Are you considering selling your business? Pest Posse TV is set to host Stuart Aust and Chris Aust of The Aust Group to discuss the current state of Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) and how to prepare your company for a successful exit. The live stream will take place on April 6, 2026, at 11 a.m. Eastern.
The live stream will take place on April 6, 2026, at 11 a.m. Eastern. IMAGE: PEST POSSE TV
In this live stream, the Aust’s will discuss:
Market trends: Why the pest control industry is so strong right now and how long high valuations might last.
The rise of private equity (PE): How many PE firms are active in our industry and why they are so interested in Pest Management.
What buyers want: The key metrics and data points purchasers look for in a well-run business.
Owner insights: Typical ages of owners looking to exit and why so many are choosing to sell today.
Preparation: The benefits of selling to PE and why getting a valuation is vital before going to market.
How to join
Follow this link, enter your email and full name to register and monitor your inbox for reminders.
About The Aust Group
The Aust Group is a premier M&A firm dedicated to the pest control industry, helping owners achieve the best possible outcomes through expert guidance and experience.
J.F. Oakes’ Pro-Pest Silverfish trap includes a highly effective, specially formulated, individually packaged, exclusive attractant that is appealing to both common silverfish (Lepisma saccharinum) and grey or long-tailed silverfish (Ctenolepisma longicaudatum).
The Pro-Pest Silverfish trap is available as two traps per sheet, allowing flexibility of having two smaller traps (each at 4.5 x 3.75 x 0.75 inch) or one larger trap (9 x 3.75 x 0.75 inch).
Pro-Pest Silverfish traps are manufactured with heavy-duty cardboard, a printed black interior and double-sided tape for easy placement.
Easy-to-follow directions and a tracking chart are printed on the bottom of each trap. Pro-Pest Silverfish traps are discreet and easily placed to pinpoint silverfish infestations.
Contact your local distributor for pricing and availability, or contact J. F. Oakes at 800-844-9296 or sales@jfoakes.com.
About J.F. Oakes Sales & Marketing
As a salesman of termite and rodent control products for a major chemical manufacturer for 26 years, Jim Oakes worked closely with both industry distributors and pest control companies all over the southeastern U.S. Recognizing a need for product lines specifically designed for the pest control industry, Oakes founded J.F. Oakes Sales & Marketing in May 1989.
With his experience and knowledge of termites and treatments, the first lines Oakes introduced were drill bits and spray hoses. Sheffield Masonry Drill Bits were designed with an emphasis on using quality European steel for durability and a full selection of shanks, diameters and lengths commonly used by pest control companies. Chemtrol, now known as Chemoak, was designed with consideration to chemical resistance, safety factors, working pressures, flexibility and ease of use.
Nearly four decades later, the product lines of J.F.Oakes Sales & Marketing include not only equipment, but encompass a wide range of products, including:
Advantage Flying Insect and Yellow Jacket Traps
Pro-Pest Professional Lures for Rodents and Nuisance Wildlife
XLure Pheromone Monitoring Traps
Pro-Pest and Safestore brands
Pro-Pest Pantry & Clothes Moth Traps
Pro-Pest Crawling Insect Traps
J.F.Oakes Sales & Marketing sells its products through distributors in the U.S., Canada and internationally.
I recently rewatched the 2013 Brad Pitt horror movie World War Z, and I’m always amazed at how quickly the virus spreads from person to person but skips over people who are sick, diseased or dying. The virus seems to know that these victims can’t help it spread.
Slow-growing companies often have marketing plans in place that are a lot like the infirm. Your promotions are dead or without traction, so your message isn’t being spread by your “zombies.” To grow your company at a ravenous rate, you need a marketing plan that prioritizes movement and connection.
Key takeaways
Focus on relationships: For start-ups, personal connections and handshakes remain the most effective and cost-efficient ways to grow a customer base.
Utilize low-cost channels: Leverage local Chambers of Commerce, Facebook business groups and community trade shows to increase your “sales force” for free.
Avoid premature SEO spending: Companies with less than $1 million in revenue should avoid expensive ad campaigns and focus on local networking.
