The PMP Industry Insiders podcast helps pest control and lawn care professionals grow their businesses. Every week, hosts Donnie Shelton and Dan Gordon talk with the biggest players in the pest control and lawn care markets about what’s changing in the industry and take listeners to the front lines of what the future holds.
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Brought To You By Donnie Shelton And Dan Gordon Podcasts
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Top Takeaways from November | Insiders Rewind
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10:15🎙️ Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping November! Episodes from October: ✅ Ep. 250 - Reflections on PestWorld & 250 Episodes ✅ Ep. 251 - When AI Picks the Pest or Lawn Company ✅ Ep. 252 - Why M&A Isn't Just For The Big Guys: Part 2 A HUGE shout to our sponsors! Coalmarch: Digital strategies and conversion-driven websites are waiting for you and i…
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Episode 253: X-Rai Call Analytics Dashboard — Explained
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37:31This week, Voice for Pest's Raymond Kidwell joins Dan and Donnie to discuss X-Rai, a call analytics dashboard for pest control and lawn care businesses. He explains how the platform uses AI to prioritize leads and manage customer interactions based on data from more than 1 million calls per month, and he details its approach to AI agents. Guest: Ra…
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Episode 252: Why M&A Isn’t Just for the Big Guys: Part 2
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42:50Jeremy Ecker, CEO of Rest Easy Pest Control, joins the podcast to discuss his experience doing 16 M&A deals over 13 years, mostly self-funded and structured with earn-outs. Jeremy shares how he started as a bed bug canine inspection company and eventually pivoted to full-service pest control, and he details the challenges and opportunities of both …
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Episode 251: When AI Picks the Pest or Lawn Company: What Businesses Must Know
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40:56This week, Dan and Donnie dive into AI updates, including the debut of the Atlas brower and rise of ChatGPT's "agent mode." They demo several examples of what this new technology can do for pest and lawn companies, and they discuss how marketing strategies must adapt as consumers move away from standard Google searches toward AI research and task e…
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Episode 250: Reflections on PestWorld & 250 Episodes!
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36:02This week, Dan and Donnie reflect on PestWorld 2025 and the podcast's 250th episode. They cover the buzz around the show in Orlando, including a rant about vendors who don't support the industry. They also reminisce about why they started the podcast and how it's evolved over five years — and thank their sponsors, guests and listeners for all the s…
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Top Takeaways from October | Insiders Rewind
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17:30🎙️ Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping September! Episodes from October: Ep. 245 - Building Business, Industry & Community with Audrey Hall ✅Ep. 246 - Empowering Pest Techs with Automated, Real-Time Data ✅Ep. 247 - Unlocking Profit with Tiered Pricing for Pest Control ✅Ep. 248 - Why M&A Isn't Just for the Big Guys ✅Ep. 249 - New Pest Control Ind…
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Episode 249 - New Pest Control Industry Cost Study Data Revealed
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46:35On this episode, Dan and Donnie review the new Pest Control Industry Cost Study, produced by PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists. They discuss what's changed since last time PCOB did the cost study; the PCOB Competitive Index, a new composite score to track; and the Big 3 expenses every pest firm must manage for profitability. Tune in for an overview…
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Episode 248: Why M&A Isn’t Just for the Big Guys
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33:25This week, Dan and Donnie talk to Pest Control Consultants President Chase Goodeill about his approach to M&A at his $11 million firm. He shares his vision for expansion, his financing strategies and his experience doing nine acquisitions since 2019. Tune in to hear about his "whatever it takes to grow" mindset. Guest: Chase Goodeill, President of …
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Episode 247: Unlocking Profit with Tiered Pricing for Pest Control
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33:09This week, Dan and Donnie highlight the concept of tiered pricing and its psychological impact on customer decisions. They explain price anchoring, the decoy effect and how tiered pricing can help customers overcome analysis paralysis and guide them toward the most profitable option. Tune in to learn how to use these strategies in your pest or lawn…
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Episode 246: Empowering Pest Techs with Automated, Real-Time Data
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39:53Applause CEO Taylor Olson joins Dan and Donnie this week. They discuss how he came to found Applause, a platform that provides incentives for hourly service workers through features like customer feedback collection, performance measurement, instant cash rewards and a technician dashboard. Taylor also details the power of automating employee incent…
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Top Takeaways from September | Insiders Rewind
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16:38🎙️ Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping September! ✅ Episodes from August: Ep. 241 - Getting People Decisions Right Ep. 242 - Go Big & Simplify: Lessons From Big Blue Bug Ep. 243 - How to Build a Successful Sales Machine Ep. 244 - Budgeting Breakdown: What Pest & Lawn Pros Should Spend on What A HUGE shout to our sponsors! Coalmarch: Digital stra…
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Episode 245: Building Business, Industry & Community with Audrey Hall
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42:18This week Dan and Donnie host Audrey Hall, president of Eco Serve Pest in New York, who discussed her journey from growing up in the pest control industry to turning a small operation into a thriving company with 27 employees. She shares her development as an entrepreneur, the company's expansion plans and her philosophy for community giving. Guest…
