Pretty Pool’s Melissa Nobles Gives Back to the Community Her Company Serves
Successful entrepreneurs hire good people who do such excellent work the business owners have time to do other things – like help their communities. That’s truly the case with Melissa Nobles, co-owner with husband Marc of Pretty Pools, which is celebrating 10 years of service this year.
“We’ve taken more of a backseat role now that we have (about 20) people we can really trust to take care of the day-to-day work,” she said. “Marc hasn’t been in a truck in about four years.” Those people include General Manager Nick Collins and Office Manager Samantha Nitz who like nearly all employees are based in Corinth.
Melissa has put her previous experience in the hospitality industry to not only provide good customer service at her company but also to serve as sergeant-at-arms of the Cross Timbers Rotary for several years. “I’m kind of the worker bee,” she said. “I get there early to make sure everything is set up, make sure the presentation speakers are set up. I work closely with the president to make sure he or she has everything they need and keep the meeting running. “The best part of having my business now having it kind of run with Marc and I behind the scenes is has always been my goal to be able to spend more time working in the community,” Melissa said. “I joined Rotary to do that. I already was a member of the (Flower Mound) Chamber (of Commerce) for the business, but I joined Rotary to find some projects to work on in the community.”
Melissa served as Duck Commander for this year’s Rhythm of the River event at the Riverwalk in Flower Mound. Her overall efforts were recognized this year at the chapter’s Rotarian of the Year. That’s quite a journey from when they quit their jobs, sold their home, and moved to North Texas from Austin to start their own business. They launched Pretty Pools on August 1, 2014, with one truck and a warehouse in Carrollton. They were the first pool company to join the Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce.
Within its first three years, it grew to five trucks and a retail store in Flower Mound. Continued growth prompted building a larger service center two years ago in Corinth, which is the base for more than a dozen vehicles. “The main thing is the pool service industry is stereotyped as a slacker industry,” Melissa said. “It’s been that way for a reason because there’s no licensing you need. Anyone can grab a pole, watch a YouTube video, and start a business. “But what I found was really missing was the experience and customer service. When we moved up here, I really thought we could make a go of it. Most pool companies don’t have a dedicated person to answer the phone. Marc likes to ask when he tests new employees ‘who is the most important person at Pretty Pools’ and the answer is the person who answers the phone because that’s your first impression of a company.”
Melissa served in that role for quite some time before turning it over to her sister Stacy. Pretty Pools emphasizes staff training, resulting in many satisfied customers. The company has grown organically through word of mouth and positive Google and Yelp reviews. “Our goal was to have a company with top, premier service,” Melissa said. “We wanted to attract employees who want to make a career out of this and support their families. We pay well because we want the best people working here.”
When not volunteering or working at Pretty Pools, Melissa and Marc can be found doting on their five grandchildren – including a newborn – all of whom live in Austin. Melissa believes her background stemmed in large part to humble beginnings. Her mother Cindy was a single mom of seven children following two abusive husbands. “I always thought – and I’ve always been an overly helpful person – that one day I want to be able to help others,” Melissa said. “And so I love my Rotary club. I love doing things in the community and meeting new friends.”
469.496.5018
PrettyPoolsDFW.com
500 Flower Mound Rd., Ste. 106, Flower Mound, TX 75028
