• Century Old Company Origins
• Dad Returns And Expands
• Why Stay In New Jersey
• Ralph Jr Early Work Years
• Coming Back At 26
• First Big Goals And Mistakes
• Trade Associations And Compliance
• Industry Future And Consolidation
• Corporate Buyout Fallout
• Legacy Reputation Pressure
• Mentors And Association Support
• Running The Business Daily
• Content Marketing Next Step

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

You'll learn:

• Anchor Origins
• From IT to Pest Control
• Commercial vs Residential Shift
• Scaling to Eight Figures
• Rebrand and Billboards
• EOS and Leadership Structure
• Training SOPs and AI
• CRM Efficiency with Clipboard
• Owner Role and NJPMA
• Mosquitoes and Seasonal Service
• CFO Discipline at Five Million
• Hiring for Culture Fit
• Borrowing from HVAC and Roofing
• Building a Review Culture
• KPIs and Lead Targets
• AI Phones and Virtual Assistants
• Planning the Exit Strategy
• Shifting to Residential and Wildlife
• Advice and Acquisition Mistakes

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

You'll learn about:

• Failure Mindset Shift
• Ownership Lessons
• Launching Proof in Detroit
• Bootstrapping and Growth
• Partners and Stepping Back
• Aha Moments and New Ventures
• Why Building Wins
• Risk Tolerance and Stress
• Fitness and Matt Rogers
• What Is Bug Bucks
• Bug Bucks Con Networking
• Mentors From Afar
• Daily Routine and Journaling
• Disconnecting and Online Advice
• Confidence Through Failure

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

You'll learn about:

• Eric's Diagnosis And Mindset
• Business Pivot During Treatment
• Origin Of The Brand
• Scaling And Market Realities
• Recurring Revenue Maintenance
• Surviving 2008 And Learning Business
• Manufacturing Patents And Products
•  Content Journey And Podcast Rebrand
• Pod House Rules
• Goals and Team Alignment
• Born to Teach
• Scaling Systems and Delegation
• Leadership Psychology Tools
• Cancer Mindset Shift
• Starting in a New Market
• Using AI for Marketing
• Legacy and Exit Strategy

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

You'll learn:

• Door Knocking Roots
• Ethics And Retention
• Starting Prodigy From Scratch
• Scaling Offices And Marketing
• Rep Earnings Reality
• Training And Differentiation
• Beyond Door To Door
• Tech Pay And Reviews
• Community Presence
• Stress and Mindset
• Breaking Past One Million
• Mentors and Early Lessons
• Acquisitions and No Debt

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

Learn about:

• Oversize Freight Reality
•  How Trans American Started
•  What They Haul Today
• Oversize Road Challenges
• Family Roles and Team
• Breaking Into Heavy Haul
• Sales Built on Relationships
• Seton Hall and Mentoring
• Growth to $35M Revenue
• Warehousing and Real Estate
• Fleet Size and Industry Scale
• Insurance Politics and Risk
• Fraud Accidents and Cameras
• Community Boards and Volunteering
• Locations and Scaling Strategy
• Data Centers and Global Freight
• Customs Delays, AI Future and AI Permit Planning
• Family Legacy Leadership
• Service Reputation Culture
• Leading the Sales Team

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

Jeremy and Jason Julio (the Blue Collar Twins) host The Boardroom Buzz with guest Kevin Reif, owner of Reif Environmental, discussing his path from door-to-door pest control sales across multiple states to launching his own company in Charleston, South Carolina. Kevin shares how Reif Environmental has grown organically to roughly double its prior annual revenue (from about $360K) by emphasizing referrals, retention, strong branding, and community relationships rather than scaling large door-to-door teams. He describes building a fun, values-driven culture, hiring technicians through social media, paying top-of-market, pricing for quality service, and delegating to maintain work-life balance. The conversation also covers strategic local partnerships, use of Clicky and influencers, green product options, bee removal and hive relocation, leadership development through mentors, and his routine, faith, and low-stress approach to business growth.

You'll learn:

• Door to Door Origins
• Launching Reif Environmental
• Organic Growth Strategy
• Branding That Sticks
• Hiring Through Culture
• Balancing Routes and Pay
• Strategic Local Partnerships
• Organic Pest Approach
• Mentors and Leadership
• Faith and Stress Management
• Daily Routine and Branding
• Five Year Growth Vision
• Pest World House Networking
• Sales Roots and Ethics

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

Join us to learn about Mat's career evolution from pest control to marketing. The impact of AI and digital tools on business growth and the strategies for branding and online presence in the service industry.

You’ll learn:

• From Pest Control to Digital Marketing
• Navigating the Digital Marketing Landscape
• The Impact of AI on Marketing Strategies
• Building Strong Client Relationships
• Managing Client Expectations
• Growth Stages of Businesses
• The Role of AI in Business Growth
• The Future of AI in Marketing
• AI's Impact on Business Operations
• Optimism and Concerns About AI's Future
• The Power of Branding in Digital Marketing

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

Join us as Jonas shares his inspiring journey from lawn care to building a multi-million dollar pest control empire. Discover his strategies for scaling, marketing, team building, and the importance of relentless execution in business growth.

You’ll learn:

• From Lawn Care to Pest Control: A Unique Transition
• Navigating Challenges: The Impact of COVID-19
• Scaling Success: The Growth of Pest Badgers
• Marketing Magic: Standing Out in a Competitive Industry
• Empowering Teams: The Role of Equity in Growth
• Business Models: Balancing Equity and Salaries
• Innovative Marketing Strategies for Customer Acquisition
• Market Research: Lessons Learned from Expansion
• The Journey of Writing a Book: Insights and Experiences
• Daily Routines: Balancing Work and Family Life
• Growth Mindset: Setting Ambitious Goals and Achieving Them
• The Role of Mentorship in Business Success
• Learning Through Failure
• Networking and Relationships
• Building a Strong Team
• The Role of Discipline in Success

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

Gary bought a tiny one‑man pest business at 24, with zero experience on the tools, and grew it into a 200‑person operation with teams across Australia and Myanmar, national commercial portfolios, and technicians who are some of the best paid in the industry.

He did it without private equity, without big marketing budgets (zero AdWords for 5+ years), and without becoming “just another multinational.” Instead, he bet everything on customer experience, culture, and being the underdog that big clients actually like.

You’ll learn:

• How Gary went from ad-agency employee to buying a one‑man pest route at 24
• Why CPS is 95% commercial, 5% residential, and how that kills seasonality risk
• The 200% money-back guarantee that forced competitors to copy him
• How he scaled nationally (Australia + Myanmar) with no PE money and brutal cashflow constraints
• Why CPS pays techs top-of-market and still wins big national tenders
• How “one tech, one child” and free work for Ronald McDonald House became recruiting superpowers
• Why Gary is comfortable turning down multinationals and focused on doubling revenue by 2026

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

Lenny started as an Orkin rep in the late 90s, built his own pest company from two dudes and a truck into the largest residential player in Utah, and went on to three separate exits across multiple branches. Today, he runs D2D Millionaire, helping 40+ home-service verticals build in-house door-to-door programs that grow fast without nuking retention or reputation.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you should build a door-to-door team, outsource to a marketing company, or avoid it completely, this is your playbook.

You’ll learn:

• How Lenny went from missionary door-knocking to three pest-control exits

• Why outsourced D2D vendors often charge 120% of first-year revenue and wreck your economics

• How he kept 80%+ retention on door-to-door accounts by selling and servicing differently

• A simple, low-risk way to start D2D: knocking neighbors of existing customers

• How A1 Garage Door uses a “sticker play” to print future demand with 42% conversion

• Why Lenny thinks we’ll see 1M+ reps knocking by 2030, and what that means for your edge

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

In just three years, Ruva has stacked close to 3,000 five-star Google reviews, blended aggressive door-to-door with disciplined digital, and built a culture where twenty‑somethings earn $80K+ and line up for supervisor licenses. They share how they chose Connecticut, why they fired almost their entire first ops team, and how they rebuilt around culture, referrals, and customer experience.

This is a doors-to-boardroom playbook on building a real company behind a door-to-door engine.

You’ll learn:

• Why they left a big national and relocated to Connecticut with zero presence

• The hiring mistake that wrecked year one ops and how they fixed retention

• How they use NPS and review-based incentives to drive service quality

• Why combining door-to-door with LSA, PPC, and referrals beats single-channel growth

• How they’re structuring branch equity for future leaders (and why it matters)

Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business?

• Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com

Connect with the hosts:

• Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com

Connect with Paul:

• Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

Chase shares how he learned to sell before he scaled—cold calling businesses, knocking doors, and driving prospects to a yes or no with relentless follow-up. He breaks down the real mechanics of growth: building sales teams, moving into bigger markets, and expanding into multiple branches across states while keeping profitability front and center. 

The conversation dives into partnership structure, acquisitions, retention realities, and why Chase believes you can go fast alone—but to go far, you need a roster that can carry the load. 

🎧 Tune in for a high-energy masterclass on building a team-first pest control platform—where the culture is competitive, the goals are massive, and the partners win together.  

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Starting in 2017 with just 10 accounts, Michael leveraged mentorship, branding, and systems to scale Coastal without chasing discounts or cutting corners. He breaks down why professional trucks, visible yard signs, referrals, and geographic focus outperform flashy marketing — and how staying “middle of the road” on pricing attracts the right customers.

From delegation and route density to cash flow discipline, CRMs, and building a business that doesn’t rely on constant chaos, this episode is a masterclass in running a service company with intention.

🎧 A grounded, tactical conversation about building real momentum — one system, one route, and one disciplined decision at a time.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

The Blue Collar Twins, Jason and Jeremy Julio, sit down with the President of ByDesign Landscapes to unpack how he built a brand where clean fleets, crisp uniforms, and elevated service weren’t nice-to-haves — they were the strategy. 

Brian started cutting lawns with his father, worked for top New Jersey competitors, and saw firsthand how the image of the industry held companies back. In 2005, he launched ByDesign with one goal: prove landscaping could look, feel, and operate like a top-tier contracting business. Today, with 235 employees across multiple divisions, ByDesign’s presentation has become its calling card. 

From spotless trucks to professional sales teams to premium installations backed by warranties, Brian explains why presentation isn’t cosmetic — it’s a competitive advantage. And with long-tenured leaders like Jesús steering operations, the culture behind the brand is every bit as strong as the visual identity. 

🎧 A masterclass in brand discipline and operational pride — showing how elevating the image of an entire industry starts with elevating your own.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

After doing time at 18 and cutting ties with his past, Michael bounced through jobs until a community college class introduced him to pest control — and the structure he’d been missing. From Joshua’s to Clark to hands-on mentorship, he built the skills that ultimately launched Cal Coast.

Today, Cal Coast serves 900+ customers, employs eight team members, and holds a seven-year government contract. Michael shares how Muay Thai, emotional-intelligence training, and Stoic philosophy shape his leadership — and how strong culture and word-of-mouth drive 73% of his growth.

🎧 Hear how he went from gang life to KPIs and built a culture his team never wants to lose.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

This week, the Blue Collar Twins, Jason and Jeremy Julio, sit down with the founder of Shift New Jersey to uncover how a simple idea turned into a statewide service helping thousands — and ultimately, a multi-million-dollar acquisition.

Dan shares how he launched Shift with no business experience, survived losing his investors just six months in, and scaled the company to 40+ employees and over a thousand clients served each month. He opens up about leadership lessons from the front lines — building systems, hiring for personality over experience, and surrounding himself with mentors who kept him grounded through growth.

Now serving as Director of Organizational Effectiveness for the company that acquired Shift, Dan reflects on what it takes to balance impact with income — and why sometimes the right move isn’t to double down, but to step back.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

From cleaning windows with his dad on weekends to running an eight-truck operation with 26 employees, Freddie’s story is a blueprint for persistence. He shares how a single newspaper ad launched his career, why his wife’s obsession with systems changed everything, and how a focus on team retention and culture helped him achieve a 95% return rate in a seasonal business.

Freddie breaks down his approach to hiring slow, firing fast, and building careers—not just jobs. He dives into training, tech, and the role of VAs and AI in keeping operations running smoothly. And he reveals how he turned challenges—like COVID shutdowns and seasonal slowdowns—into growth opportunities through consistency, creativity, and community.

🎧 Tune in to hear how a college side hustle grew into a multimillion-dollar company—and why Freddie believes real success isn’t about the next contract, but the team you bring with you.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

From overcoming addiction in his early twenties to owning three thriving businesses on the Jersey Shore, Jay’s story is raw, real, and relentlessly motivating. He shares how community, creativity, and curiosity became his secret weapons — turning a struggling gym, a $30,000 yogurt shop, and a for-rent ice cream store into profitable, family-run operations.

Jay opens up about the power of second chances, the stress of employees, and why his definition of success has nothing to do with Ferraris — and everything to do with family, freedom, and fun.

🎧 Tune in to hear how a few bold bets, a lot of heart, and one simple rule — say yes more than you say no — shaped a life built on grit, growth, and good ice cream.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

From working in his father’s HVAC shop at age 12 to acquiring and scaling multiple companies, Stenseth’s story is pure blue-collar brilliance. He reveals how bold marketing moves, community-first outreach, and a focus on profit over size powered his growth — and how systems, service plans, and strong teams keep it all running. 

Tune in to hear how one catchy jingle, a few gutsy risks, and relentless drive transformed a small shop into a lasting brand built on grit, creativity, and customer loyalty.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

You’ll hear:

• How a Big Four CPA ditched fluorescent auditor rooms to scale the family business with cousin Jimmy.
• The “feed your own transfer station” move: launching roll-off & commercial collection to control inbound.
• Building a state-of-the-art single-stream MRF and a Scotts mulch bagging line—plus what they’d do differently.
• Buying right: Liberty & Bull, when to keep local brands, and bringing in an A-player COO from Waste Management.
• Valuation reality in waste/recycling, why the industry is capital- and compliance-heavy, and where DJ’s building next.

Show links:

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open: capital-intensive ops, team size, and early acquisitions (Liberty/Bull)

00:49 – Intros; first waste/recycling guest on the Buzz

01:32 – BU → Deloitte CPA years; why auditing felt like “double-checking” not building

02:36 – Back to the family business; the 1964 roots and grandfather’s original operation

05:12 – The cousins’ plan: DJ + Jimmy begin shaping the next chapter

07:24 – From local scrap to regional platform; footprint across New Jersey and greater Philly

07:46 – Exiting demolition to focus: redeploying time/capital into scalable lines

09:15 – “Feed the transfer station”: launching roll-off with a truck and ten cans

10:32 – New bagging plant: producing Scotts mulch for Home Depot/Lowe’s in the Northeast

11:17 – Inside the single-stream MRF: optical sorters, PET capture, and why the facility’s different

12:59 – Why processing costs are high; plant capex and how the permit strategy started (cardboard → full stream)

15:08 – Touring plants, picking vendors, and what they’d change in hindsight

15:41 – Size, scope, and staying privately owned; leading a 250-person team

18:45 – Property bets from the ’80s and how real estate underpins growth

25:22 – Business lines roll-call: transfer stations, MRF, mulch/topsoil, scrap, concrete, tires, roll-off & commercial routes

27:17 – Open to the public; marketing mix and in-house director driving search & demand

31:20 – M&A integration: DJ runs diligence/legal, Jimmy runs deal sourcing; adding a seasoned COO

32:47 – Valuation talk, regulatory moat, and why scaling takes management depth

35:24 – Planning horizon, pivots, and what it takes to double again

38:03 – Hours & throughput: accepting to 5pm, processing to 10pm; hiring/keeping A-players

You’ll hear:

• Port Playbook: dispatch, pre-pulls, and the free-time math that saves customers from five-figure D&D bills.
• Pricing That Holds: accessorials, fuel, per-diem, and how to educate shippers without losing the relationship.
• Fleet Strategy: balancing company rigs with owner-ops, safety incentives, and dedicated lanes.
• Ops Backbone: TMS + ELD + GPS + EDI, photo proof at every milestone, and real-time customer updates.
• Expansion Moves: port to rail ramp, inland hubs, and when to say no to the wrong freight.
• People & Culture: training dispatchers to think in “minutes and miles,” not just loads and rates.

Show links:

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open: “In drayage, the meter starts the second the box hits the ground.”

00:48 – Intros: who Arturo serves and what Alliance Worldwide Logistics does

02:10 – Origin story: first port run, first customer, and the early two-truck lessons

05:20 – What shippers miss: demurrage vs. detention vs. per-diem explained in plain English

07:15 – The free-time clock: pre-pulls, storage, and when paying yard fees beats D&D

10:05 – Rate integrity: accessorials that keep you alive (and how to present them)

12:40 – Fleet mix: owner-operators, company trucks, and safety incentives that actually work

15:30 – Turn-time obsession: appointment windows, gate queues, and chassis availability

18:25 – Tech stack: TMS, ELD, GPS photos, and EDI status codes customers care about

21:10 – Port → rail: adding inland ramps and choosing the right 3PL/BCO partners

24:30 – Recruiting & retention: why dispatcher quality keeps drivers loyal

27:45 – 2020–2021 lessons: congestion playbook and the “never again” SOPs

30:20 – Saying no: freight that looks good on paper but kills your day

33:00 – Building culture: minutes and miles mentality; daily huddles that prevent fire drills

36:10 – What great shippers do: clean paperwork, quick unloads, and shared calendars

39:00 – Advice to founders: know your numbers, guard the clock, and protect your lanes

41:30 – Close: what’s next for Alliance Worldwide Logistics and where Arturo is placing bets

You’ll hear:

• How Skye shifted from integrator to visionary—and why disciplined meetings changed everything.
• The origin of Eagles Nest peer groups and the “feedback is a gift” covenant that drives real results.
• Women in leadership: turning “different” into a superpower and finding mentors across the industry.
• Daily cadence: 4–5 a.m. starts, meditation, yoga, and staying out of the office to empower leaders.
• Future lens: drones, smart traps, and why regulation may force evidence-based applications.
• Growth plan: doubling the business while keeping purpose, clarity, and culture at the core.

Show links:

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open: “Entrepreneurs and leaders make the world better—by showing up.”

00:50 – Intros and early story: salon owner → service entrepreneur → pest business partner

02:30 – Counting doors at age 8: the money/operations curiosity that never left

04:10 – “Be better to do better”: mentors, books, and servant leadership

06:45 – EOS enters the chat: L10s, IDS, and hiring a pro implementer

10:55 – Roles evolve: from Jared’s integrator to Skye as visionary with an integrator under her

13:40 – Women in pest: why being “different” opened doors and accelerated mentoring

18:50 – Eagles Nest: structure, radical accountability, and measurable growth

26:00 – Purpose over shiny objects: clarity, focus, and saying no to distractions

31:30 – Daily habits: 4–5 a.m. routine, yoga, meditation, task mastery

34:45 – Why grow now: doubling as a way to expand people, capacity, and impact

39:30 – Tech & regulation: smart traps, IPM, and the shift away from calendar apps

42:30 – Acquisitions: two small buys and lessons learned

45:30 – Wrap: staying positive, empowering leaders, and writing “The Writer” book next

You’ll hear:

• The misdial that led to pest control, five years at Clark, and the leap after a dissolved partnership.
• Why multifamily became the beachhead—and how value + pricing flipped “dirt-cheap” accounts into real margin.
• The year-one LinkedIn blitz, $700k booked in property management, and testing channels by turning Google off.
• Culture in practice: “no excuses, find a way,” hugs and vulnerability, and guardrails so “whatever it takes” doesn’t burn families out.
• Hiring slow for core values, promoting early to build leadership layers, and a structure that rotates HQ leaders into satellite offices.
• Tech & tools: cautious AI (great for SOPs, not for phones—yet), contests, and experiences that bond the team.

Show links:

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open: “Whatever it takes”—and why the team hasn’t missed an annual goal in 7½ years

01:00 – Origin story: the wrong-number interview that led to pest control; Clark → Bay Area branch leadership

04:45 – “Meant for more”: deciding to go all-in on the industry

08:00 – Partner plan dissolves; Josh launches Pest Pros with two trucks and a people-first vision

11:55 – Year one: LinkedIn property-management push and $747k produced by December

13:50 – Headwinds: SPB complaints, Yelp shutoff, and finding the blue-ocean in multifamily

16:30 – Pricing for value (not “dirt-cheap”); personal connection as the wedge

18:45 – Financial lumps and learning—what he’d do differently

19:45 – Leadership layers: promote early so managers can practice accountability

22:00 – Morning routine, boundaries, and defining what “whatever it takes” does—and does not—mean

24:50 – Channels & testing: billboards, TV, referrals; turning Google off to see what’s real

28:10 – Expansion map: Concord HQ, Yuba City, Roseville; “own NorCal” before jumping farther

30:40 – Rebuilding a misfiring satellite office around core values; HQ leaders rotate in monthly

33:00 – Production targets: $1,400–$1,500/day per truck—without 12-hour burnout days

36:30 – Culture mechanics: hugs, vulnerability, Kings-arena party, Tahoe yacht, contests

42:45 – Hiring for values; when a “maybe” hire isn’t a culture fit

44:00 – AI today: SOPs/emails yes; phones not yet—protect the experience

47:00 – Imperfect reps > perfection; posting, writing, and getting better on camera

49:30 – Parenting and adversity: giving his daughter the space to earn her own stripes

51:10 – Closing: mentorship, masterminds, and a people-first vision for the next chapter

You’ll hear:

• The origin story: buckets to chairs, a light-bulb prototype, and first cash-in-hand preorders on the Jersey Shore.
• Testing before betting: small runs, tailgate demos, and learning to trust (but verify) manufacturers.
• Retail reality: terms, freight, tariffs, drayage—and why “getting in” is nothing without “selling through.”
• Media engine: eight years of footage, smart ad buying, ROAS/CAC basics, and turning reactions into conversion.
• Resilience & risk: six-figure debt, family support, mentor advice (“stay even keel”), and the grit to keep moving.
• What’s next: Shark Tank exposure, overseas distribution, and a potential soccer variant.

Show links:

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open: “Believe in yourself… good things happen.”

00:41 – Meet Mike Silva, co-founder of QB54; what the game is and how it works

02:02 – Thanksgiving genesis: garbage cans, CB antennas, and a lifelong idea

03:54 – 2015–2016 decision to launch; neighbor won’t stop playing → “we might have something”

06:00 – First prototypes, the beach test, and 15 preorders from strangers

08:06 – Finding a factory, early small runs, and learning to test the market first

10:00 – Stadium-to-stadium hustle; bringing the kids and paying per sale

12:06 – Patents 101: provisional, design, utility—why protection mattered

14:20 – Family partnership, buying out his brother, and staying “even keel” through highs/lows

17:01 – The debt valley: $600k+, COVID container shock, and clawing back with ads

20:04 – Retail education: 90-day terms, consignment risk, Bed Bath test that needed in-store demos

23:59 – Freight, tariffs, drayage, warehousing—why COGS is only the start

27:01 – Marketing misfires, learning skepticism, and finding the right 3PL (“ShipDaddy”)

30:30 – Best day ever: 320 units in one day (and the ad spend behind it)

33:00 – Building the media machine: years of footage → Facebook/Google/TikTok wins

38:00 – Influencers, content gaps, and why reliability beats free product

41:20 – Brand placements (Corona/Labatt/retail displays) and the need to show how it plays

46:10 – Shark Tank journey: audition, pitch, and air date set (Oct 1)

49:50 – Community & peers: Founders Group, Crossnet lessons, and real-talk playbooks

53:40 – Exit possibilities, athlete interest, and league/sport potential

55:57 – Close: why the sale still feels like a rush and what 2025 could unlock

You’ll hear:

• Hypergrowth reality: why fast scale feels like self-financing—and why people are harder than cash.
• Ground zero of D2D: Salesnet → Eclipse → starting a pest company from a marketing engine.
• Evergreen playbook: launch, densify, sell, reinvest—then rinse and repeat across markets.
• Centralized backbone: one call center, cookie-cutter ops, and tech/termite cross-sell that de-risk seasonality.
• Beyond the doors: building non-D2D channels (digital, referrals, tech upsells) until they rival summer volume.
• Leadership & longevity: morning “elevated state,” systems, and a health comeback that reset the throttle.

