that streamline operations while ensuring that mastery of the fundamentals is retained and passed down to the next generation of pool builders. The principles that guide these builders play a vital role, and the company’s leadership understands that investing in comprehensive training and mentorship allows for the cultivation of talent, thus bridging the gap caused by labor shortages. Today, Pools by Design stands as a thriving organization that creates beautiful, durable pools tailored to customers’ needs. It’s a business defined by innovation, reliability, and customer satisfaction, delivering outdoor spaces that enrich lives and stand the test of time. A CORNERSTONE SHIFT TRIGGERED BY COVID-19 Pools by Design blends craftsmanship with customercentric innovation, solidifying its reputation as an industry leader. For decades, the company has excelled in designing and constructing pools that epitomize quality and style,creating bespoke outdoor oases for homeowners and businesses alike. Despite its immense success, it has not once lost sight of the customer’s needs. “We earn a profit by taking care of our customers,” President Ken Larison begins, “and we’ve been very fortunate to find people that think like I do, so we’ve been able to grow our company significantly since 2009.” The company currently boasts 55 in-house employees as well as approximately 15 – 20 regular subcontractors who help it get the job done. Fortunately, it does get the job done so well that over 70% of its work comes from referrals from the home builders and contractors that it works with. “We specialize more in the upper-end market, in the commercial market, and in the remodeling sector. Those have all been growth areas this year,” Larison comments, proudly explaining that the company is set to end 2024 with approximately 20% higher sales margins than it did in 2023. However, this incredible performance was one the company had to work towards as it recovered from the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which created very double-edged conditions. During the pandemic, there was a tremendous influx of new clients; however, the company — like many others — was limited in both workforce and supply. “We had six months of backlog where we couldn’t even start those projects,” Larison explains, referring 53 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 12 POOLS BY DESIGN
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