After spending nearly five decades building custom swimming pools in Northern California, industry veteran Mike Logan thought retirement might finally be in the cards. But after stepping away from the business he helped shape for nearly half a century, something kept pulling him back.

Now Logan is returning to the industry with a new focus: helping pool builders strengthen their sales process.

The longtime founder of Logan Pools in Brentwood, California recently introduced Swimming Pool Sales Mastery, a sales program designed to help pool companies improve their sales systems, train their teams, and compete more effectively in an increasingly complex market. To learn more about the approach and Logan’s perspective on today’s pool industry, we spoke with him about what has changed over the past fifty years—and why many builders are struggling with sales today.

Five Decades of Industry Evolution

Logan’s career in the pool business stretches back to 1976. Over that time, he has watched the industry transform in almost every conceivable way.

“I started in 1976,” Logan explained. “If you do the math to today, that’s about fifty years. Think about how much the world changed between 1930 and 1980. That’s about the same level of change we’ve seen in the industry since I first started.”

When Logan started his business, most leads came from a single source.

“About eighty percent of our business came from the Yellow Pages,” he recalled. “If you weren’t in the phone book, you basically didn’t exist.”

Today, the buying process has moved almost entirely online. Homeowners research companies extensively before ever contacting a builder. They compare portfolios, read reviews, and evaluate multiple contractors in a matter of minutes.

“The customer used to rely on the salesperson for information,” Logan said. “Now they have unlimited information at their fingertips.”

That shift has dramatically increased competition. Consumers can evaluate dozens of companies quickly, making differentiation more difficult than ever.

“They can check out twenty builders in half an hour,” Logan explained. “That makes it a tougher sale if you don’t know how to position yourself.”

The Sales Process Has Become More Complex

Pool design and construction have also become significantly more elaborate.

In Logan’s early years, a “custom pool” might simply include a spa or a raised bond beam with a waterfall. Today’s projects can include infinity edges, elaborate water features, complex tile installations, grottos, lazy rivers, and fully integrated outdoor environments.

“The options today are almost unlimited,” Logan said.

As projects have grown more complex, the sales process has evolved as well. The traditional one-call close—once common in the industry—is now rare.

“In the early days we’d go out to the house, draw the pool on graph paper, price it on the spot, and close the deal at the kitchen table,” Logan explained. “Today it’s a multi-appointment process.”

High-end projects involving architects, designers, and general contractors can require multiple meetings before a contract is signed.

Technology has also changed the presentation process. Modern 3D design software allows builders to create realistic renderings in minutes. While these tools offer impressive visuals, Logan believes they no longer provide a competitive advantage.

“At one time, having 3D design software really differentiated you,” he said. “Now almost every builder has it. When everyone uses the same tools, it stops being a differentiator.”

When Logan Realized Sales Was the Real Engine

Logan’s focus on sales didn’t happen overnight. Early in his career, he noticed a troubling pattern among other pool builders.

“I watched companies open up with owners who I knew were fantastic builders,” he said. “These guys all knew construction inside and out, but within a few years, they were out of business.”

The problem wasn’t construction quality—it was sales.

“They knew how to build a pool,” Logan said. “They just didn’t know how to sell one.”

Meanwhile, less experienced builders with strong salespeople were consistently winning jobs.

That realization changed Logan’s approach to the business.

“If you don’t have sales, it doesn’t matter how good you are at building pools,” he said. “You’re not going to have anything to build.”

Logan immersed himself in sales training, studying psychology, persuasion, and presentation techniques. He read books, listened to training programs, and traveled the country learning from top sales experts.

“I went to every sales seminar I could find,” he said. “I made it my mission to study the psychology of sales and how to influence people to buy.”

Over time, that focus helped Logan develop a highly structured sales process that consistently produced strong results for his company. Always eager to share what he’s learned from decades in the field, Logan wrote a sales guide called Rich Contractor, Poor Contractor, and was once dubbed “the Zig Ziglar of the pool industry” by Pool & Spa News.

