Ep 89-Balancing craftsmanship, culture, and succession at Grimes Pools

In this Simply Business conversation, host John Jennings sits down with Jamie (James) Fender, Partner at Grimes Pools in Bloomington, Indiana. Jamie shares how a third-generation family business has sustained momentum for 50+ years moving from a franchise “kit pool” start to a full-service, white-glove operation.

You’ll hear how Jamie earned trust by listening first, learning the craft (even hand-drawing designs at ¼-inch scale), and then translating that craft into standards the whole team can live by. We get practical about leading on jobsites in the era of Ring cameras, holding people to a higher bar, and doing the hard succession work—mapping roles and expectations before emotions take over.

What you’ll learn

• The mindset shift from “helping out” to owning standards
• Why process matters (and how to build it without losing craft)
• Tactics for jobsite professionalism when customers are always watching
• How to approach family-business transitions with clarity and care

If you’re growing a trades or service company or navigating a family transition this episode will give you simple, actionable ideas you can use this week.