Matt Giovanisci
Swim University
Swim University: How Matt Giovanisci Turned Pool Know-How into $1M/yr Content Business
Story Summary
Matt Giovanisci built Swim University by translating hands-on pool retail experience into precise tutorials and ‘one best pick’ recommendations. He shifted from ads to affiliates and then to courses/books, while curating an evergreen catalog maintained like a textbook. A lean family team repurposes scripts across YouTube, SEO, and a large seasonal newsletter, contributing to a $1M+ year. The approach is disciplined: fewer but better posts, single-SKU picks, price testing, and operations that stay small to protect margins.
Decision Points
You will encounter 4 key decisions in this story. Make your choices to see how the founder navigated each situation.
What Should Power the Revenue Engine?
Early on, ads cluttered pages and felt off-brand, while affiliate links aligned with tutorials. Later, products emerged.
Context
Traffic grew, but banner ads were irrelevant to the content and aesthetics.
Which monetization approach should he prioritize to grow without degrading UX?
Grow by Adding More Posts—or by Maintaining Fewer?
The catalog had grown, but many posts under-performed and some drew the wrong audience.
Context
He noticed value in updating/deleting content versus publishing endlessly.
How should he scale the library to maximize value?
When Your First PDF Doesn’t Sell
The initial product launched at a premium price but saw no traction.
Context
He needed proof of demand and a viable price anchor.
What pricing move should he make?
Scale Headcount or Stay Tiny?
With growing channels, he weighed hiring vs. staying lean with trusted help.
Context
He tried staff before consolidating to a family trio.
How should he structure the team?
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Skill-Stack Iceberg
Years in brick-and-mortar pool retail and corporate marketing gave him deep product knowledge and service patterns; self-taught web design, writing, and video skills enabled him to package that expertise into scalable, evergreen content. Lean, family-run operations kept margins and focus tight as the catalog matured.
Professional Experience
Retail associate → store manager → corporate marketing
Teen years through late 2000sRegional pool companies (South Jersey)
Direct exposure to customer problems and the exact products/steps that solved them; translated to precise tutorials and recommendations online.
Marketing director (fired; later laid off elsewhere)
not specifiedPool company
Catalyst to pursue Swim University full-time with a runway; clarified conflict/constraints of side-building and shaped lean approach.
Previous Projects
MoneyLab
OtherPublic experiments, writing discipline, and product/ops refinements later applied at Swim University.
Process transparency and testing mindset fed back into Swim University pricing, content updates, and deletions.
Audience & Distribution
YouTube + Newsletter
1 long-form video/week; ~3 shorts/week repurposed across platforms; newsletter 2–3×/week in-season.
Captured seasonal demand, reinforced tutorials, and drove course/affiliate sales.
Operational Capabilities
Evergreen content maintenance (textbook model) and pruning
≈200 core posts maintained for years; low new-post cadence; frequent updates and deletions of underperformers.
Concentrated ranking power and reader clarity; reduced content bloat.
Lean family team with profit discipline
Team of three (founder + spouse writer/publisher + brother editor/support); emphasis on keeping ops simple and margins high.
Enabled consistency across channels without headcount drag.
How These Skills Applied to Swim University
Customer-problem triage from retail service
Applied: Articles/videos mirror in-store diagnosis: specific steps + exact products in order.
Impact: Higher conversion on a single recommended SKU per need (store-like ‘one best pick’).
Content repurposing pipeline
Applied: Scripts → long-form video → shorts → blog → email flows.
Impact: Sustained SEO + social reach; newsletter reportedly ~100k subscribers.
Price experimentation
Applied: Iterative lowering on first PDF until hitting a price that moved volume; later expanded to courses + printed book.
Impact: Courses became majority of revenue; part of a $1M+ year.
Success Patterns Identified
Key patterns you can apply to your own product
After going through the decisions above, you've now seen 5 key patterns in action. Here's how to apply them to your own product:
Treat Content Like a Textbook, Not a Magazine
PatternMaintain a compact catalog of definitive, evergreen guides; update and prune regularly instead of publishing endlessly.
Evidence from this story
He keeps roughly 200 posts, adds few new ones, and systematically updates or deletes pieces that don’t perform.
Offer a Single Best Pick (Inventory Mindset)
PatternRecommend one vetted product per job across the site, mirroring limited shelf space in a small store.
Evidence from this story
He positions one shock, one algaecide, etc., across relevant posts, arguing choice reduction increases movement.
Iterate Price Down to Find the Demand Curve
PatternWhen a new info product doesn’t sell, move price in controlled steps until conversion appears, then expand the offer.
Evidence from this story
First PDF failed at $50 and $40; started selling at ~$30 and ~$24; later bundled into larger course/handbook offers.
Keep Ops Ultra-Lean with a Trusted Core
PatternRun a small, cross-trained team (family in this case) to script, produce, edit, and support, avoiding complex org overhead.
Evidence from this story
Current team is founder, spouse (scripts/shorts/publishing), and brother (shorts editing/support); founder handles the rest.
Align Publishing & Email Cadence to Seasonal Usage
PatternIncrease video and newsletter touchpoints during pool season to catch time-sensitive intent.
Evidence from this story
Sends 2–3 newsletters/week in-season; weekly long-form + multiple shorts support seasonal demand spikes.
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Sources & References
I Turned One Website Into $1M/Year — YouTube
Starter Story interview and walkthrough of Swim University’s model.
Make Money through Affiliate Marketing w/ Matt Giovanisci (EP99) — YouTube
Interview covering niche selection, writing style, and content frameworks.
Matt Giovanisci on Building an Online Empire (~$400k/yr) — podcast
Podcast on lifestyle business design and lean operations.
10 Years to Make Revenue — Affiliate Marketing Authority (Matt Giovanisci) — YouTube
Conversation on long timelines, setbacks, and steady compounding.
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