The Boardroom Buzz: Grow, Sell, or Exit

An audio rebroadcast from POTOMAC.TV. 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 transa...

Robert Pittman, owner of Tuxedo Mosquito Control, joins Nick Bartolo and Fat Pat aka Patrick Baldwin to discuss his journey in developing a specialized mosquito control business centered around family values and focus. Taking over from his father-in-law, who founded the company, Robert has upheld a culture that treats employees like family—a principle that’s integral to the company’s success in a...

Chase and Fat Pat explore the often-complex landscape of change management. Change within an organization requires more than just fresh ideas; it demands a well-executed plan and consistent momentum. Decision-makers must be resilient and somewhat shielded from daily challenges, allowing them to focus on long-term goals rather than immediate hurdles. This "immunity" to the daily grind is key to sus...

Wall Street equity analyst, Jamie Clement, joins Paul and Patrick and takes a hard look at the current state of the economy, focusing on how it impacts both consumers and the pest control industry. With rising costs hitting American households—particularly those in the lower income brackets—the discussion centers on how this economic squeeze could affect pest control operators. As consumers feel t...

Nephi Julien and Shad Teerlink, co-owners of Evolve Pest Control, shared their remarkable journey from 323 clients in Nowhere, Nevada to a multi-million dollar exit. With no prior experience and limited resources, they leveraged door-to-door sales, persistence, and creativity to rapidly grow their customer base, overcoming significant financial challenges to build a thriving operation. What unconv...

Kyle Waltz, the owner of Conserv Wildlife Services, steps into The Boardroom with Patrick Baldwin and Nick Bartolo. It's clear that this isn't Kyle's first rodeo in the wildlife arena. Kyle shares about the challenges and opportunities he faces, and what he's learned along the way. With so many moving parts, how can businesses ensure they have the right structure and expertise to navigate this spe...

This week, Nick Gifford, president of Radix and founder of Diamond Lawns, joins Nick Bartolo and Patrick Baldwin as he shares his entrepreneurial journey—a story of grit, resilience, and teamwork. Building a business is no solo effort. Gifford attributes much of his success to the strong, dependable teams he’s built over the years. He emphasizes that finding the right people, who share your values...

Jonas Olson, CEO of Pest Badger, joins Paul and Patrick to share his entrepreneurial journey from lawn care to pest control. When the pandemic shut down his lawn care services, he saw an opportunity to pivot into pest control—a more recession-proof and scalable industry. It was such a pivot that he rebranded from Lawn Badger to Pest Badger. His existing expertise in sales and marketing allowed him...

Charlie Church, owner and president of Getem Services Termite and Pest Control, joins Patrick Baldwin and Nick Bartolo to share his journey of unexpectedly taking over his family's pest control business. Through this, he highlights his experience with perseverance, adaptability, and a self-starter mentality. Drawing from his background in wrestling, Charlie developed discipline and resilience—trai...

Paul, Chase, and Fat Pat explore the intricate dynamics of company management, emphasizing the crucial role of understanding what employees value to build a high-performance culture. By recognizing individual needs and preferences, leaders can significantly boost employee satisfaction and engagement, ultimately benefiting the business. They highlight the importance of offering thoughtful, low-cost...

PCT Top 100 CEO Brian Goldman of Big Blue Bug Solutions joins hosts Fat Pat and Chase Hazelwood in the Boardroom this week. Brian shares the story behind their famous mascot, Nibbles Woodaway - a giant blue termite that has become an unofficial symbol of Rhode Island. The discussion explores how unique marketing can forge a deep bond between a business and its local community. Did you know Big Blu...

Patrick and Nick step into The Boardroom with Mark Stewart, consultant, sales coach, and author of  Stop Selling , to uncover how businesses can get the most out of their sales teams. Mark has experience helping companies double and even triple in size and keep the same talented people. They dive into what makes the next generation of employees tick, sharing unique tips and tricks for hiring them...

Paul Giannamore, Mat Rogers, and Patrick Baldwin begin the episode by paying tribute to Andrew Beck, the CEO of Aruza Pest Control, who passed away last week. They share personal stories, remembering him as a devoted business leader, father, husband, and friend. If you knew Andrew or would like to help his family in this unimaginably difficult time, Paul has set up a GoFundMe page at 4AndrewBeck.c...

