In this episode of The Unbridled Creative, Laura and Trent sit down with Guido Del Re, owner of da Vinci Pools, whose life proves that an unconventional path can still lead to extraordinary leadership and business success.

Guido shares his journey from Mozambique to South Africa, Europe, and eventually Texas, where competitive sailing pulled him out of school and into a life of discipline, risk, and adventure. Along the way, teaching sailing, running newspaper routes, and working in Tex-Mex kitchens gave him leadership skills, a strong work ethic, “kitchen Spanish,” and a deep instinct for serving people well.

He explains how farming in Arizona and Colorado became a leadership laboratory. By working side-by-side with crews in the fields, learning the numbers behind the business, and earning respect through service rather than authority, Guido discovered that people will work hardest for leaders who serve.

Guido then walks through the evolution of his pool career: the collapse of his father’s pool company, the founding of da Vinci Pools with his brother Tiago, and his decision to buy and run the business with precision. He shares his philosophy of designing pools that look like they were built with the house, selecting craftsmen whose work complements rather than competes with the home, and pricing every detail down to the penny—treating construction as both art and stewardship.

He also speaks candidly about COVID, including his decision not to raise contract prices for clients, how that nearly cost him the business, and how he and his wife Wendy had to reinvest, reinvent, and eventually embrace professional marketing leadership. His respect for the “art and science” of marketing mirrors the trust clients place in him to design their backyard sanctuaries.

This episode is for anyone who didn’t finish school, questions their leadership, or wonders how to stand out in a crowded industry. Guido’s story is a reminder that excellence, integrity, and a willingness to start again can set you apart.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How Guido went from high school dropout to professional sailor to successful business owner
• Leadership lessons learned by working alongside farm crews
• Why he makes a friend before ever selling a pool
• How he designs pools that feel integrated with the home
• The costly COVID decisions that forced smarter systems and strategy
• Why working smarter, mastering details, and knowing the numbers doubled profits
• Encouragement for parents and students who don’t fit the traditional school model
  

Break Free Blueprint (Today’s Takeaway):

• Take something common and do it in an uncommon way
• Serve alongside your people, not above them
• Build relationships before making offers
• Get precise with your numbers
• Give yourself permission to start again

Choose one step and act on it this week—turning inspiration into transformation.

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Be bold. Break free. Live unbridled.