Sam Folaron, 36

When Sam Folaron was just 12, she started working in a pool store, cleaning, stocking shelves and learning the cash register.

“Year after year, my boss taught me a little more, and I became an expert in water testing and small in-house repairs,” she says. “Nine years later, after graduating from college, I leaned on my pool experience and started a sales position with Seaboard Industries. I started to learn about running a business and what it meant to be part of a team, not just working a job.” 

In 2014, she became a branch manager and then after the company was sold to POOLCORP, she stayed as a branch manager for one of its largest locations. After giving birth to her daughter in 2019, Folaron left POOLCORP, later joining Latham Pool Products in 2021 as the northeast regional sales director of the GLI Pool Products division.

“I was responsible for managing several sales representatives throughout the northeast and was able to meet with pool dealers up and down the east coast,” she says. “I had the honor of being able to teach, mentor and help businesses grow.”

During this time, Folaron realized she did not want to travel but wanted to find a job that would allow flexibility to be with her daughter.

After over 20 years in retail, service, distribution and manufacturing, Chris Rauschenbach, Folaron’s former boss and colleague, asked her to join him as co-owner of Puravida Outdoor Living in New Jersey.

“In November 2022, we officially became partners, and we started working on building a brand that would be a reflection of who we are and what we value,” she says. “Our business keeps the customer in focus, and we aim to deliver an experience that is both professional and easy. We teach our team to do the right thing and to always continue growing, and that is something I am most proud of.”

Folaron’s favorite part about working in this industry is the network.

 “It is a small, large industry,” she explains. “I have never felt alone, and this is precisely why this will be a long-term career for me. When I thought I was going to have to leave the workforce to focus on my family, the pool network wrapped its arms around me and offered me so many opportunities.”

Folaron hopes to see the industry she loves become more legitimized as a true trade.

“We need to do a better job at teaching and communicating what a great career one can have in the swimming pool industry,” she says. 

While Folaron advocates for elevating the industry as a recognized trade, she’s also dedicated to building a business that reflects her values. 

“I hope to be remembered for creating a brand that is professional, honest and positive,” she says. “I want my customers to enjoy their pools, create backyard memories and always think back on their experience with us as a positive one. I want to be first in their minds when they need service or repairs down the road.”