Monetize your expertise: Offering coaching or advice to “maybe” customers can build trust and eventually convert them into recurring clients.
Fostering local relationships
Melisa Arnold, ACE, owner of Horizon Pest Solutions in New Cambria, Kan., recently spoke with me about free or almost-free marketing ideas to help grow her two-person operation. With projected sales of $300,000 this year, Arnold is looking for more growth, and she’s finding it through the power of “infectious” networking.
In this era of search engine optimization (SEO) and door-knocking, many start-ups are forgetting the most important part of growing their business: relationships. Handing out business cards and shaking hands is still the most effective way to spread your message. It costs almost zero dollars and, in my experience, the relationships you build are much stronger than those built door-to-door.
Pete’s favorite free marketing tactics
Networking can consist of many categories, but here are some of my favorite ways to build a presence without a massive budget:
Professional referrals: Hand out cards to Realtors, home inspectors and real estate lawyers.
Community involvement: Partner with local chambers of commerce and join networking groups to passively increase your sales force.
Digital reciprocity: Share Facebook posts that promote other local businesses—which, in return, encourages them to promote your company.
Face-to-face events: Participate in home and garden shows, trade shows and vendor appreciation days.
Social proof: Publicize referrals from happy customers to build immediate trust.
The risk of expensive SEO
Small companies should stay away from expensive SEO marketing as if they were bloodsuckers from 2009’s Zombieland. There are many dollar-eating SEO companies and picking the wrong one can be extremely costly.
My rule of thumb is: if you have less than $1 million in revenue, don’t spend money on expensive ad campaigns. Instead, shake hands, kiss babies and like people’s posts on Facebook.
Arnold has grown her business through triannual services and termite treatments, but she has done an especially great job at growing commercial accounts via her past work history in the grain industry. By building strong relationships with local elevators, she is currently signing up four more accounts for a total of 26 locations.
She has also taken an unusual approach by reaching out to “maybe” customers—people who didn’t buy services after the initial phone call. She teaches them how to do smaller jobs and what products to use. So far, she has convinced nearly a dozen clients to pay for her expertise and coaching. She has even flipped a handful of them into recurring clients after they failed at eliminating the problem on their own.
Conclusion: Spreading the message
Like the movie 28 Days Later, the goal is to “infect” your local area with your company’s great products and services. You don’t need a massive ad spend to make an impact; you just need to be active in your community. As a cowbell-seeking Christopher Walken might say, “I have a fever! And the only prescription is more Horizon Pest Solutions!”
Targeting both adult mosquitoes and mosquito larvae sets the stage for a complete mosquito management program:
Altosid larvicide products stop mosquitoes before they ever take flight and are available in multiple formulations to suit any application.
Altosid Briquets (PCO Pack) and Altosid Pro-G granules offer easy, targeted placement in standing water.
Altosid Liquid Larvicide Mosquito Growth Regulator treats larger bodies of water with precision.
For perimeter protection, Precor Outdoor F-T-M delivers long-lasting control against adult mosquitoes, rounding out a powerful, comprehensive management program.
About Zoëcon Professional Products
Central Life Sciences’ Zoëcon Professional Products offer insect growth regulators, adulticides and other pest management solutions to control bed bugs, cockroaches, fleas, flies, ants and other pests in both residential and commercial markets.
According to CLS’ online history, Zoëcon was founded by Dr. Carl Djerassi, where his team was able to commercially produce a group of molecules called insect growth regulators (IGRs) which revolutionized insect control by introducing a method that interferes with the development and reproduction of insects. Beginning with methoprene, and the later discovery of hydroprene and kinoprene, these compounds became the building blocks of the comprehensive Zoëconportfolio of insect control solutions.
About Central Life Sciences
Central Life Sciences products are a part of Central Garden & Pet Co. Central Life Sciences is dedicated to creating healthier environments and making life better for people, plants and companion animals around the world. As inventors of insect growth regulator technology more than 50 years ago, the founders of Central Life Sciences pioneered biorational pest control: using the insect’s chemistry as a means to reduce pest populations.
