Ashley Gillis — 30 Under 40 2026
Ashley Gillis has worked at Paradise Pool & Spa long enough to watch more than just the business change. She has watched customers’ children grow up.
Gillis started at the New Jersey retailer at 17, testing water and helping customers. Fifteen years later, she is director of operations, managing the different facets of a company where she has spent her entire career.
The longevity has made customer relationships unusually personal.
“I love to learn about my customers and talk with them about their families, their jobs, even just their day,” Gillis says. “When they continue to come back to my store and we can pick up where we left off and talk about their kids’ sports or trips they went on, they feel listened [to] and valued.”
— ASHLEY GILLIS
That customer experience recently brought Paradise recognition beyond its showroom. At the Northeast Spa & Pool Association’s Pool & Spa Show, the company received a gold award for its retail showroom and a silver award for service.
The showroom honor followed a complete renovation of the 5,000-square-foot space, which now displays over 30 hot tubs and a swim spa. Gillis says the service recognition was particularly meaningful because it was based on customer feedback and surveys.
Building her career hasn’t been without challenges. As a woman in a male-dominated field, Gillis says she still encounters assumptions about her expertise.
“By showing confidence in both myself and my knowledge, I am able to demonstrate that I have the expertise customers expect me to have when helping them,” Gillis says.
Gillis would also like to change another perception: the idea of the aggressive hot tub salesperson. She believes retailers should spend more time understanding customers’ lives and motivations and educating them rather than pushing for a transaction.
“These customers are making an investment into their family,” she says.
As her responsibilities grow, Gillis hopes to pass along both her industry knowledge and the enthusiasm that has kept 15 years at Paradise from feeling like simply a job.
Away from the store, she travels, exercises and bakes. Gillis also planned to attend a dozen concerts this year, while quieter nights are reserved for reading with her dog, Daisy.
Locations refer to company headquarters; honorees may work remotely or live elsewhere.
