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Author: Rudy

This author has written 136 articles
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Read more about the article Technical Bulletin Black Algae

Technical Bulletin Black Algae

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:September 12, 2025
  • Post category:Algae

This Technical Bulletin Black Algae is intended for professional pool service technicians. It assumes a workingknowledge of pool water chemistry, algae identification, and treatment practices.Introduction For decades, black algae has…

Continue ReadingTechnical Bulletin Black Algae
Read more about the article Reflect on Patriot Day: The 9/11 Memorial Pools

Reflect on Patriot Day: The 9/11 Memorial Pools

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:September 11, 2025
  • Post category:Swimming Pool News

On a September morning nearly a generation ago, America’s soul was tested. Fire and smoke rose over Manhattan, heartbreak and loss reverberated across the nation, and nearly 3,000 lives—office workers,…

Continue ReadingReflect on Patriot Day: The 9/11 Memorial Pools
Read more about the article Technical Field Guide: Mustard Algae (Diatoms)

Technical Field Guide: Mustard Algae (Diatoms)

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:September 6, 2025
  • Post category:Algae/Pool News

Mustard Algae (Diatoms) – Prevention and Cleanup Responding to the EPA Sodium Bromide Ban For Pool Pro Use Only: This guide is written specifically for professional pool service technicians. It…

Continue ReadingTechnical Field Guide: Mustard Algae (Diatoms)
Read more about the article Laci Davis: The Art of Grit

Laci Davis: The Art of Grit

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:August 31, 2025
  • Post category:Pool News

On the west coast of Florida, in the small community of Hudson, there’s a business with a name that sounds more like a mantra than a company: The Grit Game.…

Continue ReadingLaci Davis: The Art of Grit
Read more about the article Que Hales and the Ripple Effect of Mentorship

Que Hales and the Ripple Effect of Mentorship

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:August 24, 2025
  • Post category:Talking Pools Podcast

Tucson, Arizona isn’t just cactus and sunsets—it’s also home to one of the sharpest and most stubbornly curious minds in swimming pool chemistry. Que Hales, co-founder of OnBalance and longtime…

Continue ReadingQue Hales and the Ripple Effect of Mentorship
Read more about the article Greg Beard – The Poolside Philosopher

Greg Beard – The Poolside Philosopher

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:August 17, 2025
  • Post category:Talking Pools Podcast

In the chlorine-scented world of pool service, where long days blur into hot afternoons and precision matters down to the decimal, a few names carry real weight. One of them…

Continue ReadingGreg Beard – The Poolside Philosopher
Read more about the article Top 10 Finalists Named for 2025 Mentor of the Year Award

Top 10 Finalists Named for 2025 Mentor of the Year Award

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:August 5, 2025
  • Post category:Talking Pools Podcast

Top 10 Finalists Named for Talking Pools Podcast 2025 Mentor of the Year Award 🔍 Behind the Process: How We Chose the Top 10 Mentors of the Year in the…

Continue ReadingTop 10 Finalists Named for 2025 Mentor of the Year Award
Read more about the article 2025 Mentor Awards Finalists and Sponsorship Lineup

2025 Mentor Awards Finalists and Sponsorship Lineup

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:July 19, 2025
  • Post category:Pool News

Talking Pools Podcast Announces 2025 Mentor Awards Finalists and Sponsorship Lineup July 19, 2025 – Gainesville, Florida – The Talking Pools Podcast is proud to announce the 2025 Mentor of…

Continue Reading2025 Mentor Awards Finalists and Sponsorship Lineup
Read more about the article Peeing in Pools: The Chemical Reactions

Peeing in Pools: The Chemical Reactions

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:April 13, 2025
  • Post category:Water Chemistry

When someone decides "Peeing in Pools" is ok and it's time to take a little "bathroom break" (because apparently, that's just fine), a chain of chemical reactions starts to unfold…

Continue ReadingPeeing in Pools: The Chemical Reactions
Read more about the article Preparing Your Pool for a Hurricane

Preparing Your Pool for a Hurricane

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:October 16, 2024
  • Post category:Pool News/Home Owner Pool Care/Pool Operator Talk News/Pool Service Tips

Hurricane Damage courtesy of Hurricane Helene

Continue ReadingPreparing Your Pool for a Hurricane
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Read Rudy's Column in AQUA Magazine
Talking Pools Podcast
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. 

