After 30 years working in the horse racing industry, Wade Cooper was ready for something different. Seven years after joining Jim’s Pool Care in South Australia, he now spends his days helping local pool owners, building long-term customer relationships and running a business centred around his local community.
Watch the video above, or keep reading for the full Q&A.
Why Did Wade Cooper Leave Horse Racing For Jim’s Pool Care?
Wade Cooper joined Jim’s Pool Care because, after 30 years in the horse racing industry, he was ready for a change.
Before making the move, Wade worked in horse racing, including working for a bookmaker and in gambling. It was an industry he knew well, but after three decades he reached the point where he wanted to do something different.
That decision eventually led him to Jim’s Pool Care in South Australia. Wade is now in his seventh year with the business, giving him several years of first-hand experience working with customers and maintaining pools in his local area.
For people considering their own career change, Wade’s experience shows that a background in pool servicing is not necessarily where the journey has to begin. Anyone exploring the model can learn more about how to start a Jim’s Pool Care franchise and what the business involves before making a decision.
What Does Wade Enjoy About Running A Jim’s Pool Care Business?
Wade enjoys getting out into his local area, meeting people and building relationships with customers.
For him, the job involves far more than turning up, maintaining a pool and leaving. Regular customers become familiar faces. Over time, some of those relationships can feel more like friendships.
As Wade explains, local people can “become like your friends and family”. That community connection has become one of the parts of the business he enjoys most.
It also means his working day is very different from spending all day in one workplace. Wade is out visiting customers, dealing with different pools and speaking with different people throughout the day.
Prospective franchisees who want to see that routine in more detail can also look at a day on the road with a Jim’s Group franchisee.
What Does A Jim’s Pool Care Franchisee Actually Do?
Wade’s main work involves general pool maintenance, along with helping customers solve equipment and servicing problems.
His work can include dealing with heating systems, chlorinators, robotic pool equipment, and pool covers. General maintenance remains the core of what he does, but customers can also contact him when something is not working properly, or they need help understanding a problem.
That gives the role a practical problem-solving element. A service visit is not always limited to routine maintenance. Equipment can fail, systems can need attention, and customers may need advice about what to do next.
Wade takes a straightforward approach to customer service. If a customer has a problem, he encourages them to ring or send him a text.
A Jim’s Pool Care franchisee can therefore become an ongoing point of contact for a pool owner rather than someone the customer only sees when something has already gone wrong.
For another practical example, Jim’s Group has documented what running a Jim’s Pool Care franchise can look like on the road.
What Happens If Wade Cannot Fix A Pool Problem Himself?
If Wade cannot personally handle a particular pool problem, he finds someone who can, so the customer does not have to organise everything themselves.
That approach is simple but important. Instead of leaving a customer to find another contractor from scratch, Wade aims to help get the right person involved.
He puts it plainly: if something falls outside what he can do, he will “get someone else in there so they don’t have to worry about a thing at all”.
For customers, that can make pool ownership easier. They still have a familiar local contact who can help them work out the next step.
It also reflects Wade’s wider approach to service. His role is not simply to complete one task and leave. He wants customers to know they can contact him when they have an issue.
Why Do Customers Value Dealing With The Same Local Franchisee?
Customers value knowing who is coming into their backyard and who they are dealing with each time.
Wade says one of the strongest pieces of feedback he receives relates to trust. Customers recognise him, know he is their local operator, and know who will be arriving at their home.
That consistency matters when the work happens in someone’s backyard. Pools are often located in private parts of the home, so having a familiar service provider can make customers more comfortable.
Wade sees that owner-customer relationship as one of the strengths of his business.
For Wade, trust comes from consistency: the customer knows who is arriving, who is looking after the pool, and who to contact when something goes wrong. That personal relationship can turn a routine pool service into an ongoing relationship with a local business owner the customer already knows.
That is the kind of owner-operator experience many people want to understand when researching whether to own a Jim’s Group franchise.
What Does The Jim’s Brand Mean To Wade’s Customers?
Wade believes customers associate the Jim’s brand with reliability while still dealing with privately owned local businesses.
He regularly sees different Jim’s services operating in the same neighbourhoods. He mentions seeing Jim’s Mowing, Jim’s Window Cleaning, and Jim’s Pool Care services while he is out working.
For Wade, that creates what he calls the “Jim’s street”: customers who use different Jim’s services around their homes and value having familiar local operators backed by the same wider brand.
His comments also highlight an important distinction. Customers may recognise the Jim’s name nationally, but Wade’s relationship with his customers remains personal and local.
He is the person they know. He is the person walking into their backyard. He is also the person they can ring or text when they need help with their pool.
What Kind Of Support Does Wade Get As A Jim’s Pool Care Franchisee?
Wade describes his relationship with his support network as both professional and personal.
He speaks very warmly about the person supporting him, describing him not only as a supporter but as a friend. Wade says the relationship has become one that will last for life.
They speak most days. Sometimes the conversation is about pools and what is happening in the business. Other times they talk about football.
That regular contact gives Wade someone to speak with when something comes up rather than operating completely on his own.
He also talks positively about the wider Jim’s Pool Care group. His experience after seven years suggests that the people around the business have become an important part of why he has stayed.
For someone investigating a franchise, that is worth looking at closely. Systems and branding matter, but so does understanding who will support you after you start.
Is Jim’s Pool Care Suitable For Someone Making A Career Change?
Wade’s experience shows that a major career change can lead into Jim’s Pool Care, even after spending decades in another industry.
He did not come from a long pool servicing career. He came from 30 years around horse racing and reached a point where he wanted something different.
Seven years later, he talks most about customers, community, trust, practical service and the people around him.
That does not mean every career changer will have the same experience. Anyone considering a franchise still needs to investigate the work, speak with the franchisor and decide whether the day-to-day role suits them.
Wade’s story does show what that change can look like in practice.
After 30 years in one industry, he found a completely different working life built around local customers and pool care. His summary is straightforward: “I’ve loved it, to be honest.”
If you are considering a Jim’s Pool Care franchise, explore the business, speak with the team, and ask detailed questions about the territory, training, work, and support before deciding whether it suits you. Call Jim’s Group on 131 546 or enquire through the Jim’s Group website to learn more.