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 learning from other industry leaders.

The conversation dives into why the best leaders don't react emotionally, how to give feedback that actually improves performance, why explaining the "why" matters more than giving instructions, and how networking with high-level operators can completely change the trajectory of your business.

Whether you're trying to get out of the truck, build a stronger leadership team, or create a company your employees never want to leave, this episode is packed with practical takeaways you can implement immediately.

In this episode:
• Why great leaders pause before reacting
• Building a "Best Place to Work" culture
• Hiring and retaining rock-star employees
• The importance of peer groups and networking
• Leading through trust instead of micromanagement
• Giving constructive feedback that motivates
• Why your people, not your systems, are your greatest competitive advantage

Lessons from Hawaii's first PCT Top 100 pest control company
If this episode challenged the way you think about leadership, share it with another business owner or someone on your team who needs to hear it.

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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 that have helped his company grow from zero to nearly 850 customers.

They also dive into leadership, consistency, building systems, and the books that have shaped Ben as an entrepreneur.

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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 12 years as a CPA working with organizations like the Arizona Cardinals and the Salvation Army. Now, he’s applying those same systems, processes, and financial principles to pest control growth.

This episode goes far beyond accounting.

Allan and Brandon dive into:

• Why most business owners struggle to get out of the truck
• How systems and documentation create scalable companies
• The mindset shift from employee to entrepreneur
• Why pest control is one of the best businesses in the world
• Leadership, delegation, and building customer experiences that last
• The importance of mentorship, community, and learning from failure
• How Bug Bux and networking can accelerate your growth

Whether you’re a solo operator trying to grow or leading a multimillion dollar company, this episode is full of practical lessons you can apply immediately.

This isn’t just an episode you listen to once… it’s one you’ll want to revisit with a notebook in hand.

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 2015, growing it into an Inc. 5000 company five years in a row and landing #63 on the PCT Top 100 list.

The conversation dives deep into:

• The biggest pricing mistakes new PCOs make
• Why cheap pricing attracts the worst customers
• How premium pricing improves company culture
• When and how to raise prices without losing customers
• Building a high-quality brand in competitive markets
• The importance of paying technicians well
• Why many pest control owners are afraid to grow profitably

If you’re trying to scale your pest control company, improve profitability, or position your business as a premium service provider, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately.

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 company or just thinking about starting your business, this episode is about purpose, leadership, family, employees, customers, and pushing through the hard seasons that come with entrepreneurship.

If you’ve been feeling discouraged, overlooked, or questioning whether the grind is worth it… this episode is for you.

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 marketing agency
• Google LSA tips that can instantly improve lead flow
• Why response time can make or break your marketing
• The real reason most companies waste expensive leads
• How better sales systems lower customer acquisition costs
• What operators need in place before scaling
• Leadership lessons from some of history’s greatest business minds

If you’re trying to grow your pest control company from $1M to the next level, this episode is packed with practical strategies you can implement immediately.

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 cost you far more than money.

In this episode, Allan and Tony dive into:

• Why emotional “knee-jerk” reactions hurt leaders
• The importance of sleeping on difficult decisions
• How strong relationships can come full circle years later
• Building company culture through trust and mentorship
• Why community involvement creates long-term business growth
• The real timeline for marketing ROI in pest control
• Door-to-door vs. relationship-based growth strategies
• How True North scaled from $1.4M to nearly $9M in revenue

Tony also shares lessons learned from decades in business, mentoring younger operators, and focusing on principles over short-term wins.

Whether you’re building your first route, scaling a multi-million dollar operation, or leading a growing team, this episode is packed with practical wisdom for the long game of business and life.

🎧 Listen all the way through for key takeaways, leadership insights, and actionable advice for pest control owners looking to grow sustainably.

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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 LSAs before the market became saturated.

The conversation dives deep into building scalable sales systems, creating high-performing teams, and using incentives, KPIs, and daily accountability to drive consistent growth. Kyle also opens up about leadership, delegation, company culture, and why empowering managers, not micromanaging them, has been critical to Proactive’s success.

Whether you’re just starting a pest control company or looking to scale your operation, this episode is packed with actionable insights on marketing, leadership, retention, and building a customer-first business that lasts.

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