Former Stay-at-Home Mom Builds Foundation for Her Family Legacy with Pool Scouts Franchise

Renee Salley has over 20 years of experience in automotive manufacturing and a background in engineering, but after taking a break from the workforce to care for her family, she has decided to rejoin it in a way that doesn’t just give her a job title, but allows her to build a legacy.

She may not have previous experience in business ownership, but her love for a new challenge inspired her to look into the possibility of becoming a franchisee with Pool Scouts* in Summerville, South Carolina. After speaking with so many enthusiastic, existing franchisees, she decided to go for it. She hopes this new venture will teach her children that a strong work ethic leads to better opportunities. 

Salley spoke with 1851 Franchise to discuss her journey into franchising with Pool Scouts, the 100 plus territory pool cleaning and maintenance franchise.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Salley: For over 20 years, I worked in automotive manufacturing in a variety of different roles from engineering to middle management positions. 

When COVID hit, I came home to look after my daughter, who we had in 2019. Then we adopted my son, so I didn't go back to work. After that, my mom was sick so I had to look after her, as well, and I was just concentrating on taking care of my family. 

Now that the kids are older — my daughter is four and my little boy is nine — we thought it was time to look at different opportunities. I wanted to integrate myself back into the workforce with my management experience and technical background in engineering. 

We considered a few different franchises, but Pool Scouts stood out to us because of the low initial investment and the ability to work from home as a base. It suited our lifestyle and meant I could still help look after my mother. 

The industry seems to be growing quickly here, too, so that made sense for us. Everybody's getting a pool in our area; there are long wait lists for pool installations. We wanted to leverage this increase in the number of pools because people will need a service to maintain them. 

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Salley: I didn’t have a negative perception of franchising even though I had heard some negative views. We always thought about franchising because it allows you to leverage their experience and proven model. They have expertise, so you don't have to go through the severe bumps that you would go through if you were starting a business on your own. They have a recipe for success. 

Of course, depending on your market it may be a little bit more challenging, but franchises give you a playbook to follow. 

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Salley: I love that working with this brand provides me with some technical challenges; I love these types of challenges because of my background in engineering. They have a technical team there that's readily available, so you can phone a friend per se if there is a scenario you need help with, but I love a challenge. 

I also was drawn to the brand because of what I heard from other franchisees. Everybody was very positive. They took time to reach out to me and follow up to see if I had any more questions or wanted more advice. This meant a lot that not just the franchise management team, but also the franchisees were so willing to help. They clearly are enjoying what they are doing.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Salley: We hope to break even in our second year, and we want to become a household name brand. We want people to truly know who Pool Scouts is and that we offer elite pool cleaning services, but more than that we want to be well known and have a good relationship with our community.

We also want to teach our children that they can be business owners one day too, if that’s what they want. We are looking to leave a legacy, and we want our kids to know that this opportunity is available. We will support whatever they choose, but they don't necessarily have to work for somebody. They can have their own legacy.

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Salley:  Building a legacy is really important for us because we want to instill this idea in our kids that they have opportunities. We want to ensure our kids are secure, not just in their financial status, but also in their work ethic. 

I don’t have previous experience in business ownership. It’s important to believe in yourself, and if you have a desire to do it, whether it's to start a business or something else, don't let don't let the unknown keep you from doing it. Take a chance. 

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Salley: Be sure to investigate. Don't be afraid to ask questions and talk to franchisees. Seek to understand what particular business model you're looking for, and find the right match for you.

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

ABOUT POOL SCOUTS: 

Virginia Beach, VA-based Pool Scouts is a premier pool service franchise focused on delivering a quality, consistent brand experience while providing pool cleaning, maintenance and minor repair services at residential properties. Technicians are trained in testing, monitoring, treating and servicing pools and can provide ongoing service as well as help at the beginning and end of the summer season. With 110+ territories across 18 states, Pool Scouts offers a great opportunity as a low-cost franchise in the pool services industry with available territories across the United States. For more information or franchising opportunities, visit http://poolscoutsfranchise.com.