Pest Patrol owner finds his best balance

Why are you doing pest control? Seriously, what gets you out of bed in the morning? A paycheck? Maybe you flipped a coin, and it was either pest control or going back to college. You may have pondered that working in pest control beats sitting at home watching “The Price Is Right” reruns. Hopefully, the real reason you do pest control is for a purpose or a belief.

For example, I loved doing pest control because it was interesting. Outside of “Dr. Pimple Popper,” name me a profession that is as intriguing, disgusting, rewarding and arouses interest the way pest control does. Did you record a bed bug video? Cool! You’ll probably get 2,000 likes on Facebook. You’re at a family gathering? Get ready because Uncle Paulie will bend your ear about yellow jackets.

Another reason I enjoy pest control is that I like helping people. I know my actions will have a positive outcome on their lives, namely, reducing their stress. Another reason I like pest control is because it is fun. I enjoyed solving problems, and I loved the fact that every job is different; rarely was it boring.

Meanwhile, Gabe Seymour likes pest control because it is helping him become the man he has always wanted to be.

Four years and counting

This past August marked the fourth anniversary of Pest Patrol, a Portland, Ore.-based company. Seymour, who was in a different industry five years ago, has made an incredible conversion to pest control. Last year, he finished at $420,000; this year, his goal is $525,000 — although he will likely smash that and reach $600,000. By the end of 2024, he will have seven employees and begin searching for his first office space.

With all of this success, is pest control still fun for him? Not always.

“It is humbling,” Seymour admits. “I make so many random mistakes that you start to realize how much risk is involved in launching something new.”

The risk factor has been weighing heavily on this young entrepreneur’s mind. He told me that turning a profit this year is high on his list of priorities.

Despite the risks and worries, Seymour is having a blast running his company and creating a name for himself. It’s hard to go onto LinkedIn and not see a post from the father of six. He also has an entertaining podcast (Coast-2-Coast Pest Talk) with East Syracuse, N.Y.-based Andrew Sanefski of Perimetek, a good friend and significant influence. He has helped Seymour with many team culture issues, and helped put together detailed service protocols, hiring documents, and an employee manual.

From bottom left, Coast 2 Coast Pest Talk podcast co-hosts Andy Sanefski and Gabe Seymour were on a livestream this summer with The Pest Posse’s Culley Christensen (bottom right) and Foster Brusca (top). (Screenshot: The Pest Posse)

To keep his momentum going, Seymour has been using Yelp with great success. He has also hired a videographer to create content for social media. Pest Patrol also has started providing attic insulation jobs and vapor barrier services, which will help keep his technicians busy during the winter.

During the past year, Seymour and I have done some brainstorming. I suggested he charge more money for his rodent jobs and begin working on his company culture. Heading into 2025, with the rodent price increase checked off the list, he would like to open an office in January and continue building his company culture.

“I think building culture in-person is much more vibrant than letting employees work from home,” he says.

Work-life balance

Despite his success in business, Seymour shines in his personal life. He and his wife, Kelly, have six children they homeschool. In keeping with his philosophy of being a well-rounded human, Seymour is very involved with his church as a music leader; he plays guitar while Kelly plays piano. He also enjoys reading books, writing poetry, and raising his kids.

To make sure he spends more time at home, Seymour is starting to lean on his longest-tenured employee, Sam Valladares. The 30-year-old tech was Seymour’s first hire and has been with him for over three years. Seymour would like to see him move into a leadership role.

At 31, Seymour has already done more than some people twice his age. In attempting to become the best person possible, he has built an outstanding company in Portland. Did he make the right choice when starting a pest control company? He says he did, adding, “I’ve always wanted to be a well-rounded human that enjoys family, life and career; pest control has allowed me to do that.”

<p>The post Pest Patrol owner finds his best balance first appeared on Pest Management Professional.</p>

from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/10/17/pest-patrol-owner-finds-his-best-balance/
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