Show links:

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open: cash for growth vs. developing the right people

00:48 – Intros: the Blue-Collar Twins welcome Byron “godfather of D2D” Gifford

01:42 – BYU mission → first summer selling → top rookie with Salesnet

03:18 – Salesnet bankruptcy, pivot to Eclipse, and launching a pest company from a sales org

06:00 – 2008 crash, reset, and the road back

08:58 – Evergreen launch: Seattle → Portland (sale) → Denver/Albuquerque; a parallel trash-marketing sidecar

14:00 – D2D economics: densification, rising CAC, and the 2–3 year LTV/retention bend

18:58 – “A-Team” cadence: department heads, cash-model precision, people as the limiter

22:00 – Morning routine: elevated state, gratitude, workouts, and living by the calendar

27:00 – Lyme disease detour → stem-cell recovery → throttle back on full

29:56 – Branch-owner model (50% local equity), lessons, and selective sales to strategic buyers

36:52 – Beyond D2D: digital, tech-sales, and termite cross-sell compounding into real scale

40:00 – Ogden, UT hub: central call center and cookie-cutter ops for multi-market control

43:26 – Panels, PestWorld, and a PCT Top-10 goal on the horizon

49:00 – Leadership philosophy: set expectations, kill drama, find solutions, keep moving

You’ll hear:

• The “part-time is a lie” origin story and why pest control is a marketable, problem-solving trade.
• How she worked every role—tech to termite inspector to operator—and why being a people-first leader beats being a “bug nerd.”
• Comp & culture: the “altruism base” (paid non-billable hours), commission hygiene, and building a team that actually likes accountability.
• The Top-100 epiphany that expanded her vision—and how a 100-mile service radius actually works.
• Peer pressure, the good kind: inside “The Eagle’s Nest” where owners open P&Ls and leave with bruises (and breakthroughs).
• Why Hive Nine & “Lead People Manage Stuff” were built for leadership benches—not just owners.

Show links:

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open: “Pest control is a real marketable skill… it’s problem-solving.”

00:34 – Intros + how Maria connected with the Twins (Pest Cemetery days).

02:00 – Getting in: social work student → office → certified → field (and why “part-time” is a myth).

03:16 – Working every role: tech, termite inspections, then operator.

03:56 – “People person” vs. “bug nerds” at home—owning her lane.

04:31 – Starting Pest Pros (2018) with a home-inspector partner.

19:29 – The “altruism base”: paid non-billable hours that keep teams balanced.

20:22 – Paul Bello: from officiating her daughter’s wedding to training her techs.

22:08 – Vision unlock: seeing Top-100 peers and realizing what’s possible.

23:16 – Service map: running a 100-mile radius out of Kalamazoo.

25:46 – Boundaries, family, and why the business became a shared “fun thing.”

26:21 – Coaching bias: why Maria pushes revenue (and learned to respect margin).

31:24 – Hive Nine Consulting: events that develop teams, not just owners.

31:52 – “Lead People Manage Stuff”: the leadership workshop series.

32:45 – Community: why pest control attracts the “best-hearted” people.

33:04 – Her personal mission—and how faith guides the next bet.

42:49 – Inside “The Eagle’s Nest”: open books, hard feedback, real accountability.

52:05 – Superpower: being a connector—and a final invite to collaborate.

53:09 – Outro & CTA to Potomac and more resources.

You’ll hear:

• The moment “sell” went from never to now—and why employee continuity was the deal-breaker.
• How she modernized ops: true-mobile routing, GPS/cameras, and ditching IVR hell to stay customer-first.
• Lessons as a woman owner winning respect on job sites by knowing the craft cold.
• Why growth means you’re never “over the mountain,” and how to communicate for buy-in (not just talk).
• Life after close: the ego hit of “they don’t need me”… and the freedom to ask what’s next.

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – “We got buy-your-company letters almost daily for 30 years… then we finally sold.”

00:50 – Intros: Alina’s 2024 exit and the hard art of letting go

02:00 – “Never planned to be the bug girl”: Air Force pilot dreams → family firm roots (1971)

03:45 – Health crises, divorce, stepping in after raising kids—“somebody had to sail the ship”

05:10 – Change management 101: don’t flip everything at once (ask her how she knows)

06:45 – Choosing the buyer: keep the people, not just the book—only one employee didn’t continue

08:40 – Post-close role: retained as a 1-year consultant… but the newco barely needed her

10:10 – Scale at sale: ~50 employees, ~40 trucks; when she took over (~2015) it was ~25 staff

12:00 – Origin story: bank teller → office manager → marrying the boss (plus a $2/hr raise)

14:10 – Earning respect as a woman in a male-dominated niche: knowledge beats assumptions

18:30 – Statewide without branches: “true mobile” ops from home bases across Georgia

19:50 – From proprietary software (“Helper”) to mainstream + mobile; training older techs

22:30 – GPS & cameras: nightmare stories… and the crash video that saved a driver

26:00 – Phones & CX: VOIP, fewer prompts, always a human—because customer-first isn’t a menu tree

27:40 – “FITFO”: figuring it out through hiccups, turnover, and route remaps

30:20 – Leadership reality: 3 a.m. at the office, good people who stayed, and new opportunities under newco

33:00 – Comfort vs growth: the tag that says “AND NEXT” and a Mexico pest-control idea

34:45 – Mentors & marriage: productive conflict that made the business stronger

41:30 – Culture: family and team, where competition never outweighed belonging

44:50 – Communication = buy-in: expect 60–70% of your own intensity; tailor the message to the person

52:30 – Meeting Potomac and what “you’re the best” from an advisor really means

• Grass-Cutting Genesis – quitting high school, banging stripes, and learning his real job was “making crew leaders,” not mowing lawns.
• Rapid Ramp – $300 k ➜ $1 M ➜ $3 M in four seasons, then stalling at $5 M until a coach killed the “sell-more” dopamine loop.
• Pandemic Reset – why losing seven crew leaders on Day 1 of 2020 became the filter that left Atlas with A-players only.
• Culture Proof – six values, weekly L10s, and year-round salaries that drive a 93 % retention rate despite brutal Michigan winters.
• Significance over Success – turning deposits into payroll, mentoring operators through the Culture Proof podcast, and building opportunity “big enough for everyone’s dreams.”

Stick around for Sam’s take on staying calm in chaos, why A-players force owners to level up, and how Shawshank Redemption explains entrepreneurial self-sabotage.

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience

https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps (podcast.co-ready)

00:00 – Cold-open: “We self-sabotage the second life gets uncomfortable.” Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel …

00:35 – Intros: Sam’s Atlas Outdoor story & Culture Proof podcast debut Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel …

02:00 – High-school dropout to zero-turn crew leader; first taste of leadership Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel …

06:50 – Learning his real role: create crew leaders, not stripes Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel …

09:00 – Side-yard hustle becomes Atlas Outdoor; origin of the name & logo Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel …

13:30 – Year-one $300 k, Year-two $1 M; growth by Facebook & word-of-mouth Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel …

18:15 – Cash-flow cracks at $5 M: deposits as payroll and the first business coach Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel …

24:20 – Mentor Blake Crawford’s quiet $14 M shop and 22 % margins Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel …

30:10 – Hiring A-players vs. settling for Bs & Cs; institutionalized mindsets Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel …

38:30 – Pandemic purge: seven crew leaders quit; culture reset & surge ahead Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel …

41:00 – Year-round salaries for crew leaders; 93 % retention win Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel …

45:00 – Snow & ice division: 26 rigs, “air hurts your face” winters, profit center Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel …

50:00 – Vision + culture are the only non-delegables; calm-captain leadership model Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel …

54:30 – Next chapter: five Michigan hubs, million-a-year organic growth, significance over success Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel …

57:00 – Rapid-fire round: mantra under stress, lessons from Tommy Mello, habit for focus Buzz EP 213 Sam Gembel …

1:00:00 – Outro, Potomac Masterclass CTA, and Sam’s invite to audit your own attachment rate

You’ll hear:

• Door-Knock Origins – mortgaging sweat equity into a one-man startup while moonlighting at a deli and landscaping crew.
• Coach’s Playbook – shifting from “crawl-space hero” to head coach and writing SOPs that free his team to execute.
• Eagles & MLS Deals – the referral chain—from a mom-and-pop acquisition to MLS partner to NFL sidelines—that proves community karma pays.
• Culture Moat – 20-year employees earn lifetime health insurance; paid volunteer hours keep staff and community for life.
• Seasonality Hacks – 55 % commercial mix, exclusion division, and weather “audibles” that keep 70 techs busy through Northeast winters.
• Mission Beyond Margins – board seats at two Ronald McDonald Houses, sustainability work at Lincoln Financial Field, and why “quality over quantity” still drives every decision.

Stick around for Bill’s blunt advice on moving from technician mindset to $30 million CEO—and why the best companies know when to act big and when to act small.

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience

https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps (podcast.co-ready)

00:00 – Cold-open: “A $30 M CEO is a coach, not a tech.”

00:50 – Pig-farm work ethic: discipline, sharpened blades, and early hustle

02:35 – South-Jersey roots & lifelong Eagles fandom

02:55 – How referrals turned a tiny list buy into MLS ➜ Philadelphia Eagles partnerships

05:05 – Acquisitions to “Acquired”: recap of Bill’s first Buzz appearance

07:00 – Buying a $500 K mosquito firm—and learning seasonal economics

09:15 – Northeast seasonality vs. commercial stabilizer (55 % mix)

10:00 – Accidental entry: summer helper at Western Pest, 17 years old

11:20 – Youngest branch manager at 25 in a union shop

14:00 – Culture shift at Western sparks Hoffman's launch (1990)

16:00 – Business plan > job plan: mapping the ladder out of the truck

18:45 – “Head-coach” pivot—training others, not turning wrenches

19:05 – Growth cadence: adding 1-3 people per year to 100 staff

23:00 – Weather “audibles”: rain days become training & commercial installs

25:25 – New exclusion division born from techs’ handyman passions

26:55 – Retention: 20-year techs earn free lifetime health insurance

28:55 – Paid volunteer hours & community pillars (Eagles Youth, Union Pitch, Ronald McDonald House)

31:50 – Board roles & the Shamrock Shake origin of Ronald McDonald House

34:40 – Giving-back philosophy: customers, employees, community love loop

36:50 – Backyard beekeeper, fisherman, grandfather—off-hours balance

40:50 – Advice to one-truck operators: vision first, hire for ambition

46:00 – National-account niche: regional independents vs. the “Big 4”

49:45 – Future of pest control: techs always safe, managers must shine

53:10 – Final coaching wisdom: right people, right seats, Good to Great mentality

55:00 – Book that changed his leadership: Good to Great

56:30 – Flower-shop surprise & new Victorian HQ “Cheerful Dragonfly”

58:00 – Outro & Private-Equity Masterclass CTA

You’ll hear:

• Franchise Reality Check – leaving a multigenerational fuel-oil business to buy the second O’Deer franchise (2014).
• Door-Knock Data – hose-reel saturation vs. backpack mist blowers, and the all-natural edge in a regulation minefield.
• Stacking Seasons – adding deer control for winter cash flow and six-day scheduling that boosts capacity 16 %.
• People Math – commission plans that let top techs earn high-20s/hour, 50 % re-hire rates, and Slack-era training loops.
• Ghost Scoopers – turning a service-manager partnership into a profitable dog-waste brand (no franchise needed).
• Crisis Test – the 45-day hospital stretch that proved dashboards, one-page weeklies and empowered managers really work.
• Next Moves – $10 M infrastructure on a $5 M base, AI phone agents (“Charlie”), and job-description tightening before the leap.

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience

https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps (podcast.co-ready)

00:00 – Cold-open: subdural hematoma, emergency brain surgery & a leadership gut-check

00:58 – Show intro: twin hosts frame David’s dual businesses (O’Deer + Ghost Scoopers)

02:56 – Leaving a family fuel-oil company after dad says “no ownership path”

04:53 – Why O’Deer’s hose-and-reel model beats backpack mist blowers for drift & season length

07:00 – Buying full control of South Shore territory; early cash-flow stretch moves

11:00 – Systems vs. hope: falling in love with P&Ls and annual budgeting

13:30 – Six-day routes, 26 trucks, 24 techs: capacity math & burnout prevention

18:15 – Commission structure: base + production %, monthly stretch bonus, low respray requirements

24:20 – Quality-assurance ride-alongs & Slack video feedback loops

27:00 – Son Wyatt’s accident (Jan 2023): 250 ml bleed, 45-day inpatient rehab

30:10 – General manager runs ops on one-page weekly reports; family splits hospital shifts

33:00 – Coaching & masterminds: why recurring-revenue founders must know unit economics first

36:40 – Launching Ghost Scoopers with GM Zach; positioning it as a training-ground equity play

41:00 – Insurance, cameras & the van-driver age dilemma

48:00 – AI agent “Charlie” starts reactivating lapsed customers via calls & SMS

50:00 – Wrap-up: present leadership, future $10 M vision, and living core values after crisis

52:00 – Outro & Private-Equity Masterclass CTA

• FBI Wake-Up Call – why losing everything crystallized a fearless approach to risk and growth.
• Door-Knock Science – mastering 55-plus communities and turning authenticity into daily deals.
• Data over Drama – using market analytics, WiseTack financing, and EOS scorecards to steer every expansion.
• Culture Moat – six core values, weekly L10s, and therapist-mediated exec meetings that keep 180 people rowing.
• Next Moves – an aggressive Texas build-out, acquisition targets on the Gulf Coast, and AI sliding into every SOP.

Stick around for Brandon’s take on “stealth-wealth” margins and a quick CTA to Paul Giannamore’s Private-Equity Masterclass playlist—then audit the numbers that actually move your own scoreboard.

From PE Teachers to Pest-Control Owners: The Julio Twins’ POTOMAC Experience

https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps (podcast.co-ready)

00:00 – Cold-open: Brandon on San Antonio’s $2 M sprint and ignoring competitors

00:35 – Meet-cute in Denver: Twins recap how Romex hit the Buzz radar

02:00 – Idaho & Utah roots ➜ NC lake life and snowboard obsession

04:00 – Pre-dental student to Yamaha finance wiz; first taste of sales

05:55 – Buying the dealership at 23 amid the 2008 crash

07:50 – The $50 K zero-percent credit-card gamble (dad said “pound sand”)

10:30 – #1 Yamaha dealer award, Hawaii trip & seven-figure exit at 27

12:45 – Houseboat “retirement” on Lake Powell—then the FBI phone call

15:30 – Ponzi fallout: losing everything, choosing bounce-back over bitterness

18:15 – Digital-marketing lessons he’d use to 10x a dealership today

21:30 – Door-to-door debut with Alterra; launching Romex during senior year of college

24:00 – Early offices, small acquisitions & meeting sales phenom JJ

27:00 – High close-rate playbook: 55-plus communities and 10-deal days

30:00 – Golden-Door sellers, mindset of elite reps, and JJ’s natural talent

32:45 – Romex footprint: TX, OK, LA, MS—why every growth dollar points to Texas

34:50 – Data-driven market picks; San Antonio case study

35:35 – Revenue targets: $50 M by 2027, PCT Top-40 climb, margin focus

38:00 – Personal goals: lake-house life, golf bets & the women’s-attire wager

39:55 – Twins invite Brandon to Potomac 100 mastermind in Puerto Rico

40:30 – Dylan Seals outro & Masterclass CTA

• Door-Knock Origins → $350 K Contract – how a single 50-unit bed-bug job snowballed into a $300 K+ recurring deal and rewired his focus from homes to high-density housing.
• Pest Genius – the in-house software (and patent) that tracks every unit, photo, KPI and health-department audit across millions of square feet.
• EOS + Family Power – wife Karen (COO), son Brandon (VP) and daughter Kayla (content chief) running weekly scorecard L10s while Jason stays out of the office—unless he’s eaten or played 18.
• Net over Vanity – why a Franco Giannamore valuation wake-up call pushed margins from “meh” to mission-critical and reset his eight-year, $20 M/20 % BHAG.
• Golf, Barter & Brand – converting country-club barters into 100+ clients and why density beats door-to-door for long-term wealth.
• Exit Options – succession plans, EBITDA realities and the number that makes walking off the course worth it.

Stick around for Jason’s candid take on therapy-backed leadership, mastermind ROI, and why every technician needs to read their P&L. Buzz EP 209 Jason Carpe…

From PE Teachers to Pest-Control Owners: The Julio Twins’ POTOMAC Experience

https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps (podcast.co-ready)

00:00 – Cold-open: Jason on the 3,000-page playbook & “letting the business run itself”

00:35 – Intro at the Beehive; Twins recap Jason’s mortgage-and-a-truck origin story

02:00 – Westerville roots, single-mom hustle & senior-year couch-surfing with Chip

05:55 – Sales chops: from shoe store to car lot to bartending—and gambling pool halls

08:00 – Meet-cute with pest control: father-in-law’s family firm, $50 K salary, first kids

11:00 – Basement startup (2003), door-knocking for residential accounts

12:45 – 2006 pivot: $40 K bed-bug job uncovers $300 K apartment contract

16:00 – Deciding to own the apartment niche; first million-door vision set

18:15 – Building Pest Genius—tracking every unit, photo & treatment across states

22:40 – Patent filed; integrations with PEStack & Outlook; “differentiator” explained

25:30 – Family dynamics: Karen (COO), Brandon (VP), Kayla (social) & twin grand-babies

28:45 – Therapist-mediated exec meetings; Jason allowed in office only after golf or lunch

30:10 – Chasing the PCT Top 100 & Ohio #1 goals; revenue vs. EBITDA reality check

33:00 – Franco’s valuation shock → margin overhaul; net focus pays off

36:00 – Weekly exec L10 cadence; bonus plan ignites management team

38:30 – Golf-course barters to close clients; 220 rounds logged last season

40:00 – Roadmap: $20 M at 20 % by age 62, new HQ, platform density > door crews

42:50 – Advice to solo operators: “embrace small, learn, keep going”

45:00 – Potomac 100 mastermind tease & Puerto Rico invitation

46:30 – Outro & Private-Equity Masterclass CTA

You’ll hear:

• Door-Knock Roots – Virginia Beach summers that turned 20 straight “no’s” into $10 k days.
• Proactive Era – bootstrapping 2 000 recurring customers without sales reps.
• Partnership & Family – why co-founder Ryan upped Coleman’s stake to 40 %, and how brother Taylor makes the trio click.
• Launch of Spidexx – starting in Des Moines with 380 accounts and grinding through the chaotic first year (yes, those two X’s are intentional).
• Nine Small Acquisitions – buying 700–1 100-account firms, wiring funds fast, and knowing when to walk away.
• Door vs. Deal – retention math, capital intensity, and reading the “gut flags” before you sign.
• Selling Proactive – 60-day process with Potomac M&A, no earn-out, and lessons from the other side of the table.
• Future Vision – new headquarters, keeping culture tight across nine markets, and invitations to join the ride.

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience

https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps (podcast.co-ready)

00:00 – Cold-open: the power of someone believing in you

00:35 – Jason & Jeremy introduce Coleman and his recent Proactive exit

02:00 – First company: Proactive Pest Management launched 2013 in Chicago suburbs

05:55 – Door-knock backstory: Safeguard summers, Brent & Alan Draper connections

11:00 – Partner Ryan bumps Coleman from 10 % to 40 %—“gratitude moment”

13:30 – Proactive’s first year: 700 accounts, one summer team, slow-and-steady growth

16:00 – Why Spidexx was born in 2016 (Des Moines start, two X’s in the name)

19:10 – Chaos tolerance & economics of today’s door-to-door sales teams

24:00 – First tuck-in: buying 1 100 accounts, paying cash, rebranding vs. retaining

30:00 – Potomac relationship, quality-of-earnings, and Proactive sale closing in 60 days

33:30 – Door-to-door customers vs. acquired books—18-month retention rule of thumb

40:00 – Advice to the one-truck operator: “embrace small, learn, keep going”

47:00 – Working with brother Taylor and why family equity is a superpower

53:00 – New Spidexx headquarters coming 2026; podcast invitation for live show there

57:00 – Potomac 100 mastermind rumor & golf talk; wrapping with culture chat

1:00:00 – Outro and Private-Equity Masterclass CTA

You’ll hear:

• Door-Knock Roots – joining Orkin’s late-’90s “Splat” crew and turning 20 straight “no’s” into $10 k days.
• 18-Year Overnight Success – nine years to hit $1 M, then a rocket to $12 M by combining EOS with acquisitions like Skeeter Force.
• Finance Hacks That Sell – why Wise Tack 0 % financing closes termite & wildlife jobs that competitors lose.
• Culture as a Moat – six-value framework, extreme ownership, and weekly L10s that hold 65 teammates accountable.
• Family Integration – wife Skye as certified EOS Integrator, sons learning P&Ls before swapping sprayers for spreadsheets.
• Mastermind Leverage – how groups with Luke Lewis & Maria Sorrentino expanded his vision—and spawned the new Eagles Nest peer network.
• Future Playbook – doubling again via Gulf-Coast acquisitions, 40 % Poop-Scoop margins on his radar, and grooming the next-gen CEO.

Stick around to catch Jared’s take on “profit over vanity” and an impromptu debate on the emerging pet-waste gold-rush.

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience

https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps (podcast.co-ready)

00:00 – Cold-open: Jared on culture and integrity

00:35 – Intro & Louisiana roots

01:15 – High-school dropout, early hustle, marriage at 18

02:50 – Joining Orkin as a $10/hr termite tech

05:55 – Door-knock “Splat” team lessons & mindset shift

08:05 – Branch-manager years, then running a $3 M independent firm

11:00 – Launching LaJaunie’s on Jan 1 2008

13:30 – Solo-op to first admin hire; seven trucks by Year 3

18:15 – Self-financing termite jobs; switching to Wise Tack 0 % plans

24:20 – Nine years to $1 M; doubling vision with mastermind help

28:30 – BHAG: Gulf-Coast expansion & doubling again by 2025

29:50 – Acquiring Skeeter Force; lessons in mosquito markets

32:45 – Family salvage-yard backstory & entrepreneurial DNA

33:25 – Today: 65 staff, 72 trucks, $12 M top-line

36:40 – Running EOS—Jared as Visionary, Skye as Integrator

38:00 – Conferences, Ascension Leadership, and constant up-skilling

42:00 – Side ventures (Stereopure, CAT 4) and why poop-scooping tempts him

45:55 – Differentiator: living the core values every day

48:00 – Eagles Nest mastermind launch with Skye & Maria Serraino

50:05 – Main Street Mogul podcast and giving back

52:45 – Rough Stuff reveal: twins’ own pet-waste startup

54:00 – Wrap-up & Puerto Rico invite

59:00 – Outro & Masterclass CTA

You’ll hear:

• Subprime Mastery – why PS3 built an in-house “lease-here, pay-here” bank that boosts FICO scores by 140 pts on average.
• EZ Referral & TikTok Lives – turning marathon streams and a debit-card referral app into steady showroom traffic.
• Rent-to-Own Origins – the 2008 light-bulb moment that reshaped the family’s finance model.
• Keyport Kia Dream – taking an 11-year college project from paper to grand-opening on June 9th.
• Motivational Mondays – money-green pants, weekly goal-setting, and the “trust the process” mantra.
• Giving Back – 400-meal Basket Brigade, Hope-for-a-Ride car giveaways, and why single moms stay top of mind.
• Next-Gen Vision – ten rooftops, nationwide DMS software, and keeping the Sansone name alive for 100 years.

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience

https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps (podcast.co-ready)

00:00 – Cold-open: beach-club memories and the “hot lifeguard” origin story

00:50 – Lifelong car passion & selling hot dogs at the dealership as a kid

03:35 – Sansone family tree: 67 years, three generations, five rooftops

05:55 – Breaking the “snaky car-sales” stereotype with relationship selling

07:00 – Daily training: every up is a coaching moment

08:35 – Presidents-Award Kia store & handing the desk to a new GM

11:00 – Rent-to-Own concept after the 2008 crash

12:45 – Birth of New Jersey Auto Lending: turning renters into owners

14:40 – Hope-for-a-Ride car giveaways to single moms

16:55 – Inside the lease-here, pay-here model and 75 % repeat business

19:10 – Building the Keyport Kia project first dreamed up in college

22:30 – Dealer-Controlled Solutions: exporting their DMS & finance playbook

25:20 – COVID’s inventory roller-coaster—down to four cars on the lot

29:20 – Basket Brigade: 400 Thanksgiving meals in Neptune

30:35 – Motivational Monday videos & money-green-pants culture

33:00 – Social media plans with a full-time content team

35:25 – AI’s future role in lead follow-up and CRM speed

38:00 – Family dynamics: clear lanes for dad, brother Michael, and cousin Steven

41:00 – Driving the 2025 Kia Telluride vs. a Range Rover—value breakdown

43:40 – Keyport Kia soft opening June 9 and summer car-giveaway promo

47:00 – Final advice: love your employees, community, and customers—success follows

50:00 – Outro and Masterclass CTA

You’ll hear:

• Fired on Monday, Founder by August – how a commission dispute became the push to launch Axel in 2017.
• Why “One Rep, One Book” Beats 10 000-Person Firms – the boutique model Sean uses to out-serve national agencies.
• Cold-Call Wrestling – translating mat grit into 100-dial days (and why the phone still wins).
• Culture & Careers – dinners with every employee, internal promotions, and watching teammates buy their first homes.
• Multiple Streams – co-building Belmar Tiki Party Boats, announcing Rutgers matches, and keeping a 5 a.m. workout streak.
• Vision Check – growing a place where his kids’ friends want to work “because they make a ton of money.”

