Brendan Brown is the Multi-site Franchise Owner of Poolwerx Shailer Park and Redland Bay in Southeast Queensland.
Episode Timeline
- 0:00 – Introduction
- 0:37 – Brendan’s career journey from civil engineering to Poolwerx franchise ownership
- 2:18 – Two decades in engineering and shift from technical work to leadership
- 4:20 – Transition from engineering to logistics through industry connections and opportunity
- 5:23 – Managing factory relocation projects and search for personal ownership
- 7:08 – Crossroads moment and choosing pool industry for growth potential
- 8:35 – Attracted to pool industry for technical challenge & stable demand
- 9:38 – From due diligence to multi-site ownership with Poolwerx during pandemic
- 11:20 – Acquiring established Poolwerx franchises and expanding territory
- 12:59 – Culture shock of becoming a business owner & managing cash flow
- 14:55 – Building customer trust as biggest challenge in taking over existing store
- 16:22 – Balancing store management & field work across two Poolwerx locations
- 17:57 – Generating sales through digital marketing, real estate & local outreach
- 19:01 – Expanding while maintaining service excellence in established areas
- 20:37 – Planning for growth with more service vans & potential 3rd retail store
- 22:38 – Wrap up
With over two decades of experience in civil engineering and construction materials including major infrastructure and precast concrete projects, Brendan reached a turning point in his corporate career and decided it was time to pursue something of his own.
Motivated by a desire to return to hands-on, technical work, he explored various industries before the pool industry caught his attention. After months of research, secret shopping, and conversations with the Poolwerx team, Brendan took the plunge and acquired the Shailer Park store in mid-2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. A second opportunity soon followed with Redland Bay, expanding his territory without requiring additional financing.
Brendan now leads a growing team of retail staff and mobile service technicians, balancing store operations with on-site problem solving. From digital marketing and real estate partnerships to exceptional customer service, he’s focused on building trust in a competitive market.
Looking ahead, Brendan plans to expand further with more service vans and a third retail outlet, driven by a clear vision and the autonomy that comes with business ownership.
