In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, host Neal Bloom chats with Jeremy Yamaguchi, Founder and CEO of Cabana. A longtime builder in the home services space, Jeremy is now focused on modernizing the pool care industry, one of the largest yet most overlooked service sectors in the U.S.

Jeremy shares how his product and marketing background led him to build Cabana with a blend of operational efficiency, software tooling, and local team empowerment. He dives into his strategy around vertical SaaS, customer experience, and the importance of trust and taste when scaling service-based businesses.

Key Topics Covered

Why the pool industry is primed for tech-enabled reinvention
Cabana’s approach to building a national brand through software and service
How acquisitions, W-2 teams, and onboarding systems set Cabana apart
Why founder psychology and team culture matter in field operations
Applying tech tools (including ML) to streamline quoting and scheduling
Lessons from going through Y Combinator
What “slope over Y-intercept” really means in early team building
Jeremy’s San Diego taco go-to and what makes a taco technically superior

Links & Resources

Cabana Pools

Connect with Jeremy

Connect with Neal Bloom

LinkedIn: Neal Bloom
Twitter: @NealBloom

The Future of Pool Care