America’s Swimming Pool Company (ASP) has steadily built a reputation as one of the strongest players in the pool care industry, and entrepreneurs are taking notice. With over 140 franchisees now operating in 26 states, the brand continues to expand its footprint by filling a critical service gap in a market where demand consistently outpaces supply.

The pool industry is highly fragmented, dominated by small mom-and-pop providers who often specialize in only one part of the service cycle — cleaning, equipment repair, renovations and new construction. ASP, on the other hand, offers a full suite of services and the structure of a national franchise system. That professionalism — uniformed employees, branded vehicles, call centers that actually answer the phone — immediately sets the company apart from local competitors and helps franchisees break even quickly.

Behind this growth is Jimmie Meece, who started as an ASP franchisee in Clemson, South Carolina, before moving into corporate leadership. Now serving as brand president, Meece manages day-to-day operations and long-term strategy. He carries forward the vision started by founder Stewart Vernon while leading the company as part of Authority Brands. His own path from franchisee to executive shows what ASP can offer entrepreneurs: a business model backed by demand, clear processes and steady support.

Entrepreneurs are turning to ASP because the business model pairs strong consumer demand with scalability. The national average shows one in ten homes has a pool, meaning every pool owner is a potential customer. With new pools being built at a rapid pace, especially during and after the COVID boom, the market continues to expand.

Meece recently joined 1851 Publisher Nick Powills on “Meet the Franchise” to discuss ASP’s growth, what makes the brand appealing to franchisees and where it’s headed next. A transcript of that conversation is included below. It has been edited for brevity, clarity and style.

Nick Powills: How did you fall into franchising? What’s your backstory?

Jimmie Meece: About 20 years ago, I was working for a city as a program director for events. I met a young man in Macon, Georgia, who had started a business around cleaning swimming pools. That man — Stewart Vernon, founder of ASP — was my brother-in-law.

I visited Macon from my hometown in South Carolina and became interested in small business and the entrepreneurial spirit I saw in Stewart. After a few conversations, I launched All Seasons Pool Company in Clemson, South Carolina, in late 2004. The brand later became America’s Swimming Pool Company. Not long after starting, I left my city job to focus on the business.

I was cleaning pools, repairing equipment and renovating pools. Stewart built the franchise model, and in 2005 the second franchise opened in Charleston, South Carolina. Today we have 148 franchisees in 26 states.

Powills: So you started as a franchisee, got the business running and then quit your job. Looking back, how quickly did that process happen, and how soon did you realize there was strong demand?

Meece: It moved fast. At the time, my wife and I had two small children — ages three and one — and we had just bought our first house. Leaving a steady job with benefits to clean pools raised a lot of eyebrows, but it motivated me to succeed.

I believed in Stewart, and he supported me. I drove three hours to Macon for training. This was before there was a formal franchise model or even websites. It was grassroots marketing — handing out business cards and talking to people. There was excitement and fear, but it fueled my determination. I look back on it as hard work, but with good memories.

Powills: At what point, after starting your business and becoming a franchisee, did you shift from an employee to an entrepreneur mindset? How long did it take to realize you were an entrepreneur?

Meece: From day one. That’s why I was drawn to Stewart and his vision for America’s Swimming Pool Company. It wasn’t just about cleaning pools, repairing equipment or renovating — and now building — pools. It was about the entrepreneurial side.

Stewart taught me the importance of working on the business rather than just in the business. That’s something we now teach all our franchisees. We want to partner with business-minded individuals. We don’t care if you know much about swimming pools, other than maybe having swum in one. Early on, I realized it wasn’t the pool business that drew me in — it was being a business owner and having control of my future and compensation.

Powills: In some categories, like carpet cleaning, you can find plenty of providers within minutes. But pools and senior care both have far more demand than supply. I’m sure you saw that early on, and it seems to still be true. Have you seen that change over your career, or is it the same today?

Meece: It’s still the same. The pool industry is fragmented, mostly made up of mom-and-pop businesses. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it creates pent-up demand in most markets because there’s little consistency in the services companies provide.

Not all pool companies offer weekly cleaning. Those that do may not have the skills to repair equipment when it fails, and very few can handle renovations. That fragmentation creates opportunities for brands like ours. Over the past 20 years, other pool franchises have entered the space as well. But we bring structure. We’re branded, uniformed, have wrapped vehicles, answer the phone and pride ourselves on solving any pool problem a customer may have.

