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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In this episode of the Bug Bux Podcast, Allan Draper sits down with Alex Daie, former F/A-18 Super Hornet combat pilot, F-35 instructor pilot, Wharton MBA, and now founder of Fortis Pest Control.

Alex shares why he left a successful corporate career to launch a pest control company from scratch and the mindset shifts that helped him make the leap into entrepreneurship.

They dive deep into:

• Why recurring revenue businesses are so powerful
• What fighter pilot training teaches about leadership and accountability
• Building a company employees actually love working for
• Customer retention vs. chasing new sales
• How to handle failure as an entrepreneur
• The importance of feedback, debriefing, and constant improvement
• Why culture matters more than most owners realize
• What makes the Bug Bux community different

This episode isn’t just about pest control, it’s about leadership, growth, ownership, and building something meaningful. Whether you’re just getting started or scaling your business, there’s a lot to take away from this conversation.

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Most pest control companies are spending thousands on marketing… and still missing a huge percentage of their leads.

In this episode, Allan Draper sits down with Aaron Cooper, CEO of SameDay AI, to break down exactly why that’s happening and how to fix it using AI without needing a big team or technical expertise.

They dive into what’s really going on behind missed calls, slow follow-up, and lost revenue and how top operators are using AI to instantly respond to leads, book more jobs, and create a better customer experience.

Inside this episode:

• Why speed is the #1 factor in converting pest control leads
• How AI can handle calls, texts, and follow-up 24/7
• The right balance between automation and human interaction
• What most companies get wrong when implementing AI
• How to get started quickly without overcomplicating your systems

Plus, Aaron shares a powerful (and free) AI tool that can audit your marketing and show you exactly where you're wasting money and where your biggest opportunities are.

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If you’re struggling with employee retention… this episode is for you.

Allan Draper sits down with Maria Sorrentino, CEO of Pest Pros, to break down what actually keeps great people around and it’s not just pay, processes, or performance metrics.

From building a true “family-style” business to turning entry-level employees into six-figure earners, Maria shares how focusing on people first creates better teams, stronger culture, and ultimately better business results.

They dive into:

• Why most companies focus too much on performance and miss what really matters
• The balance between structure (SOPs, KPIs) and culture (connection, energy, purpose)
• How to identify what your employees actually want (hint: it’s not always promotions)
• Practical ways to improve retention, engagement, and leadership inside your company
• Why “fun gets it done” might be the missing piece in your business

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