Stick around for a quick CTA to Paul Giannamore’s Private-Equity Masterclass playlist—and see how far your own work ethic can take you.

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience

https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps (podcast.co-ready)

00:00 – Cold-open: Sean on high-school “job names” and chasing income

00:35 – Show intro; Axel Group overview (construction-lifecycle staffing)

01:40 – Rutgers wrestling story: walk-on grind, partial scholarship, mindset lessons

03:30 – Linking mat toughness to sales success

05:55 – First staffing job, early wins, and Monday-night firing that changed everything

07:50 – Launching Axel Group (Aug 2017) and naming it after his son

09:40 – Father-in-law’s driveway challenge: “So—what do you actually do?”

11:30 – Scrappy first year: 500-sq-ft office, four months of runway, living with an employee

13:50 – Building culture: tattooed logo, dinners with every team member, internal promotions

15:30 – Sean’s current role: still running a book, mentoring recruiters, protecting culture

17:20 – Boutique edge vs. mega-firms; the “cheeseburger” service analogy

18:50 – Cold-call philosophy and reviving lost prospects

21:00 – Daily routine: 5 a.m. lifts, weekly run + sauna + cold plunge

22:45 – Side hustle: Rutgers wrestling commentary and network dividends

24:50 – Belmar Tiki Party Boats—building (not buying) 45-passenger floating lounges

27:00 – Common headaches: sales slumps, coaching wrestlers-turned-reps, keeping tech a tool not a crutch

28:45 – Wrestlers on staff and why grit hires win

29:15 – Long-term vision: a company graduates dream of joining—and constant self-improvement

30:10 – The “I made it… then got fired” lesson on staying humble

31:20 – Outro, Masterclass CTA, and closing credits

You’ll hear:

• Early Hustle → Corporate Wake-Up – the Wall Street layoff that pushed Dom full time and helped CNC Cleaning hit $1 M in six months.
• Play Business for Life – treating strategy like a game and using daily “pulse meetings” to keep the scorecard honest.
• Systems over Self – Sears-inspired SOPs that let a 200-person team run without him on site.
• Numbers that Matter – cash-flow detective work, margin targets (25 % residential; 15 % commercial), and the bank-balance myth.
• Diversifying the Right Way – acquiring Lexi’s Drink Barn, scaling HUD duplexes, and threading Indiana’s liquor-law maze to open Demure Lounge.
• Coaching Corner – the common blind spots for $500 k–$1 M service firms and Dom’s framework for moving owners from operator to architect.

Stick around for a quick CTA to Paul Giannamore’s Private-Equity Masterclass playlist—and start “playing business” on a bigger board.

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience

https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps (podcast.co-ready)

00:00 – Cold-open: Dom on systems that let owners step away

00:35 – Jason & Jeremy introduce Dom, the serial entrepreneur

01:40 – Fast rundown of CNC Cleaning, Lexi’s Drink Barn, real estate & Demure Lounge

02:30 – Candy-bar syndicate at 12: first taste of leverage

03:50 – High-school expansion: five schools selling for him

05:00 – Dropping a clothing line; choosing cleaning for low entry & recurring revenue

06:50 – Year-one grind: two day jobs + night QC on homes

08:50 – Cash-flow crises and selling his way out

11:00 – Corporate layoff → full-time leap; $1 M revenue in six months

14:00 – Chrysler-300 moment: “I’ll never work for anyone again”

15:30 – SOPs inspired by Sears, Avis & Verizon

17:30 – Power of industry conferences and peer networks

18:50 – Manifestation & mindset: believing before scaling

19:50 – Coaching clients: testing belief, fixing data first

20:25 – Reading P&Ls correctly; COGS-to-revenue benchmarks

21:30 – Buying a duplex (the “dupy”) and house-hacking advice

24:00 – HUD rentals, vetting tenants, and guaranteed checks

25:30 – Cleaning margins: 25 % residential vs 15 % commercial

26:50 – Acquiring Lexi’s Drink Barn; lifting average ticket size

28:10 – Launching Demure Lounge under Indiana’s beer-and-wine rules

29:50 – Economic headwinds: residential leads dip, commercial steady

30:30 – Monday pulse meetings: KPIs, accountability, real-time fixes

31:20 – Future vision: build, exit, repeat—never stop “playing business”

32:00 – New coaching program: from in-the-business to on-the-business

32:50 – Contact Dom at domwilliams.com; socials

33:20 – Outro & Masterclass CTA

You’ll hear:

• Branding on Wheels – why he painted every truck Caribbean blue (and wrapped the last two).
• 25-Minute Rule – slashing windshield time to keep service profit-positive.
• Earn While You Learn – duct-cleaning crews as a talent farm for techs and installers.
• Golden Handcuffs – split-dollar life insurance that locked managers in for 15 years.
• Pricing for 20 % Net – escaping the HVAC industry’s 1.5 % average.
• PE Negotiations – walking from the table until the acquirer funded his staff’s benefits.
• Life After the Sale – why he turned down a six-figure consulting gig to just be “Grandpa Scott.”

Stick around for Dylan’s quick CTA to Paul Giannamore’s Private-Equity Masterclass playlist—then audit your own “billable hour” before the next heat wave hits.

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience

https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps (podcast.co-ready)

00:00 – Cold-open: “I never worried a second about competition—just do me.”

00:35 – Jason & Jeremy welcome 36-year HVAC veteran Scott Nelson of Oceanside Service

01:40 – One-man startup to 24 trucks & 32 staff: the scale story

03:00 – Turquoise trucks, spotless wheels: branding that sells before you speak

04:50 – The 25-minute territory rule and killing windshield waste

06:20 – Community roots: firefighter networks & word-of-mouth growth

08:15 – Mindset: “The world’s easy—people make it hard.”

10:30 – Relationship > transaction: serving three homeowner generations

12:00 – Air-duct crews as a paid training academy (“Earn while you learn”)

14:20 – Recruiting from vo-techs; achieving near-zero turnover

16:25 – Golden Handcuffs: $500 k split-dollar life policies for key managers

19:10 – Overpaying staff & investing in real estate instead of raises for himself

21:30 – Grooming his son to take over; stepping back from fire-service leadership

24:00 – Private-equity courtship, the NDA era, and negotiating staff benefits

27:40 – Charging for value: hitting 20 % net vs. industry’s 1.5 %

30:50 – Crushing costs: $500 k in insurance & healthcare, total transparency with crew

33:00 – Advice to a $500 k contractor: know your P&L and ditch new-construction work

35:15 – Tech stack: why ServiceTitan (at $7 k/mo) was worth every penny

37:00 – Recession-resistant revenue: maintenance plans & premium system sales

40:30 – Post-exit life: “Most of my hair, half my sanity—and all my family time.”

42:00 – Parting shot: watch your kids grow up and work on (not in) the business

You’ll hear:

• Career 180° – ditching Wall Street for sewage back-flows and never once looking back.
• Buying, Not Building – why acquiring an eight-month-old franchise beat starting from scratch.
• The ‘World’s Strongest Man’ Analogy – John’s trick for pushing past those brutal year-one cash-flow dips.
• Decentralized Command – Jocko Willink–inspired leadership that lets techs solve problems in real time.
• KPIs That Matter – estimate-conversion, labor spend, and the charity challenges that magnetize talent.
• Road to #1 – four territories in Monmouth, Bergen & Hudson Counties—and the expansion filter he uses before every new deal.

Stick around for Dylan’s quick CTA to Paul Giannamore’s Private-Equity Masterclass playlist—before you sprint, paddle, or pedal to your own big, hairy, audacious goal.

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience

https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps (podcast.co-ready)

00:00 – Cold-open: John on culture (“You’ve got a culture whether you admit it or not.”)

00:35 – The Blue-Collar Twins’ welcome their “lifeguard brother” to the Buzz

01:40 – 28-year friendship recap: beach stands to boardrooms

02:30 – Finance burnout & the call to entrepreneurship

04:00 – Picking SERVPRO over Rainbow & PuroClean: brand power wins

06:00 – Mentor Larry Levy’s push: “Quit, build something of your own”

08:00 – Year-one reality check: 7-day weeks, $1.5 k left in the bank

11:00 – Acquiring an eight-month-old franchise (father bails sons out)

12:00 – Fire, water, mold 101—explaining restoration to homeowners

14:00 – Delegation pains and the first full-time hires

15:30 – Sandy & other storms: moments that forced scale-ups

16:10 – Learning on the fly: history major → KPI geek

18:30 – Athletics → entrepreneurship: training, planning, grit

21:00 – Community marketing: beach clean-ups, charity paddles, Eli Manning match

22:45 – Extreme-challenge rundown: 17-mile paddle, 216-mile bike, next 100-mile ultra

27:00 – Four-franchise footprint; city-versus-suburb logistics

29:30 – Building culture: decentralized command & trust lattices

33:40 – BHAG revealed: #1 SERVPRO Northeast by 2034

38:00 – Exit philosophy: build it right and every option stays open

39:00 – Most fulfilling metric: techs who go from basement to first home

40:30 – Core KPIs: estimate conversion & labor as % of sales

41:40 – Wrap-up, Paul's Masterclass CTA & closing credits

• Side-Hustle Genesis – the late-night kitchen-table brainstorm that birthed Last Bite Mosquito & Tick.
• Scaling While Clocked-In – juggling lesson plans, beach-club shifts, and 55 techs by reinvesting every dollar.
• The Potomac Playbook – how CIMs, buyer psychology, and a discipline 90 % of sellers flunk drove an eight-figure deal with Viking Pest / Anticimex.
• Seller Blind Spots – retention metrics, seasonality traps, and the DIY mistakes that leave millions on the table.
• Round 2: Ruff Stuff – their new dog-waste start-up, why it’s today’s mosquito moment, and the five-year path to another flip.
• Level-Up Rituals – ultra-marathons, charity paddles, and mindset hacks that keep their teams resilient and hungry.
• Coming Up – teaser for next week’s Servpro deep-dive with restoration king John Majeski.

Stick around for Dylan’s quick CTA to Paul Giannamore’s Private-Equity Masterclass playlist—then fire up that 100-mile mindset of yours.

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience

https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

http://www.ruffstuffnj.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 - Cold-open – Jason Julio on fear & resilience

00:35 - Dylan Seals grabs the mic & introduces the Blue-Collar Twins

01:40 - First meeting in San Juan, karaoke-loving “Mexican,” and Potomac memories

03:10 - Humble beginnings: Long Branch childhood, teaching careers, twin dynamics

04:15 - Multiple side-hustles & the light-bulb moment: “What about mosquito control?”

05:00 - Rejecting the franchise route; deciding to build Last Bite from scratch

06:50 - One truck to statewide: early scaling playbook & brand evolution

07:25 - TCNJ football days & how college camaraderie shaped their operator roles

14:40 - Level-up charity challenges: 217-mile bike ride, Eli Manning match, next 100-mile ultra

24:20 - What happens after you call an M&A advisor—Potomac’s diligence process demystified

26:40 - Yin-and-yang leadership: Jason’s strategy vs. Jeremy’s operations

28:50 - “90 % of owners aren’t ready”: systems, books, and timing the peak before you list

31:15 - SIMs, buyer meetings, and Potomac’s gatekeeping of your calendar

33:00 - Strategics vs. Private Equity 101 & the lure of the “second bite”

35:20 - Exit revealed: Viking Pest (Anticimex) acquires Last Bite; why seasonality mattered

36:55 - Navigating the 12-month earn-out and protecting customer retention

41:25 - Rough Stuff launch: why dog-waste is today’s mosquito moment & barriers are low

42:35 - Is America too lazy to scoop poop? Market adoption math & service pricing

44:30 - Five-year plan: grow Rough Stuff to $4–5 M and flip again

50:55 - Boardroom Buzz community shout-out & podcast mission going forward

52:45 - “Episode 201—big shoes to fill” – official hand-off & next-week teaser

53:20 - Dylan’s outro, CTAs to Potomac & the Private-Equity Masterclass playlist

54:00 - Closing credits & final reminders to connect with Potomac M&A

You’ll hear:

• How the twins scaled a New Jersey pest-control roll-up while teaching full-time
• Paul’s early days flipping farm gear, tech-banking in the dot-com frenzy, and spotting gold in fragmented service markets
• Why CEOs should obsess over root-cause thinking (and Paul’s daily “thinking walks”)
• The inside story of hiring Franco “The Mexican” and building a 25-deal pipeline
• What makes fire-suppression, lawn, and niche res-service verticals today’s M&A greenfield

Stick around for Paul’s blunt take on leverage, buyer psychology, and the mindset shift owners need three years before an exit.

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

00:00:00 Cold-open – Paul on “no pep-talks, only strategy.”

00:00:56 Jason & Jeremy Julio frame the episode’s purpose.

00:02:56 Teacher-to-$15 M exit – twins recap scaling while holding day jobs.

00:04:53 Paul’s childhood: Chicago schools → Italy & Spain.

00:09:10 Cornell years, full scholarship & skipping community college.

00:11:55 First deal – buying a combine attachment at a farm auction.

00:18:20 Dot-com boom: Lehman → Credit Suisse tech-M&A under Frank Quattrone.

00:24:40 Private-equity at American Capital → founding POTOMAC (2003).

00:27:05 Discovering pest-control M&A; the Orkin/Terminix duopoly era.

00:31:05 Philosophy: “Put the seller first—profit follows.”

00:34:50 Shift from deal-maker to “psychodynamic” CEO coach.

00:38:00 Legacy talk – “Play the hand you’re dealt better than anyone.”

00:40:55 Enter “the Mexican” — Franco’s gladiator-style interview story.

00:46:25 Daily routine & thinking leverage (25 k steps, no morning calls).

00:54:00 Smashing limiting beliefs: four-minute-mile analogy for owners.

00:59:40 What’s hot in M&A: lawn-care roll-ups; fire-protection next.

01:06:05 Advice to 18-year-old Paul: guard health, seek balance.

01:08:10 Top travel picks – Istanbul, Switzerland, Japan keep calling.

01:12:50 Dylan Seals outro – CTA to POTOMAC M&A Masterclass playlist.

Brian dives deep into the idea that businesses grow only as much as their people do. He explains the value of becoming a training organization, creating an environment where every team member feels invested in the mission. With tools like his Sphere-Center-Sphere feedback framework, he highlights how effective communication and belief can motivate employees to improve and contribute at their best. What would happen if leaders focused on inspiring belief in their teams every day?

Finally, Brian discusses how business discipline—simplifying processes, forecasting growth, and setting clear goals—can help companies avoid complexity and achieve sustainable results. He stresses that building a great business requires more than good ideas; it takes focus, consistency, and trust in the team. What steps can you take to simplify your business and create a culture of growth and accountability? Tune in to discover actionable strategies to transform your leadership and your organization.

Noosa Pest Management’s growth strategy under Fred’s leadership prioritizes refinement over rapid expansion. Over the past year, Fred made strategic decisions to raise prices for certain services and eliminate less profitable offerings, resulting in a significant boost to net profits despite modest overall growth. His disciplined focus on quality over quantity underscores the impact of thoughtful decision-making in driving sustainable success. Looking ahead, Fred plans to launch an inside sales program to broaden outreach while maintaining exceptional service standards. What role does strategic risk-taking play in achieving sustainable growth while preserving a company’s core values?  

Fred’s vision extends beyond business operations, with a deep commitment to community impact. Fred and Ellen Wingate founded the Logan Jett Research Foundation, to help improve the lives of everyone touched by epilepsy, fund research for treatment options while working toward a cure, and provide a network of resources and support. As Noosa looks to the future, Fred remains focused on innovation and customer service, ensuring the company continues to grow with integrity and care. How can organizations weave social responsibility into their business strategies while staying true to their core objectives?

Learn more about the Logan Jett Research Foundation here: https://www.loganjresearch.org/

Nick Bartolo turns the mic on Paul Giannamore to discuss his strategy for selling fire protection businesses. Paul reveals how a formal sell-side process, combined with competitive leverage, drives transaction multiples to new highs. 

Learn how you can maximize the value of your fire protection business in the growing M&A market and cut taxes on the transaction. 

Recorded at NFPA 2024 in Orlando, Florida.

In this episode:

• Importance of competitive auctions in fire protection
• Why sell-side representation matters
• Tips for preparing years ahead of sale
• Common challenges in M&A deals
• Success stories in raising multiples

Tuxedo Mosquito’s strength lies in its unwavering commitment to a single focus: mosquito control. By specializing, rather than expanding into general pest control, Robert has built a trusted brand known for expertise in this niche area. He views this narrow focus as a competitive advantage, differentiating Tuxedo from broader pest control companies. Despite occasional encouragement to diversify services, Robert firmly believes in the power of specialization to set his business apart. Is this strategy the right approach for all niche businesses, or might it limit future growth?

To ensure the right people are in the right roles, Tuxedo Mosquito uses the Culture Index, a tool that helps them hire individuals whose skills and traits match the demands of the job. By defining ideal profiles for each position, Robert has minimized hiring mismatches and created a team that operates with minimal oversight. This hiring strategy has allowed Tuxedo to maintain a cohesive, efficient team that is aligned with the company’s values. How might similar tools benefit other businesses in finding and retaining talent that truly fits their unique culture?

The duo delves into first-order thinking, a strategy that strips problems down to their basic elements, enabling organizations to innovate by building solutions from the ground up. This approach results in truly effective and impactful change rather than simply repurposing old solutions. Chase shares how Go-Forth used this approach to design a unique, customer-focused program tailored specifically to client needs. In Chase’s view, first-order thinking is essential for identifying fresh, effective strategies that align with long-term objectives. How might organizations cultivate a culture that encourages this level of foundational, creative thinking?

Chase brings up his perspective on employee turnover. While turnover is often seen as a negative, he explained that it can serve as a natural part of organizational growth, especially when underperformers are replaced by top talent. Embracing turnover as an opportunity to strengthen the team and foster resilience can make change feel less disruptive and more like a constructive evolution. For Chase, fostering a culture that adapts to change, rather than resisting it, enables organizations to thrive despite disruptions. How can companies reframe turnover as a positive force, and what steps can they take to make the transition smoother?

Audio mixing and editing by www.verbell.ltd.

Jamie dives into the potential impact of tariffs and tax reductions on inflation. He makes it clear that tariffs are inflationary, leading to higher costs for everyday items, which are often passed on to consumers. Speculating on future economic policies, Jamie warns that it might be premature to declare inflation under control, given the potential for more price hikes. How might further inflation affect industries that rely on a stable consumer base?

Jamie reflects on the challenges of managing businesses, especially in industries like pest control, where regional and cultural differences can complicate operations. Jamie stresses the importance of clear, honest communication with investors and warns against assuming everyone understands industry specifics. As companies navigate these complex times, how can businesses better tailor their strategies and messaging to align with market realities?

As Evolve expanded, Nephi and Shad systematically tackled the common challenges of scaling—recruiting the right talent, maintaining service quality, and managing multi-location operations. They developed a structured hiring process that prioritized alignment with the company's core values, emphasizing that a strong, consistent company culture was essential to their success and sustainability. By focusing on building robust systems and processes, they maintained consistency and excellence in their services, allowing them to scale effectively while preserving their company culture. What specific systems or processes could you implement in your business to maintain quality and culture while rapidly expanding to new locations?

Ultimately, Nephi and Shad decided to sell their company, citing the competitive and increasingly expensive nature of door-to-door sales, coupled with attractive market offers. They candidly reflected on the stress and personal sacrifices made during their journey, as well as the rewards of building a successful business. Their story underscores the importance of adapting to market conditions and recognizing the right time to exit. Now exploring new ventures, they exemplify the ongoing entrepreneurial spirit. As you contemplate your own business journey, what key indicators would signal to you that it's time to consider an exit strategy, and how might you prepare for that possibility?

Audio mixing and editing by www.verbell.ltd.

Kyle shares the story of his company's strategic shift from wildlife control to pest control, focusing on the need to increase recurring revenue. There were challenges, particularly in retraining technicians who are used to selling higher-ticket wildlife services. To tackle this, Kyle’s team introduced higher commissions for pest control sales which helped motivate the technicians and drive results. What creative approaches can businesses take to incentivize and support their teams during periods of operational change?

In discussing business growth, Kyle highlights acquisitions as a powerful way to scale. He stresses the importance of thoroughly analyzing potential acquisitions, including comparing financial metrics and pricing models, to ensure the acquired businesses align with existing strategies. This careful evaluation helps identify growth opportunities while minimizing risks. With so much at stake, what should companies focus on when assessing acquisition prospects?

Audio mixing and editing by www.verbell.ltd.

Gifford’s experience in door-to-door sales has been a defining factor in shaping his business philosophy. He believes there’s no better way to build resilience than by facing constant rejection on the front lines. To him, knocking on 100 doors a day wasn’t just about sales—it was about developing the grit to keep going despite setbacks. This relentless perseverance is essential not only in sales but in the broader world of entrepreneurship. How can facing rejection and failure more often prepare you for long-term business success?

Gifford reminds us of the importance of understanding your numbers. He’s seen too many businesses fail because they didn’t have a handle on their financials. Being proactive about your business’s financial health, from cash flow to profit margins, can prevent unnecessary risks and help you make informed decisions. Are you paying close enough attention to the numbers that drive your business decisions?

Audio mixing and editing by www.verbell.ltd.

Jonas highlights the importance of recognizing when to shift strategies in response to challenges. His success, he says, comes from focusing on core strengths, empowering his team, and fostering a strong company culture. By aligning his team's growth with the company’s goals, he’s created an environment that encourages retention and long-term expansion. Effective delegation and mentorship have been key to scaling his business sustainably. What is the role of leadership in empowering teams, and how can you foster a culture that supports both individual and company growth?

Franchising and partnerships have been part of Pest Badger’s growth strategy, but he underscores that these models require careful planning, strong legal frameworks, and strategic decision-making. Whether franchising is right for every business depends on a variety of factors, but his experience shows that leveraging mentorship, professional development, and strategic planning can pave the way for sustainable growth and success. What should leaders consider when evaluating franchising or partnership opportunities, and how can they ensure these models align with long-term goals?

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Charlie delves into the importance of early financial planning and investment, explaining how he began investing in real estate shortly after joining the family business. He emphasizes that diversifying assets—whether through real estate, stocks, or other means—builds long-term financial security. Early investments can lay the groundwork for future success in both business and personal wealth. How are you leveraging early financial strategies to build a foundation for lasting success and wealth growth?

Community engagement has always been central to Charlie’s values, and Getem Services exemplifies how a commitment to local causes can enhance both reputation and growth. When businesses invest in their communities, they foster stronger relationships, build brand loyalty, and amplify their societal impact. How can businesses strategically integrate community involvement into their core operations for sustainable success?

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The trio discusses the role of technology and automation in acquisitions. Through personal experiences, they share that integrating new systems often made certain roles redundant, underscoring the need to evaluate the cultural fit between companies during mergers. Chase explains how Go Forth handles newly acquired office and branch managers, highlighting the company's technology capabilities and organizational structure. Strategic planning and adaptability are crucial in the acquisition process, so what steps can businesses take to ensure smooth cultural integration when merging or acquiring companies?

Effective management hinges on striking a delicate balance between empathy and performance expectations. While understanding and meeting employee needs is important, overindulging in perks that don’t genuinely enhance their work experience can backfire. Perks like free lunches and other bonuses are appealing but should not come at the expense of maintaining high-performance standards. A successful management approach thoughtfully balances employee support with a focus on results, driving both satisfaction and strong business performance. How can companies find the right equilibrium between supporting their teams and upholding rigorous performance expectations?

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The chat takes an intriguing turn as the three explore different perspectives on remote work. While Brian advocates for increased efficiency through careful time management, Chase grabs a stopwatch to measure his own processes. Despite the focus on productivity, Big Blue Bug Solutions maintains a positive work culture through events like their annual "State of the Bug" meeting. This sparks a thought-provoking debate: how can companies strike a balance between boosting efficiency and fostering a strong, supportive company culture?

Listeners are treated to insights into the Goldman family's four-generation success story, delving into their operational strategies and decision-making processes. From remote work challenges to sales model adjustments and process optimization, Brian's experiences offer valuable lessons for businesses of all sizes. As the episode wraps up, viewers are left to ponder: what's your biggest takeaway from this interview with Brian?

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Mark highlights the importance of empathy and understanding in the future workplace, especially in sales roles. Forget about just being a boss - today's employees need mentors who can help them grow, both in their careers and as individuals. With the right guidance, they can experience less stress and more success, finding clarity in their professional and personal paths. To make mentorship a natural part of your leadership, create a culture of continuous development where mentoring is an ongoing practice, not just a one-time event. So, how can companies adapt to this more human-centered approach and set themselves up for long-term success? 

