Today we’d like to introduce you to Dalanne Bartlett and Samantha Ashline.
Dalanne and Samantha, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Dalanne comes from an extensive history of pool people in her family. Dalanne’s grandfather started his own pool business in 1959 and as generations grew so did the business. In 2019 Dalanne finally decided that it was time to retire from running with Adidas and start her own business. Dalanne decided to team up with Samantha Ashline who handles all website design, social media, marketing and branding. Together we formed surf city pools which is 100% female-owned and operated. Being 100% female-owned has its select opportunities as well as its downfalls.
I think altogether, we’ve had to work harder to make a name for ourselves but within less than a year, we’ve acquired over 120 residential accounts and three commercial accounts within the community. Making our growth pretty rapid and with really no signs of slowing down. We got to hire our first employee this year which was very exciting.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
We had a hard time at first really proving to our customers that we were capable of the job. Were in a job field that is 99% male-dominated at first we would get customers that would choose not to go with us because we wither looked to young or simply for the fact that we were females in a “males position”. But, we learned that if we let our work speak for itself and really showed our customers our knowledge and dedication, it proved our worth. If we had any advice for other young women starting out their journey, it would be to never doubt yourself or your capabilities. To allow that doubt from other people to push your drive. Never stop learning and always learn to find the answers to question you may have. The more knowledge you have about your service or the field your in, the more reputable your brand and your company becomes.
What should we know about Surf City Pools? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We specialize in pool service, repair and maintenance both commercial and residential. We’re really known for our work in Little Italy, we maintain all the main commercial fountains in little Italy.
We mostly stand out because of our brand which entails a laid back surfing vibe with a love for dogs. Our owners really seem to love the fact that we love their dogs just as much as they do. Our four-legged customers are just as important as our two-legged humans.
As a brand, I think we’re most proud of the image that we provide for current and future females in our field. We’re really trying to show our community that this isn’t just a “Mans” job and that there are certain aspects and detail a woman can bring to this career that really allows you to stand out from your male counterparts.
Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
As our generation has grown into the female powerhouse that it is today. We’ve really been lucky enough to have so many inspirational women in our life. The amount of supporters that we have in our corner has only continued to grow since we started out on this journey. I think most of our inspiration stems from all the women in our life that we have supporting us and in return, we support them to be successful females on the front line of any industry. Were always looking to surround ourselves with people who really challenge us to push ourselves to be better and to be more courageous and to push the boundaries that normally we wouldn’t. Seeing other successful females is so inspiring and encouraging. All women are an inspiration in some form or another.
Contact Info:
- Website: SDsurfcitypools.com
- Phone: 858-209-4259
- Email: info@surfcitypools.com
- Instagram: Surfcitypools
Image Credit:
Samantha Ashline
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