Meet Jonathan Nalepa | CEO – Smart Aquatics

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jonathan Nalepa and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jonathan, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Starting my own business wasn’t really the plan. You know how they say on paper your plan looks like a straight line but then life happens and that line ends up looking more like a heart rate monitor… if you were going into cardiac arrest…well that’s real.

I was a senior associate making 10% of the annual earnings at my previous firm and at the time my plan was to continue to grow there and one day own the firm. But the owner who appointed me that position was transitioning into retirement and believe it or not, not everybody wants you to grow and succeed. It wasn’t long before the owner was out completely and “creative differences” led to me throwing in the towel and literally walking out of the office one day.

That was probably the scariest thing I’d ever done up to that point in my life. I had just bought a house, leased a new car and then decided to quit my job… Now, I highly recommend it.

So I guess in regards to the thought process of starting my own business, you could say, I didn’t really think that one through lol. But the reality is that I reached my ceiling at that firm. I realized some people and places will only allow you to grow so much. I had larger dreams and ambitions than that firm was willing to provide me and I wanted to be surrounded by individuals who genuinely wanted to see me reach my full potential and even help me get there. So I left and started my own firm.

What should our readers know about your business?
Smart Aquatics is Miami’s Premiere Aquatic Design & Consulting Firm. We specialize in providing unique, creative and innovative design solutions for swimming pools and water features of all kinds in the luxury residential market for renowned clientele internationally and domestically.

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A few things set us apart: Bing born and raised in Miami:

Miami has been one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas since I can remember attracting art, architecture, entertainment, cuisine, sports and everything in between. We are at the epicenter of progress for tropical modern design and construction in the U.S. which largely revolves around water; which is exactly what we do.

I am also a second generation aquatic professional so I’ve been working on swimming pools and water features of all kinds since I could walk.

But probably the biggest thing that sets us apart is that we focus on providing a service rather than a product. Water features are just a hobby. We’re really in the customer service business. And since I’m a Millennial, we’re all about being progressive, using new technologies to become more efficient, attracting the best people, offering remote work, gym memberships, etc. I’ve found creating an enjoyable environment is the best way to attract the best talent.

But more than that, I really want to take our industry to the next level. I want this firm to push the envelope in aquatic design so we can pave a new path for the next generation and attract new talent. I’ve witnessed the progression of pools over the course of my life and I want to be apart of that progress into new territories so the next kids coming up have something to be excited about.

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I’m most proud of my personal development during this journey. They say you have to kill the hustler to become the CEO which is so true. But it’s also not as easy as it sounds. Being a hustler is who I am. It’s who I’ve always been. It’s what got me through the tough times and what got me from $80k in revenue my first year to a million in our fourth. But a business can only grow as much as you can. The hustler in me wants to push someone aside every time they make a mistake or take too long or don’t do something to the quality that I want, because I know I can do it better and faster. But that’s not a recipe for long term success. Allowing my team to learn gracefully, make their mistakes and teach them that it’s ok and focus on making progress instead of perfection, is not an easy task when you’ve been a hustler all your life. I had to re-wire my brain and learn how to be a leader. I had to learn how to manage my emotions, become patient instead of angry. And I am still very much learning. I would say I am most proud of who I am becoming more so than anything else. And ultimately my growth allows others to grow.

I’m excited about the future and my team. Now that I have a better grasp on who I am supposed to be as a business owner and a leader, I can share this growth with others. I’m excited to see my team really start to come together and the business starting to make some traction. We are just getting started.

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I worked my ass off… My parents started a pool service business some 40 years ago so I was a pool boy most of my life and at a very young age. I used to ride around in my dads work truck as a child and help him service and repair swimming pools and fountains. From cleaning pools and servicing equipment to digging trenches to lay pipe and chipping out tile, it was physical labor in the outdoor heat of Miami. But it was a family business and that was just how it was. There was always work to be done: before school, after school, weekends, summers. It was always a family affair and there was always work to be done.

As I got older I started working for the family business full time while taking business classes at night at FIU and Miami Dade. Eventually, I started to help my mother in the office managing the business operations and finances. At some point I decided to switch my college major from business to architecture as I was always the creative type and very artistic; I got that from my mother.

I was at a point in my life around the age of 25 where I was trying to figure out what I actually wanted to do with my life. The family business was not challenging me enough and my father was not the most open minded with allowing me and my brother to grow the business. It wasn’t until one of my best friends Manny SJ casually said “why don’t you design pools…” that it really hit me. Surprisingly I had never even considered that idea before so I started to actively pursue pool design.

I reached out to a local aquatic consulting firm and applied. They initially turned me away and told me that I needed more experience in fluid engineering. So I found an aquatic engineering program online. A year later I reached back out to the same firm and they were receptive to my tenacity and that I had actually went out and done what they requested only to return adamant about a position. They hired me on the spot. I’m a hard worker and a quick study and after just 2-3 years they made me an unofficial partner making 10% of the annual earnings. After 5 years I had reached my ceiling and outgrew my position.

