In episode 250 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar and Zac are joined in-studio by Alicia Stephens and Rick Harvey from BioLab for a hilarious, insightful, and business-packed episode you won’t want to miss. They dive deep into what it really takes to build a 5-star pool business—from premium customer experience and staff onboarding to powerful loyalty strategies that keep customers coming back year after year.

🎤 Plus: Rick shares how he went from Red Bull to pool pros, Alicia spills the story of accidentally giving “the talk” to a 6-year-old, and the crew talks about the magic of time management, retention strategies, and why every pool pro needs to stop shopping with their own wallet.

This episode is a must-listen for service pros, retailers, and anyone looking to level up their business through education, relationships, and premium customer care.

Sponsored by: SPPA, BluRay XL, AquaStar Pool Products, BioLab, Natural Chemistry, Raypak, Hayward, Poolside Tech, Pool Brain, Pool Invoice and Nidec.

• [00:00:00] Welcome to the show – The Pool Nation crew is back with Alicia Stephens & Rick Harvey

• [00:01:30] Marco Polo champions, vacation stories, and wasp attacks

• [00:03:00] Meet Rick Harvey: Yes, he’s not Steve Harvey’s brother… but he’s got the good looks

• [00:06:30] Hilarious family stories, chaos crew updates, and why Edgar now cherishes loud homes

• [00:10:00] Pool Nation Awards nominations, women’s summit prep & Alicia’s comedy debut

• [00:14:00] Pool Nation Conference business classes revealed: Profit, pricing, financials & teams

• [00:19:00] Why Alicia is doing stand-up comedy—and yes, drinks will be required

• [00:23:00] Rick Harvey’s origin story: From Red Bull to BioLab to business strategist

• [00:27:00] Why Biolab is built on education—and how it drives premium retail success

• [00:31:00] How BioLab elevates pool pros through training, coaching, and business support

• [00:34:00] Why fun + learning = retention (and the secret to Alicia’s powerful classes)

• [00:38:00] The ROI of training your employees—even if they’re only with you one season

• [00:41:00] Simple but powerful ways to elevate the customer experience (Retail + Service)

• [00:47:00] Are you a 5-Star Business? Here’s how to find out (and fix it fast)

• [00:50:00] “Don’t shop with your wallet”—How to sell premium without assuming budget

• [00:57:00] What actually builds retention—and why most pool pros overlook it

• [01:04:00] The key to follow-up, trust, and customer loyalty (plus a shout-out to veterinarians)

• [01:08:00] Social reviews, negative feedback, and turning critics into loyal fans

• [01:13:00] Why retaining customers is 10x more powerful than finding new ones

• [01:23:00] Bonus Story: Alicia’s infamous “birds and the bees” moment babysitting Rick’s daughter

• [01:27:00] Final thoughts: What’s your business really doing to go from 4.8 stars to 5?

Episode 249 Pool Nation Podcast - In this can’t-miss episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar welcomes back Danielle and Laurel from the SPPA to uncover the real-life insurance claims that have cost pool pros thousands—even millions. From acid spills that destroy driveways to overfilled pools flooding homes, this episode is packed with eye-opening stories, practical tips, and the must-have insurance coverage every pool business should have.

Plus, we reveal the one thing that can take out your entire business overnight—and how to protect yourself and your family before it’s too late. Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to the pool industry, you’ll walk away with game-changing knowledge that could save your business.

• [00:00] Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast – and the legend of the rodeo divorce party

• [05:21] Fun in Texas, bull riding, and million-dollar bulls (literally)

• [11:10] Edgar reveals Danielle’s SPPA Awards streak and what’s new in Vegas 2025

• [15:55] The most common pool insurance claims and how to avoid them

• [22:44] How a bottle of acid ruined a $30,000 driveway – and who paid for it

• [28:16] Overfilling pools: Why it’s one of the costliest mistakes

• [33:25] The danger of dark-bottom pools and Tri-Chlor—$6,500 later

• [37:18] Destroying heaters with water chemistry – a silent profit killer

• [44:10] Edgar shares the chilling story of a Legionella outbreak

• [50:12] Real lawsuits: from dog bites to pool pop-ups and property damage

• [56:35] Why umbrella policies and faulty workmanship coverage are crucial

• [1:01:28] The cost of not planning: Death, disability, and leaving your family unprotected

• [1:08:00] Affordable disability and life insurance plans that every pool pro needs

• [1:15:20] Real stories of broken legs, skateboards, and business disaster

• [1:18:55] Edgar and SPPA commit to launching new video education series for pool pros

• [1:21:45] Edgar becomes the hero of every girls’ trip...and the podcast party planner

E-248 Pool Nation Podcast. Your pools don’t have to turn green—and your profit shouldn’t disappear down the drain. In this powerhouse episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus, John “JJ Flawless” and Zac Nicholas sit down with Adam Beech (Founder & CEO, Pool Brain) and Kevin Embree (CRO, Pool Brain) to reveal how today’s smartest service companies are harnessing AI, automated workflows, and real-time inventory to cut chemical costs up to 40 %, end customer churn, and unlock stress-free scaling.

You’ll learn:

• The cringe-worthy day that pushed Adam to build his own software (and why seven other “route apps” couldn’t fix the problem).

• How guided workflows, live alerts, and automated chemical dosing virtually eliminate green pools.

• NEW features dropping this year—credit-card surcharge automation, full inventory with truck-level tracking, Heritage Pool Supply price syncing, and tab-dosing driven by AI weather modeling.

• Why remote monitoring + Pool Brain will let you guarantee “green-pool immunity” (and charge more for it).

• Proven tactics to turn hidden chemical waste and billing leaks into pure profit.

Whether you run 20 pools or 20 trucks, this episode is packed with real numbers, step-by-step advice, and a vision for the tech-powered future of pool service. Hit play and dive in!

Timestamp Chapter

00:00 – 01:00 Welcome & sponsor shout-outs 01:00 – 06:00 Meet Adam Beech & Kevin Embree – why Pool Brain exists 06:00 – 10:00 Pool Nation Awards & upcoming events rundown 10:00 – 16:00 Adam’s origin story: Failed service companies and a DIY route buy-out 16:00 – 20:00 Hitting the 20-truck “glass ceiling” and the birth of Pool Brain 20:00 – 28:00 Early wins: quality-control workflows & 40 % chemical-cost drop 28:00 – 33:00 Training techs, stopping churn & the power of photo proof 33:00 – 40:00 Payroll, pricing and why credit-card billing matters 40:00 – 46:00 Break + sponsor spots 46:00 – 54:00 Funding the build, real-world ROI & lowering A/R to 0.6 % 54:00 – 59:00 What shocks new users most: profit reports & hidden waste 59:00 – 1:09:00 Brand-new features: surcharging, inventory, Heritage price sync 1:09:00 – 1:19:00 AI tab dosing & weather modeling—fully automated chemistry 1:19:00 – 1:25:00 Remote monitoring, WaterGuru integration & the future vision 1:25:00 – 1:32:00 Final thoughts, industry challenge & outro montage