.png)
Think you know what a swimming pool is?
Well, think again.
The visionary team at Selah Pools deftly merge art, fun, and functionality into mind-blowing customized personal oases that are as revolutionary and unique as they are gorgeous: Indeed, whether you’re looking for a sleek n’ chic vanishing edge expanse, an exercise pool, a family friendly lazy river, therapy pool, water-based cocktail bar, lap pool, beach entry, or any other variation, the Selah company motto of You dream it, We build it is no idle boast.
“Running a construction tech consultancy, we always run into businesses that needs help,” Selah Pools Co-founder Thomas G. Morris II tells Idea. “We had a pool company that really needed help. That’s where the partners of Selah Pools first united. We knew it could be done better and so we did.
“We worked in oil & gas pipeline construction,” Morris continues. “The tools we developed for $900 million pipelines were easily re-purposed for pool construction. That was and is a driving force for Selah Pools: Quality through innovation…We have the best tech tools for design and VR rendering those designs. But our secret weapon is experience. Working outside the box -- the house is the box -- means we work with the terrain; we don’t wipe it out. The fact is, we build Custom Outdoor Environments, the swimming pool is just the crown jewel. Experienced tradesmen and artisanal stone craftsmen work alongside some of the highest technology tools available to transform our 3D into reality.”
After four years of bootstrapping, Selah decided the time was right to scale up – and turned to an Idea Financial business line of credit to get it done.
“We spoke to many sources and, because we intentionally went debt-free for our start-up years, we really needed to research and decide who to team up with,” Morris says. “Idea had a straightforward process that didn’t feel like a commercial ‘payday’ lender. As we went through the process, they listened as we explained it wasn’t that we needed money, we needed to know we had it when we needed it. Business is strong, but now in our maturing years, its cash flow management that’s become as important as revenue growth.”
In this same spirit of responsibility, Selah initially took a small draw, Morris says, “to make sure the process was smooth -- and it was.”
The company quickly thereafter invested in sales and marketing.
“Normally in the holiday season, we slow down on lead generation, but not this year,” Morris marvels.
“We blew through the holidays with excellent marketing traction and on into the New Year with a great backlog of new sales leads and closed sales, in the first three days of the week after. We did not miss a beat in sales & marketing, because we had some dry powder that allowed us to be more confident investing in the ‘off-season.’”
When asked what he might tell another business considering securing a bit of financing to take their enterprise to the next level, Morris is clear: Don’t hesitate.
“It’s worth repeating the old saying, Don’t wait until you need help to look for it,” he says. “Build relationships when things are solid, then you will have the help to smooth the road for when it gets bumpy.”
The proof for this isn’t difficult to find: After a three-hundred percent growth rate in 2020 and a solid 2021, the Selah brand -- and team – is firmly established.
“We look forward to driving growth and building dreams for years to come,” Morris says. “Being funded will propel us deeper into commercial builds even while we continue to build on our residential record of success.”
For more Crash Chronicles and tips, tricks, and hacks for the modern entrepreneur, please visit the official Idea Financial blog as well as our Business Resource Center.
