In Episode 266 of the Pool Nation Podcast Edgar John dig in with Aquastar, Poolside Tech, and Raypak on how open collaboration (not vendor lock-in) is unlocking smarter automation, safer equipment, and real freedom of choice for pool pros and builders. We talk best-in-class integration (pump + filter + automation + heater), remote diagnostics that prevent truck rolls, why being privately held matters for innovation, and the mindset shift from “good enough” to category excellence. Plus: PSP/Deck Expo Las Vegas updates (Pool Nation Conference Oct 24–25), the $10K Pool Pro Challenge (Oct 22), and the Pool Nation Awards (Oct 23) with a call to vote before Oct 1. Sponsor shoutouts to SPPA, Blu-Ray XL, AquaStar, Natural Chemistry, Heritage, Hayward, Poolside Tech, Pool Brain, and US Motors/Neptune. If you service pools, manage vacation rentals/Airbnbs, or build pads, this episode is a masterclass on efficiency, reliability, and customer experience—straight from the teams installing thousands of new systems right now.   Chapter Timestamps 00:00 – Show open: New intro + welcome to Pool Nation 01:00 – Edgar sets the stage: “The New Three” and freedom of choice 02:30 – Sponsor thanks & co-host banter (Zac’s “Naked & Afraid” bit) 03:45 – Why this matters: vendor lock-in vs. innovation on the pad 07:00 – Event rundown: PSP/Deck Expo, $10K Pool Pro Challenge, Awards & voting deadlines 08:30 – What is “The New Three”? (Aquastar + Poolside Tech + Raypak) 09:45 – Built to work together: category expertise and simple configuration 11:30 – End-user wins: safety, efficiency, quality—why it’s a “homeowner home run” 13:00 – Culture check: collaboration over competition (and why it’s rare) 14:30 – Continuous improvement: using real-world data to ship fixes fast 15:40 – Stop the truck roll: remote diagnostics that save hours (and weekends) 18:00 – Designing for the pool pro: Friday-afternoon problems solved 20:00 – Real stories: Airbnb heat control, setpoint tweaks, going in prepared 21:30 – Knowledge base + support that actually calls you first 24:00 – Proactive support & “did you have a good time installing it?” 26:00 – Live shoutouts to the community 28:00 – How the partnership formed: aligned values → an open ecosystem 31:00 – Breaking the bundle: why choice pressures everyone to build better 33:00 – Non-negotiables: safety, efficiency, quality, longevity 36:00 – Voice of the customer: what pros kept asking for 38:00 – Why being privately held changes everything (no shareholder handcuffs) 41:00 – Culture > strategy: moving fast without red tape 44:00 – Industry rant (facts!): doing the right thing for pros & homeowners 46:00 – Sponsor Break #1 (Conference + partner spots) 51:00 – Back from break: core values lived, not poster-ized 52:30 – Day-to-day collaboration: data sharing & “fix it in days, not quarters” 56:30 – Pool pros as part of the improvement loop (without extra work) 1:03:00 – Meetings? Nah—access, trust, and jumping on issues 1:05:00 – Edgar’s automation pain story → how the new stack solves it 1:07:00 – Why freedom of choice matters to homeowners and pros 1:10:30 – Pads stayed primitive while homes got smart—time to catch up 1:12:00 – Pipeline filter & first-swing wins; what v2 will unlock 1:15:00 – Competition heats up: big three start reacting (that’s good) 1:18:00 – Sponsor Break #2 (Conference + partner spots) 1:23:00 – Final segment setup + more shoutouts 1:24:00 – Final thoughts (Todd): innovation that justifies replacement before failure 1:26:00 – Final thoughts (John): how we position upgrades to deliver real ROI 1:30:00 – Gratitude, teasers (sorry—no spoilers!), Vegas see-you-there 1:32:00 – Outro + where to find us ✅ Sponsor List We couldn’t do this podcast without the support of our visionary partners: SPPA – General Liability Insurance for Pool Pros → thesppa.com Blu-Ray XL – The real mineral p