Puravida – A New Jersey Family Owned & Operated Business At Your Service!
We are a family owned and operated company, run by two partners, Chris Rauschenbach and Sam Folaron. Chris and Sam have both worked in the industry for over 30 years in distribution and manufacturing. We share a vision for doing work we enjoy, being entrepreneurs, spending time with family, and being able to bring beautiful pools to families throughout Ocean and Monmouth County.
Knowing all that goes into building a pool, it is our dream to bring our customers the best, most personal experience possible. Chris is on every job, for every phase, so you’re never wondering who’s in charge or what is happening next. We work with the best products and suppliers so you can rest assured knowing you made the right investment with Puravida Outdoor Living.
Chris & Sam, Owners of Puravida Outdoor Living
About us
Chris
Chris Rauschenbach and family, Owner/CEO
I was born into the wholesale distribution channel of the Swimming Pool Industry via my family’s company Seaboard Industries. I began working at a young age and started from the ground up, driving delivery trucks, managing sales, managing warehouses, and eventually becoming owner and CEO of the business. During my time working in the business, I serviced and worked with hundreds of swimming pool professionals up and down the east coast as well as gained access and developed relationships with all the key vendors in the industry.
In 2015, our business was acquired by Pool Corporation, where I worked as a regional manager for six years. During this time, I enrolled in the University of Massachusetts Amherst and completed my Bachelor of Business Management degree, helping round out my business acumen and education. I continued to work with a growing network of customers and vendors, while gaining invaluable leadership skills. However, this came with the cost of spending a lot of time away from home.
In 2021, I left Poolcorp and the wholesale distribution channel of the industry in search of fulfilling my entrepreneurial spirit once again and being able to spend more time with my wife and two kids. Throughout my career, I have been exposed to and have been able to identify the best products, processes, and networks in the industry. In August 2021, Puravida Outdoor Living was born, where I hope to build a fantastic reputation for delivering a quality product, developing an incredible team, and bringing families together through beautiful swimming pool and outdoor living projects.
This is an interview that was done with Northern Spa & Pool Association (NESPA) and Chris Rauschenbach. Chris is sharing how his life in the pool industry has started and what made him start his own pool company after years in the industry.
Chris shares why one of the first things he did as a company owner was to join NESPA! Dominick and Chris chat about his passion for pool construction and how the craft of swimming pool design and construction is evolving with new technology.
Please enjoy the video, and if you have any questions, please reach out to us, or fill out our form, we will be happy to chat and answer any questions you might have!
Chris Rauschenbach being interviewed by NESPA
Sam
Sam Folaron and family, Owner/COO
Born and Raised here at the Jersey Shore, I started working a summer job with a woman-owned, family operated swimming pool retail store and service company at 12 years old. Each summer I went back, learned more, and took on more responsibility. I loved water chemistry and the joy of helping people understand and enjoy their pools from day 1. At 19 years old, I moved to the Gold Coast, Australia where I obtained my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Public Relations from Bond University. It is here that I found my love for being independent, entrepreneurship, and travel.
Upon graduation, I moved back to the United States and took a job in swimming pool wholesale distribution with Chris Rauschenbach’s family business, Seaboard Industries. Here I worked in customer service and sales, later taking on the role of Branch Manager for their Lakewood, NJ location. Chris taught me operations, logistics, and management as well as what it means to work in a small business.
In 2015, the business was sold to Poolcorp, where I spent another 6 years as a branch manager and later becoming a Zone Manager, overseeing two large distribution locations in NJ and PA. During my time at Poolcorp, I also obtained my Master of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, graduating in February of 2020.
In April 2021, I left my role in distribution and took on a sales management position with a swimming pool manufacturing company. Here, I met hundreds of small swimming pool businesses in the Northeast, became a vinyl liner and safety cover expert, and improved my leadership skills. It was an incredible opportunity, but left me wanting to spend more time at home with my husband and 3-year old daughter. In November 2022, I left the corporate life to join Chris at Puravida Outdoor Living in hopes of helping him build a great business that brings joy through swimming pools to families through Monmouth and Ocean County. We intend to work hard, have fun, and always put our customers and families first.