The swimming pool industry has a hit reality television show on DIY Network called Pool Kings and it is exploding the industry with the in’s and out’s of swimming pool construction. Homeowners are tuning in, watching, and learning so much about swimming pool design and construction! Pool Kings takes the entire process of swimming pool construction; beginning with selecting the builder, designing the backyard, and transforming a blank canvas into a gorgeous backyard oasis. Pool Kings chose several swimming pool companies to highlight their work on national television and we would love to introduce you to the hosts of Pool Kings for California Pools.
Pool King – Justin McGuire
Justin McGuire, area Manager for California Pools in Austin Texas has been in the swimming pool industry for nearly 20 years. He has been a solid leader for California Pools the entire course of his career and has extraordinary knowledge in the industry. We spoke with Justin recently about his experience hosting Pool Kings and enjoyed hearing his perspective on his experience as a “King.”
Q: What inspired you to be a host?
A: I was excited to host Pool Kings for California Pools because it is a great way to promote the California Pools brand and the swimming pool industry.
Q: What are the benefits of Pool Kings to the industry?
A: It shows the excitement that comes with building a pool and having a completed and beautiful backyard and swimming pool. The viewer gets to see how a pool is built through the eyes of a homeowner.
Q: Is it easy to host the show?
A: Compared to the hard work the construction crews do every day, it is! But, it is pretty time consuming.
Q: Do you have fun filming the Pool Kings?
A: Most of the time it is, but it’s not without struggle. I get to work alongside a great friend, Steve Terry, and that makes it better!
Q: What are some challenges you’ve had filming?
A: Besides having your brain completely turn off during filming, it’s harder than it looks to deliver a line 15 times and have it come across natural. Also, being away from my office during filming time is tough but thankfully I can fully rely on my awesome team to keep the wheels turning.
Q: What are some benefits you’ve seen filming for Pool Kings?
A: Its put me back on job sites again which is fun because I love the building process. It has also allowed California Pools to be seen in markets never seen before.
Q: What does it take to be featured on Pool Kings?
A: We actually have very little to do with it. The network chooses from pools we have that are ready to start the construction process at the time we need to film.
Q: What does the network look for in the design, family, and projects to help them select who would be featured on Pool Kings?
A: They try to find a unique project or feature that is fun to film. Sometimes its just a great family! The pools don’t have to be over the top, but there needs to be something interesting for the viewers.
Steve Terry is the other host of Pool Kings for California Pools. He has been in the swimming pool industry for nearly 30 years, many of them with California Pools where he now is the President of the company and he oversees the nationwide-run offices. We asked him to share his experiences as a “King” on Pool Kings, and here is his perspective.
Q: What inspired you to be a Pool Kings host?
A: I knew that continuing into season two with Pool Kings would be great exposure for California Pools in allowing us to reach a national audience, in the millions, to get to know us better and see the beautiful work we do.
Q: What are the benefits of Pool Kings to the industry?
A: The Pool Kings series and production companies have done a great job showing all of the wonderful benefits of owning a swimming pool. Much like the “GO RVing” ad campaign (gorving.com) that the recreational vehicle industry has adopted, along with the combined efforts of several top national pool builders, Pool Kings has enabled us to collectively promote the swimming pool industry in a positive, fun, and educational light.
Q: Is it easy to host the show?
A: No and Yes… No, because it requires a fairly heavy time commitment from me personally, which makes my everyday job of running the California Pools brand and company a bit more challenging. Yes, it is easy in that I absolutely love the benefit it brings to all of the people in our company and in our industry.
Q: Do you have fun filming the Pool Kings?
A: I definitely have fun filming because I co-host the show alongside Justin McGuire, who is not only a longtime colleague and friend, but is also an incredibly talented pool builder. We take our job hosting Pool Kings very seriously, however, have found ourselves in funny situations that have left us laughing hysterically, to the point where the film crew has had to stop and wait it out.
Q: What are some challenges you’ve had filming?
A: This year we have centered our production on swimming pools in Texas. The biggest challenge in filming has been coping with the extreme weather elements that Texas brings. Most film days are an all-day event, which we have found ourselves battling rain, sleet, snow, wind, thunder and lightning, humidity, and extreme heat. This makes for a very challenging atmosphere to film in.
Q: What are some benefits you’ve seen filming for Pool Kings?
A: Our company has been in business for over 66 years and we have offices all over the United States. We have recently began franchising with the mission to grow our brand into key marketplaces in cities and states across the United States, wherever we don’t have locations. Pool Kings is and will continue to be a great platform to help connect us with potential and future franchisees. Beyond that, the demand for people wanting to build and own a “California Pools” swimming pool has increased significantly
After speaking with Justin and Steve, co-hosts of Pool Kings for California Pools, we definitely are excited to watch more episodes of this summer! The enjoyment of watching industry leaders entertain us with the process of building a swimming pool and transforming someone’s backyard into a personal piece of paradise is not only educational, but also a bit magical too. You’ve got to admit, watching someones backyard transform into an entertainer’s delight and the perfect outdoor living space makes us all want one of our own, right? So be sure you tune in to your DIY Network and set your DVR to record, Pool Kings. You won’t want to miss it!
