VoyageAustin: Hidden Gems Interview

Hidden Gems: Meet Amanda Shaftel of Cowboy Pools

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Shaftel.

Hi Amanda, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
After spending months on our own stock tank pool, doing tons of research and trial and error, we realized there was a need we wanted to fill in the stock tank pool market. Once Covid hit, our wedding was indefinitely postponed and our work slowed to a halt. We decided it was the right time to move forward with this business idea, and we wanted to do it right without cutting any corners. In June of 2020, my fiancé Aaron Weiss and I launched Cowboy Pools.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Starting a new business has endless challenges. There are the challenges you can predict like the daily customer service emails, creating new service offerings, and working with factories to create new products. Then there are the things you can’t always predict, like national pool equipment shortages or a crazy week-long super freeze in Texas. You can’t always be prepared for these things, but they are incredible learning experiences, and we’ll know how to handle them better the next time.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Cowboy Pools offers high-quality stock tank pools in the Austin area as well as accessories offered nationwide. Our pools are delivered, installed and serviced by seasoned pool professionals. We take great pride in our products and services. We don’t use cheap consumer-grade equipment. We are also thrilled to offer a product that easily and affordably transforms a backyard space, offers reprieve to the heat (and our heated pools offer warmth on colder days!), and gives people a real pool solution without breaking the bank, as well as an exceptional customer experience along the way!