Bug Bux Podcast

In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Alex Daie, former F/A-18 Super Hornet combat pilot, F-35 instructor pilot, Wharton MBA, and now founder of Fortis Pest Control. Alex shares why he left a successful corporate career to launch a pest control company from scratch and the mindset shifts that helped him make the leap into entrepreneurship. They dive deep into: Why rec...

Most pest control companies are spending thousands on marketing… and still missing a huge percentage of their leads. In this episode, Allan Draper sits down with Aaron Cooper, CEO of SameDay AI, to break down exactly why that’s happening and how to fix it using AI without needing a big team or technical expertise. They dive into what’s really going on behind missed calls, slow follow-up, and lost...

If you’re struggling with employee retention… this episode is for you. Allan Draper sits down with Maria Sorrentino, CEO of Pest Pros, to break down what actually keeps great people around and it’s not just pay, processes, or performance metrics. From building a true “family-style” business to turning entry-level employees into six-figure earners, Maria shares how focusing on people first creates...

Most pest control owners are chasing growth in the wrong place. In this episode, Allan Draper sits down with Reagan Nickl (VP of Customer Success at Ask Nicely) to break down one of the most overlooked, but highest-impact, growth levers in your business: customer experience and retention. If you’re focused on leads, sales, and marketing… but not obsessing over your current customers, you could be...

In this unscripted episode, Allan Draper and Mat Rogers dive into what actually separates businesses in today’s AI-driven world and it’s not what you think. They unpack a powerful idea: AI can only remix what already exists… but it can’t replicate real, lived experience. And in a world flooded with generic content, that gap is becoming the biggest opportunity in business. From behind-the-scenes in...

In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Chris Wrex, owner of Wrex Wildlife & Pest Control, to talk about building a business from the ground up and mastering one of the toughest niches in the industry: wasps. Chris shares his journey from being a school teacher to becoming a trusted pest control expert, along with the mindset shifts that helped him grow past plateau...

In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Matt Deroest, owner of Ultimate Pest, to break down how he went from a side hustle to a fast-growing pest control business in the Phoenix market. Matt shares how he carved out a unique lane by focusing on services most companies ignore, like pigeons, weeds, and specialty jobs and how that strategy led to massive growth and low cus...

You’ve heard it before but you’re probably not doing anything about it. In this episode, Allan breaks down one of the most important (and overlooked) drivers of success: who you spend time with. Backed by real studies and real-world examples, this isn’t just motivation, it’s a wake-up call. If you want to make more money, build a better business, improve your relationships, and actually enjoy life...

In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with pest control owner Matt Thompson to break down how he’s built a thriving, fast-growing business, without spending money on advertising. From starting his company while working full-time to now averaging $70K–$80K in growth each year, Matt shares the real strategies behind his success: relentless customer care, organic growth, and...

In the pest control industry, it’s easy to fall into the "zero-sum" trap; the idea that for one business to win, another must lose. But what if the opposite were true? What if helping your "competitors" actually helped you grow faster? In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan is joined by Travis Bottoms and Tyler Sublette, founders of Nice Pest Company, who have scaled to...

In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, we sit down with the founders of Peppermint Pest Control to discuss their unconventional journey into the industry. Coming from outside the pest control world with "zero connections" and "zero book of business," they explain how their fresh perspective as consumers led them to challenge industry standards. We dive into: The No-Contract Mo...

What if the biggest growth lever in your pest control company isn’t marketing, hiring, or pricing… but the people you surround yourself with? In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Kevin Reif , founder of Reif Environmental, to talk about the intangible edge that separates good operators from great ones: community. They dive into the power of relationships inside the p...

Is AI about to disrupt the pest control industry, or is it just another tool? In this solo episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper breaks down the real ways artificial intelligence is already impacting pest control and where it won’t be replacing humans anytime soon. From predictive pest data and proactive treatments to smarter routing, automated customer communication, and AI-powered pest id...

If your phone is ringing but your schedule isn’t filling up, this episode is for you. Allan Draper sits down with Josh Zuniga, CEO of Vult Growth Systems and former record-setting door-to-door rep (1,500 accounts sold in a single year), to break down what’s really holding pest control companies back from scaling their inside sales. They dive into: Why most companies lose deals before the tech ever...

Acquisitions don’t have to mean massive deals, private equity, or losing your company’s identity. In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Byron Barnes, second-generation pest control owner of Barnes Exterminating in Tennessee, to break down a smarter, more approachable way to grow: micro-acquisitions. Byron shares how he took over his family business at just 22 years ol...

Marketing a pest control company isn’t as simple as posting on social media or turning on Google Ads and for many owners, that’s exactly where frustration sets in. In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, host Allan Draper welcomes back Paul Alley, owner of Pestmaster Services of the Hudson Valley, for a candid, boots-on-the-ground conversation about what it really takes to market and grow a pest c...

What does it really take to get out of the truck and build a pest control company that can grow without you? In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with John Stopka, co-founder of Liberty Pest Control, to break down how John scaled his company past $1M in under two years, starting at just 25 years old, by focusing on leadership, systems, and intentional hiring from day one....

As the industry heads into a new year, strong leadership and people development matter more than ever. In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Alan Feuer, Associate Certified Entomologist with over 36 years in the pest control industry, Marine Corps veteran, and former Technical Director at Preventive Pest Control. Together, they dive deep into what it really takes to h...

In this insightful episode, Allan Draper sits down with Scott Sandberg, co-founder of RUVA Pest Control, to explore how building the right culture is the key to sustainable growth in the pest control industry. Scott shares the inside story of how RUVA scaled to nearly $3 million in recurring revenue and earned thousands of five-star Google reviews in just a few years, without compromising on compa...

In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper is joined by Jared Ingalls, Vice President of Sales at Pest Management Supply, to unpack one of the most overlooked growth levers in pest control: your relationship with your distributor. With more than 30 years in the industry, Jared shares what most new (and even experienced) pest control owners get wrong about suppliers and why treating them...

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Jana Lloyd, owner of Antelope Hills Pest Control in Lincoln, California. What unfolds is not a typical growth or scaling story but a reminder of why many of us got into pest control in the first place. Jana shares how she and her late husband built a one-route pest control business rooted in honesty, h...

 In this unscripted, wide-ranging episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with longtime friend and pest control marketing expert Matt Rogers for a raw, honest conversation about planning for growth in 2026. Drawing from real-world experience growing Killingsworth from $8M to $28M and lessons learned from both wins and failures Matt breaks down why the most successful pest control co...

 In this episode of the BugBux Podcast, Allan sits down with industry veteran Harry Bryan, Director of Business Development at Nisus Corporation, who brings over 30 years of pest control and agricultural experience to the table. Together, they explore how the industry has evolved—from smarter customers and better-trained technicians to the rise of online communities and AI tools like ChatGPT. Harr...

In this episode of The Bug Bux Podcast , host Allan Draper sits down with Reagan Nickl , Vice President of Customer Success at Ask Nicely , to talk about one of the most overlooked growth levers in the pest control industry: customer experience. While many PCOs are focused on marketing, advertising, and new customer acquisition, Reagan shares why the smartest companies are investing their energy i...

In this special Thanksgiving episode of the Bug Bucks Podcast, Allan Draper opens up about gratitude, community, and the transformative power of clear goal-setting. Recorded ahead of the holiday but released on Thanksgiving weekend, Allan reflects on the origins of the Bug Bucks community, how it was born during one of the most turbulent times in the pest control industry, and why he’s more gratef...