Contributor, Author at Aquatic Facility Training and Consultants

University of Georgia Aquatics

Post author:Contributor
Post published:September 23, 2018
Post category:University Aquatics

University of Georgia Aquatics There is a lot more to consider when maintaining these colossal giants of competition and wellness than one might think. Pool Operators face a myriad of challenges…

Pool Service Software

Post author:Contributor
Post published:September 4, 2018
Post category:Sponsors

The Dirty Swimming Pool Water Epidemic Includes Your Pool - Yes, Yours! It’s the week before Memorial Day 2018, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention releases its latest…

Duke University Aquatics

Post author:Contributor
Post published:August 27, 2018
Post category:University Aquatics

Duke University Aquatics There is a lot more to consider when maintaining these colossal giants of competition and wellness than one might think. Pool Operators face a myriad of challenges…

Pool Girl Power 👉💪

Post author:Contributor
Post published:August 7, 2018
Post category:Pool News

Working in a Male-Dominated Field by Andrea Lynne Nannini Wikipedia: A swimming pool service technician (known colloquially as a pool man) is a tradesperson who cleans swimming pools and services major pool equipment such as pumps, motors, and…

Buying or Selling a Home with a Pool: Why a Professional Pool Inspection Matters

Post author:Contributor
Post published:July 11, 2018
Post category:Misc.

Buying or Selling a Home with a Pool: Why a Professional Pool Inspection Matters For many homebuyers, a swimming pool is one of the most exciting features a property can…

Liquid Chlorine pH

Post author:Contributor
Post published:June 27, 2018
Post category:Water Chemistry

Does Liquid Chlorine Raise pH? The Chemistry of Sodium Hypochlorite in Swimming Pools Rudy Stankowitz is a Certified Pool Operator (CPO) instructor, columnist for AQUA Magazine, and host of the…

Is It OK For My Dog to Swim in the Pool?

Post author:Contributor
Post published:June 12, 2018
Post category:Misc.Pets & Pools

Is It OK For My Dog to Swim in the Pool? Separating Myth from Water Chemistry Reality Among pool professionals, there is a story that seems to grow larger every…

Photo Credit: Dave Tisch Tischhauser

Dealing With Unhappy Customers

Post author:Contributor
Post published:March 24, 2018
Post category:Retail

A lesson on Dealing With Unhappy Customers from the retail front lines Do you want to put your customer service skills to the test? Try working Memorial Day weekend in…

Talking Pools Podcast

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.

Ask a question here

In the conclusion of this two-part Mythbusting Wednesday conversation, Natalie Hood sits down with Erik Knight to discuss his move from Watershape University to Pool Brain—and the bigger problems he hopes to help solve.

The pool industry has more education available than ever, but is that actually part of the problem? New technicians are often buried under chemistry, equipment, software, procedures, and safety information before they have enough hands-on experience to understand how it all fits together.

Erik explains how guided workflows and point-of-need education could help technicians produce better results from the beginning while developing a deeper understanding over time. Instead of three days riding shotgun followed by “Here are the keys—try not to turn anything green,” technology can provide structure, consistency, and some desperately needed early wins.

Natalie and Erik discuss:

Why technician turnover is highest at the entry level
Whether the education gap is really an education-overload problem
The weaknesses of traditional pool-company onboarding
Why hands-on learning creates knowledge that actually sticks
Using software to reinforce education instead of replacing it
Pool Brain’s approach to guided workflows and chemistry recommendations
Using historical data to predict future pH and water behavior
Why experience—not intelligence—allows seasoned technicians to anticipate problems
Automation as a force multiplier for pool professionals
How technology can free technicians to develop higher-value skills
Why automation equipment can become a profitable service-company revenue stream
The value of competition among software companies and education providers
Erik’s continued relationship with Watershape University
What attracted him to Pool Brain’s long-term vision
Why professional software requires more than an AI-generated interface
Inflation, rising equipment costs, and the need for greater efficiency
Route optimization, properly stocked trucks, and eliminating costly supply runs

Erik also addresses the fear that technology will eventually replace the pool professional. Automation may handle repeatable tasks, but it cannot change filter sand, clean a DE grid, diagnose complicated equipment problems, or replace the judgment developed through real experience.

Better technology does not eliminate the need for education. It can remove some of the repetitive bullshit, help new technicians succeed sooner, and give experienced professionals more time to solve complicated problems, serve better customers, and operate more profitable routes.

Erik’s goal at Pool Brain is straightforward: simplify what makes the job unnecessarily difficult, help pool professionals deliver safer and more predictable water, and give company owners the tools to become more efficient, profitable, and—God forbid—occasionally get home before dark.

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Email us: talkingpools@gmail.com