Go pick up a copy of Mark’s new book at markjstewart.com

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Fat Pat and Chase Hazelwood break down why ideas alone aren't enough to guarantee success this week in The Boardroom - it’s all about execution. He argues that managers need to be more than just thinkers; they must dive into the details of their business, from sales to production, to ensure strategies are carried out effectively. It’s not just about generating ideas; it’s about seeing them through to completion. Are you as focused on executing your ideas as you are on creating them?

Chase and Patrick emphasize the importance of accountability within an organization. A leadership role should go beyond evaluating employee performance—it must involve creating the conditions for success by establishing clear systems and processes that empower everyone. This approach fosters a culture where accountability is shared, and success is collective. How are you cultivating accountability at all levels within your business?

Customer feedback, especially negative customer feedback, can be a powerful tool for growth. Instead of brushing off complaints, Chase explains how his team uses these insights to refine their operations and improve their business. By staying engaged with customer concerns and adjusting accordingly, they turn criticism into progress. Is Chase coming for all your customers? 

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Together they touch on the delicate balance between exploring new ideas and staying true to core business objectives. Court shares his personal struggle with “shiny object syndrome,” where the temptation to chase every new opportunity can distract from the company’s primary goals. He emphasizes the importance of filtering and prioritizing ideas with the help of a strong team, ensuring that the business remains focused and aligned. How do successful leaders balance innovation with maintaining a clear business focus?

There is always incredible value in learning from others in the industry. Court highlights his involvement in industry groups and the benefits of networking with other business owners. These interactions have provided him with fresh insights and collaborative opportunities that have strengthened his business stressing the importance of continuous learning and adapting to changes in the industry. How can professionals leverage industry connections and constant learning to stay ahead in a competitive market?

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Rentokil is undergoing notable transitions, with John Myers in the process of retiring and speculations of the company potentially going private. The massive Rentokil/Terminix deal was a significant milestone, but with pressure from institutional investors and the potential impact of the upcoming election on the market, the future of Rentokil is still undecided. The pest control industry is evolving, with a greater focus on service and customer experience over purely financial considerations. Across the service industry, popular software systems like ServiceTitan for HVAC services and ServiceTrade for fire and life safety services are becoming essential tools. How will these internal changes and technological advancements shape the future of the industry?

Building relationships and leveraging industry expertise emerged as significant themes in this episode. Paul Giannamore emphasized the importance of networks like the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), which provide invaluable insights and learning opportunities. Paul and Patrick highlight how industry leaders are increasingly turning to consulting and mentorship, with notable examples like Tommy Mello investing heavily in expert advice to drive business success. Will this trend toward greater reliance on external expertise and mentorship continue to shape the industry's future strategies and growth?

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Chase Hazelwood delves into his team's unwavering dedication to fostering positive customer service experiences. At Go-Forth Home Services, while they leverage AI to enhance their operations, they never lose sight of the human element. Their focus is on making sure customers feel genuinely heard and understood. To Chase, while efficiency and technical expertise are essential, the true differentiator is connecting with customers on a personal level. How can businesses strategically blend advanced technologies with a personal touch to deliver an unparalleled customer experience?

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Drew shares his strategies for nurturing long-term customer relationships, particularly with commercial customers. By maintaining contract flexibility and consistently delivering high-quality service, Fenn Termite & Pest Control built strong trust and loyalty with their clients. Drew emphasizes the importance of clear operational procedures and well-trained staff to navigate uncertain economic periods while effectively and efficiently meeting diverse customer needs. Embracing these challenges transforms short-term engagements into lasting partnerships. What steps can businesses take to ensure their teams are equipped to maintain high service standards and adapt to changing customer needs?

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Walton highlights the importance of truly appreciating the success that comes from hard work. To know the value of success, it must be hard-earned. Reflecting on an encounter with a young Lance Armstrong, Jason comes to know the impact and importance of setting high aspirations and working diligently towards them. His steadfast perseverance and dedication thereby paved the path to substantial achievements in his professional political career. How can reflecting on our encounters with peers and role models inspire us to set higher aspirations in our own pursuits?

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In the interview, Mike Houston detailed his approach to growing his business through multiple strategies. He stressed the importance of not just analyzing acquisitions by looking at the financials but also ensuring a good fit with the existing business model. Mike also highlighted the significance of clear communication and mutual benefits in making acquisitions successful. What strategies does Mike consider essential when evaluating a potential business for acquisition?

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In an insightful speech at the AZPPO Great Western Pest Control Conference in March 2024, Paul Giannamore, the industry’s foremost authority on business valuation, shared valuable strategies for growing, managing, and valuing pest control businesses. He emphasized staying focused on core pest control services for better performance and higher valuations. Paul stressed prioritizing cash flow over revenue and building a strong base of recurring revenue to attract private equity firms. Are you focusing on your core services and ensuring a strong cash flow?

Paul discussed adapting to market changes, noting a shift from strategic acquirers like Orkin and Terminix to private equity firms that prioritize cash flow stability. He recommended targeting smaller, denser markets for higher gross margins and implementing strategic pricing to keep up with inflation. Do you focus on market density and adjust your pricing strategies to improve margins?

Paul underscored the importance of recurring revenue for high gross margins and strong business valuations. He advised managing direct costs to maintain high gross margins and adopting strategic customer acquisition approaches, including direct mail. Paul also recommended bundling services and delivering consistent customer service to retain customers. Are you maximizing recurring revenue and maintaining high gross margins while providing excellent customer service?

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 The team highlights the need to inform customers about their right to rescind a contract within three days to avoid significant financial risks. Failing to provide proper notice of this right can lead to serious consequences for a business. Are your terms and conditions updated with this clause?

 Phil recommends setting up separate business entities for different aspects of a business to ensure extra protection and flexibility. Creating individual LLCs for partners and securing proper insurance coverage can mitigate potential risks. How are you protecting your business operations with separate entities and insurance?

 Learn more about Phil and his work at www.philrinehart.com.

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Chase shares his innovative hiring practices, suggesting businesses look outside their industry for high-quality, friendly employees. He's even found success in hiring staff from a pet daycare, who brought strong customer service skills to the team. What new talent pools could your business explore for exceptional hires?

The co-hosts highlight the need to maintain consistent commission rates to protect company culture and profitability. Offering additional benefits, such as better equipment and professional development opportunities, can help retain top talent. How can your company effectively balance fair compensation with extra benefits to attract and keep the best employees?

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A significant part of Caleb's marketing strategy involves a dedicated in-house team focused on video content and social media. This approach has helped Town & Country Pest Solutions build a strong online presence and engage effectively with customers. How might investing in professional video content and social media marketing benefit your business?

Learning from peer business owners has been crucial for Caleb’s success. Joining leadership groups has provided valuable insights and the confidence to implement new ideas. Caleb has embraced the word "yes" when it comes to new opportunities, even outside his comfort zone. Who is pushing you to reach new heights and implement new strategies?

Mentorship and personal connections are key in any leadership position. Brian proactively sought out experienced individuals to learn from. At Bring the Joy Ventures, it's about collaboration and the abundance mentality over micro-managing and secrecy. How can you start building a network of mentors and peers to support your growth?

Brian highlights the need for work-life balance, stressing that while work is important, it shouldn't overshadow family and personal growth. To Brian, family comes first. He encourages leaders to ensure their employees prioritize this balance too. How can you promote a healthier work-life balance within your team yet still exceed your business goals?

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Trust and accountability must be balanced. Trust doesn’t mean avoiding accountability but creating a safe space for improvement. Highlighting mutual respect and accountability, the co-hosts emphasize that no team member is above the team. How can leaders balance trust and accountability effectively?

Measuring performance is crucial for growth. It's important to track metrics like close rates to gauge business success. Chase's rigorous tracking system encourages constant feedback, while Paul notes that trust allows candid feedback. What performance metrics drive improvement in your organization?

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Staff turnover can be beneficial, contrary to popular belief. It may even be healthy to bring on new talent and ideas, pushing both employees and employers toward excellence. What strategies can you implement to leverage staff turnover as a driving force for growth and innovation within your organization?

Continuous process improvement serves an important role in driving businesses toward success. Like Chase, you may even use AI tools for developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and training materials to boost your progress. How can your business harness the power of focused process improvement and the integration of AI tools to achieve growth at a competitive rate?

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Jared observes the power of mindset shifts in driving business growth. Transitioning from scarcity to abundance can open up new possibilities, not just for leaders like Jared but for entire teams. Ponder this: What mindset shifts can we make in our businesses to unlock untapped potential and foster growth?

Let's not forget about the dynamic duo of Jared and his wife, Skye, who navigate the business world together. Their partnership underscores the importance of clear boundaries and open communication in both professional and personal relationships. How can we foster strong partnerships in business while maintaining a healthy work-life balance?

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Revenue-based earnouts are generally safer than cash-flow ones. Why? Because the deeper you delve into the profit and loss statement, the less control sellers have. But here's the kicker: How can sellers navigate these murky waters and ensure they're not left high and dry when the deal is done? It's a tough nut to crack but understanding the ins and outs of earnouts might just be the key to staying afloat.

Honorable conduct pays dividends in reputation, while shady dealings can burn bridges. How can businesses strike the right balance between seizing opportunities and maintaining their moral compass in a cutthroat industry? It's a tightrope walk but finding that sweet spot could spell the difference between long-term success and a tarnished reputation.

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The presentation revolves around the key decision-making processes in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), focusing particularly on the choice between negotiation and auction when selling assets. Paul Giannamore, with over 20 years of experience in M&A advisory, emphasizes that understanding and choosing the right selling process—negotiation or auction—is crucial, not only in M&A but in any asset sale.

Illustrating this, he shares a personal story about selling a valuable family-owned violin through different methods—initially trying to sell it online and then through personal connections, which eventually led to auctioning. This story serves as a segue into discussing the auction process more broadly.

Paul elaborates on the complexities and strategic decisions involved in auctioning, using a detailed example of selling a business through a controlled auction process. The narrative includes tactical shifts like switching to a Dutch auction to push the final sale price closer to the desired amount. He explains the dynamics of a controlled auction, highlighting the absence of traditional negotiation and the focus on leveraging competition among buyers to maximize the selling price.

In essence, the presentation provides a comprehensive overview of strategic decision-making in asset sales, focusing on the choice of process, and underscores the importance of understanding and manipulating these processes to achieve the best outcomes in business transactions.

Contact POTOMAC today and find out how.

Watch the recorded version of his speech here: https://youtu.be/AIbOsEZRifM?si=ikZklx9gCIpMhzdz 

Skye sheds light on the importance of adapting business strategies to align with employee values, especially considering the unique characteristics of the younger generation in the workforce. When it comes to flexibility and customization, urging leaders to meet younger individuals where they are can be key in driving their success. But what does this level of customization look like in practice? And how can businesses navigate the changing dynamics of the modern workplace while staying true to their core values?

Skye underscores the value of learning from others, whether through mentorship or studying successful businesses. The power of collaboration and openness to new ideas can do wonders in driving growth and development. But how can leaders cultivate a culture of continuous learning within their organizations? What steps can you take to ensure you're always evolving and adapting to stay ahead in such a fast-paced industry?

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Let's talk about keeping those customers happy. Implementing a killer retention program can seriously beef up your bottom line. But here's the million-dollar question: Are you doing enough to keep your customers coming back for more? Have you ever really sat down and thought about how to keep them hooked?

In the wild world of door-to-door sales, your numbers may soar, but have you considered the risks? When you're scaling up, things can get pretty dicey. So, is the risk worth the reward, or should you look for a safer bet?

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Next, exploring the subtle power of priming – how seemingly insignificant cues can sway our judgments without us even realizing it. It makes you wonder: How much of our decision-making is truly our own, and how much is influenced by these hidden triggers? What steps can we take to become more aware of these influences in our professional and personal lives?

Let's talk about hiring processes and the importance of systematic thinking over relying solely on intuition. According to the peak-end rule, we tend to remember the most intense moment and the end of an experience more than the rest of it. It begs the question: Are we doing enough to ensure that our hiring processes are fair and based on merit rather than unconscious biases? Could implementing systematic approaches lead to more diverse and effective teams?

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When it comes to valuing your business, growth rates and margins play a pivotal role. But are you factoring them into your valuation strategy? Paul and Patrick cover the importance of a nuanced approach instead of relying solely on a one-size-fits-all method. Even though you may not be thinking about selling in the near future, what variables come to mind as you think about the value of your business?

And what's the scoop on offshore trusts? Despite their reputation, they can be a valid strategy for protecting your assets from legal and financial risks. What are some common misunderstandings of offshore trusts?

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We all know negotiation is a crucial skill for sealing deals. Ask the right questions and keep crucial information close to the chest. Have you honed your negotiation tactics to secure the best outcomes for your business transactions?

When acquiring a business, it's not just about crunching numbers—understanding the seller's needs is paramount. Remember, stay agile, keep an eye on emerging trends, and be willing to pivot your strategy when necessary. By refining your approach and embracing innovation, you can position your business for growth and success in any market environment. Are you ready to implement these insights into your business strategy?

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Mike stresses the significance of choosing the right partner in business. A supportive partner can make all the difference, while the wrong one can spell disaster. To Mike, a great business partner can influence good in both your business and personal life. Have you ever had a business partner, and if so, how did they impact your professional journey?

Mike goes on to encourage us to embrace failure as a catalyst for growth. He believes discussing failures and learning from them is crucial for continuous improvement. How do you handle failure in your own business, and what strategies do you use to turn setbacks into opportunities for growth?

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Chase didn't stop at the surface level. He stresses the crucial role of training, transparency, and accountability in shaping a workforce poised for success. Creating an environment where slacking off is a major faux pas and where every team member is driven to excel is key. Do you have what it takes to put your people on a batting order and share those stats for everyone to see?

At Go-Forth, the team is on a mission to automate almost everything. Chase shares how they utilize AI and remove decision-making to improve efficiency. What can you not drill down to a checklist?

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Let's talk recurring revenue. Seth spills the beans on how some savvy companies are ditching annual warranties in favor of monthly subscriptions. Even wildlife companies can implement subscription-based models. Staying laser-focused on building a business, rather than getting distracted by naysayers, is crucial to long-term success—it's all about keeping that cash flow steady and predictable. But here's the million-dollar question: Is your business ready to make the switch to a subscription-based model? What's keeping you from changing your billing structure?

When it comes to expanding your operations, Fat Pat and Seth shed light on their "rule of ten": Don't split your company into different departments until you've got a solid team of ten technicians. Efficiency is key when the business is guided by a clear understanding of where the company is heading but it begs the question: How close is your company to hitting that magic number, and what can you do if you're just under Seth and Patrick's rule of ten?

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Private equity firms are ditching pest control for the untamed world of wildlife businesses—it's all about the lower acquisition prices. Paul goes in-depth into this potential new frontier for private equity investments. Are you ready to jump into the wildlife platform trend, or are you sticking to the safer waters of traditional investments?

A recent Potomac client revamps their company's governance with the game-changing impact of an unbiased board. Now, the question is: would you be willing to surrender to a self-appointed board of directors?

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Take it from the expert—ditch the grand goals and focus on small, daily changes. How can your business benefit from implementing small changes? Can skipping the business equivalent of a fast-food binge lead to significant improvements

Don't accept the first offer when selling your business. In fact, hear how it ends up with a losing hand. How can the discomfort of asking for more during negotiations potentially lead to a better outcome?

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"Strategy in 2024" takes center stage. Spoiler alert: it's all about goals and objectives—it just keeps all the wheels turning. But so does showing your commitment to your people. How does sending team members of all levels to user conferences show you're invested?

PestPac vs FieldRoutes. Paul and Patrick lay down the lowdown on the types of companies that invest in these platforms. Why do some companies lean towards one or the other?

This won't be the last time Paul and Patrick hit the road together this year. Let's see if The Mex earns his invite.

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If you were to create one standard operating procedure (SOP) now, what would it be and why? More importantly, is your focus better directed elsewhere? Just like most other answers on The Buzz, it's not necessarily a one-size-fits-all answer.

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Some buyers might like the owner being less hands-on and having a strong team already in charge. What factors influence how the buyers see the level of owner involvement?

Are you really the best person for the job? From risk to flexibility to finances, what’s the return on replacing yourself as CEO?

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Customer communication is a tricky wicket. Who gets price hikes and how do you communicate them?

While Seth is fielding all the questions this week, let’s get his take on artificial intelligence. But this isn’t an A.I. convo you’ve heard before.

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Reliability’s best friend, recurring revenue, plays a critical role in a business’s market value. But some things are not worth their risk, especially when considering the timing. What should an owner NOT do when an exit is on the horizon? When is it wise to engage in door-to-door sales, and how should owners balance short-term risks with potential long-term benefits?

Before the two head out for travel for the week, Fat Pat sneaks in his own valuation question. Stay tuned to see if Fat Pat survives a day with The Mex in America’s armpit.

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Sheridan advocates for the strategic use of digital platforms, suggesting the creation of a 'Learning Center' on websites. This not only positions a company as an industry expert but also aids customers in making informed decisions. Can businesses attract more trust and traffic by openly discussing topics that their competitors avoid?

What is the significance of personalization and human interaction in a digital-first business environment? Marcus Sheridan shares his approach of asking unique questions in sales meetings to build connections and highlights the potential of content marketing and inbound sales for entrepreneurial organizations. Can addressing customer questions, leveraging digital platforms, and being more human can generate increased traffic, leads, and sales? Can businesses truly thrive by adopting a strategic approach to content marketing, inbound sales, and customer engagement?

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How do you value a business? Consider the complexity in rising valuations and the unique liquidation potential within the pest control industry. Think about other industries that could benefit from this approach and what the decision-making considerations are for these business owners.

Valuing a business for an internal partner buyout differs significantly from valuing it for sale to an external party. What is considered valuable particularly in internal partner buyouts versus sales to external parties? This discrepancy presents a challenge, especially with valuation dynamics. Stay tuned for more details on an upcoming event, and go ahead and pre-register by emailing thebuzz@potomaccompany.com.

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Whether you use the term “empathy” or not, how does it shape your hiring decisions and culture?

Speaking of culture, Rob turns the tables and puts empathy on the back burner to chase down a culture conversation. Empathy, continuous learning, and culture intersect in the back half of this sit-down. Culture influences your decision-making, interactions, and overall growth, but how?

The stakes are different and so are the tactics as you think through negotiating hostages and M&A negotiations. And just when you thought your life was chaotic, at least you’re getting brought into negotiations for destabilization purposes. 

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The industry initially surged with high customer demand during the pandemic, driven by essential services and lockdowns. However, the looming question is what lies ahead for the demand in pest control services. Even if companies manage to maintain top-line growth, they must address the pressing challenges of rising labor, fuel, and material costs. How will businesses adapt to these financial challenges while continuing to meet the demands of an evolving market?

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Maybe there is a place for concierge service. How can you make exceptions without compromising profit?

Surely your CSRs have ideas for days. Their pent-up creativity has to go somewhere, but where? You’ll hear when and where creativity belong in your business. 

Mr. Giannamore, your suite is ready.

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There are an endless number of tools to measure intelligence and personality, but this one of a kind index reveals a person's natural instincts and behaviors when it comes to performing tasks. From creating effective teams to making informed hiring decisions to resolving conflict, do you see how Kolbe can help you make sure you have the right team with the right people doing the right tasks?

This Boardroom sides a sidestep as a surprise guest comes from backstage in this Jerry Springer knock down, drag-out. Don’t miss out on business lessons with Slim G.

You’ll hear it’s not a test, but still somehow Fat Pat passes with flying colors as … awkward.

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You know The Tax Man is watching. Don’t skimp out on legal advice if you find yourself making plans to pass down to future generations. 

When is comes to passing the CEO-torch and making tough decisions on compensation, an advisory board comes in handy. How do you see compensation impacting culture and growth?

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The surge in union activity, even in traditionally unaffected industries, is notable. How does this escalating union presence affect businesses, and what measures can be implemented to effectively address its consequences?

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Step on in to hear if the “juice is worth the squeeze”. It’s a lot more than just getting potential shareholders on the same page. What does and doesn’t need to get unified before selling off the whole kit and caboodle? Despite Paul threatening to do a 40-hour episode, you know it would take longer than that for Fat Pat to grasp the fundamental concepts.

Is a merger really a merger? … What’s in a name? That which we call a merger by any other name would smell as sweet.

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Team meetings and one-on-one sessions serve as essential tools for keeping everyone aligned with the company's objectives and maintaining effective communication. But what makes these meetings so vital, and how do they contribute to the overall success of a business?

Establishing appropriate incentive structures and clear performance metrics can guide managers to achieve both short-term and long-term company goals. Step on in to hear about preparing managers for new opportunities and thinking about the advantages that outside talent can bring to a growing business. 

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Speaking of emotions, wealth advisors are not only investment guides but act as buffers to provide emotional distance and manage risk. With most advisors acting more like salespeople than genuine investment professionals, how can you make the right choice for your financial journey?

Tune in to hear about “The Money Illusion”, the realities of the 60/40 portfolio strategy (60% stocks, 40% bonds), and the US economy’s historic lack of soft landings.

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The pest control sector has observed declining customer loyalty, probably due to higher prices and tightened budgets. Yet, there's a promising opportunity for companies specializing in termite baiting, as they could gain profits given the consistent demand for such services. Would you follow Paul’s termite baiting-only business model?

Private equity deals can be intricate and come with potential risks that demand thorough evaluation. Different private equity firms can yield varied results, with some being more ethical and prosperous than others. As these firms show increasing interest in the pest control industry, will owners shortcut investigating their differences?

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From multi-state janitorial to healthcare software to Dallas metro-based lawn and pest business to ServiceAutopilot, hear where pain finds its place in business. 

Jonathan goes into detail on the dynamics of private equity through his exit, and how a third party advisor helps beyond the bottom line. What’s next for Jonathan as he winds down his sabbatical?

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Safety plays no small role in this billion dollar enterprise. Balancing their approach between authority with accountability, you’ll hear a lot about PSSI’s team structure. As critical team members, how do PSSI’s field workers collaborate for seamless service? 

The Boardroom dives into the strategy behind PSSI’s expansion. Upstream? Downstream? This way? That way? Just can’t blame an optimistic capitalist.

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Step into The Boardroom as Uncle Paul and Fat Pat take on more listener questions, such as where do one-time services fit into the mix, if at all? In regards to valuing a business, following EBITDA, what else is important? What’s not on the P&L that influences top-line revenue quality?

What does it cost to buy a customer list versus growing without acquisitions? The focus has shifted from just buying accounts to considering the cash flow stream in recent years, but what perspective should you take as you’re looking to buy 1-3 route businesses?

Have issues with you recurring revenue? There’s a 12-step program for that.

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From turning away predictable revenue to insights on the world of franchising, you’ll hear tough decisions Brian has made on the road to optimizing his HVAC business. 

As a self-professing non-tradesperson, tune-in to see why Brian and his wife viewing themselves as their own target customer impacts their marketing. How does Evergreen build and maintain high trust with their clients? What do you think about Brian’s Work Huddle?

Want Comfort? There’s a Club for that.

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Seth shares his personal thesis with Paul about valuation, but it’s not what you think. What could it be? What about monetizing consumer data, and using big data for marketing campaigns, cross-selling, upselling, and more? 

You might miss Fat Pat this week, but you definitely don’t want to miss Paul’s soliloquy on when to buy and when to sell.

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Also, a listener writes-in about protecting his customer list. What protections should be in place while with a potential buyer, and ultimately what happens if they break that trust?

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Put technicians aside for a minute. What about hiring salespeople who are hunters versus lead chasers? Is prior experience as a sales hunter necessary or can it be trained? From job description to interview questions, can managers effectively assess a candidate's potential as a hunter, or is this a model some are better off to avoid?

A Sebring Convertible. Really Rob?

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The partnering-with-pest-control question continues. In this case, The Boardroom takes another stab at the home inspection question from Episode 131. Do the same rules regarding perpetuity pay for salespeople apply to paying joint venture partners?

And should it (and you) stay or should it go? When it comes to joint venture partners and also founders, what challenges and opportunities exist when it comes to transitioning after an exit? And how does it differ between strategics and private equity?

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You’ll hear Carroll open up about hiring practices, safety measures, and branding strategies during this engaging discussion. No stone gets left unturned by the end of this casual conversation.

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Patrick and Seth have built not only a management tool but also a great team at FRAXN. With FRAXN, pest control owners gain insights into their business and identify areas for improvement.

Register for The Moneyball Series at fraxn.com/events

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Is the customer always right? Do your CSR’s go through 9-degrees of training? It sounds like it’s the perfect opportunity to role play with none other than Fat Pat’s Pest. 

Changing course here, what’s the interplay between pest control and the home inspection business? From equity to revenue share to profit share, is there a right answer?

And would it really be an episode with Seth Garber if he didn’t kill a sacred cow?

