Skye LaJaunie, COO of LaJaunie's Pest Control, joins Paul and Patrick in The Boardroom to dive into the crucial role of company culture in driving business success. There is a huge need for a strong culture built on genuine relationships between leaders and team members. But what does it take to truly understand your team's motivations and aspirati…

We always think high growth is the golden ticket. Sure, rapid expansion can be sweet, but have you ever wondered if there's such a thing as too much growth? When should you hit the brakes and focus on other priorities, especially if selling your company is in the cards? Let's talk about keeping those customers happy. Implementing a killer retention…

Paul and Patrick dive into the intricate world of cognitive biases, drawing insights from Daniel Kahneman's book, Thinking, Fast and Slow. The duo dissected the concept of representativeness bias, which can lead us to make flawed assumptions based on surface-level similarities. Think about it: How often do we catch ourselves falling into this trap …

Paul is getting on the road to double-keynote this year's AZPPO Great Western Conference. But first, Paul takes on a FRAXN client's question, beginning with the vital need to keep partnership agreements and valuations current. Surely, you’ve considered the potential chaos if your business partner suddenly left the picture. Updating your operating a…

Fat Pat and Uncle Paul dive into business expansion strategies and the power of partnerships. Instead of sticking to the traditional 'buy or build' mindset, here's an alternative: forming alliances with established players in new markets. But here's the kicker: Have you considered how such partnerships could reshape your business expansion plans? W…

Are you ready for another guest episode? Mike Hurley, the genius behind a thriving wildlife business, Xceptional Wildlife, joins the Boardroom to uncover the secrets to his success. Mike hits home the importance of ironclad processes in business growth. Drawing from his experience with Six Sigma, he emphasizes the power of identifying and perfectin…

Chase Hazelwood, owner of Go-Forth Pest Control, takes us through their remarkable journey from $2 million to an astonishing $25 million empire in just ten years. Curious about his winning formula? It's all about cultivating a high-performance culture. Chase tells us about his relentless focus on customer service and sales that skyrocketed producti…

Looking to crack the code of success in the wildlife and pest control sectors? Fat Pat and Seth drop some wisdom on why simplicity is the name of the game for top-performing companies. By starting with a single service and gradually adding on more, these businesses maximize profitability and route density. Do you think your company could benefit fr…

Uncle Paul is preparing his upcoming presentation at Energy by Pest Daily, happening this weekend in Tampa, Florida. But first, he's answering listener questions by uncovering the secret sauce of setting that initial price point. How does anchoring impact negotiations? How can you take control by making the first offer? Private equity firms are dit…

Have you ever felt dwarfed by a competitor's size, wondering, "What am I doing wrong?" Uncle Paul goes solo with a few listener questions in hand, and reminds us that size isn't everything; it's about playing the hand you're dealt. What unique strengths can you leverage in your business? Take it from the expert—ditch the grand goals and focus on sm…

Fat Pat and Uncle Paul kick off the new year at WorkWave's 2024 Beyond Service User Conference and unpack the highlights of Paul's appearance at their panel discussion. "Strategy in 2024" takes center stage. Spoiler alert: it's all about goals and objectives—it just keeps all the wheels turning. But so does showing your commitment to your people. H…

How much time is needed to train a technician to work independently? What strategies encourage technicians to expand their (non-upselling) sales skills, and is it advisable? Fat Pat and Seth delve into these listener questions and more this week. From scaling up clients to promoting from within, they dive into a few different topics. If you were to…

As CEO, which tasks can and should be outsourced? Better yet, what about replacing yourself? One listener asks if his involvement affects how much the business’s value. Some buyers might like the owner being less hands-on and having a strong team already in charge. What factors influence how the buyers see the level of owner involvement? Are you re…

While Uncle Paul is away, Fat Pat and BroSeth tackle subscription billing and collection exceptions. How long should companies should stick to service once a customer gets behind? Customer communication is a tricky wicket. Who gets price hikes and how do you communicate them? While Seth is fielding all the questions this week, let’s get his take on…

You asked, we answered. More listener questions are on tap for this week’s Buzz. Starting with rate cuts. A rate cut is rumored. How would it impact M&A? Uncle Paul breaks down the signal along with the relationship between rate cuts, debt, and the overall economic environment. Reliability’s best friend, recurring revenue, plays a critical role in …

Marcus Sheridan, keynote speaker on sales, marketing, and building trust, and author of They Ask You Answer, joins Paul and Patrick in the boardroom in an episode on becoming an industry expert through a customer-centric approach. He emphasizes the need to stand out, be more human, and engage better with customers and addresses concerns about costs…

