Tiffiny Consoli is thriving in the pool industry. She was the first-ever Pool Scouts franchisee, and now operates a $3 million business with 23 vehicles and 19 routes in the Raleigh, North Carolina, area.
Given her success, people are sometimes surprised to learn: At the start, she knew nothing about pools.
Instead, Consoli came from a career in retail management. She loved customer service, but wanted to run her own business. She started looking for a franchise to buy, and in 2016, she took the leap and joined Pool Scouts. As she’d discover, a lot of her old skills proved valuable in her new business — often in ways she didn’t necessarily expect. Here, she explains how she learned the ropes, and why she believes the home services sector is an excellent fit for women entrepreneurs.
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You were Pool Scouts’ first franchisee. What gave you the confidence to dive into a field that you had no experience in?
I first looked at a Mosquito Joe franchise, which at the time was owned by [parent company] Buzz Franchise Brands. The timing and what they had available in my area didn’t work for me, but when I went in to talk to them, I gained a lot of confidence. They had great people working for them. About a year later, they said they were starting Pool Scouts and I called them immediately. I was the first one in the door.
Did your background in retail management help you as a new franchisee?
As a store manager, I had a budget to adhere to throughout the year, and was reporting to a director that held me accountable to those numbers — but I also had customers coming in the door every day that I wanted to satisfy. I learned a lot in terms of working with people, understanding the importance of relationship building, and managing financials.
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What were some of the hardest lessons you learned in the early years of running your franchise?
First, you’ve got to get customers. But you also have to have employees to support those customers. Now you’ve got to hire, but you have to train those employees and maintain them year after year. And if you are in a seasonal business, it’s hard. In the beginning, I didn’t realize those things would be so challenging.
What advice do you have for aspiring franchisees when evaluating opportunities?
I think it’s important for people to connect really well with their franchisor and believe in the brand itself. There has to be synergy there. I think some franchisees miss the fact that you’re responsible for the success of your business. The franchisor is not responsible for that. They will give you the template to be successful, but at the end of the day, it falls on you to do everything they have set out for you to do.
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If someone was considering the pool service industry, what would you tell them?
The industry has a lot of growth potential. There are lower startup costs with service businesses, and it gives you the flexibility to be where you need to be every day. So I think that makes it more accessible for women and those that are balancing a career and family.
What’s your biggest piece of advice to potential franchisees?
Don’t do it just because you think you’re going to make a lot of money. It requires so much determination and tenacity that it better be something you really enjoy doing.
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