collaboration.
For Kevin Lawson, the idea of owning a franchise had been sitting in the back of his mind for years.
After decades in sales, including roles in the technology sector and later in the oil business with HF Sinclair, Kevin had long been interested in business ownership. The timing never quite lined up until his son, Ben, graduated from college and entered the workforce in the oil and gas industry.
“My wife and I were talking about how fun it would be if we had a family business or something of that nature,” Kevin said. “We kept talking about it and thought, why not start a franchise and have him run it, then be mentors and guide him through what it takes to do that?”
That conversation eventually led Kevin and Ben to America’s Swimming Pool Co., an Authority Brands company that provides swimming pool maintenance, repair, renovation, cleaning services and new construction. The father-and-son team now operates the brand’s northwest Oklahoma City franchise, and while the location is still new, their plans for the business already go well beyond pool service.
For Kevin, the business represents an opportunity to build something with his family while creating a foundation that can eventually support the next generation.
Before stepping into the family business full-time, Ben followed a much different path.
A standout athlete growing up, Ben held football and baseball records at his high school and went on to play baseball in college during the challenging COVID-era recruiting landscape. After graduating, he worked repairing engines for natural gas compression systems in the oil and gas industry, a role that demanded long hours, technical problem-solving and a strong work ethic.
Those experiences now carry over into the day-to-day realities of running an America's Swimming Pool Co. franchise, where Ben handles much of the operational side of the business, including quoting, cleaning, service and repair work.
Kevin said one of the biggest things he has noticed about Ben is his persistence when facing difficult problems in the field.
“I told him the other day when he was having a problem with a heater he was installing, and it took him multiple hours to finally get it done, that the thing I loved about it was the fact that he never gave up,” Kevin said. “He will stay on it. I would be like, ‘I’m done. I’m going to shoot it and go down the road.’ But for him, that is one thing that has impressed me and been fun to watch.”
That competitive mindset, developed over years of athletics, continues to shape how Ben approaches the business today. “Sports is something where, if you’re going to excel at it, you have to overcome and be resilient because sports is definitely challenging,” Kevin said.
Although Kevin still works full-time in the oil industry, the America’s Swimming Pool Co. business has quickly become a true family operation.
Kevin focuses heavily on sales, relationship-building and mentoring, while Ben oversees much of the operational work in the field. Kevin’s wife, Ashlee, who works professionally as a bookkeeper, helps manage back-office operations for the business. Ben’s fiancée, who recently earned her degree in marketing, is also expected to become involved as the business grows.
Their different personalities have strengthened the partnership. Kevin brings decades of sales experience and a comfort with ambiguity, while Ben is more process-driven and technically focused.
“In sales, where I’ve spent my whole life, I would consider myself the gray area,” Kevin said. “I’m always trying to make lemonade out of lemons. My son is definitely more black-and-white, and he likes the operations a lot more than I do. He likes the details and the intricacies.”
Kevin naturally focuses on conversations, networking and growing the business, while Ben prefers the technical side, where repairs, equipment and day-to-day service work require patience and precision.
“That’s where we complement each other,” Kevin said. “We let our differences help us be a better team.”
For Kevin and Ben, the franchise is about more than creating another revenue stream. Kevin said the business has already brought the family closer together in ways he did not necessarily expect.
“In all honesty, my daughter and I could talk every single day and be great. My son and I could go two weeks and not talk,” Kevin said. “But now that we have the pool business, it’s three, four, five, 10 times a day, and it’s so awesome. I think it’s bringing the family closer together, and we’re excited about that.”
The family also sees the business as an opportunity to mentor younger generations while building something that can eventually outlast Kevin’s own career in oil sales. Though Kevin does not currently plan to step away from his full-time role immediately, he hopes the business can continue growing over the next several years while creating long-term opportunities for Ben and the rest of the family.
The bigger goal, Kevin said, is to build a business centered around strong values, mentorship and relationships.
“This business is for a bigger purpose,” Kevin said. “We are God-focused with our family, and we really want to put an emphasis on that versus just a financial thing. We want to make it long term. We want to do what’s right.”
For more information on franchising with America’s Swimming Pool Co., please visit https://1851franchise.com/america-swimming-pool.
