In this episode of the Pool Magazine Podcast, we dive deep into the evolving role of hydrotherapy, wellness, and moving water in modern pool design.

From the innovators at Riverflow Pumps, we’re joined by founder Phil de Tournillon and Vice President Denise Canchola de Tournillon, alongside award-winning pool designer and GENESIS co-founder Brian Van Bower, and veteran builder and designer Marco Perrella.

Together, they explore how hydrotherapy is moving beyond traditional spas and into full-body, whole-pool experiences — reshaping backyards into personal recovery and wellness environments. The conversation covers everything from gentle current therapy and resistance walking to balance training, mental wellness, and how simply being immersed in moving water can reduce stress, improve mobility, and elevate everyday living.

At the center of the discussion is BlueOrbit — a category-starting wellness concept that creates a soft, circulating vortex in any body of water. Designed for recovery, movement, and relaxation, BlueOrbit transforms pools into dynamic spaces for low-impact exercise, floating meditation, and therapeutic motion — all powered by adjustable currents that can be tailored for everyone from elite athletes to grandparents.

You’ll also hear firsthand insights from builders on how clients are increasingly prioritizing health-focused features like swim currents, cold plunges, variable-speed circulation, and integrated hydrotherapy zones — and how thoughtful design can combine beauty, function, and longevity in a single backyard.

If you’re curious about where pool design is headed, how wellness is reshaping outdoor living, or how moving water is unlocking new possibilities for recovery and quality of life, this episode offers a compelling look at the future of hydrotherapy and experiential pools.

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In this episode of Pool Magazine Podcast, host Joe Trusty sits down with James Votraw, Southeast Business Development Manager for Latham Pools, whose remarkable 150-pound weight-loss journey has captured national attention. James opens up about the moment that forced him to reevaluate his health, how a persistent case of hiccups and a hospital visit became his wake-up call, and how his backyard pool transformed from a simple amenity into the tool that completely changed his life.

As the conversation unfolds, Votraw explains how swimming each day reshaped not only his body but his mindset, career, and family life. He talks about consistency, balance, and how builders and designers can do a better job of framing pools as wellness spaces rather than just leisure features. His message to the pool industry is clear: the products we create don’t just beautify backyards—they can build better human beings.

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In this episode, we sit down with Laci Davis and Natalie Hood from The Grit Game, one of the fastest-rising rep groups in the pool and spa industry. They break down who they are, how the company was born out of a desire to empower potential, and why being “the new kids on the block” is actually their biggest advantage. Laci lays out how their team—stacked with industry veterans from the Big Three, distribution, Aquastar, PHTA and more—was intentionally built to rethink what a modern rep firm should look like: faster, more transparent, more collaborative, and relentlessly committed to dealer and manufacturer success.

From there, the conversation shifts into what truly separates The Grit Game from the traditional rep model. Natalie explains how education, certification, and content creation have become core pillars of their approach, while Laci digs into their digital strategy and the partnerships they’ve built with both traditional manufacturers and emerging companies. They talk culture, growth, and the movement they’re trying to create—one that treats reps as allies, not order takers, and reshapes how the industry thinks about sales, service, and brand building.

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In this episode, we sit down with Alexa Dal Pino, second-generation owner of award-winning pool construction company, Dal Pino Quality Pools, one of Northern California’s most respected luxury pool builders.

Alexa shares how she grew up in the business, stepping into the leadership in 2012, blending her parents’ legacy of craftsmanship and client care with her own modern approach to design, construction, and technology.

The conversation then moves into the Sierra Foothills—Alexa’s home market—and why it has become a powerhouse for complex, high-end outdoor living projects. The region’s dramatic terrain, demanding engineering requirements, and discerning clientele push both builders and designers to continuously raise the bar. Overall, it’s a candid high-level conversation that discusses why Dal Pino Quality Pools has become the go-to builder in the Sierra Foothills.

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In this episode of the Pool Magazine Podcast, we sit down with veteran designer–builder Marco Perrella to look back at the work, relationships, and problem-solving mindset that shaped his long run in the luxury pool world. Then we pivot into his unexpected second act — the moment he started experimenting with ozone on his own pool and realized the water quality was so different it changed the way he thought about sanitation altogether.

From there, Marco explains how that discovery led him to O3 Tech, where he’s now helping builders understand the real difference between high-output ozone and the undersized systems most people associate with the category. We break down clarity, comfort, chemical reduction, and why Marco believes ozone is set to become one of the defining technologies in the next wave of smart-water systems.

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On this episode of the Pool Magazine Podcast, we sit down with Pentair Pool’s Rodney McCall to break down how automation is reshaping the industry for pool professionals and their customers. The message is clear: Automate to Dominate — because builders who are leaning into the latest technology are the ones winning business, improving service efficiency, and delivering a premium homeowner experience.

Rodney takes us through Pentair IntelliCenter automation, its remote-monitoring capabilities, and the difference between the available options. We also dive into the new IntelliVibe lighting system and what makes it a major leap forward in color control, zoning, and design flexibility. Rodney also breaks down Pentair’s wireless kit and how it solves backyard connectivity issues. Listen in for an informative discussion on how Pentair’s latest automation, lighting, and connectivity tools are giving builders the competitive edge they're looking for.

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In this episode of the Pool Magazine Podcast, host Joe Trusty sits down with veteran pool and landscape designer Kirk Bianchi to unpack his winning entry in this year’s Million Dollar Pool Challenge. Bianchi explains how he approaches every project like a piece of music, starting with an overarching theme drawn from the home’s architecture and the surrounding landscape.

From reconciling “Rocky Mountain rustic” tastes with a Mies van der Rohe–style glass box, to using fire, water, and retaining walls like instruments in an orchestra, Kirk walks listeners through how he choreographs views, alignments, and transitions across the Napa hillside property. He also shares why competitions like the Million Dollar Pool Challenge matter, how designers can “find the music” in their own work, and what he’ll be looking for as a judge in next year’s event—plus a preview of his upcoming mentorship platform at kirkbianchi.com.

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In this episode of the Pool Magazine Podcast, host Joe Trusty sits down with Aaron Fulton, founder of The Perfect Pool — one of the most talked-about new products at this year’s Pool Spa Patio Expo in Las Vegas. A departure from the luxury pools we usually cover, The Perfect Pool is an inflatable above ground pool but is unlike anything else we've seen in the category.

The Perfect Pool doesn’t feel like an inflatable and it certainly doesn’t look like one. Built with rugged drop-stitch technology, the pool’s structure is so rigid you can literally do a cannonball off the sidewall or roll your car the pool without it collapsing.

Fulton shares how the idea came together, what sets his engineering apart from traditional inflatables, and why he believes this product fills a long-overlooked gap between portable pools and permanent backyard installations. The conversation dives into design, durability, and the early buzz coming out of the Expo — along with where he sees The Perfect Pool fitting into the future of recreational, rental, and hospitality spaces.

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