Explore every episode of the podcast PMP Industry Insiders

On this episode, Sheri Spencer Bachman shares her journey from second-generation PMP to founding her consulting firm, Pest Control Business Coach. She discusses best practices for developing salespeople, including training, role playing, tracking and more.

 

Guests: Sheri Spencer Bachman, Owner, Pest Control Business Coach   Hosts:  Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Pest control industry veteran Raymond Kidwell, Director of Business Development at Voice for Pest, joins the podcast to discuss AI's potential to enhance customer service and call center operations in the pest and lawn industries. He explores the benefits of AI-powered phone systems, such as call monitoring and scoring, and he addresses the limitations at this stage in the game.    Guest: Raymond Kidwell, Director of Business Development, Voice for Pest   Hosts:  Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

David Billingsly, president and founder of The Billingsly Group, gives the inside scoop about what he's hearing as the facilitator of the PMP Industry Insiders Peer Groups, including insights on the economy, pricing, routing and AI. David also discusses how the groups are going so far and goals for the future.   Guest: David Billingsly, President & Founder, The Billingsly Group   Hosts:  Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Savvy pest management professionals know their companies are their greatest investment, but they don't always treat them that way. Dan and Donnie review mistakes operators often make when it comes to operating their businesses like investments, and how to avoid those pitfalls to increase their overall value.

Coalmarch's Katie McCaskill and Alanna Young join the podcast to discuss trends in search engine marketing, the top 3 recommendations they have for getting the most out of your Google paid marketing budget, and why you should start planning your 2023 marketing budget now.

The Most Important Ratio for High Profitability In good times or bad, gross margin is the key performance indicator that all pest control companies must keep in check to remain profitable. Dan and Donnie explain gross margin, where it should be, and strategies for keeping it there.

Pest control software industry veteran Andrew de la Chapelle talks with Dan and Donnie about steps PMPs can take now to route more efficiently to save on fuel costs and improve efficiency.

Speaker: Andrew de la Chapelle Corporate Development PCO Bookkeepers & PCO M&A Specialists

On this episode, Dan and Donnie review Q2 2022 and take a look at the broader forces affecting the pest control industry as we head into the second half of the year.  

Certus Pest CEO Mike Givlin shares lessons learned from doing 57 acquisitions in three years. He discusses how the $80 million company approaches integration and executes change management within the organization.

Mike Givlin, CEO, Certus Pest

On this episode, Dan and Donnie talk with Todd Burke, COO of PestSure, to learn more about how captive insurance works and understand why it's a good fit for pest control companies.

Todd Burke COO PestSure

Atlanta's Arrow Exterminators has grown steadily over the last decade—much of it through acquisition. On this episode, Kevin Burns joins the podcast to talk about Arrow's acquisition strategy and processes. They also discuss the M&A market as a whole.

Kevin Burns Chief Development Officer Arrow Exterminators

Savvy pest control operators already raised prices late last year or early this year to offset inflation. Is it time to raise prices again or more than you already have? On this episode, Dan and Donnie walk through why you should consider it.

Dan and Donnie welcome Tony Massey to the podcast to discuss how Massey Services excels at execution by focusing on accountability, communication and transparency. They also dive into inflation, the state of the economy, M&A and more.

On this episode, Dan and Donnie welcome Dr. Cassie Krejci Ph.D., Head of Science & Innovation, North America, for Rentokil Initial — better known as the Bug Doc. She updates us on Rentokil's new North American Innovation Center, details her six points of customer innovation and shares four ways she leverages social media to raise the profile of the pest control industry.    Guest: Dr. Cassie Krejci, Ph.D., BCE, Head of Science & Innovation, North America, Rentokil Initial   Hosts:  Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services      

Firing a team member is always a gut-wrenching decision. On this episode, Dan and Donnie talk through their experiences parting ways with employees. They cover the problems with keeping people too long, how to know if additional training will help, and other things to consider.

Dan, Donnie and Access Holding's Josh Finifter discuss why the pest control industry is so attractive to private equity investors and the differences between selling to a strategic buyer and a PE buyer. Josh explains how PE deals may be structured and the business case for an owner to partner with a PE firm.

In this episode, Dan and Donnie cover SBA loans vs. conventional loans, use cases for SBA loans, how they work, the pros and cons, and much more.

Dan and Donnie talk mergers & acquisitions with Sebastian Tomassoni, VP of M&A for one of the largest pest management firms in the U.S. Learn about strategy, decision-making, factors that bring maximum value to a seller and more.

Whether you're considering hiring your first supervisor or you're at the point where you need to add someone to your executive team, this episode is for you. Dan and Donnie cover 10 signs it's time to bring on a manager and other considerations.

Your company's brand is more than your logo or marketing tactics. In this episode, Dan and Donnie break down exactly what a brand is, why brands are ultimately a reflection of the owner, and how to create a company image you're proud of and that your team can execute on.

What is cross-functional selling, why is it important, and how do you execute it in the pest control industry? Tune in to this episode to hear Dan and Donnie answer these questions and more about developing a team approach to sales.

On this episode, Dan and Donnie review the first quarter of 2022 and look into the crystal ball to predict what may occur the rest of the year. They cover the Pest Index, the overall economy, interest rates, price increases and more.

With the deal of the century expected to close in Q3, Rentokil's President & CEO, John Myers, sits down with Dan and Donnie to discuss some background details and what the future holds for the company in terms of integration, franchising, branding, M&A, and more.