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It goes without saying - leadership isn’t easy - but is there such a thing as a born leader? From clarity to consistency, Garland shares the traits that you need to lead. Garland breaks down strengths and weaknesses to expose both as potential liabilities. There are a few gut checks in this sit-down, including what causes organizational whiplash.

Quick word of advice…before you press play, go ahead and lookup the definition for intertemporally.

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• Is there such a thing as too high revenue per technician?
• In 2021, everything must go, but what about now?
• When to increase pricing, and how much? And should I communicate the price increase?

Paul has a secret trip planned. Don’t get FOMO like Patrick. Subscribe to Potomac TV today.

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Know your role. Tune in to hear about the importance of distinguishing between shareholder vs employee roles. Partners, how did you decide compensation, equity, and strategy decisions? How do you stay on the same page? What about a tiebreaker?

Maybe you don’t already have a shareholder agreement in place. It’s not too late. If you do, does it include a provision for calculating the value of your business?

Exits happen. Do you have a plan for both voluntary and involuntary exits? Have you worked through any issues that could arise? If your shareholder agreement has a preamble, email it to The Buzz (thebuzz@potomaccompany.com).

Are you ready if your plane falls?

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So the 6th listener to email thebuzz@potomaccompany.com with the Subject Line “I actually read this” will get a gift.

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Now the proud owner of Atlanta-based Citywide Plumbing, David shares his life lessons on leadership, sales, taking risks and more in this Boardroom chat.

David takes us back to his pre-pest days in retail and his moving & shaking days of commercial pest control sales in Orlando. Tune-in to hear David’s take leadership and more in this multi-decade look-back. 

Have you ever seen your “exes” get married? David has.

Audio Mixing and Editing by www.verbell.ltd

Clean. Setup. Repeat. Ryan breaks down the complacency breakdown in this repetitive industry. Salesperson at heart, Ryan shares his project-based entry methods and balancing sales with the operations-side of the business.

Tune-in to hear about the highs and lows of channel partners, hiring, management, peer groups and more. With a state as wide as Fat Pat, how does Ryan drive culture and density across the great state of Texas? 

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Making stops at ServiceMasters’ Merry Maids and American Residential Services, and then finding a special situations detour along the way, Bryan has experience in both realms of publicly traded and private equity. All eyes are on the local manager in this double-distributed service model chat. 

From interest rates affecting M&A to understanding people, this interview doesn’t lack substance.

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Paul returns from his trip Across the Pond where he interviewed Rentokil CEO Andy Ransom. What’s Andy’s take on the near-future of pest control? Tune in and subscribe to Potomac TV to find out. 

Remember from Episode 102, money doesn’t sit on the sidelines. The bank event changes Patrick’s previous tune of chasing yield to chasing safe haven. It begs the questions ‘where is a good place to store wealth?’

From making bank deposits to bail-ins to kick the proverbial can up the stairs, there’s a lot to take in during this bank-centric sit-down.

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Mike Rogers built Killingworth’s Komfort Air. Patrick tried to add carpet cleaning. What guiding parameters should you put in place if you decide to expand? FedEx and ISS show clear ups and downs of expansion. Don’t miss Paul G’s Law of Cross-Selling.

You’re convinced you could do so much more if you had access to capital. Stay tuned…

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You don’t want to miss Paul’s Sunday school lesson on strategy. He holds nothing back is his fact-over-fiction viewpoint on KPIs and benchmarking. It’s time to reverse engineer your business for success during this off-season.

Bodyweight as a KPI? Sure, why not Fat Pat?

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Credit to John Roberts PhD author of The Modern Firm and Episode 83 guest to give us “People”, “Architecture”, “Routines”, and “Culture”. Add Paul’s “Strategy”, and now you have the S.P.A.R.C. 

This week’s chat breaks down Routines. Literally, the why and how of documenting your business processes. It’s this living document that will help build your culture and success as you add employees and branches. In fact, are you currently screening and hiring job candidates? There’s a process for that. 

“Thank you for calling Fat Pat’s…” Now what?

Audio Mixing and Editing by www.verbell.ltd

Sellers, take heed. The stage is set for one last push for sellers. Is it 1st Quarter or Bust in this economic environment? M&A is a high-risk, high-reward table if the cards are played right. Take note of the buyer who is helping you avoid running a formal process.

Birds and bats and bobcats. Oh my. From cash flow to selling, what does the Wizard have to say about wildlife and other auxiliary services? Does private equity view wildlife with different spectacles than the traditional acquirers? What’s scarier than all of these wild animals put together? Finding the one way to measure customer retention.

From psychology to anchoring to overconfidence bias, Paul shares his perennial reference book for both M&A professionals and business owners.

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Interest rates, yield curve control, NINJA loans; the list goes on. There are a lot of dynamics at play in this economy and valuations, but what-say-you about Mr. Giannamore setting the market price? This Boardroom chat dives into to cash on cash returns, capital allocation, and more. And as you know, at a level even Fat Pat can understand.

If that’s not enough, stick around for the conversation surrounding residential pricing and frequency.

With expansion on the mind, make sure to email us at thebuzz@potomaccompany.com 

Post-synergy or not, we still love you Delores.

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You’ll rethink your strategy and your pay plans as you listen through this episode that takes human resources to an executive level. From onboarding to training, there is no shortage of takeaways from this interview. 

Grab a pen and paper and do your best to keep up on David’s emphasis on operational models, organizational design, compensation, capabilities, culture, execution… the list goes on. Before listening in on this conversation, ask yourself - what’s more important: employee turnover or employee retention? 

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Look for fact patterns and listen for the biggest levers that can trigger vast changes in your organization. The barriers are there. The struggles are real. The real question is how hard are you willing to push through them?

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With the end in mind, one Buzz listener asks about vehicles. Should he finance or lease, or does it matter? In this zero cash, zero debt valuation world we live in, which way does Paul lean on this issue? And how do the value of the vehicles come into play?

Partnerships in pest control are more popular than Taylor Swift’s new album. Merle asks about valuing his business to add a partner. There’s a lot more at stake than the headline value as you’ll hear from someone who deals with this relationships on an intimate level. It turns out that there are a lot less expensive alternatives to equity agreements.

Considering adding a partner, or have a similar need for your business? According to Fat Pat, Phil Rinehart is the man.

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What is urban entomology? Why does this endowment matter to the industry outside of South Carolina? Who better to ask than Rentokil Terminix’s Director of Technical Services Cassie Krejci, PhD? Cassie steps back in but this time as a co-host to field these questions as she shares her personal experience raising endowment funds while at Texas A&M University.

We’re all in this together…. To donate, go to scueca.org

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From management cadences to leadership development programs, Sprague does a lot well and continues to find ways to improve. Listen for the cost / benefit analysis Ross shares of focusing on commercial-only pest control. 

Sprague Pest Solutions by the numbers. $40M annual revenue. 96 years. 300 employees. 20 branches. 10 states. 1 focus.

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The Boardroom may or may not mention the Rentokil / Terminix transaction in future episodes. No promises. It’s time to get Tony’s input on the deal, and his thoughts on integration and synergies. Since the conversation dives into M&A deals, why not set the record straight on ServiceMaster’s acquisition of Alterra in 2015?

Rollins is the industry’s unicorn, but is Rollins’s Achilles heel its own family trust?

From leading and lagging indicators to M&A to taking a company public, you don’t want to miss this interview with Tony! 

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Want to have some fun with this episode, and play along with The Boardroom Buzz? … Just like the Mexican’s love life, this won’t take long. Before you listen to this week’s episode, write down your list in order for comparison sake. And then, rank them.

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Listen to hear if getting national coverage is bad for a regional business. And when it comes to crisis management, do you really want your technician giving a soundbite to the media? In other words, if you’re in crisis mode, is it too late to plan?

From Running of the Chihuahuas to making the Inc. 5000 list to $50,000 pool cues, step on in for this great discussion on all things PR.

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Surely it’s a recurring service, but is it year-round or seasonal, is it route-based, is there any competition out there? Speaking of competition, you’re going to love to hear Kevin’s two cents on competing on price. From sales and marketing to vendor relationships to managing referrals, Kevin unpacks a lot in this episode.

Seth avoided lake management years ago so his pest techs didn’t become champion fishermen, while Fat Pat suggests the Enterprise Rent-A-Car recruiting model for pest control. What do you think Paul thinks about four-year degrees?

Mommy, Mommy. Look at that man’s back.

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Both pay structures have their benefits and limitations, but listen for Seth’s creative incentive in this week’s episode.

From paychecks to diabetes, could it be a home run when it comes to CEO’s knowing their front line employees? Speaking of culture, which word du jour will send this conversation down a rabbit trail?

Anxiety fills the air when it comes to the economy, and the employment market is ever-changing. How’s this for a new concept: hiring for life. Would you subscribe to this method?

Hurricane Ian left a wake of destruction in the Ft. Myers area, but there is a great story you don’t want to miss. Listen in on the conversation with PestCo’s Jared Borg and Southwest Florida Pool Pros Chaz Hambling. Big Boardroom Buzz shout out to Infinite Pest’s Jason Woodbury!

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Brett has found his way in and out of both bird and bug businesses. Take note of his takeaways after selling his first bird business. 

From sales training to emotional response to listening skills, this week’s guest shares his 40+ years of experience. Now making a run at both Aviaway and Egnyter, this alpha male can’t be stopped.

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So what, or who, is at the top? Enter the Visionary and Integrator. Mark argues it’s this one-two combo “that will get you more of what you want from your business.” Hear how the two top-level leaders work together to dream-up and execute ideas. From management to strategy to entitlement, this interview covers the gamut of leadership and execution.

You’ve heard Paul mention a few times on The Buzz that the founder is not always the best CEO. What’s Mark’s take on this?

With Patrick and Seth’s new business launching the week of PestWorld, can Patrick extract free advice from Mark in this interview?

So what’s next for you? Join the free Rocket Fuel Community, or check out Rocket Fuel’s Crystallizer Assessment.

Audio Mixing and Editing by www.verbell.ltd

From different brand names in the same market to brand positioning to outsourced capabilities, The Boardroom Buzz welcomes your questions (thebuzz@potomaccompany.com).

Don’t miss the literal million dollar question: with all of this capital pouring into pest acquisitions, what does it mean for non-sellers?

Paul gives his first-hand accounts of both the infrastructure (or lack thereof) in post-Hurricane Fiona Puerto Rico and Europe’s financial predicament. Which is worse? You be the judge.

Audio Mixing and Editing by www.verbell.ltd

Watch now at WWW.POTOMAC.TV

Produced by Verbell.Ltd

Think you’re just too white and nerdy? Listen to how Futura Germany’s tech differs from Episode 74’s Ronen and Ethan’s.

There is more pressure to be green in Europe, in fact, the IPM pyramid takes on a new shape. Is this interview the beginning of getting on the same page for “green” in the industry? Beyond virtue signaling with green pest, what mindset must you need to succeed with green tech?

Winter is coming. The Boardroom conversation steers towards remote work, inflation, sanctions, and energy in this Europe-centric chat.

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Recurring will always be main stage, but is there room for expanded services to play second fiddle? Sure, you can make the argument that pests have evolved, but how has the industry evolved over the last 20 years? It’s interesting to hear how the strategics view add-on services versus private equity.

With the end of ’22 in sight, what’s in store for the economy and the M&A market? In terms of bend but not break, will the economy be that lucky?

If Paul had a full-drip, Instagram-worthy platitude, what would it be?

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“Nerd” is a term of endearment for this not-your-everyday-entomologist. Cassie Krejci takes an approachable expert approach as she oversees training, safety, and compliance for Terminix’s over 11,400 employees. From her days in technical services to her present day role as the Director of Technical Services, she brings it in this episode that has its fair share of nerdy and non-nerdy moments.

At what point does it make sense for you to add technical services onto your roster? Will Seth Garber’s thoughts on technical expertise get him kicked out of entomology conferences?

Remember, there can only be one company that is first in the phonebook ;)

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Maybe you’ve made it this far in life without taking a psychology class. Take a seat because class is in session. From self-awareness to intellectual humility, it’s time to re-think things. Seth Garber joins Paul and Patrick to discuss the depth of Dr. Dunning’s infamous research to his current day work. Cutting class can be cool, but make sure you don’t skip this one.

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Hear how this country boy’s gritty spirit grew one of the world’s largest franchises. Don’t forget to add Undercover Boss and author to Gary’s list of accolades. From fitness to service businesses and a lot of concepts in between, let’s get his take on what makes for a good franchise business. 

Welcome back Episode 84’s Seth Garber to give some extra color on this good ol’ boy conversation with The Redneck CEO. 

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Who knew you could make hot water cool again? Check out what she’s up to present day before hitting rewind on her sales career.

Don’t miss Paul’s current take on the reoccurring residential vs commercial debate and Patrick’s Texas Pest Expo takeaways.

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With a curative revenue model, where does pest control fit into the budget as gas and groceries continue to rise? The election, energy, and ESG find their way into this week’s discussion.

Predictions were made on a Terminix (then ServiceMaster) takeover back in “JBug’s” Episode 6. Let’s see how the predictions panned out. Also, tune in to hear how Rollins is staged for future M&A participation. 

And on a literal side note, will Patrick be making his maiden voyage to a tattoo parlor?

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

Paul places his bet on private equity for the year, and it’s a big target. Who’s side of the bet are you taking?

Before pressing play, ask yourself: Does money flow in and out of markets?

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

While David and his team identified and developed leaders, quick growth presented its own set of problems. From bringing in business coaches to building leadership programs, this Boardroom chat dives into the dynamics of personal development. What boundaries need to exist for healthy coaching relationships?

It’s time to suit up. Free Agent David is gearing up to help others step up their game. 

Terms not expected to ever hear on The Boardroom Buzz: unicorns and shock collars.

Watch now

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Filmed, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of www.Verbell.Ltd

Additional Videography by Gabriel Gonzalez.

Episode Title and Description written by Patrick Baldman.

Additional Editing by Garrett Ware.

Potomac Pest Control Group: https://www.potomacpestcontrol.com/

Watch on YouTube

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Filmed, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of www.Verbell.Ltd

Additional Videography by Gabriel Gonzalez.

Additional Editing by Garrett Ware.

Potomac Pest Control Group: potomacpestcontrol.com

Pointe Pest was his baby. As you can imagine, in an interview filled with ups and downs, Pointe hit rock bottom for Byron. Based on personal experience, Byron shares his opinion on the looming disaster for leveraged D2D businesses. Forced to get out of pest control for a bit, Byron continued to sell in other industries. Pupil turned principal of the School of Hard Knocks, Byron put his money on “the turtle”, and returned to the pest industry.

From recruiting with projectors, pizza, and paystubs to leveraging sub-, senior-, and family- debt, Byron looks back at the D2D landscape over the years in this candid sit-down. Having just sold a couple Evergreen Pest Control branches in Colorado to EnviroPest an Anticimex platform, you know that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Now stronger for surviving tough experiences, this conversation goes deep on mindset, success, and overcoming.

Quick question. If Paul got to choose the location for his mission, would it be Bangkok or Tijuana?

Watch now on YouTube

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Filmed, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of www.Verbell.Ltd

Additional Videography by Gabriel Gonzalez.

Additional Editing by Garrett Ware.

To sign up for Bubble Trouble, our May 4th Live Event, please visit bubbletrouble2022.com

Potomac Pest Control Group: potomacpestcontrol.com

Take a stroll down memory lane as Frank and Cindy Miller step into the San Juan Boardroom. It’s clear that opposites attract as you hear about their background going back to when they met in the ‘60s. The couple open up about the difficulties they faced together - over the decades as well as recent history. Stay tuned as Cindy opens up about how things have changed over the years for women in the industry.

Right Place

The two transplanted out of New York into Florida, and seized an opportunity in an industry new to them. Without giving too much away, they credit their success to the…

Right People

Frank and Cindy sold Impact Pest Elimination to Turner Pest, an Anticimex platform, in the fourth quarter of 2021. The recently retired duo give credit to Arab - where they got their start - and the people that they surrounded themselves with - Gary Cole, Tom Wisdo, and Donnie Karcher - and those that were born into the business and had to work their way up - Leanne Prewitt and Kristine Krauss. Their daughters don’t fit the SOB (sons of businessmen) mold that Paul frequently finds. There is a lot to learn as they talk about their four branches (and four corporations) and how they thrived on inner-company competition. Starting with Customer #1 many times over, Frank and Cindy share their secret to success in this memorable sit-down.

On today’s menu: PB&J on toast as Frank adds, “would you like a warm-up on your coffee? Hey! Keep your hands to yourself!”

Watch now on YouTube

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Filmed, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of www.Verbell.Ltd

Additional Videography by Gabriel Gonzalez.

Additional Editing by Garrett Ware.

To sign up for Bubble Trouble, our May 4th Live Event, please visit bubbletrouble2022.com

Potomac Pest Control Group: potomacpestcontrol.com

With a blank slate and a few deals in the books, Jay is looking to build his team. He has already brought on leaders through acquisition, but what leadership gaps exist & how will he fill them? It’ll be interesting to watch from the outside looking in as PestCo picks up more brands, geography, and capabilities as they bulk-up at a rapid clip.

The industry has seen a lot of private equity try to compete. Listen in as Jay discusses how will PestCo will differentiate itself. Paul prods Jay if PestCo could be the right exit strategy for founders that want to completely exit.

By the numbers: $1.3B fund, 90 days as CEO, Top 25 size company, 4 companies acquired via 3 deals. Once a year service? TBD.

Watch it now on YouTube

Filmed, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of www.Verbell.Ltd

Additional Videography by Gabriel Gonzalez.

Additional Editing by Garrett Ware.

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Sign up for Bubble Trouble, our May 4th Live Event.

Potomac Pest Control Group: https://www.potomacpestcontrol.com/

Rewind 16 years (and $20M of annual revenue). How did Pointe get its start? Hear how Jared, Kyle, and Aaron Allred knew sales from their shared days at Eclipse, but Jared admits they didn’t know how to run a business. Somewhere along the way, they found themselves operating a DC-based Green Pest as well. Jared shares how his business evolved, including buying-out mentor and now billionaire Aaron Allred along the way.

An in-house tech developer, SQL, BI… is this a tech company that happens to do pest control? Jared saw that business was going flat so it was time to go cutting edge. That doesn’t mean he needed to reinvent the wheel. In fact, his 5-Star Service protocol was “stolen”. You’ll hear about what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to displaying data for all employees to see. Jared is quick to share his experience with how much data is too much and what shouldn’t be gamified. In fact, Jared doesn’t bat an eye before rattling off his top 3 or 4 KPIs.

Surviving this recent sell-side process with a 90-day fiancé theme, Jared shares how his experience differed from a more common 100% buy-out with a strategic buyer. In his new role at PestCo, a portfolio company of Thompson Street Capital Partners, strategy is the real buzz in this Boardroom chat. Paul and Jared dig into trusting others’ input, growth strategy, and replacing yourself in this real-world session.

Take Jared’s advice on making hard decisions and getting out of the way. It’s his life motto though that’s really going to resonate with you.

Watch it now on YouTube

Filmed, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of www.Verbell.Ltd

Additional Videography by Gabriel Gonzalez.

Additional Editing by Garrett Ware.

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To sign up for Bubble Trouble, our May 4th Live Event, send an email to... events@potomaccompany.com

Potomac Pest Control Group: https://www.potomacpestcontrol.com/

Enter Jay Keating, CEO of PestCo, a new Thompson Street Capital Partners (TSCP) business. Jay first earned his stripes working for the legendary Chuck Steinmetz as a service technician at All America Termite & Pest Control aka Sears Pest. Now with 25 years in pest control, Jay returns to the industry he loves, but this time with a massive checkbook.

Let’s take a step back. Who is TSCP? Paul knows this too well. Private equity comes knocking to get into pest. This time persistence pays off. It took a lot more than persistence though. St. Louis-based TSCP’s Jeff Aiello put his money where his mouth is. Jeff recruited Jay and one day looking back, they’ll say the rest is history. For now, PestCo has access to a $1.3 billion fund, and in less than six months and three platforms later, PestCo has in excess of $40 million in annual revenue.

Enter Jared Borg. Hear how Jared and his business partner, Kyle Woodbury, grew Chicago-based Pointe Pest and DC-based Green Pest. Selling wasn’t in Jared’s playbook, at least not at 41-years old. He’s not ready to sit around and do nothing. The dust hasn’t settled yet as Jared gives his perspective on selling to strategics versus private equity. Hear his excitement as he now has “a blank check to go grow and grow.”

PestCo now has three platforms in three areas. So what’s next? What’s PestCo’s growth strategy? Jared’s itching to know so he can (buy and) build the marketing stool.

You’ll hear the guests agree that it’s all about the front-line workers; definitely said or shown in two different ways. One guest just happens to deliver booze.

The question you haven’t asked yet. Can Jared really sell and service Seth Garber’s meta real estate? … stay tuned.

Filmed, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of www.Verbell.Ltd

Additional Videography by Gabriel Gonzalez.

Additional Editing by Garrett Ware.

To sign up for Bubble Trouble, our May 4th Virtual Event, send an email to... events@potomaccompany.com

Potomac Pest Control Group: https://www.potomacpestcontrol.com/

Clark’s Termite & Pest Control grew from $250k in annual revenue to $20M before selling in 2021. Between builders and realtors, David scaled his way to one of the largest pest control companies in the country. David distills prioritizing people and processes to reach success. He even gets in the weeds on paperwork and mistakes that made along the way. From pretreats to lawn care, Clark’s evolved over the years. Their upward progression helped them not only survive, but grow through the housing crisis.

The conversation looks back on the third-generation business, and its climb to the top. David is quick to credit the Clark’s team for their success. He even shares a quick lesson on marketing messaging that you don’t want to miss.

Where else can you learn life lessons about repoing repos? Step back in for another San Juan Session to hear how David and his family business struggled on their way to the top.

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Filmed, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of www.Verbell.Ltd

Additional Videography by Gabriel Gonzalez.

Additional Editing by Garrett Ware.

To sign up for Bubble Trouble, our May 4th Virtual Event, send an email to... events@potomaccompany.com

Potomac Pest Control Group: https://www.potomacpestcontrol.com/

Chris Eby avoided the steady diet of government cheese, by jumping out of financial services and into pest control. Redirected from getting a law degree, he wanted to get the world by the tail, and wrap it around, and put it in his pocket!

He’s not here to “come down on you”, but respect has to be earned. Hear how Chris backdoored his way into the door to door industry. You don’t miss his approach to sales on the back porch either.

There are other names for knocking, such as crack, ice, boom, pow. Call it what you want, but cloning knocks and scripts can only get you so far. You need confidence on the doors, or you’re not gonna amount to Jack Squat!

Bundles are a great idea, but I can’t see real good…is that Bill Shakespeare over there? Coming from a guy that looks like Santa’s evil twin, he admits the mistakes of his bundle-only approach.

Reps are overpaid across the door-knocking industry. You can take a Moneyball approach…I wish you could just shut your big yapper!

We’re gonna be buddies! We’re gonna be pals! And we’re gonna pay your front line workers and managers! Chris expanded his company’s service offerings, but there came a point in which it made sense to partner with allied industries. He goes into detail about his allied partner incentives in this San Juan Boardroom chat.

The nicest, shrewd businessman you’ll meet already has plans for the future. He’s working on making a lasting legacy which starts with living in a lambo, down by the river.

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Filmed, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of www.Verbell.Ltd

Additional Videography by Gabriel Gonzalez.

Additional Editing by Garrett Ware.

To sign up for Bubble Trouble, our May 4th Virtual Event, send an email to... events@potomaccompany.com

Potomac Pest Control Group: https://www.potomacpestcontrol.com/

The current market volatility on top of the Rentokil / Terminix deal brings a lot of unknown to the M&A market. Paul also makes the rounds with updates on

Anticimex (including Jarl Dahlfors and David Billingsly), Rentokil, Terminix, and private equity.

Black Bear’s service area was home to Chip & Joanna’s Magnolia Mecca as well as a beaver-monikered 200+ gas pump megaplex. While those destinations get all the limelight, it’s hard to quantify the market dynamics surrounding Black Bear just six months ago.

The pest industry has benefitted from multiple expansion in recent years. What’s next? Stay tuned for Potomac’s May event, Bubble Trouble.

TL;DR if you were thinking about selling soon, then it’s time to accelerate your plans

Filmed, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of www.Verbell.Ltd

Additional Videography by Gabriel Gonzalez.

Additional Editing by Garrett Ware.