Powills: What I hear — and I don’t mean this as a criticism — is that it’s similar to senior care. Caregiver A and Caregiver B both provide the same basic service, as long as there’s professionalism. With pools, the demand is high, but fragmentation leads to a lack of professionalism.

The differentiation comes from showing up in uniform with branded vehicles. For a franchise buyer, this isn’t a childhood dream, but it’s a business with pent-up demand. Success doesn’t require reinventing the wheel — just show professionalism and solve problems. That’s why, even with new competitors, there’s plenty of demand and a franchisee can reach break-even quickly.

Meece: That’s accurate. That’s the value of franchising. People can start businesses on their own, learn by working for someone or watching tutorials. But franchising provides processes, procedures and vendor relationships.

When someone launches with us, demand is already there. Marketing drives calls from day one, and whether through the franchisee or a call center, the phone gets answered. They’re prepared to address customer needs right away. That’s the value we bring in what is still a fragmented industry.

Powills: When you’re talking to a buyer today, are they coming in saying, “I want to own a pool service company”? Or are they saying, “I have money, I’d like to be a franchise owner, and this looks interesting”? Has that shifted over time?

Meece: Good question. What we typically see is someone looking for a chance to own a business. It’s not always about being drawn to the pool industry. That usually happens once they learn about who we are, the services we provide and how the business makes money.

Most candidates come in simply wanting to own a business. Many are introduced through brokers or by searching online for small business opportunities. They find us, start conversations and realize the potential. Often, these are people who’ve worked in corporate America for 20 years and want more control over their future. As for me, I was a franchisee for five years before selling my business in South Carolina. In 2010, I moved into an operations role as vice president, then stepped into the president’s role a little over three years ago.

Powills: In your opening statement, you mentioned Stewart as a big reason you got involved, given the family connection. Over time, how important is the founder’s story once the founder exits the business? Is it still central to the brand’s vision, or does it shift to your leadership as president?

Meece: It’s a passing of the torch. When Stewart was elevated within Authority Brands, our parent company, he handed the baton to me. His vision is still part of our DNA — it’s embedded in our culture and flows through the franchise system. Of course, new challenges come up each year, and leadership evolves. But the core values and principles from when the business started more than 20 years ago remain in place.

Powills: If a franchise buyer is watching this, what else do you want them to know about the business opportunity?

Meece: I think you summed it up well. There’s strong pent-up demand. At its core, this business can be simple: answer the phone, meet the pool owner in their backyard, listen to their concerns and offer solutions. They will pay for those services.

For anyone considering small business ownership, franchising is a one-plus-one-equals-three concept. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel — we support you every step of the way. The pool industry is still relatively young as a service business, but it continues to grow.

During COVID, we saw a surge in pool construction. That’s good for the business. The more pools installed, the more opportunities franchisees will have to serve customers. It’s a huge, long-term opportunity.

Powills: I love the category. Our first client years ago was a pool company in Suwanee, Georgia. Looking back, it’s interesting to see how the industry has evolved. That company went retail first, selling hot tubs and pools, and then added service. But after its parent company filed bankruptcy in 2008, the model collapsed.

What stands out to me is that 20 years later, demand hasn’t dropped. In many industries, new competitors entering the market would reduce opportunity. Here, customer demand has only grown as more pools are built. Homeowners continue to need service, and new buyers move into those homes and want service too.

From personal experience, I would have paid more for an extra cleaning visit each week. The demand is that high. That’s what makes this category special. If you have capital and are willing to get your hands dirty early to build a business before scaling, it’s a fantastic opportunity.

And with you still involved, connected to the founder and leading the brand, franchisees can bet on both the business and its leadership. That’s why I think this category has such strong potential.

Meece: Absolutely. One point I’d add is the pent-up demand in our industry comes from the fact that not every home has a pool. Most homes have carpet, grass to cut, plumbing, electrical or HVAC needs. But on average, only one in 10 homes has a pool.

That means not every homeowner is our customer, but every homeowner with a pool is. That separates us from most service-based businesses and creates an opportunity for anyone looking to get into the industry.

Powills: When you think about the nine out of 10 who don’t have a pool, many of them still dream of having one in the backyard. There’s a lot of potential ahead.

Meece: Absolutely. There are plenty of backyards without pools, and we now build pools as part of our model. The opportunity is tremendous. I’ve dedicated most of my professional life to this business, and it’s been very good to me and my family. I truly believe in our model and the industry.

Powills: Jimmie, thanks for sharing your story. 

Watch the full episode here. 

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/america-swimming-pool.