California Aqua Pros Inc.

Jared Purkey: Diving In

By Matt Solis, Editor

Jared Purkey didn’t plan on following his father’s footsteps into the swimming pool industry, but when he was given a chance to take over the family business, he knew it was a special opportunity. “My dad owns California Aqua Pros—it was passed down from his father and grandfather, so it has been in our family for a long time,” he explains. “He always wanted to pass the company to one of his kids as well, but initially, that wasn’t one of my goals. I went to college for business administration, so I wanted to make a name for myself and do my own thing. But when we started talking about the idea of me working there, I got excited about all the things I could change. For example, everything was on paper and we wanted to go digital and get CRM software. Those things were very interesting for a business major right out of college, so I accepted. I worked in the field at first and then moved to the office, and I’ve loved it ever since.”

Today, as operations manager of California Aqua Pros Inc., Jared says his favorite part of his job is the daily interactions with customers. “I’m the one who answers the phone and works with local governments on permitting, so I like having good, transparent conversations with our clients. It’s a relief to be able to talk to them openly and explain what’s going on with their projects. At the end of the day, I just want to make sure they’re satisfied.”

A lifetime resident of the East Bay, Jared grew up in Discovery Bay and today resides in Dublin, where he appreciates his close proximity to scenic destinations like the coast and the mountains. “We’re 30 minutes from the best beaches, an hour from the most popular cities in the Bay Area, three hours from the snow…it’s one-of-a-kind,” he says. “I’m a big hiker, too, so I like going on hikes in the redwoods and along the coast. It’s just a beautiful area.”

Outside of work, Jared keeps busy with several active pastimes. “I really like snowboarding, so my friends and I go to Northstar in Lake Tahoe pretty often,” he says. “I’ve also played drums since middle school. I stopped playing as much when I went to college because apartments and drums don’t mix, but now I have a nice electric kit so I can play and it doesn’t really sound like anything from the outside. Other than that, I like playing video games and spending time with my girlfriend. She went to culinary school for a while so she’s a really good cook, and I get to be her taste tester.”

In terms of a guiding philosophy, Jared emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility. “It sounds simple, but you can’t compare yourself to other people,” he offers. “Growing up, I always had problems comparing myself to my friends when it came to money and other things. Now, I only care about comparing myself to me from yesterday. If I can be a better person every day, that means I’m living a great life and succeeding in what I want to do.”

When asked what he’d do if he could retire tomorrow, Jared says he would get a jumpstart on a plan that’s already in place. “One of my goals is to be a freelance business consultant later in life. I’m sure remote work will still be paramount at that point, so I want to be a remote consultant and work from a different country every few months. I had a college professor who owned a wireless company that got bought out by AT&T, and he retired early and ended up teaching just for fun. We kept in contact and he would always sign his emails with ‘ciao’ or ‘adios’ depending on where he was. That was really inspiring to me, so when I retire, I want to do something similar.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: What’s your favorite band?

A: The Beatles. I grew up listening to them and I know all their songs.

Q: Do you prefer being somewhere cold or hot?

A: Somewhere hot. It’s weird because my favorite hobby is snowboarding, but I don’t really like the cold. I played sports growing up, so I’m used to sweating and working hard in the heat.

Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?

A: Brava Garden Eatery in Pleasanton.

Q: If you had a theme song, what would it be?

A: It would be something motivating like “Till I Collapse” or “Lose Yourself” by Eminem.

Q: What video game are you currently playing?

A: RuneScape. It’s really old but it’s still my main game on PC. I also play Rocket League on PlayStation.