Puddle Pool Services founder and CEO Mark Amery’s entrepreneurial journey started early and never slowed down. At just 19, he launched a pest control business and scaled it successfully before moving on. “I’ve always had a drive to build something bigger than myself,” he says.

From there, Mark explored franchising, thanks to a business conference where a talk by franchising icon Jim Treliving changed his trajectory. “It just clicked,” Mark says. “The idea of cutting years off someone’s launch time by giving them a framework — that was it. I was hooked.”

With that clarity of vision, Mark began to build companies designed to serve customers and scale rapidly. Over the next decade, he founded and grew multiple franchise brands in window cleaning, landscaping, and pest control. But it was in 2022 that he launched Puddle Pool Services, the business he calls his “true passion project”. By then, he had refined his model, solidified his core team, and was ready to create a franchise that merged performance with simplicity.

The Engine Behind the Brand

Puddle Pool Services was engineered from the ground up to support multi-unit growth, franchisee autonomy, and world-class customer care. Rather than evolving from a single storefront or local operation, it was designed to scale from day one. “We spent two years, 2019 to 2021, just on R&D,” Mark says. “We already knew the pain points in home services. We weren’t guessing.”

That carefully developed foundation shows in every layer of the business. The brand offers a wide range of residential and commercial services, including pool and hot tub maintenance, seasonal openings and closings, and specialized water feature services. Unlike many competitors who focus on a single niche, Puddle Pools is built to handle the full scope and do it with efficiency. “Most of our franchisees can run their business from their phone,” Mark says. “We built the system to give them real freedom, whether they’re on the road or working from home.”

A large part of that flexibility comes from Puddle Pool Service’s proprietary, in-house CRM. Built specifically for their franchise model, the system handles scheduling, dispatch, client communication, and reporting, all optimized for remote operations. “We developed it ourselves because we needed it to do everything,” Mark says. “Now it’s so good, and our franchisees help us make it even better.”

Puddle Pool Services’ internal support system reflects the same intentionality. Training isn’t a one-time event; it’s a continuous relationship between franchisees and the leadership team. “It’s not ‘Here’s the playbook, see you at the annuals,’” Mark says. “We’re there every step of the way.”

Mark’s leadership team is the final piece to the puzzle and has been with him for more than 13 years. From operations to marketing, the core players behind Puddle Pool Services are aligned on values, culture, and mission. “People always talk about culture like it’s a ping pong table or free pizza,” Mark says. “For us, it’s about trust and grit. Almost everyone in the system came through referrals or relationships. That’s what makes it work.”

A Strategic Leap and the Right Legal Partner

After a successful start in Canada, Mark knew it was time to expand into the U.S. and serve a larger, more fragmented market that had enormous potential. But entering the American franchise space came with new legal and operational complexity. “Everything’s different,” Mark explains. “The insurance is different, the banking is different, and so is the compliance side.”

Mark initially worked with several franchise law firms, but none met his needs. “It was just problem, problem, problem,” he says. “I didn’t feel supported. I didn’t feel like they were in it with me.” That changed when he was referred to Spadea Lignana.

“From day one, it was night and day,” Mark says. “They don’t talk in legal riddles. They talk like real people.” He credits the Spadea Lignana team for being consistently responsive, clear, and invested. “I probably talk to them two or three times a week. Sometimes it’s not even about Puddle Pools, and they still help. They’ve got that kind of mindset.”

Spadea helped structure Puddle Pool’s U.S. FDD and franchise agreements, especially as the brand transitioned to multi-unit offerings and built out its compliance infrastructure. “They held our hand the whole way,” Mark says. “And not in a condescending way. They explain everything, and they move fast.”

One of the biggest advantages for Mark was how seamlessly the firm integrated with his internal operations. “They’re an extension of our team,” he says. “When something needs to be changed or updated, it’s not a two-week wait. It’s done. That kind of speed makes a huge difference.”

Looking Ahead

With a system built to scale, a leadership team rooted in trust, and a legal partner that moves with him, Mark has his sights set firmly on the future. He plans to continue expanding across the U.S. through 2026 and 2027, with a long-term goal of establishing a presence in Australia and beyond. “We’re not rushing,” he says. “But we’re always ready.”

New service offerings are already in development. “We’ve got a few exciting additions coming soon,” Mark says. “They’ll complement what we already do and help our franchisees bring even more value to their markets.”

For Mark, growth isn’t just about scale: it’s about impact. He wants franchisees to build strong businesses and have time for their lives. “I’ve got five kids,” he says. “I’ve been at almost every one of their dance recitals, soccer games, lacrosse games. That’s the kind of life I want Puddle Pools to make possible.”

Ultimately, Mark aims for Puddle Pool Services to be known not just for financial growth, but as one of the best places to work in North America. “We’re probably already at 1,000 people system-wide,” he says. “Now we just want to make sure every one of them is part of something meaningful.”

Mark Amery’s journey is picking up speed, and the foundation he’s laid with Puddle Pool Services is already reshaping what’s possible in modern franchising.

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