The Great Franchisees: Kendra and Gerry Garwood, Pool Scouts, Kansas City

The Garwoods have been a couple for more than 25-years and have always wanted to open their own business in their hometown of Kansas City. Now, just in time for Summer, they're jumping in with both feet, opening their first Pool Scouts* franchise, which is performing pool maintenance and cleaning in 53 territories in the U.S.

1851: What did you do before franchising?

Kendra Garwood: I've been staging houses for almost 17 years for my own business, Staging In Style. My husband has been selling IT equipment for Cisco for the last 15 years. We've been talking about owning our own business since we met 25 years ago, and we finally have the opportunity to do that together.

1851: What made you say yes to Pool Scouts? 

The Garwoods: We did plenty of research over the years but the more research we did the more franchising with Pool Scouts stood out. When we became more serious about the opportunity, we met with the Pool Scouts team, and that sold us. They have an answer for the overwhelming demand for professional pool services and it's also a simple business model, which is desirable when you’re opening your first franchise. It was a perfect combo of opportunity and simplicity that required a learnable skill set.

1851: What could have scared you away? 

The Garwoods: The startup costs are what any franchise owner looks at first. Like many others in our position, the biggest concern is making sure you can get started in a comfortable way.  The franchise model for Pool Scouts is so well-rounded that there weren't many other concerns for us. This has been a very serious dream for us and once we found the right opportunity, the only thing that might have been a deal-breaker was the initial investment.

1851: What makes you stand out as a unique business owner in the local community?

The Garwoods: Professionalism is what we're after, and in our experience, that’s rare in this industry. Pool cleaning is an untapped market because in our area, there are no professionals doing it. As customers, we’ve been very frustrated with local vendors that we give our business to because they provide terrible service. We know we aren’t the only ones that feel that way, so the professionalism and quality customer service that we're going to bring to this market will unquestionably be well-received.

What do you hope to achieve with your business? Plans for growth? 

The Garwoods: Our short-term goal is to expand this business to service both Kansas and Missouri. Long-term, I'd like to see our kids be involved with the business and the community. It’s important to let our community know that we’re a family-run business that wants to use our franchise as a vehicle for local charities so we are able to give back to our community. 

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

The Garwoods: We have a locally-owned family business that is huge in our community. We grew up here, and I've operated a business here for 17 years. This adventure is my husband's dream so this isn’t just another company that’s moving in that’s only worried about the bottom line. We’re very passionate about our family, our business, and our community. 

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 110 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 http://poolscoutsfranchise.com.