Show Notes

In part 2 of 2 about Dan's new book, "From CEO to Exit: The Ultimate Payday for Pest and Lawn Care Operators," Dan and Donnie review how to build business value before an exit using the 4 Cs framework (human capital, structural capital, customer capital, and social capital). They also outline a systematic approach to exit planning involving discovery, preparation, and decision phases, and they delve into the challenges of the due diligence process.

In part 1 of 2 about Dan's new book, "From CEO to Exit: The Ultimate Payday for Pest and Lawn Care Owners," he and Donnie discuss key exit planning concepts, including three gaps to consider: the wealth gap (difference between needed income and current assets), the value gap (improving multiples), and the price gap (potential versus current sale value). They also talk about misconceptions around multiples and understanding adjusted EBITDA.

This week, STL Pest Control GM Zach Isenmann talks to Dan and Donnie about his experience joining his father's company, the challenges and growth they faced, and the decision to partner with private equity firm Perennial Services Group. He explained the transition process, the benefits of additional support and resources, and the post-transaction status of the company's culture and operations.

This episode features Liam Sunstrum, owner of Yard Dawgs in Western Canada, discussing his company's rapid growth and marketing strategies. Liam tells Dan and Donnie how his company tripled from 4,000 to 12,000 customers over the past year by expanding to five new markets and implementing an advanced tech stack—including HubSpot, Claude AI, and RealGreen—and he details his Facebook and SMS marketing efforts.

In this episode of the PMP Industry Insiders Podcast, Dan and Donnie discuss how to avoid being an unpaid bank by managing commercial credit terms. Dan explains the cash flow challenges of commercial accounts receivable and the importance of calculating Days Sales Outstanding (DSO). They discussed strategies such as setting payment terms, using ACH or credit cards, and having a structured collection process.

This week, Donnie and Dan discuss how to build a company that AI recommends, revisiting a previous episode on the death of search engines. Donnie demonstrates how AI agents make recommendations based on clarity, discoverability, and evidence, emphasizing the importance of consistent and specific online information.

This week on PMP Industry Insiders, Dan and Donnie welcome Finn Forshaw, Strategic Business Manager for Forshaw, to discuss inventory challenges for pest control operators and how to overcome them. Finn covers common pain points — cash being tied up in inventory, shrinkage and waste, and emergency buys due to stockouts — and inventory management strategies. He also explains Forshaw's ForeSight system, including its data visibility and forecasting capabilities.

In this episode, Dan and Donnie break down why estate planning matters for pest and lawn business owners. With successful pest control companies potentially valued at 10 to 14 times EBITDA, the business can create a significant estate—and significant tax and succession challenges. The conversation covers federal estate tax exemptions, gifting strategies, trusts, asset protection, probate, and ways business owners can structure their estates to protect their families.

This week, Dan and Donnie interview Dean Burnside, owner of Good News Pest Solutions, a faith-based pest control firm in Florida. They discuss Dean's journey to ownership, his decision to operate the business as a platform for ministry, how the company's values integrate into its culture, and the concepts, systems, and primary metric Good News Pest relies on to achieve its goals.

This week, Dan and Donnie talk with analyst Tim Mulroney about the current state and future prospects of the pest control industry. Tim shares insights about the long-term strength of the industry and near-term headwinds, such as weather, consumer behavior, and digital marketing costs. He also discusses the K-shaped economy and its potential effects on the industry.

In this episode, Donnie and Dan discuss how the traditional customer journey—web searching, reviewing multiple companies, and contacting businesses directly—is going away due to AI, comparing it to the shift from Yellow Pages to Google. Donnie also does a live demo of an AI agent researching and recommending local services, and he explains how business owners should respond to this shift in consumer behavior.

In this episode, Dan and Donnie welcome Margaret Garcia, founder and CEO of Grit PPO, to discuss why every growing company needs a Customer Experience (CX) playbook and actionable steps to create one. Margaret explains why customer service shouldn't rely on tribal knowledge or individual personalities. Successful companies create repeatable systems that ensure every customer receives the same high-quality experience.

7/16/26 Topic: HR Update: Noncompetes, Marijuana, Contractors & I-9s Guest: Jean Seawright, CMC, President, Seawright & Associates Click here to listen. Click here to watch. In this episode we discuss: Our sponsors Coalmarch by Workwave, PestSure, Voice for Pest, Forshaw & PestPac by WorkWave PMP Industry Insiders Peer Groups & Conference The recent FTC enforcement action against Rollins regarding non-compete agreements What companies should do to ensure their own contracts a

In this episode, Donnie and Dan tackle a challenge nearly every pest control and lawn care company faces: the slow creep of unnecessary complexity. From software overload and endless KPIs to outdated service offerings, bloated processes, and unnecessary meetings, they explore why business systems fail when execution breaks down and how pest and lawn companies can avoid this trap.

This week, PestSure's Todd Burke & Kristina Phillips join Dan and Donnie to discuss risk exposures that pest control business owners may overlook. They cover cyber liability threats and real-world examples of breaches, employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) for wage and hour allegations and harassment claims, auto insurance complexities around company vehicles used for personal errands, and the importance of proper umbrella coverage given increasing claim costs.

This episode features Jonas Olson, co-founder of Pest Control Millionaires and CEO of Pest Badger, discussing his journey from starting a lawn care company in 2010 to getting into pest control in 2020 and scaling Pest Badger to nearly $20 million in annual revenue across 17 locations in just six years. He highlighted pivotal moments in his firm's growth — including the transition to door-to-door, his approach to AI, and how mindset and finding mentors are essential.

This week, Dan and Donnie welcome Adam Weber, co-founder and CEO of Driven, to discuss how data and employee engagement tools can help pest control companies improve performance. Adam shares his journey from pest company owner to developing Driven, an employee engagement platform that helps service professionals see real-time scorecards and performance metrics. They cover how Driven works, the importance of giving employees ownership of their performance data and more.

Dan and Donnie break down the recent drop in Rollins' stock, what’s driving Wall Street’s reaction and why it matters for the pest control industry. They discuss the impact of CFO Ken Krause’s resignation, explain why the core business remains strong and review what this could mean for valuations, deal activity and rolled equity in today’s M&A market.

Dan and Donnie interview Kacey Wyman, CEO of Epcon Lane Pest Control, a fourth-generation family business. They discuss her transition to CEO, her involvement in NPMA leadership, and what it takes to create a self-sustaining business while maintaining 90 percent recurring revenue.

This week, Smarter Launch Co-Founders Eric Fletcher & Cody Smith join Dan and Donnie on the PMP Industry Insiders Podcast. They walk through the development of their proposal software, how it works and the ROI pest control companies typically see when they use it. Donnie also shares Triangle Pest Control's experience with Smarter Launch.