Tag: community outreach

Olympus Pools owners James and Alexis Staten are getting ready to bring their business closer to the community they’ve been part of for six years.

“New Tampa is our home,” says Alexis, who grew up in Coral Springs and has five children ranging between ages 9-15 with James, who was born in New Smyrna Beach. “We’re here for the long term and really take pride in being the main pool builder (in our area), so we want to invest in the area.”

Alexis says that more than half of Olympus’ custom-designed pools have been built in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area, including K-Bar Ranch, Meadow Pointe, Grand Hampton and many more, so requiring customers to travel to the current showroom near Tampa International Airport was something the Statens decided to fix.

“Plans are in the works for a new facility to open up in Lutz this summer, with a lot more space, so several customers can work with designers at the same time,” says James, who adds that he had worked every job there is in the pool business before opening Olympus. “Now when people are thinking about a new pool, they will be able to get to us in ten minutes or less.”

The bigger and better showroom will feature a slew of brand new features, cutting-edge design and of course, the latest technology in pools — something the Statens have always made paramount.

“Everything we do is digital,” says Alexis. “We want to do more than just build a pool; we’re providing an experience.”

The company uses a 3-D imaging AutoCAD system to bring the customer’s vision of a new pool to life before the Olympus Pools’ construction staff even breaks ground.

You can take a 360-degree tour of your pool on a high-definition screen. The technology even allows you to see what the pool will look like at dusk or at night, and can also give you a close-up view of what it will be like floating through the pool.

The Statens’ latest addition to their high-tech arsenal is a smartphone app that keeps customers informed about their pool project 24/7.

Users can receive daily updates via the project management app, pay bills and even ask staff questions that will be answered the same day (in most cases). Olympus employees use the app to post blueprints, photographs and more to keep you fully informed, even if you aren’t home.

“Our technology and in-house equipment helps us deliver the finished product faster,” James says. “Nobody’s ever sad when the construction is over.”

It doesn’t matter whether you’re budgeting for a $30,000 or a $300,000 pool, Olympus uses the same top-quality products.

“We use the best filters, best pumps and best salt systems included with every pool,” James says. “Even the most basic design gets the most premium quality money can buy.”

How About These Add-Ons?

Olympus Pools doesn’t just build pools to swim in, they specialize in delivering the entire pool experience, along with other customized offerings.

Built-in pool bars are a popular choice these days, because they save space that would normally be taken up on the pool deck, and they offer comfort and convenience. Olympus Pools can build something fancy or simple, and are able to accommodate virtually any design you can dream of, so customers and their family and guests can enjoy their food and drink without ever having to leave their pool.

And, if you want to keep the party outdoors, Olympus Pools also builds outdoor kitchens to enhance your pool time. From a refrigerator to a grill to a storage space, outdoor kitchens can be the ultimate entertainment space.
And, while Olympus is not a standalone kitchen builder, they can add them to your new pool construction project. Custom-designed kitchens, custom outdoor cabinetry, grilling islands with built-in grills, smokers and pizza ovens, fireplaces and fire pits and appliances are all available.

The Statens also take great pride in their staff, most of whom have been with them from the company’s birth in 2013. There are six designers and four project managers on staff, and more than 150 crew members in the field on a daily basis. James, Alexis and their senior employees have more than 200 years of combined experience in a steadily-growing industry. Olympus Pools designed and built just shy of 400 pools in 2018.

James says that the family-oriented, team environment in which everyone reaps the benefits of hard work is the key to Olympus’ success.

“We feel the most pride and satisfaction when a customer is thrilled with his new pool; that means a lot to us,” says James. “The best people in this industry can go anywhere, so we try to create an environment where we’re supporting our staff and helping them give the best customer service possible.”

Customer & Community Service

Olympus Pools employees, more than half of whom live and work in the New Tampa area, enjoy team-building events throughout the year and have enthusiastically joined the Statens in their mission to better the community they all love.

“Our kids are growing here, their lives are here,” says Alexis of the company’s community service efforts. “We have the means to help our community thrive, and we want to do that as much as we can.”

Three years ago, James began contributing a portion of Olympus’ profits to DonorsChoose.org, an organization that brings much-needed supplies and improvements to low-income Hillsborough County schools, and the company now sponsors a classroom about five times annually.
Students at those schools recently received new tablets and multimedia equipment to keep them on track with children in more affluent schools.

Olympus Pools has also supported local schools like Hunter’s Green and Pride Elementary and Turner/Bartels K-8 School with technology items the past few years, and the pool maker also supports student athletics by sponsoring several local Little League teams.

The Statens send their children to the Turner/Bartels K-8 School and Turner Elementary, and in 2018, James led the effort to remove a hazardous wooden structure outside of Turner. Olympus installed a new paver deck area and gazebo, creating a nice area where students can eat lunch outside.
The Statens also sponsored the school’s annual Winterfest fundraiser, participate in the Great American Teach-In each year and have supported the Hillsborough County Anti-Bullying initiative.

And, to celebrate Water Safety Month last May, Olympus donated more than $2,000 of that month’s profits to the New Tampa YMCA’s scholarship fund, providing swimming lessons to local kids who otherwise could not afford them.

The Statens’ 9-year-old son Jacob introduced them to Feeding Tampa Bay, a child-hunger nonprofit, when he asked for donations instead of gifts to mark his fifth birthday. He has done so every birthday since, and the organization has become a family favorite that now includes the entire Olympus staff.

“It’s very cool to see over 20 people filling their carts, loading and unloading pallets of food,” James says. “It’s fun for all of us, and it’s nice to have a hands-on activity rather than just writing a check.”

Alexis says that her employees work especially hard that time of year, because they know if they don’t sell enough pools, the funds to help won’t be there.

“We joke with them that if they don’t sell, children won’t eat,” said James with a smile. “But, they always come through.”

In 2018, Olympus raised enough for 2,200 meals and toiletries. The company has pledged to help even more as they continue to grow, creating one totally unique backyard oasis at a time for their customers in New Tampa and beyond.

For more info about Olympus Pools, visit “Olympus Pools” on Facebook or OlympusPoolsFL.com or call (813) 983-7854. Olympus works with clients in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Hernando counties. The company’s current design center is located at 4422 N. Lauber Way in Tampa, but the new Olympus showroom will open in Lutz sometime this summer.