The Boardroom Buzz: Grow, Sell, or Exit

What do Switzerland, Cypress, Japan, Turkey, Israel, Germany have in common? This episode, of course. Banks are in the headlines. From SVB to Credit Suisse, who is getting bailed out and why? Is this bank event the calm before the storm of a real credit collapse? 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...

From building phase to harvesting phase to lining up fund sequences, Paul breaks down private equity funds’ capital allocation and limited duration. What lessons can you apply in your privately held service business? 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 u...

Without strategy, that list of hopes and desires is just a list. It’s time to put on your thinking caps, and dive deep on this brain-straining exercise. From identifying gaps to growth limitations, you’ll hear all about cause and effect in this week’s Boardroom chat. 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...

Is there really a formula to creating wealth? Can it be distilled down to creating, documenting, and following a process?  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 yo...

Buyers appreciated the sage advice and a good ol’ Fat Pat case study in Episode 118, but Paul turns the tables. 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 an...

With buy-side M&A on the mind, how do you go about grounding a seller whose visions include sugar plum fairies and a whole lot more? Who doesn’t loooooove a good Fat Pat case study? This time, unreasonable exit-minded Fat Pat comes back to reality. 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-sa...

The Boardroom dives into human resources, but it’s not all warm and fuzzies as former Terminix CHRO David Dart steps into The Boardroom. From his time in the US Navy to present day at Caliber Collision and everything in-between, David shares his experience on building high performance teams. You’ll rethink your strategy and your pay plans as you listen through this episode that takes human resourc...

Feeling stuck? You’re not alone. It’s all about facts over feelings in this high-speed, low-drag chat between Patrick, Paul, and Seth. 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? Audio Mixing and Editing by  www.verbell...

Happy New Year from The Boardroom Buzz! With 2022 in the rearview mirror, what’s the outlook for 2023? With a potential credit event on the horizon, Paul shares his expectations for the economy and the service industry .Is it too early to decide if demand destruction has begun on the residential-side of the industry? With the end in mind, one Buzz listener asks about vehicles. Should he finance or...

Welcome Scott Fortson of Terminix Service, Craig Heath of Aiken Pest, and Clemson’s not-quite-retired Urban Entomology Chair, Eric Benson PhD. The Clemson Urban Entomology Program needs to raise $5M to keep the urban entomology department at Clemson. No money = no endowment = no department. What is urban entomology? Why does this endowment matter to the industry outside of South Carolina? Who bett...

As president of Sprague Pest Solutions , Ross Treleven holds the reins of the nearly century old family business. Following in the footsteps of the 3rd generation while literally holding the 5th generation (his newborn Kate is soooo cute by the way), family values come through in this interview surrounding the largest family-owned commercial pest control company in the United States. He is respons...

Please give a warm Boardroom welcome to one of Paul’s all-time favorite CFOs, Tony DiLucente. Although a CFO, there's a lot more in this conversation than just financial strategy. How did Tony maintain consistency through ServiceMaster’s rotating CEO program?  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...

Paul and Patrick compare notes from recent Potomac | TV episodes , wouldn’t you know it’d uncover Jarl Dahlfors Anticimex Road Show investor presentation? A quick conversation about Steve & Michelle Mote, Shawn Hollis, and Sebastian Tomassoni turns into a pop quiz comparing Patrick’s list of Sebastian’s list (Anticimex’s VP of M&A North America) and comparing it to Jarl’s Top 14 List. Want...

When it comes to public relations, there’s a lot to learn. Who better than Mike Harris from Uproar PR (not Puerto Rico) to discuss PR? Take it from the guy that can make drywall exciting. Nothing is guaranteed, but can public relations be held accountable for ROI? Listen to hear if getting national coverage is bad for a regional business. And when it comes to crisis management, do you really want...

You first heard about SOLitude Lake Management back in Episode 70 with Jay Davis and Jason Pananos , but where (or who) gave SOLitude its start? Kevin Tucker steps in to share his backstory and breaks down the basics of lake management. 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...

The King of Route Density, Tony Sfreddo, surprised us all in his Potomac TV debut . It’s time to take another shot in “The Great Civil War” compensation discussion. Does compensation affect the bottom line or M&A? Pick a team. Are you Team Tony, Team Patrick, or Team Seth Goes Both Ways?  Both pay structures have their benefits and limitations, but listen for Seth’s creative incentive in this...

Brett Madden. Problem solver, risk taker, inventor, author, esquire, but don’t call him boss. From problem child to Cigar Aficionado, hear how younger Brett had a gift for observation.  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 gues...

You’ve likely heard the term EOS® (Entrepreneurial Operating System). Maybe you read Traction . Heck, maybe you’ve drunk the Kool-Aid. The real question is: Have you read Rocket Fuel ? Expert EOS Implementer Mark C Winters teamed up with Traction’s author, Gino Wickman, to produce the groundwork for the top of your accountability chart.  So what, or who, is at the top? Enter the Visionary and Inte...

EBIT, EBITA, and EBITDA all sound and look similar, but what sets them apart? USA vs rest-of world; buy-side vs sell-side; there are many views and preferences on the matter, but Paul brings clarity to the complications. 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 mis...

Paul Giannamore and behind-the-scenes Producer, Dylan Seals discuss the past, present, and future of The Boardroom Buzz as well as the introduction of POTOMAC | TV, a YouTube Channel that seeks to delight, entertain and inform Service Industry owners and their families.  Watch now at WWW.POTOMAC.TV Produced by Verbell. Ltd

Pest control in Europe is different, but how?  Futura Germany  CEO Daniel Schröer steps in to share the perspective from his side of The Pond. Both Daniel and his business partner, Oliver Klute, are second generation bug guys. It must’ve been their destiny to develop and distribute the world’s first digital mousetrap. Think you’re just too white and nerdy? Listen to how Futura Germany’s tech diffe...

Real estate and termite-less businesses are at the top of the listeners’ list. Paul makes time for a few listener questions between four closings and his across-the-Atlantic “vacation”.  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?...

Dress in your best socks and sandals because class is in session. Welcome @cassiethebugdoc aka the face of Terminix into The Boardroom. “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 da...

Years before Boardroom Buzz fans celebrated their 100th episode, Paul participated as a guinea pig back in his Cornell college days. It turns out the research became of one psychology’s most recognized studies, the Dunning-Kruger effect. Is there a better way to celebrate 100 episodes than sitting down with Dunning-Kruger’s David Dunning PhD? Maybe you’ve made it this far in life without taking a...

Welcome Gary Findley into The Boardroom this week. Literally. Gary steps into Patrick’s office for this sit-down on the ins and outs of franchising. 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 o...