The Great Franchisee: Aaron Hurtado, Pool Scouts, Houston

By the time Aaron Hurtado became one of the newest franchisees with Pool Scouts*, the fast-growing pool maintenance and cleaning franchise, he was no stranger to business ownership. In fact, the career entrepreneur was no stranger to franchising, having opened his first franchise when he was just 23 years old.

After closing his first franchise business, Hurtado built his own independent business, which he built into the fourth-largest mobile repairs provider in Houston. Hurtado says he decided to join Pool Scouts because as a pool owner himself, he was all too familiar with the frequent need for quality pool services. 

We spoke with Hurtado to learn more about his journey as a franchise owner.

1851 Franchise: Tell us your story – what did you do before franchising?

Aaron Hurtado: This actually isn’t my first time in franchising. When I was 23 years old, I started a franchise in the automotive reconditioning space. We did mobile repairs and reconditioning for the pre-owned car market and dealerships and I had that business for almost 12 years. I purchased that in 2004, but two years into the franchise the franchisor closed their doors. We basically became independent from there. I continued operating for the next 10 years and I grew the business to become the fourth largest mobile repairs provider in Houston. I grew it to a size that allowed me to sell and in 2015 I sold it and moved into logistics. 

My current business is a local courier and delivery service that delivers products and sets up appliances. Through this business, I became an Amazon Delivery Service Provider, and I have about 53 trucks that deliver throughout Houston. I have about 95 drivers and eight people on my administrative staff that help deliver packages, appliances and furniture. 

I planned on opening my Pool Scouts franchise in March, but the COVID-19 pandemic hit so I had to put it off a year. 

1851: How did you initially find out about franchising? 

Hurtado: A friend of mine got into franchising at the same time I was working a corporate job. I really didn’t enjoy it and I always wanted to do something on my own. 

1851: Why did you choose franchising over starting your own business?

Hurtado: At that time, I chose franchising because I didn’t have the knowledge or skill to open a business on my own. I didn't want to go through the guessing game of starting your own business. Working with a franchise gave me the foundational knowledge of running my own business and I ran with it from there. 

1851: What types of brands did you look at?

Hurtado: I was only interested in the service-related industry because it has the tenacity to survive all economic positions. I learned early on in the automotive industry that it works because I’m selling a needed service instead of something on a shelf. I picked Pool Scouts because it’s a service that is needed and the majority of people don’t enjoy cleaning or maintaining their pools, so I like providing a service that will help others in the community. 

1851: Why did you choose Pool Scouts? What excited you most about the potential?

Hurtado: I chose Pool Scouts because it is a service-related industry and I’m a pool owner myself. I was always frustrated by having to balance the chemicals myself, so I broke down and hired a pool service. It seems like a fun business to be in. I'm sure it has its challenges, but I’m looking forward to overcoming those. I thought Pool Scouts' branding and business model were phenomenal. It has attractive branding, which I know is important in any economic climate. The training, business model and technology were all pretty second to none. 

1851: What are your dreams with the business? What does the future look like?

Hurtado: My short-term goal is to get the business up and running. I’m wanting to grow this business as far as I can take it. I know there is another franchisee in the Pool Scouts system that is pretty large, and I want to eventually have that scale. I would love to take 10–20% of the Houston market, which would allow me to take over my area. I would like to grow it to provide great service to the community long-term and provide job opportunities. 

Houston is a huge pool market and pools are not considered a seasonal luxury here. While there is some seasonality, they pretty much run year-round. That aspect also attracted me to this industry for our market.

1851: What value do you see your business providing to North Houston and the Woodlands?

Hurtado: I feel like I can give homeowners with pools their weekends back. People are staying home more because of the pandemic and they are spending more time in their backyards. I want to give them more time. I’m hoping to provide great service at an affordable rate. I plan on being involved by supporting youth baseball and the community as a whole.

1851: What advice would you have for others looking at buying a franchise?

Hurtado: I would say investigate the franchise you are looking into. This is not my first time franchising and I gained experience from it early on in life. I knew early on what I was looking to add to my investment portfolio. I recommend really investigating the training value and support from the franchisor. The biggest thing for anyone looking is that, if you are coming out of a corporate world, make sure you have franchisor support and you know exactly how much it is going to cost. Pool Scouts was a very affordable option based on what you get back from it in ROI. The most important thing about a franchise is how the franchisor is going to help you be successful.

1851: What do you do in your personal time?

Hurtado: I’m a car enthusiast, which is a big passion of mine. I also collect watches and sports memorabilia, specifically baseball cards from the 1950s to the early 1970s.

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 over 50 territories across 8 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.