Learning the Ropes

As many business owners know, finding and hiring new talent can be a challenge, and bringing the new hires up to speed can be even more difficult. Luckily, structured and thoughtful job shadowing offers a quick way to train newcomers.

The first step? Choosing the right person to lead.

“A great mentor isn’t just the most experienced person on the team — it’s someone who can explain things clearly, has patience and genuinely enjoys helping others succeed,” says Mallory Wachowski, district sales manager for BioLab. “In the pool and spa industry, we deal with a lot of technical information, from water chemistry to equipment troubleshooting, so the best mentors are the ones who can break down complex topics in a way that makes sense to a newcomer.”

Structured training with space for initiative

At Galaxy Home Recreation, new hires follow a well-defined path that includes shadowing as part of a broader onboarding program. 

Company trainer Abbie Conkling, who has over 17 years of experience training in the industry, says that while support is constant, new hires are expected to take ownership of their development. The training process typically spans 90 to 120 days and includes structured materials and checkpoints along the way, including a new hire skills training session. “We are very hands-on, but we let our new hires know that they’re the drivers of their bus as soon as they arrive,” Conkling says. “Their success will be determined by them, and we’re going to hold their hand while they do it.”

In sales training, Conkling works closely with veteran staff to tailor each shadowing experience. She begins by asking how they prefer to be shadowed — whether they want the new hire to quietly observe or actively engage with customers — and then matches personalities and teaching styles.

Attitude over experience

Wachowski emphasizes that in the early stages, mindset matters more than technical skills. “In my experience training employees, the best new hires are curious, adaptable and willing to ask questions,” she says. “The pool and spa industry is hands-on, so I look for people who aren’t afraid to dive in and make mistakes and learn from them.”

Conkling shares the importance of caring and relating to the customer. “Luxury sales are different, so that’s what we talk about with a new employee — the need for a genuine chameleon to be able to relate to your customer, to help paint the picture and understand how long they’ve been saving for their luxury item,” she says. “For a lot of people, a hot tub is a goal they work toward. We need to understand that and treat it as such.”

Soft skills make the difference 

While technical training is straightforward, soft skills like empathy and de-escalation often need more emphasis. Conkling says the distinction between empathy and sympathy is a concept she spends time unpacking with every new hire. 

“Empathy says, ‘I am 100% willing to find the solution and am so sorry that this is the experience you’ve had,’ while sympathy crawls down in the pit with the customer with no solution and no follow-up,” she explains. A lot of people, no matter their department, can benefit from [leading with empathy] with staff, customers and themselves.”

Supporting and celebrating mentors 

Both Wachowski and Conkling stress the importance of recognizing the efforts of internal mentors. Whether it’s a bonus, additional perks or public acknowledgment, showing appreciation goes a long way. 

“Training takes effort, and a good mentor makes a huge impact on a new hire’s success,” Wachowski says.

Wachowski, who previously owned a consulting and training company and has 16 years of retail management experience in the pool industry, says mentorship has been the most rewarding part of her career. 

“The best methods I have found include being very open and honest about how mistakes happen and coaching them through their mistakes,” she says. “We make it known that mistakes are expected, but the goal is that we learn from them.”