As a teenager looking to make extra money, Travis Hogan found himself cleaning pools for a neighbor — and unknowingly taking the first step toward owning one of Tulsa’s most iconic pool and spa businesses.
Today, Fiesta Pools and Spas is a multilocation operation serving Tulsa and surrounding communities with in-ground gunite and fiberglass pools, hot tubs, above-ground pools and a robust service department. But when Hogan and his wife bought the business nearly 20 years ago, Fiesta was a different animal. “We were the little fish buying the big fish,” Hogan says. “I think I was 28 when we did it. And honestly, I look back now and wonder, ‘What were we thinking?’ ”
The purchase came with two Tulsa retail locations and more than a few surprises. “There was so much we didn’t know,” Hogan says. “We had experience in service and retail, but construction was foreign to me.”
What Hogan did have was a willingness to figure things out and a mindset that failure wasn’t an option. “I was all in,” he says. “There was no backup plan. I had to make it work.”
A shift in thinking
In the early years of owning Fiesta, Hogan struggled with the weight of it all. He inherited longtime employees who knew more than he did about the company and the industry. At times, he says, it felt like some were waiting for him to fail.
“I came in with the mentality of, ‘What can this business do for me?’ ” Hogan says.
He describes a slow but significant mindset shift — one that moved him from owner to servant leader. That change, he says, took a decade to fully take root.
“I started asking, ‘What can I do for the business? What can I do for the people?’ ” he says.
That evolution in leadership eventually led Hogan to invest in developing Fiesta’s culture. With the help of a consultant, the company identified core values and created an employee handbook. They formed a leadership team that meets weekly and focuses on establishing systems and structure for the business.
“It was probably one of the best things we’ve done,” he says. “It helped solidify us as a business. Now we’re wearing big boy pants.”
Real estate roots
Hogan credits his interest in real estate with helping make Fiesta a long-term, stable business. In fact, the real estate component was a big part of what made the original Fiesta purchase so attractive.
“I always wanted to use the business to create wealth, not just income,” Hogan says. “Owning the real estate gave us options. And it’s allowed us to diversify.”
Over the years, he’s added commercial real estate holdings to his portfolio, developing office complexes and strip centers in the Tulsa area. That diversification has provided financial security and freedom that isn’t always easy to come by in a seasonal, weather-dependent industry.
Expansion with intention
Fiesta recently relocated one of its stores into a newly built retail center across the street from the old location. The move was designed to improve customer experience (goodbye, greenhouse-hot showroom) while also positioning the company to expand.
Hogan says he’s evaluating locations for additional stores, something he approaches with caution. That means looking at data to determine where customers are coming from — and recognizing that today’s consumer prioritizes convenience.
“People don’t want to drive across town to get their water tested,” Hogan says. “I have friends who want to support us, but if we’re not convenient, they’re going somewhere else. That’s just the reality.”
He’s also pondering store size. Does the future mean big-box retail centers? Smaller, more nimble showrooms? Some combination? He doesn’t have the answers yet, but he’s asking the questions.
Learning to let go
As Fiesta has grown, so has Hogan’s understanding of his role. He’s learned to delegate, hire the right people and trust his team.
“There were times I didn’t delegate enough because I felt like I had to know everything,” he says. “Now, I try to surround myself with people who are better than me in certain areas.”
Fiesta uses personality profiles and hires based on its core values, looking for people who want to learn and aren’t afraid of accountability. “The more we hire the right culture and team, the stronger we’ll be,” Hogan says. “We live and die by our core values now.”
While he’s still involved, Hogan no longer feels the pressure to carry everything alone. He has an internal leadership team and an external CEO roundtable where he can talk through challenges and gain perspective.
“It’s like therapy for business owners,” he says. “It reminds you that you’re not alone.”
Looking ahead
As Fiesta nears its 20th year under Hogan’s ownership, he’s thinking about what comes next — not just in terms of expansion but in planning for the future.
“A lot of people in our industry don’t have an exit strategy,” he says. “I want to build something that lasts, something that creates options.”
Whether that means growing the business, training the next generation or eventually selling, Hogan’s focused on being a good steward to his team, his customers and the business he’s built.
“I don’t know what the future holds,” he says. “But I want to be open to learning and adapting and doing what’s right — even if it’s hard.”