To sign up for Bubble Trouble, our May 4th Virtual Event, email events@potomaccompany.com

Dad of Todd

Pest Jest got made

to lead the trade

adam's life cycle

can find no rival

Harold plus Don

a name they gave up on

rat bait in mixers

had crazy killers

Todd pissed his pants

for rats not ants

rebuild your system

his letters told them

after pest pac scorn

a blu star was born

Associated meeting

best practices bring

Adam-ize his learning

incentives incurring

glad you stepped in

welcome to canon

but four hours later

concerns mother nature

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

Seth got sucked back into the industry as a consultant. The three chat about the various consulting methodologies and where Seth sits on the playbook-scale. Now that Seth has boomeranged his way back into pest control, Paul wants to know if Seth sees it more or less competitive now than before. It’s ok for CEO’s to make bad decisions, but is there a tell-tale sign of what makes for a bad CEO? 

Pest Daily started as a passion project, but hear about its quick growth trajectory and the variety of courses it offers. What started as leaving a legacy, has grown into an industry leader for education.

Maybe you sensed this coming, technology enters The Boardroom discussion. Is there a place in the industry for a gig economy? Speaking of gig economy, Seth shares his tested opinion on customer touchpoints.

Stay tuned for a set of soliloquies that cover the gamut from self-development to competition to sacred cows. Maybe next time Seth visits The Boardroom, it’ll be in SethGarberLand’s metaverse.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

Before stepping in with John Roberts PhD, the two discuss the macro market, and even its effects on BrightView’s earnings report.

First recommended to Paul by now Six Flags CEO Selim Bassoul, The Modern Firm, earned The Economist’s business book of the year in 2004.

“Nobody, it can now be said, is fully fit to run a modern firm until they have read The Modern Firm” - The Economist

There are various ways to modify performance. Monetary incentives through culture. Not the culture that looks like sticking mission and vision statements on the wall. Take a look at the culture of BP as an example, especially in light of Amoco post-integration. Going deeper on culture, Paul argues that culture stems from the founder’s decisions. The conversation takes a turn into a developing country case study. Now it looks like Patrick has his work cut out for him. When is the last time you spoke about path dependence within a culture?

Paul adds “Strategy” to John’s “People-Architecture-Routines-Culture”, to help him analyze businesses through his S-P-A-R-C spectacles. Are there alternatives to monetary incentives?

Paul invites John to critique his thought process on incentives. Think about your best and worst performers. John gives great insight on pulling up your laggard’s performance. Paul asks about balanced incentives. Join the three in The Boardroom to see if you’re incentivizing for A while hoping for B.

Paul is making the entire interview available to his clients. Shoot an email to thebuzz@potomaccompany.com for access.

“If it’s not S-P-A-R-C, then it’s P-O-L-E….and yes, there is a benchmark for hookers on a P&L…Mom?”

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

One question on yellow and red flags in financial statements goes down a rabbit’s trail of following trends, benchmarking (Ep 24 with Jarl Dahlfors), getting granular with your chart of accounts (Ep 32 with Doug Stevenson), and managing your business as if you’re going to sell. It’s not too late to go back and give Ep 26 a listen and get your free Chart of Accounts template. 

If you’re asking yourself about what an acquirer would say about your write-offs, Paul brings clarity to the confusion. Do you get a pandemic pass for your production? Terminix didn’t according to Tim’s recent episode. 

In a different fashion than the self-conscious drop your drawers financial exam, Patrick learns about Paul’s 12-month checkup with acquirers. How do the acquirers stack up against the forward projections in the Potomac CIMs?

Don’t miss out on overcompensating employees, trademarks, marketing multi-branch offices, KPIs not found on financial statements, and the “newest edition to our service”. 

You’re going to want to get your hands on Potomac’s upcoming Valuation Report. Make sure your sign up for The Commentary at potomacpest.com

Almost forgot…. in true Boardroom Buzz fashion, the episode has its own disclaimer. It may be about tax, or it may be about expenses that don’t need to go on the credit card.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

While the big money buys up businesses, Bill shares his tips on making friends with neighborhood competitors. (Keyword: friends.) That’s the key that unlocked Bill’s now 8-figure business.

With 15 acquisitions in the last 6 years, he has experience with integration, payroll, and the growth beyond the acquisition. Hear his take on deal structure, financing, and how he keeps his Brady Bunch business happy.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

In this deal that stretches Across the Pond, what needs to get carved-out and why? There is value to unlock in this deal, and it sounds like the accretion estimates are conservative. There are hidden synergies, including the Terminix turnaround surrounding termite claims and employee retention. Rentokil can knock out one of their competitors at the M&A table while picking up a network of 360 branches.

While over in Memphis, it’s hard to turn down a 50% upside. With the recent antitrust precedence, it sounds like Terminix has their work cut out for them to get to their grand finale at the closing table. Terminix has to look at how they’re going to carve out their national account business to pass muster with the DOJ and the SEC. There is a $245 million threshold, but cutting out that revenue is easier said than done. Place your bets on the buyer for “Copesan 2.0”. 

There is too much to list here, but you won’t be disappointed as The Boardroom chats about deal risk spread, Terminix franchisees, auction theory, price discovery, and William Blair ratings. Connect with Tim by email at tmulrooney@williamblair.com. You’ve read this far so you too can put up with Patrick’s “low thinking”.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

From befriending the books’ subjects to his hours spent in the archives, John dives into the process of distilling their success.  He even shares the unquenchable trait he found between Mandel, Welch, Scully, and other successful businesspeople. 

This chat pulls in lessons from outside the route-based service industry. From family business to ranking employees to implementing a factbook system, there is a lot to learn from this accomplished author, editor, and entrepreneur. 

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

Teeka begins by admitting his skeptical start before diving into crypto. With his Wall Street roots, he saw this “magic internet money in 2011” as a flash in the pan. Before diving into Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the myriad of alt coins, Teeka breaks down the blockchain basics. He recalls his Road to Damascus experience when he knew Bitcoin was here to stay.

Bitcoin as reserve asset and a speculative asset - is it possible to check both boxes? Hear how Bitcoin compares to gold as Teeka shares his opinion on going back to the gold standard.

Watch this San Juan Session in 4K on YouTube.

Filmed, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of www.Verbell.Ltd

Additional Videography by Gabriel Gonzalez.

You know there’s going to be good information when the interview starts with a legal disclaimer. Phil Tortorich sits down poolside with Paul and Patrick in The Boardroom’s first San Juan Session. This interview is the prelude to Paul and his wife sitting down with Phil for Paul’s personal planning.

Phil made his Boardroom debut in Episode 73. Phil steps into the outdoor Boardroom to respond to a listener’s question about the pros and cons of an LLC taxed as a S-Corp vs being taxed as a partnership. The three also discuss The State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction for 2021, the likelihood of retroactive capital gains taxes, captive insurance, and asset protection. This interview dives into more details on trusts and personal effects. Hear how a trust is used to gift shares to the next generation. Pull up a lounge chair, and join us on YouTube for this pool patio interview.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

You’ve thought about direct mail to grow your top line but have you tested it? Feel free to test it out at your expense, or learn from others’ experience in this Boardroom interview.

Lights. Camera. Action. The service industry puts all employees on stage. One bad act can shine a bad light on your business. It’s time to create a script for your technicians to follow. Are you struggling with scaling up-sells? It’s time to put the law of reciprocity to work.

From implementing a simplified mission to establishing a What-How-Why for each of your actors, this interview is full of tangible takeaways.

Disnify your business. Grab a copy of Vance’s book at deliverservicenow.com

Roll the credits. Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

Before running Nisus, Lee was reading eyes and patiently following his coach’s system. What did that teach him about sales and execution? There is a new game plan in place, and it calls for a real team effort. Lee opens up about adversity, the sport of business, and more in this motivating interview. Run for 4 yards.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

Pest control is full of countless creatures, but the most reliable is the creature of habit. Has PestOptix created the disruptive monster that non-adopters fear? Imagine the day you’re not shelling out cash to check empty stations.

This one of a kind technology is ahead of what Anticimex and Rentokil deploy. Could this be your opportunity to stay ahead of the larger players? Ronen and Ethan created a camera-enabled, AI-driven system to keep you ahead of the competition. As you’ll hear, you can stay ahead of bad press with 24/7 monitoring. Ronen shares his customer interactions about transparency, thresholds, privacy, pricing, and service frequency.

As costs continue to go down, this technology also finds its home in the residential side of the business. Alexa, is there a rat in the house?

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

Level-up your estate plan… before the government does it on your behalf. When it comes to trusts and planning, which level can (should) you achieve? When a domestic trust isn’t enough, what options exist with higher levels of sophistication?

Trusts made the news with the recent release of The Pandora Papers, including Walmart’s Walton’s and Nike’s Phil Knight. Other than using trusts, what other common traits has Phil witnessed in his 20+ year practice working with ultra high net worth individuals?

Tax changes are on the horizon, and so is a follow-up sit-down with Phil. Make sure to RSVP your spot by emailing a question that you’d be proud of to events@potomaccompany.com

While we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, don’t be a turkey. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts here.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

There were times when Mike and his business partner, Rob, fought for survival. Hear how together they chose the path to not quit. Mike’s formula of sales, marketing, and leadership should help bring clarity to your business.

With more than an ordinary reputation, Mike grew his staff (that would fight to the death for him) without negotiating compensation. Is the secret in how he aligned himself with his staff’s personal goals?

Everyone has their own opinions on commercial vs residential and single vs many service offerings. Mike will open your mind with his reasons. Speaking of mind… Mike is a learner, a teacher, and an author. Get schooled on his take on ‘mindset’. 

The Italian Grandmaster's serve-first philosophy grew Gold Medal to best of class service and also birthed CEO Warrior. Born out of a Buddha moment, CEO Warrior brought CEOs together and gave them the path to conquer fear and change their destiny. Don’t miss Mike’s philosophy of a leader’s #1 job. As the leader of his family, Mike was intentional on his family’s involvement in business and modeled hard work with a front row seat.

Don’t tap-out on this interview. How many more service vehicles are you ordering?

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

In no particular order, The Boardroom duo makes it through a top seven list. Now it's time for you to do your homework. Email thebuzz@potomaccompany.com with your prioritized list (recurring revenue, pricing, incentive structure, service offerings, density, organizational chart, and understanding profitability). For extra credit, include the number of Episode 70 - Jay & Jason references. 

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

One minor (major) problem. The year is 2008. Armed with patient investors and critical criteria, the determined duo found themselves in pest control, specifically vector control. Their entry with Vector Disease Control International got the search fund party started, but hear how shortly thereafter they made a splash into lake management.

Fourteen acquisitions later, the HBS grads were not bashful about their buy-side bravery. Don’t be fooled though. Although 'acquisition' was in their name (Vector Disease Acquisition), they stress a more critical skill during this interview.

You won’t believe it until you hear it, but don’t miss out on some real sage advice from a pair of forty year olds. Step into this Boardroom conversation to hear how these students turned lecturers and businessmen turned investors found their way to a 2-platform exit with Rentokil. 

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

Paul chooses to self-manage his portfolio, but that begs the questions of how and why. Diversification goes a lot further than choosing multiple asset classes. Paul shares his investing mindset that goes beyond increasing wealth and into preservation. From crypto to commodities, there are various playbooks out there, but is there one that can solve for inflation? Paul can’t predict the future, but he does see trends reversing. Has anyone ever accused Paul of wearing rose colored glasses? He shares his take on massive demographic shifts and the very real threats of inflation. Tax receipts are at an all-time high, but they still can’t keep up with the US’s debt to GDP ratio. How will the US government navigate out of this extreme liability? Negative forward returns are on the horizon. There can be a variety of extreme outcomes. Take note. Ignorance will not excuse poor preparation.

While it may or may not change who you choose to follow on Instagram, it’s time to sign off with one last reminder that Paul, Patrick, and The Boardroom Buzz disclaim all liability.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

This isn't an ivory tower novel. What was the powering force for Allan writing The 1-Page Marketing Plan? You’ll be glad that Allan wrote a book to himself but shared it with everyone. Paul name drops some of the biggest names in direct response marketing. Pop quiz, Allan…

Shots fired. Allan says, "Don’t start with why. Start with buy." From attribution to target market, The Boardroom Buzz guest gives great advice on marketing for service businesses. Would it really be a Boardroom Buzz episode without mentioning pricing? Allan even gives his recent experience shopping for a plumber… and from there, a 1-star idea is born.

You would clone your customers (at least most of them), but how can you scale your business through word of mouth marketing? “Orchestrating and Stimulating Referrals” gets a chapter all to itself. Implementing the template will more than pay for your copy of Allan’s book.

Kohl’s finds a way to set a hook in the Baldwin budget. Have you implemented a voucher into your marketing strategy?

Patrick wasn’t expecting to find a derivative of The Pareto Principle (the 80/20 Rule) in Allan’s “marketing” book. There’s a lot more than marketing in this bestseller. High five for this week’s guest as he shares his take on entrepreneurship as a tool for social good.

If you get to listen to 1% of this episode, then listen to the angel investor bit ;) 

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

It must be a prank when McGraw-Hill, one of the largest publishers in the world, calls you. It’s a good thing Bryan answered that call (twice) because he went on to write and publish The Good Life Rules in 2009. Shortly thereafter, Patrick received it as a gift, and you can say the rest is history. Although Bryan denies it, the book had an impact on Patrick’s life. It feels like today’s society requires formal education. It's a stark contrast as you'll hear about getting a job vs. making a fortune. 

The Boardroom conversation turns to Bryan's more recent book, The Principles of an Unstoppable Family Business. Bryan shares how the faces are different but the problems are the same, including overpaying family members. 

There are lots of nuggets in this interview. Take notes, and as you’ll hear, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Don’t forget to pick up a free copy of one of Bryan’s books by emailing bryan@bryandodge.com & cc: thebuzz@potomaccompany.com (Don’t forget to include your shipping address)

Now, grab yourself a drink, give your grandkids a Red Bull, and send in your questions for Bryan’s Bonus Buzz.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

Patrick knows the emotions involved in selling a business. Imagine the feeling when your out-of-the-know acquirer calls the office line.

There is more chatter about private equity. Is this a tell-tale sign of the bubble? What scenarios make sense for private equity to win deals? Can private equity pay as much as acquirers? Paul provides answers on why and why now.

You can’t miss Paul citing his investment banking business mentor’s 2003 speech. Do you find yourself nodding to these signs of the times?

Paul sheds light on anchoring in negotiation. Would a trained buyer ask “what do you want for the business”? Class is back in session as The Boardroom discussion turns to negotiation and NDAs. As a potential seller, is there a reason to sign an NDA if they want to see my numbers? Process control, emotions, the Dunning-Kruger effect, and more get unpacked in this episode.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

Brian has experience in janitorial, solar, and recycling. What can the pest control industry learn from Brian’s varied background? What prevents industry innovation?

Jarl Dahlfors preached on the decentralized format at Anticimex in Episode 24. Let’s find out if there are exceptions to that rule. As an outsider looking in, it’s hard to find room for improvement at AX. What can Brian do to raise the bar with their high performing culture?

Watch in 4K on YouTube, or tune in to hear Brian share his take on customer experience, communication, and leadership.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

As an executive coach, author, and keynote speaker, Victoria is on a mission to help first level leaders. There is a wide gap between donning the title of leader and receiving proper leadership training. There are finance classes and degrees, for example, but where can you go to learn leadership? Often with a lot of chaos and a little planning, promotions are handed out to the best individual contributor. Is it possible to design and implement a formal training program? Strategy takes top priority for senior executives, but should leadership development take the front seat?

Not only did Andreas dive into the unglamorous pest control industry, he landed in the middle of a wasp summer at the start of Nomor's turnaround. Undeterred from the bad season at a troubled business, Andreas injected his hospitality experience into the industry. Trust, determination, and pride were critical in the turnaround. What really stands out though is when Andreas shares the first commandment of leadership: Know thyself.

It’s easy to throw stones at selling during a service call, but it’s hard to argue when you're adding value. That’s sales and service. With previous experience inside larger organizations, Andreas, Svein Olav, and Robert, built and refined incentives to create the winning culture. It’s a relief to hear that incentives can be refined through trial & error.  

Senior executives underestimate the importance of being leadership coaches. Watch (or listen) as Victoria coaches Paul and Patrick throughout the interview. From formal feedback to employee engagement to adapting to change, you’ll find ample relevant advice throughout this Atlanta interview.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

Hear how he now-Arrow President Tim Pollard found his way onto the Arrow team. The two have a long-standing history as “Sugar Booger” recalls their first meeting. The two strike a great balance, and Emily concedes to Tim’s operational prowess. 

“Chief” gets credit for growth by division business model. Hear the irony of trying to stay small as you grow. With 2,736 teammates spread over 144 service centers in 11 states, its family culture on a massive scale that has led to Arrow’s success. It’s clear that hard work and results get rewarded at Arrow. In fact, they morphed their longstanding generic vision into spotlighting rockstars. What can be overlooked in such a large organization; the executive team emphasizes how decision making impacts the entire team. Family culture shines through as Emily and Tim describe former COO and President-to-be late Jeff Singley as a brother, son, and best friend.

The conversation turns to M&A and integration. How does Arrow decide on geographic expansion? Paul asks about integrating new employees into the deliberate family culture. Sitting off-stage, Kevin Burns gets credit for setting the stage for smooth integration weeks before Emily and Tim arrive on the scene. It sounds like deliberate transparency takes center stage describing opportunities for new teammates. It's been rumored that Emily gives out her cell number while onboarding new teammates. Is it true? If so, does she regret it?

How does Emily respond to representing women in pest control? It begs to discuss diversity in a male-dominated industry. Do Arrow’s teammates represent the cities they serve? Speaking of local, Emily and Tim share their new plan to give back to local charities.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

As mosquito franchises swarm this industry, Mr. Mister progressed through its life cycle; it too considered the franchise route. What gave them the biggest bang for their buck? Was it "partnering" with Andrew Barrows while at EPS that helped them focus? What did Matt and Ryan decide to do with their "Pest Control for the People" business?

Talk about commitment. Nothing says burning the ships like key swapping a BMW for a Tacoma. It was that same commitment to service that set Mr. Mister apart. Matt shares that they were a service company that chose to offer mosquito control. "Jesus Chicken" closes on Sundays, but not Mr. Mister with its same-day and next-day response.

Adaptation was at the foundation of their management style. Hear how the right decision today may or may not be the right decision tomorrow. There was no time for stagnant thinking as this business emerged into a service industry powerhouse. While the yin-yang duo stayed in their own lanes, at times extra opinions drifted over. How did the two agree to keep commodity pricing at bay?

From referrals to retention to review response, Matt gives practical advice based on their experience. Their 24/7 marketing coverage pays homage to Waffle House's patty melt. The duo wasn't harvesting yard signs, but their marketing efforts didn't go unnoticed. Before deciding on selling to Terminix, hear how Matt had extra fun with the yard signs as the time to sell approached.

The two took a bite out of time theft as they adapted their pay plans. "Always staffing" goes to a whole new level when discussing backup techs for no shows. Itching to grow a mosquito business? Don't forget that Matt and Ryan found success in their countercyclical approach to the offseason.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

The two look back at Project Black Bear. Behind the scenes of the process, Patrick was able to visit with Rentokil’s Alex Nigh and other potential acquirers. As a client, what does Patrick have to say about his first hand experience working with the Potomac team?

The two debrief on the recent interview with Terminix CEO Brett Ponton in Waco. Since publishing the interview, Paul can’t count the times he’s been asked what his legitimate opinion is about the relatively new CEO. What is Paul’s take on the new CEO and the reestablished M&A team? Patrick learns that the lunch table conversation covered a lot more ground than Brett’s favorite color. 

Speaking of Terminix’s M&A team, Andrew Klein made the trip to Waco for the closing dinner and employee announcement. Having sold his business to Terminix a couple years ago, what advice does “Moses” give on employee transition? Check it out at ProjectBlackBear.com. Also on ProjectBlackBear.com, you can watch a clip of Paul and Patrick’s session with Arrow Exterminators’ CEO Emily Thomas Kendrick and President Tim Pollard about culture and scale.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

Brett has a storied history in the automotive industry. So what is it that steered him to Terminix? His experience with private equity and publicly traded companies fill his resume, but this stop is different. Patrick isn’t afraid to ask the easy questions such as, "How does leading an automotive store chain translate to the route-based service model at Terminix?" and "what signal are you sending by buying back stock?". Also, listen for how Brett responds when posed with a turnaround question.

With less than a year under his belt, Brett is quick to invest in his team’s future success with investments such as Terminix Way and CxP. Opportunities abound, and he has the vision to put the tools in place to maximize his team’s capabilities. He sees today's investments paying off in employee retention and in-turn, customer lifetime value. Incentive structure and defining career paths are part of the discussion on ways to improve team member performance. From technology to staffing to franchisee relationships, Brett isn’t afraid to address where opportunity exists. 

Paul’s experience with Terminix’s M&A model and team over the years is not left out of this sit-down. Brett is conscious of the psychology of the deal and brand reputation post-sale.

Brett states the paradigm that exists between strengths and weaknesses. His management philosophy is clear as he discusses an inverted org chart style and responsibility for front-line team members.

Hop over to ProjectBlackBear.com to watch the interview.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of Verbell.Ltd

Subscribe to our YouTube channel - youtube.com/theboardroombuzz

Check out this guest list:

Big Time Pest Control President, Mike Bullert

Greenix President, Andrew Barrows

WorkWave CEO, David F. Giannetto

Financial Advisor, Nick Bartolo

Rentokil Terminix Head of Science & Innovation, Cassie Krejci PhD

Rollins CEO, Jerry Gahlhoff

Lizard Marketing CEO, Mat Rogers

PEST2KILL Owner, Phil Taylor

ProForce Pest Control Owner, Spenser Morgan

Stay tuned because there's more to come...

You couldn’t ask for better weather as the duo enjoy Cuban cigars on Paul’s balcony. Paul makes time to chat as his firm works on closing out a banner year. Hop on over to YouTube, and watch Paul and Patrick reminisce on 2021 and look ahead to 2022. Merry Christmas from The Boardroom Buzz!

Filmed, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of www.Verbell.Ltd

Additional Videography by Gabriel Gonzalez.

Gambling, gold, or gambling for gold. Before signing off for Season 1, Paul recalls clients who found even greater wealth after pest control.

A few seats remain for Supernova. Register today.

It’s not even July. Is that Christmas music?

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of hdaudiopost.com

Please write in your questions to thebuzz@potomaccompany.com

Please write in your questions to thebuzz@potomaccompany.com

Feel free to write in your questions to thebuzz@potomaccompany.com

Customer reviews do a lot more than make a phone ring. Listen for added benefits of 2400+ Google reviews. Kyle also extracts success with a simplified service footprint and offering. Diving into this interview, you’ll hear how Associated Pest finds a common origin with Fahey. 

When it was time for David & Terry Pomfret (aka Dad & Mom) to practice retirement, Kyle found himself at the helm. His entrapped experience in New Mexico made taking over a breeze. Fast forward to 2020, and hear how Kyle realized his destiny.

With valuations at an all-time high, Fahey found itself selling to Turner Pest Control instead of selling to the next generation. Register for Potomac's upcoming M&A Supernova event to hear more about valuations and the consolidation boom.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of hdaudiopost.com

Of all days to visit, Paul and Peter find themselves immersed in their conversation during a crypto bloodbath. Peter shares that the world of cryptocurrency is built on speculation and margin debt. With blood in the water, is this the tipping point for politicians to get involved? Will this interference lead to laws to protect people from the free market, or find itself as another means to punish capitalism? Peter does not like any of the thousands of alt-coins, but it sounds like crypto is less likely to be manipulated than traditional fiat currency. Peter has long been known for his love of gold. It's interesting to hear his argument for a national currency that marries block chain with his shiny gold standard. 

Peter and Paul make time to discuss inflated asset prices. The Feds believe that the wealth effect creates economic growth. Does it? Peter preaches that entrepreneurship and capital investment grow an economy. After years of 'monetary heroin', Peter reasons that we should let the free market work. Looking to the future, Peter shares that the dollar is the only limiting factor, and that our future lies in the hands of our creditors. Peter contends that a strong currency leads to competitive advantage, and that sound money is the foundation of any prosperous country.

Inflated asset prices affect pest control shareholders. Following the sale of a business, how can owners protect their assets? Peter advises on rearranging assets into international emerging markets. In regards to wealth management, Peter's company as well as BKD are a couple places Paul says to research.

Patrick missed the Dorado invite (or The Mex intercepted it). In the post-Peter cafe chat, Patrick asks Paul about alternate scenarios had the Federal Reserve not taken the easy way out. Is it time for economic rehab? Paul shares that during the financial crisis, Peter both made money and defended his thesis. From thesis to application, Paul makes a case for preparation over prediction. 

Paul also recommends watching Peter's Mortgage Bankers Speech from November 2006 and Why the Meltdown Should Have Surprised No One from March 2009

For more information on current market conditions and valuations, register for M&A Supernova: Navigating the Late Stages of the Pest Control Consolidation Boom

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of hdaudiopost.com

While Shelley is curious about making an exit, Jesse wants to know about competition. Does The Boardroom Buzz duo have an opinion on competing against a large corporation or several mom & pops? 