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Episode 244: Budgeting Breakdown: What Pest & Lawn Pros Should Spend On What
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38:37On this episode, Dan and Donnie discuss the budgeting process from both a strategic and practical standpoint. They discuss how to get started if you're not already following a budget and which key performance indicators are most important to strong financial performance. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle …
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Episode 243: How to Build a Successful Sales Machine
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36:20Pest-End COO Courtney Carace joins Dan and Donnie this week to share her company's experience growing from $6.5 million in 2020 to around $15 million today. Courtney shares the structure and philosophy she and her team are employing in pursuit of reaching $30 million by 2030. Guest: Courtney Carace, COO, Pest-End Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers …
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Episode 242: Go Big & Simplify: Lessons from Big Blue Bug
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37:26Big Blue Bug Solutions CEO Brian Goldman joins Dan and Donnie to share insights on building a unique brand by being bold, proactive and unafraid to stand out and embrace change. He also discusses the benefits of simplifying operations by focusing on core competencies versus diversifying into other service lines. Guest: Brian Goldman, CEO, Big Blue …
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Episode 241: Getting People Decisions Right
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39:39Effectively managing people is essential when scaling a pest or lawn business. In this episode, Dan and Donnie discuss how to align values, instill accountability and evaluate employees' understanding, motivation and capacity to perform their roles. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists Donnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services…
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Top Takeaways from August | Insiders Rewind
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12:14🎙️ Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping August! ✅ Episodes from August: Ep. 237 - Turnaround Tactics: Fix Your Team's Deadline Problems for Good Ep. 238 - Insider Look: A PMP Shares His Journey to $3M & Peer Group Takeaways Ep. 239 - Culture, Legacy & Leadership at Sherrill Pest Control Ep. 240 - Return on Motivation (Just When You Thought You Ha…
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Episode 240: Return on Motivation (Just When You Thought You Had Enough MBA Buzzwords)
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45:40This week, Dan and Donnie explore the concept of "Return on Motivation" and its importance in business, discussing how leadership and team commitment impact employee performance and company culture. They share personal experiences and insights about creating motivated teams, measuring the impact of motivational efforts and the role of clear communi…
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Episode 239: Culture, Legacy & Leadership at Sherrill Pest Control
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38:20This week, Dan and Donnie interview Sherrill Pest Control's Kevin and Patrick Sherrill, who shared their company's transformation from a small operation to a successful enterprise, including being recognized in PCT Magazine’s 2025 Best Places to Work rankings. They cover their approach to leadership, culture and core values, and they share the reso…
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Episode 238: Insider Look: A PMP Shares His Journey to $3M & Peer Group Takeaways
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36:11Justice Pest Control Owner Caleb Cunningham shares his 13-year journey from working in a cubical to buying a one-man pest control route to building a $3 million company. He talks with Dan and Donnie about what held him back for his first decade in business and how he has scaled since with help from outside resources, including peer groups. Guest: C…
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Episode 237: Turnaround Tactics: Fix Your Team’s Deadline Problems for Good
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41:28If your team isn't executing as well as you'd like, this episode is for you. Dan and Donnie dissect reasons your people may be blowing deadlines and share strategies for improving communications and turning things around. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A SpecialistsDonnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services…
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Top Takeaways from July | Insiders Rewind
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11:40🎙️ Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping July! ✅ Episodes from July: Ep. 233 - Opportunities & Challenges for Pest Control Firms Today Ep. 234 - OBBBA: Operational & Tax Impacts for PMPs Ep. 235 - How to Establish a Legal, Effective AI Policy Ep. 236 - How to Grow a Pest Company Through Fintech A HUGE shout to our sponsors! Coalmarch: Digital stra…
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Episode 236: How to Grow a Pest Company Through Fintech
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39:07This week, Jacob Olins, SVP & GM of Fintech for WorkWave, joins Dan and Donnie this week to discuss trends in financial services available through pest and lawn software providers and how they can help you grow your business. They touch on consumer financing, fleet cards, credit card surcharges and more capabilities on the horizon. Guest: Jacob Oli…
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Episode 235: How to Establish a Legal, Effective AI Policy
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42:56Artificial intelligence is changing the way we do business, but it's still the Wild West. This week Dan and Donnie welcome Bennett Borden, CEO of Clarion AI Partners, who shares his expertise as an AI lawyer and data scientist. He covers how to responsibly implement policies for using AI — which he calls the most transformative technology since ele…
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Episode 234: OBBBA: Operational & Tax Impacts for PMPs
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37:35The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law on July 4. This week on PMP Industry Insiders, Dan and Donnie discuss what the tax and operational impacts will be for pest control companies and their owners. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A SpecialistsDonnie Shelton, Triangle Home Services…
