Where do you go when the industry feels too large to cultivate personal relationships? Where can you leave your jobs at the door and learn about others’ personal stories within an industry as expansive as ours?
Thanks to Pool Nation, the fourth annual Women’s Summit was the perfect place to find community and embrace vulnerability. In August, Managing Editor Abigail Carpenter made her third trip, and this time, Assistant Editor Laura Carew was able to make her first appearance at the two-day event, exclusive for women in the pool and spa industry.
Upon first glance, a room of about 130 women from different backgrounds and different companies seems like an insurmountable hurdle to cross in just 48 hours. For those like AQUA’s assistant editor, early in her experience in the industry, how do you open up in a room full of virtual strangers?
But with a theme of “Women Empowering Women,” the Summit doesn’t back down from exploring the ways women can support each other in a historically male-dominant industry.
It’s two days of complete support, safety and laughter, as attendees bond over similar interests, experiences and struggles in the industry. It’s a room of good vibes and even greater lessons, shared by industry powerhouses like Alicia Stephens, Crystal Lengua-Rowell and Stacey Gearhart.
“Being in a space with only women takes the pressure off of needing to be so perfect,” reflects Sam Tiegs of Eeziblue. “It allows you to feel like you can go in with no fears and just be yourself. You can meet people on neutral ground without your guard up.”
Between the personal stories shared by the speakers each day, and the intimate lunch hour that was the perfect breeding ground for meeting new people, the Summit was non-stop conversation.
“At trade shows, it’s bigger than the individual,” Tiegs continues. “Everyone has their goals to meet at those shows, so you don’t get to talk to people like you do at the Women’s Summit. You can really get down to who you are, more than just the company you work for.”
Relationships are at the core of what we do in the industry, so it was only that much more perfect that much of the two-day event focused on opening up to the women in the room about each other’s successes and insecurities.
One industry pro who helped facilitate that vulnerability was Mallory Wachowski, district sales manager for BioLab. “Last year, when I was sitting there, I thought about a story of my own that I wanted to tell. It was very personal, and a big part of who I am, but I always felt like I needed to find the right time and place to tell that story.”
Due to the emphasis on support and vulnerability, Wachowski cites her positive experience at her first Women’s Summit that gave her the confidence to pursue being a speaker this year. “This would be the only place I’d share that story, if I had to.
“And now, having done it, there were people that came up to me afterwards and thanked me or sharing, telling me it made a difference. To me, that’s the whole point. If you have a story to tell, or you have some experience to share, and you’re not telling people about it, possibly helping them along their way, then you’re missing out.”
More than an industry event, the Women’s Summit is a place to reflect, recharge and build lasting connections.
For others, the Summit marks a reset for their year. “It feels like my January,” Tiegs jokes. “January is too hectic to be my reset, so I go to the Women’s Summit to reflect on how the year is going and what kind of changes I want to make.”
There’s an ineffable value in opening up with fellow women in the industry as we look toward the upcoming trade show season — trading life stories in the name of connection. No matter which company you work for, no matter where you come from, there’s a place for you at the Women’s Summit. Come as you are; all women are welcome.
This article first appeared in the October 2025 issue of AQUA Magazine — the top resource for retailers, builders and service pros in the pool and spa industry. Subscriptions to the print magazine are free to all industry professionals. Click here to subscribe.