At the end of 2019 “creative differences” led to me quitting my job one day and walking out of the office. That was certainly not the plan. I went from designing 7-figure pools in the Virgin Islands to designing backyard pools for $700 a pop for colleagues in Texas. And 3 months later, covid happened. I had to borrow $2500 from my mother to pay my mortgage and my previous firm started coming after me with legal letters trying to stop me from working. I had to get an attorney to get them to stop.

My first year in business in 2020, I did $80k in revenue. This year, 2023 we are on track to hit our goal of $1 million in revenue.

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It has not been easy to say the least. It has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs. Sometimes feeling on top of the world like we are crushing it and others, with nothing but doubts and questioning if I have any idea what I’m doing. You learn who your real friends are and who actually has your best interests in mind. People who you thought were your friends, turn into enemies. Working 16-18 hour days for YEARS. Staying up nights to get it done. Feeling burnt out and unmotivated. Trying to focus on work and keeping a positive mindset while dealing with legal situations and having people bad mouth you to others. Not seeing your friends and family. Missing birthdays, weddings, baby showers, and having some friends get mad at you for not being around. Never going out to, etc. etc.

You learn a lot about yourself and the people around you. Dealing with the stress of the business and managing my emotions has been the most difficult part.

What was really the difference for me during that time in my life was my friends and colleagues. To this day I cannot for the life of me figure out why some people helped me. They had nothing to gain and in fact, they had something to lose because anybody who chose to continue to be my friend or work colleague was shut out by my previous firm . Most of these people were older, had established businesses and by all accounts were well off. I had nothing to offer them. But they still called me just to give me words of encouragement, to try to throw some work my way, give me job opportunities, put me in touch with others and just check in on me to see how I was dealing. Some of them even stood up for me when my previous firm reached out to them with threats. (its a small industry so word got around how my previous firm was coming after me – A lot of these people are the ones I mentioned in one of the previous questions.)

I am forever grateful to these people. (They know who they are.) and there are no words that can express my gratitude and how thankful I am for those people. That was truly the difference for me.

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Throughout all this I’ve definitely learned A LOT. And I am still learning. I learned how important relationships are even in business. People work with who they like but you also have to be able to produce. I learned the difference between someone who genuinely wants to see you do well whether it benefits them or not and people who don’t; and boy what a difference. I guess you could say I learned the hard way that some people only want you to be successful if they have something to gain from it. Once you start doing what’s best for yourself, you quickly find out where peoples interests lie.

I’ve learned that how you do anything is how you do everything. – Jesse Itzler
I’ve learned that your business can only grow as much as you are willing to.
I’ve learned that there’s a difference between being a boss and being a leader.
I’ve learned that money is a by-product.
I’ve learned that you have to sacrifice for what you want.
I’ve learned that you have to be patient.
I’ve learned that the only thing I can really control are my emotions and how I react.
I’ve learned that you have to be the bigger person for your business. And that’s much harder than it sounds.
And so much more…

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I want the world to know that Smart Aquatics was built by hand. Brick by brick. By sheer will power. I don’t have a bachelors degree but I do have a “PHD in swimming pools” because I’ve been working on my craft for my entire life. And I don’t plan on stopping any time soon…That it’s possible to build something of value by working hard enough, smart enough and believing its possible and that no one will out work me and that no matter what I do, I will be the best at it. Period.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d take them out on the boat to start. Probably a day trip to the keys. Maybe a little snorkeling then relax at the sandbar and then to lunch. I love being out on the water and there’s so many great things to do out on the water in Miami and the keys.

A great dinner spot is MILA’s VIP members lounge in Miami Beach. They have some of the best food I’ve personally ever had.

If the dolphins are playing we’d catch a fins game in the Corner Club then check out LIV in the stadium for the after party.

I’d probably have to take them to Wynwood to check out all the cool art, bar hop and grab a sandwich from La Sandwicherie.

We might spend a day in Brickell, check out the Wharf and do a rooftop bar and VIP at Tea Room in the East Hotel.

Miami is full of hotel pool parties to hang out at, Fontainbleau, the beach, get a workout in at Anatomy gym, hit one of the local dive bars by me, Barracuda in the grove.

Check our the Gulfstream racetrack and bet on some horses.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Simply put, I would not be here without the support of my family, friends and colleagues. That has truly been the difference for me.

Gary, Jovita, Anthony and Ashley Nalepa
Manny Serra-Jovenich
Ryan and Sozan Hughes
Cesar Cortes
Jeremy Guillen
Ray Corral
Jimi Smith
Shane Le Blanc
Greg Mcintosh
John Zona
Sean Condone
Chris Bowen
Claude Kershner IV

Website: www.smart-aquatics.com

Instagram: @smart.aquatics

Linkedin: Jonny Nalepa

Facebook: Smart Aquatics

Youtube: smart.aquatics

Image Credits
Jimi Smith Photography