1. Executive summary

Puddle Pool Services is a franchise-model pool-services platform that has grown from $200K of revenue in 2018 to an estimated $20M to $25M in 2024. The business operates 185 territories with a near-term target of 200, supported by 14 years of leadership continuity and a proprietary technology stack that runs franchisee operations end to end. Adjusted EBITDA is $5.2M. The company is sale-ready with clean financials, legal support engaged, and four serious buyers already in a competitive funnel.

$20M to $25M revenue (2024) $5.2M adjusted EBITDA 4 buyers in funnel

"Leadership stability over 14 years ensures operational readiness. Franchisees operate independently." Mark Amery, founder, intro call 2026-04-28.

2. Investment highlights

• Compound growth at scale. Revenue compounded from $200K in 2018 to a $20M to $25M run rate in 2024. The territory roll has been the engine, not pricing heroics.
• Recurring revenue by design. Pool services is a seasonal but predictable recurring-service business. Franchisee territory licensing and royalty income compounds on top.
• Proprietary technology. Franchise operations run on an in-house platform that handles scheduling, customer management, and operational reporting. The tech reduces the operator burden on each franchisee and is a meaningful differentiator versus less mature franchise systems.
• Sale-ready. Financials are clean. Legal support is engaged. Four serious buyers are already in the competitive funnel. The seller has done the diligence work that most owner-operators delay until LOI.

3. The business

3.1 Model

Franchise pool-services platform. The franchisor owns the brand, the technology, the operating playbook, and the franchise economics. Franchisees own and operate the local routes. The platform's product to the customer is residential and light-commercial pool service and maintenance.

3.2 Geography and scale

185 territories live. Target of 200 in the near term. Density and state-level concentration available in data room. Franchise Services Organization relationship is with Franchise FastLane.

3.3 Headquarters and team

Vancouver, British Columbia, with a virtual office presence in Florida. Leadership has been in place for 14 years, a key reason buyers can underwrite operational continuity through a transaction.

3.4 Technology

Proprietary franchise operations platform. Built in-house. Handles customer scheduling, franchisee reporting, and the operational layer that lets a 185-territory network run with a lean corporate team.

4. Market and positioning

4.1 Segment

Residential pool services is a fragmented, locally-operated market with low brand consolidation outside the franchise networks. Puddle Pool's position is built on the franchise model rather than on direct-owned routes. The economics resemble a service franchise platform (think Neighborly portfolio) more than a regional pool company.

4.2 Why now

Three things line up. (1) Current market trends favor higher valuations in service franchise M&A. (2) Four credible buyers are already in active conversation. (3) The platform has reached a scale (185 territories) where the next leg of growth becomes a capital question rather than an operating question. The optimal owner from here is a buyer with capital and franchise-platform experience.

4.3 Competitive position

Specific competitor benchmarking deferred to data room. The franchise-services category sits between direct-owned regional rollups and pure franchise platforms. Puddle Pool's combination of operating tech and a 185-territory network is rare at this size.

5. Financial overview

The growth shape ($200K to $20M+ in six years) is the headline metric. Adjusted EBITDA of $5.2M at this scale of franchise network is a sale-quality earnings number that supports a services franchise multiple.

6. Buyer fit and synergies

The asset suits three buyer archetypes. (1) Service-franchise platforms (Neighborly, Authority Brands, Empower Brands, Self Esteem Brands, Threshold Brands) that can plug Puddle Pool into an existing franchise back office and reach 200 territories without rebuilding the operating tech. (2) PE platforms with a service-franchise thesis seeking a pool-services entry point. (3) Strategic pool-industry buyers extending from product or direct-service into the franchise model.

• Back-office consolidation. Franchise services platforms can absorb legal, finance, and brand support that Puddle Pool runs in-house.
• Cross-sell into franchisee network. Adjacent home-services products (cleaning, lawn, exterior maintenance) attach naturally to a pool route customer.
• Tech as platform asset. The proprietary franchise-ops system is portable to other service franchises in a multi-brand portfolio.
• Capital for territory acceleration. The path from 185 to several hundred territories is capital-led, not operationally-led.

7. Process and timeline

A competitive process is already running. Four serious buyers are in the funnel as of the intro conversation on 2026-04-28. Next Chapter Advisory Group is coordinating with Mark DeChant and a partner broker contact in Orlando to broaden buyer outreach. Crest is being onboarded as a co-advisor on the engagement side.

Indicative bid timing. Specific bid calendar to be confirmed with the seller and Crest. The seller's posture is to take the existing funnel into a structured process rather than continue ad-hoc buyer conversations.

8. Contact

Ewing Gillaspy. Managing Partner, Next Chapter Advisory Group.
ewing@chapter.guide

Mark DeChant. Next Chapter Advisory Group. Buyer outreach and process.
mark@chapter.guide

Seller principal. Mark Amery. mark@puddlepools.com.