Patrick Baldwin and Nick Bartolo are joined by Court Parker, the CEO and owner of Bug Busters USA to share insights into the growth and management of his thriving pest control business. When exploring Court’s background and how Bug Busters has evolved over the years, Court lets us in on some growth strategies, particularly the importance of route density in the pest control industry. By focusing o...

Paul Giannamore is back in The Boardroom this week joining Patrick Baldwin to cover the surprisingly bustling pest control M&A market. You’d expect transactions to slow down due to summer vacations, but it’s actually quite the opposite. Paul shared that Potomac has “closed more transactions than we have in a two-month period, except in Q4 of 2020." Private equity firms are at the forefront, dr...

This week, Patrick Baldwin, Nick Bartolo, and Chase Hazelwood explore the game-changing impact of AI on sales centers. They dive into how automating data collection and reporting can uncover a significant number of missed calls—those often ignored but crucial for sales performance. Chase shares how his team at Go-Forth Home Services used AI to identify these missed opportunities and develop effect...

In this week's episode of The Boardroom, hosts Patrick Baldwin and Nick Bartolo are joined by Drew Fenn, President of Fenn Termite & Pest Control in Southern California with a focus on commercial and residential customers. They delve into the critical role of discipline and focus in growing a business. Drew emphasizes the necessity of deeply understanding your business and adhering to your cor...

Jason Walton, U.S. Senate Candidate in Utah and co-founder and CEO of Moxie Pest Control, joins Patrick Baldwin and Nick Bartolo for an enlightening episode of The Boardroom Buzz. Jason begins by discussing how mentors influenced his success such as Brent Bingham, Jimmy Hale, and the Rollins family. He also stresses that principled living and keeping commitments are key to personal and professiona...

Mike Houston, the seasoned owner of Sureguard Termite and Pest Services, joins Nick Bartolo and Patrick Baldwin in the Boardroom to share his extensive experience in the pest control industry. Mike's humble beginnings in the industry accelerated into a successful business he exited. Mike took a break from pest control but has built again. He prioritizes maintaining strong customer service and buil...

You can watch Paul’s presentation in its entirety on POTOMAC TV here: https://youtu.be/OiY68KAOIC8?si=UK-Tcq2GA7b1Ec4v 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...

Today in the Boardroom, Nick Bartolo and Patrick Baldwin sat down with Phil Rinehart. Phil is a practicing attorney and principal at The Law Offices of Phillip Rinehart. Phil is uniquely suited to provide legal advice as he also has a 20+ career in pest control and is currently the owner and CEO of EcoGen. As an attorney, Phil specializes in litigation, consulting, management, entity formation, li...

This week in The Boardroom, Paul, Patrick, and Chase explore the benefits of switching from hourly pay to production commission for technicians. It's not just an incentive but a reward for effort and results, fostering a sense of ownership among employees. How could a commission-based pay system boost your company’s productivity and engagement? Chase shares his innovative hiring practices, suggest...

In this episode, we spoke with Caleb Fabry, owner of Town & Country Pest Solutions in Rochester, New York. Caleb discusses the importance of a strong company culture and employee engagement. By using the Culture Index, he aligns team members with roles that fit their unique attributes while enhancing communication. How can utilizing culture tools help to retain team members, create mission ali...

Brian Lunsford, owner and CEO of Bring the Joy Ventures—the parent company of LunsPro Inspections, Kingfish Pest Control, JoyLights, Fix-it Flamingo, and Jacksonville Real Producers—rejoins The Boardroom Buzz to recount his journey as a business leader. After a successful pest control business sale in Atlanta, Brian and his wife Kristin are building synergistic businesses in Jacksonville with less...

This week in the Boardroom, Paul, Patrick, and Chase discuss building a high-performance business culture by expecting and monitoring mistakes. Transparency is key. When we expect each other to make mistakes and hold each other accountable, we're building a supportive environment. How can your organization see mistakes as growth opportunities? Trust and accountability must be balanced. Trust doesn...