Companies can leverage subordinated debt to access capital without relinquishing ownership. Who has done this in the industry and for what purposes? Fat Pat and Uncle Paul chat through the impact of subordinated debt on financial stability along with its role within the broader capital structure. Are you staring down an opportunity where sub debt m…

Rob Greer, COO of Rove Pest Control, steps into The Boardroom to chat about co-writing “Empathy and Understanding in Business” with Never Split the Difference author, Chris Voss. Before diving into the importance of empathy and if it’s something to be developed, let’s get on the same page by defining it. Whether you use the term “empathy” or not, h…

At PestWorld, both Uncle Paul and Fat Pat had firsthand experiences that reinforced the notion of a younger and more sophisticated pest control industry. With Rentokil facing expectations of slower growth during the integration process, it's clear that the industry is in a transitional phase. Rollins and Rentokil both shared their quarterly earning…

The time is now, if you haven't already subscribed to POTOMAC TV. Live from the exhibitor floor at PestWorld in Hawaii, Dylan Seals created a first of its kind studio, while Paul G and guests took the stage. Check out this guest list: Big Time Pest Control President, Mike Bullert Greenix President, Andrew Barrows WorkWave CEO, David F. Giannetto Fi…

You remember those days of taking on every customer request as you were getting started. The only thing standard was saying ‘yes’ to get the job. It’s time to scale back to scale up in this chat about standardizing your service. Of course you want to go above and beyond to accommodate that potential client, but what if you can’t get them to fit in …

You heard Jonathan Pototschnik give Jason Cupp props as a peer and consultant during his time leading ServiceAutopilot. Step on into The Boardroom this week to hear how Jason Cupp grew roots in landscape to later emerge as a Kolbe Certified Growth Consultant. There are an endless number of tools to measure intelligence and personality, but this one…

Succession planning can be tricky. Family businesses often have both ownership and management roles mixed up together. Why is it so important to separate these two aspects when planning for the future of a family business? You know The Tax Man is watching. Don’t skimp out on legal advice if you find yourself making plans to pass down to future gene…

Is there a specific draw for acquirers when it comes to regions with higher population density? As businesses expand into urban, suburban, and rural markets, the strategies and service offerings spread out. How could a move towards urban areas influence service offerings and operational efficiency? How can business owners harness data to expand mar…

‘Merge my business? … Are you suggesting that I work with my competitors?’ Maybe. Paul and Fat Pat respond to a question about mergers from FRAXN’s recent Moneyball event. Step on in to hear if the “juice is worth the squeeze”. It’s a lot more than just getting potential shareholders on the same page. What does and doesn’t need to get unified befor…

You expect your managers to make well-informed decisions to benefit your company, but do they have a good grasp of financial concepts? It's important to question whether they truly understand the impact of their choices on your company's finances. Have you assigned specific responsibilities for parts of your Profit and Loss (P&L) statement, and do …

Definitely qualified (CFA, CPA, MBA) and without the typical cookie cutter approach, Nick Bartolo of Essential Partners, steps into The Boardroom to chat through the world of wealth management. More than just diversifying assets and ensuring performance, Nick introduces a unique framework to grow and protect one's wealth. With ever-changing economi…

More customers are pushing back on price hikes while new demand softens. Increased credit card defaults and car foreclosures further the evidence on consumers’ financial struggles. Have you seen the same trends in your business? The pest control sector has observed declining customer loyalty, probably due to higher prices and tightened budgets. Yet…

Lawn Care Millionaire Jonathan Pototschnik gets candid about difficult decisions and focus on his way into, during, and out of Service Autopilot. How did pre-Fat Pat’s Pest Fat Pat find himself on the lawn-centric SA platform many moons ago? From multi-state janitorial to healthcare software to Dallas metro-based lawn and pest business to ServiceAu…

Step on into The Boardroom to hear from PSSI’s VP of Strategic Development, Paul Lambert. As a leading food safety company, PSSI is responsible for opening more than half of the food production plants in the US every morning. From labor to chemistry to software to consulting, hear how PSSI found its way into pest control. Their strategic approach i…

Recession is baked into your cake, Fat Pat. Learn from others’ mistakes. You’ll hear what tax wedge distortions caused owners to do back in ’08-’09. Looking across the service industry, which dynamics and sensitivities will help businesses weather a recession? Step into The Boardroom as Uncle Paul and Fat Pat take on more listener questions, such a…

