JB’s Pool Care
James Broderick didn’t follow a predictable path into the pool care business. When he started JB’s Pool Care in Franklinton, North Carolina, it wasn’t because of a family legacy or summer job turned career. Instead, a series of life-altering events, unexpected detours and a bit of chance brought him into the industry.
As a college baseball player, Broderick planned on pursuing a professional sports career but had to pivot after suffering severe injuries in a car accident.
After college, Broderick worked as a recreational therapist, specializing in helping Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. “I used to work with nonpharmaceutical interventions to help with behaviors and sensory stimulation,” he says. That experience strengthened his ability to empathize and connect with others.
Broderick later managed a swim school, where he helped develop a learn-to-swim program for children with disabilities. “The No. 1 cause of death for kids under 12 is drowning,” he says, explaining why swim education is crucial. As general manager of the swim school, he oversaw large, high-tech pools and advanced systems, such as salt machines and acid tanks. “That was my first introduction to working with pools,” he says.
When the pandemic hit, everything changed. Broderick and his wife, Jennifer, were both working at the swim school when it was deemed nonessential. Forced to reconsider their future, the couple made some bold decisions, including selling their house. They briefly lived with Broderick’s parents as they figured out their next steps.
It wasn’t long before an opportunity presented itself.
A friend, who had recently lost her husband, reached out to Broderick, asking if he could help with her pool. Although his experience had been managing an indoor pool, Broderick accepted the challenge, figuring, “Why not?” His friend was so impressed with his work that she encouraged him to pursue pool care as a career — and even bought him his first car magnet to advertise his services.
That one job snowballed into others. Broderick found himself cleaning pools for real estate agents and homeowners, and soon, JB’s Pool Care was born. The first few years were a grind, with Broderick doing most of the work while Jennifer helped with the bookkeeping and scheduling.
During busy seasons, Broderick enlists the help of family friends and their kids, as well as his parents, who affectionately call themselves “aqua donkeys” and assist with pool closings and openings.
Running JB’s Pool Care as a one-man operation comes with its challenges, but Broderick takes it in stride.
“It’s been a journey,” he says. “A lot of this was chance, a lot of this was faith.” Broderick says he and his wife often prayed for guidance during the uncertain early days of the business. Their faith, combined with hard work and a supportive community, has helped the business grow organically. Broderick says he’s spent a grand total of $5 on advertising since starting JB’s Pool Care, relying instead on word of mouth and social media posts.
The growth of JB’s Pool Care has mirrored the pool industry’s explosion in North Carolina. As people from northern areas like New York and Boston have moved south, often bringing wealth from real estate sales, the demand for pools has surged. Broderick is keenly aware of the differences between his region and warmer, more established pool markets.
“We’re not really south, but we’re in the middle,” he says. “A lot of people are moving here and want pools, so the business has just boomed.”
In the five years since starting JB’s Pool Care, Broderick has been recognized for his work, earning a spot on PoolPro’s 30 Under 40 list. He also attended his first major industry event, the Pool Nation Awards at the International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo, which gave him a new perspective on the industry. “I had no idea what we were getting ourselves into,” Broderick says, recounting the scale of the event and meeting industry professionals from across the country. “It opened my eyes to so many things.”
Broderick has big dreams for JB’s Pool Care. He hopes to bring some innovative approaches he’s seen in places like California and Texas to his region, offering his clients a more modern, high-tech pool care experience. He would also love to open a pool supply store someday.
He’s driven to provide consistent, reliable service, something he noticed was lacking when he first started. “I’ve come in too many times [to fix someone’s] shoddy work or [hear about other servicers] not calling customers back,” he says, noting that he wants to be part of changing that.
Above all, Broderick remains committed to his customers and community.
“I’m very happy with my customers — they love me, and I love them,” he says. “I’m a people person. I like to talk to people and learn about people. I just hope that we keep spreading love. And as much as it can be a grind some days, you can take a step back and understand that you’re making lifelong memories for people.”