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Episode 233: Opportunities & Challenges for Pest Control Firms Today
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41:17Allie Allen, BCE, CAE, VP of Membership and Certifications for National Pest Management Association, joins Dan and Donnie this week. She shares takeaways from the recent Executive Leadership Forum, where industry leaders discussed challenges and opportunities related to workforce development, regulatory challenges, the economy and insurance. Guest:…
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Top Takeaways From June | Insiders Rewind
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14:37Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping June! ✅ Episodes from June: 229 - What’s Trending in Commercial Insurance? 230 - Untapped Talent: How a VA Can Help You Grow 231 - The Biggest Marketing Mistakes We See 232 - From Authority to Ownership: Leadership from the Trenches A HUGE shout to our sponsors! Coalmarch: Digital strategies and conversion-dri…
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Episode 232: From Authority to Ownership: Leadership from the Trenches
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41:00In this episode, Dan and Donnie tap into their experiences as owners and managers to share their thoughts on the importance of effective leadership and how to be a good leader. Tune in for their perspectives on what it takes to positively transform your company culture through leadership in the pest and lawn industry. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkee…
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Episode 231: The Biggest Marketing Mistakes We See
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38:02In this episode, Coalmarch's Janelle Lucas digs into the top marketing missteps made by pest and lawn companies. From ignoring local SEO to under-investing in branding, she uncovers what successful operators are doing differently. Guest: Janelle Lucas, Team Lead, Client Success, Coalmarch Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A SpecialistsDonnie S…
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Episode 230: Untapped Talent: How a VA Can Help You Grow
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41:49This week Seth Watson joins Dan and Donnie to share what it takes to successfully incorporate virtual assistants into pest control operations. As the owner of Arete Pest Control and Focus Virtual Assistants, Seth shares first-hand lessons learned, common pitfalls and details about costs, communication strategies, legalities and more. Guest: Seth Wa…
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Episode 229: What’s Trending in Commercial Insurance?
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46:25PestSure's Todd Burke joins Dan and Donnie this week to give an update on the commercial insurance market. He covers various challenges, including auto insurance difficulties, the rise in private equity-funded claims and adequate umbrella coverage limits, and provides recommendations for pest business owners regarding insurance coverage. Guest: Tod…
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Top Insights From May's PMP Industry Insider Podcast
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19:26🎙️ Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping May! This month, we’re diving into insights from Episodes 224-228 ✅ Episode Highlights: Ep. 224: Triangle & Voice for Pest: How this amazing tech can flag customers that could be ready to turn away. Ep. 225: Are You Recession Ready? What to do when the slow times come around. Ep. 226: Cybersecurity! If you'…
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Episode 228: The Ideal Branch Size for Pest Control
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33:54This week, Dan and Donnie debate the ideal branch size for a pest control company. Is it better to operate several smaller branches or one multi-million location? They explore the pros and cons of smaller offices, larger locations and a hybrid model with satellites. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A SpecialistsDonnie Shelton, Triangle Home S…
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Episode 227: QualityPro: Taking Your Company to the Next Level
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40:46Tom Jarzynka, VP of Technical & Training for Massey Services, joins Dan and Donnie this week to share his journey in the pest control industry and talk about credentials. As a member of NPMA's QualityPro board, Tom shares what it takes to become accredited, how it helps pest control companies in practical terms and what's coming down the pike for t…
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Episode 226: Cybersecurity in Pest & Lawn: Real Threats, Real Solutions
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37:31This week Dan and Donnie discuss the prevalence of cyber attacks on small businesses. They cover common threats (phishing scams, ransomware attacks and data breaches), first-hand experiences and real-world case studies. Finally, they share several strategies for protecting your company from cyber attacks to avoid costly consequences. Hosts: Dan Gor…
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Episode 225: Are You Recession-Ready? Prepare Your Pest & Lawn Business for a Slowdown
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41:34This week, Dan and Donnie discuss the potential for a lasting economic slowdown and the impact it would have on pest control and lawn care businesses, including customer price sensitivity and increased cancels. They also share strategies for increasing revenue, reducing costs and handling marketing during uncertain times. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Boo…
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Top Insights from April's PMP Industry Insider Podcast
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14:33🎙️ Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping April! This month, we’re diving into insights from Episodes 220 to 223, ✅ Episode Highlights: Ep. 220: Accurate Reports - Are you squeezing enough value out of your CRM data? Ep. 221: Tariffs! - Lots of chemicals used in the pest control industry come from other countries. What is the impact on these with a…
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Episode 224: Triangle & Voice for Pest: A Field Report