LabelSDS.com, an innovator and leader in digital label and safety data sheet (SDS) books, introduces both the Lock N Load Download Button and the Label and SDS Revision Indicator.
Lock N Load gives you access to your company’s labels and SDS when in remote areas with no cell service or Wi-Fi by letting you download your company’s labels and SDS onto your device with one click of a button.
The Label & SDS Revision Flashing Indicator visually notifies you of any updated labels and/or SDS in your list. The Current Label and Current SDS Buttons will flash if there has been an update in the last 30 days.
Visit LabelSDS.com or call 904-609-0123 for more information.
About LabelSDS.com
LabelSDS.com is a web-based program with more than 6,800 product labels and safety data sheets (SDS) specific to the pest and turf industries. You can create your own company digital label and SDS “book” with the products your company uses. All your employees can access, download, print, email and text your company’s labels and SDS from their computer, tablet or smartphone. Best of all, your company’s labels and SDSs update automatically whenever there is a revision. LabelSDS.com is designed to be an easy and affordable way to access and manage your company’s labels and SDS.
IMAGE: Professional Pest Management Alliance 2025 Report
The Professional Pest Management Alliance (the Alliance), which drives demand for professional services through innovative marketing programs, released its 2025 Annual Report, displaying one of the organization’s most successful years in its nearly three-decade history. From a bold brand evolution to record-shattering media results, 2025 was defined by innovation and measurable impact that delivered billions of impressions to consumers nationwide.
“From fresh new strategies to the consistent excellence of our core programs, these pages tell the story of what we set out to do and how it all came to life,” said Dr. Jim Fredericks, PMP contributor and executive director for the Alliance. “We packed a lot into twelve months, all of it driven by a shared commitment to putting the value of professional pest control front and center for every consumer we reach.”
New look, same mission
Among the year’s biggest milestones was the Alliance’s brand refresh, marking a strategic evolution that modernized the organization’s identity while reinforcing its core mission: to grow, promote, protect and defend the industry. The result of extensive board collaboration and member input, the rebrand positions the Alliance for even greater impact in the years ahead.
“This evolution was more than a fresh coat of paint; it’s a statement of where we’re heading: forward, together” said Bobby Jenkins, chairman of the Alliance, ABC Home & Commercial Services, Austin, Texas. “But one thing hasn’t changed. When we work as a united front to advocate and advance our industry, nothing is stopping us.”
What made the difference in 2025?
These programs put the right message in front of the right people at the right time, building consumer trust and creating new demand for professional pest control across every channel.
Consumer media relations: The year-round media program positions the National Pest Management Association’s team of board-certified entomologists and medical advisors as the go-to experts on pest prevention and public health. This puts us in front of consumers through the outlets they already trust, from local TV news to national digital publications like USA Today, ABC News and The Weather Channel.
Seasonal forecasts: Vector Sectors was rebranded as the Public Health Pest Index, directly connecting pest activity to public health in a way that resonates with consumers and media alike. The Bug Barometer® went interactive on PestWorld.org, giving people a personalized, regional look at what’s coming.
“Bed Bugs Exposed”: With a significant number of Americans unable to identify a bed bug, this large-scale summer campaign met travelers exactly as peak season ramped up, educating them on the risks and the value of professional treatment.
Social media and influencers: Meeting consumers where they spend their time with scroll-stopping content designed to educate them on prevention, seasonal pest threats and the value of working with a pro. Strategic influencer partnerships with creators brought credible pest expertise to entirely new audiences, adding over 1.3 million views from people who may have never heard of or considered professional pest control before.
Public service announcements: The newest chapter in the Alliance’s award-winning PSA program, “Coffee Date” shines a light on the hidden link between household pests and childhood asthma — a connection most people don’t know exists.
Bugs without borders survey: Conducted with the University of Florida, this research uncovered pest trends and consumer behaviors that give consumers and the whole industry smarter, more targeted intelligence to act on.
The Alliance’s moving into the future
Over the past two decades, the use of professional pest management among higher-income homeowners has more than doubled, adding roughly 10 million households to the market. Rather than shifting demand from one company to another, the Alliance creates new demand by educating people who may not have been thinking about professional pest control at all and turning awareness into action.
