Juan Pablo Alzate, 27

Lead hot tub consultant
Gohlke Pools/DFW Hot Tubs
Denton, Texas

Juan Pablo Alzate didn’t just step into a sales role when he joined Gohlke Pools in 2019 — he reshaped the company’s approach to hot tubs. At the time, spas were treated as an add-on for pool buyers instead of a standalone product category. Alzate wanted to change that. “I studied the brand, components, construction, differences and process for installing one to get myself comfortable to talk and sell to anyone,” he says. After eight months of self-directed learning, he and a co-worker made a push to grow spa sales.

In 2020, a brand switch from Jacuzzi to Sundance Spas coincided with the unexpected boom of pandemic demand. The small, four-person team found themselves navigating record business levels, production delays and price hikes, leading to the creation of DFW Hot Tubs, a dedicated store under the Gohlke Pools umbrella. “It was essentially like starting a new company,” Alzate says. “We had to make people believe in what we could do for them.”

Today, he wears many hats — sales, marketing, service, installations and team supervision — while staying involved from the first customer visit to the day after installation. That hands-on commitment paid off in 2024, when Alzate received the Exceptional Sales Growth Award at the Sundance Spas/Jacuzzi Group dealer conference, following a 230% year-over-year sales increase. 

Alzate places a high value on quality leads, noting that in less affluent or non-tourism-driven areas, they can be hard to come by — which makes every genuinely interested customer worth the effort. “A quality lead is as much a luxury as the product you sell,” Alzate says, stressing the importance of persistent follow-up.

Outside of the showroom, Alzate is a working musician — teaching guitar, playing in four bands, touring, recording and releasing music on streaming platforms. Currently pursuing a business degree, his goal is to co-own and expand DFW Hot Tubs into multiple locations. “I love making people happy, and this industry lets me do that in my own way,” he says.