The Swimming Pool Sales Mastery System

After retiring a few years ago, Logan initially planned to spend more time traveling and enjoying his golden years. But something continued to bother him.

“I spent years developing a sales process that worked extremely well,” he said. “And I didn’t want that knowledge to disappear when I retired.”

Working with a marketing partner, Logan began organizing his materials into a formal training system. The result became Swimming Pool Sales Mastery, a program designed to guide salespeople through every step of the pool sales process.

The system includes scripts, training manuals, workbooks, presentation tools, and instructional videos demonstrating how to conduct effective consultations.

“It takes a salesperson from the initial phone call all the way through signing the contract,” Logan explained.

The program is intended to help builders standardize their sales approach and improve consistency across their teams.

A Common Problem: No Sales Process

One of the biggest challenges Logan sees today is the absence of a structured sales system.

Many companies rely on a simple formula: show a portfolio, explain equipment features, present a design, and provide a price. But if competitors follow the same approach, the customer often perceives little difference between builders.

“When everyone presents the same way, it eventually comes down to price,” Logan said.

Instead, Logan believes successful companies must build value throughout the sales process by positioning themselves as trusted advisors rather than traditional salespeople.

“When done correctly, the customer begins to see you as someone guiding them through a complicated decision,” he said.

That approach builds trust early and helps address objections before they arise.

“At the end of a great presentation, the close almost becomes automatic,” Logan said. “The customer has already answered their own questions.”

The Importance of Sales Leadership

Logan also believes many builders underestimate the importance of sales management.

Owners often attempt to oversee the sales team while also handling operations, finances, and customer service. In Logan’s view, that approach limits growth.

“A lot of companies don’t have a full-time sales manager,” he said. “The owner is wearing too many hats.”

A dedicated sales leader can recruit, train, motivate, and manage the team while maintaining consistency in presentations and messaging.

“It’s like a sports team,” Logan explained. “You can have great players, but without a coach you won’t have discipline or consistency.”

Advice for Builders in a Competitive Market

With demand for new pools cooling after the pandemic surge, Logan believes strong sales systems will become even more critical.

In challenging markets, many companies react by lowering prices or offering incentives to win jobs. Logan warns that this strategy can quickly erode profitability.

“When margins start shrinking, people panic and start throwing in extras just to make payroll,” he said. “That’s a recipe for disaster.”

Instead, builders should focus on increasing perceived value through better presentations, stronger credibility, and clearer differentiation.

“If you create more value than the price you’re asking, the customer will choose you,” Logan said.

Where Builders Should Focus

After fifty years in the industry, Logan has seen countless companies succeed—and fail.

For builders looking to strengthen their position in today’s market, his advice is straightforward.

“Focus on your sales team,” he said. “That’s the heart of your business.”

While many builders devote significant attention to construction operations or winning design awards, Logan believes sales performance ultimately determines whether a company survives.

“You can build incredible pools,” he said. “But if you don’t have a strong sales engine driving the business, none of that matters.”

Ready to take a deeper dive?

Listen to our entire conversation with Mike Logan on the Pool Magazine Podcast.

Photo Credits: SwimmingPoolMastery.com

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Gainesville, Florida — March 15, 2026 — In an industry built as much on shared knowledge as it is on technical skill, mentorship remains a vital force shaping our collective future. Recognizing that influence — and the fact that none of us just magically woke up one morning knowing how to clear a swamp, rebuild a pump, or explain cyanuric acid to a homeowner who thinks chlorine is a conspiracy — the Talking Pools Podcast has officially opened nominations for the Second Annual Talking Pools Podcast Mentor of the Year Award.

It’s our way of honoring the men and women in this trade who take the time to teach the next generation how to ‘Figure it out.’ The ones who answer the phone when a rookie’s staring at a green pool that looks like the Everglades and whisper the ancient industry wisdom: “Relax, kid. Let’s do this together. What are your water test results telling you?”

The award, created by Rudy Stankowitz, founder of Aquatic Facility Training & Consultants and host of the Talking Pools Podcast network, was established to recognize the individuals who quietly guide the next generation of pool professionals — often without recognition, publicity, or formal titles.