From coach to owner and back again, Brian Peters is not the typical CEO. How did Brian go from supporting franchisees at The Dwyer Group (now Neighborly) to spinning-off his residential-exclusive Evergreen Heating & Air? From turning away predictable revenue to insights on the world of franchising, you’ll hear tough decisions Brian has made on the …

Is there a safe answer to the oft-asked but rarely-known “what’s my business worth?” From scaling to an exit strategy to the intricacies of valuation multiples, Paul and Seth tackle a range of listener questions. They even drill down on scaling a million dollar business towards the biggest possible exit. Seth shares his personal thesis with Paul ab…

The pest control industry has seen an influx of private equity firms, leading to increased competition and often outbidding strategics. How might this heightened competition impact the market dynamics and strategies of the few remaining strategics in the industry? How might this change in dynamics affect the overall industry and the opportunities a…

While together at TPCA’s Pest Expo, Patrick and Seth dive into technicians as salespeople. In the service industry, it’s assumed and expected for techs to sell, right? The two chat through sales, from (pure) selling to upselling, and even having salespeople perform initial services. And what about selling service over the phone? Maybe it’s a questi…

Do you pay your salespeople in perpetuity? Peel back the layers to expose the hidden dangers of perpetual payouts. Irregardless of what an acquirer wants, it’s time to take another look at your sales comp plan. The partnering-with-pest-control question continues. In this case, The Boardroom takes another stab at the home inspection question from Ep…

Step on in to hear Carroll Fitzgerald's inspiring journey from a bank examiner to a successful entrepreneur in the landscaping industry. How did his banking background contribute to his thriving side hustle of mowing foreclosed lawns? As time went on, Fitzgerald's portfolio expanded to include landscape, tree care, and irrigation services. Carroll …

Paul invites Patrick and Seth to discuss FRAXN. Yes, you’ll hear a lot of “Buzz” words, but with Fat Pat as a Co-Founder, what else would you expect? Patrick and Seth have built not only a management tool but also a great team at FRAXN. With FRAXN, pest control owners gain insights into their business and identify areas for improvement. Register fo…

Seth Garber steps into The Boardroom while Paul is away. This time to tackle controlling a phone conversation. Sorry. Say what? From upset customers to prospects, does saying “I’m sorry” convey responsibility? Is Peacemaker Patrick alone here? Is the customer always right? Do your CSR’s go through 9-degrees of training? It sounds like it’s the perf…

Garland Vance has a PhD in leadership. Literally. Garland has helped industry-giant Rollins build and develop their leadership pipeline. Keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and author of Gettin’ (un)Busy, Garland can now add The Boardroom Buzz guest to his resumé 😉. Hear how Fat Pat met Garland at Arizona Pest Professional Organization’s (AzPPO) Great W…

You don’t want to miss this round of listener-submitted questions, including Andy Sanefski’s question on past and future consolidation trends. Is there such a thing as too high revenue per technician? In 2021, everything must go, but what about now? When to increase pricing, and how much? And should I communicate the price increase? Paul has a secr…

This one’s for the partners out there. Before pressing play, ask yourself if there’s a common theme behind partnership problems. How do you prevent blowing up friendships over the course of building a business together? Know your role. Tune in to hear about the importance of distinguishing between shareholder vs employee roles. Partners, how did yo…

Let’s keep this short and sweet. Paul and Patrick answer six listener questions. So the 6th listener to email thebuzz@potomaccompany.com with the Subject Line “I actually read this” will get a gift. Audio Mixing and Editing by www.verbell.ltd저자 The Boardroom Buzz

He’s made his way up the ranks in the pest industry but David Johnson finds himself falling into plumbing of all places. Buy a commercial plumbing company in 2020 without any experience? It’s a great idea, they said. Now the proud owner of Atlanta-based Citywide Plumbing, David shares his life lessons on leadership, sales, taking risks and more in …

Of all people, how did Patrick’s college friend Ryan Bishop get swept into the cleaning business? Ryan leads DTK Facility Services’s over 1,600 employees across 190 counties. Similarities between pest control and janitorial cleaning? Step into The Boardroom to find out. Clean. Setup. Repeat. Ryan breaks down the complacency breakdown in this repeti…

You could say that Bryan Benak worked his way up in the trades. Recruited by Albert Cantu himself into the glory days of Terminix, Bryan went from managing a $1 million branch to present-day where he’s the CEO of $250 million Southern Home Services. Making stops at ServiceMasters’ Merry Maids and American Residential Services, and then finding a sp…

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 Rans…

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 i…

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 b…

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 Routin…