Local Service-Oriented Entrepreneur to Bring Pool Scouts to Austin

Shilpa Patel has been working in senior living for over nine years when she decided she wanted to open her own business. On a search for a business that gave her the opportunity to provide excellent customer service to the community of North Austin, Patel discovered Pool Scouts, the pool cleaning and maintenance franchise. 

After some time researching the brand and realizing how aligned it was with what she was looking for, Patel decided to bring Pool Scouts to North Austin. Once open, Patel hopes to grow her territory and make Pool Scouts a household name. She also wants to provide opportunities for dependable technicians, alleviate the hassle of cleaning for pool owners and teach her daughter about what it means to own a business.  

1851 Franchise spoke to Patel about her franchising journey with Pool Scouts. 

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

Patel: I work in senior living, specifically assisted living and memory care communities. I am in a regional role now where I oversee operations for multiple locations and make sure our residents and team members are happy while the communities are profitable. I’ve been in the  industry for over 8 years. Prior to that, I was in sales for over 17 years. But, I’ve always wanted to run my own business. Once I got into my regional role and I was no longer working in the day to day, I missed that aspect of the business. Senior living industry is 24/7, so I started looking for something with a better work-life balance and one that allowed me to use my skill set to grow my territory.. The Pool Scouts model fits that.  The other reason for choosing a franchise, is that the vendor relationships and systems are already in place which saves a lot of time. 

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?

Patel: I have a lot of family members that own franchises and non-franchises as well. When I started to look for a franchise, I noticed that the initial investment for brick and mortar locations was always very expensive. So I worked with a consultant and realized that the franchises where you have to build up the business were the ones that were more affordable plus I could start it from home. Pool Scouts fit my budget and with the right franchise you are in business for yourself but not by yourself. 

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

Patel: I had the opportunity to go visit Buzz Franchise Brands in Virginia Beach, VA where I met the support team and spent time in the corporate location. I saw how the General manager ran the day-to-day, how the location was set up and met the technicians. During my due diligence, the Pool Scouts franchisee's spoke very positively about the brand and the support provided by the home office. 

The second plus was the branding. Prior to moving into operations, I was in sales for over 17 years so I tend to look for clever marketing.  Pool Scouts does a great job with their bold logo, vibrant collateral and humorous commercials.  Since I will be building up a client base from zero, the Pool Scouts brand and marketing strategy will play a vital role in building up my client base.

The third reason is because Pool Scouts is customer obsessed. Their slogan is "Perfect Pools, Scout's Honor. This translates into making sure every customer is satisfied with the cleanliness of their pool, if they are not satisfied we come back out and make it right at no charge. I also chose pool cleaning because it's something that takes time to do and a lot of homeowners want to pass that task to someone else.  Some don’t have the time, desire or are not able to clean their pools anymore and that’s where Pool Scouts fills the gap. 

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

Patel: I want to develop my territory, provide jobs to the community. I also want to grow a team of dependable technicians, both men and women, and provide excellent service to my community. I love customer service, serving others and making sure that they are happy. That’s very important to me. 

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

Patel:  I am a single parent and my business is woman-owned. 

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

Patel: Do your research and due diligence. I recommend working with a franchise consultant. They really dig into the “why” behind the business, so it's not just a shallow decision. A lot of people want to become business owners and be their own boss but there are things that hold them back, usually fear. I think working with a consultant helps you uncover those “whys” and hold on to that, even when things get daunting. Also, keeping your desired lifestyle in mind is important.  Ask yourself, if you want a business that is open 7 days a week or 24/7.  For me, work-life balance takes priority. 

The start-up costs for a Pool Scouts franchise range from $87,490 - $109,625. To learn more about franchising with Pool Scouts, visit https://poolscoutsfranchise.com/.

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 poolscoutsfranchise.com.

ABOUT BUZZ FRANCHISE BRANDS

Founded in 2012 and based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Buzz Franchise Brands is a fast-growing multi-brand franchising organization that builds companies that get people talking. The organization's first brand Mosquito Joe was sold to Neighborly in late 2018 after growing to almost 300 locations. Buzz Franchise Brands currently operates pool cleaning and maintenance company Pool Scouts, residential cleaning company Home Clean Heroes, swim lesson company British Swim School and holiday lighting company Grand Illuminations. The company has been named among the Inc.’s “500 Fastest Growing Private Companies,” as well as Inc.'s “Best Workplaces” list for several years in a row. For more information about Buzz Franchise Brands, visit buzzfranchisebrands.com.