Flavorful fusion or pest solution, Nguyen sees success

My dad was a fantastic artist. He could doodle and draw almost anything.

Meanwhile, God has given me many talents, but artistic ability is not one of them. I tried to learn how to play guitar but failed. I took a shop class in high school and made salt-and-pepper shakers that only a mother could love (but not use). I signed up for an art class in college and nearly failed the course.

“Cooking is just another type of art — edible art!” maintains Joseph Nguyen, adding he enjoys making meals for his family. (Photo: Joseph Nguyen)

I have always admired people who could express themselves through their music, sculptures, pottery, drawings and other artistic pursuits. Something I have noticed during the past two years of interviewing and consulting with pest management professionals (PMPs) is that we have many talented people in our industry, and they fall into two categories: People with an artistic lens and folks with a scientific perspective.

I fall into the latter. I love numbers, methodology and analysis. I need standard operating procedures (SOPs) and key performance indicators (KPIs). Other people have an emotional connection to our craft. For example:

• Nicole Gorman at Evans Pest & Termite Control creates beautiful artwork with butterflies and makes award-winning Halloween decorations.
• Gabe Seymour of Pest Patrol is an incredible musician who teaches music as a side gig.
• Pete LaQuaglia, formerly of Dyno Home Services, owns Wee Doo Circles (pop culture Christmas collectibles). He’s had so much early success that you might see him on “Shark Tank” next year.

An artist and a businessman

Joseph Nguyen

Joseph Nguyen of Habitat Pest Solutions in Minnesota is another PMP with an artistic side. Nguyen (pronounced win) loves to cook. Whether it is char siu ramen, dim sum, siu mai, sushi, stir fry or another delectable dish, he can create something that would make the Iron Chef jealous.

I asked him about his amazing creations that he posts on social media, and he told me he loves being artistic.

“I’m very proud of it,” he says. “I can cook just about anything, including a perfect steak, whether you want medium rare or ‘Pittsburgh Blue’!”

Cooking is just a small part of Nguyen’s expressive personality. He also loves pottery, painting, drawing, and writing and producing songs. Like many start-up companies, it is not uncommon for the Minnesota native to put in 12-hour days and 70-hour work weeks. Art reduces his stress, he says: “It is my solace from the world.

Success on the rise

Nguyen has had a very productive second year in the pest control business.

He had an excellent first year in 2023, finishing with $110,000 in revenue. He hoped to double that in 2024, but he is well on his way to tripling his first-year numbers.

A big part of Nguyen’s 2024 success has been commercial accounts. Even though he targets residential clients, he has been landing some rather large commercial customers, including a food processing plant and a wind farm. Habitat Pest Solutions even had a $40,000 month in September.

Helping Nguyen achieve these meteoric totals is Xeng Xiong, his first employee.

“He is doing great,” Nguyen reports. “Xeng doesn’t mind the long hours, and his clients love him.” The 30-year-old pest pro was working for another company but joined Nguyen in June.

Setting the ultimate goal

What makes this year’s totals even more impressive is the fact that Joseph and his wife, Yie, welcomed their fifth child, Jayce, into the world in March — and endured a nasty car crash in July. They were pretty banged up after their vehicle was T-boned.

Neither event slowed Nguyen down. For example, he had a 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. day soon after the accident that involved a wasp job at 8 p.m. for a new commercial client.

As 2024 comes to a close, this second-generation Vietnamese American looks forward to continuing his brand expansion. In the coming months, he wants to move away from wildlife and focus more on pest control. He would also like to hire another technician in the spring. Depending on where his revenue ends up this year, Nguyen’s ultimate goal is to double his totals in 2025.

Nguyen also is trying to get me to try some of his dishes — but I am not a fan of Asian cuisine. He said it didn’t matter, vowing, “I will convert you, Pete!”

Maybe he can. If I can’t create art, perhaps I can eat it.

<p>The post Flavorful fusion or pest solution, Nguyen sees success first appeared on Pest Management Professional.</p>

from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/11/13/flavorful-fusion-or-pest-solution-nguyen-sees-success/
Sacramento CA