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38:36Voice for Pest's Director of Business Development Raymond Kidwell joins the show to discuss the recent implementation of a new phone system at Donnie's company, Triangle Home Services. They cover Donnie's initial concerns, highlight the benefits of the system, including enhanced efficiency and reporting features, and discuss the AI capabilities Don…
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This week, Dan and Donnie continue the family business series with Mikey & Mandy Nolen, the father-daughter team who operate Nozzle Nolen in West Palm Beach, Fla. They cover how the company is transitioning to a new generation of leadership, including Mickey's philosophy of "getting out of the way without going away." Guests: Mickey Nolen & Mandy N…
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Episode 222: Are AI CSRs Really Here? An Implementation Q&A
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38:03What if you had a CSR who could answer after-hours calls, schedule service and respond to questions 24/7/365? On this episode, Ka Tsu of Avoca AI joins Dan and Donnie to discuss an AI call center and customer service platform. Tune in to hear a Q&A about the benefits and challenges of implementing AI CSRs in pest control. Guest: Ka Tsu, Sales & Par…
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Episode 221: Tariff-Proof Your Pest Business: What To Do Right Now
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41:36In this early-release episode, Dan and Donnie react to the Trump administration's sweeping tariff announcement. They cover potential consequences for the pest and lawn industries, share best practices for weathering an economic jolt and offer advice for owners experiencing uncertainty. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A SpecialistsDonnie Shel…
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Top Takeaways From March's PMP Industry Insider Podcast | Insiders Rewind
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15:34Welcome to Insiders Rewind — Recapping March! This month, we’re diving into insights from Episodes 216 to 219, covering everything from Agent AI to tax strategies, growth challenges, and flipping business models for success! Ep. 216: Agent AI Playbook for Service Business Owners — Discover how Agent AI works autonomously and integrates with your sy…
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Episode 220: Why Accurate Reports + Actionable Data = Success
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37:06In this episode, Dan and Donnie discuss what you need to do month in and month out to create accurate financial statements so you can take meaningful action in your business. Donnie offers a glimpse into the numbers he uses to run Triangle Pest Control, and Dan shares an accountant's perspective and tools he recommends. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookk…
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Episode 219: Creating Cohesion: The Power of a Singular Vision
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35:58In this episode, Dan and Donnie dig into the challenges of managing growth and keeping your team on the same page as your pest or lawn company scales and becomes more complicated. They share their experiences and strategies for overcoming growth-related obstacles, and why having a strong vision is essential. Hosts: Dan Gordon, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A…
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Episode 218: Evolving With Your Business: An Entrepreneur's Journey
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38:19On this episode, Dan and Donnie welcome Bryan Clayton, CEO and co-founder of GreenPal, an online marketplace that connects homeowners with lawn mowing professionals. He walks through his journey from mowing lawns to scaling and selling a $10 million landscaping company to founding an "Uber for lawn care," and he shares advice for growing as an entr…
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Episode 217: Taxes 101: Make Better Decisions & Save Money
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30:12Understanding taxes empowers you to make informed decisions and ultimately saves you money. But many successful business people don't really understand their taxes. In this episode, Dan and Donnie delve into tax-related topics, including individual taxes, capital gains, business income, deductions and the executive order on tax credits. Hosts: Dan …
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Episode 216: Marketing, Sales & More: The Agent AI Playbook for Service Business Owners
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39:01What if you could eliminate all your repetitive administrative tasks? In this episode, Dan and Donnie discuss the potential for leveraging "agent AI" technology in your pest control business. Donnie also walks through a software demo and shares how to begin creating an AI personal assistant so you can make better use of your time. Hosts: Dan Gordon…
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Insiders Rewind: Top Insights and Takeaways From February
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13:50Welcome to Insiders Rewind, the new monthly recap series from the PMP Industry insider Podcast! In this episode, Brett The Editor, takes you through the most impactful moments from February's episodes. Ep. #212 - A 7 Point Plan To Get Ready For The Season Ep. #213 - 3 Takeaways From Beyond Service Ep. #214 - 4 Pest Industry Trends For 2025 Ep. #215…
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Episode 215: A Top 100 Turnaround: The Bugman's Brian Olson Returns
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41:30The Bugman's Brian Olson joins Dan and Donnie to share how he turned around his Top 100 pest control business after struggling to achieve growth and profit goals. He shares the lessons he's learned by getting laser focused on KPIs in pursuit of becoming a customer- and team-centric firm with 80 percent recurring revenue. Guest: Brian Olson, Preside…
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Episode 214: 4 Pest Industry Trends for 2025
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41:03This week Dan and Donnie check in with David Billingsly, a consultant with The Billingsly Group and the facilitator of the PMP Industry Insiders Peer Groups. David covers four trends he's seeing among companies in the peer groups and how to apply them to your business to get better in 2025. Guest: David Billingsly, The Billingsly Group & PMP Indust…
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