Tune in for a quick Q&A session on digital marketing, inflation, and the current M&A markets. Paul reinforces that there is a lot more at risk this year with valuations than taxes. To hear more about the M&A market in your region, register for a free event at theboardroombuzz.com/supernova

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of hdaudiopost.com

There isn't enough room for our guest's resumé. Phillip has worked on eight presidential campaigns. Here are a few previous clients: Pres. George W. Bush, Sen. Bob Dole, Gov. Bobby Jindal, Sen. John Thune, and Gov. Ron DeSantis. And it turns out that Phillip and Paul share a mutual client.

In politics, understanding the voter comes before spending money. The same idea is true for advertising. Phillip's screen-agnostic full-service marketing firm follows a five step process gleaned from the political arena. Skip a step. Skip success. 

The Boardroom has been home to a few digital marketing discussions. Jeff Phillips, Tracy Judnich, and Darin Huffaker to name a few. The odds were stacked against (now) Gov. DeSantis. Phillip innovated. Phillip led the largest geo-farming (yes, *geo-farming*) campaign in the history of advertising, and in doing so led voters across party lines.

Most business owners talk about their business and how good it is. Guess what. Your customers don't give two shakes. If you knew your customers' most important values, wouldn't that be useful? Your potential customer will see 10,000 ads today. It turns out that competition extends beyond other pest control companies. There is a secret weapon in the pest control industry. By using customer data, you can get an advantage over your competition every time. 

Hear about a pest control company that lost money by advertising discounts. Perception is reality. Cheap and safety do not go hand in hand. Stutts' Win BIG Media team increased the client's top and bottom line with a 'smarter' campaign.

Don't let looks fool you. Facebook, Coca-Cola, and Google don't sell soft drinks or search engines. Then what do they sell? Owning data is not under-emphasized in this interview. Phillip found himself canceled. Hear how he seized the opportunity. 

Connect with Phillip and his team: phillipstutts.com/insights

Dogs >> Cats ;)

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of hdaudiopost.com

Responsible found top-line growth on the doors, but it trickled all the way down to the bottom line. Add in the mix of recruiting plus ethics, and the brothers had to find another way to grow. Creditors turned down Darin and David left and right. Where could they turn as everyone else turned them away? Would saying no to business be the key to their bottom line success?

Hear about the evolution of their brand name, and the impact it had on their marketing. Scorpions were a powerhouse pest for this Phoenix player. Darin shares how it proved difficult to find the best formulation, and how he had to put his mad scientist R&D skills to the test. Who doesn't want to see scorpions die a painful death?

A price increase conversation comes back to The Boardroom, but this chat brings in a new angle. Perception is reality. Hear how Darin designed a small business mentality with white-glove service. For his team, technology was really a tool and not just a toy. From customer experience to remote working to online marketing, Responsible set themselves apart.

Good luck finding another Blackberry-shot video with more YouTube views.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of hdaudiopost.com

Paul gives props to Tracy's unique capabilities. You'll be hard pressed to find a denser service map. That mad focus went straight to the bottom-line. Join the conversation as The Rule of 23 goes under the interrogation lamp. What top-line and bottom-line growth did his business have? How does it compare to Mike Rogers', Jim McHale's, and...Patrick's business?  

The business had roots on the doors. In fact, he reveals his connection to a previous Buzz guest. The Bug Guys maximized sales at the door, but it wasn't on the doors. Tracy gives details to this specific concept plus other start-up advice.

You'll hear his opinion on selling over the phone and experience with bundling sales. The funny thing is that Tracy can't turn off his salesmanship. Who knew explaining employee benefits would turn into a sales presentation? He describes how compensation is more than an hourly rate.

Stick around to hear Paul preach on pricing again. Is it ever too little too late for a price increase? Uh oh. Does Paul need to call Bobby?

It's 2am. What are you smoking?

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of hdaudiopost.com

With this transaction completed, it is time to tell the story of how Paul Utts stumbled into the industry. What ends an era in pest control services for Paul, began as a waiter at a kosher hotel. While he credits this role for learning customer service, would you agree that this time planted the seed for his love of acting? 

After college, Paul learned a lot about food safety as a health inspector. Seafood or see food? As a health inspector, did his inspections reveal a kitchen's true character?  There are some technical bits in this Boardroom banter, but tune into the sales opportunities and advice.

From inspector to management to an owner, Paul wore many hats in his storied career. "Managing from a P&L is fascinating" may not be the only line that he feeds during this interview. Speaking of management, he shines the light on using bonuses to motivate. Wow-ing your customers can be as simple as answering the phone. Is it too much to ask to get a 'hello' from the other side when you call a service company?

Vulnerability comes to mind when it's time for due diligence. Before that scene plays out, acquirers should take a cue to shift their focus to the seller. Which hat did Viking Pest Control wear to the courting conversations? 

And for the record, Utts is not his Jewish name. 

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You'll hear about asset purchases and stock purchases. Don't get drowned out in the verbiage. Hear how the role you play in an M&A deal determines your preferences. For previous reference, Tony Sfreddo (Episode 5) built up quite the government contract portfolio. Does that lead itself to designing a deal one way or the other? Are there variations to asset purchase agreements and stock purchase agreements? Maybe there are more than two ways to skin a cat.

The arrangement bakes-in tax implications. Is there a work around? Allocating purchase price can favor long-term capital gains over ordinary income rates.

Fast forward from the announcement, what will benefits look like with the new owner? Deciding a deal's architecture determines how employees move forward while the ink dries. 

Thirsty for more? Go grab a vitaminwater®

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Pre-Profit First, Mike struck it rich in his early 30's. As a new angel investor with a nice ride, Mike hit rock bottom in more ways than one. With raw emotions, he recalls the events that inspired his best seller. Writing became therapeutic as he began his 'journey to eradicate entrepreneurial poverty'.  Revisiting his experience with depression, Mike recommends mental therapy. He even gives a poor man's version to help recover. 

Don't sit-back while Mike preaches on plowback pain and pleasure. Is there a better segue than hearing Mike advocating on profitability before selling? Paul counters by asking about ROI. What if your own business is the best vehicle to put capital to highest and best use? Hear how Profit First-adopted companies compare to the control. 

Windup the clock. Paul pulls another Michalowicz book, Clockwork, off the shelf for the session's 1st OT.  Swooping in and saving the day as a superhero manager leaves a wake of damage. What can an owner taking a four-week vacation do for the business? Do you find yourself carrying the burden to provide jobs as an entrepreneur? By working in the business, are you taking jobs from your employees?

The prolific author is releasing another book this year, Get Different. He gives an example of unique marketing as opposed to getting lost in the sea of industry best practices. Does Dad approve?

Paul inquires about Mike's habits to produce these books. Mike goes onto share income generated from writing and distribution breakdown. Mike gives input on mainstream publishers vs self-publishing vs hybrid options. Is that Dad whispering in your ear, or Mike narrating another book for Audible?

Dylan joins Paul and Patrick to recap the dynamic interview. The lines get blurred between private life and business life. Paul retells stories of those that have cashed out but hold onto regrets. Dylan opens up about his similar struggle with depression. He shares his success habits and the personal growth he's found through journaling. Dylan explores the subconscious mind, and how he utilized consistent habits as opposed to willpower. 

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On the flip side, Paul gives advice to those considering the franchise-life. A business in a box sounds efficient, but ask yourself, ‘self, am I buying myself a job or building an asset?’ before becoming captive to the franchisor. 

Proposed tax increases have been a catalyst for sellers such as last week's guest, Jeff Phillips. What effect do these tax changes have on acquirers' appetites and the price they're willing to pay? The first quarter of 2021 has been Paul's busiest Q1 in his eighteen years as a pest control sell-side advisor. 

While tax speculation anxiety plays out in the US, tax increases are going into effect in Canada and other countries. Drilling down to specific markets, population exporter-California and importer-Texas get extra attention. What does Paul know about the buyers' outlook for this year in these markets? 

Scarcity of assets brings up another line of questioning. How can scarcity be quantified and managed? It's not just about size, but also the number of assets in a given market. Patrick caught wind of previous perverse incentives in M&A. That road led to a quick chat on leverage, contingencies, and skid marks. 

When it comes time to discuss growth strategies, would it really be an episode without discussing acquisitions? Referencing Pam Blauvelt's experience, Paul has seen where deals have led to distractions and mistakes. As exciting as arbitrage sounds, can it hurt more than help?

Stay tuned for upcoming events: 1) a Mike Stanczyk collaboration on shareholder agreements, and 2) measuring and managing customer retention in The Attrition Condition. 

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Although his father is no longer with us, his wisdom lives on in this Boardroom conversation. From 'build it to sell' to 'do something and do something very well', Jeff's dad personified the Blue Chip mentality.

After taking over as Blue Chip leaders, Jeff and his sister, Kim, ran an efficient business. Measure and manage. Routing, recurring, and responding to leads were a handful of monitored metrics. Knowing their numbers helped them when it came to save on overtime.

Scott Stevenson, Doug Stevenson, Court Parker, and Sean McCauley. Now add Jeff to the list of U Groupers appearing on The Buzz. By picking up on the lessons while not making all the mistakes, hear how his peer group experience enhanced his bottom line. When it was time to make changes, Jeff realized that customers much like dropped children are resilient.

There were times that Jeff found he already had the secret sauce. When scheduling headaches became a problem to solve, his business adopted exterior only service before it was popular. In terms of marketing, pest control is not sexy. It's about front of mind awareness. Jeff shares the balance between office location and paid remarketing ads.

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Sean shares his opportunistic outlook: there are different advantages in every regime. Hear how to detach from the business, when to run into the fire, and where to find opportunities. This week's guest brings his crystal ball into The Boardroom. He sees a V-shape recovery. Will you heed Sean's advice to chill out and ride the wave? 

Put your economics hat on before stepping into this session. You will think about the bank after this episode. Whichever cards you think you are holding, remember the bank is the 'apex predator'. Paul questions Sean on who has the most to gain in an inflationary environment.

With no topic off limits, it may surprise you to hear our guest's take on Millennials. Speaking of funny money, Fannie and Freddie aren't imaginary friends. Is the government-backed duo holding down interest rates?

Sean even reveals terms for his commercial real estate notes. Sean finds he has a lot to gain underwriting entrepreneurs, in addition to his hard asset portfolio. It is one way he has found to diversify his net worth. Listen for how Sean and Paul get their returns on time invested.

This is the unintended follow-up to Episode 14's buy-side conversation. From someone that will "never have to work another day in my life", Sean will encourage you to get un-lazy. Go out and find the deals.

If you've made it this far, you may survive Professor Paul's Econometric After Party. Diversification 201 is in session. Sit back and hear how zombies do exist.

Sean says we live our life in unrealized gains. Does that saying go deeper than a real estate metaphor?

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There must be reasons to sneak a vendor into The Boardroom. David announces PestPac's partnership with Target Specialty Products. This alliance can put even more money into operators' pockets. Another announcement he shares is WorkWave's promotion from IFS to parent-fund, EQT. 

David admits PestPac's intermittent communication. When rolling out $1.5 billion WorkWave Payments, he managed the bloody murder calls. After accepting the change, the native payment platform padded dollars into most of the end users' bottom lines. Is there enough in savings and increased productivity for PestPac to pay for itself?

Migrating from customization to toolsets, PestPac commits to modernizing. It's interesting to hear PestPac's move from customization to configuration. Listen for the Executive Steering Committee's role on roll-outs. This Boardroom conversation doesn't end there. From high switching cost handcuffs to competition in software to and scrutiny over shared interests, this chat packs in a lot.

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The service and billing decoupling discussion returns to The Buzz, but Suburban was unique. Listen for how Door Knockers rang-in a new billing method. If you can't beat them join them. Jason even considered putting summer sales to work in his business before the sale. 

Moving forward, Jason and his team are learning the Rentokil way. How is this longtime family business transitioning into corporate culture? Hear how as a sophisticated business, Suburban has integrated into the new environment. Jason recognizes his team and their ability to adapt. Good or bad, what is the Rentokil-effect on the front line employee? He shares his excitement about the upgraded resources and ability to grow.

Jason represents succession assumed in a family business. As a minority partner AND a son, what is his take on risk and reward?  Paul preaches from previous experience on this parental pest control paradigm. In contrast, Paul recalls another family situation with hyper communication.

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You know by now that family business in pest control is a reoccurring theme. Paul gives notice; verbal only arrangements are bad and corporate welfare is worse. Parenting advice uncovers family business trends and inherited titles via surname similarity.

Options are prolific in the tech industry, but Paul asks Mike about their place in pest control. The conversation is peppered with tax implications. Do options have their own tax advantages? Paul recalls when a sale was discovered with derivatives in the balance. You’ll hear how a ‘free and clear title’ isn’t a phrase unique to the auto industry. 

If Patrick wasn’t having a hard enough time keeping up, Mike and Paul play a rhetorical game of tag-along and drag-along. Patrick can be difficult to deal with, but it’s the guest dragging Patrick along this week. 

Following Paul’s judge and jury soapbox last week, what will this week’s legal disclaimer entail? Is Patrick the only one asking who an attorney represents? Should you find yourself calling Mike, remember that he is NOT LegalZoom.

There is more than one takeaway in this public service announcement of an episode. Whether you’re in a family business or not, always remember Mex’s Rule #1: don’t suck at life. 

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of hdaudiopost.com‍

In other current events, Patrick *felt* special for a hot minute. You'll hear how about "a top pest control provider in the southeast that is actively seeking to expand its current service area. Our client is in the top 10 nationally in terms of annual sales and is privately held.  Knowing that yours is one of the best and fastest growing in the area...". Paul talks Patrick down from his Rising Star pedestal.

Patrick recalls a one-time project in which he had to research recurring vs reoccurring. Leave it to Patrick to chase that into a food frequency free-for-all. If Paul can make it past the Compound, he can show how his one (and maybe never) trip to Waco explains the reoccurring difference. Paul goes on to distinguish reoccurring and one-times. Patrick questions Paul about saying no to Aunt Suzy. Paul questions Patrick’s question. It may be a Buzz word, but there are 'opportunity costs'.

Service Agreements. Yes or No? Paper or Digital? Early cancellation fees? Termite work? Paul recalls days of yesteryear when due diligence teams sampled service agreements. What happens when a service agreement doesn’t line up with what is being delivered? You may not find yourself in a class action lawsuit but it may happen to the acquirer.

The disclaimer Paul gives is one for the ages. He repeats what he has heard from attorneys. Do NOT take what Paul says as investment advice or legal advice, or prepare to stand before the judge and jury. 

Episode 42 guest, Jeff Bain, must be an instant classic, or maybe it's an easy reference. Be like Jeff; define what makes your business different.

Make sure to RSVP for Paul's upcoming customer retention presentation (email theBuzz@potomaccompany.com). Donation to The Human Fund not required.

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Relationships, referrals, and pricing chatter abound during this time in The Boardroom. When it comes to building a client base, Jeff takes over as teacher during this sit-down session. Listen for how Bain Pest Control’s retention rate and marketing budget stray from the norm. Jeff even makes time to answer a listener’s question about selling in the Northern climate.

Over 100 years after the Ukrainian immigrant entered the USA via Ellis Island, Jeff Bain found himself realizing it was time to sell the family business. When it was time to select an advisor to sell his business, Jeff decided on the advisor that had his best interest in mind. His high trust relationships led him to having several employee discussions before selling the near-centenarian business. You’ll hear how Jeff had his employees’ opportunities in mind while deciding on Rentokil as the best acquirer for the business. There are too many emotions to list in this Boardroom sit-down. Speaking of emotions, Jeff goes on to share a story that shows the soft-side of Potomac’s chief negotiator. 

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Mitch brings an interesting perspective to the ‘lawn vs pest’ discussion. He shares the direct connection between business maturity and universal technicians. Service specialist salesmanship may sound like an oxymoron, but trust and unrefinement go hand in hand.

While personality profiles find their way into this culture conversation. What are the betting odds when against forcing a square peg into a round hole? Mitch preaches that influencing company culture is more than attending a two-week seminar. It turns out that learning from direct reports and self-reflection has a lot to do with leadership. Mitch recalls a realization moment when a mentor taught him to look in the mirror.

Sports analogies abound as running, juggling, and lifting get shared in this sit-down discussion. Hear how Mitch describes spending energy units for high growth and high service delivery standards. Mitch brings management metrics into focus as he shares his tenured strategy.

Do you come to this conversation with buy-side in mind? Tune-in to hear Mitch’s post mortem metrics following an acquisition.

Perceived value is critical to keep the recurring revenue wheels turning. Before you listen, ask yourself, ‘how do I measure world class service?’

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What happens when a potential deal stalls in due diligence? It gets interesting when it’s not one of Paul’s deals and a prominent strategic acquirer calls on Paul for help. Patrick asks Paul to draw the line in the sand between brokers and sell-side advisors. What about Patrick’s conflict of interest hunch between buy-side and sell-side work?

A sell-side client gets the duo discussing what’s better than a best and final offer. Paul also reveals his personal connections with the Dunning-Kruger effect. Standing on the shoulders of giants, even M&A-experienced private equity partners call on advisors.

In life, you learn to expect the unexpected. As a negotiator, you learn to expect the opposite of the expected. Which title does Paul find himself donning? Paul the Picasso Purveyor? Paul the Peacemaker? Paul the Point of Indifference Pusher?

Patrick's phone call with a tenured strategic buyer, turns the tables as Paul asks Patrick what he learned. You'll hear how Patrick finds himself bearing the advocate role for other pest control owners. Trust and credibility are common threads woven into this Boardroom conversation. Would you have the discretion to turn down $1 million in overtime?

Which pop culture reference will Paul drop in The Boardroom this week? Don’t worry. Patrick didn’t catch this one either.

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Tune-in to hear how an acquisition accident left Pam and her business partner, Jeff Spencer, scrambling. Borne out of crisis, Griffin was forced to implement a four-day workweek. A necessity turned into demands echoed from Griffin guys and gals.

Murphy's Law #14 in pest control states that your technician's schedule puts him at a restaurant during the lunchtime rush. Not so with Pam's PestPac Pro Parameters.

Other than a four-day workweek, what other lessons did Pam learn while making acquisitions? What would Pam not outsource during due diligence?

Production versus hourly pay? Ask yourself how many technicians you'd be willing to lose if making the change is the best thing for your business.

If you've ever found yourself saying 'talk to me like an adult' to a technician, then you'll enjoy time spent in this Boardroom.

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It’s a good time to catch up on Paul’s New Year’s Day board meeting. Paul gives feedback on the P&L’s, incentive structures, and management reports. There is a give and take to incentive structures. Who knew that a hedge fund conference on modern portfolio management theory would spiral into giving Dennis Rodman free throw lessons? How will Company Bravo’s “Timmy” stack up at the line? Where is the balance between incentives and preventing demotivation? It’s a yin and yang exchange. Speaking of balance, The Matrix gets a nod during this week's compensation conversation.

It’s on the record. Paul commits to writing a "Nerd Nerd" paper on the organizing mechanism spectrum in pest control companies. As the loyal listeners know, Patrick takes great joy in packing events on Paul’s calendar. As if Paul’s schedule isn’t busy enough, stay tuned for a combined presentation on the chart of accounts (Episode 26), employee metrics (Episode 34), and (an updated) Aftermath.

The chat has Patrick asking if there are common conversations following a preliminary valuation. Are there owners that are not willing to make changes? A simple question about routine EBITDA adjustments leads to a consultation on narratives and the ‘interplay between growth rate and profitability.’ It turns out, it’s a lot more than adding and subtracting when the acquirer takes over. Patrick didn’t see it coming, but the benchmarking debate returns.

Paul: “If anyone gets anything out of this episode. You are not selling the past. You are always selling the future.”

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Her female point of view set her apart during real estate interactions in Tucson, AZ. Ironically, real estate wasn’t ready for Shelby when it became time to buy an office.

Shelby attended a national trade convention, but still found herself as an outsider. Her determination kept her focused on learning from others. Years later, Shelby recalls Don Jamison offering a helping hand all the way from Memphis.

Is self-talk part of Shelby’s success? After reading Dr. Joseph Murphy’s book, Infinite Riches went from subconscious mind to landing in her lap. 

Listen to how entitlement and false loyalty surfaced when it was time to sell 5 Star Termite & Pest. Even in her retirement, Shelby is practicing what she preaches: get out of your comfort zone.

Enter Kevin Burns and Arrow Exterminators. Now with $280 million combined between 137 branch offices, Arrow was the perfect fit for Shelby’s business. The Boardroom debriefs on Shelby’s love for working in the field. Join us as Kevin shares from his sixteen years of experience watching owners unwind from their businesses. Arrow’s culture is clear as Kevin shares their goals to keep 100% of their customers and employees following an acquisition. Paul gives credit to Kevin, Emily Thomas Kendrick, and Tim Pollard as they welcome new team members to their Arrow family. Listen for that same family approach during the discussion of branch size and employee opportunities.

In terms of the global economy and pest control’s impact on world health, industry perception is no laughing matter. Who knew that encouraging training and licensing would put Patrick on his soapbox?

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What makes up an effective board? Maybe better asked, who makes up an effective board? Taking a cue from the great Stevie Wonder, Board Member Paul finds himself with ‘No New Year’s Day to celebrate’. Paul confesses to his living laboratory, Company Bravo, and his mad science experiments. In light of Bravo, it’s time for another chat about incentive structures.

When it comes to outsourcing capabilities, does call center overflow pay for itself using a company such as Slingshot?

Patrick finds himself in confession for egregious sins committed years ago. When it comes to sales, which offerings should be considered and likewise avoided? When it comes to leveraging a customer base, does it make sense to acquire a similar business or would a joint venture make for a better return?

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Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The live traps were set by the chimney with care,

It’s showtime, Paul G, let’s get on the air;

Jamie Clement chimed in with Milo his cat,

The Boardroom opens up for a hot mic chat;

Listeners sent in questions and summoned the bookies;

Will Patrick give mad props to Milk Bottle Cookies?

Knowing when to sell can be tricky,

Will prices inflate or find themselves sticky?

Seismic re-ratings in the public market,

Could trigger owners to roll up the carpet.

The Top 3 players may outgrow the ninety-seven,

Aggressive offers could force concession;

Great questions come out on this inflationary climate,

Let’s light wads of cash like a government pirate,

Milo’s master purrs on about management teams,

While business fundamentals affect valuation extremes;

In-house or outsource your business capabilities?

2020’s Buzz word deserves its nobilities.

The clips proclaim ideas implemented,

It tops off a year that was unprecedented.

"Now, Todd! now, Daniel! now, Shane! now, Andy!

On, Ben! on, Stewart! on, Liz and Jesse!

Will multiples differ between resi- and commercial?

35 episodes so far, and some were controversial.

Future returns will depend on the vaccine,

We all cheer for the pest cash machine.

St. Paul G gives in to a geography question,

Patrick wants to know also via his confession—

As it gets closer to sell, what should be done?

Chuck Norris returns for another pun run.

Better asked, should it be what not to do?

Impairing your value, pre-Buzz, who knew?

Signing off for the year, The Buzz gets sentimental,

Big shout-out to Dylan for all things instrumental;

The Listeners, the guests, and guest co-hosts surround,

We do this for you. May your businesses compound!

We’ll return next year, there’s more to address,

Happy New Year! Happy Festivus! Everyone, God Bless!

People differentiate, not materials. Mark gives tangible examples of culture in this Boardroom conversation. Recruitment became a critical function as the business thrived. Mark tips his hand at a recruitment target outside of pest control. What is Mark’s take on leveraging employees’ relationships to grow the organization? What about recruiting from within the industry? He even shines light on the inevitable blinders surrounding employee interviews. Have you ever felt like sticking your neck out to hire someone? Mark suggests a solution for that.

It is hard to fathom building commercial sales machine without trials and tribulations. The conference room conversation doesn’t shy away from ‘sales vs service’. Town hall meetings, individual performance metrics, and committee feedback built the accountability culture. From grading leads to fixing funnel flow, Anderson’s sales process evolved. Patrick Quigley would be proud to hear that Mark refers to hot buttons and asking for the signature in this visit. 

In battle-field fashion, Mark would often start new projects and then walk away. Mark’s entrepreneurial spirit led to switching course too often. It may not have been self-realized though. As ‘The Way of the Shepherd’ and ‘The 4 Disciplines of Execution’ were recommended to him, he gives his seal of approval to Buzz listeners.

When the Chicago climate suppressed pest pressure, how did Mark manage overtime discrimination? In Episode 5, Tony Sfreddo discussed segregating his commercial and residential technicians. How did Anderson structure its technicians’ routes? If Mark was dropped into a $2-3 million business today, how would he think about scaling that business? Tangible takeaways abound in this interview with another PCT Top 100 Great.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of hdaudiopost.com

Guest co-host David 'General' Billingsly returns to discuss his new role at Anticimex, and is greeted with his new nickname.  While David frowns on the nickname, it's the title ‘boss’ that gets him on the corporate soapbox. Speaking of titles, David welcomes Shane to the ‘employee’-side. 

