Pest Ref champions an all-natural approach

PHOTO: PEST REF

After gaining a decade of experience as a pest management technician, Benjamin Williams was certain about starting up his own pest control firm in Eustis, Fla., northwest of Orlando, four years ago. But the then-29-year-old was less certain about the perfect name for it. He credits his wife for leading him to the right answer.

“I was going through so many options, not liking any of them, and she said I should incorporate something I really like into the name,” he recalls. “I’m a big sports fan, and I have also coached football. We were looking for unique brand ideas and came up with Pest Ref. The referee is the most knowledgeable person and makes everyone play by the rules — and we make pests play by the rules.”

Williams’ uncle created the logo incorporating a referee whistle, and the company was off and running.

A new approach

After a strong start, Williams was soon hit with the double whammy of COVID-19 bringing business nearly to a halt, and the realization that while he was very good at solving pest problems quickly, the business end of marketing, budgeting and similar tasks was becoming overwhelming. He was burning the candle at both ends.

Quitting was not an option — although he admits it was tempting. What turned him around was joining a local business organization and embarking on a mentorship. His mentor is an entrepreneur who, while not in the pest control industry, is savvy in small business and helped Williams change his approach to Pest Ref from a technician mindset to a managerial one. Fast-forward to 2024, and Williams now has two technicians and a strong focus on all-natural pest control, which sets his company apart from the competition.

Pest Ref also offers traditional pest control treatments, but, Williams explains, “We wanted to provide alternative treatment solutions to customers who are sensitive to certain products, and to customers who wanted all-natural pest prevention solutions. We provide all-natural pest prevention for the interior and exterior of homes. We also offer all-natural spider treatments, flea treatments and mosquito management.”

Ready for growth

The company has grown quickly with both word-of-mouth referrals and consistent social media touting its all-natural offerings. Williams says he foresees leaning even more into the green aspect of pest control as it becomes more accepted in the market and as technologies evolve to meet the demand.

“As this industry segment grows, we know more products will be available to expand our offerings,” he concludes. “We’re positioned to really capitalize on that trend.”

<p>The post Pest Ref champions an all-natural approach first appeared on Pest Management Professional.</p>

from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/09/05/pest-ref-champions-an-all-natural-approach/
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