THE COVER LIFT HAS BECOME such an essential part of a hot tub that it’s hard to think of a time when it didn’t exist. While we knew as far back as the early ’90s there needed to be an easier way to get a cover off a tub, no one was mass producing a…
Mike Johnson is excited to talk about Signature Spas, he has plenty of reasons, but his No. 1 reason is: American made. “We’re made in America, by Americans,” Johnson says. “We’ve gone out of our way — more than any other manufacturer — to make our product in America with American parts. For example, our…
During my recent presentations and consultations with leaders and management teams, I’ve heard many comments about the current tight job market. Leaders complain about having job openings listed for a long time. And they frequently voice concerns that they have to quickly hire someone out of fear that they, their managers or their employees, will…
Attending classes at the 2016 IPSPE show reaffirmed that numbers should be very important to all owners and managers if we want to be informed, competitive and successful. Sometimes small-business owners don’t allow department managers to see how their accountant logs information to prepare reports and taxes for them. Department managers need to know more…
Chemical sales are a guaranteed way to keep customers coming in your doors. If your chemical profit margins are struggling, however, it may help to examine your approach to this segment. Get things in the black again with these simple adjustments. STOCKING THE SHELVES First, look at how you purchase chemicals from the manufacturer. Early-buy…
“What filter does my spa take?” a customer on the phone asked me. “Would you like me to bring new filters when I come out or ship some to you?” I replied. She hesitated, then said, “I just need a part number. We found a place online that sells them cheap and want to order…
It was more than 60 years ago when Robert H. Peterson, a metalworker and tinkerer living in Pasadena, California, visited a friend who owned a restaurant with a wood-burning fireplace as a focal point. The owner complained how he couldn’t get his staff to pay attention to the fire, and it would often go out….
Mike Genova of Spokane, Washington–based Leisure Concepts has an eye and vision for detail. The company’s recent release of a step system called ModStep was an opportunity for Genova to merge form, safety and functionality in an expandable modular step aftermarket product. “The mod part of the product name represents a modern, contemporary and stylish…
If there were a way to turn $1 into $38, would you do it? Bet you would! In its 2015 National Client E-mail Report, the Direct Marketing Association reported an average $38 return for every dollar spent on email marketing. That sounds great — but there are rules of engagement to put the email marketing…
In the hustle and bustle of running your business, it’s easy to ask yourself, “Am I making any money?” The way to find out is simple: Revisit your P&L. A profit and loss statement, also known as an income statement, measures a business’s income and expenses over a period of time. It’s an easy way…
This issue of SpaRetailer is an actuary’s dream come true: Numbers, stats and percentages, presented to help in all areas of your business. If you ask any business owner about their biggest recurring expense, they’ll say employees and payroll. In his Harvard Business Review article, the late business guru and consultant Peter Drucker says: “Organizations…
Eleven years ago, twin sisters Adrianne and Rene, along with their husbands Tom Tritt and Brett Huston, purchased Patio Pleasures Pools & Spas. The business offered the perfect opportunity for the entrepreneurial-minded couples to grow an already well-established business. The previous owners had name recognition and key industry relationships, and the Hustons and Tritts built…