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What does mentorship look like when you’re standing in a customer’s backyard, staring at equipment you can’t figure out, and someone answers your call?
Natalie Hood sits down with Greg “Beard Man” Beard, a two-time Talking Pools Podcast Top Ten Pool Industry Mentor honoree, to talk about the people who shaped his career—and why he keeps paying that knowledge forward.
With more than 35 years in the industry and a pool service business he started in 1990, Greg has plenty of experience to share. But helping someone get through today’s repair is only part of the job. He wants them to understand why something failed, how to investigate it, and what to do the next time it happens.
Greg shares how networking, volunteering, and stepping out of the back row helped him become someone other professionals call for guidance. He also discusses respecting a mentor’s time, helping technicians grow their businesses, and why cutting corners eventually catches up with you.
In this episode:
- What a second consecutive Top Ten Mentor recognition means to Greg.
- The mentors who shaped his approach, including his brother Randy, Alan Smith, Greg Garrett, Bob Lowry, and Rudy Stankowitz.
- Why industry relationships and training can change the direction of your career.
- Teaching someone to troubleshoot instead of simply handing them an answer.
- Recognizing who is ready to learn—and setting expectations for their preparation.
- Sharing accounts, exchanging referrals, and helping other professionals succeed.
- Why mentoring remains a two-way street, even after decades in the business.
- Teaching a beginner versus helping an experienced technician unlearn old habits.
- The customer’s view of “splash and dash” pool service.
Episode Chapters
00:00 — Meet Greg “Beard Man” Beard
01:17 — Recognition, gratitude, and answering the call
03:27 — What the Mentor Championship Belt would mean
05:23 — Recognition and the blind judging process
08:29 — The people who shaped Greg’s career
10:28 — Break and sponsor messages
16:57 — Advice that stayed with him
18:07 — Networking, training, and transferable skills
19:44 — Becoming the person others call
21:43 — Teaching the process behind the answer
24:21 — Respecting time and recognizing a willingness to learn
28:39 — Old habits, cutting corners, and customer expectations
Coming next: Natalie and Greg return for Part 2 to tackle pool industry myths.
2026 Mentor Recognition Sponsors: BlueRay XL, United Chemical, LaMotte Company, Revdup Apparel, and AquaComfort WaterGroup.
Episode sponsors include: PoolBrain, Revdup Apparel, and H2Flow Controls.
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