“The pool industry has always been built on apprenticeship,” said Stankowitz. “Most of us can point to someone who took the time not just to answer our questions, but to give us the tools to develop real industry acumen — someone who showed us what to look for when water chemistry didn’t make sense yet, or how to approach a problem the right way, or even how to start up our own pool service company.”

A Recognition Built Around Real Industry Impact

Unlike many traditional awards programs, the Talking Pools Mentor of the Year Award is designed to recognize mentorship as it actually happens in the field.

Nominees are not evaluated by votes or titles; we need those awards in the industry as well, but this one can only be done justice by gauging real-world influence in developing technicians, improving professionalism, and helping others grow within the industry, emphasizing genuine impact.

Eligible nominees may come from any area of the pool industry trades, including:

• Pool service professionals
• Builders and contractors
• Retail professionals
• Manufacturer representatives
• Trainers and educators
• Consultants and industry leaders

What unites the nominees is their commitment to helping others succeed.

Mentors often serve as the first line of professional development in an industry where much of the training happens informally — through ride-along training, troubleshooting calls, or simply being available when someone is facing a difficult situation in the field.

Building on the Success of the Inaugural Award

The inaugural 2025 Talking Pools Podcast Mentor of the Year Award recognized Rich Gallo of Pure Swim, whose dedication to mentoring pool professionals earned nominations from across the industry.

The award caught on fast inside the pool industry — probably because everybody in this business knows the same ugly truth: if we don’t start teaching the next generation how to do this job properly, we’re going to end up with a whole army of people dumping chlorine into pools like they’re seasoning a pot of spaghetti.

The Talking Pools crew decided to do something different.

They showed up at the winner’s workplace.

Just a surprise visit and the presentation of the Talking Pools Podcast Mentor of the Year Championship Belt — a big, unapologetic, over-the-top symbol that says, “This person right here actually took the time to help other people figure this crazy industry out.”

Because mentorship in the pool world happens on pool decks… in service trucks… and usually while somebody’s explaining how to troubleshoot why the water just turned the color of lime Gatorade.

The unconventional presentation reflects the spirit of the award — celebrating mentorship where it actually happens.

Nominations Open March 15

Nominations for the 2026 Talking Pools Podcast Mentor of the Year Award open March 15 and will remain open through May 15, 2026.

Industry professionals are invited to nominate a mentor who has played a significant role in helping them develop their skills, build their business, or navigate the challenges of the pool industry, especially those demonstrating practical mentorship, such as teaching, troubleshooting, or on-site training.

Nominees will be reviewed by the Talking Pools Podcast hosts, and a group of Top 10 finalists will be selected before the final winner is announced later in the year.

The recipient will receive the Talking Pools Podcast Mentor of the Year Championship Belt, along with recognition across the Talking Pools Podcast network and affiliated industry media, highlighting the award’s value and encouraging nominations.

A Growing Focus on Mentorship in the Pool Industry

Programs like the Talking Pools Mentor of the Year Award help highlight the importance of those efforts and encourage more professionals to take on mentoring roles within their organizations and communities.

“Mentorship is the bridge between experience and the future,” Stankowitz said. “If we want this industry to continue growing and improving, we have to recognize and support the people who are teaching the next generation.”

Pool professionals wishing to nominate a mentor may submit the nominee’s name along with a description of how that individual has influenced their career or the industry.

Self-nominations and nominations by immediate family members are not eligible.

Nominations can be submitted at:
https://cpoclass.com/pool-news/mentor-award/

Or, visit CPOclass.com and click on the ‘Talking Pools Podcast Mentor Award’ tab

About Talking Pools Podcast

The Talking Pools Podcast is a global podcast network serving swimming pool professionals with discussions on water chemistry, pool service operations, construction practices, safety, and business development. Featuring hosts from the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, the program reaches thousands of industry professionals each week and has become a leading voice for education and mentorship in the aquatic trades. Listen to the Talking Pools Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts now.