If You’re the Local Expert, Stop Charging Like the Local Idiot
byRudy Stankowitz

Ask a question here

WARNING:Intentionally Abrasive Language – Every service business wants to be the company everyone recommends—the local expert called after three other contractors have replaced the wrong parts, collected their checks, and left the customer with the same damn problem.

But authority doesn’t come from putting “premier,” “elite,” or “superior” on the side of a truck. It comes from becoming exceptionally good at solving difficult problems, teaching people what you know, documenting your results, and earning a reputation that reaches the customer before you do.

In this episode, Rudy explains how pool professionals and other service-business owners can become the recognized expert in their county—and why anyone who earns that position should charge at least 10% more than the interchangeable competition.

In This Episode

  • Why calling yourself an expert doesn’t make you one
  • How to attach your name to a specific, difficult problem
  • Why teaching customers increases your value
  • The difference between generic content and useful local expertise
  • How informed opinions make professionals memorable
  • Turning difficult jobs into compelling case studies
  • Why detailed testimonials beat meaningless five-star reviews
  • Building referral relationships with inspectors, agents, managers, and tradespeople
  • Becoming the person local media calls for an explanation
  • Using Google reviews to demonstrate authority
  • Why experienced professionals should charge more
  • How to state your price without apologizing or negotiating against yourself
  • Why premium pricing requires premium communication and reliability
  • The importance of continuing to learn after becoming the recognized expert

The Bottom Line

Advertising tells people you exist. Expertise convinces them you understand the problem. Reputation makes them trust you to solve it.

Own a difficult problem. Teach what you know. Develop an informed point of view. Document your results. Answer the phone. Show up when promised. Fix the problem correctly.

Eventually, your name becomes shorthand for the solution—and when that happens, charge like you fucking mean it.

The cheapest contractor charges for the visit. The expert charges for the answer.

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Connect With Talking Pools

Follow the Talking Pools Podcast for blunt industry commentary, technical education, business advice, and the occasional uncomfortable truth every pool professional needs to hear.

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Email us: talkingpools@gmail.com

If You’re the Local Expert, Stop Charging Like the Local Idiot
If You’re the Local Expert, Stop Charging Like the Local Idiot
August 21, 2026
Rudy Stankowitz
Stop Guessing, Start Charging—and Learn When to Say No
August 20, 2026
Rudy Stankowitz
Cold Plunge Myths: Short Exposure Does Not Mean Low Risk — Part 2
August 19, 2026
Rudy Stankowitz
SPLASH
August 17, 2026
Rudy Stankowitz
Your Pool Guy Isn’t the Problem—You Are
August 14, 2026
Rudy Stankowitz
When Corporate Buyouts Kill Technical Support
August 13, 2026
Rudy Stankowitz
Eric Knight Joins Pool Brain
August 12, 2026
Rudy Stankowitz
Salt
August 10, 2026
Rudy Stankowitz
Confidence Isn’t Competence: Pool Industry Edition
August 7, 2026
Rudy Stankowitz
Miracle Pool Products
August 6, 2026
Rudy Stankowitz
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  • CPO Class Schedule
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    • U.S. Public Swimming Pool Codes👮
      • Florida’s CPO Certification Requirement for Public Pool Service Technicians
      • Georgia CPO Certification requirement
      • Louisiana CPO Certification Requirement
    • Test Kit Store
    • Pool Merchandise
  • Online Pool Pro Classes
  • AFT&C news🗞️
  • Talking Pools Podcast🎧
  • Keynote & Professional
    • Rudy’s AQUA Column
    • Swimming Pool EXPO Speaker
    • Expert Witness
    • Consulting Services
  • Rudy’s Algae Book
  • Contact Me
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