E-317 Pool Nation Podcast - Pool Business Growth: Inside Rising Sun Pools’ 54-Year Success Story

Episode 317 Pool Nation Podcast - What does it take to grow a family-owned pool business from a backyard shed into three retail locations, 70 employees, and a customer database of 17,000?

This week on the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus and guest co-host Ryan Morrison welcome Tara Soto of Rising Sun Pools in Raleigh, North Carolina, for a Hayward Spotlight conversation about pool business growth, customer loyalty, and carrying a family legacy forward.

Founded by Tara’s father, Charlie, in 1972, Rising Sun Pools has grown into a full-service swimming pool company offering pool construction, service, maintenance, and retail. Tara shares how the business evolved—and what it takes to keep customers coming back across generations.

Hear how her team connects seasonal pool openings with recurring maintenance and in-store water testing, why they expanded into vinyl, fiberglass, and concrete pools, and how personal customer service helps distinguish their stores from larger competitors.

Tara also opens up about taking over after her father’s unexpected passing, navigating business decisions with her siblings, and earning respect as a woman in the pool industry. Plus, she explains how Rising Sun Pools is approaching online competition through customer rewards, a planned website overhaul, and delivery options—and why social media engagement doesn’t always translate into sales.

Whether you’re a pool service professional, swimming pool builder, retailer, or family business owner, this episode offers practical lessons in building customer relationships, managing growth, and marketing to the people who actually buy.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Growing a pool company across construction, service, and retail• Turning seasonal pool openings into ongoing customer relationships• Pool heat pumps, winterization, and customer education• Managing a family business and preparing the next generation• Women in the pool industry and the importance of being heard• Competing with online retailers through convenience and service• Focusing pool business marketing on customers instead of likes

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 — Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast02:00 — Meet Tara Soto and Rising Sun Pools03:00 — Thank you to our visionary partners09:00 — Why Tara returned to the family pool business11:00 — How Rising Sun Pools began in 197213:00 — Three stores and three types of inground pools15:00 — Pre-scheduling, repeat customers, and seasonal demand17:00 — Connecting pool openings, maintenance, and retail19:00 — Heat pumps and extending the swimming season21:00 — Freeze preparation and customer communication22:00 — Sponsor messages28:00 — Handshake deals, early buys, and old-school pool marketing33:00 — Building service expertise and supplier relationships35:00 — “Everything under the sun” for the backyard37:00 — Expansion, 30 trucks, and 70 employees38:00 — Family business leadership and the next generation41:00 — Taking over after the loss of the founder44:00 — Building loyalty through personal customer service46:00 — Earning respect as a woman in the pool industry49:00 — Sponsor messages54:00 — Meet Ryan “The Muscle” Morrison55:00 — Competing with Amazon: rewards, online ordering, and delivery plans57:00 — Why engagement doesn’t always equal sales60:00 — Closing thoughts and shout-outs62:00 — Where to connect with Pool Nation

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

A huge thank-you to our visionary partners: SPPA, BlueRay XL, AquaStar Pool Products, Natural Chemistry, Raypak, Heritage Pool Supply, Hayward Pool Products, OnCore Brands, Poolside Tech, PoolBrain, Nidec / U.S. MOTORS, and OnCore Filtration. Thank you also to Encore Coatings / KOOL for Pools, featured in this episode’s sponsor messages.