Today we’d like to introduce you to Sam Miles
Hi Sam, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Legacy Tide Water Recreation was born from a personal journey, grounded in Sam Miles’ deep understanding of overcoming adversity and the transformative power of water. Sam’s life was shaped by early experiences of sports injuries and rehabilitation, which ignited her passion for swimming as both a therapeutic and empowering practice. Through these personal trials, she discovered that swimming was more than just a physical activity—it was a space of healing, confidence-building, and growth. Her journey was marked by tenacity, shaped by her resilience as the eldest sibling and a leader among her peers, traits that she now channels into her swim school.
I didn’t grow up as a swimmer. I grew up playing basketball and softball, before an injury that turned my world upside down. An ankle fracture turned into a mysterious chronic pain condition and having to learn to walk again in a pain rehab clinic (where I learned to walk again in the warm therapy pool before I could walk on land), which made me fall in love with the therapeutic elements of the water. After my rehabilitation, I began working at a YMCA in Aquatics, as a lifeguard, swim instructor, and water fitness instructor. I began teaching private lessons during this time as well. After doing that for three years, I moved to Texas, and took a break from teaching swimming, but was still doing plenty of teaching and tutoring during college. I studied Communications and Leadership and Computer Science at UT Austin, I worked briefly at a tech company before launching full time into entrepreneurship. At the same time as I launched Legacy Tide (Originally Smiles Assistance LLC), I began using my technical competency to help other service businesses improve their operations with improved processes and technologies, something I still do in a consulting capacity.
In 2021 when I started teaching, I never imagined that I would grow and have a team. My first year in business, I hired two instructors and learned so much about hiring quality staff, managing client relationships, payroll, IRS documentation, so much I didn’t know anything about. I have grown tremendously in the past years and am so lucky to get to teach and manage a team of instructors and managers that are also so excited about not only teaching our community, but creating a legacy of loving the water.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The hardest thing being in the swim lesson industry is that clients don’t need us forever (which we love, but it is also hard from a business perspective). Unlike a financial advisor who can have the same clients for decades, we don’t get a super high rate of return clients.
There has also been a struggle between growing and maintaining the quality we have in instructors. Water recreation is a high stakes arena, and lack of safety could be the matter of life and death, so my baseline for competency and care is much higher than other industries. Additionally, I have to choose people who represent my brand and align with our values, so hiring has been the most difficult area of business for me. Once a part of our team, I have struggled with giving grace and flexibility but also holding firm to our rules/guidelines. I want to desperately be the boss so many people have never had.
Of course we have had dissatisfied clients, albeit rarely. I think the craziest struggle was when a client filed a chargeback against their credit card company, citing the services weren’t performed (when they for sure were!).
As you know, we’re big fans of Legacy Tide Water Recreation (Previously Smiles Assistance LLC). For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Legacy Tide Water Recreation was born from a personal journey, grounded in my deep understanding of overcoming adversity and the transformative power of water. My life was shaped by early experiences of sports injuries and rehabilitation, which ignited her passion for swimming as both a therapeutic and empowering practice. Through these personal trials, I discovered that swimming was more than just a physical activity—it was a space of healing, confidence-building, and growth. My journey was marked by tenacity, shaped by my resilience as the eldest sibling and a leader among her peers, traits that she now channels into her swim school.
At the heart of Legacy Tide Water Recreation is a commitment to meeting each student, family, caregiver, and every one of our students where they are. The school was built not only on my expertise but also on the dedicated work of a talented team who shares the same vision. This team brings together specialized instructors, caregivers, and support staff who collaborate to create customized programs for each student. From the first interaction, families experience a community that prioritizes connection, trust, and a shared belief in the potential of every student.
What sets Legacy Tide Water Recreation apart is not only its focus on swimming techniques but also the emphasis on emotional and personal development. Each student is given the space and encouragement to build their confidence, develop their strengths, and reach personal milestones that they can take pride in. The swim school is as much about life skills as it is about learning to swim, equipping students with tools that foster perseverance, self-discipline, and joy in every achievement, big or small.
The swim school operates with a philosophy that every student learns differently, and this belief guides their approach. The team constantly thinks outside the box to design creative, individualized programs tailored to meet the needs of each person. Whether working through fears, building strength, or developing advanced techniques, the school ensures that all students, children, and parents feel supported every step of the way.
In our commitment to custom instruction, we have been able to do so many cool things traditional swim schools don’t have the capacity to do: teach kids how to use a snorkel for their trip to the Caribbean, teach nannies how to watch the pool while working, help an individual adult train for a triathlon, etc.
Many adult swimmers also don’t have many options for swim classes as a good number of the swim schools in the area don’t offer classes for adults, or there are only 2 levels of classes, so it is hard to find a class that is truly appropriate for their skill level.
We operate with mostly mobile swim lessons, although we have a limited number of pools we can use for families that don’t have their own pool.
Even though swim lessons are the majority of what we do, we also do water fitness classes (master communities, retirement homes, private events), private lifeguard staffing, and water safety classes.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite memory growing up was waking up and helping my mom make themed pancakes. She would use empty condiment bottles, and fill them with colored pancake batter so she could create the letters “S”, “A”, “M” on the griddle. She always made Mickey Mouse and other characters too. It was a great representation to me that you could make any random Tuesday memorable and fun, and that you didn’t have to put in a crazy amount of effort, money, or attention to create something memorable that you could build a connection over. We would even include friends in the special pancake morning after sleepovers, and what started as a way for my mom and I to bond and have some memories, became a way that we could facilitate community and extend that love to others.
Pricing:
- MASTER INSTRUCTOR RATES: Private w/Sam (30 min) $90, Semi private (2 students) w/Sam $60 per student, semi private (3 students) w/ Sam $50 per participant
- DISTINGUISHED INSTRUCTOR RATES: Private (30 min) $70, Semi private (2 students) $45 per student, semi private (3 students) $35 per participant
- private lifeguarding rates start at $60/hourly
- Water fitness classes start at $50/hour
Contact Info:
- Website: legacytide.co (will launch Feb 17), previously smilesassistance.com
- Instagram: @atxswims
Image Credits
not all of the images were taken by her, but they were either taken by her or our team.
Allie Nelson @hicksgirlproductions
