Episode 171: Green to Clean TikTok Star Mark Jones (@poolpr0mj) of Blue Street Pools

Episode Summary:  Today we speak with Mark Jones, Owner of the New Orleans-based Blue Street Pools. Mark has been immersed in the world of sales from a young age, but never imagined himself touching the pool industry until quite recently when he decided to look for better opportunities as a new father.  Not long after losing his job in Corporate America, Mark found his first account in a neighbor who asked him to clean his pool. One summer and another nine accounts later, Mark had completely replaced the income he made as an employee. He never looked back.  Mark entered the pool industry in 2017, marketing himself solely through flyers which he disseminated around his neighborhood. But his breakthrough would come in 2020 when he settled on TikTok to promote his business. Encouraged by a friend, he created an account on the social media platform. Six months later, Mark had gained 100,000 followers on TikTok. Today, he has over 2.1 million.  Listen in as Mark discusses how to build an online brand as a pool pro using TikTok. He explains the value of “giving out the game” and the importance of transparency and a love for the community you build.  Finally, Mark shares his five-year plan to take an already unbelievable career to the next level.  Topics Discussed:  01:34 - Mark's background  06:37 - Learning the ins-and-outs of cleaning pools  08:33 - How Mark started marketing his pool business  12:40 - Mark’s rapid business growth via TikTok