'Dollar Bill' David crosses the Mississippi to take the lead as Anticimex Western Region President while Shane has high hopes for DBigs' acquisition experience. What gold will they discover together in California? 

Buying is the easy part, especially for David. He has a lot of experience acquiring businesses – 13 in total – while at American Pest. Paul and Shane ask him about lessons learned during integration.

Recently Anticimex entered Colorado and Arizona with Kevin Lemasters' EnviroPest and Dena Berg's Northwest Exterminating, respectively. Paul explains his take on what these acquisitions do for the West coast. 

Shane discusses how he announced this acquisition to his staff well before the closing. Would this acquisition have happened for Pro Pacific if it wasn’t with Anticimex? What is the next chapter for Pro Pacific’s Cinderella story?

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Some acquirers are sitting on their announcements, but not Anticimex. AX is proud to announce its entry acquisition into California with PCT Top 100 Pro Pacific Pest Control. Congratulations to the Hoy Boys - Shane, Ben, and Jon! Did they really tell their staff a week before the deal finalized?

Paul has high hopes for freshly-appointed Terminix CEO Brett Ponton, but Paul is quick to recall when TMX fell from grace & left the client at the altar in the Fall of '19.

Looking forward into 2021 and 2022, how will Rentokil deploy its 50-basis point buying power? What new markets will open up for acquisitions? What can pest control businesses do as they look to sell in the next two years? Like a good preacher, Paul reinforces the future in contrast to the past. From preacher to professor, Paul puts on an economics class. Tune-in for a brief lesson from Consolidation 101.

Patrick has more buy-side vs sell-side questions. What happens when the 'green visor' buy-siders attempt to preempt process? In his tried and true Texas vernacular, Paul likens himself to a cattle auctioneer champion. Speaking of green visors, Cory “The Tax Nerd” Vargo steps in to answer listener-submitted questions on employee benefits as well as financing.

From co-host to guest, Paul appeared on Germany-based Talking Pest Management hosted by Daniel Schroeer. Patrick had some takeaways (and as always, some jealousy).

More road-show episodes are in the works. Paul and Patrick plan on crashing some upcoming U Group gatherings. New Orleans. Hawaii. Who knows? Paul's invitation will grant him access. Patrick may have to bribe his way in with some cookies. Also, Paul hints at another Stockholm trip for an EQT announcement, but will Patrick make it across the Pond this time?

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Doug found himself entrenched in cost analysis study after study. It was his tenacity that helped 5x Modern's net income in one year. Adjustable initial service charges and subscription billing helped Modern weather New England seasons. 

With a name like Modern, it's hard to avoid innovation. In the early 2000's, it was Doug who set the bar with PestPac routing & integrations. Doug recounts working with Griffin Pest's Jeff Spencer & Pam Blauvelt integrating VoiceShot with PestPac.

Although driven by spreadsheets and returns, Doug opens up about people, management, and corporate elbows. As structured as Doug is, he says that there is one trait that determines success in a business partnership. What is it?

There are several new buzzwords (-phrases) coming out of this episode :

• Elegant (complex) solutions to complex problems
• Financial predictability to strategic decision making
• ROI makes the world go-round
• Beware of shiny things
• Always more risk in a non-diversified portfolio
• Balance emotions with data

From WIPFLI Partner to Boardroom Buzz guest, Cory Vargo steps into this episode as a guest co-host. It was Doug Stevenson who gets 100% credit for introducing Cory to the pest control industry. Apparently, Doug set a high bar. Cory discusses that high bar as well as Doug's cash after tax black and white decisions.

Cory sticks around to shed light on the deferred revenue black box, cash vs accrual accounting methods, and shareholder partnership issues. He adds his opinion on scaling accounting capabilities with a growing business. 

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As a third generation co-owner with brothers Doug and Rich, Scott takes us back to Modern's early days. Who knew it would involve repairing a toaster of all things?

In his twenties, Scott visited with Harvey Massey at Massey Services and Joe Thomas at Arrow Exterminators. These learning opportunities helped shape Modern's branch manager-centric structure. The Stevenson Brothers furthered their development by joining the ranks of Associated Pest and later The U Group.

It doesn't sound like much of a 'short straw', but one of the three brothers had to stay on post-Anticimex acquisition. Scott recalls his early days at Anticimex, and how he ranked against the global branches (and himself). 

The Senator didn't overstay his welcome as a US-Sweden diplomat, in fact, he found himself as the VP of Operational Excellence. As a AX VP, Scott helped US Anticimex platforms balance best practices with their unique sales models.

Several Buzz-staples in this conversation, including subscription billing, service frequency, culture, and acquisitions.

From one RV'er to another. Court Parker is nearing 100-days on his Pest Control Technology and Control Solutions Inc road trip. Paul and Patrick invited Bug Busters USA CEO Court Parker into The Boardroom to discuss Senator-turned-Trailer Park Boy Scott. As a U Group co-founder, Court gives some history on his relationship with Scott and the peer group.

Co-Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Dylan Seals of hdaudiopost.com

John opens up about fear of failure, a trait he shares with Rentokil Initial CEO Andy Ransom. Speaking of Ransom. How does John talk about their relationship between flagship Rentokil NA and HQ in London?

As a serial acquirer, John goes into sales mode to describe their differentiated capabilities, including a very deliberate and choreographed due diligence process. John highlights the #1 consideration that Rentokil North America has as a buyer, which may remind you of Episode 14. Similar to Episode 17, Paul engages with John as if he was a $5 million pest control business CEO. This episode wouldn't be complete without first discussing route density, its benefits, and the 'best new customer'. Before engaging a new customer though, John stresses the importance of customer retention.

Listen to John discuss time spent on the front lines with specialists and customers. Paul describes the role of a CEO; even those that aren't in the PCT Top 100 top tier.

John doesn't shy away from responding to what wasn't all good with "Allgood" as well as room for improvement with regard to mosquito and tick opportunities. Patrick didn't fail to ask John about brand equity. It turns out that in the future when asked this same question, John can reference this episode.

Any Buzz listener would agree that Mike is the kind of guy that you want to hang out with and chat about life and business. No stranger to automobile love affairs, the road trip was made complete with Dylan making the drive down from Tennessee. 

After spending time in Mike’s collector car showcase, the Rogers’ dining room table transformed into a recording studio to the benefit of Buzz bingers. Not only did it make for great coffee talk with a repeat guest, but the brains (and emotional stability) behind Killingsworth joined in on our Buzz banter. You’ll even hear Marley, the five-month old labradoodle, make his Buzz debut. 

What tales didn’t make the Episode 10 tapes? Which stories are worth revisiting with Debbie’s joyful laugh? As the Killingsworth Kouple reminisce on their business and life together, they dish out sage advice on business, life and relationships as well as incredibly funny stories of the early years in unlicensed pest control.

At the end of the episode, Paul finally confronts Makenzie, the talent behind Milk Bottle Cookies. Does Paul endorse the infamous cookie, enraging the Mex, or does he cast aside Patrick’s not-so-secret pleasure, winning the Mex’s praise?

Patrick’s takeaway : before returning to Charlotte, learn to drive a stick shift.

To drive the wedge even further, how did Jeremy’s dad respect Jeremy as a business leader? Enter Nam, Jeremy’s brother, full-time in the business. Paul remembers Nam as a rockstar salesman, but as the business transitioned to Jeremy and Nam, how would it affect their relationship? To further complicate the 3rd generation ownership, what about relationships with their siblings?

Did the extracurricular dynamics call for extra TLC when it was time to sell? What about awkward explanations with potential suitors?

Flashback to previous conversations on the Buzz — On Episode 11, Paul spoke about shareholder objectives. The Kreer family dynamic reinforces the importance of aligned business partners. Jeff Annis and Dena Thomas discussed their open book management on Episode 22. Consider forced transparency as doubt creeps in. 

As another 3rd generation business owner, Go-Forth Pest Control CEO Chase Hazelwood, joined us to give his input on Jeremy’s story. It is interesting to hear how the Kreer family’s story may affect Chase’s business planning.

Straight out of the gate, Cory Vargo isn’t afraid to address the upcoming presidential election’s impact on taxes. How could a change in politics overhaul tax laws and the economy?

But who is Cory? Before WIPFLI became a Top 20 accounting firm, Modern Pest Services CFO, Doug Stevenson, retained Cory Vargo to break a tie between two other tax advisor opinions. What started as a job well done for the Stevenson brothers, has led to Paul involving Cory on several multi-million dollar pest control M&A transactions. It begs to ask the question : Why do PCT Top 100 companies choose to add Cory to their strategic team even after long established tax advisor relationships?

Pop quiz, Hot Shot… Paul shoots a pop quiz in Cory’s direction : “How might a taxing authority say, well, wait second, you've been in business two years. You've got a bunch of customers. You're selling those customers. They're under some sort of contract, but you want us to tax you capital gains. We want to tax you as ordinary income. Can you imagine why that would be the case?“ Does Cory’s answer meet Paul’s experienced expectations?

Creative and tax are two words not often found in the same sentence. How did Cory construct a reorganization to save a seller from paying $2.5 million in taxes?

As the episode guest count increases so has Patrick’s intrigue about CFOs. Patrick asks Cory how adding a fractional CFO adds to the bottom line, and Paul helps clarify controller and CFO roles.

Stock purchase vs asset purchase, and why. Enter Episode 5 star Tony Sfreddo’s Triple S case study. Is your pest control business currently a C-Corp and considering making a S-election? Want to avoid paying punitive fees to the IRS? Listen now.

Anticimex CEO Jarl Dahlfors attended ‘Pest World Congress in Nashville USA’ to research best in class in the industry to understand what was possible for Anticimex. Paul explains how Jarl now focuses on internal benchmarking. Taking a play from Michael Porter’s value chain analysis, Paul breaks down benchmarking like Jarl would at Anticimex. 

Paul is going to release a standardized P&L chart of accounts for The Boardroom Buzz listeners. Where does margin development max out in the pest control industry? Apples to apples : compare margins with other pest control owners and world-class companies.

One of Paul's current sell-side clients recently spoke to a potential acquirer that operates in his area :“I don't even care about what you guys do. I don't even pay attention to what you guys do... I'm a market leader and sometimes market leaders have to forget what the competition is doing and they just have to get out and lead.” 

Talk about not biting the hands that feed you… how do employee [unexpected] emotions change after an acquisition? Also, what is the importance of the last three years before selling?

The Buzz’s pilot episode was ‘Deals, Contingencies, and Gotchas’. Listen to Paul’s new take on due diligence and his stance on contingencies. Speaking of due diligence gone awry, who is to blame for attrition after Terminix acquired Alterra? Oil and water don’t mix. How could foosball-playing, segway-riding, hipster kids integrate with Terminex guys, or was the culture clash inevitable?

Paul answers several listener-submitted questions, including : 

Provide a little more insight into Anticimex’s benchmarking process. How does it actually work in practice and how can I utilize it in my own business?

Assuming it would be Anticimex, will Jarl eventually transition the US brands into one brand? 

With acquisitions in general, what are the first priorities in transitioning employees and customers to the new brand (assuming a brand change) or management?

To put yourself on the list to receive the pest control P&L chart of accounts, send an email to theBuzz@potomaccompany.com

In this episode, Cornell grads, Jim and Paul, continue their banter from their 10+ year relationship. 

Conducting skip meetings and measuring Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) are two ways that Jim engages his front-line employees. You will hear him preach the importance of relationships in a pest control business while unifying a diverse JP McHale culture. 

Imagine the countless questions over the years : 

'Jim / Jimmy / Mr. Jim / Mr. Jimmy / Mr. McHale, this happened : ____________. What should we do?' No matter how you refer to Jim, his response will not delineate [shouldn’t this be deviate rather than delineate?] from 'What's best for the client?'. The Buzz suspects this is JP McHale's Golden Rule.

Unique capabilities include JP McHale Pest Management's 'Inner Circle' concierge service. Why wouldn't you when you have customers paying upwards of $27,000 per year - yes, a residential client. What are Jim's thoughts about pre-billing customers for the year? 

Jim gets real about his family's multi-generational business. Without pause, Jim recites Martin Luther King, Jr. as a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes realities. 

Jim stresses the need to differentiate in a commoditized business. He continues to chase marketing, branding, innovation, and technology now as an Anticimex platform. 

When I think about Jim McHale, I think about “innovation around the edges,” says Paul, “the guy has really mastered making the ordinary, well, extraordinary.”

Jim’s humility plays out as the episode unfolds. He gives credit where credit is due. This list may not be exhaustive either: 

Patrick McCauley

Bernie Herman

Bill Thompson

Gil Bloom

Dr. Austin Frishman

Doug McHale

Rich McHale

Dr. Jeff Scott

Dr. Ed Raffensperger

Shaun Coen

Frank Trediti

Mike Palmietto

Lenny Gray

McKay Bodily

Jarl Dahlfors

Wallenberg family

Tony Ramirez

Tony Fortunato

Tom Pederson

Bob Sameth

Norm Cooper

Bob Suriano

David Billingsly

Tony Yochum

David Locke

Brian Alexson

Albert Cantu

Norm Goldenberg

Matt Nixon

Irwin Noval

Robert Seeger

Mohit Kansal

Paul Bergmann

Mikael Vinje

Steve Good

Finally, Paul references Ethan Vickery and Ronen Amichai at VM Products and PESTOPTIX.

As CEO of Loomis, Jarl turned a low-performing business into the darling of the cash management and armored car services industry by decentralizing its business model and changing its culture. As head of a direct competitor of Brinks, it was Jarl who dethroned at least two Brinks’s CEOs – according to equity research analyst Jamie Clement – earning Jarl the 'Swedish Beast' moniker. 

In the middle of an extremely successful career in the security industry, EQT, owner of Anticimex tapped Jarl to do what he does best, shake up and decentralize a sleepy Nordic business that had been around for almost a century.

Decentralizing Loomis paid dividends for him, but how would that play out in another similar route-based business? Jarl battled his critics, but he could see that there was so much more potential for quality, profit, and growth. As the “protector of the branch manager”, Jarl decentralized Anticimex, established benchmarking protocol and has lead his highly-motivated team in building one of the largest pest control companies in the world. 

Following the interview, Paul and Patrick are joined by guest co-host David Billingsly, President at American Pest, for additional commentary on what it’s like to be a “country” president at Anticimex.

After taking over as Nomor’s CEO, Svein Olav quickly made the rounds conducting interviews with both employees and customers. His employees didn’t know what they wanted, but Svein Olav knew what they needed.

Svein Olav resurrected a ‘given up’ culture. Take notes on his unique insights on female employees, language diversity, fitness, pay for performance, and celebrating success. The underdog, Nomor, grew to be the 4th largest pest control company in Europe and solid competitor with capabilities to service Sweden’s insurance demands.

Nomor’s turn around tale is one for the ages. 

Potomac advised Nomor on its sale to ServiceMaster in 2019. The transaction was nominated for Nordic M&A deal of the year.

If you could summarize Jeff Annis and Dena Thomas’s business, Advanced Services, then it may be unique. Or it could be innovation. Or it could be culture. Maybe it’s accountability. It’s hard to pin down a single takeaway from their sustainable success. Jeff’s TedX talk gives extra insight on his core belief of ‘great, not big’. 

Taking a page from Zingerman’s Deli, their open book accounting method sets them apart. Listen how their employee buy-in has taken them to a new level of profitability. 

If you can pass their core value test, video job interviews, random pre-employments drug screenings, and ride alongs, then you may find yourself a self-selecting profit sharing participant. 

Stick around for the post-Boardroom franchise discussion. The franchise chat quickly spun into Paul and Patrick scratching the surface on partnerships in pest control. 

Although law school was Joe’s best idea after hanging up his uniform, he found himself at Harvard Business School where he adapted by learning from his private equity and consulting experienced classmates.

Paul and Joe revisit their early conversations as Joe was looking to go from no pest control background to owning a $3.5 million business. Joe shares the risks and realities of stepping into a business sight unseen.

Also, Paul gives answers as Buzz listeners have asked about the M&A environment in this COVID climate.

As a young teen, Brandon donned a respirator as he followed in his father's footsteps. His life took a turn as he shelved his college education to return home to run the business. Brandon was thrust into an impossible work-life balance as he struggled to build the family business in his father's absence.

Not only did Brandon take the leadership position at the family pest control company, but to further the matter, he found himself responsible for his mother’s financial future and retirement.

Join Paul and Patrick, as Brandon looks back on his time running the family business, selling it and ultimately exceeding expectations with his new life at Rentokil.

Paul and Patrick also chat about ServiceMaster selling their Brands business to do pure play pest.

Paul is familiar with private equity’s ‘second bite of the apple’ cliché, but is it appetizing enough for Patrick and his Texas firm? 

How does Clairvest’s investment thesis and strategy line up with previous Buzz guest & Wall Street equity analyst Tim Mulrooney’s?

If angels endorsed Episode 19, you would hear them singing about Michael Porter soft-circling capabilities to bite apples with synergy during M&A season, and how that affects shareholder goals and objectives who may self-select.

As a side note, Patrick already has plans to chat more with the Clairvest combination to fund his Choctaw Land Casino plans.

Guest Contact Info

Michael Castellarin / michaelc@clairvest.com

Mohit Kansal / mohitk@clairvest.com

After retiring to St. John in their early 20s, they decided it was time to make their mark on the business world by taking over their father’s pest control “business.”

In this episode, we learn how these two brothers took their father’s $250K “business” and grew it to over $7M in revenue and multiple years on the Inc. 5,000, PCT Top 100 and Bulldog 100. We also learn what’s it like to run a business with your brother and ultimately sell it to a publicly-traded company.

The story of Inspect-All Services is a tale of inspiration, trial and error, and family business.

What would these brothers have done differently looking back? How did they grow one of the fastest growing companies in America? In listening to their story you’ll quickly realize why Paul says, “If I were shipwrecked on a tropical island, I would definitely want to be surrounded by only women, but if there had to be two guys on the island, I’d want it to be Brian and Brandon.”

Episode 14 — Buy-Side: “The Opposite” tipped the scales with listener questions. Patrick thought the he could one-up Paul by blindsiding him with a question or two from the mailroom, but Paul rope-a-doped with an extended sell-side role play scenario.

Sell-Side Sensei and M&A Master Paul Giannamore took Patrick to school. Patrick may have made a fool of himself (again), but he’s recovering after tapping out. There is a lot more at play than just negotiating money and terms. Controlling the process is the key to superior results. 

Sitting alongside his fellow Boardroom Buzz listeners (learners), Patrick does his best to keep up in the negotiation role play. 

With Monopoly money on the line, you can still hear Patrick sweating through the microphone as the interrogation goes into overtime, while Paul exercises grace and patience with his white-belt student. 

Paul doesn’t always agree with return guest Jamie Clement, but Paul gives his ‘million percent’ ( 💯 ^ 💯 ^ 💯) approval of Jamie’s take on a company going public.

Speaking of going public, COULD Patrick take his company public through an intrastate offering? Also, what’s more likely to happen to a company in the top 10 than going public?

While there are similar views on taking a pest control company public, is discussing innovation going to divide the four-bald-guy-clan?

The Nords have immigrated to the States, but will they bring their socialized pest control with them?

Did somebody mention Copesan? Where will that rabbit trail lead us?

Stay tuned-in for the great debate of acquisitions. What makes them accretive? How can one bad deal ruin the bunch? With 30 of his own executed deals, Andrew isn’t slow to share his opinion on the matter. 

Do not grow weary of Paul’s spaced repetition : companies with legit capabilities...

Of course this Jamie Clement episode wouldn’t be complete without a few sports analogies thrown-in.

Tim and Paul have debated valuation, asset price inflation, industry growth and fundamentals for years, but today he joins Paul and Patrick on The Buzz.

When Tim isn’t consuming The Boardroom Buzz, he’s consuming Milk Bottle Cookies. And when he isn’t consuming cookies, he is shopping for pest control services to test providers — rotating service providers as often as a termite swarm.

In an episode that barely squeaked by Tim’s compliance department, join Paul and Patrick as Tim details his thesis on the growth of the pest control industry and what he’s telling investors about where to put their money.

Email Tim for access to his freshly released report (tmulrooney@williamblair.com)

Patrick: Paul, what about buy-

Paul: No

Patrick: What’s up Paul? I was looking at this potential acquisition..

Paul: Why do I even answer your calls?

Patrick: Hey, when should we think about buying...

Paul: {Click}

Patrick: Paul? Paul? Are you there?

The good news is, our listeners have sent in a ton of buy-side questions that Paul can no longer avoid. So under the guise of listener-submitted questions, Patrick slid in some of his own questions, finally to be answered. 

Listeners asked about: how acquisitions turn out years later, how a privately-held pest control company can access the corporate bond market, but most importantly, listeners wanted to know how they can create value by doing small acquisitions themselves, which is the core of the discussion today.

A perfect combination of simplicity, bottom-feeding, timing and relationship-building may get you in the door, but how do you get a good entry price? After recording, Patrick realized that this is only the tip of the iceberg on the buy-side of M&A in the pest control industry.

Cookie count: 2

Seinfeld references: 1

When Andrew listened to Episode 6, he contacted Paul and Patrick and said that he wished he had been in the room with them to talk shop with Jamie. This week, his wish was granted. He was brought on The Buzz for a lively discussion with Paul, Patrick and Jamie.

Patrick and Paul decided to make the first half of the interview a standalone episode because it dealt with one topic, TruGreen’s recent announcement that it had entered the pest control industry. The second half of the interview, covering a variety of topics, will be released soon.

The Boardroom Buzz was recently added to the short list of pest control podcasts at Feedspot.

Mike’s practice focuses on transactional law issues, including mergers and acquisitions, buying partners in and out of operating entities, executive compensation, intellectual property, contracts, and compliance issues. Mike's firm also provides tax counseling, trust formation, economic incentives and real estate services.

Mike Stanczyk is a partner at Lynn D’Elia Temes and Stanczyk, a boutique business law firm with offices in Syracuse New York and New York City. 

The strategic acquirers are doing some thing(s) right, depending on the company, the point-of-view, and apparently what today’s date is. Does it matter? We drop a few names such as Rentokil’s Andy Ransom and Certus CEO (and Episode 7 guest), Mike Givlin.

Topics include : Aligning shareholder goals and objectives for your business, preparing a business for an acquisition anticipates all potential exit outcomes, and benchmarking local pricing.

Have you considered selling off distant routes to increase route density and in turn your gross margin? We discuss that in today's episode.

P.S. What does Chuck Norris have to do with pest control?

Mike took the leap and bought out the owners when Killingsworth was at $5 million in revenue. Within a decade, he grew the business to almost $24 million in revenue, 182 employees, 156 vehicles and 11 service centers – including a 38,000 square foot; ahem, 138,000 square foot - corporate center. In 2018, Maverick Mike sold his #37 on the PCT Top 100 business to Anticimex.

Mike discusses key performance indicators such as his ‘gross profit per man day’, ranking employees & customers, managing chemical costs, vehicle longevity, and much more. Sit back and join Patrick and Paul as they learn from story-master Mike as he opens up about his humble beginnings and venture into wealth. 

Topics include: Understanding what drives acquirers to make acquisitions and how value is created by a business combination. Making the hard decision to say “no” to too many disparate service offerings. The advantages of decoupling service from billing. What do acquirers look for in acquisition targets and why you shouldn’t really care. Should Anticimex’s portfolio company Killingsworth really start offering food delivery and medical services? And finally, is Rollins, the parent company of Orkin, really for sale?

He is an important part of Paul’s inner circle and one of his go-to guys for insight on pest control and other industries. For many years, the two have debated valuation, value creation and M&A in the pest control industry privately, and today you’ll listen in on one of their discussions.

In this new segment, Patrick Baldwin and Paul Giannamore Step Outside of the Boardroom for a lively discussion on: valuation multiples, private equity firms EQT and GIC, Rentokil emerging from the COVID pandemic, Rollins’s consistency, ServiceMaster’s future and possible takeover, Anticimex’s CEO Jarl Dahlfors’ history as the Blonde Beast -- bringing Brinks’ former management team to its knees when he ran Loomis in the US -- and a whole lot more. This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at what is going on at the highest levels in the pest control industry.

How will the pandemic affect future pest control acquisitions? Will this shift valuations on residential vs commercial segments?

Will the DOW return to its pre-COVID-19 high?

What happens after the sale... after Paul's first pest control deal in 2003, what happened after the close?

Patrick and Paul also talk about "taking a lump sum in a duffle bag and the proper way to 'make it rain' when you're at an underground Romanian rave".