Bug Bux Podcast

In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with John Speed, founder of Kilauea Pest Control in Hawaii, to talk about what it really takes to build an exceptional company. John shares the lessons he's learned growing one of Hawaii's most respected pest control businesses—from creating an award-winning workplace culture to surrounding yourself with great people and lear...

 Most pest control companies offer the same products. So why do some businesses earn loyal customers while others lose them? In this episode, Allan Draper sits down with Ben Riches, founder of Apex Pest Solutions, to discuss how communication has become one of his company’s biggest competitive advantages. From answering every phone call to following up after every service, Ben shares the systems t...

What can a CPA teach a pest control owner about scaling a business? In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Brandon Sizemore, co-founder and COO of Mint Pest Control, for a conversation packed with real business insights, operational lessons, and mindset shifts every PCO needs to hear. Before helping build one of the industry’s fastest growing companies, Brandon spent 1...

What happens when a former FBI intelligence analyst enters the pest control industry with zero experience? In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Luke Lewis, founder of Native Pest Management, to talk about building one of the fastest-growing pest control companies in the country. Luke shares how he went from working in the FBI to launching Native Pest Management in 20...

 In this solo episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper opens up about the emotional side of building a business that most owners never talk about. From difficult employees and angry customers to growth pressure, burnout, and feeling overlooked in an “unglamorous” industry, Allan shares a reminder every entrepreneur needs to hear. What you do matters. Whether you’re running a million-dollar com...

What does it actually take to scale a pest control company past $1M? In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Andrew Peluso, founder of Pesty Marketing, to break down the marketing systems, sales processes, and leadership mindset that separate struggling operators from high-growth pest control companies. They dive into: • When pest control companies should hire a marketi...

Allan Draper sits down with Tony Carder, owner of True North Pest Control, for a powerful conversation about leadership, relationships, patience, and building businesses the right way. After a successful exit from Active Pest Control and a five-year non-compete, Tony returned to the industry by acquiring multiple companies founded by former employees, proving why burning bridges in business can co...

In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Kyle Turner, founder and CEO of Proactive Pest Control, to unpack how he scaled a pest control company to 140+ employees and multiple locations without relying on traditional door-to-door sales. Kyle shares the early marketing strategies that fueled Proactive’s growth, from dominating Yelp in the early days to leveraging Google LS...

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....