Customer service stinks these days. There's a huge opportunity for pest and lawn care companies to differentiate themselves by delivering excellent client service. Dan and Donnie delve into how to create a killer customer experience.

On this episode, Dan and Donnie break down Google's new AI-powered tool, formerly known as Google SGE. They cover why the search giant is rolling it out, how it works and what you need to know about it to market your pest control or lawn care company more effectively.

Hosts:  Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Dan and Donnie discuss how to sift through the mountains of data in your business to determine what's most useful for your pest control company. They cover leading vs. lagging indicators, how to get started, how to monitor your KPIs, and more.

When it comes to successful inside sales, pest and lawn companies need sound fundamentals and consistency. On this episode, Dan and Donnie outline what it takes to get your office staff selling better in a short amount of time.

On this episode, Dan and Donnie delve into how to maximize your investment in marketing to effectively grow your business. They cover various budgeting methods, the pros and cons of each, and key numbers to track, such as cost per sale, cost per lead and more.

In pest control, field technicians are your direct link to the customer. On this episode, Dan and Donnie walk through why and how to implement systems to ensure you're finding, training and retaining the best techs in the business.

On this week's episode, Donnie quizzes Dan on what's a true cash emergency, how and why it happens, and how to prevent a cash crisis from occurring in the future.

What role should search engine optimization play in today's digital marketing strategy? Is SEO still valuable for field service businesses like pest control companies? Coalmarch's Senior SEO Manager, Jay Stalls, shares his perspective along with strategies companies can use to tackle SEO challenges.

Emily Thomas Kendrick and Tim Pollard discuss how they approach employee recognition at Arrow Exterminators in Atlanta. They cover the business case for doing so, their philosophy, and their advice for other operators.  

Sarah Verlinger is back by popular demand to share the tactics Triangle Home Services uses to keep good staff, improve employee retention, and foster an overall positive company culture.

Verne Harnish, bestselling author, speaker and founder of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), joins the podcast to discuss the importance of fundamentals (people, strategy, execution and cash), in addition to what inspired him about Rockefeller and how many of his concepts come from 'Good to Great' author Jim Collins.

In this episode, Donnie and Dan review ways to encourage pest and lawn technicians to generate leads and close sales. They cover training, incentives, technology and automation tools, among other considerations.

HR expert Jean Seawright is back to discuss the latest federal regulations that affect employers, including pest control and lawn care companies. Tune in to hear what you need to know about three new rules that pertain to independent contractors, overtime pay and noncompete agreements.   Guest: Jean Seawright, President, Seawright & Associates   Hosts:  Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services    

Dan and Donnie are back to discuss the wild ride that was 2021 and what's in the cards for 2022. They cover COVID impacts, technology, industry growth, taxes, and what's likely to happen with mergers and acquisitions.

What will happen as two of the top three firms in the pest control industry combine into one? Dan and Donnie look at the deal from a big picture standpoint and speculate how it will affect M&A, other companies and more.

HR pro, Sarah Verlinger discusses Triangle Home Services' approach to attracting and screening candidates; onboarding new team members; retaining key players; and developing company culture.

PCO Bookkeepers' Managing Member Anthony Pepe joins the podcast to discuss the importance of having a financial process and how to implement one. He also covers tax planning, budgeting and developing a scorecard.

Dan and Donnie share their takeaways from the pest control industry's first in-person national trade show in two years. They cover the rise of M&A valuations, the proliferation of software and technology suppliers, the expansion of the pest market and more.

Darren Valencia, vice president of wholesale specialty insurance distributor CRC Group, joins the podcast to help pest management professionals better understand Employment Practices Liability Insurance and cyber coverage.

Whether you're looking to sell your business now or down the road, tune in to this must-listen episode to hear Dan and Donnie interview Brian Schoonmaker, former owner of Capitol Pest. He recently sold his firm to American Pest for one of the industry's highest multiples.

Tune in to hear Donnie and Dan analyze marketing data, the Pest Index, tax updates, supply chain issues, the labor market, inflation and other issues currently affecting pest control and lawn care operators.

Dan and Donnie are thrilled to welcome small business icon Michael E. Gerber to the podcast! They discuss taking 'E-Myth' principles to the next level, what all successful entrepreneurs have in common, how to handle staffing struggles and much more.

Sheri Spencer Bachman, president of Pest Control Business Coach and former owner of Spencer Pest Services, joins the podcast to share tools for streamlining your business and how to break the cycle of working all the time but feeling like you're never caught up.

JD Darr, Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs for the National Pest Management Association, joins Dan and Donnie on this episode to share the legislative and regulatory issues on NPMA members’ minds. He also covers the importance of using your voice to influence public policy and what you can expect when you attend a Legislative Day event. 

Guests: JD Darr, Director, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, National Pest Management Association   Hosts:  Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services

Dan and Donnie talk with Triangle Pest Control's Josh Baker. They discuss what a Chief Administrative Officer does, the benefits of a well-run office, and the technology and systems that make the biggest impact.

McCauley Services CEO Justin McCauley discusses his journey into leadership roles at the state and national association, the biggest issues facing the pest control industry and how he plans to approach them.  

Patrick Quigley, a veteran pest control industry sales consultant, gives Dan and Donnie practical advice for training, motivating and hiring sales people in this week's episode.