“The best is yet to come,” added Fredericks. “Beyond our tried-and-true programming, we’re adapting to modern approaches, and I can’t wait for what’s next.”
About the Professional Pest Management Alliance
The Professional Pest Management Alliance is the voice of the industry, driving demand for professional pest control through innovative marketing programs that educate consumers and earn their trust. Since 1997, the Alliance has grown awareness of the essential role pest management professionals play in protecting health, food and property, creating market conditions that help businesses of all sizes grow stronger, faster.
Franklin Pest Solutions recently announced it is sponsoring two interns at the 2026 Purdue UniversityBug Bowl taking place on April 18. The two student interns are 21-year old Aster Barajas, along with 21-year old Aiden Bemis, who is returning for a second year.
Barajas takes on first Bug Bowl
Barajas is from Hammond, Ind., where their love of bugs started early. Having grown up with computers, they started looking on the internet for information about bugs, where they realized that not only did so many people love bugs, but that they could pursue a career in entomology.
“A lot of things happened when I was young that were challenging, but insects have always been around,” Barajas said in a news release. “They brought me comfort in tumultuous times.”
Barajas is a senior majoring in entomology with a minor in natural resources and environmental sciences, making them a natural for the Bug Bowl internship prior to applying to graduate school for entomology or agroecology.
“My plan includes insects and a future decorated with things in the world that are often too small to notice,” they said. “My favorite bug right now is the Blue Orchard bee. It’s so cute and comes in such fun iridescent blue and olive colors. Bugs are really beautiful creatures if you take the time to look at them.”
Barajas’s interests include soil sciences, which they say will make them a better scientist and help in understanding the environment. “At Bug Bowl, I’m most excited about seeing the people and helping to educate everyone about the wonders of the world just under our feet.”
After Bug Bowl, Barajas will return to work at the insect biodiversity and diagnostics lab where they have been working.
Bemis returns to Bug Bowl for second year
Bemis is from Middlebury, Ind., where he will be graduating this spring with a degree in accounting. Following graduation, he plans to enroll in the MS in accounting program at the Daniels School of Business at Purdue and will take the CPA exams the following year.
In the meantime, Bemis is looking forward to Bug Bowl and has helped spread the word about the upcoming event where he enjoys seeing how several departments come together to put on a big production.
“Working as a Bug Bowl intern has shown me that bugs are a great way to bring the community together,” he said. “I love how they spark curiosity in people of all ages. It makes science accessible and fun.” In sparse spare time, Bemis and his fiancée have been training for a half marathon. During long runs, he has also noticed new bugs out buzzing around.
“I will always have a soft spot for fireflies,” Bemis said. “They are such a nostalgic part of Indiana summers and a great example of how insects can create a sense of wonder.”
Inside Franklin Pest’s sponsorship
This is the fifth year Franklin has sponsored Bug Bowl interns.
“Being in pest control is all about balance and Bug Bowl is a great way to learn about that. Humans and nature will always have to be in harmony,” Janelle Iaccino, known as ‘The Bug Girl,’ said in a news release. “Finding the right balance so you’re not disturbing the ecosystem is critical and we can have a lot of fun seeing natural wonder along the way.”
Bug Bowl started as a cockroach race more than 30 years ago by a Purdue entomology professor. The event is part of the Purdue College of Agriculture Spring Fest each year. It offers an array of vibrant, interactive activities for the entire family, including petting bugs at a live bug zoo, visiting the Cockroach Colosseum and becoming familiar with favorite insects. The Bug Bowl art show is always a favorite and is expected to generate more than 1,200 original drawings of bugs from kids from around the area.
About Franklin Pest Solutions, LLC
Since 1929, Franklin Pest Solutions and sister company Rose Pest Solutions have been trusted in the Midwest to keep homes and businesses free from insects, rodents and more. Using cutting-edge technology, environmentally friendly methods and personalized unique solutions, Franklin and Rose are dedicated to creating and maintaining healthier living environments. Owned by the Dold Family, Franklin Pest Solutions proudly serves communities in Indiana and Kentucky.