America's Swimming Pool
SPONSORED
After years in oil sales, Kevin Lawson teamed up with his son, Ben, a former college athlete, to launch an ASP franchise that has already become a daily family collaboration.
collaboration.
For Kevin Lawson, the idea of owning a franchise had been sitting in the back of his mind for years.
After decades in sales, including roles in the technology sector and later in the oil business with HF Sinclair, Kevin had long been interested in business ownership. The timing never quite lined up until his son, Ben, graduated from college and entered the workforce in the oil and gas industry.
“My wife and I were talking about how fun it would be if we had a family business or something of that nature,” Kevin said. “We kept talking about it and thought, why not start a franchise and have him run it, then be mentors and guide him through what it takes to do that?”
That conversation eventually led Kevin and Ben to America’s Swimming Pool Co., an Authority Brands company that provides swimming pool maintenance, repair, renovation, cleaning services and new construction. The father-and-son team now operates the brand’s northwest Oklahoma City franchise, and while the location is still new, their plans for the business already go well beyond pool service.
For Kevin, the business represents an opportunity to build something with his family while creating a foundation that can eventually support the next generation.
Before stepping into the family business full-time, Ben followed a much different path.
A standout athlete growing up, Ben held football and baseball records at his high school and went on to play baseball in college during the challenging COVID-era recruiting landscape. After graduating, he worked repairing engines for natural gas compression systems in the oil and gas industry, a role that demanded long hours, technical problem-solving and a strong work ethic.
Those experiences now carry over into the day-to-day realities of running an America's Swimming Pool Co. franchise, where Ben handles much of the operational side of the business, including quoting, cleaning, service and repair work.
Kevin said one of the biggest things he has noticed about Ben is his persistence when facing difficult problems in the field.
“I told him the other day when he was having a problem with a heater he was installing, and it took him multiple hours to finally get it done, that the thing I loved about it was the fact that he never gave up,” Kevin said. “He will stay on it. I would be like, ‘I’m done. I’m going to shoot it and go down the road.’ But for him, that is one thing that has impressed me and been fun to watch.”
That competitive mindset, developed over years of athletics, continues to shape how Ben approaches the business today. “Sports is something where, if you’re going to excel at it, you have to overcome and be resilient because sports is definitely challenging,” Kevin said.
Although Kevin still works full-time in the oil industry, the America’s Swimming Pool Co. business has quickly become a true family operation.
Kevin focuses heavily on sales, relationship-building and mentoring, while Ben oversees much of the operational work in the field. Kevin’s wife, Ashlee, who works professionally as a bookkeeper, helps manage back-office operations for the business. Ben’s fiancée, who recently earned her degree in marketing, is also expected to become involved as the business grows.
Their different personalities have strengthened the partnership. Kevin brings decades of sales experience and a comfort with ambiguity, while Ben is more process-driven and technically focused.
“In sales, where I’ve spent my whole life, I would consider myself the gray area,” Kevin said. “I’m always trying to make lemonade out of lemons. My son is definitely more black-and-white, and he likes the operations a lot more than I do. He likes the details and the intricacies.”
Kevin naturally focuses on conversations, networking and growing the business, while Ben prefers the technical side, where repairs, equipment and day-to-day service work require patience and precision.
“That’s where we complement each other,” Kevin said. “We let our differences help us be a better team.”
For Kevin and Ben, the franchise is about more than creating another revenue stream. Kevin said the business has already brought the family closer together in ways he did not necessarily expect.
“In all honesty, my daughter and I could talk every single day and be great. My son and I could go two weeks and not talk,” Kevin said. “But now that we have the pool business, it’s three, four, five, 10 times a day, and it’s so awesome. I think it’s bringing the family closer together, and we’re excited about that.”
The family also sees the business as an opportunity to mentor younger generations while building something that can eventually outlast Kevin’s own career in oil sales. Though Kevin does not currently plan to step away from his full-time role immediately, he hopes the business can continue growing over the next several years while creating long-term opportunities for Ben and the rest of the family.
The bigger goal, Kevin said, is to build a business centered around strong values, mentorship and relationships.
“This business is for a bigger purpose,” Kevin said. “We are God-focused with our family, and we really want to put an emphasis on that versus just a financial thing. We want to make it long term. We want to do what’s right.”
For more information on franchising with America’s Swimming Pool Co., please visit https://1851franchise.com/america-swimming-pool.
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