The Business Bug

Hosted by Driven

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Jul 2024

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About the show

Pest control companies are already pros when it comes to taking care of the pests. The Business Bug is where the pros come to talk about the business. How are you going to scale your pest control brand? What’s the best way to compensate your team members for scalability? Is your business model the best strategy for the market you’re after? Join us twice monthly for insights and tips from successful entrepreneurs in the pest control industry.

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11 recent

July 23, 202450 min

11: Private Equity, M&A and Data-Driven Decisions in Pest Control with Dave Bradford

Dave Bradford, the CEO of Certus based in Tampa, FL, joins Adam on today’s episode of The Business Bug! Dave talks about his journey into the pest control industry and what drew him to it after previously working in multiple different fields. The conversation then shifts to a variety of different topics, including private equity’s role in pest control, what metrics companies look for when acquiring new pest control operations and how Dave uses data and technology to improve his organization. Certus Driven The Business Bug is brought to you by Driven. It is hosted by Adam Weber and produced by EKR.

June 25, 202447 min

10: Important Insights into Collaboration and Hiring Practices in the Pest Control Industry with Billy Olesen

Billy Olesen, the CEO of PestStop in Olympia, WA, joins Adam on today’s episode of The Business Bug to talk about his journey in pest control and what led to him working at PestStop. The conversation then shifts to his work with pest management associations and how he collaborates with some of his peers, including a few past Business Bug guests. Lastly, Billy discusses how improving his company’s hiring and interview practices has strengthened his company as a whole. PestStop Driven The Business Bug is brought to you by Driven. It is hosted by Adam Weber and produced by EKR.

May 21, 202448 min

9: Revitalizing a Legacy-Owned Pest Control Company with Michael Bosco

Servicing the Dallas area since 1955, Safe Haven Pest Control has been owned and operated for three generations. Michael Bosco, the current owner of Safe Haven, joins Adam on today’s episode of the Business Bug to tell the story of his start in pest control working with his parents and his work in landscaping early in his career. Michael then discusses the process of becoming the owner of Safe Haven and the work he did to grow and improve the business. The conversation also dives into the coaching sessions that Michael hosts with Dauphin Ewart from the Bug Master. Safe Have Pest Control Driven The Business Bug is brought to you by Driven. It is hosted by Adam Weber and produced by EKR.

May 14, 202440 min

8: David Gilmer from Pest Daily

Pest Daily is an e-learning platform for all roles within a pest control organization. David Gilmer, the VP of Client Integration at Pest Daily, joins Adam Weber on today’s episode of The Business Bug to tell the story of how he got into the industry and his career growth. He also discusses what went into his decision to move from his high-level role at a large pest control company to work at Pest Daily. Pest Daily Driven The Business Bug is brought to you by Driven. It is hosted by Adam Weber and produced by EKR.

May 7, 202443 min

7: Insights Into Developing a Pest Control Business with Kevin Thorn

Operating throughout Utah, Thorn Pest Solutions offers mostly commercial pest control services. Kevin Thorn, the company’s owner and president, joins Adam on today’s episode of The Business Bug. Kevin tells the story of how he forwent his initial plans to become a pediatrician to go all in on a pest control business he bought while in school. He then talks about how he grew Thorn Pest Solutions over the years into the company it is today. Thorn Pest Solutions Driven The Business Bug is brought to you by Driven. It is hosted by Adam Weber and produced by EKR.

March 19, 202442 min

6: Mergers, Acquisitions and Running a Large Pest Control Organization with Paul Bergmann

Viking Pest Control, an Anticemix company based in New Jersey, services areas in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. Paul Bergmann, the president of Viking Pest Control, joins Adam on today’s episode of The Business Bug to talk about his background in the pest control industry and what his role looks like now. Paul also talks about Viking’s growth strategy and the processes that go into how his company handles acquisitions. Viking Pest Control Driven The Business Bug is brought to you by Driven. It is hosted by Adam Weber and produced by EKR.

March 5, 202444 min

5: The Journey From Pest Control Technician to Pest Control Business Owner with Jesse Gooch

Jesse Gooch, the owner of Kanga Pest Control, moved to Oregon from Australia over 10 years ago and started his company in 2017. Today, he joins Adam on The Business Bug to tell the story of his unconventional path into pest control and what led to him starting Kanga. Jesse also details how he built his company into what it is today and some of the important lessons that he learned along the way. Kanga Pest Control Driven The Business Bug is brought to you by Driven. It is hosted by Adam Weber and produced by EKR.

February 27, 202439 min

4: Insights Into the Inner Workings of What Can Make a Pest Control Company Successful with Dauphin Ewart

Dauphin Ewart, the CEO of The Bug Master in Austin, Texas, joins Adam on today’s episode of The Business Bug. Dauphin tells the story of his dad starting The Bug Master in the 1980s and what drove him to come back and work in the business while he was in graduate school studying philosophy. He also touches on how his team has grown in the years since he started running The Bug Master, its organizational structure and how that structure helps him gauge the health of his company. The Bug Master Driven The Business Bug is brought to you by Driven. It is hosted by Adam Weber and produced by EKR.

February 6, 202454 min

3: Growing a Pest Control Organization From The Bottom with Samantha Malone

Sam Malone, co-owner of Olympia Pest Management joins Adam Weber on today’s episode to talk about her family's history with pest control. Listen in to discover Sam's journey, ranging from purchasing Olympia Pest Management with her husband, growing and modernizing the business and overcoming obstacles along the way. Olympia Pest Management Driven The Business Bug is brought to you by Driven. It is hosted by Adam Weber and produced by EKR.

January 16, 202442 min

2: Growing Into Your Role at a Fast-Growing Pest Control Company with Josh Farah

Ridd Pest Control is a growing pest control company with branches all over the country. Josh Farah, the COO of Ridd Pest Control, joins Adam on today’s episode of The Business Bug to talk about his pest control journey and what his current role entails. Tune in for a look at how Ridd has grown over the years as a door-to-door pest control company and its strategies for retaining employees and customers. Josh also gives some insight into the tools that his company uses to run their operations across the country. Ridd Pest Control Driven The Business Bug is brought to you by Driven. It is hosted by Adam Weber and produced by EKR.