AQUA Magazine

Al Curtis

Al Curtis is the designer and builder for Legendary Escapes Pools. He has pioneered the hybrid vinyl liner/gunite swimming pool, and is known for his unique and innovative custom designs. Also known online as @askthepoolguy, he blogs, does video, training, and events for the pool loving public and fellow industry professionals. He can be found online at www.AskthePoolGuy.com
  • Thursday, March, 12, 2015
    • The Learning Curve – In the Pool Business and In Life As pool industry professionals, we are always learning, always expanding our skills. Whether your company installs a huge volume of manufactured pools or creates a handful of custom poolscapes, you learn something new with each job.
  • Tuesday, March, 10, 2015
    • Why We Love Reclaimed Materials Our company is quickly earning a reputation for taking old things — stuff that many would consider junk – and repurposing them in a new way.
  • Wednesday, February, 11, 2015
    • The Art and Science of Quality “Quality on the physical level is science. On the emotional level it’s art.”

      Quality — we all want it, chase after it and often pay more for it. Yet how much do we really understand quality and how to achieve it?

      For people who work in the fields of quality assurance, quality is measurable,…

  • Thursday, January, 15, 2015
    • How “No” Can Help You Build Your Dreams
       Shutterstock.com

      The customer is always right. Except when they are wrong.

      Traditional business models tell us that to succeed in our chosen field, we need to cater to the customers and do what they like. To a point, this is true. You won’t have much success as a bartender if you refuse to mix drinks for your…

  • Tuesday, November, 25, 2014
    • Why Vinyl Designers Could Be the Next Big Thing
       The Latham Tru-Tile system and Kafko Liners are used for both new construction and liner replacements. In this project, the clients chose the Creekstone liner, which is blended with a real ceramic tile border. (Photo courtesy of Legendary Escapes/Al Curtis)

      We get a lot of questions from pool owners and other pool companies about how…

  • Thursday, August, 14, 2014
    • Work as Art: Why Passion Matters in Your Business
       According to Al Curtis, above, work isn’t just a way to earn money — it’s a way to achieve happiness.

      “Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for the love of it.” – Henry David Thoreau

      We’ve all heard the old saying that if you love what you do, you’ll never work…

  • Tuesday, August, 05, 2014
    • How Hybrid Pools Can Help Grow Your Business
       This hybrid pool, located in Ortonville, Mich., has a vinyl-lined body and a gunite sun shelf. Other features include a hand-carved concrete waterfall, rock slide, grotto and poolside pizza oven. (Photo courtesy of Legendary Escapes/Al Curtis)

      I’m a true hybrid — a wild blend of pool guy, philosopher, social media…

  • Thursday, July, 24, 2014
    • Ask the Pool Guy: Branding Your Business
       Al Curtis developed a unique brand for his company, Legendary Escapes, by developing “The Pool Guy” persona. Curtis’ face is now a part of company marketing materials, on sweatshirts and even on the truck, positioning Curtis as a pool expert.

      Marketing guru Seth Godin says we live in the “connection…

  • Monday, May, 05, 2014
    • Ask the Pool Guy: Real Advice to Help You Define Your NicheWe at AQUA are  excited to introduce Al Curtis as our newest contributor. Does the name sound familiar? Curtis is the man behind “Ask the Pool Guy,” a site with blogs posts and videos about the art of building pools. In his first piece for AQUA, Curtis explains how he found his niche and grew it into a successful enterprise. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.