Pool Scouts

Russell Burton may not have a professional background in pool maintenance services, but he does have a keen eye for opportunity. Now, he looks forward to building a legacy with&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/poolscouts">Pool Scouts</a> in Greenville, South Carolina and hopes he can pass the business down to his three children someday.1851 Franchise spoke with Burton about his journey into franchising with&nbsp;<a href="https://poolscoutsfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=upgrading-from-pool-owner-to-pool-scouts-franchise-owner-2724241" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Pool Scouts</a> and his plans for the future.1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us.&nbsp;What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?Burton:&nbsp;I worked for a $65 billion company for nearly 20 years, doing everything from sales to product management, team business operations and services. But, recently, I saw there was a big need in the market in Greenville and the surrounding areas in the pool maintenance industry, and it seemed like a good opportunity. I decided to look around at a couple of different franchise options and Pool Scouts was the best option. It seemed like the best fit for me.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?Burton:&nbsp;My initial assumption was that you would feel like you were actually working for somebody else instead of owning your own business. However, the more I've gotten into it and learned about it, I'm able to do a lot more than I thought was possible for a franchisee. There’s a lot more freedom in it than I realized.&nbsp;1851:&nbsp;What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?Burton:&nbsp;I liked that the brand provided a lower initial investment than some of the competitors. The marketing that they provide is great, as well. They seem to have a tried and true marketing plan.&nbsp;I’ve got my own pool and there have been times where I've reached out to folks and it's taken two to three weeks to get someone in to provide pool maintenance services — if they even ever get back to me. I saw that there was definitely a need for a more reliable service in my area. My friends solidified that thought process, as well. They were saying that it was really hard to get in touch with pool maintenance providers.&nbsp;1851:&nbsp;What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?&nbsp;Burton:&nbsp;I hope to grow my business. To start off, it’ll just be my wife and I running the business through the winter. In the spring, I'm hoping that we're going to be able to expand. I'd love to at some point move north to Asheville as a secondary area.One of the main reasons that I wanted to do something like this was to potentially build a legacy for my kids so they can jump in and help, and take over at some point. They are currently 9, 11 and 15 so we’ll have a pretty robust workforce soon!1851:&nbsp;What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?Burton:&nbsp;Franchising is something you can do without having a lot of background experience in the industry. I think that owning a pool has definitely helped me in this industry, but with the training and the support from the franchisors, they give you the knowledge and the materials that you need to go out and be successful whether you are experienced or not.1851:&nbsp;What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?Burton:&nbsp;For me, the most important thing is getting past being scared and just actually doing it. You know, it's something that I've wanted to do for a long time. We've thought about it and taking the leap is the hardest part of it; we have three kids and we wanted to ensure financial stability. I was scared to take that leap, but you need to have faith in yourself.ABOUT POOL SCOUTS:&nbsp;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&nbsp;<a href="http://poolscoutsfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=upgrading-from-pool-owner-to-pool-scouts-franchise-owner-2724241" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://poolscoutsfranchise.com</a>.&nbsp;

Upgrading From Pool Owner to Pool Scouts Franchise Owner

1851 Franchise

Russell Burton noticed it was hard to find reliable maintenance services for his pool, which inspired him to become a business owner and address the gap in the market.

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Pool Scouts Appoints Mike Hysick as Director of Operations to Deepen Franchisee Support

Pool Scouts' 2025 Conference Sets the Stage for the Brand's Next Phase of Growth

The Business Press: John Oldham Dives Into Pool Scouts Franchise Ownership in South Fort Worth

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Georgia Mom and IT Professional Adds Entrepreneurship to her Portfolio , Building a Family Legacy with Pool Scouts Franchise  

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How a Pool Scouts Owner Built Control and Long-Term Growth

Create Wealth Through Franchising Podcast: How a Pool Scouts Owner Built Control and Long-Term Growth

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Fort Worth Inc.: John Oldham Opens Pool Scouts Business in South Fort Worth Area

