owner of a small pool service company, foreman with Executive Pools and two-time Talking Pools Podcast Top Ten Mentor.
Mentor Award Sponsors
Title Sponsors: BlueRay XL and United Chemical
Gold Sponsor: LaMotte
Silver Sponsor: Rev’d Up Apparel
Supporting Sponsor: Aqua Comfort Water Group
Hosted by Natalie Hood on the Talking Pools Podcast.
The takeaway is simple: workplace safety is rarely considered urgent until something goes wrong. Start with the tasks your team performs most often, document the proper procedure and build from there.
This episode is brought to you in part by PoolBrain, giving pool professionals the tools to operate smarter, more efficiently and more profitably. Learn more at PoolBrain.com.
Have a question or topic suggestion for the show? Email talkingpools@gmail.com and mark it for Mondays Down Under.
The role of epoxy installation products in all-tile pools
What visible deposits along grout lines may reveal beneath the tile
Why hands-on jobsite experience cannot be replaced by classroom instruction
Learning from installation failures without lowering professional standards
The industry’s reliance on traditional distribution
Why Jeff believes fiberglass deserves greater consideration
Crumbled Italian sausage, jet skis and the Jeff Hampe action figure
Featured Guest
Jeff Hampe 2026 Talking Pools Podcast Top Ten Pool Industry Mentor
Sponsored By
REVDUP Apparel, H2Flow Controls and PoolBrain.
The technical opinions expressed during this episode reflect the guest’s professional experience and installation practices. Product selection and installation requirements should always be verified for the specific application.