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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.&nbsp;—&nbsp;<a href="https://poolscoutsfranchise.com/">Pool Scouts</a>, the leading national pool service franchise, is once again partnering with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hopefloats.foundation/">Hope Floats Foundation</a>. May is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/may/national-water-safety-month-may">National Water Safety Month</a>, and<a href="https://1851franchise.com/poolscouts/info"> Pool Scouts</a> franchise locations will participate in the fundraising campaign, raising money to support Hope Floats’ mission of providing swim lesson scholarships to underserved children nationwide.Since 2021, Pool Scouts has raised $106,000 for Hope Floats. Last year, the campaign helped expand access to swim lessons at a critical time, giving more children access to lessons ahead of summer. This year, the brand is setting a $10,000 goal.<a href="https://www.stepintoswim.org/">Step Into Swim</a>, an initiative of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.phta.org/">Pool &amp; Hot Tub Alliance</a>, an organization dedicated to promoting water safety and making waves in drowning prevention, is once again pledging to match donations up to $20,000 for a second year. Step Into Swim has funded swimming lessons for more than 300,000 children across the country.&nbsp;“Water safety is something our franchisees see firsthand in the communities they serve, so this partnership is a natural extension of what we do every day,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynlea-rudell-9a8b797/">Lynlea Rudell</a>, director of marketing for Pool Scouts. “As our system grows and we celebrate our 10th year, we have an opportunity to make an even bigger impact by helping more families access swim lessons and stay safe around the water.”<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-m-b4558317/">Kristin Mabrouk</a>, executive director for Hope Floats, said the collaboration continues to grow in impact each year as both organizations expand. Through the campaign, funds have been used to support families and provide access to children who may be the first in their families to learn to swim.“Pool Scouts is a very aligned partnership because they're working with people who understand the need for water safety,” she said. “Then we're able to allocate those scholarship funds to those same communities that they're in.”According to the CDC,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/s0514-vs-drowning.html">drowning is the leading cause of accidental death among children</a>. Formal swim lessons can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/drowning-prevention-starts-with-swim-lessons/">reduce that risk by 88%</a>, and Pool Scouts’ donations help make those lessons available to more families in the communities it serves.Mabrouk said the timing of the campaign matters because it lines up right before summer, when more families are around pools and water. That makes it easier to get kids into lessons right when they need them. She also pointed out that the funding can make a real difference for families with more than one child, since it allows siblings to take lessons at the same time instead of spacing them out or choosing just one.National Water Safety Month highlights the role education plays in keeping families safe around the water. For Pool Scouts, that focus connects directly to its broader effort to support the communities it serves.“The Pool Scouts network keeps expanding and so does ours, so we can help more people everywhere,” Mabrouk said. “We're very grateful for the partnership and excited to be going into our 10th year and beyond.”Those interested in donating to the Pool Scouts/Hope Floats campaign for National Water Safety Month can do so at&nbsp;<a href="https://givebutter.com/poolscouts2026">https://givebutter.com/poolscouts2026</a>.&nbsp;To learn more about franchise opportunities with Pool Scouts, visit:<a href="https://1851franchise.com/poolscouts"> https://1851franchise.com/poolscouts</a>.&nbsp;ABOUT POOL SCOUTS:Virginia Beach, Virginia-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 79 territories across 17 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&nbsp;<a href="http://poolscoutsfranchise.com">http://poolscoutsfranchise.com</a>.&nbsp;ABOUT BUZZ FRANCHISE BRANDSFounded 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 Wonderly Lights. The company has been named among the Inc. 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&nbsp;<a href="https://www.buzzfranchisebrands.com/.">https://www.buzzfranchisebrands.com/.</a>&nbsp;

Pool Scouts Partners With Hope Floats to Raise $10,000 

During National Water Safety Month this May, the entire Pool Scouts system will participate in the campaign, pushing its total donations past the $100,000 milestone.

Pool Scouts Partners With Hope Floats to Raise $10,000 in 2026 as Both Brands Celebrate 10 Years in Business

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Upgrading From Pool Owner to Pool Scouts Franchise Owner

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